LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 27, 2026: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia (51) reacts after striking out Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo (2) to retire the side in the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium on March 27, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Alex Vesia pitched in one of the highest-leverage moments of the young season for the Dodgers on Tuesday night against the Toronto Blue Jays, escaping a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the seventh inning to protect a two-run lead.
Vesia inherited runners at the corners after Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed a double and single to open the frame, the first Dodgers starting pitcher to last into the seventh inning this season. Vesia walked his first batter to load the bases, but then sandwiched two flyouts around a strikeout to get out unscathed.
He’s been a fixture in the Dodgers bullpen for the last half-decade, with a 2.62 ERA and 3.01 xERA, and 32.6-percent strikeout rate, and also has a 1.86 ERA and 3.76 xERA in 26 postseason games, including a save in Game 2 of the 2024 World Series.
Only one of Vesia’s Dodgers games was a start. He served as the opener on July 8, 2023 against the Angels, and pitched a scoreless first inning. But when he pitches next in relief, Vesia will join an even more exclusive club. Currently only nine Dodgers have pitched 300 times in relief.
BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 28: Baylor Scheierman #55, Anfernee Simons #4, Hugo Gonzalez #28 and Jordan Walsh #27 of the Boston Celtics look on during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on January 28, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
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In this march (and April) to the playoffs, head coach Joe Mazzulla has been checking items off his to-do list.
First and foremost has been the assimilation of Jayson Tatum back into the rotation. It hasn’t exactly been seamless. There’s been the expected rust and acclimation to the speed and timing of the NBA game. He’s had to get his legs underneath him and after fourteen games, he’s starting to look like he’s got his quick twitch back.
Second, Brown’s game has shifted slightly to more scoring and less playmaking with his partner-in-crime back into the fold. During his Player of the Week campaign, he averaged he averaged 31 points, 5.5 rebounds, and (still getting his teammates involved with) 5.8 assists.
Third, Mazzulla has also trimmed the rotation. Before Tatum’s return, the Celtics routinely went ten-deep. But with everybody back and the injury list clean, Boston has gone to an 8-to-9-man depth chart:
Jaylen Brown
Jayson Tatum
Derrick White
Neemias Queta
Sam Hauser
Payton Pritchard
Luka Garza
Baylor Scheierman
Jordan Walsh
Now, with Nikola Vucevic back from a fractured finger that has had him out since Tatum’s return, will anything change? On Sunday, Vucevic replaced Garza in those backup big minutes. We’ve also seen Hugo Gonzalez effectively phased out over the last two weeks.
In a seven-game series, teams will systematically take things away and force teams to do something different. One of the benefits of this “gap year” has been getting intel for every player, from Jaylen Brown all the way down to Ron Harper Jr. who just signed a standard contract to be eligible for the playoffs. So, come Game 4, 5, 6, or even 7, Mazzulla could throw an unexpected curveball — or shall we say “uneXpected?”
X-factors have littered the Celtics long-storied history. Danny Ainge dusted off a retired P.J. Brown to join the 2008 run. The aptly named Xavier Tillman helped put Dallas on the brink in just twelve minutes in Game 3 of the Finals. Throughout the regular season, we’ve seen nearly every player either start or make an impact on the bench, so who’s your favorite x-factor heading into April, May, and June?
The Chicago White Sox (4-8) travel to Kauffman Stadium on Thursday to open a four-game series against the Kansas City Royals (5-7). It's a matchup of two teams looking to snap modest losing streaks and move north in the American League Central standings.
Chicago heads on the road this weekend owning a 1-5 record away from the Windy City and riding a three-game losing streak. Along those same lines, the Royals are looking to snap a two-game skid of their own. KC is looking to continue what has been a dominant run at home against the ChiSox having knocked them off 14 straight times. Royals’ pitchers have allowed just 17 runs during their 14-game home winning streak against Chicago.
On the mound, Kansas City looks to veteran right-hander Seth Lugo (1-0, 1.59 ERA) to help get them back in the win column. Last season, the White Sox scored just three runs over 12 innings against Lugo. Opposing the veteran hurler will be left-hander Anthony Kay (0-0, 4.00 ERA), who is back in a big league starting rotation for the first time since 2021.
Offensively, the Royals will rely on Maikel Garcia, who has 13 hits over his last 10 games, and rookie Carter Jensen to spark their offense, which has struggled with runners in scoring position this season. For the White Sox, power hitter Munetaka Murakami, who has four home runs this season, will need to produce in a lineup that has scored just 41 runs this season (no team has scored fewer runs).
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch: White Sox vs. Royals
Date: Thursday, April 9, 2026
Time: 7:40PM EST
Site: Kauffman Stadium
City: Kansas City, MO
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, CSNA, Royals.TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: White Sox vs. Royals
The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: White Sox (+153), Royals (-186)
Spread: White Sox +1.5 (-131) / Royals -1.5 (+109)
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers: White Sox vs. Royals
Pitching matchup for April 9:
White Sox: Anthony Kay Season Totals: 9.0 IP, 0-0, 4.00 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 5K, 6 BB
Rookie Carter Jensen is 5-14 over his last 4 games
Munetaka Murakami is hitting only .205 but has smacked 4 HRs
Bobby Witt Jr. is 5-15 over his last 4 games
Luisangel Acuna is 7-24 (.292) in April
Andrew Benintendi is 3-20 (.150) in April
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: White Sox vs. Royals
The White Sox are 5-7 on the Run Line this season
The Royals are also 5-7 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed just 4 times in the Royals’ 12 games this season (4-8)
The OVER has cashed 8 times in Chicago’s 12 games (8-4)
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions: White Sox vs. Royals
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s game between the White Sox and the Royals:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Royals on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total UNDER 9.0.
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After almost two years of rehab, Patrick Sandoval is back. The idea of paying someone fresh off of Tommy John surgery $18 million to rehab has been met with plenty of criticism, but Sandoval’s 529 strikeouts in 536 career innings with an ERA just over 4 can provide some stability if healthy. I don’t think I want Sandoval in the big league roation, but perhaps some sort of relief role is best for the current club as they deal with injuries and uncertainties in that regard (as our own Jake Roy points out, the current iteration of the bullpen cannot hold a lead).
In his first trip back to a mound, Sandoval dealt with some rust regarding control. Of his 63 pitches, only 35 fell in for strikes. This also led to longevity issues, as he recorded just ten outs, issuing three walks (and letting three runs score from these walks) but striking out three. Seth Martinez brought some balance back to the game, pitching eight perfect outs. This gave the WooSox time to string some runs on the board, resulting from a costly error of the Clippers’ (Guardians AAA) Travis Bazanna on a Braiden Ward grounder. Ward would subseqently break the tie in the eighth, while Kristian Campbell would drive in a run with a bases loaded HBP. A Mikey Romero sac-fly later, the lead was up to three runs, and the WooSox would not let that up.
Franklin Arias continues to start the season strong, as he had two knocks and three RBIs. The team also managed two three-baggers, one each from Marvin Alcantara and Abrham Liendo. That’s about all the good that came from Wednesday night’s game against New Hampshire (Blue Jays AAA).
Four hitters in the Sea Dogs’ lineup are still hitless on the season almost a week in. Also, it doesn’t help that Gage Ziehl, the return for the Jordan Hicks trade, allowed seven runs, five earned, off nine hits in two and a third innings, so this one was done quickly in a fashion in which “get the game to Michael Sansone” doesn’t hit quite the same way as it does with a lead. Sansone was fine, pitching five and a third, allowing the deficit to grow more, but then, since this was the second blowout Portland’s incurred in a week, we were treated to a position player pitching, and, to his credit, Drew Ehrhard put in the best pitching performance of the night.
Everyone in the lineup had a hit against the Spartanburgers (Rangers High-A) on Tuesday, but it was quite the opposite on Wednesday. Hub City had a no-hitter going against the Drive until the sixth, when Jack Winnay drove into right field to advance Justin Gonzales (who led the inning off with a walk) to third; Gonzales would score on a Mason White sac fly. Winnay had the only hit of the night for the Drive, and, if you’re a math person, you know that one hit is usually never going to beat the two home runs Luis Cohen allowed.
It was a bullpen game in Salem, but no matter. Jacob Meyers, Myles Patton, Brandon Neely and Harry Blum may not be aboard the Artemis II by a long shot, but they navigated this game safely and kept the Warbirds (Brewers A) at bay following some early trouble. All in all, Wilson stranded nine batters. The six hits Greenville got as a team were all concentrated among three hitters, but the hits came at the right times, namely Andrews Opata getting two triples to put himself in scoring position and 18-year-old Avinson Pinto tacking on two doubles.
ANAHEIM, CA - APRIL 07: Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Jorge Soler (12) swings a punch at Atlanta Braves pitcher Reynaldo Lopez (40) on the mound as home plate umpire Edwin Moscoso trails the play during the MLB game between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Angels on April 7, 2026 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
I think this series is our clearest evidence yet that 2026 should be a better year for the Atlanta Braves than 2025 was. Sure, it’s still very early and 13 games is only a small drop in the bucket of a full 162-game season but the Braves have already just gotten done doing something that they failed to do all last season: Win more than one (1) game in the state of California.
Indeed, the Braves are now back in Atlanta after pulling off a series win in California in order to up their record in the Golden State to 2-1. For reference’s sake, they went 1-12 in every game they played in that state last season. Already, things are looking up for this ballclubs and it’s not just the fact that they got this particular monkey off of their collective backs. There’s a lot to talk about from what was a wild (but successful) series in Anaheim against the Angels. Let’s get into it!
This game essentially came down to two bad innings from Chris Sale — two uncharacteristically bad innings, at that. The bottom of the fourth felt like one of those typical implosions that seems to happen with alarming regularity in the state of California for the Braves, no matter who’s pitching or playing. It started with Sale hitting our old friend Jorge Soler with a pitch and that was the start of five of the first six Angels batters in that frame reaching base safely. Despite the fact that only one of those was a hit that made it into the outfield, Sale managed to give up three runs in the process. Two singles, two walks and two hit-by-pitches was the method by which the Angels did their damage. He did strike out seven batters though, so there’s that.
The Braves were unable to respond in the next frame as Jose Soriano continued to absolutely mow down Braves hitters for what would turn into an excellent eight-inning performance from the Angels hurler. The Angels then rudely welcomed Sale back to the mound with a Jorge Soler single and then a two-run dinger from Jo Adell. That was the end of the night for Sale and essentially the end of the contest for the Braves as they were unable to muster up anything outside of a first-inning solo homer from Drake Baldwin and a ninth-inning solo shot from Mauricio Dubón.
Even when the Braves win one in California, it’s anything but normal. Jorge Soler continued to be a thorn in Atlanta’s side as he hit a two-run shot in the first inning that put the Angels ahead and it would’ve been understandable to think that this would be the start of another long and late night out West for the Braves. The good news is that this time, the Braves got up off of the mat and came back swinging. Eli White doubled in the first run of the night for the Braves in the second inning and then Atlanta took the lead in the fourth inning after rallying to score three more runs. Austin Riley tied the game up with an RBI single, which was lovely to se considering how much he has struggled to start this season
Funnily enough, there weren’t too many post-fight fireworks from both teams and things actually calmed down a bit. Atlanta’s bullpen did a very good job of covering the final four innings of this one after López got ejected, which meant that the runs scored by the Braves later on in the game weren’t sorely needed but were there purely as insurance. A solo homer from Ozzie Albies in the eighth gave Atlanta some real breathing room at 5-2 and then RBIs from Drake Baldwin and Matt Olson in the ninth inning allowed the Braves to pull away in order to make sure that this truculent ballgame ended in victorious fashion for Atlanta.
If you had told me that Grant Holmes would’ve gotten nearly seven full innings deep into this game after how the second inning went, first I’d be confused about you being a time traveler and using that power to inform me about a baseball game but then I’d be shocked at the result of said baseball game. Indeed, Grant Holmes looked like he was going to have a Sale-like implosion in the second inning of this one but he somehow got out of it by “only” giving up two runs. Those two runs would be all he’d surrender for the rest of his outing, as he quickly regained his composure and clamped down on the Angels from that point forward.
While that was going on, Atlanta’s lineup proved to be a bit much for Reid Detmers and the rest of the Angels pitching staff to deal with on the day. Austin Riley came to life in this one with a hit and two walks and each time he reached base, he scored. Riley even legged out a double in extremely cool fashion (with a swim move at second to finish it) as he looked as dynamic and threatening as he had since Opening Day. Ronald Acuña Jr. picked up a couple of good-luck hits in this one as well, so hopefully this’ll be the start of these two really getting going.
Ultimately, the Braves ended up cruising to victory in this one as Holmes settled down and went deep. Joel Payamps was able to make sure that Holmes’ line stayed looking good once he exited and then Jose Suarez delivered a nice performance over two innings as well. The series win marked Atlanta’s first series victory in California since 2024, which is when they downed this same Angels team over the course of three games in mid-August back then.
Is the California Curse over and limited to just 2025? They still have to go visit their National League foes in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco but for now, this was a huge relief to see the Braves pick up a series win in Anaheim and it was even better to see this team continue to avoid dropping any series so far. They’ve now either won or split each of the series that they’ve played here early on and you don’t need me to tell you that winning every series is a surefire way to rack up some wins across the long haul of a regular season.
A winning road trip in general is a lovely way for the Braves to return home. While they could’ve gotten more from the series in Arizona, taking two-out-of-three against a tricky Angels squad was the perfect way to make sure that this was a productive road trip. While Chris Sale’s performance was disappointing, even the staff ace is entitled to having a bad day now and then. It also helped that Reynaldo López was effective before he joined Fight Club (and they even got some best-case scenario news when it came to his inevitable suspension) and Grant Holmes came up big as well. The offense was also consistent over the course of these three games and hopefully this will get some of the stars like Acuña and Riley going as well.
Meanwhile, things won’t get a lot easier for the Braves once they return home to wear their clean new City Connect uniforms. The Cleveland Guardians won their series over the Kansas City Royals, so we’ll have two 8-5 teams doing baseball battle once the Braves get back in action on Friday night. That’ll certainly be a test for the bottom portion of this Braves rotation and another test to se if this lineup can continue getting it done. For now, they’ll be full of confidence following a productive road trip with a lot of positives to take home with them.
MIAMI — Pete Fairbanks is back with the Miami Marlins after the reliever was away from the team for a few days for the birth of his child.
The veteran right-hander missed the first three games of Miami’s home series against the Cincinnati Reds but is available for the finale.
Fairbanks, who has recorded two saves this season, pitched the first inning of the Marlins’ finale against the Yankees on April 5 before leaving Yankee Stadium to be with his wife Lydia, who was scheduled to have labor induced.
Fairbanks threw a 27-pitch first inning, allowing three hits and a home run.
In a corresponding move, the Marlins optioned RHP Ryan Gusto to Triple-A Jacksonville.
ELMONT, NY -- On Wednesday afternoon, NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported that some New York Islanders players were getting "fed up" with Patrick Roy bringing up his Stanley Cup wins.
"There's so much talk about his Stanley Cups and the Stanley Cups he won," Seravalli said on 'Frankly Hockey'. 'Players are really tired of hearing that. It's a great relic to hang onto, and it's a nice flex to have on your resume, but you haven't won as a coach. And you're not a goaltender anymore, even though you're in the Hall of Fame. You're just a head coach, and you have to be able to park that. Players told me that they were tired of hearing that from Patrick Roy."
Seravalli has not been in the Islanders' locker room once this season nor attended a game.
"That couldn't be more untrue," Islanders forward Mathew Barzal said. "If anything, we love hearing stories about the teams that he was on that won the cups, especially his team in Montreal. He'd always bring up just how they were underdogs all year, and that kind of stuff fueled us.
"So that report is just, it's completely ridiculous.”
The Hockey News asked team captain Anders Lee for a comment on the report:
"I don't even know what to say," a dumbfounded Lee said. "We're definitely not frustrated with Patty talking about that kind of thing. When he did, it was very relevant to the situation, and only him trying to help and tell a story.
"No one was walking away with those feelings.”
Roy's time on the island came to a close on Sunday when he was relieved of his duties after four straight losses, with the Islanders falling out of a playoff spot.
General manager Mathieu Darche and the players made it clear that Roy never lost the room, with the first-year general manager citing that the hiring of Pete DeBoer was about what was best for the team going forward.
The Islanders continue their push for the playoffs on Thursday night againt the Toronto Maple Leafs, with puck drop at 6:45 PM ET.
The Colorado Rockies (6-6, tied for second in the NL West) face the San Diego Padres (6-6, also tied for second in the NL West) in the first game of a four-game series. The Padres are favored with a moneyline of -190 and a spread of -1.5, with Randy Vásquez starting on the mound, boasting a 0.75 ERA and 11 strikeouts. Colorado’s starter is TBD.
How to watch Colorado Rockies vs. San Diego Padres
The NBA investigated a head-scratching move by the Sacramento Kings amid a crackdown on tanking, but the league found there was no foul play.
The league looked at a curious foul directed by head coach Doug Christie with his team up by one point with 3:15 left against the Warriors on Tuesday. Doug McDermott intentionally fouled Seth Curry, putting the Warriors guard at the line for free throws.
Sacramento (21-59) is one of the worst teams in the NBA this season and is on track to finish in the bottom five in the league.
The Kings were INTENTIONALLY fouling Seth Curry in crunch time to lose the game…
Sources claimed to ESPN that the move by Christie was a mistake, as he allegedly believed there was a foul to give and he wanted to get a timeout in before the clock ticked under three minutes.
The NBA believes that explanation.
“The NBA has completed an investigation of the Sacramento Kings and Head Coach Doug Christie’s decision to foul intentionally late in the team’s game against the Golden State Warriors on April 7. The league’s investigation determined that Christie mistakenly believed that the Warriors were not in the penalty and therefore instructed his team to foul in an attempt to stop the clock and utilize one of the team’s remaining timeouts,” the league said Wednesday in a statement. “The investigation found that Christie made no intentional effort to give the Warriors a shooting foul, or to cause the Kings to lose the game.”
The Kings went on to lose, 110-105, raising plenty of eyebrows, including Draymond Green’s.
“I saw a team tonight foul Seth Curry with three minutes to go in the game for no reason. In the penalty,” the Warriors star said after the game. “I get fined when I do wrong. Fine the hell out of people. We love taking money from players.”
The Kings, who have been ravaged by injuries, were down by 13 in the third quarter and did take a three-point lead after the “mistake” by Christie in a 101-100 game, as Curry made one free throw before McDermott drained a 3-pointer.
But back to back 3-pointers by Golden State put the Warriors up for good.
Kings head coach Doug Christie gestures during a loss to the Warriors on April 7, 2026. AP
Christie did say after a win over the Jazz last month that “tanking is the last thing” he’d do.
The NBA recently presented three anti-tanking proposals to its board of governors, and they’re set to vote on them on May 28, per ESPN, which said the proposal with the most “momentum” is one in which 18 teams would be in the lottery: the bottom 10 teams and the eight teams that reach the play-in tournament.
Under that proposal, the bottom 10 teams would have an eight percent chance of moving up from their slot, while the remaining 20 percent would be split among the other eight teams.
The Arizona Diamondbacks (6-6), tied for second in the NL West, face the New York Mets (7-5), tied for second in the NL East, with the Mets favored at -160 odds. The starting pitchers are Eduardo Rodriguez for Arizona (0.00 ERA), and Nolan McLean for New York, with a 2.61 ERA. The over/under is set at 7 runs.
How to Watch Arizona Diamondbacks vs. New York Mets
The New York Yankees, ranked first in the AL East with an 8-3 record, are favored with a -200 moneyline over the Oakland Athletics, who are 4-7 and ranked fourth in the AL West. Thursday’s rubber match comes after the Yankees took the first game of the series, and the A’s took the second.
Just a few days into the offseason, Duke has already seen two rotation pieces—Nik Khamenia and Darren Harris—enter the transfer portal. What the Blue Devils haven’t heard yet are any decisions regarding the NBA Draft.
Cam Boozer is surely off to be a Top 3 pick. Dame Sarr and Pat Ngongba have challenging stay-or-go decisions to make. But interestingly, most reporters with inside knowledge of the Duke program, including The Athletic’s Brendan Marks, are operating under the assumption that Isaiah Evans will join Boozer in the draft.
Even a couple of years ago this would be a no-brainer decision for Evans, who is consistently projected as a first-round pick and tested the draft waters last season. But things have changed drastically. Case in point: recent reporting from Jeff Goodman stating that top wings in the portal could demand around $3 million dollars this offseason.
The @TheFieldOf68 has polled 10-plus high-major head coaches, assistants and GM's for the following prices that elite (Top 25 guys) portal players will likely command: pic.twitter.com/hzs1Ie3XY9
Even that number could be low, with some reports stating that John Blackwell—one of the top scoring guards in the portal and a potential Duke target—could fetch closer to $5 million.
Goodman’s reporting, coming directly from coaches, is likely more realistic than the reported number for Blackwell (potentially put out by his agent to drive up his asking price). Still, if you split the difference and say a player of Evans’ caliber would demand $4 million in NIL, you’re faced with a fascinating thought experiment.
That sum would exceed the first year of a Rookie Scale NBA contract for any player drafted below 15 overall. By the time you reach the mid 20s—where Evans is most consistently projected—a $4 million NIL payday would dwarf the first year of an NBA contract by more than $1 million dollars.
There are, of course, other factors to consider than the raw dollars. Many players enter the NBA as early as possible so that their second contract—the first chance to get a 9 figure payday—comes in their prime. But many players drafted in Evans’ range don’t even reach that second deal, with a 2018 study finding that the average career for players drafted in the 20s in the first round is much closer to 5 (the maximum length of a Rookie contract) than 10 years. A player like Evans certainly maximizes his career earning potential by entering the NBA as early as possible, but very few hit that ceiling.
There’s also a unique confounding factor to making a draft decision this year—the 2026 Draft is universally viewed as one of the best in recent memory, while the 2027 is seen as much weaker. Were Evans to return to Duke, likely making more money in the 2026-27 season than he would in the NBA, he might also jump up in the 2027 Draft. Moving up from the 25th pick to the 15th pick would be worth millions more over the length of a rookie contract.
Finally, there’s this: college players are now getting paid more than some of their NBA counterparts to play less than half of the games. At Duke, you play those games consistently in front of a national television audience, rather than the local sports networks of your average NBA contest. That’s less wear and tear on your body and an increased potential to build a brand that will yield lucrative endorsements now and into the future.
It’s highly likely this is nothing more than an interesting thought experiment given the various reports on Evans’ status. But more Duke players will face similar decisions like this as the college game continues to change. For college stars, it may soon be the case that—with the notable exception of surefire lottery picks—the best purely financial decision will be to forego the draft as long as possible.
The Calgary Flames are in Denver to take on a Colorado Avalanche team that has only played to the Over in six of their last 25 games.
With both teams dealing with recent departures and/or key injuries, my Flames vs. Avalanche predictions expect that trend to continue.
Let’s dive into my NHL picks for Thursday, April 9.
Flames vs Avalanche prediction
Flames vs Avalanche best bet: Under 6.5 (-125)
The Colorado Avalanche have been surprisingly generous to Under backers this season, posting an O/U record of 33-42-2.
Five of their past seven games have featured six goals or fewer, including three straight. That may be a common theme down the stretch with offensive dynamo Cale Makar sidelined, not to mention former Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri.
The Flames traded multiple key weapons prior to the deadline (Kadri, Rasmus Andersson) and lost Jonathan Huberdeau to injury, making them more reliant on preventing goals than scoring them.
That sets up well for a reasonably low-scoring matchup.
Flames vs Avalanche same-game parlay
The Flames traded multiple minute-munching defensemen and lost a couple more to injury, opening the door for others to take on expanded roles.
Yan Kuznetsov has blocked multiple shots in 15 of his last 20 games, and two of three since returning from injury, while Olli Maatta has stepped in the way of at least a couple of pucks in seven of his past 10.
Colorado plays fast and shoots a lot, which should create plenty of opportunities for these blueliners to pile up the blocks.
The Colorado Avalanche have hit the Game Total Under in 15 of their last 25 games (+8.70 Units / 32% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Flames vs. Avalanche.
How to watch Flames vs Avalanche
Location
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Date
Thursday, April 9, 2026
Puck drop
9:00 p.m. ET
TV
SNW, ALT
Flames vs Avalanche latest injuries
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LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 7: Adou Thiero #1 of the Los Angeles Lakers goes up for the rebound during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 7, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
A shooting star, seen as a symbol of hope and good luck, is actually just a small piece of rock or meteor burning while entering the Earth’s atmosphere. With Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves now sidelined for the rest of the regular season, LA’s late push shifts toward searching for any beams of light they can find.
Against OKC on Tuesday, that image shining in the sky was Adou Thiero. The moments gave flashes of a tantalizing athletic two-way wing while also being far enough away to notice the raw skills as a chunk of unmolded clay.
An already shorthanded purple and gold team was also playing without LeBron James. A valiant effort kept it close in the first half before the eventual takeover, as the number one seed led by as many as 41 points.
The rookie contributed to the early competitiveness. He immediately began flying around the floor after checking in. Watch as he rises for the impressive offensive rebound in the clip below, tracking it down and snatching it away from seven-foot Isaiah Hartenstein.
On the extra possession, Thiero cuts behind and attempts to finish over the top of the big man. He draws two of his ten free throws on the night. Getting to the line is one thing. Converting is another, as he finished 5-10 from the charity stripe, an example of both the potential and the unmolded clay.
His two field goals made were a spot-up 3-pointer and a double pump dunk off a baseline cut. The jumper is still as shaky as it was when he was drafted out of Arkansas. The swish on one was evened out by hitting the side of the backboard on the other.
Thiero took just three 3-pointers all season, but did shoot 9-14 during his South Bay tenure. It’s a small sample, but something the team hopes will translate next season.
The dunks are extremely fun to watch and help reverberate the hype around Thiero. Everything in between still needs clear work as the lack of creativity around the rim in traffic leads to turnovers or rushed decisions.
On defense, he flashed the potential of strong on-ball chops by leveraging that 220-pound frame and 6’4” height with a 7-foot wingspan. Watch below as he closes out on Lu Dort, a candidate for the strongest player in the association, absorbing the body blow and forcing a turnover.
He got impressive stops on the MVP favorite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and first-time All-Star Chet Holmgren during the contest. As with most young players, those defensive wins are tempered by losses on certain possessions and by being out of sync with the team’s strategy on that end.
“The starting point for him has got to be playing hard, banshee mentality, all of those things, and I think he showed some signs of that in the G,” Redick said. “For him to be an NBA rotation player, it’s got to be every single night, every single possession, and that’s what we’re building for. And then obviously the skill work. He’s had a lot of trouble finishing this year, but we’re confident with his athleticism, he’ll build in his counters when he can’t dunk it. He’s going to end up being a really good player.”
It was a career high in minutes for Thiero against OKC, touching 20 minutes for the first time in his rookie season, a mark that Redick noted was “right at his minutes restriction” postgame. Thiero has dealt with constant injuries all season with a perfect representation of that being getting elbowed by Holmgren in the second quarter, leading to eight stitches.
That didn’t stop him from returning to the game. He gave Laker fans another look at one of the few bright spots in a blowout loss. He is a shooting star they are wishing on for better health next season.
“I’ve built confidence for sure, going out there and being able to still do a couple of the things that I usually do,” Thiero said. “Helps me definitely believe I belong. I can definitely do more of these things, so just trying to build that confidence a little bit more.”
The Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets wrap up a three-game series at Citi Field on Thursday night.
New York had a four-game win streak snapped yesterday but my Diamondbacks vs. Mets predictions expect the home side to bounce back with a strong start from Nolan McLean.
Here are my best free MLB picks for this NL clash on April 9.
Who will win Diamondbacks vs Mets today: Mets run line -1.5 (+145)
Arizona Diamondbacks lefty Eduardo Rodriguez has allowed eight hits and one run through 12 frames. However, he had an ugly 5.02 ERA with a 1.53 WHIP in 39 starts over the previous two years, so expect major regression.
The New York Mets are giving the pill to Nolan McLean who is one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. In 10 MLB starts going back to last season, McLean has a 2.16 ERA with a .189 OBA and 69 punchouts through 58 1/3 innings.
With the Mets also boasting better hitting metrics, I'm playing the run line.
COVERS INTEL: McLean has a six-pitch arsenal that features a devastating sinker, a sweeper and curveball with elite movement, and a four-seamer that hits 98 mph.
Diamondbacks vs Mets Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (+117)
The Mets have balance from 1-9 in their lineup and despite the absence of Juan Soto have been making good contact. Over the last week, they are batting .284 while slugging .405.
I expect them to have success against Rodriguez and an Arizona bullpen that is projected to be one of the worst in baseball. That has me leaning towards the Over 7.5.
Rohit Ponnaiya's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 3-4, -1.88
Over/Under bets: 3-1, +1.75
Diamondbacks vs Mets odds
Moneyline: Arizona +150 | New York -156
Run line: Arizona +1.5 (-150) | New York -1.5 (+144)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+117) | Under 7.5 (-122)
Diamondbacks vs Mets trend
The Mets have covered the Run Line in 13 of their last 25 games (+3.55 Units / 13% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Diamondbacks vs. Mets.
How to watch Diamondbacks vs Mets and game info
Location
Citi Field, Flushing, NY
Date
Thursday, April 9, 2026
First pitch
7:10 p.m. ET
TV
ARID, SNY
Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Eduardo Rodriguez (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Mets starting pitcher
Nolan McLean (1-0, 2.61 ERA)
Diamondbacks vs Mets latest injuries
Diamondbacks vs Mets weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
COVERS INTEL: McLean has a six-pitch arsenal that features a devastating sinker, a sweeper and curveball with elite movement, and a four-seamer that hits 98 mph.