It’s another full slate of MLB games today, which means lots of opportunities for homers.
My MLB player props and home run analysis will include Kerry Carpenter and Josh Bell.
Read more in my MLB picks for Friday, April 10.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Kerry Carpenter
+440
Josh Bell
+490
Kerry Carpenter (+440)
Kerry Carpenter is only hitting .184 so far, but he’s already clubbed two home runs. That’s after going deep a career-high 26 times last season.
The slugger has smacked a homer twice in his last five contests. The Tigers take on a Marlins team sending Chris Paddack to the hill tonight.
Paddack has had a shaky start to the campaign. He’s already allowed two home runs in just 8 1/3 innings of work while posting an 8.31 ERA.
Opponents have a .475 xSLG against him, and Carpenter has already taken him deep, going 3-for-5 with a bomb.
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Marlins.TV, DSN
Josh Bell (+490)
Josh Bell is thriving early in his first season with the Twins.
The slugger is batting .317 with three home runs and 10 RBI, and he just went deep on Thursday evening against the Tigers, finishing the game 3-for-4.
Bell is up against a familiar arm tonight in Patrick Corbin, who won’t be happy to see Bell in the batter’s box.
The veteran is 4-for-16 lifetime versus Corbin with three bombs. He’s already smacked one homer this season off a left-handed hurler, and Corbin allowed 21 home runs last season.
Time: 7:07 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Twins.TV, SN
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 4-11, +4.32 units
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 Cincinnati Reds are off to a strong 8-5 start, trailing only the powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers in total wins.
With rising talent Chase Burns set to take the mound, my Angels vs. Reds predictions have Cincinnati defending home field with a win in the series opener.
Let’s break down my MLB picks for Friday, April 10.
Who will win Angels vs Reds today: Cincinnati Reds (-170)
Cincinnati Reds starter Chase Burns has allowed next to nothing through two games, holding opponents to a .154 average, .213 wOBA, and .77 ISO.
Burns leads all of today’s starters with a 37.2 K%, a 42% whiff rate, and a 20.6% swinging strike rate. He is giving up little to no contact and sitting hitters down at an electric rate.
The Angels rank 22nd in wOBA and 27th in line drive rate against right-handed pitching. They’re not a team that should cause Burns problems.
On the other side, Kochanowicz looks improved with a .211 average and .285 wOBA allowed. He draws a Reds offense sitting 28th in wOBA vs. righties.
With both sides struggling against righties and a good pitching matchup, the Under is appealing.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 0-2, -2.12 units
Over/Under bets: 0-2, -2.34 units
Angels vs Reds odds
Moneyline: Angels +163 | Reds -170
Run line: Angels +1.5 (-122) | Reds -1.5 (+117)
Over/Under: Over 9.5 (+122) | Under 9.5 (-127)
Angels vs Reds trend
The Cincinnati Reds have hit the Game Total Under in 29 of their last 50 games at home (+13.45 Units / 24% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Angels vs. Reds.
How to watch Angels vs Reds and game info
Location
Great American Ballpark, Cincinnati, OH
Date
Friday, April 10, 2026
First pitch
6:45 p.m. ET
TV
Apple TV
Angels starting pitcher
Jack Kochanowicz (1-0, 4.66 ERA)
Reds starting pitcher
Chase Burns (1-0, 0.82 ERA)
Angels vs Reds latest injuries
Angels vs Reds 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.
NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 09: Bryan Rust #17 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his goal during the first period of the game against the New Jersey Devils on April 9, 2026 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Graessle/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Penguins completed a double whammy yesterday, not only did they clinch a playoff spot for the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs as a result of their victory, they also clinched second place in the Metropolitan Division courtesy of the Philadelphia Flyers loss. That makes for the best of days.
What’s next for the Pens?
They have to finish out the regular season with three more games – at home against Washington on Saturday, then a rematch against the Capitals in Washington on Sunday followed by a random enough trip to St. Louis on Tuesday for the final game of the season. The NHL playoffs begin in the days that follow, the Pens are expected to host Game 1 on either Saturday April 18 or Sunday April 19 depending on the league’s scheduling.
That leaves the next week to get ready, and it will be interesting to see how the team handles the build up period. You would think most, if not the full lineup star players will be playing tomorrow for the home finale (fan appreciation day, no less) and maybe try to get Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust to the 30-goal plateau as they share the ice with Alex Ovechkin one more time, and possibly for the last time pending Ovechkin’s summer decision on playing in the NHL next season or not. The added benefit would be a Penguin win over the Capitals tomorrow will more or less pull the plug on their season that’s already on life support – so what better way to end the lopsided Crosby/Ovechkin rivalry than ending his (potential) last season?
Beyond that, I wouldn’t expect too many star players to be taking the trip to St. Louis on Tuesday night. The NHL has call-up rules in place to limit the amount of talent that can come up from the AHL after the deadline, so it’s not like the Pens would be able to give everyone a night off, but there isn’t much reason for older/important players to not stay home and rest for an extra couple of days.
Then there is the potential opponents, let’s take a look as of today:
The Flyers remain in third place, but things have tightened up with their 6-3 loss to Detroit last night, coupled with the Islanders winning their first game with new coach Pete DeBoer. Columbus, sadly for them, looks like they have run out of gas following a 5-0 loss to Buffalo last night, spoiling a critical chance to get back in the running. With 29 regulation wins, NYI would hold the first tiebreaker over either team, should it come down to a tie after 82-games.
So, as of now for the Penguins, it’s looking like Philadelphia or the NY Islanders. Things could change with a couple of losses by them combined with a couple of wins for CBJ or Washington but time is running critically low with all the teams only having three games remaining in the season. It’s difficult to make up many points in that limited an amount of opportunites.
Philadelphia plays at Winnipeg (just about toast for playoff odds, but scrappy winners of three-straight games) then ends the year with home games against Carolina (already clinched first place, nothing to play for) and Montreal (who might need to win that game to win their division and avoid a tough playoff matchup). Fairly manageable for the Flyers, though giving up six goals and losing to a struggling Detroit team shows that Philadelphia’s performances are variable.
The Islanders might be the true wild card team (not to be confused with competing for a Wild Card playoff spot) due to their coaching change throwing a big change into the proceedings. The change might have come a little too late to salvage the season, though understandably enough because it’s not like there’s a reason to make the change unless things are already going off the rails. NYI ends with a home afternoon game against Ottawa (who have been all over the map but are starting to look stable with a three-game winning streak) and then play Carolina (nothing to play for) and Montreal (potentially something to play for).
The key to everything could be tomorrow for PHI@WIN and OTT@NYI. The Islanders need some help from the Jets and even more importantly they need to take care of their business against a quality opponent. The Flyers are one point ahead but a tie in the standings is as good a win for the Islanders, can they make a move tomorrow or will the Flyers get a victory and stay controlling their own destiny? The season for those teams may well come down to the results of how it shakes out tomorrow, given that they both play CAR and MTL in the final two games.
The season will not come down to the final games for the Penguins, though. They’ve taken care of their business and wrapped everything up a few games early. Now they can start to shift gears into planning for how to handle the meaningless games in the coming games and start to ramp up for whoever emerges from a pressure situation late in the year as their opponent in the first round of the playoffs.
It’s a rockin’ Friday in Major League Baseball with 15 games on tap, starting with the Pirates and Cubbies in the afternoon and ending with the Rangers and Dodgers throwing their first pitch at 10:10 p.m. ET.
Read below for my favorite MLB player props for Friday, April 9, starting in Baltimore with a red-hot Gunnar Henderson.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Gunnar Henderson
1+ runs
-120
Giancarlo Stanton
1+ HR
+330
Ronald Acuna Jr.
2+ total bases
-135
Gunnar Henderson 1+ runs (-120)
It’s been a great week for Baltimore Orioles SS Gunnar Henderson, who has hits in five of his last six games.
That includes three home runs, a pair of doubles, and five runs batted in. He’s also scored at least one run in all but one game.
He’ll be facing San Francisco Giants’ SP Landen Roupp for the first time. Roup is coming off a brutal 9-0 loss to the Mets, where he was tagged for seven hits and seven runs.
Roupp's career WHIP of 1.425 is nothing to fear. Back Henderson to cross the plate at Camden Yards tonight.
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Apple TV+
Giancarlo Stanton 1+ HR (+330)
Tampa Bay Rays starter Steven Matz is 2-0 and coming off his best start of the year, albeit against the Twins. He now gets a massive class test against the Yankees, a team that's tagged him pretty well in the past.
I’m going with Giancarlo Stanton to take him yard. The Yankees’ outfielder is hitting .326 out of the gate, but has just one home run on the year. It’s a nice spot for him to double that output.
Stanton is a career .316 hitter off Matz in 19 at-bats, with a pair of home runs and four RBI.
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MLBN
Ronald Acuna Jr. 2+ total bases (-130)
It’s been a slow start to the year for Ronald Acuna Jr, hitting just .204 with no homers in his first 49 at-bats, but there are signs of him heating up.
He rapped a pair of doubles against the Angels last time out, doubling his two-base total on the year.
He’s 1-for-3 in his career against Slade Cecconi, but this matchup is more about how the righty got rocked in his lone road start of the year. Cecconi was pelted for six hits and six earned runs in 4 1/3 innings in an 8-0 loss to the Mariners.
This feels like a good spot for Acuna to keep hitting the ball hard.
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CleGuardians.TV, BravesVision
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.
Major League Baseball, after sinking in 2024 to its lowest Black population in the sport since 1955, has now shown an increase in back-to-back years for the first time in about two decades, according to MLB’s research.
The African American population is 6.5% on this year’s opening-day rosters and injured lists, a rise from 5.7% in 2024 and 6% last year.
MLB officials are encouraged that developmental programs are starting to produce results, with 20 of the 62 African American players participating in their youth academies, Breakthrough or Dream Series or an invitational. It also includes nine former first-round picks.
There’s also optimism there will be gains in the future with just eight Black players older than 32, and 34 of the players 27 years or younger. There were 17 Black minor-league players on 40-man rosters on opening day, which was reduced to 16 when the Milwaukee Brewers called up outfielder Blake Perkins.
Still, it’s alarming that there are six teams who opened the season without a single Black player on their roster, double the total of last year.
The Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates are all without a single African American player. The Padres also don’t have a Black player in the minors on their 40-man roster.
There are 11 teams with no more than one Black player on the roster, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, who will celebrate Jackie Robinson’s breaking the color barrier in 1947 on Wednesday against the New York Mets.
Two of the smallest-market teams have the most Black players in baseball, the Minnesota Twins and Cincinnati Reds. The Twins have six Black players on their roster, including two Black starting pitchers_Taj Bradley and Simeon Woods-Richardson. The Reds have five Black players on the roster.
Together, the Twins and Reds comprise of 17.7% of the African American population in baseball.
While MLB continues to try to develop more Black pitchers and catchers, with an annual Dream Series each year in Tempe, Arizona, Atlanta’s Drake Baldwin remains the only everyday Black catcher. Baldwin, the 2025 NL Rookie of the Year winner, is the first everyday African American catcher since All-Star Charles Johnson, who last played in 2005.
“It’s definitely a position you don’t see many Black players," Baldwin told USA TODAY Sports, “so it’s kind of nice to break that stereotype and gives you the motivation to keep going.’’
And although there are 13 pitchers on every MLB team, there currently are only 13 Black pitchers in the league. Reliever Joe Ross, who made the Diamondbacks’ opening-day roster, was designated for assignment last week.
“My why is being able to grow the numbers of African American players within our sport," Reds starter Hunter Greene told USA TODAY Sports in December, “or at least give the opportunity to the Black community. It's up to the kids to want to continue to pursue baseball. But it's clear as day, I'm 10 toes down in my why. …I've seen my impact in real time."
While the Black population in baseball is slightly growing, MLB continues to see gains internationally, with 26.1% of its players born outside the United States, spanning 16 countries and territories. Japan has 14 players in MLB, its most since 2010. Canada has 17 players, the country’s most since 2013, including Black Canadians Josh and Bo Naylor. The Dominican Republic has 93 players in the big leagues, leading all foreign nations.
“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” — Robert Burns
Often the best judge of a general manager’s character is not what happens when things go according to plan, but what happens when those plans go sideways. In some sense, fans will want to hold Dana Brown accountable for not having contingency plans for some of these injuries and poor play, but some of that is not reasonable. The question is what happens from here.
I often wish I could be a fly on the wall when general managers and other executives talk. Dana Brown could be forgiven for feeling some desperation. It is hard to imagine so many plans going awry so quickly and so completely. On the one hand, the team sits at 6-7 and they have been in more dire straits before. Seemingly, they have been in worse position in each of the past three seasons at different points of the season. So, panic is not on the level of believing you are tumbling out of contention in mid-April.
The panic probably results from a number of calculated gambles that have all come up snake eyes. Jake Meyers pulled up lame in his first at bat of the game and could be disabled. When the Astros broke camp the assumption was that Zach Cole would be ready to step in and take over in that instance. He fell on his face this spring and then broke his foot in AAA. He is out a couple of months at least himself. The team can deploy Brice Mathews this year, but his K rate is close to 50 percent. That’s problem number one.
Problems two through infinity are all on the mound. The club hoped that Mike Burrows would step up and become a number two starter. That hasn’t happened yet. Tatsuya Imai looked good in his second start, but he is hardly a sure thing either. The only sure thing in the rotation is no longer a sure thing. Hunter Brown is on the shelf for at least a month.
The news went from bad to worse when Cristian Javier suddenly left the game before throwing a pitch in the second inning. He wasn’t off to a good start to begin with. Couple that with the sudden ineffectiveness of Bryan Abreu and you could be forgiven for looking past the 6-7 record and expressing more pessimism in the moment. For a general manager in the last year of a contract, this is the nightmare scenario. A normal general manager on a longer leash would exercise patience. A guy that wants to win now to keep his job must be sweating bullets.
I make no bones about the fact that I am a data driven guy. However, this commentary is not offered in the form of a lab because the labs have to remain pure to the search for truth and knowledge. This is more a gut feel. My gut is based on data and analytical thinking in part, but there is also an emotional bent to it. This feels like an avalanche. The temptation is to make some kind of trade to bring a jolt into a team reeling from sudden injury woes. That instinct would be a mistake.
Part of this is based on science. Vince Gennero used to be the president of SABR and he wrote a landmark book called “Diamond Dollars.” In that book he posited a lot of revolutionary ideas and one of those was the sweet spot of when to spend. Most good players are worth three to five wins. Six plus win players are rarely available and players worth less than three wins are probably not worth a major investment. That is true for free agency, but it is also true for trades.
The hot name right now is Sandy Alcantara. He is an impending free agent, so it is fairly certain that the Marlins will deal him before the deadline to recoup some value there. He is 2-0 with an ERA under 1.00 in the early part of the season, so it appears he is back to top form. The temptation is to think that a healthy Brown and Alcantara could team with Burrows and Imai to form a pretty good top four of a playoff rotation. That is assuming that it would be enough to get into the playoffs.
Gennaro posited that the sweet spot for making moves was when a team was somewhere around 85 wins. Those three to five wins would throw you into the playoffs. This is probably where commenters would point out that I picked them to win 85 games. This was based on a healthy Brown and a reasonably effective Cristian Javier and Bryan Abreu. This has the look of an 80 win team now. I’m not sure that warrants expending prospect capital to turn the tide.
This is the other half of the equation. The Astros don’t have a ton of hot prospects. Kevin Alvarez, Ethan Frey, Xavier Neyens, and Walker Janek qualify on that front. An Alcantara (or other similar player) would cost at least two of them. With Yainer Diaz looking overmatched, trading Janek has to be seen as a no go. That leaves you two of the three others (and probably one more prospect). In a system with few impact position player prospects, that would be extremely painful and Alcantara would be a pure rental.
Not making a trade does not mean surrendering. You have depth in Sugar Land that might help you stem the tide. Obviously, situations can change. Just a week ago we were feeling good about a 5-2 baseball team. It isn’t the losses that hurt. It is losing three players in the span of a week. This feels like 2025 all over again. It feels like fixing holes in a boat with chewing gum. That’s not the right time for desperation moves. The best move is to hope everything stabilizes. If it does then you can reevaluate a decision to add down the line. If it doesn’t then all the additions in the world won’t matter.
While Montreal Canadiens’ sniper Cole Caufield was scoring the 50th goal of his career on the Bell Centre ice, prospect Michael Hage and his Michigan Wolverines were taking on the Denver Pioneers in the Frozen Four semi-final in Vegas.
In a hotly contested game, Denver came out on top with a 4-3 win in double overtime. Hage got one assist in the game, just like Sam Harris (another Canadiens prospect who plays for Denver). The defeat means Hage’s season is over, and it will be time for him to decide what he wants to do next season. Of course, he might need a bit of time to grieve after failing to reach the Frozen Four final, but given the fact that there are only three games left in the Canadiens’ season, a decision should be made rather quickly.
It’s obvious that the Habs believe the 6-foot-1, 199 lbs center is ready to turn pro. While Kent Hughes said the decision was up to the player, the way he spoke in interviews this season leaves little doubt about what the Canadiens would like him to do.
If he does decide to make the jump to the pros, one question remains: Will he sign his ELC and join the Canadiens right away, or will the organization decide that it would be good for him to join the Laval Rocket in their playoff run? If they decide to opt for the second option, the youngster will sign his ELC to start in the 2026-27 season and sign a one-way AHL contract to join Pascal Vincent’s team, just like Jacob Fowler did last season.
This will probably be a tricky decision for the Canadiens, who are eager to see what the youngster could do in the NHL, but every game is pivotal right now as the Sainte-Flanelle is fighting for home-ice advantage in the playoffs. Is now the right time to bring someone new in? He has plenty of talent and should be a good NHL player in the future, but is he ready to dive right into the deep end? Furthermore, he suffered a lower-body injury recently and is probably not fully healthy right now.
Seeing Martin St-Louis try different combinations for his second line in the last couple of games, it’s clear that he isn’t set on one combination yet, and the hope is that one day, Hage could be their second center, but that doesn’t mean he’s ready to step into that role right away. The pivot finished his sophomore season in Michigan with 52 points in 39 games, a big improvement from the 34 points he got in 33 games as a rookie.
Chances are, Hage will be wanting to burn the first year of his ELC this season, but we’ve seen Hughes manage to have his way in the past.
Whichever path the Canadiens and Hage decide to pick, he will probably find himself playing in Laval next season. There’s a huge gap between the NCAA and the NHL level of play; it takes some getting used to. The 21st overall pick at the 2024 draft would benefit from spending some time under Vincent in Laval.
Of course, there's also a possibility that he decides to return to Michigan for another year to try for a national title, but I would be surprised if that was the case.
Mar 25, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) works around Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid (11) in the third quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images
Remember when we thought this game was going to matter for the tiebreaker?
In sports, a few weeks can be a long time. Since these teams met and the Houston Rockets blew a double digit lead in overtime, Houston is 8-0 and looks (at times) to be a much different (read: better) team.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are obviously dealing with the Anthony Edwards injury, and since they are locked into the six seed, they can rest some of their other players in preparation for their first round matchup.
Houston, on the other hand, is in a place that seemed inconceivable two weeks ago. They have an actual shot at home court advantage in the first round. They need to finished these last two games one better than the Los Angeles Lakers, who got a big win last night in the Bay Area (notice that Steph Curry came back for Houston but not the Lakers).
Other games of interest tonight are Nuggets-Thunder and Suns-Lakers. If you are rooting for Houston to play the Lakers in round 1, you are rooting for the Nuggets and Suns. If you want the Nuggets, why?
The Rockets obviously should just keep playing good basketball as the postseason approaches. They do not control their own destiny but would feel a lot better going into the playoffs on a high note. Remember that last season, Houston clinched the two seed with three games remaining and sat their starters in the first two of those games. In the finale, they tried to use it as a dress rehearsal against Denver, but were soundly beaten by a Denver team needing a win. That was a harbinger for Houston’s Game 1 loss to Warriors. Rest is nice, but rust is bad.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MARCH 25: Bones Hyland #8 of the Minnesota Timberwolves plays defense during the game against the Houston Rockets on March 25, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Minnesota Timberwolves at Houston Rockets Date: April 10th, 2026 Time: 8:30 PM CDT Location: Toyota Center Television Coverage: Prime Video, FanDuel Sports Network – North, KARE 11 Radio Coverage: KFAN FM, Wolves App, iHeart Radio
There was time, not even that long ago, where Wolves fans had this Houston game circled in red ink, Sharpie, maybe even carved into stone. A Friday night primetime game featuring two teams who were neck-and-neck all season, facing off in a late-season showdown that could decide who gets the better path.
Instead, we are getting something a little more… pragmatic.
Because by the time the Wolves tipped off against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night, the math had basically done its job. The six seed wasn’t just likely, it was essentially inevitable. Catching Houston would’ve required Minnesota to win out and the Rockets to lose all three of theirs.
So Chris Finch made the wise call.
Rudy Gobert — out. Julius Randle — out. Mike Conley — out. Ayo — out. Anthony Edwards — still resting that knee.
This wasn’t load management. This was a full-on declaration: We’re done chasing the standings. We’re chasing April.
The result followed the script. Orlando, a team that actually needed the game, played like it. Minnesota, a team treating this like a preseason dress rehearsal, looked like it. The Magic took care of business.
But the funny thing about these “meaningless” games is they’re never actually meaningless, not if you’re paying attention to the right things.
The Bright Spots
Let’s start with the most important development of the night:
Jaden McDaniels is back.
After missing time with that knee injury from the Houston overtime game (which, at this point, feels like it happened three seasons ago emotionally), just seeing him moving, defending, and looking somewhat like himself again? That’s a win.
If you’re talking about a potential series against Denver, you don’t just need McDaniels. You need that version of McDaniels, the one who can take a primary assignment, switch, recover, and occasionally chip in offensively without forcing things.
That’s a playoff swing piece.
Then there was Terrence Shannon Jr., who decided this was his moment and dropped a casual 33-point explosion. It was confident, aggressive, in-rhythm scoring that made you start doing the mental math: If something goes sideways in a playoff game… could this guy actually give you minutes?
Shannon’s sophomore season has been uneven, but lately, with injuries opening the door, he’s looked like someone who belongs. And if he can be even a situational weapon in a playoff series? That’s the kind of depth that can change outcomes.
Also quietly encouraging: Naz Reid putting together a solid 15-point night on 6-of-11 shooting, which felt less about the numbers and more about the rhythm. Because the version of Naz the Wolves need in the playoffs isn’t just a spacer. It’s the confident, decisive, second-unit scorer who can flip a quarter in five minutes.
The Reality Check
The bigger picture has shifted.
The Houston game? Still happening. Still technically meaningful for them. But for Minnesota, it’s no longer the defining moment it once looked like. The Rockets are chasing seeding, trying fend off the Lakers for the four spot and grab home court. They’re going to be motivated.
The Wolves? They’re already looking ahead. Because unless something truly bizarre happens over the final couple of days, this is lining up exactly how it feels like it’s been lining up for weeks: Minnesota as the six seed… heading into Denver… for a rematch with Nikola Jokić.
And if that’s the case, then everything between now and Game 1 becomes about one thing: Getting right.
Keys to the Game
1. Stay Healthy
We can dress this up if we want, but we shouldn’t. This is the key.
There is nothing more important than making sure this roster walks into the playoffs healthy and functional. We’ve seen what happens when this team is whole. We’ve also seen what happens when even one or two pieces are compromised. The margin shrinks immediately.
Houston plays physical. They always do. These games can get chippy, scrappy, borderline chaotic. And even if the stakes aren’t there for Minnesota, the style will be. So whoever is on the floor needs to play smart. No reckless drives. No unnecessary collisions. No “I’ll just power through it” moments.
Because the worst-case scenario isn’t losing to Houston. It’s losing something else that you can’t get back.
2. Build Rhythm Where You Can
If the starters are being managed, and they should be, then this becomes an opportunity.
For guys like DiVincenzo, who showed signs of life again shooting the ball in Orlando after a rough stretch, these are rhythm reps. For Naz, it’s about stacking good performances. For McDaniels, it’s about conditioning and timing.
Even if the lineups aren’t what you’ll see in Game 1, the habits still translate. Ball movement. Shot selection. Defensive communication. Those things don’t change just because the stakes do.
If the Wolves can come out of these final games with a handful of guys feeling confident and in sync? That’s not nothing.
3. Let the Young Guys Cook, Because You Might Need Them
Shannon just dropped 33. Jaylen Clark, Joan Beringer, and Julian Phillips are guys who, two weeks ago, felt like depth pieces.
Now? They’re insurance policies.
Because playoff basketball has a way of forcing unexpected contributors into the spotlight. Foul trouble. Injuries. Matchups. It happens every year. And the worst place to discover what a player can or can’t do… is in Game 3 of a playoff series.
So let them play. Let them make mistakes. Let them figure it out now. Because if one of them hits, if even one becomes a playable option, that’s a real advantage.
4. Maintain the Defensive Identity
This team doesn’t win with offense. The Wolves are at their best when they’re suffocating defensively, when Gobert is anchoring, when McDaniels is erasing, and when everyone else is rotating with purpose.
That identity can’t just turn on when the playoffs start. It has to be carried in.
Even if the rotations are different, even if the minutes are lighter, the mentality has to stay the same. Contest everything. Protect the paint. Communicate. Because if you lose that edge now, you don’t magically find it against Denver.
The Final Thought: The Calm Before the Real Storm
This isn’t the ending Wolves fans imagined a few weeks ago. There was a moment where the three seed felt real. Where home court felt possible. Where everything seemed to be trending up.
Instead, the injuries hit. The losses piled up. And the standings settled.
Six seed, here we go again.
But here’s the twist, and maybe the part that should make Wolves fans feel something closer to cautious optimism than dread: This team has been here before.
They’ve seen Denver. They’ve battled through this matchup. They know what it takes, and more importantly, they know what it costs.
So yeah, the Houston game isn’t what we thought it would be. But what happens next? That’s everything.
If the Wolves can use this break in the action to get healthy, get connected, and get back to being the team we saw in flashes all season? Then the six seed might not be a limitation.
It might be the setup for something a lot more interesting.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 08: Pete Alonso #25 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on April 08, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
[Warning: Mixed metaphors incoming. Polar bears don’t like the heat. But human ballplayers do go hot and cold, respectively and metaphorically.]
When the Orioles signed Pete Alonso last winter, they knew they what they were getting: the big, slow, mashing first baseman whose value resides entirely in the batter’s box. Not a fielder. Not a base stealer. A big bat, designed to hit dingers, strike fear in the hearts of opposing starters, and do little else.
So when Alonso dove headfirst into second base in the sixth inning of Wednesday’s come-from-behind win against the White Sox—belly flopping across the bag on a hustle double that ignited the go-ahead rally—it felt like a statement… maybe? … about this team and its character, surely, but more importantly, about what version of Pete Alonso we might come to expect.
One double is a rounding error in the career of this five-time All Star. (He’s hit 185, if you were wondering.) But it felt encouraging in context. The truth is, through the first twelve games of 2026, Alonso has been… ice-cold. Not, to prolong this strained image, like a Polar Bear romping in the Artic; more like, well, a first baseman you worry might be overpaid, granted a generous five-year, $155 million contract. He’s hitting .188 with a .264 OBP and .556 OPS.
Wednesday didn’t fix that. But maybe it was the start of improvement. Twelve games, as we know, is nothing.
Also, there are other things going right. Alonso is pounding the ball right now. He’s posting career-highs in exit velocity (95.1 mph) and hard-hit percentage (60.6%). He’s walking at normal rates, and he’s not chasing, either.
The story seems pitch-specific. Alonso is a hitter who loves to hit fastballs, and this year, results-wise, despite good contact, it’s not going well: his average off heaters is .185, although with an expected average (.241) about seventy points better. Interestingly, the launch angle on this pitch is way down: 5 degrees. So is his bat speed: 72.9 mph, down from above 75 in most seasons since MLB Statcast started keeping track. With a lot of ground balls off heaters, this helps to explain why his power is way down, as evidenced by a career .261 ISO (isolated power) and a .104 mark so far this season.
Also, his strikeouts are up: 28.3% versus a career 22.9%. This seems to be driven by swinging strikes against breaking balls, a 40.7% whiff rate that’s a career high in the way you don’t want. It seems Alonso is having difficult timing up offspeed and breaking pitches, and he’s seeing more of them, especially on the first pitch, than ever.
Alonso is struggling to hit lefties (.100 LH vesus .211 RHP splits, respectively), but he’s struggling to hit lefty fastballs most of all. He still doesn’t have a hit off this pitch, despite already seeing 26 of them so far. As for right-handed pitchers, his worst work is against changeups: he’s still hitting .000 off these.
I’m curious about the bat speed, but otherwise, my best guess, these problems are fluky and small sample-size-based and shouldn’t continue. The weather is still cold, Alonso’s career lefty-righty splits are .231/.260, and power has always been his greatest strength. If I had to guess, I’d say he still hasn’t found his timing.
Back on Wednesday, that sixth-inning double came off an 86-mph sweeper from a right hander. This is a pitch Alonso hasn’t had much luck with all season. Instead, this time he put a charge into one to the gap, and then he ran. Hard and true, pulling out a double with a dive into the bag before later scoring on a wild pitch. It was inspiring hustle from the big man.
Pete Alonso’s designated role on this team is clubhouse leader and big bat. So far, he hasn’t found the latter, for interesting reasons. But there’s a lot more to him as a hitter and he’s certainly already earned a lot of trust with his impressive career track record and leadership role on this new team.
Once the power shows up, the Polar Bear will be an anchor of this lineup. He’s here to play.
The Orioles are now 6-6, back at .500 after Wednesday’s sweep-clincher over the White Sox, and they feel like a team that’s finding something. Whether Alonso ends up being a difference-maker in the traditional sense remains to be seen. But this week, when the moment called for effort over elegance, he delivered.
Columbus Clippers Travis Bazzana (12) throws the ball to first base during home opener at Huntington Park on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Columbus managed just four hits on Thursday and Nolan Jones had two of them, going 2-for-4. The only other player to reach base safely twice was Kody Huff, who went 1-for-3 with a walk.
Starting pitcher Logan Allen was tagged for four runs on four hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched.
Will Dion had 1.1 scoreless frames of relief and Hunter Gaddis allowed one run on one hit with a hit by pitch in his one inning of rehab work.
The lone bright spot was Daniel Espino, who continues to pitch spotlessly, striking out two batters in a scoreless inning of work. I can’t wait until they start allowing him to pitch more than one inning at a time.
This one was uuuuuugly. Christian Knapczyk was the lone source of runs for Akron, hitting a fourth inning solo shot over former Guardian prospect Alex Clemmey.
Other than that, the only offensive bright spot was Jose Devers, who went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks.
Starting pitcher Khal Stephen was OK, allowing three runs (one earned) on seven hits in 3.2 innings pitched. He struck out five and walked two.
Reliever Jack Carey had an especially rough day, giving up five runs on three hits and two walks in just 0.1 innings.
Position player Guy Lipscomb got to pitch late in the game, giving up a pair of runs in one inning.
The top of Lake County’s batting order accounted for nearly all of the team’s offense in this game.
Jace LaViolette’s bat woke up from its ancient slumber as he picked up his first two career hits as a professional ballplayer. He went 2-for-5 with a double.
Jaison Chourio reached base safely three times, going 2-for-4 with a walk and two stolen bases.
Nolan Schubart walked twice and scored a pair of runs while both Anthony Silva and Garrett Howe went 1-fo-3 with a walk.
Starting pitcher Jackson Humphries was solid, allowing three runs on three hits in 5.0 innings with four strikeouts and two walks.
Miguel Virguez was tattooed for four runs on four hits and a walk in just 0.2 innings of work. Cam Walty cleaned up the mess with 2.1 innings of scoreless long relief and three strikeouts.
Fredericksburg jumped all over starting pitcher Joey Oakie with four runs in the first inning and two more in the second, although three of the runs were unearned.
Oakie’s final line was 3.0 innings pitched, six runs, three earned on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts.
Jervis Alfaro was sensational in long relief, striking out seven in 4.0 scoreless innings of work.
Jose Pirela was a standout on offense, going 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk.
Luis De La Cruz also went 2-for-3 with a walk. No one else reached base twice or had an extra base hit.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 1: Jonathan Bowlan #52 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park on April 1, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When the Phillies acquired Jonathan Bowlan in a trade over the winter with the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Matt Strahm, you would have been forgiven if it was the first time you were ever hearing about someone named Jonathan Bowlan. The 29-year-old had only appeared in 37 career MLB games to that point, spending the majority of his professional career in the minor leagues.
But the Phillies apparently saw something more in Bowlan, and despite an unglamorous spring, he has found himself primarily used as the third right-hander out of the Phillies bullpen after Jhoan Duran and Brad Keller thanks in part to the previous absence of Orion Kerkering. So far in 2026, Bowlan has allowed three runs on seven hits in five innings pitched. But he also has five strikeouts and has yet to walk a batter.
He’s flashed some impressive stuff, as Bowlan is averaging 97.5 MPH on his fastball, a full 2 MPH increase from 2025. He’s thrown his new sweeper ten times and has generated a swing and miss on nine of those pitches. In addition to adding that sweeper, the Phillies also have had Bowlan change his pix mitch so far, throwing his changeup more and his slider less than he has in the past. Again, this is in a miniscule sample size of just 84 total pitches, but it will be interesting if this mix is the plan going forward.
Meanwhile the man traded for Bowlan, Matt Strahm, has allowed three runs in 4.2 IP for the Royals with two walks and five strikeouts. But whereas Bowlan’s velocity is up two miles per hour, Strahm’s is down two miles per hour to 90.1 MPH from his already diminishing 92.3 MPH from last season. The direction of both relievers will be something interesting to track as the 2026 season goes on.
So, what are your first impressions of Jonathan Bowlan? Is there something here and he’s only scratching the surface of what the Phillies pitching program can pull out? Or is he just an unimpressive depth reliever? Has anything Bowlan’s done stood out in any way to you, good or bad?
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - APRIL 08: Jake Burger #21 of the Texas Rangers reacts to a victory over the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field on April 08, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It's a potential first-round matchup in the NBA's Eastern Conference, so the Toronto Raptors would like to be able to say they know how to beat the New York Knicks if the matchup does materialize.
New York has won 12 straight against the Raps as the two teams collide for the final time in the regular season on Friday.
Until they can prove they can compete with New York, my Raptors vs Knicks predictions and free NBA picks have the home team inflicting more damage on the visitors.
Raptors vs Knicks prediction
Raptors vs Knicks best bet: New York -6 (-110)
The Toronto Raptors start the day tied with the Hawks with identical records of 45-35, but the Raptors slide above them into fifth by virtue of tiebreakers.
They could, however, plummet to the sixth seed with a loss to the New York Knicks, who just happen to be the third seed in the conference, setting up their ideal opening round NBA playoff matchup.
The Raps are playing well, though, hammering the Miami Heat to win both ends of a 2-game set in South Beach, and they enter winners of three of four.
New York is coming off a big 112-106 win over Boston, giving them four straight wins and an 11-3 mark in its last 14.
The Knicks will try for a fifth-straight beatdown of their Atlantic Division rivals, as the NBA Cup added another head-to-head matchup on the season.
These haven't been close, either. Toronto has lost by at least 16 points in each.
The formula has been brutally simple: in every game, New York has outscored them from 3-point range and beaten Toronto up on the glass, winning the rebounding battle each time.
Both teams are coming off a game on Thursday, and both have losing cover records playing the second night of a back-to-back.
There might be some emotional letdown from New York after dumping Boston, but this series is more mental than X's and O's, and the Knicks have the Raptors' number.
Raptors vs Knicks same-game parlay
Jalen Brunson is in a scoring dip, scoring less than 26 points in three of his last four outings. He's also been inconsistent getting buckets against the Raps: he's topped 25.5 points just three times in his last eight against Toronto.
RJ Barrett has a generous scoring line of 18.5 points on Friday – that's a number he's topped in five of his last seven outings.
Raptors vs Knicks SGP
New York -6
RJ Barrett Over 18.5 points
Jalen Brunson Under 25.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: KAT Pounces!
Scottie Barnes has struggled scoring the ball down the home stretch. He had 13 in his last game against Miami, marking the fifth time in six games he's scored less than 15 points.
And Karl-Anthony Towns has gone Over 11.5 rebounds in seven of his last 11 games, missing the Over by a single board in two other games. He's grabbed double-digit boards in 12 of his last 13 vs TO, so he'll definitely be around the number.
Raptors vs Knicks SGP
New York -6
Jalen Brunson Under 25.5 points
RJ Barrett Under 15.5 points
Karl-Anthony Towns Over 11.5 rebounds
Raptors vs Knicks odds
Spread: Raptors +6 | Knicks -6
Moneyline: Raptors +200 | Knicks -245
Over/Under: Over 219.5 | Under 219.5
Raptors vs Knicks betting trend to know
New York is 9-1-0 against the spread against the Raptors in the last 10 meetings. Find more NBA betting trends for Raptors vs. Knicks.
How to watch Raptors vs Knicks
Location
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Date
Friday, April 10, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
TSN, MSGSN
Raptors vs Knicks latest injuries
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WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 29: Cameron Boozer #12 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts during the first half of a game against the UConn Huskies in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the season over, attention begins to turn to the NBA Draft and how the order will work out.
This is frequently of interest to Duke fans since Blue Devils typically go high, and this year looks like no exception as Cameron Boozer will be off the board early.
But how early?
That depends on a lot of things, not least of all how the draft lottery works out, but here are some hot takes from fairly knowledgeable people.
Stephen Noh – to Brooklyn with the #2 pick.
Adam Finkelstein – to Brooklyn with the #3 pick.
Bryan Kalbrosky – to Indiana with the #2 pick.
Jeremy Woo – to Indiana with the #3 pick.
Ricky O’Donnell – to Washington with the #1 pick.
Jonathan Wasserman – to Brooklyn with the #3 pick.
Here’s what O’Donnell had to say about Boozer’s prospects: “Boozer is my No. 1 prospect because he was obviously the best player in the country this year, he’s the youngest of the big three, he has the strongest feel for the game, and the best offensive versatility. I don’t understand the skepticism about his upside as he goes to the next level. All he does is impact winning to the highest degree. I really like his fit in Washington with a mobile defensive center in Alex Sarr.”
The season is not yet over, but the lottery teams, as of now, are Washington, Indiana, Brooklyn, Utah, Sacramento, Memphis, Dallas, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Chicago, Golden State, Miami, and Charlotte.
Of those, we’d love to see him with Dallas, Miami, or Charlotte. Dallas seems obvious: they could put out a complete Duke front line. Cooper Flagg, Dereck Lively, and Boozer would be fun for Blue Devil fans, but also really good.
He’d be a great fit with Miami’s culture as well. And with the Hornets, he’d fit right in with that team’s current mentality.
But none of those are where we’d really like to see him. The perfect spot for Boozer, in our opinion, would be San Antonio. They could really use a power forward like Boozer, and he and Victor Wembanyama would form a great partnership.
Kerry Carpenter
Josh Bell
COVERS INTEL:
Gunnar Henderson
Giancarlo Stanton
Ronald Acuna Jr.
