ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 31: Martín Pérez #33 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the fifth inning during the game against the Athletics at Truist Park on March 31, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ah, the veteran DFA process for a player without minor league options has come and gone full circle. In the case of Martín Pérez and the Braves, this situation felt like it went from “Huh? He got DFA’d?” to “Okay, maybe he’ll go through the entire waiver wire and not get claimed” to “Oh. He didn’t get claimed but he’s not going to Gwinnett, either. Farewell!” to “Ah, he just signed another minor league deal. He’s back.”
Indeed, Pérez is back with the Braves after having signed a minor league deal with the organization on Wednesday morning. Jon Heyman of the New York Post was the first to report the news.
If this process sounds familiar, it’s because we saw it play out a bunch of times with Jesse Chavez near the end of his career. I’m not saying that Martín Pérez is the new Coach Hat Man around here but it’s at least good to know that he’ll be sticking around in the minors for the time being. Pérez was pretty effective as a fifth starter for the Braves as he produced an ERA of 3.14 and a FIP of 4.07 across 14.1 innings of work and three appearances. Those numbers aren’t spectacular but for a fifth starter, that is perfectly fine.
For the time being, it seems like he’ll be staying active at Gwinnett while serving as organizational depth in case the Braves need him for a start or two — then he’ll either pitch his way into staying in the rotation or we’ll just have to do this merry-go-round all over again at some point down the road. We’ll see what happens.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 14: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 congratulates Jackson Merrill #3 after he scores on an RBI single hit by Xander Bogaerts #2 of the San Diego Padres during the third inning of a game at Petco Park on April 14, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres improved to 11-6 on the season with their sixth consecutive win last night. The Padres combined a solid start from Michael King with just enough offense off Seattle Mariners starter Bryan Woo to take the first game of the three-game series, 4-1. Xander Bogaerts drove in three of the four runs scored for San Diego and finished the night with three hits. Jackson Merrill also logged three hits in the game. King allowed just one run over six innings, and the bullpen trio of Adrian Morejon, Jason Adam and Mason Miller secured the win. The start from King was good to see after Padres fans learned prior to the start of the game that Nick Pivetta was going to the 15-day IL with elbow inflammation. The move allowed San Diego to bring Matt Waldron up from Triple-A El Paso and he was joined by Alek Jacob who also joined the MLB club. The Padres will look to continue their winning ways in the second game of the series against the Mariners today at 6:40 p.m.
Padres News:
Mason Miller has been the most dominant pitcher in the game since he joined the Padres at the trade deadline a season ago. Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball points to some minor changes to his mechanics that have allowed him to be even more effective this season.
Craig Stammen has had an interesting start to his managerial career with the Padres. He has shown he is not afraid to change the lineup, to give veterans days off or to play his superstar right fielder at second base. Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune says that is because Stammen is not managing scared.
Baseball News:
Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed a leadoff homerun to start the game against the New York Mets, but then settled in and shutdown the Mets offense to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 2-1 win.
Dominic Smith hit a walk-off home run to help the Atlanta Braves earn a win earlier in the season and he was the hero again on Tuesday with a three-run double to help the Braves complete a comeback win over the Miami Marlins.
Welcome back to A Pod of Their Own, an all-women led Home Run Applesauce podcast where we talk all things Mets, social justice issues in baseball, and normalize female voices in the sports podcasting space.
This week, we begin by discussing the Mets’ current losing streak and evaluate our level of concern about the offense, which has been struggling mightily during this stretch.
Next, we talk about how nobody (except the Dodgers) really looks all that formidable across the league. We also highlight two excellent pieces of baseball reporting from the past week: a piece by Alden Gonzalez of ESPN about the tragic death of a Dominican teenager at the hands of a corrupt system and a story by Sam Blum at The Athletic about corruption of a different stripe—a sham frozen yogurt company that managed to scam the Angels and Diamondbacks out of millions of dollars.
Finally, we wrap things up with Walk-off Wins, where each of us talks about what’s making us happy this week, baseball-related or otherwise.
You can listen or subscribe to all of our wonderful Home Run Applesauce podcasts through Apple Podcasts, where we encourage you to leave a review if you enjoy the show. It really helps! And you can find us on the Stitcher app, Spotify, or listen wherever you get podcasts. You can also support our work by subscribing to our Patreon, which will get you bonus episodes, access to our Discord server, livestream experiences, an exclusive monthly playlist, and more!
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Apr 5, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz (55) argues with home plate umpire James Jean (61) after being ejected from the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the third inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Yesterday, the Mariners fell to the Padres 4-1 in the first of a three-game set. They’ll look to get back in the win column this evening with Emerson Hancock taking the mound.
If you’re local to the Seattle area, don’t forget to join the Lookout Landing community at the Mariners watch party tomorrow, taking place at The Rebel in Wallingford!
Julio Rodríguez is following in the footsteps of Mariner greats before him — such as Ken Griffey, Jr. and Randy Johnson — by picking up a photography hobby (well, videography in his case, but just roll with it).
J.P. Crawford showcased his value as a bottom-of-the-order table setter in this recent series against the Astros, writes Brent Stecker.
Speaking of, John Trupin and Isabelle Minasian recorded an episode straight off the high of the four-game sweep of the Astros (Spotify link; Apple link).
Around the league…
Orioles manager Craig Albernaz suffered at least seven fractures in his cheek and a broken jaw when he was hit in the face by a line drive during Monday’s game against the Diamondbacks.
MLB players are just like us, using group chats to communicate with one another. Andy McCullough at The Athletic dove into how players use modern modes of communication to speak to one another, and how trades impact the group chat dynamic. ($)
It sounds like Astros starter Tatsuya Imai is struggling with the adjustment to American baseball.
When asked about outside of baseball, Imai said through interpreter: "The travel is different from Japan, and also the timing when players eat. So in Japan, the players, when they get back to the hotel, they eat their dinner. But in here, the players eat at the stadium." https://t.co/zD3YgBTpMx
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 29: Didier Fuentes #72 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the ninth inning during the game against the Kansas City Royals at Truist Park on March 29, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The story of Tuesday had to be a rough first inning for Atlanta Braves top prospect Didier Fuentes. More importantly the way he bounced back in a big way after facing that adversity to give Gwinnett seven solid innings. We also saw Sean Murphy start his rehab assignment, Aiven Cabral pitch a gem, and Herick Hernandez continued to make hitters struggle to make contact.
Memphis Redbirds 4, Gwinnett Stripers 3
Brett Wisely, 2B: 2-4, HR, 2B, R, RBI
Jim Jarvis, SS: 1-3, BB, R, RBI, 2 SB
DaShawn Keirsey Jr., CF: 2-4, 2B, R
Didier Fuentes, SP: 7 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Memphis scored four in the first and the Stripers were in comeback mode for the rest of the night, before falling just short at 4-3. It was Didier Fuentes’ night, which means he struggled out of the gate. He allowed those four first inning runs, though only three were earned, including a homer. However he settled down and went six additional innings without allowing a run. He allowed just three hits and no walks over his final six innings and picked up a total of five strikeouts on 13 whiffs. This ability to bounce back from adversity is definitely a plus for the talented young prospect, especially while facing a good lineup featuring a number of Cardinals prospects. Anderson Pilar pitched the eighth and didn’t allow a base runner, as the Stripers only needed two arms on Tuesday.
Once again Jim Jarvis stayed hot, but the story for the Striper lineup was actually his double play partner. Second baseman Brett Wisely was two for four with a homer and double, picking up a run scored and one batted in in the process.
Jarvis reached base multiple times again, going one for three with a walk, two steals, a run scored, and one batted in. Center fielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. also had a multi-hit game, going two for four with a double, and scoring one of the Stripers runs. The only other hit was a Jair Camargo single.
Biloxi Shuckers 4, Columbus Clingstones 2
Lizandro Espinoza, CF: 2-3, HR, BB, R, RBI, SB
David McCabe, DH: 1-3, BB, R
Herick Hernandez, SP: 4 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 7 K
The Herick Hernandez experience was on in this one. Hernandez mixed making guys swing and miss and missing with his command as he threw 46 of his 81 pitches for strikes, picking up four walks and seven strikeouts on 13 whiffs. Hernandez, who allowed a homer, was charged with three runs – though none of those were earned. Luis Vargas was next and allowed the fourth run to score during his inning and two thirds. Blayne Enlow pitched a scoreless inning and a third, while Blane Abeyta and Ryan Bourassa each threw a scoreless frame to complete things from the pitching side.
Columbus struggled to get the offense going in this one, which made this game feel like it was more out of reach than the final 4-2 score indicates. As a team they managed just three hits, from only two players, plus five walks. Lizandro Espinoza and David McCabe essentially were the offense. Espinoza homered, singled, walked, stole a base, scored a run, and batted one in as he reached base three times in his four trips to the dish.
McCabe singled, walked, and scored a run. Those two accounted for all of the Columbus hits and 40% of the walks, with Archer Brookman, Jordan Groshans, and Luke Waddell each having a walk as well.
This one was over early on, as Jersey Shore struck for two in the first and never looked back on their way to what looked like a 12-0 shutout, before Rome was able to punch in a run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Jeremy Reyes started for Rome and lasted just three and a third, allowing four runs on seven hits and a pair of walks. On the positive side he had four strikeouts and eight whiffs. David Rodriguez got the next inning and two thirds, allowing two runs (one earned), before Jacob Wallace went a scoreless frame – the lone Rome pitcher not to have anyone score on him last night. The game broke open when Trent Buchanan came in for a third of an inning and gave up four runs. The night was finished off by Logan Samuels allowing an unearned run in an inning and two third and finally Jacob Kroger allowing a run in his inning of work.
The offense never got started for the Emperors, as they scored their lone run with one out to go in the game after totaling just three hits in the game. Isaiah Drake, who scored the only run, Colby Jones, who had a double for the lone extra base hit, and Owen Carey, who also walked and batted in the run, were the three players to record hits. John Gil, Cody Miller, and Mason Guerra each joined Carey in drawing walks. A rehabbing Sean Murphy was hitless in two at bats, with one strikeout, before being removed from the game – something normal for rehabbing players in the Braves system.
Augusta GreenJackets 4, Fayetteville Wood Peckers 2
Aiven Cabral turned in a great start in this one. A late pick from Mike Glavine’s Northeastern squad last team, Cabral allowed a run on four hits and two walks over six innings for a quality start. Cabral struck out eight and picked up 14 whiffs in the process.
Styven Paez relieved Cabral and in his inning and two thirds, he didn’t allow a hit or run, though walked two and picked up a pair of strikeouts on seven whiffs. Jaylen Paden went the final inning and a third for the save, though the undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech did allow a solo homer in the ninth inning.
The story of the Augusta offense was a pair of recent high draft picks who struggled here last year, but are off to strong starts this year. Catcher Nick Montgomery, an overslot fifth rounder from 2024, was two for four with a double and a run, as he is looking far more advanced with both the bat and behind the plate than he looked just last year. Last year’s first round pick, Tate Southisene, was hitless in three at bats, but walked, scored a run, batted one in, and also stole two bases. Southisene continues to look great following a big week for himself last week. Luis Guanipa and Alex Lodise were each hitless in four at bats, with each picking up a pair of strikeouts. The recently activated Juan Mateo had a single in four at bats, and came home to score a run.
Apr 14, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Sonny Gray (54) looks on after a bulk is called on himself against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Welp, just when it seemed like the Yankees bats were waking up with their 11-10 walk-off win in the series opener against the Angels, they immediately went back to sleep scoring just one run in a listless middle-game loss. It never helps when your starting pitcher gives up back-to-back-to-back home runs in the first inning, but the offense has yet to score a run for Ryan Weathers in any of his four starts.
It was a full day of action around the league, so let’s see how the games involving the Yankees’ AL rivals shook out.
Minnesota Twins (11-7) 6, Boston Red Sox (6-11) 0
A day after Garrett Crochet got rocked in his worst start with the Red Sox, the Twins again thoroughly outclassed their opponents to continue their surprisingly hot start to the season. This time it was Mick Abel — headliner in the trade that netted the Phillies closer Jhoan Duran at last year’s Deadline — and Byron Buxton who stole the headlines. Abel authored the best start of his major league career, twirling seven scoreless innings allowing four hits and no walks to go along with ten strikeouts.
Buxton meanwhile was a one-man wrecking crew, going 4-for-5 with a pair of solo home runs. The first was to lead off the third — a 401-foot moonshot to left — followed by a mammoth 438-foot missile to left-center in the sixth.
The Twins tagged Sonny Gray for five runs on nine hits in four innings. Brooks Lee also left the yard to lead off the fourth, and three batters later Trevor Larnach drove in a pair with a single.
Toronto Blue Jays (7-9) 9, Milwaukee Brewers (8-8) 7
What looked like a pitchers’ duel pitting Kevin Gausman against the flame-throwing Jacob Misiorowski didn’t quite deliver on that billing, Gausman allowing three runs on six hits and three walks in five innings while Misiorowski allowed two runs on five hits and no walks across 5.1 innings, both striking out five. Instead, this contest was all about late-game chaos that continued into extra-innings, the Blue Jays riding clutch hitting to tie and then win the game.
Jake Bauers opened the scoring in the fourth with a three-run blast after Brice Turang led off with a single followed by a Gary Sánchez walk. Andrés Giménez responded with a two-out solo shot an inning later, and Daulton Varsho cut the deficit to one with a solo homer of his own in the sixth. The two sides traded runs in the seventh and eighth, Sánchez crushing his fifth home run of the year only to see it canceled out by an RBI groundout from Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
That brought Toronto to the ninth trailing by a run, only for Trevor Megill to blow the save. Eloy Jiménez drew a leadoff walk, advanced to third on a Davis Schneider double, and scored the game-tying run on a single by offseason signing Kazuma Okamoto. Giménez followed with an RBI groundout and Ernie Clement extended their new-found lead to two with a single.
To their credit, the Brewers immediately fought back, leveling the score on a two-out, two-run double by ex-Yankees farmhand Brandon Lockridge. Garrett Mitchell drew a walk to load the bases, but Louis Varland entered the game and put out the fire by striking out Joey Ortiz to send the game to extras.
In the tenth, Vladito slugged a one-out double to drive home the automatic runner, Jesús Sánchez then being issued an intentional walk to set up the killer two-run double by Myles Straw. Varland remained in the game, and though he allowed a pair of two-out singles to William Contreras and Turang to draw Milwaukee within two, he struck out Sánchez to end the game, single-handedly stranding five runners in 1.1 innings.
The Astros’ nine-day nightmare is over, Houston snapping their eight-game losing streak with the narrowest of victories over the Rockies, who had just swept them last week. Colorado actually scored the first three runs of the game, Hunter Goodman smashing a two-out solo shot in the first and Jake McCarthy a two-out, two-run triple in the second after Jordan Beck and Kyle Karros reached on consecutive two-out singles. Christian Walker crushed a solo shot in the second to get the Astros on the board, but it was the third inning that decided the outcome of this contest.
Michael Lorenzen gave up six runs in the frame, but only one of them was earned as Willi Castro committed a pair of back-breaking errors at second on a Jose Altuve pop up and Joey Loperfido soft liner. It wasn’t the only bit of shoddy defending that prolonged the frame and allowed runs to score, Karros failing to make a throw on a fielder’s choice and Ezequiel Tovar failing to make a play on a grounder that was generously scored a single. Yordan Alvarez drove in a pair with a double and Cam Smith another on a single as the only truly clean hits of the frame.
The Rockies didn’t go down quietly, Jordan Beck adding a solo shot in the fourth and Goodman his second of the night to lead off the fifth, while a Troy Johnston RBI single in the eighth made it a one-run game. They had other opportunities to score, but Mickey Moniak popped out to strand the bases loaded in the fourth and Beck struck out with a pair on to end the game.
San Diego Padres (11-6) 4, Seattle Mariners (8-10) 1
Michael King turned in six sharp innings of one-run ball, allowing four hits and two walks against five strikeouts to gain the upper hand over Bryan Woo and his seven innings of three-run ball on eight hits and a walk. Seattle struck first, Randy Arozarena and Luke Raley reaching on a pair of one-out singles followed by a J.P. Crawford hit-by-pitch to set up a sac fly from Dominic Canzone.
San Diego responded with three runs in the third. Ramón Laureano reached on a one-out triple and scored on a Fernando Tatis Jr. single. Jackson Merrill then singled and stole second to put a pair in scoring position, Xander Bogaerts cashing them both in with a bloop single to center.
Bogaerts drove in his third run of the contest in the eighth with a single after Merrill led off with a double. Mason Miller extended his scoreless streak to eight games to open the season, locking down what is already his fifth save.
Other Games
Detroit Tigers (8-9) 2, Kansas City Royals (7-10) 1
Cole Ragans an Framber Valdez put on a show, the former tossing six scoreless innings allowing one hit and four walks while the latter went seven innings, allowing a run on three hits and two walks. Kansas City held a 1-0 lead for most of the game, singles by Salvador Perez and Starling Marte and a Jonathan India walk loading the bases in the second to set up a Carter Jensen RBI ground out. But then Detroit finally broke through in the eighth, scoring two off reliever Nick Mears as Zach McKinstry led off with a double, rookie phenom Kevin McGonigle drew a walk, and Dillon Dingler drove them both home with a double.
St. Louis Cardinals (9-8) 6, Cleveland Guardians (10-8) 5
The start of this game was all about the solo home run, José Ramírez and Daniel Schneemann leaving the yard in the first and second only to have them canceled out by Iván Herrera in the first and JJ Wetherholt in the third. The rookie Wetherholt looks like the real deal, adding a two-run blast in the eighth after Cleveland scored three in the top-half of the frame on an RBI double by George Valera and two-run double by Angel Martínez. Cleveland closer Cade Smith was the most valuable reliever in each of the last two seasons, but he has struggled to start 2026. He came within one out of locking down the save, but a fielding error by second baseman Juan Brito on a Masyn Wynn grounder kept the inning alive for Yohel Pozo to send the game to extras with an RBI double. After the Guardians went down in order in the top of the tenth, Tim Herrin uncorked a first-pitch wild pitch to allow the automatic runner to advance to third, and on the next pitch Nathan Church walked it off with a sac fly.
Oct 27, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) and Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane (3) have words during the third quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
It’s win or stay home (to play the Hornets) for the Sixers when they host the Orlando Magic in the East’s 7-8 Play-In game Wednesday night.
After Charlotte’s thrilling overtime win Tuesday night, we know what’s at stake in this one: the winner of Sixers-Magic will head to Boston for a playoff matchup with the Celtics starting Sunday afternoon. The loser will host the Hornets Friday with one last chance to make the postseason and take on the top-seeded Detroit Pistons.
Both teams come into this one in weird places.
The Magic made a huge splash this past offseason to acquire Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies. The thought was Bane could be an ideal complement to Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Orlando became a trendy pick to potentially win the Eastern Conference. Between injuries and inconsistencies, the team never truly took off this season. Their regular season culminated in a loss to the Hospital Celtics, which cost the Magic the opportunity to host this game instead of heading to South Philly.
The trio of Bane, Banchero and Wagner is still a dangerous one. Any of them could go off and have a big scoring night. Their top reserve, Anthony Black, had a strong regular season and was excellent against the Sixers this season. The biggest challenge for the Sixers will be contending with the Magic’s size, but with Paul George, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Dominick Barlow all healthy, they should be able to handle it.
Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe will be one of the most dangerous backcourts in the NBA playoffs (if they make it there). They face a stiff test tonight from the dogged Jalen Suggs and Bane. We’ll see how Maxey and his strained pinky tendon fare with those two aggressive guards swiping at it all night.
The center position might be the X-factor in this one. With Joel Embiid still out, Andre Drummond and Adem Bona will be the only true bigs available for the Sixers. The guess here is Drummond gets the starting nod based off his experience and Orlando’s aforementioned size. The good news for the Sixers is the Magic don’t have a true stretch big option. Wendell Carter Jr. will shoot threes, but he made just 31.9% on the season. However, both Carter and backup Goga Bitadze average over two offensive rebounds a game — and we all know about the Sixers’ issues there.
This game has serious rock fight potential. Neither squad is a great three-point shooting team. The Sixers hold a slight advantage there with Maxey, George, Edgecombe and Oubre all being legitimate threats from deep this season. And don’t forget about Drummond entering his Splash Mountain era.
Without Embiid, this will be a difficult matchup for the Sixers, but it’s a winnable game. The Magic are in a weird place after a disappointing regular season with plenty of questions surrounding the job security of head coach Jamahl Mosley. It might behoove the Sixers to jump on Orlando early by forcing turnovers and getting out and on the break.
Aside from Embiid, the Sixers will still be without rookie big Johni Broome. Trendon Watford is considered probable with an illness. For the Magic, Jonathan Isaac (left knee sprain) and Jett Howard (left ankle sprain) are questionable. The health of Wagner, who’s still battling back from a high left ankle sprain, is also worth monitoring.
Game Details
When: Wednesday, April 15, 7:30 PM ET Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA Watch: Amazon Prime Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic Follow:@LibertyBallers
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - JANUARY 09: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts after scoring a three-pointer against the Orlando Magic during the fourth quarter at Kia Center on January 09, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. 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. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The luxury of securing the 2-seed is a comfy view from the top. While the Boston Celtics spent the final weeks of the regular season fine-tuning rotations and monitoring their health, the lower tier of Eastern Conference playoff teams were in a chaotic sprint toward the finish line.
The 5 through 10 seeds shuffled around all season, and now, with the dust settled, the Sixers and Magic find themselves in the Play-In.
On Wednesday, Philadelphia and Orlando will face off in the 7/8 game. The winner gets a date with Boston in Round 1. The loser gets one more chance to stay alive, with Detroit waiting.
For the Celtics, waiting on their matchup is familiar territory — and so are their two options. The Magic and Sixers are on different timelines, but they’ve ended up in a similar place statistically.
They rank 17th and 18th in net rating — Orlando at +0.6, Philadelphia at -0.1. On paper, it’s a coin flip. The injury picture says otherwise.
If it’s the Magic
Boston already knows what Orlando looks like up close. The Celtics beat them in five games in last year’s first round. The series was never seriously in doubt, but the Magic were physical enough to leave a mark. They made every possession feel like work, and Tatum missed a game because of it.
That memory is real, but the season finale offered a more comfortable preview of what a rematch might look like.
Watching Boston’s bench take it to Orlando’s starters and come away with a win matters. The Celtics didn’t have much to play for beyond pride, while Orlando was still jockeying for seeding. The loss dropped the Magic below the Sixers, forcing them onto the road for the Play-In.
This year’s version of Orlando hasn’t quite taken the leap many expected, but the core challenges are still there. Franz Wagner missed a significant chunk of the season with a high ankle sprain, playing just 34 games, but he’s had a few outings in April to get his legs back. He’s worth watching closely — Orlando’s net rating swings +4.9 with him on the floor, the largest individual impact on the roster.
As a duo, he and Paolo Banchero still haven’t consistently translated their talent into positive results. The pairing often comes back negative when they share the floor. The shot-making and self-creation are obvious, but the connection between them hasn’t fully clicked.
The Magic’s identity hasn’t really changed. They’re built on defense and physicality, and they can turn half-court offense into a grind. Desmond Bane adds another layer of offensive versatility, and Anthony Black has taken a step forward across the board.
There’s great size and length in Orlando’s creators, and that can cause problems in a playoff setting. Boston, though, is one of the teams most equipped to match that with its own wing depth. It becomes less about stopping them, and more about whether Orlando can consistently generate efficient offense against a defense built to handle that profile.
If it’s the Sixers
Philadelphia is the more manageable problem on paper — and it starts with Joel Embiid not being available.
The Sixers’ center underwent an emergency appendectomy late in the season and has reportedly not been around the team since. Without him, the foundation of their offense shifts dramatically. With Embiid on the floor, Philadelphia’s offensive rating sits at 121.2. Without him, it drops to 114.1 — a seven-point-per-100-possession decline that strips away the interior presence, short-roll playmaking, and gravitational pull that opens everything else up.
The ripple effects show up everywhere. Three-point percentage falls from 37.8% to 33.6% with him off the floor, a reflection of how much more difficult the game becomes for their perimeter creators.
What remains is the Tyrese Maxey show, and that’s a more volatile experience than his numbers might suggest.
Maxey plays at a speed that forces decisions before a defense is set. He’s the type of guard who turns a made Celtics basket into a layup on the other end before the defense can get organized. He finished the season at 28.3 points and 6.6 assists, with the ability to decelerate into floaters and pull-up threes that make him difficult to stay in front of.
That quick-twitch style presents a different kind of challenge than Orlando’s size. It’s less about absorbing contact and more about containing pace and decision-making.
The playoff reality, though, is that Boston gets to simplify things without Embiid. No interior threat to account for means they can focus on keeping Maxey in front and forcing the rest of the roster to prove it can beat them. He can swing a game, but carrying that burden across four wins against Boston’s perimeter defense is a different ask entirely.
Wednesday’s game feels like a toss-up, and the regular season meetings don’t offer a clean answer either. Philadelphia took two of three from Orlando, but the results swung wildly, including a 40-point loss in November.
Boston isn’t running from either matchup, and they’ll be favored either way. But the questions they ask are different. Orlando brings size, physicality, and a defense that can drag a series into the mud. Philadelphia, without Embiid, leans almost entirely on Maxey’s burst and shot creation to sustain anything over seven games.
One of those problems is harder to solve than the other.
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Josh Inglis' expert pick: Blue Jays moneyline
Price: 57¢ (-133) at Polymarket
Betting is a beautiful thing. I hated the Blue Jays yesterday, but with a putrid Milwaukee bullpen and a starter in Chad Patrick (who is luckier than a first-timer in Vegas), Toronto should be trading at -150 with Dylan Cease on the bump. The Jays piled up seven runs on the bullpen last night, and the blown saves are stacking up for the Brewers... across multiple names. They had one of the best pitchers in baseball last night leave with a lead, and today, that lead might not exist. The Jays are hurt, but they also have one of the best bullpen ERA's in baseball over the last week.
Neil Parker's expert pick: Phillies moneyline
Price: 57¢ (-133) at Polymarket
Philadelphia lefty Jesus Luzardo's 6.23 ERA is quite misleading: His 2.82 xERA and 1.65 xFIP suggest he has been much better than that crooked number, and both his .359 BABIP and 46.5% strand rate are unsustainably bad. The Phillies also finished the 2025 season ranked fifth in wOBA against left-handed pitchers, so I’m expecting Cubs southpaw Shota Imanaga to have trouble navigating their lineup tonight. A soft schedule has inflated Imanaga's numbers to start the campaign, and the Phillies have also been unlucky, sporting the second-lowest BABIP against LHP so far in 2026.
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.
The quest for the Lord Stanley’s Cup is back underway! The 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs deliver heart-stopping drama, from overtime heroics to bracket-busting upsets that can alter the momentum of a series in a single shift.
Whether you're tracking every grueling first-round battle, checking the latest scores, or scouting the road to the Finals, our NHL playoff bracket hub has you covered.
Follow along for live updates, updated series schedules, and postseason format details to help guide your NHL picks and playoff pools.
NHL playoff bracket if the playoffs started today
Live digital bracket
Follow along with our up-to-date bracket below as we track each series through to the end of the Stanley Cup Final, and make sure you keep up on which teams have the bestStanley Cup odds.You can also track the progress of individual players with ourConn Smythe Trophy oddspage.
2026 NHL Playoff matchups
Here are the current series odds for all eight first-round matchups:
(M2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs (M3) Philadelphia Flyers - Flyers lead 3-2
Team
To win
Pittsburgh
+230
Philadelphia
-290
(2) Buffalo Sabres vs (7) Boston Bruins - Sabres lead 3-1
Team
To win
Buffalo
-1500
Boston
+790
(A2) Tampa Bay Lightning vs (A3) Montreal Canadiens - Tied 2-2
Team
To win
Tampa Bay
-190
Montreal
+150
(1) Colorado Avalanche vs (8) Los Angeles Kings - Avalanche win 4-0
(C2) Dallas Stars vs (C3) Minnesota Wild - Tied 2-2
Team
To win
Dallas
-130
Minnesota
+105
(2) Vegas Golden Knights vs (7) Utah Mammoth - Tied 2-2
Team
To win
Vegas
-160
Utah
+130
(P2) Edmonton Oilers vs (P3) Anaheim Ducks - Ducks lead 3-1
Team
To win
Oilers
+325
Ducks
-450
2026 NHL Playoffs schedule
Event
Date
First Round
April 18-May 3
Second Round begins
May 6
Conference Finals begin
May 22
Stanley Cup Finals
June 3-21
NHL playoff format
The NHL playoffs are a 16-team, four-round, best-of-seven tournament used to determine the Stanley Cup champion. Eight teams qualify from each conference: the top three teams in each division plus two wild-card teams in each conference.
In the First Round, the division winner with the better record in each conference plays the lower-ranked wild card, the other division winner plays the other wild card, and the second- and third-place teams in each division face each other.
The NHL uses a fixed bracket, so teams are not re-seeded after each round. First-round winners advance to the Second Round, then to the Conference Finals, and finally to the Stanley Cup Final, where the Eastern Conference champion plays the Western Conference champion.
Every playoff round is a best-of-seven series, and the first team to win four games advances or, in the Stanley Cup Final, wins the championship.
The Mets (7-11) take on the Los Angeles Dodgers (13-4) at 10:10 p.m. on ESPN.
Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...
Mets Notes
Clay Holmes has been extremely effective to this point, pitching to a 1.50 ERA over his first three starts
Holmes left his last outing with hamstring tightness, but was deemed good to go after completing a bullpen session
Shohei Ohtani takes the ball for LA, and he is yet to allow a run through his first two starts
Bo Bichette has two RBI in five career at-bats against Ohtani
Francisco Lindor picked up his first homer and RBI of the season Tuesday, leading off the game with a solo shot
Lindor has been showing signs of life at the plate, recording hits in six of his last eight games
Today's Lineups
METS
DODGERS
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
How can I watch Mets vs. Dodgers online?
To watch Mets games online via ESPN, you will need a subscription to a TV service provider or to ESPN+. This will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone browser, or via the ESPN App.
Betting home runs can be a rollercoaster, as I have dug myself out of an 11-unit hole in two days on the backs of just two long balls. It's good to be back in the black. Wednesday looks like another great day for home runs and MLB player props.
In addition to running it back with Pete Alonso and looking at a handful of Pirates batters vs. arguably the best home-run matchup in all of baseball, I'm grabbing one of baseball's pre-eminent power hitters in Yordan Alvarez at an appealing price.
These are my favorite home run props for Wednesday, April 15.
UPDATE: Added another HR pick + parlay.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Pete Alonso
+390
Ryan O'Hearn
+730
Yordan Alvarez
+360
💲Today's HR parlay
+16763
Pete Alonso (+390)
Pete Alonso was on the card yesterday at the same price, and I’m running it back vs. a lefty, playing with house money in another strong-hitting environment. As mentioned yesterday, the Polar Bear boasts elite Blast Contact% numbers, measuring swing speed and barrels — a great indicator of home run upside.
Eduardo Rodriguez has been great since the WBC, but it’s fair to question how sustainable it is with a very low BABIP and higher expected metrics. He’s typically a fly-ball pitcher who has been keeping the ball on the ground — those long fly balls could be coming soon.
The setting checks out again in a series that’s already produced 23 runs and nine home runs. This is another +EV Alonso spot with a fair price around +330, and he’s already taken Rodriguez deep in his career.
Time: 12:35 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MASN, Dbacks.TV
Ryan O'Hearn (+790)
Jake Irvin might be the best arm to fade on Wednesday. He led all starters in home runs allowed and HR/9 last year and is trending that way again. Almost every Pittsburgh Pirates bat projects as +EV, but I’m landing on cleanup hitter Ryan O'Hearn at a big +730.
Oneil Cruz still projects as the top option at +390, but I want a little more meat on the bone in a matchup where Pittsburgh could leave the yard multiple times. The fair price on O’Hearn sits closer to +600, and he brings some of the best barrel rates on the team.
A round robin with O'Hearn, Cruz, and Brandon Lowe at +420 might be the best way to attack this spot, with double-digit winds and strong-hitting temperatures lining up again today.
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SportsNet Pittsburgh, Nationals.TV
Yordan Alvarez (+360)
This could be the highest-scoring game on the slate, with a pair of questionable starters pitching in front of struggling bullpens.
Yordan Alvarez may be facing a soft-tossing lefty in Jose Quintana, who is coming off an injury, but he has reverse splits and has crushed southpaws to a 1.094 OPS since 2024.
The Colorado Rockies bullpen was forced in early last night after just eight outs, and not every arm will be available today. Combined, these two bullpens have five losses over the last seven days and 12 on the season.
This game could get loose, and I’m happy to back the best hitter in the series at a slightly discounted price due to the lefty-lefty matchup.
Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Rockies.TV, SCHN
Jinglis' 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 4-26, +1.0 units
Today’s HR parlay
Pete Alonso
Bet Now +16763
Ryan O'Hearn
Yordan Alvarez
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.
“The broadcast of the Miami Heat at Charlotte Hornets experienced a temporary disruption due to a hardware failure in our production truck,” an Amazon spokesperson said, per ESPN. “Our teams restored the feed as quickly as possible to ensure fans could watch the conclusion of the game. We are conducting a thorough internal review to determine the cause of the outage.”
The feed cut out as the game resumed after a timeout with the Hornets leading the Heat 125-120 and 48.1 seconds remaining in overtime.
LaMelo Ball #1 of the Charlotte Hornets fouls Tyler Herro #14 of the Miami Heat in overtime during their game Play-in Tournament game at Spectrum Center on April 14, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Getty Images
The blackout lasted for nearly two minutes, causing fans to miss 22.1 seconds of playing time and a Hornets possession.
A message that said “technical difficulties” was displayed afterward, leaving viewers on a cliffhanger during the Play-In thriller — including Lakers superstar LeBron James.
“Tell me the game didn’t just cut off?!!? Am I trippin?? WTH,” James wrote on X.
A view of the studio space during the unveiling of Prime Video’s new NBA On Prime Studio at The Culver Studios on October 14, 2025 in Culver City, California. Getty Images for Prime Video
The Hornets went on to win 127-126 and eliminated the Heat from the postseason in the NBA’s first of six Play-In games.
The matchup between the East’s ninth-and-10th-ranked teams had no shortage of thrilling moments, including 16 lead changes and 17 ties.
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) celebrates with guard Coby White after scoring against the Miami Heat during the second half of an NBA play-in tournament basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, April 14, 2026. AP
Adebayo did not return to the game.
Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said in his post-game press conference that Ball should’ve been ejected after the incident.
After the Hornets win, Ball said it wasn’t intentional and that he was going to check in on Adebayo.
Prime Video has exclusive rights to all six games in this year’s Play-In Tournament.
The Cleveland Guardians and St. Louis Cardinals wrap up a three-game set this afternoon at Busch Stadium, with the first pitch scheduled for 1:15 p.m. ET.
With both lineups having success against today's starters, my Guardians vs. Cardinals predictions are eyeing the Over.
Read more for my MLB picks for Wednesday, April 15.
Who will win Guardians vs Cardinals today: Cardinals moneyline (-110)
The St. Louis Cardinals bounced back in Game 2 of this series, grabbing a 6-5 victory in extra innings after losing the opener. The Cardinals have now won four of their last five against the Cleveland Guardians, sweeping them last season.
The NL Central club is 6-5 at home, and it's up against the struggling Slade Cecconi, who has a 5.75 ERA after surrendering 10 earned runs across three outings.
Cecconi has particularly struggled away from the friendly environs of Progressive Field, allowing all of his runs on the road so far.
COVERS INTEL: Cardinals starter Dustin May was better last time out, only allowing one earned run after a pair of horrible starts to begin the campaign.
Guardians vs Cardinals Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-115)
Neither the Cardinals nor the Guardians strike out often as a rule, with the lineups ranking 23rd and 24th, respectively, in strikeout rate this season.
May improved in his most recent outing, but his ERA still sits at 9.45 through three appearances. The Guardians don't have an explosive offense, but they do make a lot of contact, with Jose Ramirez and Rookie of the Year candidate Chase DeLauter both boasting a K% below 18.
May doesn't miss many bats, but neither does Cecconi.
Cleveland's right-hander has also been prone to the home run ball, allowing three already this season after watching 24 soar over the fences in 2025. Jordan Walker could pad his already impressive breakout resume, as he's sitting in the 99th percentile or BETTER in average exit velocity, barrel rate, hard-hit rate, bat speed, and expected slug.
Two pitchers who struggle to miss bats against lineups that consistently put the bat on the ball is a recipe for the Over.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 2-1, -1.29 units
Over/Under bets: 3-0, +2.67 units
Guardians vs Cardinals odds
Moneyline: Guardians +100 | Cardinals -104
Run line: Guardians +1.5 (-210) | Cardinals -1.5 (+175)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-110) | Under 8.5 (-110)
Guardians vs Cardinals trend
The St. Louis Cardinals have hit the Game Total Over in 13 of their last 22 games (+4.30 Units / 18% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Guardians vs. Cardinals.
How to watch Guardians vs Cardinals and game info
Location
Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
Date
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
First pitch
1:15 p.m. ET
TV
MLBN
Guardians starting pitcher
Slade Cecconi (0-2, 5.74 ERA)
Cardinals starting pitcher
Dustin May (1-2, 9.45 ERA)
Guardians vs Cardinals latest injuries
Guardians vs Cardinals 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.
Boston, MA - April 7: Boston Red Sox second baseman Marcelo Mayer and shortstop Trevor Story watch a replay in the fourth inning. The Red Sox played the Milwaukee Brewers at Fenway Park on April 7, 2026. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Good morning! After another ugly loss last night, the Red Sox once again find themselves as the worst team in baseball. It’s still April, and no one is getting fired yet, nor do I think anyone is getting demoted. But surely the Sox need to do something, right? So what one move would you make right now to try to right the ship?
This is an easy one for me. In fact, I was griping about it well before the season started: Trevor Story and Marcelo Mayer need to switch positions on the diamond. Trevor Story has been trending downwards defensively for a while now. He finished with -9 Outs Above Average last year and consistently struggled with throws across the diamond. The Red Sox brass insisted that their proprietary metrics still deemed him as a very good defensive infielder. But even if that were the case, I would still argue that Mayer should be at short when considering the long-term goals of the team. Trevor Story is 33-years-old. He is no longer elite and won’t be a key piece of the next great Red Sox team. Mayer, hopefully, is going to be here for years to come.
Do I think that flipping Mayer and Story would save the season? Of course not. Frankly, even if they’d been flipped all season, I doubt their record today would look any different. But it’s clear to me that Mayer is currently the better shortstop, and there’s no reason not to put your best team on the field as much as you can. And when you consider the long-term implications, it’s a no-brainer.
Use this space to talk about whatever you want and, as always, be good to one another.
Pete Alonso
Ryan O'Hearn
Yordan Alvarez
COVERS INTEL: Cardinals starter 