WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 03: Gus Varland #47 of the Washington Nationals pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fifth inning at Nationals Park on April 3, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Nats pitching staff has been up and down to start the season, with more downs lately. However, one guy who has been impressing me lately is Gus Varland. He is not a well known name, and he has bounced around, but I have liked what I have seen from the 29 year old. I had the chance to chat with him a bit earlier today.
He is clearly a sharp and introspective guy. One thing he talked about was his search to find confidence. After a couple rough outings in Spring Training, he said he talked to the Nats pitching coaches about the mental side of his game. He wanted to solve the “age old question of how you get confidence”.
For him, there are two ways to get confidence, either through results or through a strong mentality. Varland wanted to gain a more confident mentality. I loved how he described his new approach. He said, “If I am going to pitch today in the big leagues, am I going to be scared or am I going to be confident. I am choosing to be confident no matter what happens”.
This is something that applies to life as well as sports. Varland’s winding path has given him plenty of reasons to be scared or discouraged, but right now, he is choosing to be confident.
With his stuff, there is reason to be confident as well. Varland has a dynamic fastball/slider mix. The heater has a ton of life at the top of the zone and the slider looks like the fastball until it drops off the table. So far, Varland has been executing those pitches at a high level as well.
Varland was one of a few guys who the Nats have picked up off of waivers. The waivers process is unique, and players can be unaware of their fate for many days. Varland said he was in limbo for five days this time, before landing with the Nats. It was not the first time Varland has been in DFA limbo, but it still must be a very odd experience.
Back in 2024, Varland actually spent some time with the Dodgers, before getting DFA’d and going to the White Sox. That means he knows some of the players, and was Shohei Ohtani’s teammate at one point. Varland has gotten the better of Ohtani so far this series, striking him out twice. He called that experience, “the best because he is the best. The fact I can get him out gives me even more confidence”.
Ohtani and Varland actually have a history beyond just being teammates. When his mother was courageously battling cancer, Ohtani actually made a donation and covered a large part of the medical expenses. Varland’s mom is now cancer free!
Aquí vemos un turno de Shoei Ohtani siendo ponchado por Gus Varland el día de ayer 3 de abril. Algo normal de un juego de béisbol.
Lo que pasaron por desapercibido del momento, es el reencuentro. Ohtani ayudó a salvar la vida de la madre de Gus Varland, su ex compañero de… pic.twitter.com/n6Y1IacF8Q
While that was obviously an awesome story, Varland is now carving his own path in DC. If he keeps pitching like he has so far this season, he will be in high leverage spots before too long. The one thing Varland thinks he needs to do to get there is improve his execution.
Execution is something Varland touched on a couple times, and it is something that is important for him. He will mix in a changeup on rare occasions, but Varland is basically a two pitch pitcher. That makes command very important. Hitters know what is coming, but if Varland is commanding it well, hitters will still struggle.
After talking to him, Varland is a guy I will definitely be rooting for. He missed almost all of last season, and he told me that he has had four different surgeries in his career. However, despite all the adversity he has faced on and off the field, Gus Varland is confident and ready to prove himself with the Washington Nationals.
The Rangers turned back the clock to accommodate Daylight Saving Time. What they also wanted to do was turn back the CALENDAR!
"'All of a sudden, they're skating like a playoff team," says The Old Scout. "It's too bad they didn't play this way when it counted."
True enough but the 4-1 win over the playoff-seeking Red Wings yesterday at The Garden delivered playoff hope – in the future.
"If Gabe Perreault can play next season like he did against Detroit," adds The Old Scout, "he'll automatically become the cornerstone of the offense. Ditto for some of the other kids."
Adam Sýkora and Jaroslav Chmelař could easily be Rangers next season but it was Perreault's hat trick that had the matinee crowd thinking that GM Chris Drury's no-fooling around "Retool" is for real.
Truth is Reality starts in October but – for tonight we'll see how Gabe and his chums fare against Alex Ovechkin who very likely will be making his last appearance before the Manhattan crowd.
If so, it's high time we salute one of the most exceptional players in the history of the game: YAY! OVIE.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 30: Charles Bassey #99 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on March 30, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors plan to sign center/power forward Charles Bassey to the team’s roster, according to a report by Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Bassey has spent the season dominating with the Warriors G-League affiliate in Santa Cruz, but recently received a trio of 10-day contracts between short stints with the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers. Bassey’s deal will likely only span the remainder of this season, but if the Dubs are high on his prospects, they could try to add a non or partially-guaranteed minimum salary through next season.
A Nigerian native, Bassey spent his college career at Western Kentucky before turning pro. The Philadelphia 76ers drafted him with the 53rd pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Waived by the Sixers after just one season, Bassey eventually landed with the Spurs on a two-way contract, where he spent the previous three seasons. No longer eligible for a two-way contract and unable to get another NBA deal, Bassey received a training camp invite with the Hawks, but was waived, received a brief 10-day stint with the Grizzlies, before landing in Santa Cruz.
In 17 games (16 starts) with the Santa Cruz Warriors this season, Bassey averaged 20.4 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks in 29.1 minutes per game on 61.0%/40.5%/.65.9% shooting. In eight NBA games, he’s averaged 2.9 points and 2.6 rebounds on 62.5% shooting from the field in 6.6 minutes per game (15.6 points, 14.3 rebounds, 2.7 blocks, and 1.4 steals per 36 minutes).
It’s been a season of progress for the Toronto Raptors, yet they find themselves in Play-In peril ahead of today’s trip to the Boston Celtics.
That amps up the pressure on a Toronto team that’s 5-5 in its last 10 games, and my Raptors vs. Celtics predictions expect Jaylen Brown to guide Boston towards another dominant victory.
Read on for my NBA picks and betting angles for this April 5 battle, with Eastern Conference seeding still in flux.
Raptors vs Celtics prediction
Raptors vs Celtics best bet: Jaylen Brown Over 27.5 points (-112)
Jaylen Brown has played his way onto a lot of MVP ballots this season, and he’s putting the finishing touches on a career year. So, don’t count on the Toronto Raptors slowing him down here.
With a 28.7 ppg average that ranks fourth in the NBA, Brown is rolling, and he’s gone past this points prop O/U in seven of his last eight outings.
Forget any concerns about Jayson Tatum’s return disrupting Brown’s rhythm. He’s still getting to his spots, as we saw in a 43-point masterpiece against the Heat. In fact, he’s jacked up 20+ shots in six of his last eight contests — and 29 FGAs in two of his past three games. That doesn’t sound like a star suffering from fewer touches.
Likewise, his 3-point struggles are balanced out by a healthy dose of free throws. With his effective downhill style, Brown averaged 9.5 FTA per game in March and knocked them down at an 86% clip.
Toronto has been on the receiving end of some big outings from Boston’s No. 7, including a 30-point performance in December, and the visitors had some costly defensive lapses in losses to the Pistons and Kings this week.
Meanwhile, the Celtics are emerging as the team to beat in the East, and I see Brown adding to his collection of 30-point games today.
Raptors vs Celtics same-game parlay
With Brown leading the charge, Boston is a formidable home team, as its 26-11 record at TD Garden suggests. Joe Mazzulla’s men are 8-2 SU in their past 10 contests, and they’ve won nine of their last 10 meetings with the Raptors.
I’ll triple down on this Boston Celtics offense with a wager on Derrick White to heat up from downtown. He nailed five 3-pointers last time out against the Bucks, so the arrow is pointing up.
Raptors vs Celtics SGP
Jaylen Brown Over 27.5 points
Celtics moneyline
Derrick White Over 2.5 threes
Our "from downtown" SGP: The Js bring it!
Boston's star duo looks ready for a playoff run, and this SGP signals impressive stats for both of the Js here.
Tatum is way ahead of schedule in his injury comeback, and he’s grabbed double-digit rebounds in five of his past six contests. He’s also dished a combined 28 dimes in his last three games.
Raptors vs Celtics SGP
Jaylen Brown Over 27.5 points
Jayson Tatum Over 4.5 assists
Jayson Tatum Over 9.5 rebounds
Celtics -9.5
Raptors vs Celtics odds
Spread: Raptors +10 | Celtics -10
Moneyline: Raptors -375 | Celtics -400
Over/Under: Over 220.5 | Under 220.5
Raptors vs Celtics betting trend to know
The Under is 23-14 in Celtics home games this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Raptors vs. Celtics.
How to watch Raptors vs Celtics
Location
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Date
Sunday, April 5, 2026
Tip-off
3:30 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet, NBCS-Boston
Raptors vs Celtics latest injuries
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The Montreal Canadiens can join those teams in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket on Sunday, April 5.
Also Sunday, the Carolina Hurricanes can clinch the Metropolitan Division title, and the Colorado Avalanche can clinch the Central Division and Western Conference titles.
The Eastern Conference bracket could also see some big changes. The Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers (88 points each) and the Washington Capitals (87) are in action.
The Senators currently hold the second wild-card spot in the East on a tiebreaker and could be passed by the other three teams. The Flyers could move past the idle New York Islanders (89) into third place in the Metropolitan Division. The Islanders would drop out of a playoff spot if both the Flyers and Capitals win.
Here's what to know about the NHL standings, including the latest playoff bracket, who can clinch today and the tiebreaker procedures for the 2025-26 season:
Who's in the 2026 NHL playoffs?
Eastern Conference: Carolina, Tampa Bay, Buffalo
Western Conference: Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota
Who can clinch an NHL playoff berth today?
The Montreal Canadiens will clinch a playoff berth if they get at least one point vs. the Devils or if the Red Wings or Senators lose.
The Carolina Hurricanes will clinch the Metropolitan Division title if they get at least one point vs. the Senators or the Penguins fail to win in regulation.
The Colorado Avalanche will clinch the Central Division and Western Conference titles if they defeat the Blues.
NHL games today (Sunday, April 5)
All times Eastern.
Minnesota at Detroit, 1, TNT
Florida at Pittsburgh, 3
Boston at Philadelphia, 3:30, TNT
Carolina at Ottawa, 5
New Jersey at Montreal, 7
Washington at N.Y. Rangers, 7, ESPN
St. Louis at Colorado, 9:30, ESPN
NHL Eastern Conference standings 2025-26
After April 4 games. x-clinched playoff spot. z-eliminated
Metropolitan Division
x-Carolina Hurricanes (104)
Pittsburgh Penguins (94)
New York Islanders (89)
Atlantic Division
x-Tampa Bay Lightning (102)
Montreal Canadiens (100)
x-Buffalo Sabres (100)
Wild card
Boston Bruins (96)
Ottawa Senators (88)
Sitting out of playoff position: Detroit Red Wings (88), Philadelphia Flyers (88), Columbus Blue Jackets (88), Washington Capitals (87), New Jersey Devils (81), z-Toronto Maple Leafs (78), z-Florida Panthers (77), z-New York Rangers (73)
NHL Western Conference standings 2025-26
After April 4 games. x-clinched playoff spot. z-eliminated
Central Division
x-Colorado Avalanche (110)
x-Dallas Stars (102)
x-Minnesota Wild (98)
Pacific Division
Edmonton Oilers (87)
Anaheim Ducks (87)
Vegas Golden Knights (86)
Wild card
Utah Mammoth (86)
Nashville Predators (81)
Sitting out of playoff position: Los Angeles Kings (81), San Jose Sharks (79), Winnipeg Jets (78), St. Louis Blues (76), Seattle Kraken (75), Calgary Flames (72), z-Chicago Blackhawks (70), z-Vancouver Canucks (52)
NHL playoffs if they started today
NHL Eastern Conference playoff bracket
Here is how the Eastern Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on April 4:
Carolina (M1) vs. Ottawa (WC2)
Pittsburgh (M2) vs. N.Y. Islanders (M3)
Tampa Bay (A1) vs. Boston (WC1)
Montreal (A2) vs. Buffalo (A3)
The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: M - Metropolitan Division. A - Atlantic Division. WC - wild card
NHL Western Conference playoff bracket
Here is how the Western Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on April 4.
Colorado (C1) vs. Nashville (WC2)
Dallas (C2) vs. Minnesota (C3)
Edmonton (P1) vs. Utah (WC1)
Anaheim (P2) vs. Vegas (P3)
The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: C - Central Division P - Pacific Division. WC - wild card
NHL tiebreakers: What is the first tiebreaker in NHL standings?
If two teams are tied in points at the end of the regular season, here are the tiebreakers:
Regulation wins
Regulation and overtime wins (ROW)
Total wins
Most points earned in head-to-head competition: If teams had an uneven number of meetings, the first game played in the city that has the extra game is excluded.
Goal differential
Total goals
When does the NHL regular season end?
The NHL regular season is scheduled to end on Thursday, April 16, with six games.
When do the NHL playoffs start?
The NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs are scheduled to begin on April 18.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MARCH 31: Oneil Cruz #15 of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrates after hitting a two RBI home run in the 9th inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on March 31, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Pirates fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
This week’s question asked you about Oneil Cruz, who’s poor performance in the field has stuck out like a sore thumb. He has had a good start at thr plate, currently hitting .290 with 3 home runs for the 5-3 Buccs. But the 27-year-old is getting to the point in his career when it’s less about pontential and more — he is what he is at this point. So we asked our readers if it was time to move on from Cruz. Here is what you said:
So there you have it. A full two-thirds of Pirates fans voted that it’s time to move on. I thought it would be a little lower than that but understand the frustration with the highly talented but also highly mercurial Cruz.
As usual, don’t forget to drop by FanDuel’s MLB page. You can bet on all kinds of player props as well as the Bucs winning the Worlds Series (+5000) and also for them just making the MLB Playoffs (+164).
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 27: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics boxes out during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on March 27, 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
From the moment Tatum hit the court in his first game almost a month ago, one thing has stuck out to me: the guy has come back to the game with a nose for the ball that is truly remarkable.
It’s like we’ve got a Steve Austin Six Million Dollar Man thing going on here, because Tatum has, from the get-go, displayed a knack for grabbing rebounds that is truly remarkable, given his career numbers.
In 13 games, Tatum is averaging 9.9 rebounds, which is enough to lead the team by almost a full board (Neemias Queta is second at 9 rebounds per game over the same time period).
What’s more impressive about that stat is that it’s significantly higher than his numbers from last season. Tatum’s shooting is down meaningfully from last season, as is his assist total (eFG% is down from .537 to .494, assists are 5.1, down from 6.0), but his rebounding has gone from 8.7 to 9.9 rips per game, with all of that increase coming on the defensive glass.
With a little bit of luck, Tatum could end the season averaging a double-double, something that he’s never done in his career.
Importantly, Tatum’s rebounds aren’t coming strictly at the expense of other players on the team.
Looking at advanced stats split before and after Tatum’s return, the Celtics have been rebounding the other team’s misses at a 75.4% clip since March 6th. Prior to that, the team’s defensive rebounding rate was just 70.4%. Defensive rebounds are up by more than 3 per game in real numbers.
Given that the Celtics score 119.4 points per 100 possessions, those extra three rebounds amount to an extra 3.6 points per game, and are partially responsible for a better than one point per 100 possession drop in opponent production against Boston.
Not surprisingly, Boston’s net rating per game has gone from +7.3 before Tatum’s return to +8.5 since, with no meaningful change in field goal percentage to indicate better offensive efficiency on that side of the ball.
Tatum is still very much a work in progress on the offensive side of the court, but he seems to be content to work into the flow of the game at that end, not trying to force himself back into game shape in a manner that works to the detriment of the team as a whole, but, on the other end of the court, he’s been the team’s number one rebounding option from the get-go.
BOSTON, MA – FEBRUARY 11: Kevin Garnett Rajon Rondo #9 of the New Orleans Pelicans Head Coach Doc River of the LA Clippers and former player Paul Pierce enjoy the game between the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers on February 11, 2018 at the 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Doc Rivers into the Hall of Fame
I suppose this was, in some ways, a foregone conclusion.
The Basketball Hall of Fame seems to place a high value on longevity when it comes to coaches at all levels of the sport, and at this point in time, Doc is the only coach with more than 2,000 games under his belt that isn’t in the hall of fame. Heck, Bill Fitch is in the Basketball Hall of Fame with 2,050 games coached, and he’s got a losing record as a head coach.
But I think that time will not be kind to Doc’s reputation. To be sure, he’s got a pretty decent record, overall, 1192-863 as of this date, and it’s not out of the question that he could top Lenny Wilkens’ record for total games coached. Wilkens coached 2,487 games in his career, and Doc is sitting at 2,055 games. At the same time, Doc has morphed from a coach who could get the most out of his players to a guy who seems bent on blaming them for everything. There’s also the matter of the blown 3-1 playoff series.
The version of Doc that is coaching the Bucks these days seems a far cry from the “Ubuntu” Doc that led the Celtics to a title in 2008 and confidently hid $2,600 in the Staples Center locker room in 2010 to convince the team that they were going to make the Finals that year.
I kind of feel for the guy. It doesn’t seem like he enjoys coaching very much these days, and it makes me wonder why he keeps at it. Is he chasing Lenny Wilkens’ record? Does he not want to figure out life holds for him after he’s done coaching?
Los Angeles, CA – February 22: Guard Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics shoots between Austin Reaves #15 and center Deandre Ayton #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers as guard Luka Doncic #77 looks on in the second half of a NBA basketball game at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 22, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Another one bites the dust
The Lakers have shut Luka Doncic down for the rest of the season, meaning that he’s also going to miss the 65 game threshold for regular season awards.
Predictably, people are up in arms about this.
I stand by my observations from last week: There should be a declared minimum number of games played to qualify for awards that are quite literally based on the games one plays, and if that minimum cuts out a player due to injury, well, that’s just how these things work. If you want to get a regular season award, logic dictates that you participate in a significant number of regular season games.
Right now, you can take off every fifth game and still qualify for the MVP award. Lowering the threshold to 60 games would mean that you can take every fourth game off, which seems excessively lenient to me, and either abolishing the limit or lowering it further seems to be even less defensible.
And in Doncic’s case, he would’ve met the threshold if he had been less adept at incurring technical fouls.
The Ottawa Senators are going cold at exactly the wrong time. On Saturday afternoon, they lost for the fourth time in five games (1-3-1), falling 4-1 to the Minnesota Wild at Canadian Tire Centre.
The good news is that the teams around them in the wild card race, Columbus, Detroit, and the Islanders, all lost in regulation as well. So the Sens are still holding down the final wild-card spot with six games left to play.
Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discuss the effects of all the injuries on defense, including the recent one to rookie Carter Yakemchuk.
The other bit of good news was the return of Jake Sanderson, who missed 13 games with a shoulder injury.
But that's where the silver-lining playbook ends.
The Sens didn't seem overly inspired by their top defenseman's return on Saturday, and also learned that Tyler Kleven would be out indefinitely after being struck by a puck on the side of his head in Thursday's win over Buffalo.
Minnesota goaltender Jesper Wallstedt made 33 saves, but probably deserved a shutout. The Sens had some looks, but many of their 33 shots were from the perimeter or with no one at the net. Drake Batherson scored with under four minutes left in the game, chipping a puck into the net while lying on the ice.
It's the second time in three games that Batherson has been a shutout buster. He scored Tuesday in Florida, where the Sens were down 5-0. And on a day when the Sens' good news seemed to be rolled up with bad news, Batherson's goal was no different. He was struck by a shot on the play and headed down the tunnel afterward.
As for Minnesota, they jumped out to a 2-0 first-period lead on some good fortune.
Skating down the left wing midway through the first, Jonas Brodin drifted a light wrist shot on net, which Linus Ullmark normally would have steered out of harm's way. But it took a funny skip off the ice, then off Ullmark, straight into traffic, off Nikolas Matinpalo’s skate and into the net.
The next goal was more of a gift. Jordan Spence coughed it up at the offensive blue line for a 2-on-0 that was finished off by Ryan Hartman for a 2-0 Minnesota lead. Hartman is the guy who was suspended for eight games last year for slamming Tim Stutzle's face off the ice, showing a brutal misunderstanding of what a face-off means.
On Saturday, metaphorically at least, Hartman did that to the Senators again, scoring twice to lead the charge.
After the game, head coach Travis Green talked about the loss and took issue with a reporter describing the team as having a lack of urgency.
"When you ask if we played with enough urgency, I think it feels like you are asking if we tried hard enough," Green said. “That’s just easy to say when you lose. Our guys want to win. They want to win bad. Some guys didn’t have the best game, and that would have gone a long way for us to win.”
Green said there were three or four players in particular who didn't play well, but obviously didn't identify them. That's absolutely not his style, nor does he like to gush too long over individual players who have great games.
Despite the flat performance, the Senators, along with the Red Wings, Blue Jackets, and Flyers, will begin another day on Sunday, tied at 88 points. Ottawa will have the tiebreaker with a substantial lead in regulation wins.
The Sens will host the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday at 5 pm in a battle of two teams on short rest. The 'Canes were busy doing Ottawa a huge favour on Saturday night with a 4-3 regulation victory over the Islanders.
Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MARCH 30: Pitcher Chase Burns #26 of the Cincinnati Reds speaks with catcher Tyler Stephenson #37 at the pitcher's mound during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park on March 30, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds powered their way to victory on Friday in the series opener against the Texas Rangers, with 2-run blasts by Spencer Steer and Tyler Stephenson fueling the 5-3 victory. On Saturday, it was starting pitcher Rhett Lowder’s excellence paired with some timely bucket brigade of singles that led to Cincinnati’s 2-0 win.
On Sunday, it will be Chase Burns with the chance to put his stamp on the first road series of the season for the Reds as they look to sweep aside the Rangers and move three games over the .500 mark. Burns was his electric self again in his first start of the season, fanning 7 in 5.0 IP while allowing nary a run and a lone hit in a 2-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates, showing zero ill-effects from his bullpen role down the stretch in 2025 and his somewhat odd ‘de-load’ late in spring camp.
Standing in Cincinnati’s way will be another former #2 overall pick in Texas Rangers starter Jack Leiter. Leiter, whose path to big league success hasn’t been quite as rocket-like as Burns, settled in as a solid mid-rotation contributor for the 2025 Rangers, but the stuff has always been there for him to lead a rotation. Still just 25 years old (for a few more days), he looked the part of an ace in his first start of the season, and the Reds will have their work cut out for them today against the righty.
It’s something of an interesting matchup today given yesterday’s between Rhett Lowder and Kumar Rocker. Lowder and Burns, of course, were both aces that came out of Wake Forest’s elite pitching development program, while both Rocker and Leiter came out of a Vanderbilt system that current Reds pitching coordinator Derek Johnson set in motion himself. All four are former Top 10 overall picks, too, showing just how much elite arm talent has been on display in this series so far.
First pitch for Sunday’s matinee is set for 2:35 PM ET, as the Reds will head to Miami next to continue their first road trip of the 2026 season.
For whatever reason, Nate Lowe is back on the bench and Ke’Bryan Hayes is starting at 3B again. Here’s how the Reds will line up for this one:
ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - AUGUST 25: A general overall aerial view of Tropicana Field and stadium dome damage from Hurricane Milton on August 25, 2025 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Kirby Lee/Getty Images)
Kirby Lee/Getty Images
A sellout crowd will welcome the Tampa Bay Rays back to renovated Tropicana Field on Monday for the first time in 18 1/2 months.
The quirky stadium with the tilted roof and unique catwalks underwent major repairs after Hurricane Milton swept through downtown St. Petersburg on Oct. 9, 2024, and caused extensive damage.
High wind ripped sections of the original roof, allowing rain to fall into the stadium bowl for months. Water caused mold and damage to electrical, sound and broadcast systems.
There was thought initially the Rays would never play another game at the only ballpark they had called home since the franchise’s debut in 1998. Instead, nearly $60 million was spent to replace the roof and rebuild the Trop.
While the Rays played their 2025 home games across the bay in Tampa at Steinbrenner Field — the spring training home of the New York Yankees — their stadium got a makeover.
The new roof was installed last August, and the final panel was put in place Nov. 21. Luxury suites and the stadium video board were upgraded. The stadium has new artificial turf, home-plate club seats, clubhouse carpet and lockers, and new flooring on the outfield deck.
“I think guys are excited, and rightfully so,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said about the team’s return home. “Our organization has worked incredibly hard and the city and the county, to get it back up to speed. I briefly walked through there, couldn’t be more impressed with the way it looks, and excited to see our fans. I think our guys are going to appreciate just having our fans in the building, cheering us on for our opening day.”
It’ll be the 20th consecutive season the Rays have sold out their home opener, excluding 2020 when fans weren’t allowed inside the stadium because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’m just really excited to get back in the Trop,” said reliever Griffin Jax, who joined the team last July. “I always enjoy going there as a visitor. It’ll be cool to see all the new renovations and upgrades they made along the way. We’ve seen it a handful of times walking through and seeing pictures and stuff. It looks great. It’ll be good to be back in our home.”
After spending a season playing in a minor league ballpark, the Rays are looking forward to going back to big league amenities.
“It was difficult,” Jax said about playing at Steinbrenner Field. “I don’t think anybody expects to play in a situation like that. It’s just one of those things you have to make any adjustment you can and get ready to play because there is still baseball to be played that night. The situation isn’t great. The environment wasn’t awesome, but it’s still baseball. You just have to roll with it. I was only there for two months. Shout out to all these guys who were there for an entire year because it was not ideal.”
Tropicana Field may not be home for the Rays for much longer. The Rays are under lease to play there through at least the 2028 season, but the team’s new ownership group is pursuing a new ballpark that would be built in Tampa, in the shadows of the Yankees’ spring training complex and across the street from Raymond James Stadium, home to the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is showing signs of life with the bat, and I think he breaks through this afternoon in a plus-pitching matchup.
Find out why in my Blue Jays vs. White Sox predictions and MLB picks below.
Blue Jays vs White Sox predictions
Blue Jays vs White Sox best bet: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 1.5 total bases (+120)
Davis Martin was hit hard in his first outing, allowing three extra-base hits, culminating in a .937 opponent OPS, while ranking in the second percentile in hard-hit rate.
The Toronto Blue Jays slugger hits the ball as hard as anyone in the league. He ranked in the 90th percentile in hard-hit rate last season and is starting to show that same level of pop in his bat.
Guerrero finally hit his first home run of the season yesterday, and nearly had another with a long moon shot that was caught at the wall.
This tells me that he’s starting to see and hit the ball better, and I’ll bank on that bat continuing its breakout today with Martin on the mound.
COVERS INTEL: Davis Martin was hit hard in his first outing of the season, giving up a homer and two doubles, while ranking in the third percentile in average-exit velocity to go along with a .530 xSLG rate.
Blue Jays vs White Sox same-game parlay (SGP)
I’ll continue the trend of betting on Vladdy breaking out offensively and take him to go Over 0.5 RBI this afternoon.
Davis Martin had a 5.11 xERA last season and a 7.27 xERA in his last outing. Thus, the base paths could be busy tonight, and if Vladdy gets his hits with men on base, he’s in the right spot in the lineup to cash in a run or two.
For the final leg, I’ll take Eric Lauer to go Over his strikeout total. He had nine Ks in his first outing, and Chicago ranks 29th in Ks this season, already having struck out 18 times through the first two games of the series.
Blue Jays vs White Sox SGP
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 1.5 total bases
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 0.5 RBI
Eric Lauer Over 4.5 strikeouts
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Blue Jays vs White Sox home run pick: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (+400)
I’ll continue to back Vladdy and take him as my home run pick for tonight. Homers come in bunches for Guerrero Jr., and with the first one out of the way, he could erupt anytime now.
Additionally, the matchup favors Vladdy, who has terrific bat-to-ball skills, squaring the ball up, and hitting it with authority. This combination is dangerous for a pitcher like Martin, who gets hit hard and often.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 2-5, -2.65 units
SGPs: 1-6, -2.5 units
HR picks: 2-5, +1.3 units
Blue Jays vs White Sox odds
Moneyline: Toronto -165 | Chicago +140
Run line: Toronto -1.5 (+100) | Chicago +1.5 (-120)
Over/Under: Over 8 | Under 8
Blue Jays vs White Sox trend
The Blue Jays have covered the first-five run line in 16 of their last 21 games for +11.05 units and a 46% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. White Sox.
How to watch Blue Jays vs White Sox and game info
Location
Rate Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Sunday, April 5, 2026
First pitch
2:10 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Eric Lauer (1-0, 3.38 ERA)
White Sox starting pitcher
Davis Martin (1-0, 5.40 ERA)
Blue Jays vs White Sox latest injuries
Blue Jays vs White Sox 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.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 21: AJ Griffin #14 of the Houston Rockets dribbles the ball during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on July 21, 2024 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The 2023-24 Houston Rockets underwent a significant amount of change, as the team parted with Stephen Silas at the end of the prior season. The Rockets sought a defensive-first approach, which was sensical after Houston finished bottom-five in that category in each of Silas’s three seasons in the big chair.
The Rockets made a big jump in the standings, from 22-60 in 2022-23 to 41-41 in the 2023-24 season, with the league’s ninth-best defensive attack. However, their offense ranked 20th-best and they lacked a formidable outside shooting attack, ranking as the league’s 23rd-best outside shooting team at 35.2 percent from deep.
In the offseason that followed, the Rockets decided to address their shooting deficiencies, by trading for AJ Griffin, who they’d reportedly had interest in acquiring at the trade deadline. As a side note, Houston ultimately traded for Steven Adams at the trade deadline during that season.
Griffin made 39% of his triples from deep in his rookie 2022-23 campaign and fell out of favor with Atlanta Hawks coach Quin Snyder, resulting in a rather significant minutes reduction, from 19.8 minutes as a rookie to 8.6 minutes in his second season with the Hawks.
Naturally, there was a fit for both sides. The Rockets traded a second-round pick for Griffin, which ultimately was used on Pelle Larson. Following the trade, we’d never seen footage of Griffin training with the Rockets in the summer or offseason.
As it turns out, Griffin had been mulling retirement to focus on evangelism and ultimately decided to walk away from basketball at the age of 21 years old.
But it was an uneventful, non-public ordeal. The Rockets respected Griffin’s desires to move on from basketball and supported him, despite losing their draft capital in exchange for him.
By the same token, Griffin didn’t spread ill will about the Rockets. The story went away.
Well, it was never really a story to begin with. The situation pales in comparison to the situation that’s come full circle regarding the Chicago Bulls and Jaden Ivey, who was traded to the Bulls and released after just four games with the organization.
Ivey was viewed as a potential long-term asset for the Bulls. Until he began to concoct social media videos, many of which are aimed at targeting certain groups and/or population circles.
Ivey also began asking media members very personal questions about their lifestyle decisions and choices. Like Griffin, he also took up an interest in religion and spirituality, but in a significantly different manner. And it ended poorly for him.
Which should make Rockets fans feel much better about the Griffin fiasco. Sure, he never played for them, but that’s about the extent of the embarrassment faced by the Rockets.
That a player they spent a second-round pick on amounted to a lost second-round draft pick. For the Bulls, it’s resulted in daily mockery at the national level. And the more expressive Ivey has become, the more the Bulls’ front office has faced questions about how little research they’d conducted before making the deadline deal with the Detroit Pistons.
If you looked at the standings on Sunday morning, you might have wondered if someone got confused when typing them up. The Tampa Bay Lightning and the Buffalo Sabres both have clinched their playoff berth with 102 and 100 points, respectively. Meanwhile, the Montreal Canadiens, which are second in the Atlantic Division with 100 points ahead of the Sabres, haven’t.
Simply put, the Habs are ahead of the Sabres because they have a game in hand; if they didn’t, Montreal would be third based on regulation wins. Buffalo has 38 regulation wins while Montreal only has 32. That’s also the reason why Montreal hasn’t clinched yet. The Ottawa Senators, currently in the second wild card spot, have 88 points with six games left to play, meaning they can still reach 100 points. If they did and the Habs didn’t get another point until the end of the season, they would qualify because they have 33 regulation wins to Montreal’s 32.
Now, that won’t happen; it would take an unmitigated disaster for Montreal to go without another point by the end of the season. However, their low number of regulation wins may cost them home-ice advantage. Even if they win their six remaining games in regulation, they won’t have more regulation wins than the Sabres. If both teams ended up with 38 regulation wins, the next tie breaker would be the most wins, excluding shootout wins, reflected by the “ROW” column in the standings. As things stand, Montreal has the edge on Buffalo with 42 ROW to 41, but there’s still time for that to change.
In any case, there are three ways that the Canadiens can clinch a playoff birth on Easter Sunday: if the Detroit Red Wings lose to the Minnesota Wild in their 1:00 PM tilt, or if the Senators lose to the Carolina Hurricanes in their 5:00 PM duel, or if the Canadiens get at least one point against the New Jersey Devils.
With six games to play, the Canadiens have all but qualified, and it’s just a matter of mathematically qualifying. In other words, Montreal doesn’t have much to worry about, but they won’t be able to take it easy since they could still end up winning the division or even the conference. While getting home-ice advantage remains the goal, it’s interesting to note that Montreal has gotten 54 of its 100 points on the road and 46 at home. Still, having the last change and playing a game seven at home in the playoffs would be better than not having those advantages.
With a week to go in the season, Minnesota and Phoenix are essentially locked into the 6/7 seeds, but that play-in divide could become formal today. Here's what you need to know on Easter Sunday in the NBA.
Playoff Scenarios
• Minnesota clinches a top-six playoff spot with a win and a Phoenix loss. Don't be so sure this happens today, the stumbling Timberwolves face a red-hot Charlotte team, while Phoenix isn't likely to lose to tanking Chicago. • Conversely, Phoenix becomes locked into the play-in if it loses and Minnesota wins. That's probably not happening today, but it's happening this week.
Games to Watch
Toronto Raptors at Boston Celtics (3:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV)
This is potentially a first-round matchup preview. Boston is playing well and is pretty locked into the No. 2 seed in the East (2.5 up on No. 3 seed New York). Toronto is the team that really needs this upset win. The Raptors sit as the No. 6 seed in the East, just half a game up on the 76ers at No. 7, a win can help create a little space and keep the Raptors out of the play-in. Toronto should play like a desperate team in this one.
Charlotte Hornets at Minnesota Timberwolves (7:30 p.m. ET, League Pass)
Charlotte needs every win it can get, as it is currently the No. 8 seed in the East, but Orlando is just half a game back and Miami is just one game. Charlotte is also just one game back of Philadelphia for the No. 7 seed. The Hornets have won three in a row and are 8-2 in their last 10. Minnesota is pretty locked into the No. 6 seed in the West (it will be tough to make up two games on No. 5 seed Houston in a week), but it needs a win to officially secure that No. 6 seed. Also, Minnesota just needs to get some wins and find a rhythm before the playoffs.
Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors (10 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)
Stephen Curry returns to the court for the Warriors, although it is the Rockets who need this win more. The Warriors are basically locked into the No. 10 seed and will need to win two play-in games on the road to get to the playoffs, but that is more likely with Curry back. Houston seems destined for the No. 5 seed, as making up the 1.5-game deficit to catch No. 4 Denver will be tough, but the Nuggets have the league's toughest remaining schedule, so the door is not closed. Catch Curry's return on Sunday Night Basketball on NBC and Peacock.
I had not remembered a traditional, non-split doubleheader on the road for the Cubs in recent years. The last such doubleheader at Wrigley Field was Thursday, Aug. 3, 2006 vs. the Diamondbacks.
So, naturally, I asked BCB’s JohnW53 if he knew. Of course he did! Here’s the answer.
The Cubs have played 15 doubleheaders on the road since the one at home vs. the Diamondbacks.
Fourteen of those were day/night split doubleheaders.
The exception was on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2019, at Washington, when they played a twi-night, single-admission doubleheader. The first game started at 5:15 and ended at 8:00. Then there was an hour before the second game because the Nationals were honoring Ryan Zimmerman. The second game ran 3:15 and did not end until 12:15 a.m.
The Cubs lost both games, 10-3 and 6-5. Then the Sunday game was rained out, forcing the Cubs to return for an afternoon game the following Thursday. Anthony Rizzo flew to the game in uniform, in protest. The Cubs won that game, 4-3, but Pedro Strop was injured trying to beat out an infield grounder and was lost for the season.
Here’s how our various threads are going to work for posts on both games this afternoon. There will be the “Live!” thread as usual, five minutes before the first pitch of Game 1. I will post a recap as soon as possible after Game 1, then another “Live!” thread will follow five minutes before Game 2. A recap of Game 2 will post in the early evening, after that one’s complete.
Get ready for six (or so) hours of Cubs baseball this afternoon!
Sunday doubleheader notes…
THE SUNDAY DOUBLEHEADER: The Cubs have played 52 doubleheaders — 31 at home and 21 on the road — since they last played a single-admission doubleheader on a Sunday: April 28, 2002, when they lost at home to the Dodgers, 5-4 and 4-1. The breakdown of those 52 by day and site: Monday: 4 (3 home/1 road). Tuesday 14 (10/4). Wednesday: 9 (6/3). Thursday: 3 (1/2). Friday: 6 (2/4). Saturday: 16 (9/7). The Cubs played a day/night doubleheader at home against the Cardinals on Sunday, July 12, 2009, in which they won, 7-3, then lost, 4-2. They have played 38 doubleheaders on other days of the week since then, 24 at home and 14 on the road. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
DOUBLEHEADER DOINGS: Over the last five seasons, the Cubs have played 13 doubleheaders, as follows… 2021: four (swept one, split one, were swept twice). All the games in the 2021 doubleheaders were scheduled as seven-inning games. One of those (a win in Game 2, May 4 vs. the Dodgers) went nine innings, as it was tied after seven. 2022: six (split two, were swept four times). 2023: none. 2024: two (split one, were swept once). 2025: one (swept the Brewers!).
THEY’D NEVER DO THIS NOW: In a four-day stretch in 1967, the Cubs played four doubleheaders. Then the next year they played four doubleheaders in an eight-day span. Randy Hundley started and caught every inning of seven of the eight 1967 games and played the last three innings of the other one, and in 1968 started and caught every inning of seven of the eight games. No wonder his knees gave out.
OR THIS, EITHER: The most doubleheaders the Cubs ever played in a season was 39, in 1944. The last time they played 30 doubleheaders in a season was 1957. They last played at least 20 in 1967 (21) and last played at least 10 in 1979 (11). (Thanks to John for the last two of those.) This article by Chris Jaffe on doubleheaders in the 20th Century is from 2010, but still contains some fascinating doubleheader history.
Edward Cabrera was the originally scheduled starter for Sunday’s single game. Instead, he’ll throw the first game of the doubleheader today.
Cabrera was nails in his first 2026 start last Monday against the Angels, allowing just one hit and one walk, striking out five.
Last year while with the Marlins he made one start vs. the Guardians, Aug. 14 in Cleveland, and got hit pretty hard — seven hits, five runs in 5.1 innings. Let’s hope this one goes better.
Slade Cecconi was supposed to start the Saturday game that was rained out. Instead, he’ll go in the first game of the doubleheader this afternoon.
Cecconi got torched by the Mariners in his first 2026 start last Sunday in Seattle — 4.1 innings, six runs allowed. He threw 93 pitches and, as noted, did not finish the fifth inning.
He has never faced the Cubs. Only two Cubs — Alex Bregman (0-for-4) and Michael Conforto (0-for-3) have ever faced him.
Here are the pitchers scheduled to start Game 2 of this doubleheader.
Shōta Imanaga, LHP vs. Parker Messick, LHP
Shōta Imanaga’s first 2026 start wasn’t terrible… but it wasn’t all that good, either. He allowed one home run, unfortunately that came with two men on base. Hopefully he can keep the ball in the ballpark this evening. He did strike out seven Nationals in that first outing.
His outing last year against the Guardians, July 2, 2025 at Wrigley Field, was a similar game to his first start this year, except with more home runs (three solo homers). So, again, keeping the ball in the yard would be the key to his success, I’d think.
You’ll note in the graphic below that he averaged 92.1 miles per hour on his fastball in his first start this year. That’s up significantly from last year’s 90.8 miles per hour. If he can maintain that, this should be a good year for Shōta.
Parker Messick was the Guardians’ second-round pick out of Florida State in 2022. He made his MLB debut last year with seven pretty good starts, and threw six shutout innings against the Dodgers last Monday in Los Angeles, so that’s also pretty good.
He’s obviously never faced the Cubs. He did face Alex Bregman last year; Bregman went 1-for-3 (a double).
Also, “Parker Messick” sounds like a comic-book superhero’s alter ego name.
Please visit our SB Nation Guardians site Covering The Corner. If you do go there to interact with Guardians fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note. See the top of this post for some posting differences from those below for this doubleheader day.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
COVERS INTEL: Davis Martin was hit hard in his first outing of the season, giving up a homer and two doubles, while ranking in the third percentile in average-exit velocity to go along with a .530 xSLG rate. 
