SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 21: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers walks out to bat against the San Francisco Giants in the fifth inning at Oracle Park on April 21, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
These five words will never cease to amuse me: Shohei Ohtani made history, again.
Although the Dodgers suffered their third defeat on this current road trip— dropping Tuesday’s contest to the San Francisco Giants 3-1— Shohei Ohtani was able to extend his on-base streak to 53 games, tying Shawn Green for the longest such streak in Los Angeles Dodgers history. Ohtani is still five games off from tying Duke Snider for the longest in franchise history.
Ohtani is slated to pitch against the Giants for Wednesday’s game, and the Dodgers intend to have Ohtani resume his two-way duties after opting to only pitch in his previous start, notes Sonja Chen of MLB.com.
“I think that it makes a lot of sense that if you’re … hitting while pitching, it takes a little bit of a toll,” Roberts said. “He certainly has managed it really well, but if it makes sense, I’ll have that conversation with him.”
Now that the Dodgers are in the midst of their first season with Shohei Ohtani performing his two-way prowess for a full season, Mike Petriello of MLB.com writes about Ohtani potentially unlocking a new gear that the baseball world has yet to see.
Links
The Dodgers had their new bona-fide star closer for all of three weeks before landing on the injured list.
Edwin Díaz will miss the next three months after being diagnosed with loose bodies in his right elbow, which now raises a question about which Dodger reliever will take over as the team’s de facto closer. As for what Dave Roberts forecasts, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, the initial candidate is Tanner Scott but the decision will vary day-to-day.
“If I had to guess … I would say probably Tanner,” Roberts said. “And that could change. I honestly don’t know. I mean, Tanner can pitch in the seventh tonight, and Blake can get the save. So honestly, it’s kind of day to day. It really is.”
The Dodgers will shoot down trade talks involving the red-hot Dalton Rushing unless the return haul lands them something huge in return, reported Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic during his latest appearance on the Foul Territory podcast.
“At the deadline, anything is possible, but I can’t see the Dodgers entertaining this unless it was a major deal— unless they were getting something huge in return— and I’m not sure what that would be at this point.”
The Dodgers likely won't entertain a trade involving Dalton Rushing unless they're getting something huge in return, says @Ken_Rosenthal. pic.twitter.com/9WqS46ToyM
In just under two weeks, the NHL will conduct the 2026 draft lottery. May 5, 2026, will be a significant day in franchise history as the Vancouver Canucks enter the draft lottery with the best odds at landing first overall. With potential franchise-altering players at the top of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the Canucks hope that, for the first time, the lottery balls bounce their way and Vancouver leaves the lottery with a victory.
One of the big questions leading into the draft lottery is whether the Canucks will name their new General Manager before May 5. After firing Patrik Allvin less than a week ago, the Canucks have reportedly already started the search for the next GM. Many names have already been connected to the job, including Ryan Johnson, who is currently one of Vancouver's Assistant GMs.
According to a new report by TSN's Darren Dreger, the Canucks goal is to have a GM in place before the draft lottery. Dreger revealed the potential timeline while making an appearance on Sekeres and Price. In his report, Dreger revealed why Vancouver wants to get this hiring done sooner rather than later.
"Well, the hope is that they get something done around the draft lottery," said Dreger. "And there's reason behind that. You're talking about a relatively small window of influence and impact here on an organization. Especially one like the Vancouver Canucks, given their position in the draft and all of that. So how good would it be if your new head of hockey operations, or in this case, the General Manager, can participate in all scouting conversations leading up to the draft. And then he can quickly go through that crash course with the amateur scouts and everyone involved in that process with the Canucks. So that he is educated and feels part of very important days of decision making on the draft floor. It's a decentralized draft, so you're not going to have all of your hockey operations crew assembled in Buffalo, but the hope, the expectation, the target is to have that GM in place as early as the draft."
The Canucks enter the draft lottery with an 18.5% chance at first overall. According to the NHL, that equals 185 combinations out of a possible 1,000. The draft lottery broadcast will feature a live drawing and will be available to view on Sportsnet.
NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly (Photo Credit: @Canucks on "X")
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DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 21: Ice crew for the the Colorado Avalanche fixes a pane of glass that was broken in the second period against the Los Angeles Kings in...
The Los Angeles Kings expected a hostile environment for their first two games in Colorado at Ball Arena — but this was right out of a horror movie.
With 16:48 remaining in the second period of a scoreless game, Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood made a sensational save on Kings forward Quinton Byfield on a penalty shot.
As the fans celebrated, they leaned and pounded on the glass behind the Kings bench in a surge of playoff adrenaline. That’s when the sound of a giant crack could be heard as the glass shattered under too much pressure.
The shards of glass rained down upon interim Kings head coach D.J. Smith, with fragments of glass spilling all over him.
“Whoever the guy (was) just kept pushing and pushing and pushing,” Smith said before heading back to the tunnel to pick glass out of his suit. “I looked back because it hit me a bunch of times, then it broke.”
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton had a front row seat for the glass breaking.
The game was delayed for over 17 minutes while the cleanup crew came out with shovels to pick up shards of glass from the Kings’ bench.
“I thought the ice crew did a good job and they did their best to fix it as fast as possible. Doesn’t happen every day,” said Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog.
The Avalanche won, 2-1, in overtime on a goal by Nicolas Roy to grab a 2-0 series lead ahead of Game 3 in Los Angeles on Thursday night.
DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 20: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves plays the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter during Game Two of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 20, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. 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 Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
“This team will flip the switch in the playoffs”.
The infamous switch! The magical, mythical thing that was supposed to exist for the Minnesota Timberwolves to grab hold of, completely change who they are, and become a team much closer to their two years ago-selves on the floor when the games mattered more.
WRONG!
If the indescribable, exhilarating mile-high win on Monday night told me anything, it was the fact that this switch was just an idea all along. It doesn’t exist. It never did exist. It was a Trojan horse to excuse the bipolar nature of a team that saw jaw-dropping lows followed shortly by some of the best regular-season (and now playoff) moments this franchise has ever seen.
All of that is ok. It’s who they are, and for better or for worse, what they are going to be for the remainder of this season. On Monday night, it was certainly for the better.
DENVER , CO – APRIL 20: Donte DiVincenzo (0) of the Minnesota Timberwolves talks to Rudy Gobert (27) during the fourth quarter of the Timberwolves' 119-114 win over the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Monday, April 20, 2026. Minnesota tied the best-of-seven series 1-1. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) | Denver Post via Getty Images
How Much is Too Much?
Throughout the season, every player on the roster alluded in some capacity to how the team identity has procrastination and “winning time” baked into it. Prone to slow starts, letting leads slip, and poor stretches of effort over the last two seasons, a Western Conference Finals appearance last year quickly had many people forgetting about just how inconsistent the Wolves are prone to be throughout the course of an 82-game season.
With continuity being the message heading in, a pattern emulating 2023-24 was expected; a methodical, dominant season after a turbulent prior year that had a new group trying to figure each other out.
As we all know, it didn’t happen. In fact, throughout the season, it felt as though a group branded as continuous tried to test that label and see just how far they could extend their margin of error before holding onto a win or coming back to achieve one.
Enter Monday night.
Just how all-over-the-board did things get?
The Wolves wrapped the first quarter with a -53.8 net rating. Rudy Gobert had the worst of the bunch with a -68. A disaster start that looked like it would culminate in an early exit for the Wolves.
What happened in the very next quarter? You guessed it. a 53.8 net rating, with Gobert leading the way at a 96.7.
Carmelo Anthony was full of praise for Rudy Gobert's defensive effort on Nikola Jokic in Game 2. pic.twitter.com/UpJLlntCLr
They would go on in ostentatious fashion to extend the numbers on paper to a thrilling win in game two. Donte DiVincenzo led the way from a net rating standpoint in the second half, and Gobert would go on to play his now-famous defense on Jokic to seal the deal.
But given time to reflect on a win that wasn’t going to let anyone come back down to earth anytime immediately after, it made me wonder just how continuously close this Wolves team can get to the edge before it does them in.
In a series with Oklahoma City, this level of variance would not get you far. Hell, we’ll see how far it gets them in a series with Denver. We’re two games in, and a great win only goes as far as the next game.
But the “switch” of consistently disciplined basketball that we were all waiting for simply doesn’t exist. In a more intermittent fashion that flips on and off three or four times a game? Sure. I’ll give you that.
But we also have a new factor coming into play.
Throughout the pre and postgame media sessions in games one and two, there seems to be a touch of moxie percolating throughout the team. Living in ambivalence and shrugging their shoulders for much of the season when asked to explain why so many ebbs and flows occurred, it became mind-numbing at points to ask the same questions and see the same results.
How will something like that look in the long run? Only time will tell.
But more so than an on-court switch being flipped, it’s fair to say that there very well could be an attitude switch being flipped on this team. Denver likely brings this side out of them as one of the best rivalries in the league over the last 10 years. I think the Thunder also bring this side out of them – look no further than Chris Finch’s December ejection and the myriad of trash talk aimed at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from Anthony Edwards.
Finch raved about the in-huddle leadership and togetherness of the team on Monday. Donte DiVincenzo backed everyone up in the locker room, calling Gobert “our Defensive Player of the Year” and Anthony Edwards “Our MVP”. 84 games in, a sudden tone shift in approach looked to be taking shape.
A…switch you could call it?
Perhaps the one being flipped after all, when things have started to hit the fan, isn’t immediately one that’s reflected on the floor, but one in the locker room. Right now, trying to separate from being a prisoner in the moment, it does feel a little different. There does seem to be a wave of nastiness setting in with this team.
Will the one on the floor come next, or will the intangible tone switch fade in and out like the tangible on-court one did for much of the regular season?
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 22: A clown mask worn by actor Heath Ledger in the 2008 film The Dark Knight is on display at the DC Comics Exhibition: Dawn Of Super Heroes at the O2 Arena on February 22, 2018 in London, England. The exhibition, which opens on February 23rd, features 45 original costumes, models and props used in DC Comics productions including the Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman films. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, that was a brutal Game 1 in the Thunder/Suns series! I could make excuses like how the Suns were without starting center Mark Williams, and Grayson Allen is still too hurt to trust. I could point out that the Thunder are healthy and have been resting for over a week. The Suns beat the Warriors, hopped on a plane, flew to Oklahoma City, and then had about a day to mentally and physically prepare to take on the defending champs.
He described this Suns team as the monster under the bed. There was more to it than just having players who scare others. A theme was that players like Brooks were doubted, and they used that motivation to instill fear in the league. That’s what they need to re-capture. Let’s consider what a lot of the Suns players have no doubt heard about themselves, a villain origin story, if you will.
Dillon Brooks
Let’s start with the inspiration behind the article!
Narrative: He is just a just a defender. He will be out of the league and playing in China. He can’t control himself. He poked the bear. His mouth writes checks his game can’t cash. The most “punchable face in the league”. He is a “negative to every team he has been on…”.
What the Suns NEED to do this offseason
1) Fire Jordan Ott. Self explanatory. He kills players confidence and doesn’t know how to build a rotation
2) Trade Dillon Brooks for a wing or a good point guard. Bro is a negative to every team he’s been on and ISOs his teams to…
Truth: Brooks brought a hustle and confidence this Suns team has not had since Chris Paul helped guide them to the NBA finals. He set a career-high in scoring and can channel his energy into the game to help his teammates. The Suns needed this pitbull of a player who knows how to fight.
Devin Booker
Narrative: Empty stats player. Can’t hit three’s unless it is in the All-Star game. A weak defender. Not a leader. Often injured. Can’t handle the double team. Point Book doesn’t work. He is too tentative and won’t take over a game.
Truth: Devin Booker is the leader of the Suns. He has averaged over 21 points per game for 10 straight seasons. He doesn’t force shots and will dish to open teammates to the tune of 6 assists a game. He is one of the top players in the game. Oh, he is totally homegrown as well. The #13 overall pick in the 2015 Draft, he has spent 11 seasons and counting with the Phoenix Suns. If you need a basket to win the game, you go to Book.
Jalen Green
Narrative: A bust! He is too streaky. He can’t hit the 3 consistently. Worst defender in the league. Can’t stay healthy. Fails in the playoffs
“Core 7” Update:
1. Jalen Green, 2021 (#2): Bust and total sunk cost. No improvement in four years. Rightfully dumped, but he had enough trade value to get KD.
2. Alperen Sengun, 2021 (#16): The gem of the rebuild. Extended. All-NBA. The team’s backbone. Former backup to Bruno…
Truth: Jalen did have terrible luck with injuries this year, but he is finally healthy now. He had huge games in the Play-In tournament, nearly sealing the win against the Blazers and then pummeling the Warriors to make the playoffs. He is averaging a career-high in steals per game and has turned his athleticism into a major asset on the defensive end.
Mark Williams
Narrative: Dude is made of glass. Poor defender. Only a rim runner. The Lakers actually got cold feet and rescinded a trade for him, leading them later to believe DeAndre Ayton is better.
Truth: Mark has played a career-high 60 games this season. His defense has been much improved as well. His motor is far better than Ayton’s, and he doesn’t play nearly as soft with fadeaway jumpers that Ayton seemed to love.
Grayson Allen
Narrative: Dirty player. All he can do is shoot 3’s. Overpaid. Trade him!
I'll ask again for those not listening:
How in the world do you send a guy like Jordan Goodwin & Gillespie to the bench in favor of Jalen Green and Grayson Allen?
Trick question, you don't and trade Grayson Allen for a TRUE power forward while he has value.
Truth: No player had more Twitter fans calling for a trade than Grayson. In response, he sets a franchise game record for most three’s made in a game and sets career highs in assists per game and steals per game. Grayson can do a little bit of everything and torch the net while doing it.
Royce O’Neale
Narrative: He is undrafted for a reason. Too small to play forward and too slow to play anything else. A streaky shooter. Only brought in because he is friends with Durant from the Brooklyn days. Trade him!
Royce O’Neale: NO DUMB PASSES LEADING TO TURNOVERS IN TRANSITION. Take spot ups with his normal confidence. Try to make some impact defensively while not fouling too much. pic.twitter.com/TSKcJlF9iz
Truth: “Big Meal” O’Neale is a Swiss army knife for the Suns. He agitates bigger players and is long enough to stay in front of most guards. He set career highs in three-point shooting percentage and steals per game.
Collin Gillespie
Narrative: Who?? This guy is a cast-off, minimum contract hustle guy. Couldn’t stay with the Nuggets, and they didn’t even have a true point guard. Undrafted for a reason.
Truth: Collin is the Villain Jr. to Brooks. He has career highs in points, steals, and assists this season. He now holds the Suns franchise record for most three-pointers made in a single season.
Jordan Goodwin
Narrative: Not this guy again! He couldn’t hang with the Suns last time. He can’t hit a three-point shot. All he does is play defense. Undrafted for a reason! Should have kept Jared Butler.
Jordan Goodwin u are staying in China unfortunately u and Jared butler
Truth: Goodwin has continued his three-point shooting success from last year with the Lakers. He is one of the top rebounding guards in the game and has matched a career high in 1.5 steals per game while doing that in 7 fewer minutes per game. Goodwin has become a massive fan favorite, and his energy is infectious.
Oso Ighodaro
Narrative: Who?? This guy isn’t on anyone’s draft boards. He is blocking Maluach’s playing time. He is getting owned inside, and he can’t shoot outside. Terrible push shot.
Truth: There might be no player that Suns Planet Podcast fan KingNacho says we should get rid of more than Oso. However, what if I told you he is having a career year in points, shooting %, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks? Oh, he stayed healthy and played all 82 games. For a 2nd round pick, Oso has been phenomenal as a backup big!
Jordan Ott
Narrative: Who?? This man has no head coaching experience. He runs bad rotations. Too in love with the small ball. Not another Michigan State guy…
Truth: Ott would have been a coach of the year candidate had the Suns stayed healthy. He helped put the team in a position to play aggressive and grinding defense. A major upgrade over Bud and Vogel.
So, what Jake? So, some people doubted these guys.
That, my friends, is the essence of this Sun’s magical season. A lot of these players have been given second chances of sorts. We had some tremendous excitement with this team earlier in the season. We were defying all expectations and succeeding.
Then injuries piled up. Key players didn’t have time to gel. Now they face some adversity, and they are afraid of blowing it.
They need to share the fear with each other, become friends with it, and put that fear into the Thunder.
Steal a game in OKC, win another in Phoenix. We could see the OKC foundation crack a little. I am not predicting we win the series. However, I want to see these villains show they belong. They need to play hard, play smart, and be near perfect. That’s what will change the mood of the series.
It reminds me of that scene in Rocky IV when Rocky cuts the Russian. The Suns need to prove they are the monster under the bed to themselves again. That’s how they show they each deserved this second chance.
Apr 18, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami (5) hits a solo home run during the seventh inning against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | Scott Marshall-Imagn Images
Happy Wednesday, everyone! Did you know the Cubs are in the most interesting division in baseball? Of course, we always knew that, but it seems like the NL Central is getting a lot of attention this week. Other things on people’s minds? The Phillies, Mets, and Astros are the talk of the town, and it’s largely because of how bad they’ve been. Not bad? Astros’ slugger Yordan Alvarez. Likewise, Japanese star Munetaka Murakami might be striking out a lot, but he’s still exactly what the White Sox hoped for.
We’ve got all that and more—including goats—in today’s news brief, so let’s just jump right into it.
Apr 18, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell (5) celebrates after scoring against the Miami Marlins during the sixth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers’ offense is hanging on by a thread at the moment. Brice Turang and William Contreras are doing what they can, and Jake Bauers and Gary Sánchez have offered some early season boom-or-bust help. But without any of Jackson Chourio, Christian Yelich, or Andrew Vaughn in the lineup, the lineup is struggling. Sal Frelick hasn’t hit well. Joey Ortiz is still, unfortunately, a zero. Milwaukee has gotten very little from any of Brandon Lockridge, Blake Perkins, Greg Jones, or David Hamilton. Luis Rengifo can be added to that group, too, even if he’s come around a bit in the past week.
But there is one other player who has been helping to keep the offense afloat during this tough stretch: Garrett Mitchell. He’s already had some big moments. An extremely concerning spring raised a lot of questions around whether Mitchell was any sort of answer at all in the outfield, much less a long-term one. Many of those questions still remain, but Mitchell has also quietly raked this season; as of the start of play Wednesday, he has a 148 OPS+, leads the Brewers (along with Brice Turang) with 18 RBIs, and—I’m not making this up—leads the National League with a .437 on-base percentage.
But what can we learn from Mitchell’s odd start to the season?
When it’s hit, it stays hit
Mitchell’s Statcast page currently lights up like a Christmas tree. He ranks 90th percentile or better in average exit velocity, barrel percentage, hard-hit percentage, launch-angle sweet-spot percentage, bat speed, chase percentage, and walk rate. We should be extremely encouraged by all of this. Mitchell is being very selective, he is swinging hard, and he is crushing the ball when he makes contact. These are major harbingers of success.
But that Statcast page also lights up in a bad way. Mitchell is in the bottom-three percentile in squared-up percentage and is crucially in the very bottom percentile leaguewide in whiff percentage and strikeout percentage. As encouraging as the good stuff is, the bad stuff is perhaps even more worrisome. Mitchell swings and misses a ton. His strikeout percentage sits at 38.8%; last year, the worst K-rate among qualified hitters was Ryan McMahon at 32.3%. Mitchell is way beyond that, to a point that probably isn’t sustainable; the highest single-season K-rate in the last five years was when Joey Gallo struck out 34.6% of the time in 2021, and the all-time record for a hitter in a full season (that wasn’t 2020) was Chris Davis at 37.2% in 2017. At 38.8%, Mitchell is approaching Keston Hiura levels — Hiura struck out in 40.6% of his plate appearances during his last two seasons in Milwaukee.
Given that data, it’s fair to ask whether Mitchell is even a viable major leaguer if he continues to strike out that much. He is doing damage when he hits the ball, and the Statcast data in that regard is good. But Mitchell is also rocking a BABIP of .522 right now; the highest BABIP ever recorded (since the dawn of the American League in 1901), according to FanGraphs, was 99 points lower than that. It was in 1923, and the guy’s name was Babe Ruth. The highest BABIP in a full season in the last 50 years was Rod Carew at .408 in 1977. Just one of the greatest pure hitters of all time in a season in which he hit .388, had 9.7 WAR, and won the MVP.
Mitchell has always been a high-strikeout player; in the 141 games he’d played prior to 2026, he held a career 33.9% strikeout rate. Even that would be too high, but Mitchell has always managed to be relatively productive despite a large number of strikeouts. When you add his other skills to that, it helps too — Mitchell is very fast and he’s a very good fielder. As for decreasing the strikeouts, a glance at the “Zones” page on his Statcast profile tells you what you need to know: he can’t hit pitches up in the zone. Pitchers are spamming fastballs in the top third of the zone, and Mitchell is missing them. Until he fixes that, they’ll keep doing it. It’s not a mystery what needs to be done here, but that’s extremely easy for me to say.
An everyday option?
If Mitchell can work on the strikeout issue, though, he could offer the Brewers something that they need: an outfielder who can play every day, no matter who is pitching for the opposition.
The Brewers have protected Mitchell a bit versus left-handed pitching this season, and he’s only got 16 plate appearances, but he’s hitting .300 with five walks in those 16 plate appearances, good for a .533 OBP and .833 OPS. He’s doing damage against righties — all of his extra-base hits this year are against right-handed pitching — but Mitchell is using his patience as a strength against lefties.
This isn’t a one-year blip, either. Mitchell is certainly a better hitter against right-handed pitching in his career (.792 OPS in 422 PA), but he’s not bad against lefties. Mitchell has a higher batting average and a higher OBP in his career against lefties (.264 versus .253 and .349 versus .346). His career OPS versus lefties is lower (.697 in 88 plate appearances), but that split between lefties and righties isn’t nearly as dramatic as some other players on the Brewers, and that .697 OPS versus lefties is certainly playable.
If Mitchell can find a way to cut down his strikeouts and get some of the power he shows against right-handed pitchers into his profile against lefties, he could become a downright offensive weapon. Again, that’s easy for me to say, and of course we all know the dangers of putting too much faith in Mitchell and his health.
But there’s a good player here, one who is already helping to prop up a struggling Brewer offense. Remember, before the 2025 season there were those who were predicting an All-Star appearance for Mitchell. (Me, I was one of those.) There are some major issues with his game right now, and his career is sort of teetering in a place that could go either direction. But the goal is clear, and if Mitchell can put it all together, the Brewers could really have something.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 09: TJ Rumfield #7 of the Colorado Rockies bats during the fourth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on April 09, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After all, a strong campaign in spring training earned him the starting job at first base on Opening Day, and he’s been a staple in the lineup since. While the sample size is still small, it’s worthwhile to check in on the early returns on Rumfield to see what’s going well and what needs adjustment as he continues his development at the big-league level.
What’s Going Well
A glance at his stat line paints a quality picture for Rumfield. In 23 games entering Tuesday, he is slashing .253/.310/.405 with a double, a triple, three home runs, 11 RBI, and seven runs scored. Additionally, he has 15 strikeouts and seven walks in 87 plate appearances.
It’s the plate discipline that immediately stands out for Rumfield upon further inspection and is the proof of the pudding as to why Paul DePodesta and Josh Byrnes pulled the trigger on bringing him in. Sporting a 17.2% strikeout rate, Rumfield ranks with the second-lowest on the team, just behind Tyler Freeman (15.0%). On the flip side, he has slotted in at a league average 8.0% walk rate, which is a massive positive considering his seven walks rank third on the team behind Kyle Karros (14) and Edouard Julien (8).
The zone awareness has also been highlighted and helped Rumfield maintain some consistency at the plate. Per Baseball Savant, Rumfield’s 92.7% zone contact rate tops the Rockies, which correlates with his 22.3% whiff rate that ranks third-lowest on the team. Add in the fact that he doesn’t chase excessively and you’ve got a player with a veteran approach that can adjust to big league hitting.
Equally impressive is that Rumfield is showing a capability of handling the fastball, something that can’t always be said about young hitters, especially for the Rockies over the last few seasons. Rumfield is batting .294/.317/.559 against heaters with two home runs and just three strikeouts. Seeing a fastball 41.7% of the time, Rumfield has just a 6.7% whiff rate. Eliminating the fastball’s deadly tendencies, Rumfield is forcing pitchers to utilize other tools in their arsenal to attack him rather than binge on heaters.
Quality at-bats, due to awareness of the zone, have reminded me of the start of a former Rockies first baseman, you may recall, who is in the Hall of Fame.
Rumfield is nipping at the heels of Todd Helton’s first 35 career games, and still has a whole season ahead of him, something Helton didn’t have back in 1997. His approach at the plate is quite reminiscent of Helton’s, and his ability to handle his position defensively also echoes “The ToddFather.”
There is a lot to like about Rumfield so far, but like any player, there is always work to be done to take the next step.
What Needs Work
Perhaps the biggest thing that Rumfield will need to continue working on is adjusting to secondary pitches. Because of his ability to hit the fastball, pitchers have begun throwing more pitches low and out of the zone.
Breaking balls generally haven’t given him too many fits as he is slashing .265/.260/.353 while seeing breaking balls at a 39.3% clip. Still, he has a 35.9% whiff rate against breaking pitches, specifically sliders (48%). Rumfield has a 50% strikeout rate against the slider with a .231 AVG against it. Offspeed pitches have also been a bothersome pitch, although he doesn’t see them as often since the change in speed isn’t as effective against his contact abilities as a severe breaking pitch is.
Learning to adjust to and combat those secondary pitches will be Rumfield’s greatest challenge. He certainly can make that adjustment, and a greater sample size will give a clearer idea of what he can do over the next month of games.
Another of the great challenges facing Rumfield is something plaguing all left-handed batters: left-handed pitching. In just 14 plate appearances against southpaws, Rumfield is slashing .143/.143/.143 with two hits. Again, it’s a small sample size, but the fact that he puts the ball in play is something since he has just one strikeout against left-handed pitching.
The fact of the matter is that the things Rumfield needs to work on are getting into nitpicking territory, which is a good problem to have. The well-rounded nature of his bat gives him a good base that can translate to success and growth in multiple areas, and the chance to develop against big league pitching is what is best for him.
As time rolls on and the at-bats stack up, Rumfield will be put to the test. The early signs show a promising end result, and once he can string together a couple of multi-hit games consistently, it’s going to be hard to deny that Rumfield is a legitimate big-league bat that can help the Rockies in the climb back to relevance.
On the Farm
Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes @ Sacramento River Cats (POSTPONED)
The rain picked up in California, moving the series opener to Wednesday. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Saturday, April 25.
The Hartford Yard Goats rebounded from an early deficit and held the lead, staving off a rally in the bottom of the ninth to win the series opener. Jake Brooks made the start, working four innings and allowing four runs on six hits. The middle relievers allowed just one run, while Sam Weatherly escaped the ninth with two runs allowed to secure the victory. The Yard Goats managed nine hits in the game, matching Portland. Bryant Betancourt had a three-hit night with a pair of doubles, while Jose Torres belted a solo shot in the second inning. Roc Riggio also drove in a pair of runs in the game.
Runs were hard to come by in the game until the AquaSox broke the seal in the bottom of the sixth. Yujanyer Herrera tossed three scoreless innings to start the game for Spokane, followed by Bryson Hammer, who performed admirably, allowing just one run in four innings of work, but had to take the loss. Things got out of hand in the bottom of the eighth when Hunter Mann was tagged for four runs on three hits. The Indians managed two runs in the top of the ninth courtesy of a two-run home run from Jacob Humphrey. The offense managed just three hits in the game while striking out 14 times with two walks.
After allowing five runs in the first two innings, the Fresno Grizzlies had to play catch-up and couldn’t overtake the Quakes. Marcos Herrera started on the mound and took the loss after giving up all five runs in 1.2 innings alongside four walks. The bullpen, led by Austin Emener’s 3.1 innings, performed well the rest of the way, allowing just two hits the rest of the way. Tanner Thach continued his hot stretch, contributing a pair of hits while Roldy Brito had a triple and drove in a pair of runs in the game.
This week, Evan Lang and I talk about the early struggles of Willi Castro before moving on to talk about the home and road splits for the club. Also, is there something fishy about the Rockies’ swinging aggression?
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 23: General view during a game between Bay FC and Washington Spirit square off before a record-setting crowd at Oracle Park on August 23, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Karen Hickey/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images) | ISI Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
The San Francisco Giants are back in action at Oracle Park this week. I’m actually going to be attending a game this weekend, too. And I will be taking one of my best friends to her very first game at Oracle Park. So that got me thinking about what the most important things to see and do at the ballpark are if you’ve never been there.
As someone who has been going to the ballpark regularly since it opened in April of 2000, I think I’ve started to take it for granted a little bit. Of course it’s a stunningly gorgeous ballpark with a ton of things to do and see. But I’ve seen and done most of the things more times than I can count. I’ve seen every inch of that ballpark, sat in nearly every section, visited the clubhouse, dugout, press booth, suites, eaten all of the must-eat foods.
So it’s kind of fun to view it in this light. What would a first-time park-goer absolutely need to see?
What are your favorite places to visit at the ballpark? What would you show a fan attending their first game? Sound off in the comments!
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants continue their series against the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight at 6:45 p.m. PT.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 18: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins moves the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers in Game One of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 18, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Who:Pittsburgh Penguins (0-2) @ Philadelphia Flyers (2-0) in Game 3 of the best of seven series
When: 7:00 p.m. ET
How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and NBC Sports Philadelphia, nationally on TNT and TruTV, streaming on HBO Max
Pens’ Path Ahead: Game 4 won’t be until Saturday (8:00pm start). If necessary, Game 5 would be back in Pittsburgh on Monday 4/27.
Opponent Track: The Flyers are up 2-0 in the series and now back at home for the next two games.
Hidden Stat: The Penguins went 21-12-8 on the road in 2025-26. Their 50 road points were tied for eighth in the NHL, per Pens PR. The Flyers and Penguins both tied for the fewest home wins in the regular season among Eastern Conference playoff teams (20).
Getting to know the Flyers
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Tyson Foerster – Trevor Zegras – Owen Tippett
Travis Konecny – Christian Dvorak – Porter Martone
Denver Barkey – Noah Cates – Matvei Michkov
Luke Glendening – Sean Couturier – Garnet Hathaway
DEFENSEMEN
Travis Sanheim / Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York / Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler / Noah Juulsen
Goalies: Dan Vladar and Samuel Ersson
Potential scratches: Garrett Wilson, Carl Grundstrom, Alex Bump, Emil Andrae
Game 2 was the first shutout of the season for the Flyers, but going back to the Olympic break Philadelphia only allowed 2.38 goals against per game in the regular season (third best in NHL) and now have only given up two goals in the first two games of this series.
Now at home with the benefit of the last change, expect the Flyers to get lots of matchups for Sidney Crosby against the Couturier and Dvorak lines.
And now for the Pens
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust
Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin
Elmer Soderblom – Ben Kindel – Anthony Mantha
Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Noel Acciari
DEFENSEMEN
Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson
Sam Girard / Kris Letang
Ryan Shea / Connor Clifton
Goalies: Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silovs
Potential Scratches: Ilya Solovyov, Justin Brazeau, Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves, Jack St. Ivany
IR: Filip Hallander, Caleb Jones (season-ending shoulder surgery)
The Penguins did not have practice yesterday while traveling to the other side of the state, we’ll have to wait for the morning skate today to see any clues about changes in lines or personnel as they look to get off the mat in Game 3.
“Tomorrow we’re going to have to make a decision: Are we going to stay with it? Stay with what we want to do and get to our game, which we haven’t gotten to in two games? Or are we going to let frustration boil over into the next one? That’s going to be the choice we, together, all of us, including myself, are going to have to make here in the next 24 hours.”
That’s about what it boils down to. Are the Penguins going to show up and play hard, play smart and show a commitment and dedication to playing a playoff-style of hockey? If they all buy in and actually do the work, then this just might be a series.
Or is it going to go the other way and the team keeps on the same path from the first two games? If so, seven months of work to get to this point will be squandered away in a hurry. By this point there are no secrets – the Flyers are a good team that are committed to shutting the Penguins down, and now they’re growing in confidence since it’s been working. They’ve bought in and have earned it. Pittsburgh either decides to match that in Game 3, or it’s going to be more or less curtains on their season. Pretty simple in that regard.
The Lakers did it again, beating the Houston Rockets, 101-94, and taking a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series with their two top scorers sidelined with injuries.
LeBron James was a brute. Luke Kennard was a sharpshooter. And Marcus Smart an emotional leader, welcoming floor burns, throwing his 6-3 body at 6-11 Kevin Durant, doing whatever was necessary.
Smart's impact was easy to discern. What was impossible to witness is a conversation Lakers coach JJ Redick said he had with Smart.
Redick brought it up after the game. He said the conversation took place earlier this month. After the Lakers lost three straight games, including two shellackings against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
"I'm not going to share (with) you the details," Redick said during a postgame press conference at Crypto.com Arena, "but the biggest thing was just, because he has the voice he has, he can help create the belief and the confidence in our group. And I think he's done that."
Said Smart, "I think I was living for this moment."
It was scintillating, as Smart finished with 25 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 5-for-7 from 3-point range, seven assists and five steals. He also played his signature physical defense. He also made key contributions in Game 1 with 15 points, eight assists and two blocks.
And since that conversation between Redick and Smart? The Lakers are 5-0.
Very favorable analytics
After nine stellar years with the Celtics, Boston shocked Smart by trading him to Memphis before the 2023-24 season. Less than two seasons later, Smart was packing yet again, this time traded to the lowly Washington Wizards.
He was humbled again after the 2024-2025 season when Wizards bought Smart out of his contract.
In the offseason, the Lakers signed Smart to a two-year deal even though injuries had limited him to 54 games the previous two seasons.
"It's easy to sort of write somebody off as being older and not being as good," Redick said. "But all the analytics defensively, the analytics as a secondary playmaker, they all were very favorable. So we felt really comfortable bringing him on board."
Said Smart, "…I could have been out the league, right? Injuries and things like that. So to be able to be back on this stage again, making the plays that I'm making with these guys, with this team, this organization, I'm just grateful."
This season he has played in 64 games and reasserted himself as a team leader. He finished the regular season sixth among the Lakers in scoring with 9.3 points per game, fourth in assists with 3.0 per game, second in steals with 1.4 per game. He also is sixth in minutes played with 28.5 per game.
In the first two games in the Lakers’ first-round playoff series, Smart showed he can fill up box scores. He has combined for 40 points, 15 assists, six steals and three blocks in the team’s two victories.
Marcus Smart's full impact
But Lakers forward Rui Hachimura said the box scores do not reflect Smart’s full impact.
"… I think he get us going as a team, especially in the start of the game," said Hachimura, who later added, "He make all the big plays that doesn't show on the stats, too."
Smart said everything has been heightened with Doncic and Reaves out and the Lakers in need of players who can help fill the void.
"And my whole life, I've been that guy that you can just throw in certain spots whenever you need," Smart said, calling himself a Swiss Army knife. "That's me filling in the gaps, whatever we need, whenever we need it."
Fans got rowdy during Game 2 of the NHL playoff series between the Los Angeles Kings and the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night, with a celebration causing a full panel of glass to collapse onto Kings interim coach D.J. Smith.
The incident took place as fans erupted in celebration after Quinton Byfield was denied on a penalty shot by the Avalanche goaltender with just under 17 minutes remaining in the second period. Video footage captured the moment the glass began to sway from the excited crowd’s repeated pushing.
Moments later, the panel shattered into pieces, falling directly onto Smith, who was standing behind the Kings’ bench. Smith was immediately covered in shards of glass and quickly made his way to the locker room to get checked out and remove any remaining debris. Fortunately, he was not seriously injured and was able to return to the game.
A fan banging on the glass behind the Kings bench shattered the glass onto L.A.’s coach and the players. pic.twitter.com/fnXOGeEvAr
The Chicago Blackhawks made some tough moves during their rebuild. Some of them made the team worse in the short term, but improved the future. One of those moves was the trade that sent Brandon Hagel to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Hagel was traded to Tampa during the 2021-22 season. In the 55 games leading up to the trade, Hagel had 21 goals and 16 assists for 37 points. He wasn’t a point-per-game player, but the goal scoring and feistiness in his game were exactly what the Lightning were looking for.
That spring, the Lightning made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. It was their third straight appearance in the big series, but Hagel’s first. The Colorado Avalanche defeated them and have been working to get back ever since.
What happened next for Hagel was unexpected by both the Blackhawks and the Lightning. There was always more room for development in his game, but nobody projected him to go from a solid middle-six forward to a star NHL first-liner.
With the Lightning, Hagel is a point-per-game player who is strong in all three zones, is hard to play against, and will drop the gloves with anyone. At this point, he’s one of the premier “pests” in the NHL.
Team Canada in best-on-best tournaments is the hardest team in the world to make. They selected Hagel for the championship-winning 4-Nations Face-Off team in 2025 and the Silver Medal-winning Olympic team in 2026.
Hagel had 36 goals and 38 assists for 74 points in 71 games played this season. He missed some time with an injury, but he was an elite player once again when he was healthy. Last season, he had 35 goals and 55 assists for 90 points in 82 games. The level he has proven he can get to would help any team in the league, especially when you combine it with the other attributes that make him a winning player.
On Tuesday night, Hagel played a key role in the Lightning's Game 2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. After scoring two in Game 1’s loss, he followed it up with his third goal of the playoffs and first assist.
Hagel also fought former number one overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky during regulation to secure a Gordie Howe hat trick. In what was close to a must-win situation, he showed up as the true playoff performer he is. Everything that the Stanley Cup Playoffs require suits his game well.
"I never would have expected that, to be honest," Hagel said on the Gordie Howe hat trick. "Obviously, whatever it takes to win. Sometimes it takes fighting, and sometimes it takes scoring goals. I was lucky enough to squeak one by, and Kucherov made a good play. [It's] a good feeling that we won tonight."
Despite Hagel’s success with Tampa making the trade look bad, it was the right move for the Chicago Blackhawks at the time. Would they like to have him back right now? Sure. But they wouldn’t be where they are now if they kept him, and likely, neither would he.
In exchange for Hagel, the Blackhawks received two roster players and a first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. They eventually used that pick to land Oliver Moore. Moore may never be as productive as Hagel, or maybe he will be, but with his age, he fits the Blackhawks timeline a lot more.
Not having a developing Hagel in 2023 also contributed to the Blackhawks being the third-worst team in the league. That 30th-place finish gave them good odds to win the draft lottery, which they did. Connor Bedard may not be in Chicago if they don’t trade Hagel away. If he makes them an even slightly better team in 2022-23, the results of the lottery may have been much different.
No matter how you slice it, the Blackhawks were not going to execute a proper rebuild if they stood pat. Sustained success is ahead of them now, but they needed to get rid of some good players to get to this point.
Hagel wasn’t the only great player let go by Chicago. Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome, and even Patrick Kane ended up on other teams despite being productive Blackhawks.
Hagel’s playoff brilliance on Tuesday night has him at the front of everyone’s mind, and the Blackhawks traded an elite player away, but it had to be done.
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SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 19: Mascot The Coyote of the San Antonio Spurs rides a motorcycle during the game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Portland Trail Blazers during Round One Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 19, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 (Photos by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Spurs are heading to Portland for games 3 and 4 of the best of 7 series. While they are away, fans are invited to gather at The Rock at La Cantera to cheer on the Silver & Black with fellow fans.
Friday, April 24th, Game 3- San Antonio Spurs at Portland Trail Blazers
The party starts at 9:00 p.m. CST with tip off taking place at 9:30.
There will be a DJ, giveaways, and more.
Text PLAZA to 210-444-5940 for more information.
“While the Spurs are on the road, we bring the Frost Bank Center energy to Frost Plaza! Join us for the Official Spurs Watch Party experience including:
Appearances from The Hype Squad & The Coyote
Sets by DJ Quake and the energy of Zay Zay to keep the vibes high
Exclusive Giveaways: Win official Spurs gear and prizes throughout the night.
Special Activities & Photo Opportunities
Fans are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets. There is food for purchase and beverages from Ice Ice Dady, Lil Bros BBQ Shack, and the CrawDady kiosks, and Roca & Martillo.”
Go Spurs Go!
Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.
Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.
Lakers forward LeBron James goes up for a layup between Rockets forward Tari Eason and center Alperen Sengun during the third quarter of Game 2 of their first-round NBA playoff series on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Who knew?
LeBron James flying down the lane unchecked for a pumping over-the-shoulder slam.
Marcus Smart diving and scrapping and leading cheers with a scream.
Luke Kennard stepping to the free-throw line and hearing the chant, “MVP! … MVP! … MVP!”
Who knew?
Without their two best players, facing the quicker and more bruising Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, who knew the Lakers would do what they did Tuesday night at a roaring Crypto.com Arena?
They’re shorthanded but big-hearted. They’re lacking in skill but overflowing with hustle. Their two leading scorers are on the bench, but that doesn’t matter when everyone else is flying around the court.
They should be losing but keep winning, two nights and counting now after a 101-94 victory over the Rockets gave them a two-games-to-none lead.
Some predicted they would be swept, but they could be doing the broom bit. Some predicted they would be bullied, but they’re doing most of the punching.
They say a series doesn’t start until the home team loses a game, but, believe it, this series is already over.
In two games the Lakers have proven that even without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, they are a better team than the Rockets.
They’re tougher. They’re smarter. They’re better coached. They’re more complete. What more do you need to see?
Three days after James led them by being the facilitator, he carried them by being the scorer.
Three days after Kennard made every big shot, he made every big shot. Three days after Smart’s intensity filled the Lakers with energy and inspiration, well, he did it again.
Lakers guard Luke Kennard drives past Houston forward Jae'sean Tate during Game 2 of their playoff series at at Crypto.Com Arena on Tuesday. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
The Lakers need this sort of team-wide fight just two more times in the next five games, and, while Houston might steal a win or two, aside from Durant the Rockets don’t seem composed enough to clear that sort of hurdle.
“Our group has, in aggregate, been an incredibly resilient group,” said Redick. “We have the confidence and belief and certainly the collective competitive spirit to be on this stage.”
Houston is done, just like Durant was done Tuesday night after scoring 20 points in the first half. No, he wasn’t eventually hampered by the knee contusion that kept him sidelined for the opener. He was knocked silly from the body blows the Lakers applied from all sides, holding him to just one basket in a second half that was a defensive coaching masterpiece.
“Obviously it takes a full team effort to guard Kevin,” said Redick. “Our activity was as good as it could have been.”
Durant said the Lakers couldn’t have played better, claiming that this gives the Rockets hope.
“They’ve presented the best version of them so far, the first two games, and we haven’t played well,” he said. “So hopefully we get back home, play well.”
Houston is done, even though the Rockets will indeed be home for Game 3 Friday and Game 4 Sunday. What the Lakers are doing well, it travels. Defense travels. Hustle travels. Tough screens travel. Ball movement travels.
“I thought our guys at least matched their desperation,” said Redick. “You’ve got to win a bunch of little fights. This team required you to win a bunch of little fights.”
They won most of those little fights, particularly after the Rockets pulled within three with 5:58 remaining. Houston never got closer as the NBA’s best clutch team — the Lakers were 22-8 in tight quarters — put their foot down and stomped out any Rockets hope.
The finish was epitomized in the final minutes when, leading by five, Smart had a lunging, slapping steal before throwing a perfect bounce pass to a driving James, who finished with a dunk.
Lakers forward LeBron James leaps up for a reverse slam against the Houston Rockets during Game 2 of the first round of the NBA playoffs at Crypto.Com Arena on Tuesday. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Smart had five steals to go with his seven assists and 25 points, his playoff experience is showing and his work ethic is contagious.
“He just had a killer game,” Redick said of Smart, later adding, “Because he has the voice he has, he can help create the belief and confidence in our group.”
Smart said it’s all about, as his coach often says, meeting the moment.
“The word is, ‘elevate' for us, and that’s all we’ve been trying to do, is elevate our play on both ends,” he said.
James, meanwhile, had 28 points in 39 minutes, an amazing workload for a 41-year-old, especially considering he played 38 minutes in Saturday’s opener. And to think he still operates with such brute force that he was shoving Rocket defenders all over the court.
“He’s literally a Mack truck,” said Redick. “He forces you to match his physicality.”
Then there was Kennard scoring 23 points after scoring 27 on Saturday, a revelation that, given his shooting history, everyone should have seen coming.
Face it, he would be mostly invisible if Doncic and Reaves were playing. But Kennard said the team has bought into the feeling that they can survive without them.
“I know we just kind of flipped the switch,” he said. “We told each other, this is what we got right now. We’ve got to believe in what we have.”
What they will eventually have is a shocking first-round win.
