TORONTO (AP) — Scottie Barnes had 23 points and 12 assists, Jakob Poeltl had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and the Toronto Raptors beat the New Orleans Pelicans 119-106 on Friday night.
RJ Barrett, Sandro Mamukelashvili and J’Kobe Walter also scored 18 points apiece for the Raptors, and Brandon Ingram added 13.
Zion Williamson scored 22 points for New Orleans on 9-for-13 shooting from the field and 4 for 4 from the foul line. Saddiq Bey added 19 points.
The Raptors won for the second time in three outings to remain in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, a full game ahead of the idle Philadelphia 76ers. The top six teams automatically make the playoffs in each conference.
The Pelicans lost their fourth in a row overall and fifth straight on the road. They were without top scorers Trey Murphy III (ankle) and Dejounte Murray (Achilles). Immanuel Quickley (Achilles) was absent from the Toronto lineup.
Barnes scored 13 of his game-high total in the third quarter. Mamukelashvilli came off the bench for his total that included three 3-pointers.
After pulling away with a 25-8 run to begin the second quarter, the Raptors took a 59-44 lead into halftime. Toronto maintained its 15-point advantage after three quarters.
The Raptors played on two days of rest after a five-game road trip that concluded in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Longtime franchise public address announcer Lawrence Tanter wasn’t in attendance for Friday’s game as he recovered from a health matter, the team announced. AP
Jason Barquero filled in for Tanter.
“The entire Lakers organization is wishing Lawrence all the best in his recovery,” the Lakers said in a statement, “and we look forward to welcoming him back soon.”
Tanter, 76, has been the Lakers’ PA announcer since the 1982-83 season.
Lakers broadcast analyst Stu Lantz also wasn’t at Friday’s game because he was under the weather, with five-time NBA champion Derek Fisher filling in for Lantz.
CLEVELAND, OH - MARCH 27: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers handles the ball during the game against the Miami Heat on March 27, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It was a tale of two games for the Cleveland Cavaliers, with the second being a lot more to their liking. Max Strus hit eight threes, Jarrett Allen had a double-double in his return to the starting lineup, and James Harden added 17 points and 10 assists as the Cavs throttled the visiting Miami Heat 149 to 128. After laying an egg Wednesday night against the very same Heat team, it was a full 180-degree turnaround in front of a raucous Cleveland crowd.
Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson talked about Allen’s return to the starting lineup and how much it meant, and he may have undersold it. Allen’s paint presence as a defender, ability to run to the rim off screens, and his sense as a roller of the pick-and-roll was on full display in the first half. The Cavs clearly missed him, on several levels.
Atkinson mentioned pregame how much of a difference it is having both Allen and Evan Mobley patrol the interior, and he was right. The Heat only attempted just 24% of their shots in the paint per Cleaning the Glass, almost 8% lower than their team average. That is an indicator of how much of a deterrent having two bigs is for opposing teams when facing a healthy Cleveland front court.
Despite the Cavs putting up 149 points, it was not because of Donovan Mitchell. The superstar shooting guard had a quiet scoring night, but still dished six assists and had four steals. Truthfully, there was not a need for him to carry the offense when everyone else was clicking so well.
Harden put together a 17-point 14 assist double-double, making the role of point guard look far too easy. The biggest benefactor to that was Allen, who had 18 points while being an ideal rim-running partner. His athleticism and contact on screens makes things easier, and the Cavs as a unit made things look extremely easy. Here is just one of Harden’s passes to Allen:
But the real star of the night was Max Strus, who was absolutely blistering from deep in the first half. The former Heat wing hit six three-pointers in the first half and eight overall en route a 29-point effort. Strus has been an instant-impact player for the Cavs sing returning from a foot injury, and this game was the highlight. A healthy Strus hitting shots and playing hard off the bench in the playoffs is an ideal scenario for the Cavs.
Mobley had a quiet first three quarters, but exploded out of the gate in the fourth to the tune of six straight points, and 12 for the quarter in total. He finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds on 10-15 shooting. The aggressiveness at the start of the fourth quarter was welcome, as the Cavs had just allowed that Heat to make up 13 points in the third. Mobley essentially iced the game, if Keon Ellis’ buzzer-beater three didn’t already do that:
The end of the game got a little chippy. Tyler Herro was assessed a technical after plowing right through Sam Merrill on a screen and arguing about the call. Then Myron Gardner fouled Tyrese Proctor hard on a layup that resulted in in a technical for him and Thomas Bryant, the latter for defending his teammate. The infractions didn’t matter, but it highlighted a frustrating night for the Heat in general, who were seemingly run off the court from the opening tip. They trailed 15-2 just a few minutes into the game and never recovered.
The Cavs managed to salvage the second end of this home-and-home series with the Heat, and get a few days off before starting a West Coast swing – beginning in Utah on Monday night. Tip-off is at 9:00 p.m. EST on FanDuel Sports Ohio.
The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani wears his jewelry during a World Series ring ceremony prior to Friday’s game against the Diamondbacks. AP
Indeed, when the club unveiled the jewelry for Friday night’s pregame ring ceremony at Dodger Stadium, there was nary a detail that went unnoticed.
For their third World Series ring in the last six years, no gem was spared.
On the face of the ring, the words “WORLD CHAMPIONS” are spelled out by 86 diamonds and 14-karat gold, while the team’s signature “LA” logo is formed by 17 blue sapphires –– representing the 17 games the team played during last year’s postseason.
The background of the display is filled with 79 more diamonds and 48 round sapphires. Another 50 diamonds glitter around the bezel, while 15 additional round sapphires are embedded along the edge of the piece between the dates of all nine years the Dodgers have won the World Series. If that wasn’t enough, 70 more round diamonds were included to frame the centerpiece.
The bling doesn’t end there.
On one side of the ring, each player’s name is etched above a row of 15 sapphires. On the other, the words “Back 2 Back” highlight another collection of 33 diamonds.
The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani poses with first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) and shortstop Mookie Betts during the World Series ring ceremony Friday. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Like last year, the top of the ring is also removable, with home plate dirt from Game 7 of the Fall Classic included in a glass window display.
And lastly, the exterior band shows the number 4,012,470 for the total fan attendance the Dodgers had at home games in 2025.
If you lost count, that’s more than 250 diamonds and nearly 100 sapphires.
Substantial, over the top, yet deservedly decadent indeed.
The Dodgers’ ring ceremony was equally extravagant, with actor Anthony Anderson announcing each player from an infield stage while the USC marching band performed in the outfield.
There were raucous ovations for everyone from World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto to Game 3 extra-inning hero Will Klein, from Game 7 savior Miguel Rojas to Game 3’s walk-off winner Freddie Freeman, and from two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani to left-handed reliever Alex Vesia (who missed the World Series following the death of his newborn baby, and tapped his chest sentimentally on Friday as he was serenaded walking onto the field).
The last player to receive his ring was Kershaw, who emerged from the dugout following the ceremony to throw out a surprise first pitch.
Freeman went behind the plate to catch his throw (a perfect strike). Then, the rest of the Dodgers joined them to hand Kershaw his third and final World Series keepsake.
Kershaw put it on, held his fist high for the crowd to see, then received a thunderous reception; closing the book on his playing career, and the Dodgers’ 2025 victory.
Camilo Doval pitches during the Yankees-Giants game on March 27, 2026.
SAN FRANCISCO — When the Yankees traded for Camilo Doval from the Giants last year, they expected the closer to transition into a setup role as part of a deep, new-look bullpen that also added David Bednar.
Instead, Doval was mostly a train wreck early in his Yankee tenure and clearly had a hard time getting accustomed to not finishing games.
Access the Yankees beat like never before
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.
He improved toward the end of the regular season, but with Devin Williams and Luke Weaver now with the Mets, the Yankees were again planning for Doval to be a primary setup reliever with Bednar closing, as he did Friday.
Perhaps it’s the return to Oracle Park, but Doval has been effective in his first two outings of this season — particularly in Friday’s 3-0 win over the Giants.
He struck out the side in order in the bottom of the eighth in a one-hit shutout that was closed out by Bednar.
Aaron Boone called the outing — and Doval’s sinker — “dominant.”
“That’s what he’s capable of,’’ the manager said. “He kind of overmatched them.”
Doval entered with a three-run lead Friday and whiffed Heliot Ramos, Casey Schmitt and Patrick Bailey — hardly Murderer’s Row, but something he failed to do often last season, when he had a hard time adjusting to non-save situations.
Camilo Doval pitches during the Yankees-Giants game on March 27, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
He managed to finish the regular season on a strong run. Doval pitched five scoreless innings in his final six appearances after a horrid start to his Yankees tenure (10 earned runs in 13 ²/₃ innings in his first 16 games with the team).
Doval said through an interpreter Friday he’s become “comfortable” in his new environment and role.
“I felt really good,’’ the right-hander added of Friday’s outing.
Doval saved 39 games for San Francisco in 2023, but looked far from that version for much of the second half of the season.
Now, Doval will be one of the relievers Boone turns to before getting into high-leverage settings.
Doval followed Fernando Cruz and lefty Tim Hill, as the duo pitched 1 ²/₃ scoreless innings in relief of the outstanding Cam Schlittler.
With plenty of question marks in this year’s bullpen, as the team still has Jake Bird and Rule 5 acquisition Cade Winquest among their right-handers, Doval will look to be more of a setup man if all goes according to plan.
There’s always the chance that young phenom Carlos Lagrange, who the Yankees want to keep as a starter for as much of the season as possible, could be brought up to The Bronx as a reliever if he logs too many innings in the minors.
For now, though, the Yankees hope they get the Doval they thought they were acquiring from San Francisco last season.
As the 2025–26 NHL regular season enters its final stretch, the Colorado Avalanche find themselves in a commanding position atop the league standings—and in firm control of the race for the Presidents’ Trophy.
Strong Position at the Top
Colorado improved to 48-13-10 (106 points) after a playoff-esque 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets, extending their winning streak to four games. With 11 games remaining, they’ve created separation not only in the Central Division—holding a nine-point edge over the Dallas Stars—but also in the race for the league’s top overall seed.
Erik Karlsson summed it up perfectly on what it's like seeing Nathan MacKinnon charging down the ice.
A win in the rematch would only tighten their grip.
“We’re still fighting for first place, so every win’s important until they put the mark beside our standings,” head coach Jared Bednar told NHL.com. “So, we have something to play for down the stretch run here. And we’ve had a good year, but we’re not comfortable—we’re still just kind of fine-tuning our game for going into the playoffs.”
The Math
Despite their strong position, the math behind clinching the Presidents’ Trophy remains intriguing. The Avalanche’s primary challenger, the Carolina Hurricanes, also have 11 games remaining and currently sit at approximately 96 points. If Carolina were to win every game from here on out, they would earn 22 additional points, finishing with a maximum of 118 points.
That sets Colorado’s magic number at 119 points—meaning the Avalanche will likely secure the Presidents’ Trophy with roughly six to seven more wins down the stretch. In practical terms, an 8–3 finish would comfortably secure the award, while a 7–3–1 record could also be sufficient depending on Carolina’s results. However, given the parity of the modern NHL, it is unlikely the Hurricanes will win all of their remaining games, barring unforeseen circumstances.
Leading the Avalanche is Nathan MacKinnon, who scored twice on seven shots Thursday night as Colorado defeated Winnipeg 3-2 at Canada Life Centre. It marked the first time in 330 days that Colorado had beaten the Jets on the road in the regular season, and MacKinnon’s two-goal performance pushed him to 47 and 48 goals on the year, extending his lead atop the NHL goal-scoring race.
Mark Scheifele initiating the breakout from behind the net.
Jets forward Mark Scheifele, despite being on the opposing side, offered high praise for MacKinnon’s impact and consistency.
“He’s absolutely fantastic. He’s an absolute horse out there. He’s a guy that works on his game so tirelessly,” he stated. “On the other side, he’s a fun guy to watch. Makes a lot of plays, a lot of little plays, even that a lot of people don’t notice. So, he’s one of, if not the, one of the best, if not the best player in the league. And he shows it every single night. And it’s impressive to watch.”
Different Stakes, Same Intensity
While the Avalanche continue to surge, the Jets are fighting for their postseason lives. At 30-30-12 (72 points), Winnipeg sits five points back of a Western Conference wild card spot with 10 games remaining.
“Every game is huge for us, no matter the opponent,” Jets forward Cole Perfetti added. “At this stage of the year for us, we need two points every single night, so it doesn’t matter who we’re playing.”
That urgency contrasts with Colorado’s position—but not their mindset. The Avalanche are not easing into the playoffs; they are sharpening their game while chasing hardware. Contributions like Logan O'Connor’s return from injury and continued offensive dominance from their top line only reinforce their depth and readiness.
The Avalanche don’t need perfection—they just need to keep winning enough games to stay in control. The Presidents’ Trophy may not be the ultimate prize, but it remains a significant milestone. And while the Stanley Cup is the true goal, capturing both is a rare accomplishment last achieved by the 2012–13 Chicago Blackhawks.
For Colorado, the opportunity to pursue both remains very much alive—and increasingly within reach.
All the World Series memories and emotions came flooding back for the Los Angeles Dodgers and their fans on March 27 at Dodger Stadium.
The remaining members of the 2025 team were individually called from the dugout and onto the stage to receive their rings before the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Shortstop Mookie Betts received his fourth career World Series ring, the most of any active player.
“It's super special and this day never gets old,” Betts told Spectrum SportsNet in the moments after receiving his ring. “It shows the accomplishments we made and hope we can do it again.”
Pitcher Clayton Kershaw retired after the World Series, but was also in attendance at the stadium for a second straight night to follow up his broadcasting debut on NBC.
Kershaw was not initially announced among his former teammates, but received a thunderous ovation nonetheless.
Dodgers legend Orel Hershiser was headed to the mound to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before manager Dave Roberts got on the microphone to announce a pitching change, calling on Kershaw from the dugout.
Kershaw stood on the familiar hill to throw the ball to Freddie Freeman before the pitcher was handed his ring and embraced by his teammates, who made their way back out of the dugout.
What do the Dodgers’ 2025 World Series rings look like?
Each ring includes the words "World Champions" on top of the ring with a blue "LA" featured in the middle.
The top of the ring could be removed to reevaluate a sample of dirt enclosed in the ring and a pair of trophies inscribed with "2024" and "2025" on the respective trophies.
The side panels of the ring included the respective player's last name and number on one panel and the words "Dodgers 2025 BACK 2 BACK" inscribed on the other.
“There are a lot of diamonds, but you can open it up and there's some dirt in there,” Betts said. “A lot is going on.”
SAN FRANCISCO — Aaron Judge hasn’t needed any help at the plate, having won three of the past four AL MVP awards with some of the most productive seasons in history.
But for years, he’s been the victim of more than his fair share of called strikes that have appeared to be below the zone.
Access the Yankees beat like never before
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.
So the automated ball-strike system figured to be especially valuable for him.
On Friday, Judge used it for the first time and — not surprisingly — it resulted in a home run.
The key hit in a 3-0 win over the Giants at Oracle Park, the homer was set up after Judge got ahead of lefty Robbie Ray 1-0 in his third at-bat, and Ray followed with a slider that was called a strike by home plate umpire Chad Fairchild.
With Paul Goldschmidt on second in a scoreless game in the top of the sixth, Judge challenged the call and it proved to be a fraction of an inch low.
He eventually worked the count full before slamming a 405-foot homer to left to give the Yankees the lead.
Aaron Judge hits a home run during the Yankees-Giants game on March 27, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“I thought the call was gonna stand,” Judge said. “It was a close one.”
But he believed the challenge was worth it, with a runner in scoring position in a tie game and Ray — along with Cam Schlittler — rolling.
“I’m not gonna sit here and challenge every one I think is close, but in a big spot, if I’ve got a chance to flip the count, I’m gonna do it,’’ Judge said. “I’ve still got to go up there and do the job as a hitter. All it takes is one pitch — like we saw in that at-bat.”
Aaron Judge celebrates during the Yankees-Giants game on March 27, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Cody Bellinger knows better than most how often pitches below Judge’s knees have been called strikes, at least since last season.
“He’s so tall, sometimes he gets rung up on that,” Bellinger said. “I see it since I hit behind him all the time. [ABS] is gonna be good for him. He knows the [strike] zone really well.”
As Judge noted, though, simply winning the challenge was no guarantee of success in the at-bat.
But it didn’t hurt.
Still getting accustomed to the ABS system, Judge called it “weird” to use it for the first time in a regular-season game.
“It’s a part of the game and you’ve got to get used to it,’’ said Judge, who went hitless and struck out four times in the opener and was 0-for-2 with another strikeout in his first two at-bats Friday. “I’m a hitter. I’ve got to focus on hitting.”
It worked well Friday, as Judge got the fourth hit of his career against Ray, all of which have been home runs.
And it was Judge’s fourth homer in five career games in San Francisco — against the team he grew up rooting for in nearby Linden, Calif.
This one, of course, was different and showed how much more dangerous he may become.
“We can use it as a weapon, but you’ve still got to play the game,’’ Judge said. “To have a challenge in your back pocket is nice in certain situations, [like] high-leverage. We’ll see how it goes.”
Mar 27, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland (21) is removed from the game by manager Warren Schaeffer (4) during the fifth inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The Colorado Rockies opened the 2026 season in Miami with a lineup that looked nothing like the one that started 2025 — between debuts and new additions, this felt less like a continuation and more like a reset.
Kyle Karros made his first Opening Day start, following in the footsteps of his father Eric, who made nine in his career.
TJ Rumfield made his MLB debut, becoming the first rookie to start Opening Day for Colorado since Trevor Story in 2016.
Jake McCarthy and Edouard Julien also made their first Opening Day starts for the Rockies, underscoring just how much this roster has turned over.
Even Warren Schaeffer was managing in his first Opening Day game.
The result? A competitive game that ultimately slipped away, 2–1, with just a hint of familiar frustration on offense.
Freeland battles, bullpen delivers
Kyle Freeland took the loss, falling to 1–3 with a 7.01 ERA in five Opening Day starts — a number skewed to an extent by one rough outing.
This wasn’t ace-level dominance, but it was veteran pitching.
Freeland bent, but didn’t break. He worked through traffic, issued a couple of walks, and gutted his way through 4.1 innings, allowing two earned runs while keeping the game within reach.
Jimmy Herget, Brennan Bernardino (making his Rockies debut), and Juan Mejia combined for 3.2 scoreless innings—no walks, two strikeouts, and a key escape in the eighth. Mejia stranded a runner at third with a full-count strikeout on a back-up slider that froze Caissie.
His fastball touched the upper 90’s, his secondaries had sharp depth, and he worked efficiently — seven innings, four hits, one unearned run, five strikeouts. For long stretches, the Rockies looked eager against him, pressing early before settling in late.
Colorado’s lone run came in the fourth — and it came the hard way.
The inning started with Jake McCarthy dropping a drag bunt and using his speed to create some chaos and reach first base. McCarthy then stole second base, but his aggressiveness backfired as he was cut down at home after a Hunter Goodman single.
Willi Castro beat out a double-play ball. Tovar followed with a topped ball that forced a tough play. Rumfield showed discipline with a four-pitch walk in his second MLB plate appearance. Beck added an infield hit driving in Castro.
It was a textbook manufactured run. It was also the only one.
The inning that got away
The Rockies had their best chance in the eighth, and couldn’t cash in.
Hunter Goodman, who led the team with two hits, put together a strong at-bat against Anthony Bender, fighting off multiple sweepers before lining a two-out single to left. Karros moved to third, and suddenly Colorado had runners on the corners.
Willi Castro stepped in.
An ABS challenge flipped a ball to a strike. Castro worked the count full as Bender struggled to land his off-speed.
Miami immediately applied pressure in the bottom half.
Connor Norby led off with a double, and after a groundout moved him to third, the infield came in. Mejia induced a pop-up in foul territory for the second out, then delivered the biggest pitch of the night:
Full count. Two outs. Runner on third.
A back-up slider that froze Owen Caissie.
Inning over.
Last chance, same result
The Rockies had one more shot in the ninth.
Facing Peter Fairbanks, they couldn’t break through. Tovar struck out chasing, Beck popped out, and after TJ Rumfield collected his first MLB hit — a broken-bat blooper into shallow right-center — Brenton Doyle lined out to shortstop to end it.
There were some familiar frustrations — the inability to sustain innings and cash in with runners in scoring position had a bit of a 2025 feel.
But it’s too early to spiral there. The hitters were overly aggresive in swing decisions early, but settled in a bit as the excitement of Opening Day dissipated. Colorado struck out nine times — an improvement from Opening Day 2025, when they struck out 12 in another one-run loss in Florida.
This team looked more athletic. More versatile. More aggressive. The bullpen was excellent. Freeland kept them in it.
They were competitive. Gutty. A game within reach all night.
Sandy Alcantara was simply better — and the Rockies couldn’t quite capitalize.
Up next
The Rockies will look to even the series tomorrow at 2:10 p.m. MDT.
Mar 27, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) poses with players during the World Series ring ceremony before the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers got their 2025 championship rings on Friday night before their game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium.
Anthony Anderson emceed the event, introducing players as they got their rings. Before the festivities, Anderson said, “Mookie Betts is now on the verge of having an infinity gauntlet,” referencing Betts’ four career championship rings, more than any other active player in Major League Baseball.
Players and coaches were tight-lipped about the rings before the ceremony.
“I heard rumblings, it’s sort of layered. I guess I could kind of tease it with that,” said manager Dave Roberts, who admitted he keeps his rings in a safe and doesn’t wear them. “It’s substantial, I’ve heard that.”
“I’ve seen a picture of it, but pictures don’t really do anything justice until you actually see it in person, and you get that kind of wow factor to it,” third baseman Max Muncy told Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA in the dugout earlier Friday.
In person, here are the rings, with photos by The Champions Collective.
Here’s the description of the rings, from a press release:
The ring top is a statement of victory. Embellished around the face in 14K yellow gold, the title WORLD CHAMPIONS is written in a spectacular array of stones: 32 diamonds for WORLD and 54 for CHAMPIONS. At the heart of the design, a singular, immaculate diamond symbolizes the Dodgers’ spot as the No. 1 team in baseball. The iconic LA logo hosts 17 custom-cut blue sapphires, representing the 17 hard-fought games of their postseason journey. Behind the logo is a backdrop of 79 diamonds with 48 round sapphires surrounding the display. The Dodgers’ nine championship dates and 15 sparkling round sapphires encircle the ring top, while an additional 50 diamonds decorate the top and bottom of the bezel. Completing the ring top, a total of 70 round diamonds frame the centerpiece.
The story of the Dodgers’ season continues with a brilliant reveal located beneath the ring top: a glass window, etched with the Dodgers’ logo, protecting genuine dirt gathered from home plate during Game 7 of the World Series. Below this feature, a bespoke band wraps around two World Series trophies — each set with a gleaming diamond — and a championship banner commemorating the franchise’s back-to-back achievements. The band itself boasts a stunning array of sapphires and a prominent princess-cut diamond, finished with an interior engraving of the dual Commissioner’s Trophies and the player’s unique signature.
The left side of the ring honors the individual with the city he represents. LOS ANGELES is proudly displayed above the player’s last name, with a striking row of 15 round sapphires underneath. Each player’s jersey number is meticulously set in diamonds. The classic MLB logo completes the left side of the ring.
The right side celebrates the franchise’s historic year. DODGERS is declared above the year 2025, which is adorned with 33 round diamonds. The BACK 2 BACK title is boldly displayed between two Commissioner’s Trophies and the Dodgers’ script logo in blue.
A stunning array of diamonds cascades from the ring top down the edges, creating a continued brilliance that wraps around the entire piece.
The interior of the ring also features the player’s signature and is etched with the playoff series scores, opponents and the date of Game 7 — the date the Dodgers clinched their World Series title. Finally, the exterior band features the number 4,012,470 as a permanent tribute to the millions of fans who filled Dodger Stadium throughout the season and fueled the team’s second consecutive journey to the top.
The ceremony itself had a few highlights, including thunderous roars for the various superstars, plus Miguel Rojas and Kiké Hernández. Will Klein got a very nice ovation for his Game 3 heroics, and Alex Vesia received a wonderful and emotional response from the crowd when he got his ring.
The ceremony ended without Clayton Kershaw getting introduced. But he wasn’tbusy off doing his special assistant duties. Rather the Dodgers executed a ruse by announcing Orel Hershiser would throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Joe Davis from the announcing booth called down to Hershiser, saying he needed to get back to the press box to call the game for SportsNet LA. Roberts then “called to the bullpen” for Kershaw, who got his own loud ovation before throwing the first pitch. Then, his teammates all came onto the field to give him his ring.
“I’m just really excited,” the now-retired Kershaw said about the ring ceremony earlier Friday. “I know they gotta move on to this season, but I don’t have to. So I’m just gonna keep relishing it.”
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 27: Michael Harris II #23 of the Atlanta Braves embraces Manager Walt Weiss during player introductions prior the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Friday, March 27, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
One game won’t exorcise all the demons of yesteryear, but the Atlanta Braves made a huge first step in turning things around on Opening Day, dominating the Kansas City Royals to the tune of a 6-0, wire-to-wire victory. Chris Sale was uncharacteristically shaky in the early going, but the bats (three dingers!) and gloves (lots of flash!) showed up in full force — sprinkle in a little luck, and you have a recipe for a feel-good Friday night.
Things even looked auspicious early. After a Maikel Garcia single started the game, Sale pumped in a get-me-over fastball to Bobby Witt Jr., and was “rewarded” with a hard-hit but routine double play ball to Mauricio Dubon at shortstop. Though Royals ace Cole Ragans and his defense got two outs on two grounders in three pitches, Ozzie Albies jumped all over a 2-1 floating changeup and yoinked it into the left-field corner for the Braves’ first homer, and run, of the season. It was a cheapie, coming off the bat at less than 97 mph and traveling less than 370 feet, but we’re exorcising demons here. Ragans probably didn’t intend to float a 2-1 changeup, and he looked shaky afterwards. Matt Olson yanked a pitch way below the zone for a hard single, and then Ragans walked Austin Riley on four pitches. Unfortunately, Eli White had a weak bounceout to end the rally.
Sale’s second inning was a mess, but it cleaned itself up. A hard single, a hit-by-pitch, a strikeout, and a four-pitch walk loaded the bases and brought up Isaac Collins. Sale got ahead with a slider, and then threw a fastball that ended up considerably lower than where it was likely called for… but Collins didn’t do anything with the pitch and instead bounced it right to Dubon for another bacon-saving double play.
Ragans bounced back, striking out the side (but also walking Jonah Heim) in the bottom of the inning. Sale continued to wobble in the third — two walks and two strikeouts, but was bailed out by White’s diving catch of a liner to left that would’ve tied the game.
And then the Braves more or less took over the proceedings. Drake Baldwin swung at and barely tipped what would’ve been fall four from Ragans to start the bottom of the third, but then got a misplaced fastball that he sweetly hoisted over the brick wall in right. Ragans is actually a bizarre reverse splits guy (are they real? If so, Ragans would be a paragon of the cause), but had been taken deep by lefties all of three times in his entire career, and none since September 2024… at least until Drake Baldwin had his say in the matter. Albies followed by lacing another floating changeup for a single up the middle. The Braves kind of took the wind out of their own sails a bit by having Albies try to steal with Olson at the plate — not only did Olson take a strike when Albies was thrown out, but then he struck out on the next pitch. Riley followed with a bloop single, and White struck out.
By the fourth, we were done with Shaky Sale and had progressed back to the expected, Smooth Sale(ing). He threw a 1-2-3 frame, with two groundouts and a strikeout. After Heim drew another walk off Ragans, it was Michael Harris II’s turn to go off, as he took a hanging first-pitch slider and bashed it for a two-run homer. So, just to be clear: Cole Ragans pre-facing the Braves tonight — three career homers yielded to lefties; Cole Ragans tonight — two homers yielded to lefties. Go figure. At this point, while it wasn’t inconceivable that the Royals could rally, the game started to feel like a fait accompli. Sale ended up with just one more baserunner (a Witt leadoff single) as he completed six frames. The defense continued to help him out — Olson, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Riley all made nice defensive plays to keep the outs tally growing.
Ragans departed after four in favor of Bailey Falter, who was fine for two innings before the Braves got him in his third frame of work. At one point, there was a near-surreal sequence where Acuña struck out looking and challenged the call, with it being confirmed by the slimmest of margins, only for Baldwin to follow and get thrown out trying to beat out a slow roller by a similarly-microscopic sliver. But, in the seventh, a combination of what were essentially bloops by Olson, Riley, and Dubon scored two more runs. The first two bloops were donut holes, but Dubon’s was basically a routine fly ball that just so happened to split the defense in right center, capping the scoring at 6-0.
The Braves’ bullpen had no adventures. Dylan Lee had a nine-pitch inning with three outs in the air. Robert Suarez had a couple of bloop hits go against him in his Braves debut, but collected a strikeout and got a groundout to escape. Tyler Kinley wrapped the game up while looking somewhat unrecognizable, peppering the zone with breaking pitches in a way that baffled the Royals and exhausted their remaining outs.
Overall, it was hard to ask for an easier, more relaxing win — after Sale settled down, anyway. Good enough pitching, some flashed leather, and, oh yeah, homers. We don’t yet know if that’s how the Braves will do it in 2026, but it’s what they did tonight, and it was great.
Walt Weiss got his first win as Atlanta’s skipper. Sale’s line was only okay in the end (6/3 K/BB ratio, and a hit by pitch), but he improved as the game went on and no one’s gonna complain given the game itself. The Atlanta side of the box score generally looked pretty sweet, with Albies and Olson each collecting two hits, and Riley having a perfect 3-for-3 night with a walk, though two of his three hits were bloops and the third was an infield hit not cleanly handled by the defense. The only guy that didn’t have a good time, on paper, was Acuña, who struck out three times, and had a couple of weak balls in play otherwise. Ah, well, he can have the spotlight another day.
Ragans had his worst start by FIP ever and his worst start by xFIP since August 2024, as he managed just a 5/4 K/BB ratio and gave up three bombs. Falter saved the Kansas City relief corps with three innings and a 4/0 K/BB ratio, though he did suffer bloop damage in the seventh.
The series continues tomorrow with a Reynaldo Lopez-Michael Wacha matchup, as the Braves will try to add some old priest/young priest action on top of tonight’s soul-cleansing win.
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 27: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics celebrates 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
Jayson Tatum set his season high in the Celtics 109-102 win over the Hawks on Friday night with 26 points. After a rough first half, Tatum really settled in during the 2nd half with 21 points and 5 rebounds on 6/13 from the field. However, it was Payton Pritchard who led team in scoring with 36 points.
Jaylen Brown joined Nikola Vucevic on the Celtics injury report. Baylor Scheierman replaced Brown in the starting 5 with Derrick White, Sam Hauser, Jayson Tatum and Neemias Queta. Just Jock Landale missed the game for Atlanta. The Hawks started CJ McCollum, Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu, a group that has led them on a big winning streak as of late.
It was a slow start for the Celtics and a fast one for the Hawks. The Hawks starting 5 has been among the best in the league and that was the case at the start of this one. They got off to a 16-7 lead over Boston.
Jordan Walsh took Jaylen’s spot in the rotation; it was his first action since March 12 against the Thunder.
Jordan Walsh will return to the rotation with Jaylen out. He last played in OKC on 3/12.
It was a 25-9 start for the Hawks, but the Celtics outscored the Hawks 17-4 to end the quarter. The Hawks led 29-26 at the end of 1. Payton Pritchard led the team with 7 points. Jayson Tatum had 5 of his own.
The Hawks got off to a quick start in the second quarter, taking a 37-28 lead but 9 straight Celtics points, 5 of which came from Payton Pritchard who got off of to a scorching hot start, evened the score.
The Celtics took the lead at 46-43 but a 13-4 Hawks run put Atlanta up, 56-50. The Hawks defense did a big part of the run, doing a good job of holding the Celtics offense down.
Basketball is a game of runs and the first half was the half of runs. The Hawks led, 60-55 at the end of the 2nd quarter. Pritchard led the C’s with 19 points while Sam Hauser had 7.
It was a tough half from the field for Jayson Tatum and Derrick White.
Payton Pritchard was a huge reason as to why the Celtics stayed in the game. He gave them a 69-68 lead in the middle of the third quarter after back-to-back deep threes.
Payton Pritchard is unreal
Comes off the bench after the timeout and hits 2 straight threes to hit 25 points early in the third quarter
The Celtics led at the end of three quarters, 87-82 as Pritchard was the leading scorer with 30 points. Jayson Tatum had 13 points with 8 on 3/5 shooting coming in the third quarter.
I thought the 2nd half was an awesome Tatum half, he was very good in 3rd quarter and it carried over to the 4th. He was getting to the cup, finishing strong, making the right passes and rebounding the ball.
Celtics got a bunch of offensive rebounds late in the game, 4 fourth quarter offensive rebounds gave the Celtics extra opportunities. Including a big one from Payton Pritchard who kicked the ball out to Tatum and was fouled on a three point shot.
The Hawks just did not have enough to keep up with Boston, even without Jaylen Brown. Boston beat Atlanta, 109-102.
Payton Pritchard led the team with 36 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists while Jayson Tatum had a season high 26 points. Luka Garza, Derrick White and Sam Hauser also scored in double figures.
The Celtics shot 47% from the field and 40% from three while Atlanta shot 39% from the field and 36% from three. The Celtics next game is Sunday in Charlotte against the Hornets at 6 EST.
Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fourth inning at Rogers Centre. | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
The day we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived. A’s Opening Day baseball is under way for 2026. Granted, it’s not opening day at “our” our ballpark, we’ll have to wait another week for that celebration, but it is the start of the most promising season in recent memory. Let’s hope that watching the Blue Jays hoist the American League Pennant will serve as even more motivation for this young and uber-talented team to take their play to the next level.
Luis Severino got the start for the A’s today. The 32-year-old righty hopes to improve upon a rough first season in the kelly-green and gold where he went 8-11 with a 4.45 ERA in 162 innings. He matched up against Kevin Gausman, who finished the year with a 10-11 record over thirty-two starts for the Jays, logging a 3.99 ERA with 189 strikeouts.
Both pitchers were rock solid through the first three innings. Severino, only allowing one baserunner, a walk to Vlad Jr. Gausman was perfect through three innings with six strikeouts. But the A’s broke through against Gausman when Shea Langeliers launched the first homer of the season over the left field wall for a 1-0 lead.
Severino worked his way into a bit of a jam in the bottom of the fourth walking Nathan Lukes and giving up a single to Guerrero. But two ground balls; one a double play and the other a 6-3 ground out got him quickly out of the inning. His luck ran out in the bottom of the fifth when a bad miscommunication between Clarke and Soderstrom allowed a gapper to score two runs and bring Gimenez to third with just one out. Seve worked his way out of the jam but hit the bench trailing 2-1 for the first time this game. That was all for Severino, who finished his day with 5.0 innings, three hits, two earned runs, three walks and three strikeouts. Scott Barlow made his A’s debut in the bottom of the sixth with a quick 1-2-3 inning.
Gausman was finished after six, replaced by Louis Varland. Langeliers greeted him with a base hit and Soderstrom walked with no outs. But Varland buckled down and escaped without allowing a run. Barlow got the first two outs in the bottom of the seventh then gave way to Hogan Harris. He walked one but escaped unharmed. Harris came out again for the eighth and tossed another quick inning for the A’s.
The Blue Jays closer, Jeff Hoffman entered to shut down the A’s in the ninth. He got Kurtz on an ABS challenged strike three. But Shea Langeliers ripped his second homer of the game to straight away centerfield to tie the game.
With one out Soderstrom swung at strike three, but the ball got away from Alejandro Kirk and Soderstrom beat the throw to first. Unfortunately, Hoffman struck out the side, and we went to the bottom of the ninth tied at 2-2.
Justin Sterner entered the game to pitch the ninth. Sterner got two easy outs, but then Kazuma Okamoto singled and Ernie Clement doubled to move Okamoto to third with two down. Andrés Giménez singled to drive in the winning run. The A’s dropped the opener in Toronto 3-2 to the Blue Jays.
Drew Fortescue made his NHL debut in a youth-infused 6-1 win over the Blackhawks on Friday night, bringing the rookie count in the Rangers lineup to six amid the club’s youth movement as part of a larger evaluation period for the entire organization.
Access the Rangers beat like never before
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting withMollie Walker about the inside buzz on the Rangers.
There was a lot of young blood on the ice between the Rangers and Blackhawks, the second- and third-worst teams in the NHL that are only competing for better draft lottery odds at this point in the season.
The Rangers’ youth undoubtedly shined the brightest.
“I think we’re all hungry,” rookie goalie Dylan Garand said after capturing his first NHL win in his second career start. “This is, for some of us, our opportunity. Guys like me and [Adam Sýkora], we’ve been playing in Hartford for a long time and we finally get to play games. We’re hungry and we’re excited to try and help this team win in any way we can.”
Fortescue notched his first point — a secondary assist — in his debut.
Sykora scored his first NHL goal in his first game at Madison Square Garden.
Garand has stopped 63 of the first 66 shots he’s faced through his first two NHL starts.
Matthew Robertson notched the fifth goal of his career while skating in his 29th straight game.
Adam Sykora scores during the Rangers-Blackhawks game on March 26, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
And Jaroslav Chmelar was relentless on his way to earning his first NHL assist on Jonny Brodzinski’s second-period score.
The win snapped a season-high six-game losing streak for the Rangers, who are drinking in the youngsters’ energy to try to end this lost season on an encouraging note.
“You can see the enthusiasm that the young kids bring to the lineup,” head coach Mike Sullivan said after the Rangers’ largest win at home this season. “I think it’s infectious with our veteran guys. Obviously, excited for them. There were some milestones…It’s just fun. I’m happy for the players. To see the positive energy around the group was great to see.”
Drew Fortescue skates with the puck during the Rangers-Blackhawks game on March 26, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
After the game, Garand spoke like a player who knows he’s ready for the NHL.
The 23-year-old netminder exuded palpable confidence after impressing in his first two NHL starts.
Garand saved all three shots on goal from 2023 first overall pick Connor Bedard in the first period Friday. While his first win came against an easier opponent, he looked composed even in the shootout loss to the Jets last weekend.
“I thought he looked really solid in there, and that’s the second game in a row I felt that way so,” Sullivan said. “It’s two really good starts for him and I’m happy for him because I know how hard he’s worked to get to this point. It’s great for our team, it’s great for our organization… The feeling I’ve gotten behind the bench in the two starts that he’s had is that he’s completely in control and he has good composure in there.”
The Rangers have been able to work Garand in amid Jonathan Quick’s upper-body injury, but the backup netminder is supposedly nearing a return.
Asked if Garand had earned himself some more starts over the final nine games of the season, Sullivan said that would be “a fair statement just based on his performance to this point.”
Dylan Garand makes a save during the Rangers-Blackhawks game on March 26, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
“As this moves forward, when eventually we get a healthy Quickie back, I think [Chris Drury] and I will sit and probably have a conversation around it,” he said.
Of all the milestone moments that unfolded Friday night, the Rangers seemed especially overjoyed for Sykora.
Sullivan noted that the reaction from the Rangers bench, when Sykora buried Will Cuylle’s feed past Chicago goalie Arvid Soderblom, was indicative of the way he’s viewed as a person in the locker room.
Sykora’s energy is simply infectious, Sullivan said.
“This is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” Garand said. “So glad to do it with a guy like Syky. I know him really well and I can speak on behalf of the guys from Hartford, we’re all so proud of him and so happy for him. He deserves it. He’s such a great guy, like, we all love him. It’s awesome to share this moment with him.”
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Alex DeBrincat’s power-play goal scored 4:02 in sparked Detroit’s three-goal first period, and the Red Wings rolled to a 5-2 win over the Atlantic Division-leading Buffalo Sabres on Friday night.
Marco Kasper, Lucas Raymond, Jacob Bernard-Docker and Patrick Kane, with an empty-netter, also scored. Detroit, coming off a 3-2 loss to Ottawa on Tuesday, snapped a two-game skid and moved into a tie in points with the Senators for ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings — and a point back of the New York Islanders.
John Gibson stopped 28 shots.
Tage Thompson — registering his 400th career point — and Rasmus Dahlin scored and Buffalo dropped to 0-1-2 -- its longest skid since losing three straight in regulation in early December. Alex Lyon made 15 saves and dropped to 6-1-1 since returning from the NHL’s Olympic break.
The Sabres came out flat and undisciplined and wound up trailing 3-0 with 3:54 left in the opening period when Marco Kasper converted his own rebound in front.
Detroit’s first two goals came on the power play.
DeBrincat opened the scoring by converting a rebound in front five seconds after Josh Norris was penalized for high sticking. Raymond scored with Logan Stanley in the box for interference, and was set up by Moritz Seider leaping at the blue line to bat down Ryan McLeod’s clearing attempt.
Detroit entered the day scoring an NHL-low 40 goals in the first period.
RANGERS 6, BLACKHAWKS 1
NEW YORK (AP) — Jonny Brodzinski scored twice, Adam Sykora scored his first goal and Dylan Garand made 27 saves for his first NHL win as New York downed Chicago.
J.T. Miller, Matthew Robertson and Alexis Lafreniere also scored as the Rangers snapped a six-game losing streak.
The 23-year-old Garand, who made his debut Sunday at home against Winnipeg, a 3-2 shootout loss, allowed only a goal by Chicago’s Nick Lardis late in the first period.
Chicago has lost four of its last five.
Lardis finished off a passing play with Tyler Bertuzzi and Alex Vlasic late in the first. But Miller tied it less than a minute later with his 15th goal of the season.
Sykora, who debuted in Wednesday’s 4-3 loss at Toronto, beat Blackhawks goaltender Arvid Soderblom cleanly at 8:20 of the second. The 21-year-old Sykora was a second-round pick in 2022.
Brodzinski scored 16:07 into the second period, then added his second of the game with 4 minutes left.
The victory was just New York’s fifth home win in regulation. New York is 10-18-7 at the Garden.
