The New York Yankees (9-7) face the Los Angeles Angels (8-9) in the second game of their four-game series. The Yankees won a wild 11-10 game in Monday’s opener with the winning run scoring on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning. Aaron Judge and Mike Trout each hit two home runs in the game. The Yankees' Ryan Weber (0-1, 2.81 ERA) is scheduled to face the Angels' Reid Detmers (0-1, 4.60 ERA).
How to Watch Los Angeles Angels vs. New York Yankees
While the 16 teams making the playoffs have already been determined, there are still meaningful games on the ice for postseason seeding tonight, and I’ve got a trio of NHL player props to cover you throughout the action.
Anaheim Ducks star Leo Carlsson headlines my favorite NHL picks for Tuesday, April 14.
Best NHL player prop bets today
Player
Rittich Over 23.5 saves
-125
Carlsson Over 2.5 shots
-115
Clarke Over 1.5 shots
-130
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Our best NHL player props for Tuesday, April 14
Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.
Carlsson is also skating on the top line and first power-play unit, and the Anaheim Ducks are still battling for postseason seeding ahead of Tuesday's clash against the Minnesota Wild.
I also particularly value Carlsson sporting an elite 65.8 Corsi For percentage during the highlighted seven-game stretch.
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ESPN+, Sportsnet+
Prop #3: Brandt Clarke Over 1.5 shots
-130 at BET99
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke has seen a dip in his shots with just six across his past five games, but he’s still recorded 18 attempts during the stretch.
Clarke continues to see power-play time and sports a 57.5% shot rate at five-on-five, so I expect him to pick up two or more in a favorable matchup against the Vancouver Canucks.
Vancouver has allowed the sixth-most shots per game (29.4) while ranking 30th in Corsi For percentage at 5-on-5 since March 1.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
It’s still extremely early, and the sample sizes we’re analyzing and dissecting in the lower minors barely qualify as meaningful. However, that doesn’t mean everything should be dismissed as noise. A handful of early-season performances have stood out, not just for the on-field results, but for the broader developmental changes they may be signaling.
This week’s Rotoworld Dynasty Stock Watch examines 12 prospects on the rise with varying trajectories and timelines to the big leagues that fantasy managers should be prioritizing in trade discussions and on waiver wires.
⚾ Baseball is back! MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.
There are hot starts, then there's the heater Arias is on as the fourth-youngest position player at the Double-A level this season behind only Jesús Made, Leo De Vries and Ethan Salas. The 20-year-old shortstop has been a known commodity in dynasty formats for a couple of years, but he’s opened the 2026 campaign as arguably the hottest hitters in the entire minors, batting .588 (10-for-17) with two doubles, two walks and just two strikeouts through six games for Double-A Portland.
He boasts some of the best bat-to-ball skills in the minors, evidenced by a minuscule 10.1 percent strikeout rate across 110 games over three levels last year, which was the fifth-lowest mark among all minor leaguers with at least 500 plate appearances. There’s still some physical projection remaining, as Arias figures to add strength as he matures, making it easy to envision a leap into the upper echelon of fantasy prospects given his already elite contact ability. It’s possible this is merely the starting point, with Arias positioning himself to be one of the top prospects in the entire fantasy landscape by the end of the year.
Franklin Arias has had a scorching hot start at the plate to start the season. The 20-year-old is the No. 2 prospect in the Red Sox system and sure is playing like it
Dzierwa recorded nine strikeouts over six shutout innings with an eye-popping 17 swinging strikes in his professional debut earlier this month, which he followed up by allowing two runs over seven innings last week. The early returns include a sparkling 1.38 ERA and a 12/1 K/BB ratio across 13 innings for High-A Frederick. The towering six-foot-eight left-hander was Baltimore’s second-round selection in last year’s MLB Draft and appears to be on a trajectory towards becoming one of the more intriguing pitching prospects in the fantasy landscape.
The 21-year-old has continued to add fastball velocity, touching 96.2 mph on his sinker during last month’s Spring Breakout game. He pairs it with an above-average changeup and a developing slider that remains a work in progress. The sinker/changeup combination alone gives him a chance to succeed at the highest level, provided he can throw strikes consistently. His dynasty stock should continue to rise as he racks up strikeouts in the lower minors, making this an ideal window to acquire Dzierwa before he potentially becomes untouchable as one of the game’s top pitching prospects.
It’s hard to find a more intriguing early-season dynasty storyline than Gillen’s unexpected power surge. The 20-year-old former first-round pick from the 2024 MLB Draft recorded consecutive two-homer games over the weekend and is hitting .333 (9-for-27) with four homers and three steals in eight games for High-A Bowling Green. It’s important to not overreact to extremely small sample sizes, but Gillen is clearly making much more consistent hard contact this season after managing just five round-trippers in 324 plate appearances at Low-A Charleston last year when he missed time with calf and finger injuries.
What’s even more impressive is that Bowling Green grades out as one of the more pitcher-friendly venues in the entire Midwest League, according to Baseball America’s park factors. Gillen’s early-season metamorphosis from more of a hit tool and speed profile to more of a well-rounded offensive threat is a development worth monitoring in the coming weeks because it would make him an upper-echelon dynasty prospect in short order.
THEO GILLEN YET AGAIN!
In his past 5 at-bats, @RaysBaseball's top prospect has 4 homers
Peña blossomed into an upper-echelon prospect from a fantasy standpoint last year when he batted .270/.335/.422 with nine homers and 44 steals between Low-A Carolina and High-A Wisconsin at just 18 years old during a highly impressive stateside debut. He’ll continue to understandably be overshadowed by Jesús Made, who looks like a future franchise cornerstone hitting .359 (14-for-39) as the youngest everyday player in Double-A this season, but he possesses a plethora of fantasy-relevant skills including an above-average hit tool and massive stolen base upside.
He’s off to a fast start back at High-A Wisconsin, hitting .500 (10-for-20) with a pair of extra-base hits and five steals through six games. There’s a chance he becomes an elite fantasy contributor down the road if he continues to fill out physically and grows into some additional over-the-fence pop.
Luis Peña drills a 3-run homer off fellow Top 100 prospect Kade Anderson at Spring Breakout!
The biggest question facing Wood coming out of last year’s MLB Draft, when he was selected 26th overall following a standout collegiate career at Arkansas that included the third no-hitter in College World Series history, was whether he would ultimately stick as a starter.
The 22-year-old right-hander is beginning to answer those concerns, posting a 1.23 ERA with a 15/2 K/BB ratio across 7 1/3 innings in his professional debut at Low-A Clearwater. While it’s not uncommon for polished collegiate arms to dominate at the lower levels, Wood appears on track to reach the upper minors quickly thanks to an upper-90s fastball and a strong curveball. He carries more risk than some of his lower-minors pitching peers, but the strikeout potential is undeniable, and the fantasy upside is significant if he can put everything together and stay healthy long-term.
Gage Wood is making quick work of his Single-A competition once again
Level has gotten off to a sizzling-hot start with multiple hits in five of six games and is batting an astronomical .519 (14-for-27) with two homers and three steals at Low-A San Jose this season. The 19-year-old switch-hitting shortstop was one of last year's biggest risers as he rocketed through a couple levels in San Francisco's system to finish at Low-A. He manages to hit for a ton of power considering his smaller frame and his hit tool is one of the strongest of any teenage prospect in the minors. He’s hit wherever the Giants have sent him over the last three seasons and his fantasy stock will reach stratospheric levels if he’s producing in the upper minors by the end of the year.
No-doubt home run off the bat of Top 100 prospect Jhonny Level!
Eyanson paired with Mariners top pitching prospect Kade Anderson to form a one-two punch for eventual national champion LSU last spring and has looked like a potential breakout arm through his first two starts at High-A Greenville in his professional debut, compiling a microscopic 1.23 ERA, 0.41 WHIP and 13/0 K/BB ratio across 7 1/3 innings. Those early performances are enough to put him firmly on dynasty radars, but the buzz began earlier this spring when he flashed increased velocity on the backfields.
The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier wrote for Baseball America earlier this month that Eyanson, a third-round pick in last year’s MLB Draft, touched triple digits for the first time in his career during Boston’s spring breakout game against the Orioles and is now routinely sitting in the upper-90s with his fastball. He fits the mold of a fast-moving pitching prospect and should be rostered in all dynasty formats.
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) April 6, 2026
Caleb Bonemer, SS, White Sox
Bonemer drew rave reviews during his professional debut last year when he hit .281/.400/.458 with 10 homers and 27 steals for Low-A Kannapolis before going deep twice in 11 games at High-A Winston-Salem to close out the year. The 20-year-old shortstop, who was Chicago’s second-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, has picked up right where he left off in the low minors, slashing .303/.385/.667 with two homers and seven RBI through nine contests at High-A this season. It’s early, but with all of the graduations at the top of dynasty prospect lists, Bonemer has a chance to be near the top when the dust settles in a couple weeks.
Cunningham was widely regarded as the top pure hitter in last year’s MLB Draft when he was gobbled up by Arizona with the 18th overall selection, and he’s done nothing to dispel that notion, hitting .385 (10-for-26) with more walks (nine) than strikeouts (four) through eight games at Low-A Visalia this season. The 19-year-old’s advanced hit tool should make him an on-base machine and enable him to move quickly through the hitter-friendly environments in the Diamondbacks’ system.
He’s basically a complete zero in the power department at this early stage of his development, but it’s easy to forecast some growth there as he matures physically. He projects as a high-floor contact-oriented prospect with the upside to develop into a complete five-category fantasy contributor if he reaches his ceiling. His dynasty stock is going to skyrocket over the next few months if he keeps tearing the cover off the ball and reaches High-A by midseason.
Caminiti has been somewhat overlooked with Didier Fuentes and JR Ritchie making noise on the doorstep of the majors, but he has a chance to emerge as the most impactful arm in Atlanta’s system over the long term. The 19-year-old left-hander was selected 24th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft as one of the top prep arms in his class and has already shown an ability to consistently miss bats in the lower minors.
He’s still a long way from the big leagues, but his dynasty stock could soar over the next few months if he continues to deliver strong performances and reaches Double-A Mississippi before his 20th birthday in early August.
Marek Houston, SS, Twins
Houston, the 16th-overall selection in last year's MLB Draft, has gotten off to a nice start in the lower minors after a 15-homer effort during his final collegiate season at Wake Forrest. The fact that he’s adding some additional pop isn’t a surprise given his six-foot-three frame, but two homers in eight games is a noticeable uptick considering the Midwest League isn’t exactly a hitter’s paradise.
The 21-year-old is a phenomenal defensive shortstop, so any additional gains in the power department without sacrificing his athleticism will make him extremely interesting from a fantasy standpoint over the next few years. He's a name to watch in all dynasty formats.
Santiago Suarez, SP, Rays
Suarez has been a known quantity for dynasty managers in recent years, but a shoulder injury sidelined him for three months last season and likely pushed him off some radar screens. The 21-year-old right-hander has looked sharp through a pair of early-season starts at Double-A Montgomery, compiling a pristine 15/2 K/BB ratio across 11 innings.
The strong performances are even more notable considering he’s the fourth-youngest player in the entire Southern League this season. While he may not project as a prototypical front-of-the-rotation arm, Suarez features a deep arsenal built around a mid-90s fastball and solid secondary offerings. Perhaps most importantly, he’s shown the ability to command his entire repertoire and consistently fill the strike zone, which tends to be a key ingredient for sustained success at the highest level.
Bonus: Bryce Rainer, SS, Tigers
Rainer has been ice-cold, hitting .120 (3-for-25) through seven games this season at Low-A Lakeland, but he connected for a gargantuan 477-foot home run last Friday, showcasing the type of elite raw power that made him one of the fastest-rising prospects in the dynasty landscape before undergoing shoulder surgery last July. It’s going to take the 20-year-old power-hitting shortstop some time to knock off the rust, which is why this is the perfect time to target him in dynasty leagues. He could join Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark as core building blocks for Detroit at some point in the next few years.
For a moment, the game itself almost felt secondary.
The puck slid off Tyson Foerster’s stick in the shootout, the net rippled, and the Philadelphia Flyers were inches away from that seemingly ever-elusive playoff berth. All Dan Vladar had to do was save the next shootout attempt from the Carolina Hurricanes.
He did.
Everything that followed—the raised arms, the collision of bodies by Vladar's net, the roar that seemed to come from somewhere deeper than the building—was not just about celebrating this singular night, but more about six years of waiting finally giving way.
The Philadelphia Flyers are going back to the playoffs.
A 3–2 shootout win over the Carolina Hurricanes sealed it, closing their season series at 1–1–2 and, more importantly, ending a postseason drought that had lingered long enough to define an era. It did not come easily. But nothing worth having ever does.
It came the way this season has unfolded—hard, emotional, and earned. And in the aftermath, inside a locker room that has spent months building toward this moment, the reaction said everything.
“That’s a big win. Man…it’s gonna be a lot of fun,” said Owen Tippett, visibly fighting emotion. “These guys in this room love each other so much. All the doubters all year—we believed right from the start, right from training camp. It’s gonna be a blast, and we’re gonna soak it all in, but job’s not done.”
Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett (74). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)
1. A Historic Climb That Redefines What This Team Is
This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not like this.
On March 10, the Flyers sat nine points out of a playoff spot. Historically, that distance, especially this late in the season, has been insurmountable. According to NHL Stats, no team had ever overcome that deficit after 60 games played to qualify for the postseason.
Until now.
The Flyers had their ups and downs and moments of uncertainty. They had stretches where they looked like a playoff-caliber team, and stretches were it looked like they didn't have a shot in hell. But this team thrived on the negativity and doubt and ridicule, and turned it into something historic.
And they did so not with a single surge, but with sustained, disciplined, resilient hockey over weeks—on the road, in tight games, in moments where a single misstep could have ended the push. It reframes the narrative from unexpected to earned. This isn’t a team that backed into the playoffs. It is one that forced its way in, game by game, shift by shift.
A visibly emotional Owen Tippett said that a lot of the Flyers success has come behind the scenes, “the stuff that no one sees.” You can tell how much this means to the players.
Trevor Zegras delivered again, tying the game with his 26th goal, extending his point streak to 13 points in his last 13 games and further cementing one of the most productive debut seasons in franchise history, trailing only Mike Knuble, Danny Briere, and Wayne Simmonds over the past three decades.
Philadelphia Flyers forwards Trevor Zegras (46) and Tyson Foerster (71) celebrate Zegras' goal. (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)
And then there was Tyson Foerster.
His shootout winner was the moment, of course, but it's almost poetic that the winning goal was scored by a player that suffered a devastating upper-body injury in December and wasn't guaranteed to return to play at all this season.
Head coach Rick Tocchet admitted, "I didn't think he was gonna come back. But he was determined. It was a lot of lonely, lonely days for him [while recovering]. He just adds that sniper for us. That's a hell of a goal."
FOERSTER SCORES IT & VLADAR STOPS IT SENDING THE FLYERS TO THE PLAYOFFS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2020!!! 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/wfpIPxnrrC
Earlier in the game, Foerster also recorded his 100th NHL point.
Behind it all, Dan Vladar stood composed in the shootout, blocking every single Hurricanes attempt, his confidence unwavering in his own teammates' abilities.
“I was fine, I was confident, because when you practice with the best, nothing can surprise you," he said postgame. "I think we’ve got the best shooters in the league for shootouts. I was confident in the guys in front of me like I’ve been the whole season, so no doubt.”
3. Experience Is Limited, But Leadership Has Bridged the Gap
What makes this moment even more significant is how new it is for most of this roster.
Only three players—Sean Couturier, Travis Konecny, and Travis Sanheim—have experienced playoff hockey in a Flyers uniform.
For everyone else, this is uncharted territory.
And yet, throughout the stretch run, there has been no sense of a team overwhelmed by the moment. That is the result of leadership that has translated expectation into action.
Couturier’s presence, in particular, has been emblematic of the team-first mentality that has defined this group. Whether in a top-line role or a more grinding assignment, his willingness to adapt has set a tone that has rippled throughout the lineup.
The result is a team that, while relatively inexperienced in postseason play, is not inexperienced in high-pressure hockey, because they’ve been playing it for weeks.
Philadelphia Flyers forward Porter Martone (94) taking in the scenes of the win. (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)
4. The Emotional Core of This Team Is Its Greatest Strength
Some teams talk endlessly about culture. The Flyers have lived it.
The emotion in the room after the game was not performative. It was the natural release of a group that has endured doubt, external skepticism, and internal challenges, and stayed together through all of it.
Trevor Zegras captured the feeling in a way that statistics, frankly, never could.
“It’s just a lot of fun. When you don’t do it for so long, you forget what it feels like," he said. "For an athlete, you thrive on that kind of environment, and that’s what you want. To do it with this group of guys is awesome, because we’re obviously so close and love each other so much. It’s been good.”
And Matvei Michkov, through translator Slava Kuznetsov, expressed the magnitude of the moment.
“Unbelievable feeling. I cannot really describe what’s going on," he said. "The team was striving to make the playoffs the entire season, and it’s finally happened. It’s beyond describing. We can now be happy and get ready for the next games. Every team has the same goal at the end of it, so everybody knows what it is, and we’re going to go for it.”
The Philadelphia Flyers celebrate with each other after clinching a spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs. (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)
5. Rick Tocchet’s Vision Has Materialized—And Set the Next Standard
In the quieter moments after the celebration, head coach Rick Tocchet didn’t overstate the achievement. He didn’t need to.
“I didn’t talk very much [after the win]," he revealed. "Just really proud of those guys. Right from training camp, we put up a preseason prediction, and a lot of people [in the media] had us last. I put it up there to make those guys understand the position we’re in, but it was all them. I’m really proud of the way they’ve stuck with it since training camp. It’s a tough game; Carolina’s a tough team. They didn’t give in. We had to earn it, and we did.”
From the first day of camp to this moment, the Flyers have built something deliberate, rooted in resilience, structure, and collective accountability. They've always known who they are and believed in that identity, even when it seemed like everyone else had already counted them out.
Now, that identity has produced something beautiful and tangible. But it has also created expectation.
Getting to the playoffs isn't easy for anyone, and it certainly felt even more laborious for the Flyers. An impending postseason series against their bitter rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins, only adds to the drama of it all. But the Flyers are riding an unbelievable high right now, and it will be undeniably exciting to see what their playoff form looks like.
The betting public is backing all of the favorites ahead of day one of the NBA Play-In Tournament on Tuesday evening.
Top sportsbooks reported a majority of tickets and money supporting the favorites in the first four matchups on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Key Takeaways
No favorite generated less than 59% of spread bets at BetMGM or DraftKings.
There are several instances of the under being in the minority for tickets and the majority for handle.
LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams, and Bam Adebayo were the most popular targets of player prop bets at DraftKings.
The Play-In Tournament was officially adopted ahead of the 2020-21 season. It’s meant to both whet the palate of NBA fans and give teams opportunities to play for their playoff futures, but in the world of sports wagering, it also represents another chance for fans to find a wide menu of betting odds.
Tuesday’s schedule will see the Charlotte Hornets face the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference’s 9/10 game, before the Phoenix Suns host the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference’s 7/8 showdown.
Heat vs. Hornets predictions were practically an open-and-shut case for the public. The majority of bettors are backing the upstart Hornets in the early game. More than half, 59%, of bets and 74% of the money are on their spread, which rose from -4.5 to -5.5, according to BetMGM’s John Ewing.
As for Miami, 51% of bets but only 38% of money is on the Heat moneyline (+180). Scoring is not expected to be high, with 61% of bets and 77% of money on the under, which fluctuated between 227.5 and 228.5.
DraftKings insights shared with Covers revealed that the Hornets-Heat matchup was the most-bet NBA game to start the week.
Almost two-thirds, 64%, of tickets and 77% of the pot is on the Hornets’ spread, while 73% of wagers and 74% of the handle is on the Hornets’ moneyline. Nearly three-quarters, 74%, of bets and 60% of the money is also on the under, according to DraftKings Nation.
Trail Blazers vs. Suns predictions showed a similar breakdown. At BetMGM, 72% of bets and 70% of the handle were on the Suns’ spread (up from -3.5 to -4.5). Meanwhile, 55% of bets and 87% of the money in the moneyline market also went to the Suns (-165), while 52% of bets and 86% of the handle were on the under (up from 213.5 to 217.5).
In what was DraftKings’ second most-bet game in the Association, 60% of tickets and 71% of money in the spread market, as well as 76% of bets and 55% of the handle in the moneyline market, were on the Suns. The only real divide occurred in the total market, which showed that 30% of bets and 74% of the handle were on the over.
Wednesday Play-In betting breakdown
Wednesday’s Play-In lineup will feature the Philadelphia 76ers against the Orlando Magic in the East’s 7/8 matchup, before the Golden State Warriors visit the Los Angeles Clippers for the West’s 9/10 battle.
BetMGM reported 70% of bets on the Sixers -1.5 and the Sixers moneyline (-125), even though Joel Embiid is expected to miss the contest with appendicitis. Bettors are anticipating a lower-scoring game, with 70% of wagers on under 220.5.
DraftKings revealed that 61% of tickets and 78% of the money are on the Sixers’ spread, as well as 63% of bets and 82% of the handle on the Sixers’ moneyline. More than a quarter, 26%, of bets and 78% of the handle are on the under.
Turning to the late game, BetMGM shared that 64% of bets are on Clippers -5.5. However, 65% of wagers are also on the Warriors’ moneyline (+165). Points are expected in this contets, as 53% of tickets are on over 220.5.
DraftKings users like the Clippers in both major team markets, with 62% of bets and 93% of the handle backing them on the spread, as well as 70% of tickets and 75% of the money on the moneyline. A quarter of bets and 71% of the handle are on under 220.5.
Popular NBA Play-In player props
NBA betting sites aren’t limited to offering team markets during the Play-In Tournament, the first step in teams’ pursuit of reaching the NBA Finals.
DraftKings shared with Covers that the three players receiving the most interest in the player prop betting market were LaMelo Ball (Hornets), Mark Williams (Suns), and Bam Adebayo (Heat).
Ball to score 15+ points, make 4+ three-pointers, and score 20+ points were the sportsbook’s three most-popular player props to begin the week. Williams to score 20+ points (+870 at the time of writing) was next, followed by Adebayo to score 20+ points.
The New York Mets (7-10) will try to stop a six-game losing streak when they take on the Los Angeles Dodgers (12-4) on Tuesday. The Dodgers shut out the Mets 4-0 in the series’ opener on Monday. The Dodgers are scheduled to start Yoshinobu Yamamoto (ERA: 2.50) against the Mets’ Nolan McLean (ERA: 2.70).
How to watch New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Reminder: I’m on vacation all this week and will be a little briefer than usual this week. Thanks for your patience.
At least once in every season, a baseball fan’s faith will be tested. Losing nine of 16 games is not particularly a sky-is-falling stretch. The easiest example that hits close to home is the 2016 Cubs losing 15 of 20 in one stretch. That isn’t to say that an early season stretch like this can’t be damaging. It certainly can be.
Losing Cade Horton for the season is a trajectory-altering occurrence. The seasons of Jameson Taillon, Shōta Imanaga, Javier Assad, Colin Rea, Justin Steele and Ben Brown now have all taken on added significance. Imanaga and Rea look to be on the right track. Will they stay there? How many of the others will get on track? That group has to somehow patch together enough innings to pair with a very good Cubs defense to get them on track as a team. This organization should have the financial and prospect capital to grab an impact player or two this summer. But, the guys in the clubhouse have to position them into the race if that’s going to happen.
Monday night, Javier Assad was just not the pitcher we saw in his season debut a week ago. This looked more like the numbers he put up in two starts for Iowa. Frustratingly, had the Cubs cut bait on him earlier, maybe the game wasn’t out of reach. If the game had sequenced differently, no doubt Philadelphia would have approached their side of the equation differently. But, this one got a heck of a lot closer at the end.
It isn’t often that you lose by six and can say also that the game wasn’t as close as the final score.
Three Positives:
Dansby Swanson had a homer, drew a walk, scored twice and drove in two.
Moises Ballesteros had two hits in two at bats, one a double. He scored one and drove one in.
Miguel Amaya had a pair of hits. He was also hit by pitch and had one run scored.
Game 16, April 13: Phillies 13, Cubs 7 (7-9)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
Billy Goat: Javier Assad (-.362). 4.1 IP , 26 BF, 11 H, 2 BB, 9 ER, 3 K (L 1-1)
Goat: Ian Happ (-.103). 2-5, 2B, R, DP
Kid: Pete Crow-Armstrong (-.097). 1-5, RBI, R
WPA Play of the Game: Dansby Swanson’s two-run homer in the fourth cut it to 4-2. (.117)
*Phillies Play of the Game: In the top of the fifth, Ian Happ batted with runners on first and second and one out, the Cubs down two. He grounded into an inning ending double play. (.113)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Up Next: Game two of the series Tuesday night. Colin Rea (1-0, 3.18, 11.1 IP) should get the bulk of the innings, following Riley Martin (0-0, 0.00, 3.1 IP) as an opener. Aaron Nola (1-1, 3.63, 17.1 IP) gets the start for the Phillies.
A.J. Ewing has picked up right where he left off last season, adding six more hits to his season ledger, three of which were doubles. Combine that with Binghamton’s first season of the year, where Ewing appeared in two games and logged 4 hits- one double- and he is currently hitting .385/.529/.538 on the young season. He currently has a seven-game hitting streak going, getting on base at least twice in six of those seven games thanks to either multiple hits or a combination of hits and walks.
Ewing has arguably been the Mets’ highest-rising hitting prospect over the past calendar year; whereas Carson Benge has been just as good, if not better, he came with a bit more draft pedigree than Ewing and more was expected of him. Ewing was not exactly a nobody coming into the 2025 season- Lukas had him ranked 30 on his portion of the Amazin’ Avenue 2024 Mets Top 25 Prospect List, and on the Amazin’ Avenue 2025 Mets Top 25 Prospect List, I had him ranked 23 on my portion of the, Ken had him ranked 27, and Thomas had him ranked 29- but only the truly prescient could have seen him developing into one of the top prospects in all of baseball.
As Carson Benge’s performance so far this season, and Jonah Tong’s last year, highlights, the major leagues are a very different beast from the minors, and truly only the best of the best can hang. As such, I think it is important that we pump the breaks on Ewing a little bit; it’s not that I don’t think he will eventually crack a major league roster, whether it be with the Mets or elsewhere, but there is still some work to be done and he is just 21-years-old. Hopefully Ewing is allowed to maturate and develop at his own pace and get his time in the sun when he is ready, not because the team needs a Hail Mary to stem the bleeding of a floundering team or want to potentially cash in on organizational bonuses from letting the kids play.
Christian Scott
Week: 1 G (1 GS), 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K (Triple-A)
After missing all of 2025 due to undergo a combined Tommy John surgery and internal brace procedure, Christian Scott finally returned to the mound (albeit in Toledo, while pitching for Syracuse) on April 3rd and proceeded to put up a stinker, arguably the worst game he ever pitched since turning pro after being drafted out of the University of Florida back in 2021. Obviously, there were plenty of extenuating circumstances to not really be bummed out about his performance, from his lengthy absence to the weather, but the right-hander recovered nicely this past week, blanking the Buffalo Bison for five innings, scattering a pair of hits, walking one, and striking out seven.
Prior to his surgery, Scott relied on a four-pitch mix consisting of a four-seam fastball, a change-up-like splitter, slider, and sweeper. He used his fastball a little over 50% of the time, gyro slider and sweeping slider at roughly 20% apiece, and his splitter about 10%. In his two starts in 2026 so far, he has recorded almost identical ratios, throwing his four-seam fastball a bit over 50%, his two sliders at roughly 20%, and his splitter a bit over 10%.
Scott’s fastball has averaged 95.3 MPH so far this season, in line with the 94.2 MPH it averaged in his 47.1 MLB innings in 2024. It has shown a similar amount of movement, and still thrown from the slingy, deceptive low-three-quarters arm slot that Scott throws from, giving it a flat vertical approach angle.
His splitter is still sitting in the mid-80s and still has miniscule rotation, averaging 1,130 RPM so far this season. The pitch still has the sudden vertical drop and armside run that made it so effective in 2024.
His gyro slider is still sitting in the upper-80s and still has minimal spin for a slider, averaging 2,370 RPM so far this year, roughly the same as the 2,390 RPM it averaged in 2024. The 30 inches of vertical drop and 3 inches of horizontal movement are virtually identical to the 32 inches of vertical drop and 3 inches of horizontal movement is featured in 2024.
His sweeping slider is still sitting in the low-80s, averaging roughly 2,500 RPM. The pitch has featured a bit more vertical drop than it did in 2024, 36 inches to 33, and just as much sweep, with 12 inches of horizontal movement as compared to 13.
Tying his arsenal together, as it did back in 2024, Scott so far has showed excellent command of all of his pitches and pinpoint control of the strike zone, walking just one batter in 8.1 innings to 12 strikeouts.
It’s not often that I’m looking at the pitch metrics of players who have returned from injury, but I’m struck by just how similar most if all of them are given Scott’s layover in 2025 as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. The sample size here is extremely small to be sure, and there is still risk for regression and/or exposure, as Scott had all of 47.1 major league innings under his belt, but it is extremely encouraging given that the right-hander was emerging as a more-than-solid option in 2024.
4 Jul 2000: David Justice #28 of the New York Yankees swings at the pitch during a game against the Baltimore Orioles at the Yankees Stadium in New York. The Orioles defeated the Yankees 7-6.Mandatory Credit: Jamie Squire /Allsport | Getty Images
The 2000 New York Yankees were not a team of destiny like in 1998, or the well-oiled machine that dropped but a single playoff game en route to a title in 1999. They were a squad that needed help. Jockeying for position with the Red Sox and Blue Jays in a crowded AL East, the Bombers sat only three games above .500 on June 28th when they executed a trade which would prove to be among the most impactful midseason deals in team history.
David Justice arrived in the Bronx and immediately became one of their most fearsome bats. After the Yankees limped into the playoffs, the man who had been a postseason hero for the Atlanta Braves added to his sparkling playoff resumé by leading the way against the Mariners in the ALCS. The Yankees took down the crosstown rival Mets in the World Series to win their third consecutive title, and Justice earned his second championship ring.
David Christopher Justice Born: April 14, 1966 (Cincinnati, OH) Yankees Tenure: 2000-01
Justice did not come up through the ranks in a traditional baseball powerhouse. His high school, while proficient in athletics, lacked a baseball team—and as such he had to catch on through the travel circuit. Justice attended Thomas More College in Kentucky on a basketball scholarship, but became to this day the only attendee of the school to be selected by an MLB team when the Braves took him in the fourth round of the 1985 draft. He made his MLB debut for Atlanta four seasons later.
It wouldn’t take long for the lefty slugger to hit his stride. Justice’s brief 1989 cup of coffee was followed by a breakout campaign in 1990 in which he slugged 28 home runs and posted a .908 OPS (143 OPS+) en route to the National League Rookie of the Year award, albeit for a last-place club. The next season though, the Braves would find themselves in the Fall Classic. Atlanta fell to the Minnesota Twins in the seven-game World Series, a memorable matchup of worst-to-first teams widely considered to be among the greatest ever played. They returned in 1992, but lost again to Dave Winfield and the Toronto Blue Jays.
One of the dynastic baseball forces of the 1990s finally broke through in the strike-shortened 1995 season. Justice, who had made headlines for a marriage to Halle Berry and most recently criticizing Braves fans during their playoff run, etched himself into history with a home run in Game 6 of the World Series against Cleveland. Thanks to a masterclass of pitching from Tom Glavine, that solo shot proved to be the only run in a championship-clinching victory for the Braves, bringing the city of Atlanta their first MLB title.
Justice’s final year with the Braves was marred by a shoulder injury in May that ended his season early, meaning that he missed the World Series loss to the Yankees that October.
A trade just ahead of the 1997 campaign sent Justice to Cleveland, the team he had defeated with that homer. He returned to the World Series that year (helping dispatch the ’97 Yanks along the way in the ALDS), but the Florida Marlins took them down in another legendary seven-game Fall Classic. Cleveland lost to the Yankees and Red Sox the next two years before the 2000 season at last brought him to the Bronx.
Now in his age-34 season, Justice was still producing at the dish, with 21 home runs at the time of the trade on June 28th. The Yankees dangled a pair of young pitchers in Jake Westbrook and Zach Day, as well as the inimitable Ricky Ledée—and with that, the Bombers had a new weapon in their arsenal. Justice hit his first Yankee home run on July 6 in a 13-9 win over the Orioles. After stumbling to a 10-15 record in June, the Yankees caught fire with Justice in the mix, winning 18 of 26 in July.
The Yankees eked out another AL East title despite their pitching taking a nosedive in the final weeks of the year. Justice finished out the campaign with a .305/.391/.584 slashline in pinstripes, launching 20 more homes—including a walk-off shot against Oakland on August 8th—to give him a career-best 41 on the year. The Bombers went on to battle the A’s in a tightly-contested five-game ALDS. Justice had a rather quiet series, but did homer in Game 5 as the Yanks advanced to take on the Mariners.
Justice was mostly held in check for the first two games of the ALCS, but contributed a pair of run-scoring hits in a 8-2 Game 3 victory at Safeco Field. The following night New York took a commanding 3-1 series lead over the M’s with a 5-0 shutout victory in which Justice clubbed a two-run homer in the eighth inning to put the contest to bed. Seattle took Game 5 to force the series back to the Bronx, where Justice provided the coup de grace in Game 6. With the Yankees trailing 4-3 in the seventh, Justice belted an Arthur Rhodes fastball off the face of the upper deck to bestow New York a lead they would not relinquish. Justice was named ALCS MVP as the Yankees prepared to host the Mets in the World Series.
Justice’s hot hitting did not continue into the Fall Classic—he went just 3-for-19 with no homers and three RBI—but by that point, the Yankees’ playoff steamroller was fully operational. Every game of the tilt was decided by two runs or fewer, but the Bombers held off their crosstown rivals to complete the three-peat and raise championship banner number 26.
After winning his second title in his fifth World Series, Justice regressed with the Yankees in 2001 and a series of groin injuries limited him to just 49 games from July onward. There were occasional highlights, like a walk-off homer against the Red Sox in April and a crowning blow in Game 5 of the ALDS comeback against the A’s. But for the most part, it seemed like the end was getting closer for the veteran as he fell to a .712 OPS that postseason, which featured a heartbreaking loss to the Diamondbacks.
Justice was dealt to the Mets at season’s end for Robin Ventura, marking the second time a champion had traded Justice to a team he had defeated in a World Series. However, Justice’s Met tenure lasted one week in December, as they then flipped him to Oakland where he finished his career as a veteran presence for the Moneyball A’s. (Justice was played by Stephen Bishop in the eventual 2011 movie.) He retired at the end of the season after Oakland bowed out to the Twins, who fell to the Angels in the next round.
Without Justice’s arrival in New York, it’s hard to imagine the Bombers would have returned to the postseason, let alone three-peated as world champions. His stupendous half-season is a reminder that the baseball calendar is long. Nothing is set in stone, and narratives can change quickly. Maybe the Yankees have a David Justice-style reinforcement coming in 2026—maybe they don’t. But even the possibility is part of what makes baseball so exciting.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here
The Miami Heat face the Charlotte Hornets in an elimination game on Tuesday in the NBA’s play-in tournament. The winner will face the loser of Wednesday’s game between the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers on Friday — with the winner of that game securing the Eastern Conference’s No. 8 seed and a first-round matchup with the Detroit Pistons. The loser of Tuesday’s Heat-Hornets game is eliminated and lands in the NBA Draft Lottery.
The Knicks face the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Game 1 is set for Saturday, so let's open up the mailbag to answer your postseason questions...
Hart to the bench is a no-brainer. Would rather see Mo or Mitch start, plus they would show more life at the jump. -- @bobtabaske
I’ve been asking people both around the Knicks and with other teams about the Knicks starting lineup, specifically about Josh Hart’s role in it. Based on those conversations and based on what I’ve seen since Hart has been in New York, my answer to the question above is: the Knicks are at their best with Hart in the starting lineup.
Here are some points made by people in the league whose eye/evaluation I trust:
BALL-HANDLING: If you take Hart out of the starting lineup, who is the secondary ball-handler in the starting lineup? Unless you put Jose Alvarado or Tyler Kolek in the starting lineup, you are taking the best secondary ball-handler out of the unit and replacing him with someone who is less adept at operating as a dribbler. Maybe you argue that Miles McBride can adequately replace Hart as a ball-handler while also improving the starting five.
SHOT DISTRIBUTION: Hart doesn’t need to score to impact the game. This is one of the reasons why he’s a good fit for the lineup. If you replace him with McBride or Landry Shamet, how many shot attempts will either player get? Are you hurting yourself by taking shots away from a player who gives you scoring off the bench? That’s the way I see it playing out.
SCREENING: Hart is the best screener in the starting lineup. That is an overlooked part of the game that is pivotal in today’s NBA. As noted above, he doesn’t need the ball to be effective. He doesn’t want the ball, so his play won’t be impacted by his own field-goal attempts. It’s obvious to say that the lineup works well when Hart is hitting his threes (he’s been hitting them at a high level this season). But even if Hart isn’t knocking down threes at a high level, the Knicks can take advantage of defenders playing off Hart by having him set screens when he’s not being guarded. Hart setting a screen in that scenario forces his defender to scramble and can give the Knicks distinct advantages in the half-court.
Maybe I’m wrong, but that’s why I believe Hart should remain in the lineup. As Mike Brown noted in a recent news conference, he did consider changing the lineup at some point later in the season. But he ultimately decided against it. I think it was the right call. If I end up being wrong, feel free to call me out on it.
Do you think the collaboration instilled between the coaching staff (ex. O+D asst’s taking over huddles) has more advantages or disadvantages in the playoffs? -- @luvmyknix
This is a great question and my guess is that it only helps the Knicks. Brown has been receptive to different ideas/perspectives from his staff and others in the organization. He doesn’t make a decision and then stick with it just to prove that he’s right. I think this kind of collaboration has helped the Knicks during the regular season (for example: Hart going from a bench player to starting; defensive adjustments in late January that solidified the Knicks on that end of the floor). I think it will continue to help the Knicks in playoff series where between game adjustments are often the difference between winning and losing.
QUICK HITTERS
Ian, I know you’re not in the business of doing predictions as you often say but I want to know what you think - who will win this series and in how many games?--@KnicksCentral
Hey Alex, I’m taking Knicks in six just to be conservative. I think the Knicks can win this series in five games due, in part, to their advantage at center and the defensive matchups for OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges. I don’t think there will be an "easy" win in the series but I think the Knicks will protect leads late. As Brian Windhorst noted on The Putback, I don’t believe they will "kick" any winnable games.
What are chances Brown is asked to leave should NYK suffer an early exit? There should be more HC options as there will likely be more turnover throughout the league compared to last offseason. -- @GateDasinDog
This is pure speculation but I would think significant roster changes are much more likely than another coaching change. Maybe there will be some smaller changes off the court (changing Brown’s assistant coaches? Changing Leon Rose’s front office?). But unless there is a complete disaster, I don’t see Brown getting fired.
If the Knicks played the Thunder in the finals, why would they not match double bigs to start? -- @_the6thman
This is also just speculation on my part, Left , but I think any change to the lineup would be based more on performance than matching up with a specific opponent. You saw Tom Thibodeau change his lineup midway through the Pacers series. That one was based on the shoddy performance of the starters. I think any change during this postseason would be a reaction to poor play rather than tailoring the lineup to an opponent.
The Phoenix Suns face the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA’s play-in tournament on Tuesday. The winner will get the Western Conference’s No. 7 playoff seed and face the No. 2-seeded San Antonio Spurs in the first round. The loser will play the winner of Wednesday’s play-in game between the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors on Friday — with the winner of that game landing the No. 8 seed and a first-round matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
How to watch Portland Trail Blazers vs. Phoenix Suns
The NBA Play-In Tournament marks the start of the postseason with the Charlotte Hornets hosting the Miami Heat tonight.
Charlotte’s young guns are home favorites versus the Heat, and our same game parlay for the opening Play-In tilt leans into LaMelo Ball and Kon Knueppel to make a big splash in this big game.
Here are my best Heat vs. Hornets predictions and NBA picks for Tuesday, April 14.
Our best Heat vs Hornets SGP for April 14
The Charlotte Hornets have been one of the best two-way teams since the All-Star break, finishing the schedule with an 18-9 SU record. The Hornets also hold down home court when laying points, boasting a 15-6 SU mark on the season.
LaMelo Ball has dished out eight dimes in eight of his last 14 games, including 13 assists in a win over the Miami Heat on March 17. Ball’s player projections sit north of eight assists against a Heat defense that wrapped the year among the worst in the NBA.
Kon Knueppel is often on the scoring end of those Ball assists, thriving in their guard-on-guard high screens. The rookie flamethrower has torched the Heat in all four meetings, putting up 19, 22, 27, and 30 points while shooting 45% from beyond the arc in those games.
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.
‘We have to show on the pitch that we have the mindset’
Manager unsure when Saka will return from injury
Mikel Arteta has admitted that Arsenal must prove to themselves that they have the right mindset to win the Premier League title but revealed there are major doubts over when Bukayo Saka will return from an achilles injury.
The England forward will miss the second leg of Arsenal’s Champions League quarter-final against Sporting on Wednesday and looks set to still be sidelined for Sunday’s crucial Premier League showdown with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. Pep Guardiola said after City’s win over Chelsea last Sunday which cut Arsenal’s lead to six points that their recent resurgence is “about mindset, not tactics” as he attempts to win a seventh title in England.
The dingers were finally flying yesterday, and I hit a monster +1040 homer to help my crawl out of the early-season basement.
The weather is turning, and the balls are flying. It's time to hit the MLB player props and back the bats on Dinger Tuesday.
I'm leaning on some familiar names today, but at prices I like in these settings and matchups.
Very few people are hitting the ball on the screws with a harder swing than Oneil Cruz, Pete Alonso has found his power and is the bat to back in Baltimore today, and Hunter Goodman and the Rockies could be trotting around the bags tonight vs. Houston's lousy pitching.
These are my favorite home run props for Tuesday, April 14.
UPDATE: Added another HR pick + parlay.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Oneil Cruz
+330
Pete Alonso
+390
Hunter Goodman
+410
💲Today's HR parlay
+10395
Oneil Cruz (+330)
When I go square, I want all the checkmarks, and I’m getting them in this Pittsburgh Pirates spot.
Oneil Cruz is a Top-5 hitter in baseball in swing speed and leads all batters in Blast Contact%, a stat that combines fast swings with barrels. Swing hard and square it up — simple.
Cruz gets a heavenly matchup vs. Miles Mikolas, who might be looking for a new job soon. Mikolas has been getting lit up, allowing 19 runs in just over 12 innings with five home runs surrendered.
He’s unlikely to go deep, and Pittsburgh should also get cracks at a taxed Nationals bullpen after hanging 16 runs on them last night. There might be four arms unavailable today from that Washington pen.
Elite form, double-digit winds blowing out, a great matchup, and a depleted bullpen all point to upside. I’m willing to go a bit shorter here at +330 and would still play it down to +300.
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SportsNet Pittsburgh, Nationals.TV
Pete Alonso (+390)
There were seven homers hit at Camden Yards yesterday, with one coming off the bat of Pete Alonso, who is +EV for a dinger today at +390 with a fair price around +340, per THE BAT.
It’s another great setting with double-digit winds blowing out and Merrill Kelly making his first start of the season before handing it over to a bullpen that got tagged for seven runs over just nine outs yesterday.
Alonso is the bat to target in this lineup, boasting the best Blast Contact% numbers in the clubhouse — roughly double that of Gunnar Henderson.
The final piece is familiarity. Alonso has seen Kelly 19 times, which leans in the hitter’s favor, and the Polar Bear has gone deep three times in those matchups.
Time: 6:35 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MASN, Dbacks.TV
Hunter Goodman (+410)
The Colorado Rockies are checking some home run boxes in tonight’s matchup with the Houston Astros. Houston is dealing with injuries to its rotation, which brings in Triple-A lefty Colton Gordon.
That also opens the door to a vulnerable bullpen, as the Astros are one of just two teams with a HR/9 north of 2.00.
Hunter Goodman is the target in this solid indoor matchup. He’s one of the few hitters with familiarity against Gordon and has already taken him deep in just two plate appearances. He also hits lefties much better.
Goodman brings legit power metrics, with one of the fastest swings in baseball at 79 mph, ranking 19th this season. The fair price sits in the +340 to +350 range, giving this +410 number clear value.
Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Rockies.TV, SCHN
Jinglis' 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 3-24, -1.1 units
Today’s HR parlay
Oneil Cruz
Bet Now +10395
Pete Alonso
Hunter Goodman
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.
Rittich Over 23.5 saves
Carlsson Over 2.5 shots
Clarke Over 1.5 shots
Oneil Cruz 
Pete Alonso
Hunter Goodman