BERLIN, GERMANY - OCTOBER 07: In this photo illustration the logo of American direct broadcast satellite service provider DirecTV is displayed on a smartphone on October 07, 2019 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo Illustration by Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images) | Photothek via Getty Images
Hours before Opening Day 2026, the Atlanta Braves announced a multi-year agreement with DIRECTV to carry their new network, BravesVision, making Atlanta Braves games available through the satellite provider within the Braves’ home markets. That region includes Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, South Carolina and western North Carolina.
BravesVision can be found on channel 645 and will be available for Opening Day. On U-verse, it is on 1730.
DIRECTV was one of the last major traditional satellite or cable providers with whom the Braves had not announced and agreement for BravesVision. An agreement with Fubu was announced earlier today.
For more information on how to watch Braves games this season, read this post.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 11: Carlos Vargas #54 of the Seattle Mariners throws a pitch during a Spring Training game against the Colorado Rockies at Peoria Stadium on March 11, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mariners announced today that RHP Carlos Vargas is going on the 15-day IL, retroactive to March 24, with a right lat strain.
The lat issue must have cropped up suddenly, because Vargas was on a relatively regular schedule this spring, appearing every 3-4 days. His last appearance was in the spring training finale against San Diego, when he hurled a clean 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout. However, Vargas apparently wasn’t available for the season opener, leading to manager Dan Wilson having to use the two other lower-leverage relievers – Casey Legumina and Cooper Criswell – in the eighth and ninth innings of a 6-4 loss to Cleveland.
To replace Vargas, the team is calling up RHP Cole Wilcox, who was rotation-mates with Mariners pitcher Emerson Hancock while the two were at Georgia. The Mariners acquired Wilcox, the last remaining piece of the Blake Snell trade, from the Rays for cash in early November. Wilcox was a standout this spring, featuring eye-popping velocity on his fastball and sinker, easily touching 97 and pairing that with a slider/sweeper combo.
Another solid outing from Cole Wilcox with a groundout, flyout, and this strikeout on a 97 mph fastball on the plate. Only needed 11 pitches, 8 strikes, for his three outs; avg 4S 97.2 and avg SI 97.5. pic.twitter.com/6oZO8qZIWN
It’s easy to see why Wilcox is the Mariners’ first option out of a group of pitchers in Tacoma that has multiple intriguing options. Wilcox has big stuff and the potential for both swing-and-miss with an elevated fastball and the ability to generate weak contact on the ground when he’s locating well with his heavy sinker. It’s that second bit that’s the tricky part, though. Wilcox’s velocity has finally rebounded from where it was before his TJ surgery and recovery (2021-22), but his command remains a work in progress. He’ll now have an opportunity to keep working with the big-league pitching coaches while Vargas is recovering. For now, expect Wilcox to slot into Vargas’s spot in the ‘pen alongside the other lower-leverage arms Criswell and Legumina, although perhaps as the one with the highest upside.
Golfer charged with DUI after Jupiter Island incident
Woods to be held eight hours under Florida DUI law
Trump laments arrest of ‘close friend’ in remarks
Tiger Woods was released on bail on Friday, hours after the golf star’s Land Rover clipped a truck, rolled onto its side and he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to officials.
Martin County sheriff John Budensiek said Woods was driving a Land Rover that overturned after attempting to overtake a truck on a narrow two-lane road shortly before 2pm near Woods’s residence on Jupiter Island. The vehicle clipped a trailer, veered off and came to rest on its driver’s side after sliding along the roadway.
CHICAGO — Jason Heyward, who launched his 16-year major league career with the Atlanta Braves in 2010 and won a World Series title with the Chicago Cubs in 2016, announced his retirement on Friday.
Heyward played in 34 games with San Diego in 2025, hitting .176.
For his career, Heyward hit .255 with 186 home runs with six teams. He also played for St. Louis, Houston and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The outfielder won five Gold Gloves, including four straight seasons from 2014 through 2017.
Heyward, whose nickname is “J Hey,” played his first five seasons with the Braves and set career highs with 27 homers and 82 RBIs for Atlanta in 2012. He was drafted by the Braves in 2007 from Henry County High School in suburban Atlanta.
Heyward played for the Cubs for seven seasons, from 2016 through 2022. He said he plans to focus on his Jason Heyward Baseball Academy, a youth development program based in Chicago.
“I wanted to reach this moment and know without a doubt that it was time to walk away, and I do,” Heyward said in a statement. “No second-guessing, no looking back, just gratitude.”
Heyward said playing 16 years in the major leagues “gave me everything, and now I get to give some of that back. Through the Jason Heyward Baseball Academy, I get to mentor the next generation, keep my hands in the game, and make sure kids in my community have the opportunities and the space to dream the same way I did.”
The Mets lost lefty Bryan Hudson on Friday, as he was claimed off waivers by the White Sox.
Hudson actually landed with New York in a deal with Chicago this offseason.
He seemed like a strong early-season insurance policy as A.J. Minter continued working his way back from a lat injury, but ended up struggling mightily during Grapefruit League play.
The southpaw allowed six runs on five hits and three walks over just 3.1 innings of work.
New York ultimately decided to bring back Richard Lovelady to fill the final spot in their bullpen instead, and Hudson ended up being DFA'd ahead of Opening Day.
Now he lands back with the White Sox, where he'll look to carve out a role in their bullpen.
The Mets' other two final roster cuts did, however, remain in the organization as catcher Ben Rortvedt and versatile infielder Vidal Bruján cleared waivers and were outrighted to Triple-A.
At the surface level, it was straightforward: the Flyers beat a weaker team, scored five goals, and handled their business after a disappointing loss earlier in the week. In a playoff race, the ability to bank those points without overcomplicating the night is part of the job.
But the more useful reading is less about the score and more about the way the Flyers produced it. On the surface, it's a comfortable win over a rebuilding opponent. But it was also a game that showed how Philadelphia wants to attack, and which parts of its current success are real enough to trust.
1. The Flyers Are Scoring in a Way That Should Travel
The biggest tactical difference in this game was where the offense came from. Against Columbus, the Flyers spent too much time chasing cleaner looks than the game offered. Against Chicago, they stopped waiting.
They attacked the middle of the ice earlier and put pucks to the net without overhandling them. They created offense from inside the dots instead of trying to work everything into the perfect passing lane.
A team that relies on perimeter possession can look productive without being dangerous. A team that gets to the interior creates rebounds, scrambles, and second chances. That was the Flyers’ better version here.
Rick Tocchet’s comment about “playing interior” was the key phrase. It's not just coach-speak. It describes a measurable shift in how the Flyers are trying to win games. They are getting pucks on net quicker, occupying the crease more consistently, and forcing defenses to collapse instead of getting to sit and shape the play.
That is a real adjustment, and it is more meaningful than a simple five-goal result against a team at a different stage of its cycle.
2. Alex Bump’s Night Says More About Depth Than Fireworks
Alex Bump’s first multi-point game was perhaps the most encouraging individual development of the night, but not because it means he is suddenly going to singlehandedly drive a playoff push. It matters because of what it says about the Flyers’ options.
Bump has six points in 10 NHL games, which is a solid start for a young winger adjusting to a very different level of pace and decision-making. More important is how he is producing. He's not floating through shifts waiting for play to find him. He's active on retrievals, quick through touches, and willing to make the next play without trying to force the ideal one.
Philadelphia Flyers forward Alex Bump (20). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)
That is relevant in a bigger roster sense. The Flyers have been trying to build enough forward depth that they can absorb lineup churn and still generate offense without leaning too heavily on one line. Bump’s emergence helps in that regard, but it also clarifies something: the organization is beginning to find real NHL contributors in roles that do not require huge minutes to matter.
That is not nothing. Teams with playoff ambitions rarely get far without at least a few young players who can enter the lineup and not look out of place.
Bump looked like that on Thursday.
3. The Flyers Are Getting More From Their Middle
Christian Dvorak’s goal and assist showed not only his continued individual contributions to the offense, but also how the Flyers are getting more consistent production from the second and third layers of the lineup.
When teams get to March, the first line can still drive play, but it can't realistically carry every game. Philadelphia’s recent stretch has shown more contributions from players like Noah Cates, Dvorak, Luke Glendening, and Garnet Hathaway than it did earlier in the year. That creates something the Flyers did not always have: the ability to keep pressure on when the top players are off the ice.
Cates has become a particularly important part of that profile. His 16th goal tied his career high, but the more meaningful number is his 14 points since the Olympic break. That is not a small stretch; that is a middle-six player actually influencing the shape of games.
4. A Useful Test in Net-Front Control
The Blackhawks may not be a league benchmark, but that does not make this result any less important. If anything, lower-end opponents are often more revealing in one specific area: whether a team can impose its preferred style without forcing it.
The Flyers did that here by controlling the net-front battle. Tocchet’s note that the team had “good presentations” and that players were “always around the net” is backed up by the structure of the scoring itself. The Flyers did not depend on point shots and hope. They got inside and stayed there. That's a mature approach, and it's also one the Flyers had not always consistently embraced.
Rick Tocchet didn’t discredit the Flyers’ win just because they did it against Chicago, who have been struggling this season. Said they have to stay even keel and not get caught up in the rollercoaster of games b/c every opponent is one they need to lock in against.
A 5–1 win over Chicago doesn't tell you the Flyers have solved the season. It doesn't prove they are a finished playoff team. It doesn't erase the structural questions that still exist around their offensive consistency, their home-ice struggles, or the degree to which their recent success depends on playing a cleaner brand of hockey than they were earlier in the year.
What it does tell you is that the message is getting through.
The Flyers are no longer relying on hope or a single line to produce all of their offense. They're getting better at playing to the game in front of them instead of the game they wish they had. They're using their depth more effectively, and they're generating offense from more areas. And when they face a team they are supposed to beat, they are not making the night harder than it needs to be.
That sounds simple. In practice, it's not.
Teams in the Flyers’ position often win and still leave the game feeling unresolved, because the process doesn't match the result. This was different. The process and the scoreline lined up.
That is the useful takeaway—not simply that the Flyers blew out the Blackhawks.
It is that they looked like a team that understands what it needs to do to keep winning games like this. And at this point in the season, that is the kind of lesson that actually matters.
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 17: Washington Nationals Manager Blake Butera (L) puts on a Nationals jersey as he is introduced during a press conference at Nationals Park on November 17, 2025 in Washington, DC. Butera became the eighth manager in Nationals team history and the youngest manager in Major League Baseball since 1972. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When Nationals fans saw the lineup card yesterday, many of them scratched their heads. It was an unconventional alignment, with Andres Chaparro hitting second and CJ Abrams hitting sixth. Buckle up because this is not going to be the last time we see an odd looking lineup. Blake Butera is going to shuffle his lineup around based on the matchup a lot this season.
Nationals 3/26
Wood LF Chaparro 1B House 3B Lile DH Wiemer RF Abrams SS Nuñez 2B Ruiz C Young CF
Tinkering with lineups and bullpen usage is going to be part of the Nats new philosophy this season. Honestly, Davey Martinez had started to tinker with his lineups more in the last couple years, but we will see it taken to an even more extreme degree this season. CJ Abrams was almost always the leadoff man and James Wood was usually right behind him. This year, we are not going to have as good of an idea as to what the lineup will look like.
That is both cool to see, but I am sure it will be frustrating at times. You want to play the matchups, but at the same time you do not want to out think the room. At the end of the day, you want your best hitters at the top of the lineup. However, who your best hitters are can vary depending on the matchup.
When I saw Andres Chaparro in the two hole, I was a bit bemused at first. Sure, he hits lefties well, but that was not who I would have expected to hit second. If you gave me five chances to guess who was hitting second, Chaparro would not have been in my top five. However, Butera put him there and the move worked, with Chappy collecting two hits.
Let's get crazy, folks. Whoever had Andres Chaparro hitting second on Opening Day, please collect your winnings. https://t.co/2iQ4Z5xdz9
This has been the case the last few seasons, but more than ever, the Nats lineup will look very different depending on whether the pitcher is righty or lefty. The Nats platooned plenty under Davey, but usually guys like Wood and Abrams stayed at the top of the lineup. Honestly, I cannot remember the last time CJ Abrams hit lower than 4th in a lineup.
Abrams is not even a total liability against lefties, Butera just thought guys like Chaparro and Joey Wiemer matched up better against Matthew Boyd. I am curious to see what the lineup looks like tomorrow against a right handed pitcher. Presumably Chaparro and Wiemer will be out of the lineup, but what will the alignment look like?
Luis Garcia Jr. is likely to be the first baseman and hit pretty high in the lineup. However, I have no clue who will DH assuming the outfield is Daylen Lile, Jacob Young and James Wood. My best guess would be one of Jose Tena or Jorbit Vivas, but neither screams DH to me. It will also be interesting to see if the switch hitting Nasim Nunez stays in the lineup. He always provides value with his feet and glove, but he is a better hitter as a righty.
There will also be more that goes into consideration besides platoon splits though. I am sure the Nats are plugging in all sorts of numbers and seeing which combination is the best. This numbers based system will lead to plenty of surprises as we head through the season.
I think the "who does X against LHP/RHP" isn't going to explain the lineups anymore. The team is clearly looking at a ton of factors beyond handedness for lineups. It won't be immediately obvious to us why a guy is starting or not each day. https://t.co/0HUF3OTfdf
Lineups are not the only thing that will be different though. We saw yesterday that Blake Butera had a quick hook with Cade Cavalli. Butera asked the bullpen to get 16 outs and they rose to the occasion yesterday.
One thing I think we will see a lot more of is Butera weaponizing multi-inning relief arms. Both Brad Lord and Ken Waldichuk are well equipped to go multiple innings. Butera is going to want at least one of those guys available most of the time.
We saw Lord get the Nats 7 outs yesterday and that was huge. The Nats are going to lean more on their bullpen this year and that is good because I think this unit will be better than expected.
Another unknown after yesterday is who the Nats closer is and if they will have one at all. If I had to guess, I would have predicted that Clayton Beeter would be the Nats closer. However, Butera used him in the 8th inning of a 4 run game. Cionel Perez was in for the 9th, but at that point the Nats had blown the game open.
Like with the lineup, the Nats are going to mix and match with their high leverage arms. The Nats are going to have a few guys who are designated as high leverage arms, but I do not think any one of them will be “the closer”.
Some nights it will be Beeter, some days it will be Cionel Perez and other times it could be Cole Henry. As the season goes along, other names could establish themselves as high leverage arms as well. The Nats are going to be a very different baseball team this year and it is refreshing.
Blake Butera is going to follow a script for most games, but that script can change radically from game to game. Yesterday, his unorthodox moves paid off and he looked like a genius. However, there will be nights where these big brained moves back fire. That is just baseball. Hopefully, Butera’s big moves pay dividends more often than not.
The Cubs officially announced the long-term signing of Pete Crow-Armstrong by press release late Thursday. As is the team’s custom, they did not announce the terms, though it has been reported as a six-year, $115 million deal with no opt-outs that will begin next year.
That binds PCA to the Cubs through 2032. Late Thursday, news broke of the extension of Nico Hoerner on a similar six-year deal, though we do not know the terms yet. Presuming Nico’s deal also begins in 2027, both these players will be with the team through 2032.
Given that and the long-term deals for Dansby Swanson (through 2029), Alex Bregman (through 2030) and Michael Busch not being eligible for free agency until after 2029, that makes a five-player core for this team for at least four more seasons (including 2026).
That’s a pretty good core that Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer has built, I’d think.
PCA met the media Friday afternoon for the first time since the signing was announced. Before I tell you about that, though, I would commend you to read three articles:
In the Players Tribune article in particular, you can see how PCA is just really an overgrown big kid, having fun playing baseball. I love that attitude and it’s one of the biggest reasons PCA is so popular among Cubs fans. That is certainly one of the reasons the team wanted him locked up long-term, as it’s always good for a contending team to have a “face of the franchise.” For the World Series era Cubs, it was Anthony Rizzo — you could see that in the reaction he received when he threw out a ceremonial pitch on Opening Day. PCA’s the same kind of charismatic individual who will be great in that role.
Now, here are a few highlights of PCA’s presser Friday afternoon.
First, PCA being PCA — wearing a fancy tuxedo-style jacket. I would have expected nothing less. The presser began with Hoyer noting how great PCA is with kids, thanked his parents and assistant general manager Jared Banner, who was with the Mets when they drafted PCA. Hoyer said Banner pushed hard at the 2021 deadline to make the deal. Jed also thanked PCA for being the kind of person he is.
For PCA, he thanked both his parents, especially for “all the hours they put in” and said he’s hoping to move them to Chicago full-time now that he’s signed long-term. He also thanked the Ricketts family and is proud to represent the entire organization, saying he’s loved all the time he’s spent in Chicago.
To Banner, PCA said he was “glad he didn’t hold it against me for showing up late the first day of Mets camp” and said that began an excellent relationship with him.
Hoyer said, “This was a player we anted to make a commitment to. Five years wasn’t enough, from a playing standpoint and a brand standpoint, Pete is a very easy person to invest in.” I do think that was a key part of this, knowing that PCA is the kind of person and player who’s perfect to be that “face of the franchise.” Hoyer made a point of noting that PCA’s jersey is among the top 10 sellers in all of baseball, and PCA himself noted that he saw some of that support outside Chicago last year in Tokyo. But he also added, “I’m most excited about being in Chicago for the next six-plus years, very lucky to be in an amazing city and around the people here.”
He added, “This is one of the most unique baseball cities in the world, I would argue that it’s the best. It was the coolest thing for me to learn about Cubs fans and the attention they pay. They’re not quick to turn things negative. It really helps us as players to play in front of people who want to win, but are also just happy to be at the ballpark and watch baseball.”
PCA was asked about something I noted earlier in this article, about his interaction with young fans. He said, “If I treat them well, they will associate those kinds of memories when they think about baseball. Young fans will continue the game, so it’s good to look out for the greater good of baseball. But just treating people with kindness is the most important thing.” This is a 24-year-old (indeed, he just turned 24 two days ago) who really has some keen insights about people in general.
Asked about manager Craig Counsell, PCA said his presence is “big” but “mild-mannered.” He called Counsell very thoughtful and that he cares about players as people and njoys playing for him every day.
Lastly, I was amused when PCA said, “This (referring to the presser) is more nervewracking than standing in center field.”
Fortunately, we all know he’s got the confidence to play amazing defense in center field. Hopefully, his 2026 season — and the six after that — will be, at the plate for PCA, more like last year’s first half.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 26: Cristopher Sánchez #61 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches in the first inning on Opening Day against the Texas Rangers at Citizens Bank Park on March 26, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Cristopher Sanchez was phenomenal during Thursday’s season opener against Texas. Seeing him put up six innings of shutout baseball is more and more becoming the normal expectation for a start of his, a mark of not only an exceptional player development success, but also the work put in by Sanchez to get to that point.
The Phillies have seen this work and rewarded it, giving him an extra two years on his original deal due to his excellence the past year and a half. It continues a trend of theirs to obtain, develop and extend starting pitchers in their organization. Sanchez, Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Jesus Luzardo – all show that the team is fearless when it comes to giving starting pitchers what they as a team believe to be something important to their organization. Yet the question I asked was if it was a wise use of resources, the allocation of a significant amount of their payroll resources to the starting rotation. The results?
That’s a resounding affirmation from the fanbase that what they are doing is a good decision. While putting that much money (~$101 million) into the starting rotation would scare off a lot of teams, the Phillies have made it a pillar of their team building and it has helped them get to the postseason the past four years. We can also thank whatever training and rest/recovery regimen they have, but the pitchers are the ones that are doing the work.
ATLANTA, GA - MAY 04: Alex Verdugo #8, Michael Harris II #23, and Eli White #36 of the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Braves mascot Blooper react after beating the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Sunday, May 4, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Last year the Braves suffered their first losing season since 2017, dropping 86 games amid a myriad of injuries. New manager Walt Weiss is hoping for better health this year, but the team is already missing catcher Sean Murphy, infielder Ha-Seong Kim, and pitchers Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Joe Jiménez to begin the season. Still, PECOTA projects them for 89 wins, and they still feature a team with some big boppers and solid arms.
The Braves offense was in the middle of the pack last year in runs scored, although they fared better in the second half of the season. Ronald Acuña Jr. and Austin Riley each missed significant time with injury last year, but are capable of providing All-Star numbers. Matt Olson was 11th among National League hitters in fWAR, and tied for 13th in the league with 29 home runs. Michael Harris II became the 12th player in Braves history to put up a 20/20 season.
The team added former Royals outfielder Mike Yastrzemski, who hit very well down the stretch in Kansas City last season. He will have to make up for the loss of Marcell Ozuna, who left for the Pirates, and Jurickson Profar, who will serve a year-long suspension for PEDs. Slick-fielding Mauricio Dubón takes over at shortstop, and the team filled out the roster with non-roster invitees Dominic Smith and Kyle Farmer.
*-All numbers from 2025
The Braves pitching staff has been hit hard with injuries over the last year, but 2024 Cy Young winner Chris Sale is healthy enough to get the Opening Day start. The 36-year-old has a 13-10 record against the Royals in his career with a 2.66 ERA in 189.2 innings.
Reynaldo López missed most of last year after a shoulder injury that required surgery, and there is concern he may not be right after some low velocity numbers in spring training. He had a 1.99 ERA in his first year with the Braves in 2024, earning an All-Star nod.
Grant Holmes is recovering from a partially torn UCL and a flexor strain that ended his season prematurely last season. He throws his slider 35 percent of the time, and opponents hit just .183 against it last year.
*-All numbers from 2025
Robert Suarez led the National League with 40 saves in San Diego last year. He will set up Braves closer Raisel Iglesias this year, giving them one of the best 1-2 bullpen combos in baseball. The Braves bullpen had a 4.19 ERA last year, but was awful down the stretch as injuries piled up. This year’s pen gets thin quickly, with former Royals reliever Joel Payamps winning a spot, along with rookie Didier Fuentes.
*-All numbers from 2025
This will be just the sixth visit to Atlanta for the Royals, but they took two of three against the Braves last year in Kansas City. The Braves are a good team, but injuries have exposed them a bit. The Royals have a chance to get the season off to a good start if they can get the bats going early.
The Detroit Tigers will try to make it two in a row as Framber Valdez takes the mound for them against the San Diego Padres tonight.
Detroit looks to have a major pitching advantage in this one, which is why I’m taking it to win outright in my Tigers vs. Padres predictions.
Keep reading for my full MLB picks for Friday, March 27.
Tigers vs Padres predictions
Tigers vs Padres best bet: Tigers moneyline (+110)
Framber Valdez will make his Detroit Tigers debut tonight, and Detroit is expecting him to deliver the same performances he put together in Houston for the past few years.
Valdez has been one of the game’s best ground-ball pitchers, getting batters to hit it on the ground 61.5% of the time in his career.
The San Diego Padres will counter with Michael King, and should be concerned with his recent struggles. King threw to a 10.19 ERA and 1.868 WHIP this spring.
Unless he turns things around instantly, the Tigers should jump on King and win tonight.
COVERS INTEL: The Padres struggled against left-handed pitching in 2025, hitting just .244 with a .690 OPS against southpaws for the season.
Tigers vs Padres same-game parlay (SGP)
I’m backing the Tigers to win, and I’m pairing that with a couple player props to form a same-game parlay for tonight.
First, let’s take Valdez to hit the Over on his strikeout total. Valdez is averaging 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings, and hit the 5+ strikeout mark in 20 of his 31 starts last year.
I’ll also take Riley Greene to pick up his first hit of the year after taking an 0-for-4 in the season opener. Greene was one of Detroit's most important hitters in 2025, producing 36 homers and 111 RBI.
Tigers vs Padres SGP
Tigers moneyline
Framber Valdez Over 4.5 strikeouts
Riley Greene to record a hit
Tigers vs Padres home run pick: Spencer Torkelson (+450)
These are generous odds on Spencer Torkelson to get off the mark with his first home run on Friday.
The Tigers 1B matched his career-high with 31 homers in 2025, and all signs are that his power was still there in spring training.
The longball played a big part in King’s struggles in the preseason, where he allowed nine homers in 17 2/3 innings of work. If that’s not entirely worked out as we move into the first weeks of the season, it makes King a great target for HR props.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 1-1, -0.28 units
SGPs: 0-2, -2.00 units
HR picks: 0-2, -2.00 units
Tigers vs Padres odds
Moneyline: Detroit +110 | San Diego -130
Run line: Detroit +1.5 | San Diego -1.5
Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5
Tigers vs Padres trend
The Padres were 4-7 straight up in King’s last 11 starts of the 2025 season. Find more MLB betting trends for Tigers vs. Padres.
How to watch Tigers vs Padres and game info
Location
Petco Park, San Diego, CA
Date
Friday, March 27, 2026
First pitch
9:40 p.m. ET
TV
DSN, SDPA
Tigers starting pitcher
Framber Valdez (2025: 13-11, 3.66 ERA)
Padres starting pitcher
Michael King (2025: 5-3, 3.44 ERA)
Tigers vs Padres latest injuries
Tigers vs Padres 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.
"It's been my dream and my goal my whole life to play in the NBA," Lopez told ESPN. "Honestly, since I can remember. I was probably like 5 years old, making drawings of myself playing in the NBA. ... It's pretty special, you know, to be in this position right now."
Lopez, a 19-year-old 6'8" wing, is projected to go in the late lottery or just after and is the highest-ranked international player on most boards. He played the past two seasons for the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian NBL (through its Next Stars program) and averaged 11.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game this season. The Breakers used him primarily as a guy with the ball in his hands because he was such a mismatch, according to scouts, and his playmaking and skills have grown in the past year.
There have been players in the NBA of Mexican heritage, with the current example being Miami's Jamie Jaquez Jr. Previously, we had seen Juan Toscano-Anderson, the only player of Mexican heritage with an NBA championship ring. There have also been players born in Mexico in the league, such as Eduardo Nájera.
Lopez is expected to take part in the NBA draft combine, May 10-17, in Chicago.
The Toronto Raptors will be out for some revenge after being humiliated by Dejounte Murray and the New Orleans Pelicans when they last met earlier this month.
Murray and the Pels literally flexed over the Raps in a 122-111 win as 2-point home dogs. But this time, the Raps are at home and favored by nearly double-digits.
Can Toronto exact some revenge, or is this number too big? My Pelicans vs. Raptors predictions and NBA picks break it all down for this matchup set to tip off at 8:30 pm ET at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, on Friday, March 27.
Pelicans vs Raptors prediction
Pelicans vs Raptors best bet: Jakob Poeltl Over 10.5 points (-120)
The New Orleans Pelicans are not your typical NBA team destined to miss the playoffs. Now that Dejounte Murray is back, this team can compete most nights and rank a respectable 14th in net rating since the All-Star break.
The Toronto Raptors know that well, after watching Murray put up 27 points in that March 11 upset.
Luckily, Murray is sitting this one out for load management reasons. Plus, there are still some other areas where the Pelicans are vulnerable, particularly on the inside, where they have little depth behind Zion Williamson and rookie Derik Queen.
New Orleans enters this matchup ranked 24th in both opponent points in the paint per game and points allowed to opposing centers per game.
Enter Jakob Poeltl. Like Murray for the Pels, Poeltl’s turn has given the Raptors an added dimension on both ends of the floor. Specifically, on offense, the Raptors' big man is averaging 12.7 points per game over his last 12 games with a .688 effective field goal percentage.
Poeltl is still getting a modest point total prop, sitting at 10.5 points. He’s topped that number six times in the last 12 games. Not only that, he’s had at least 15 points in all the games where he went over this number. So, looking at his alt point totals at plus money isn’t a bad idea either.
But for our best bet purposes, let’s stick with the Over 10.5.
Pelicans vs Raptors same-game parlay
The Raptors' backup “big man” is also back in Collin Murray-Boyles. CMB plays a Draymond Green-esque role for the Raptors, and they are glad to have him back.
He’s put up nine and 10 points in his first two games back from a thumb injury and, like Poeltl, should have plenty of room to work inside in this matchup.
The lack of an interior presence also hurts the Pels on the boards, where they rank 19th in rebounding rate and 25th in opponent rebounds per game.
So, let’s add Scottie Barnes Over 6.5 rebounds to this SGP, a number he’s topped in five of his last six games.
Pelicans vs Raptors SGP
Jakob Poeltl Over 10.5 points
Collin Murray Boyles Over 7.5 points
Scottie Barnes Over 6.5 rebounds
Our "from downtown" SGP: Double dino trouble
Let's go a little crazy and back both Poeltl and Scottie Barnes to record a double-double.
Pelicans vs Raptors SGP
Jakob Poeltl double-double
Scottie Barnes double-double
Pelicans vs Raptors odds
Spread: Pelicans +9.5 | Raptors -9.5
Moneyline: Pelicans +300 | Raptors -380
Over/Under: Over 228 | Under 228
Pelicans vs Raptors betting trend to know
The Raptors have hit the Game Total Under in 31 of their last 50 games for +10.10 Units and a 18% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Pelicans vs. Raptors.
How to watch Pelicans vs Raptors
Location
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
Date
Friday, March 27, 2026
Tip-off
8:30 p.m. ET
TV
Gulf Coast Sports, Sportsnet
Pelicans vs Raptors latest injuries
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Cleveland outfielder Chase DeLauter shined in his regular-season debut in the Guardians' 6-4 win over the Mariners in Thursday's Opening Day matchup at T-Mobile Park.
Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter shined in his regular-season debut in Cleveland’s 6-4 win over the Mariners in Thursday’s Opening Day matchup at T-Mobile Park.
His family and his girlfriend, Isabella Fitzwater, couldn’t contain their excitement when DeLauter hit his first career home run in the top of the first inning to give Cleveland an early 1-0 lead.
But before they could celebrate, they had to make sure the hit was legit.
The broadcast focused on DeLauter’s family standing and waiting for the umpire to signal his finger in the air and circle it — and when he did, they began cheering, as seen in an X video by MLB.
The 24-year-old DeLauter went 3-for-5 with two home runs to become the first player in Cleveland franchise history to hit multiple home runs in his regular-season debut.
Cleveland outfielder Chase DeLauter’s family was there to see him hit two home runs in his regular-season debut in the Guardians’ 6-4 win over the Mariners at T-Mobile Park on March 27, 2026. X/MLB
The broadcast showed his family again cheering during his second homer to right field at the top of the ninth inning, which gave the Guardians a 6-4 lead over Seattle.
DeLauter became the seventh player in MLB history to hit two homers in his first regular-season game, and the first since Trevor Story in 2016, per the Elias Sports Bureau.
His girlfriend praised him in an Instagram Story post.
“AN OPENING DAY HOMERUN!!!!!” Fitzwater wrote, including a few teary-eyed emojis and a photo of him blasted on the scoreboard. “@chasedelauter you never fail to amaze me.”
After his second homer, she wrote, “ARE WE SERIOUS @chasedelauter the most deserving I love you.”
DeLauter’s dad, his stepdad, mom, brother, best friend and his best friend’s mom were all in attendance, according to MLB.com.
Cleveland Guardians’ Chase DeLauter jogs the bases after hitting a solo home run against Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Seattle. AP
He shared that his dad flew to Seattle from back home in West Virginia and had not flown in a while.
“It’s unbelievable,” his dad, Jason, said. “I know the debut in the playoffs, he was super excited about that. We were blindsided by it, to be able to get called up like that. He’s just worked. He’s continued to work. None of this was guaranteed.”
The Guardians and Mariners face off again Friday night at T-Mobile Park.
FORT MYERS, FL - MARCH 21: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Izzy Rincon/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Opening Day for the Atlanta Braves is finally here and they will actually be playing a home game. The last time they had a home game to open the season was back in 2022 against the Cincinnati Reds where Max Fried gave up five earned runs, resulting in a loss.
Today they will be taking on the Kansas City Royals and their ace Cole Ragans. Ragans had a hard year last season with a groin injury and a rotator cuff injury which shortened his season to only thirteen starts. In 61.2 innings he struggled to a 4.67 ERA, but had a solid WHIP of 1.18.
Ragans is good example where a small sample size hurt his ERA. According to Statcast he had an expected ERA (xERA) of 2.67, which would be in the best 4.0 of MLB. He also struck out 38.1 percent of the hitters he faced, which is good for top 3.0 percent of all qualified pitchers. Hitters only had an expected batting average of .187. Needless to say, he showed many signs of his ERA dropping over time, even in an injury riddled season. The Braves may have their hands full trying to squeak out runs today, which is why it is odd that as of right now Jonah Heim is slotted to start.
Kyle Farmer is second on the ream with eleven at-bats against Ragans and has struggled to an OPS of .606, albeit with a .273 average. This may be why Heim is in the lineup and Farmer is not. Mauricio Dubón leads the team with twelve at-bats and has been successful against Ragans with a .333 average and .916 OPS. He could be the key to winning this game.
Of all the other players that will start, no one has more than two at-bats. Austin Riley hit a two-run HR in his only at-bat against Ragans and Michael Harris had a double in one of his two at-bats. Everyone one else is hitless. Ragans’ lone appearance against the Braves was in 2023 as a member of the Rangers where he came in as a long reliever to pitch 3.0 innings and surrendered four ER.
Chris Sale will be getting the ball as the Opening Day starter for the Braves yet again this season. This is seventh time in his career to get that honor. Three with the White Sox, two with the Red Sox, and two with the Braves.
Of the players that Sale will likely face today, no one comes close to the number of at-bats that Salvador Perez has against him. Perez has faced him an astonishing sixty-eight times. No one else on the Royals has faced him more than seven. In those sixty-eight at-bats Perez has one HR with a .265 average and .628 OPS. Lane Thomas and Starling Marte have each faced Sale seven times and have an OPS of .679 and .572 respectively.
With the Braves’ rotation being as depleted as it is, every Chris Sale start will have even more importance. Today is only the first game of many this season, but it would be encouraging to get a Chris Sale dominated start and prevent on the first day this season what happened last season when the Braves got swept to start the season.
COVERS INTEL: The Padres struggled against left-handed pitching in 2025, hitting just .244 with a .690 OPS against southpaws for the season.
