DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 23: Starting pitcher Ryan Feltner #18 of the Colorado Rockies throws against the San Diego Padres in the first inning at Coors Field on April 23, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Friday afternoon just before the Colorado Rockies were scheduled to kick off a three-game series against the New York Mets, it was announced that right-handed pitcher Ryan Feltner is being placed on the 15-day injured list.
Feltner, 29, has been diagnosed with right ulnar nerve inflammation. He had been dealing with discomfort in his right triceps following his start against the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 18th. The condition also caused some numbness in his fingers. Feltner was removed from his start against the San Diego Padres on Thursday after pitching just two innings and giving up two earned runs on two hits and a walk.
In a corresponding roster move, the Rockies will recall left-handed reliever Sammy Peralta from the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes.
Peralta, 27, was claimed via waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers earlier this month. In seven appearances with Triple-A Albuquerque he has a 3.72 ERA with seven strikeouts and three walks over 9.2 innings of work. He will be just the second left-handed pitcher in the Rockies bullpen this season, joining Brennan Bernardino.
Peralta will wear no. 57, last worn by Angel Chivilli.
The Rockies will have additional pitching decisions to make over the next week. Kyle Freeland—currently on the injured list with left-shoulder soreness—will be available to return to the active roster on April 28th.
The Mets shuffled a pair of right-handed pitchers in a Friday afternoon roster move, optioning Christian Scott back to Triple-A Syracuse and promoting veteran pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. to the major league squad.
Scott, who was promoted on Thursday, struggled in his season debut. In 1.1 innings pitched, he allowed one run, five walks, and a hit by pitch. It was the 26-year-old’s first big league start since July 21, 2024, after which he underwent Tommy John surgery.
Edwards was signed to a minor league deal by the Mets in December. The twelve-year veteran had a strong spring training, tossing 8.2 innings with two earned runs, three hits, and four walks to 11 strikeouts. In Syracuse, he hasn’t found the same success, pitching to a 5.29 ERA in 17 innings of work.
It remains to be seen how the Mets will fill the fifth spot in their starting rotation behind Freddy Peralta, Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes, and Kodai Senga. Edwards, David Peterson, Tobias Myers, and Sean Manaea are all candidates to give the Mets multiple innings going forward, regardless of whether any of them are stretched out to be a full-time starter.
Jonah Tong, a candidate for the role later in the season, has had an up-and-down start for Syracuse, throwing three gems on the road (a combined 1.88 ERA in 14.1 innings pitched) and two rough outings at home (a combined 14.21 ERA in 6.1 innings pitched).
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 30: Nike shoes are seen worn by Amari Williams #77 of the Boston Celtics during a game at State Farm Arena on March 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the Knicks down 2-1 to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the playoffs following their loss on Thursday night, head coach Mike Brown said on Friday that the starting lineup for Game 4 on Saturday will be a "game-time decision."
Brown mentioned that everything is on the table for New York, who has dropped the last two games against the Hawks after a convincing win in Game 1 at Madison Square Garden.
The news of a possible change comes on the heels of Mikal Bridges scoring zero points in Game 3 and turning the ball over four times in just 21 minutes. Josh Hart also had a rough game offensively with two points, although he finished with nine rebounds and six assists in 40 minutes.
It was the second straight poor performance from Bridges who was held to 10 points in the Knicks' Game 2 loss, all of which came in the first half. Bridges also missed the potential game-winning shot in that game and in the last six quarters for New York he's gone 0-for-7 from the field.
In his second season with the Knicks after getting traded by the Nets for five first-round picks, Bridges scored 14.4 points per game while shooting 49 percent from the field and added 3.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.
The 29-year-old hasn't missed a game since joining New York and has started every single game he's played since the 2020-21 season with Phoenix Suns, who drafted him 10th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft.
We're looking to head into the weekend on a winning note, with our expert MLB picks looking at two moneylines against struggling teams, as well as a NRFI bet with two underratedly good pitchers on the mound.
See why our MLB best bets for April 24 love the value on the Twins/Rays being quiet early, plus the Halos and ATL to win.
UPDATE: Added more best bets from the Covers staff.
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Josh Inglis' expert pick: Angels moneyline
Price: 49¢ (+104) at Polymarket
Let’s fade the Kansas City Royals, a weak offense that is especially bad against left-handed pitching. Only the Phillies and Rangers rank worse in wRC+ against southpaws, and Yusei Kikuchi is coming off his best start of the year — plus the winds blowing in should provide additional support. What may not be fully priced in is the Los Angeles Angels' edge in the later innings: Kansas City’s bullpen has been putrid all season, but has hit a new low, posting a 7.17 ERA over the last seven days while issuing plenty of walks... and allowing home runs at a high rate. This is a buy to -115.
Neil Parker's expert pick: Twins/Rays NRFI
Price: 55¢ (-122) at Polymarket
Tampa Bay Rays righty Drew Rasmussen has been sharp in three of four starts, sporting a 2.75 ERA and 0.66 WHIP, while holding opposing hitters to a .141 average. The Twins are countering with Taj Bradley, and he’s posted a similarly solid line with a 1.63 ERA and limited opponents to a .276 wOBA. Scoring in the opening frame also hasn’t been a calling card for either club: Minnesota has plated a first-inning run in just 32% of its games — and the Rays are even lower at 29.2%.
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Braves moneyline
Price: 58¢ (-138) at Polymarket
The Atlanta Braves come in red hot, winning eight of nine, while the Philadelphia Phillies have dropped nine straight. Andrew Painter has been average and was rocked in his lone road start this season, plus pitch count issues are a major concern tonight: He’s struggled to work deep into games, which is a dangerous flaw against a Braves lineup that leads the league in scoring and OPS vs. righties over the last two weeks. That puts even more strain on a Phillies bullpen that’s already overworked after using five arms yesterday.
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 Cardinals knew who they wanted to draft. They just didn't know how to reach him.
Arizona was ready to select Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 3 as soon as it was on the clock. The Cardinals, however, had to wait to turn in the card since they couldn't get Love on the phone.
“If you want me to tell you the honest-to-God truth, we had the wrong phone number," Cardinals General Manager Monti Ossenfort said, via Saad Yousuf of TheAthletic.com. “The phone number that we were given was the wrong one. That was the little bit of the delay. We got that straightened out, and we called Jeremiyah and we got ahold of him. That’s what the delay was — technical difficulties. There [were] very minimal [trade] conversations. There was some surface-level, but nothing that came anywhere close to getting us to move off the pick.”
The NFL limited access to prospects' phone numbers after several players received prank calls last year. This year, the league gave the list of phone numbers to a single point of contact at the club in football operations, with that person charged with protecting the information.
It is unclear how the NFL corrected the error in time for the Cardinals to call Love before turning in the card.
Aug 31, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; NBC Sports Bay Area reporter Alex Pavlovic (right) interviews Miami Marlins assistant general manager and former San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler before the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Miami Marlins at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
It’s really hard to write a preview about the Miami Marlins after the San Francisco Giants took two out of three from the Dodgers. That series was the ultimate RETVRN to tradition in that the Giants overcame their longstanding Giantsness to actually dominate the Dodgers for 18 innings of the series. It’s a staggering embarrassment for the previously perfect if not impervious Dodgers, and it’s an early feather in the cap of Tony Vitello. But now he and these confident Giants now host the Marlins, and they have proven to be a thorn in the Giants’ side as long as they’ve existed.
The Giants haven’t won the season series since 2022, and last season, their three-game sweep in San Francisco prompted headlines on here like “Not good enough!” and “So many opportunities, so little made of them” and “Done in by friendly fire.” That series also saw the Marlins register 4 hit by pitches in the first two games of the series, prompting retaliation in the finale (Hayden Birdsong plunked Otto Lopez). Previously, there was the Marlins Death Fog, which I guess — given last year’s sheninghans — remains relevant here.
The Marlins built their modest 12-13 record atop a very soft schedule to open the season, hosting the Rockies and the White Sox (5-1). They’re just 2-7 on the road so far, too. But, they’ve got a middle of the pack lineup (102 wRC+) and middle of the pack pitching staff (+2.7 fWAR 3.59 xERA) on the season and only the lineup has really fell down over the last two weeks (96 wRC+).
In fact, their last two weeks is a good comparison point with the Giants, when most people would agree that the team has started playing better. The Marlins’ team batting average since April 9th is .253, 10th in MLB. Their team OBP has been .330 and they’re slugging .364. They have a 9.4 BB% and 21.5 K%. They’ve scored just 53 runs (24th in MLB). Meanwhile, the Giants have a superior team batting average (.254 — 9th in MLB) but among the dregs of the sport everywhere else: .287 OBP (28th, ahead of only the Phillies & Mets), .366 slugging (24th), 40 runs scored (29th, ahead of only the Mets). And their 4.1 BB% (30th) and 20.7 K% (20th) and .112 ISO (26th) show just how little they produce in a rate sense. Their .292 wOBA (28th) is a key factor in their 84 wRC+ (25th).
The Giants might be a better team on paper, but through the first month of the season, the Marlins have been better. Leading the way are three acquisitions over the past few years: shortstop Xavier Edwards was acquired by Marlins exec Peter Bendix after he left the Rays and is off to a great start (.869 OPS). Otto Lopez, whom the Giants discarded at the end of Spring Training 2024 and the Marlins then grabbed, has a 3:1 strikeouts to walk rate but an .877 OPS to start out (101 PA). And then there’s 2024 Rule 5 acquisition Liam Hicks, a left-handed designated hitter who had a sub-.700 OPS last season but is hitting .321/.368/.513 with 4 homers and 21 RBI to start this season (87 PA).
Their pitching staff remains a work in progress but with two anchors: former Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara, who appears to be rounding back into form just in time for this year’s trade deadline (2.80 ERA plus a shutout under his belt already); but also, 23 year old Eury Perez who received some Rookie of the Year votes back in 2023 after striking out 108 in 91.1 IP.
Anyway, this figures to be a pesky series, but one the Giants should be competitive in, unless that Dodgers series was a complete mirage. The Giants have had the fifth-best team ERA over the past two weeks (3.48) and they’re playing a team that struggles on the road. The Marlins do have a raft of pesky players they can deploy to annoy us this series — Connor Norby, Esteury Ruiz, Owen Caissie, Kyle Stowers (more on him in a moment) — but so do the Giants — Christian Koss, Jerar Encarnacion, Drew Gilbert — so, hopefully, this doesn’t look like Miami’s last visit to Oracle Park.
And just to make sure we’re all a little tense or annoyed, the General Manager of the Marlins working under Peter Bendix is Gabe Kapler and the Marlins DFA’d Austin Slater before they left Miami for San Francisco.
Series overview
Who: San Francisco Giants (11-14) vs. Miami Marlins (12-13) Where: Oracle Park | San Francisco, California When: Friday at 7:15pm PT, Saturday at 1:05pm PT, Sunday at 1:05pm PT National broadcasts: None.
Projected starters Friday: Sandy Alcantara (RHP 2-2, 3.06 ERA) vs. Adrian Houser (RHP 0-2, 5.40 ERA) Saturday: Eury Perez (RHP 2-1, 4.15 ERA) vs. Robbie Ray (LHP 2-3, 2.86 ERA) Sunday: Max Meyer (RHP 1-0, 3.96 ERA) vs. Landen Roupp (RHP 4-1, 2.28 ERA)
Players to watch
Marlins
Kyle Stowers: He was the Marlins’ best hitter last season (25 HR, .912 OPS in 457 PA) but missed the start of this season due to a hamstring strain. He’s 3-for-10 since being activated off the IL, helping the Marlins win two out of the three games in which he’s played. The former Oriole was acquired by the Marlins along with Connor Norby at the 2024 deadline for LHP Trevor Rogers, who is now the apparent #1 starter of Baltimore’s staff. He’s got 2 career homers at Oracle Park in 6 games (23 PA) to go with a .316/.435/.737 line.
Pete Fairbanks: The Marlins didn’t trade him last year and then declined his option after the season which left people scratching their heads as to what was going on with a perfectly serviceable closer (75 saves across the three prior seasons). The obvious answer had to be a health issue. The Marlins signed him to a 1-year $13 million deal and, so far, they’ve been treated to a 7.27 ERA (7 ER in 8.2 IP). But! But… he’s recorded 5 saves in 6 tries, and has just one blown save (a 6-5 loss in Atlanta). His ERA is excused by a 2.34 FIP but also — and most importantly — 3 of the 7 earned runs he’s been charged with came as an opener against the Yankees back on April 5th. So, is he the lights out closer they’re paying for? That’s what Giants fans will find out soon enough.
Owen Caissie: In the offseason, the Cubs traded their #3 prospect at the end of 2025 (per MLB Pipeline) in order to get their hands on starter Edward Cabrera, who’d previously given the Giants some problems (3-0, 1.91 ERA!). He got into 12 games last year with Chicago and this year the Marlins slotted him in as their starting right fielder, and why not? He had a triumphant WBC for Team Canada (7/17 1 HR, 5 RBI, 3 BB). But the results here in the 2026 regular season have been suboptimal: 2 homers, 14 RBI in 23 games (78 PA), sure, but 34 strikeouts to 3 walks. He’s also 5-for-his-last-37, too, with 1 walk and 21 strikeouts! It would be a real shame if this was the weekend he found his swing.
Giants
Rafael Devers: You know what? You don’t have to watch him. He’s been terrible. Unwatchable. Is he washed? Cooked? Finito? Maybe. It’s baseball, after all. Sometimes, players wake up one morning and they’re no longer able to play the game. Devers’ own brand of not being able to play the game is his ability to swing through pitches in the strike zone. On defense, he’s been physically able to stay around the bag but he’s hardly the sturdy defender needed there. In fairness, he’s 7-for-26 going back to the start of the Nats series (6 games), but a .269 average with just 2 extra base hits (doubles) and zero walks to go with 10 strikeouts is simply not the kind of production from Devers one might call “fine.” He’s slugging .320 on the season. He’s off to his worst start ever.
Erik Miller: Ryan Walker’s triumphant return of sorts to the closer role was certainly heartening to see, but in this series, Miami will be flashing some dangerous lefties and it’ll be up to the Giants’ most dangerous lefty to corral them.
Christian Koss: He last got into a game on April 12th. Play him or option him!
Tony Vitello watch
The Marlins have flummoxed many a Giants manager before. Will Vitello be different?
Our NBA player prop projections are locked in ahead of Game 3 between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers, with the model highlighting several high-value spots across the board.
By breaking down the data and comparing it to current market lines, we’ve pinpointed where the strongest edges appear.
If you’re building out your card, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Friday, April 24.
Celtics vs 76ers computer picks for Game 3
Celtics
76ers
Tatum o23.5 points -120
Maxey u27.5 points -112
Queta o7.5 rebounds -112
Drummond o8.5 rebounds +115
Brown o4.5 assists -120
George o2.5 threes -130
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Celtics Game 3 computer picks
Jayson Tatum Over 23.5 points (-120)
Projection: 24.63 points
When the Philadelphia 76ers are at home, opposing power forwards have thrived from deep, knocking down 45.6% of their threes, which is the second-best mark in the NBA.
That sets up a prime opportunity for Jayson Tatum to capitalize offensively and help the Boston Celtics grab a 2-1 series lead.
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Neemias Queta Over 7.5 rebounds (-112)
Projection: 9.18 rebounds
The Celtics have been one of the league’s best road rebounding teams this season, ranking sixth with 12.5 offensive boards per game, which sets up a favorable spot for Neemias Queta in a high-stakes Game 3.
Queta has also been productive on the glass, clearing his 7.5-rebound line in six of his last 10 contests.
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Jaylen Brown Over 4.5 assists (-120)
Projection: 4.72 assists
Jaylen Brown’s season average of 5.1 assists sits just above this line, and he’ll be tasked with blending playmaking and scoring as he looks to get teammates involved while fueling a bounce-back win for the C's.
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76ers Game 3 computer picks
Tyrese Maxey Under 27.5 points (-112)
Projection: 26.9 points
The Celtics play at the league’s slowest pace this season, which could limit overall possessions for the 76ers in this matchup and, in turn, make it tougher for Tyrese Maxey to consistently find a rhythm.
Maxey has also struggled to clear his 27.5-point line lately, finishing Under in seven of his last 10 games.
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Andre Drummond Over 8.5 rebounds (+115)
Projection: 9.8 rebounds
It should be a physical battle on the glass between Queta and Andre Drummond, with extra possessions proving crucial for the Sixers to stay within striking distance.
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Paul George Over 2.5 threes (-130)
Projection: 2.8 threes
When playing at home, the C's have allowed opposing starting power forwards to attempt 5.3 threes per game — fourth-most in the league — setting up a favorable matchup for Paul George from beyond the arc.
George has also cleared this line in six of his last 10 matches.
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How to watch Celtics vs 76ers Game 3
Location
Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Date
Friday, April 24, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
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Just three days ago, during Game 2 of his team’s first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers, Wembanyama suffered a concussion when he stumbled on a drive, leading to his face slamming into the court.
Wembanyama lay on the floor for a few moments and appeared to lose his balance as he tried to get up. Trainers rushed over to examine him, and Wembanyama eventually rose to his feet and jogged to the locker room. The injury happened in the second quarter, and the Spurs ruled him out for the second half.
Now, with Game 3 set to tip-off Friday, April 24 at 10:30 p.m. ET, all eyes are on San Antonio’s injury report.
Here’s everything you need to know about the status of Spurs star forward-center Victor Wembanyama.
Is Victor Wembanyama playing tonight vs. Trail Blazers?
As of Friday afternoon, it’s still unclear. The Spurs officially listed Wembanyama as questionable in the first injury report they issued Thursday night, and that designation has continued into Friday. But the center did take part in shooting drills during San Antonio's morning shootaround in Portland Friday, April 24, so there is hope for Spurs fans.
Yet, even if Wembanyama were to be cleared to return, reason dictates that San Antonio may be cautious with its franchise player. It doesn’t matter that the series is tied at one game apiece. Concussions are serious injuries and repetitive concussions can pose long-term risks, including the potential increase of neurodegenerative diseases like Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.
According to the Mayo Clinic, recovery time from a concussion varies from person-to-person, though “most symptoms resolve in a few days.” In certain cases, however, symptoms can persist for weeks, or even a month, so caution tends to be prudent.
At around tip-off, it will only be 72 hours since Wembanyama suffered the concussion.
Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday, April 26 in Portland.
In order for a player who was diagnosed with a concussion to return to the floor, the following requirements must be met:
The player is without concussion-related symptoms at rest.
The player has been evaluated by a physician trained in concussion management.
The player has successfully completed the league’s return-to-participation exertion process.
The player’s team physician has had a discuss about the player’s return-to-participation process with Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher, the director of the NBA’s concussion program. Only then, will the player’s team physician make the final determination on return to play.
Victor Wembanyama stats
In 64 games this season, Wembanyama averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.1 blocks per game.
Rick Tocchet has firsthand experience with the Penguins’ big names.
He was an assistant coach for Pittsburgh when it won back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017. He coached Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Bryan Rust, four players on the current Penguins team that’s staring down a 3-0 series deficit against the Flyers.
Tocchet isn’t expecting Pittsburgh to be an easy bunch to eliminate.
“They’ve been down before,” the Flyers’ head coach said Thursday. “It’s a group that you’re going to have to stick a fork in them. I’m sure they’re reading clippings of teams that have come back from 3-0. I’d be doing the same thing. It can happen.”
In the history of the NHL playoffs, it has happened four times. The most recent team to do it was the Kings in the 2014 first round. Before that, it was the Flyers in the 2010 second round.
Tocchet’s club has reeled off three wins by a combined score of 11-4 to take a stranglehold of this first-round matchup with the Penguins. The Flyers will have a chance to sweep the series Saturday when they host Game 4 (8 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
“We believe in our group, we’ve believed in our group all year long,” Sean Couturier said after the Flyers’ 5-2 win in Game 3. “A lot of people counted us out all year. We stuck to the way we want to play. It’s just the belief in that room, we play for one another. We’ve come out pretty strong, but the job’s not done. There’s still a lot of work to do.”
The last time the Flyers swept a playoff series was 1995, when they took out the Rangers in the second round.
The Flyers were off the ice Friday. On Thursday, Tocchet liked his team’s focus.
“Trust me, we had a good practice today, we had a good meeting today,” Tocchet said. “I don’t see a lot of guys celebrating, going down Broad Street for any reason. We’re not even close to that. We know we’ve got a huge game coming up Saturday.”
Despite his team shutting out Pittsburgh, 3-0, in Game 2, Tocchet felt the Flyers had to play without the puck a lot. Essentially, he wanted them to hold onto it more so they would play less defense.
He thought the Flyers had stronger possession in Game 3. The Penguins’ two goals were on the power play.
“I think analytically, you can see it did improve,” Tocchet said Friday. “I still think there’s improvement on that again. You have the puck to skate and try to find options. And the time when you don’t have time, you have to make a smart play. We were better at it, it’s something that we always talk about. We’ve got to stay out of the box, you can’t give that team five power plays. We want to play 5-on-5 hockey and see where the game goes.”
Flyers’ introduction and starters as playoff hockey returns to Philly for first time since 2018. pic.twitter.com/cpABa7UsMG
“I think, for the most part, we’ve done a good job discipline-wise and we’ve talked about that throughout this month,” Tocchet said. “I think the guys have done a nice job. Listen, I’m not a big scrum guy. That narrative that we’re trying to slow the game and all these scrums, I’m not sure I see it that way.
“You want to hold your ground, but for me, when it’s over, get out of there. The scrums and stuff like that, to me, there’s a time and place for it. But we have to control our emotions, want the puck to be dropped and play the game the right way.”
CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 26: Kevin Gausman #34 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches during the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Thursday, June 26, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Sean Finucane/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The AL Central Defending Champs vs. The AL Pennant Defending Champs. Here we go
The Guardians are 14-12, 18th in wRC+ at 98, 27th in baserunning runs above average at -2.4, 10th in Defense at -0.4, eighth in starting pitcher ERA at 3.45 (4.14 FIP), and 24th in bullpen ERA at 4.81 (3.22 FIP).
The Blue Jays are 10-14, 21st in wRC+ at 96, 28th in baserunning runs above average at -2.7, seventh in defense at 3.6, 17th in starting pitcher ERA at 4.12 (3.79 FIP), and 22nd in bullpen ERA at 4.87 (4.32 FIP).
Matchups:
Game One: Friday, 7:07 PM ET: Gavin Williams, RHP 2.12 ERA vs. Max Scherzer, RHP, 7.16 ERA
Game Two: Saturday, 3:07 PM ET: Joey Cantillo, LHP 3.20 ERA vs. Kevin Gausman, 2.54 ERA
Game Three: Sunday, 1:37 PM ET: Slade Cecconi, RHP 6.20 ERA vs. Dylan Cease, RHP 2.10 ERA
It’s the Kevin Gausman Can Kick Rocks Series, folks. After Gausman hit Jose intentionally in the arm/hand last July, Jose went through a three-week slump as he nursed his injury. Gausman must pay with a Guardians six-spot. So let it be written, so let it be done.
The Chicago Blackhawks finished in 31st place, but they had a great start to the season. The promising year fell apart in early December when Connor Bedard went down with an injury. He missed some time, and the Blackhawks floundered after that.
Despite missing a portion of the season, Bedard finished with 30 goals and 45 assists for 75 points in 69 games. That is a pace of 89 points and 35 goals over an 82-game schedule. He hit somewhat of a wall in the final ten games, which kept his numbers from being even more prolific.
Part of his development will be finding ways to be healthy for the entire season and not hitting that wall towards the end. The latter is less likely to happen if the team is good and competing for the postseason. Bedard must be one of the catalysts in that quest.
Despite having his first 30-goal and point-per-game season in the NHL, Bedard is far from satisfied. He had a great year, but he doesn't see it that way.
"There's ups and downs," Bedard said. "I don't think I was good enough. I think there is a lot of room for me to grow. I haven't scored in 10, and we kind of struggled in the last bit, so maybe [I'm] a little more negative in the moment. Once [I] break things down, there were positives for myself and the team. [I] want to get better."
Last summer, Bedard skipped going to the World Championships in order to stay home and work on his skating and skills with the puck. It was noticeable right away that he put the work in, and the results speak for themselves.
If he doesn't hurt his shoulder on a freak play in St. Louis, he probably has an even more productive season. At the time of his injury, he was a top-five NHL scorer.
Bedard believes that there is room for him to improve, which is a good thing. No elite players are ever satiated by their current results. They always want better. The organization has a responsibility to keep providing him with the necessary resources to continue the upward trend.
"I thought Connor had an excellent year, to be honest with you," said head coach Jeff Blashill. "If you look at when he got hurt, he was one of the very best players in the league. My biggest thing with Connor isn't about points. It's about what his mindset was. His mindset is 100% on playing winning hockey and building this thing into a winning team more than anything else. Once I realized that, I was really pleased with his approach on a daily basis."
Between Bedard's reputation coming into his NHL career as a "hockey-obsessed" player, the work he put in last summer, and his praise from the coach, it is clear that he will continue to work towards greater heights.
"Has he been perfect? No," Blashill said. "Is he learning like every elite scorer that comes into the league, and how to do things and play that type of winning hockey every shift? Yes. He's committed to it. As long as his mindset is in that place, which it is, he'll continue to skyrocket as a player".
Bedard is already a top-20 center in the National Hockey League, and he isn't even 21 years old yet. Before long, he will reach a level of play that has him in that next tier. He may never be satisfied until they win the Stanley Cup, but they have a long way to go. The work is being put in for him to be the type of player who can lead that kind of team.
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ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild (1-2) was back on the ice for practice on the eve of Game 4 against the Dallas Stars (2-1).
Mats Zuccarello has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury and was not on the ice on Friday for practice with the team. He did skate before Minnesota practiced.
Forward Yakov Trenin missed Game 3 with an upper-body injury as well and was not on the ice for practice on Friday.
Wild head coach John Hynes said after the practice that Zuccarello will be a game-time decision and Trenin will not play.
"That means he's questionable for tomorrow," Hynes said on Zuccarello skating on his own. "He's making good strides. Trenin will not be available tomorrow. Zuccy is going to be game time."
Trenin, 29, led the NHL in hits with 413 hits in his first-ever 82-game season. He also set the Wild franchise record for most hits in a single season.
The 6-foot-2 forward was the only Wild player to have played in 82 games. Trenin set a Wild franchise record for most hits in a single game with 13 in Game 1.
He has 1,359 career hits in 457 NHL games. In 28 career playoff games, Trenin has 115 hits. Including 50 hits in eight career playoff games with Minnesota.
Tough not to have him in the linup for sure.
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JUPITER, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Ronny Cruz #5 of the Washington Nationals throws to first base during the fourth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on March 19, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
When the Washington Nationals picked up Ronny Cruz as part of the return in the Michael Soroka deal, he was seen as a high upside lottery ticket. You could see the upside, but he was very raw and put up middling numbers in rookie ball. However, that upside is being realized and Cruz has had a meteoric rise in the prospect world.
Fangraphs just released their updated Nationals prospect rankings. There were not that many changes with the exception of Ronny Cruz. They ranked Cruz as the Nats number four prospect, ahead of guys like Devin Fitz-Gerald, Gavin Fien and Travis Sykora. The site also noted that Cruz was moving into their top 100 prospect list with the update.
Ronny Cruz comes in as the Nats 4th ranked prospect in this new update. Said he will be in the top 100 in their next update https://t.co/kI4clbbX8P
That last part was what really stood out to me. Before the season Cruz was not on anyone’s radar as a potential top 100 prospect. Heck, in July he was only half of a package that landed the Cubs half a season of Michael Soroka. In just 17 games, everything has changed for Ronny Cruz.
Now you could make the case that Cruz is the Nats second best teenage infield prospect, only behind number one overall pick Eli Willits. I actually think that Cruz has a higher ceiling, though he is not as polished of a prospect. For a guy with a wiry frame, Cruz generates an insane amount of power due to his elite bat speed.
Cruz’s bat speed, raw power and twitchy athleticism have led to some lofty comparisons. Geoff Pontes of Baseball America said Cruz looks a lot like Fernando Tatis Jr. did at the same point in their development. Obviously Cruz has a long way to go to become that kind of player, but it shows you what kind of athlete he is and what sort of upside he has.
The fact Cruz was traded early in his career makes the Tatis comparison a bit ironic. Like Cruz, Tatis was traded by a Chicago team for a middling pitcher very early in his development. With Tatis, it was the White Sox who traded him. Hopefully Cruz can haunt the northsiders in the same sort of way.
You have to credit Mike DeBartolo for identifying Cruz and trading for him in his stint as interim GM. The work he did at the draft and the deadline has been aging very well so far. However, it seems like Cruz is his biggest win. Getting a future top 100 prospect for a rental Michael Soroka is brilliant work. He is still in the organization, so hopefully he can help Paul Toboni find more gems like this.
If you want an indication of how much Cruz’s stock has risen since the start of the season, you just have to look at the prospect rankings. Baseball America, the same outlet comparing Cruz to Fernando Tatis, ranked him as the number 26 prospect in the Nationals system. MLB Pipeline had him in a similar range, ranking him 25th. Pipeline had the other piece of the Soroka trade, Christian Franklin ahead of Cruz.
Once they update their lists, I would imagine Cruz will move into a similar range as the one Fangraphs has him in. On a Baseball America podcast, they indicated that Cruz would be in their top 5 once they update the rankings.
While Cruz’s ascent has been about as steep as Mt. Everest, you could see some of this coming if you read the tea leaves. There was a lot of buzz surrounding Cruz during Spring Training. Paul Toboni himself name dropped Cruz a couple times. He said that Cruz was the prospect that impressed him the most this spring during an interview with Grant Paulsen.
My first real exposure to Cruz was when I went down to West Palm Beach for Spring Training. He actually appeared in one of the big league Spring Training games I went to and proceeded to hit a home run off of JP France, an Astros righty who has pitched in the big leagues.
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) March 8, 2026
I also saw him get a couple hits on the back fields as well. After seeing how good his swing looked and the kind of power he could produce, I was impressed. I made a point of including him when discussing the Nats more famous teenage infield prospects like Eli Willits, Coy James, Luke Dickerson and Gavin Fien.
However, he is shattering even my most optimistic expectations this spring. He started the season like a house on fire for the Fred Nats. Cruz hit .333 with 3 homers and a crazy 15 steals in 14 games. He posted an OPS of 1.087 and often looked like the best player on the field for a stacked Fred Nats team.
Despite never playing above rookie ball before this season, Paul Toboni decided to promote Cruz to High-A Wilmington after those 14 games. That decision made me even higher on Cruz because it showed just how much faith the organization has in him. The fact he was promoted before guys like Luke Dickerson and Yeremy Cabrera is telling. Those other two guys were also performing well and had much more Low-A experience, but it was Cruz who got the promotion.
When he got to Wilmington, I figured Cruz would slow down a little bit. If you looked at his underlying data, he was chasing a bit more than you would like and his contact rates were not amazing as well. That, combined with Wilmington being a very pitcher friendly environment led me to believe Cruz would take a few lumps before eventually figuring things out.
It has only been three games, but so far Cruz has disproven my theory. He has homered twice in three games and has taken to the new level like a duck to water. Cruz is 5/14 with an OPS of 1.186 as a 19 year old in High-A. It is absolutely bonkers to see what this kid is doing.
stay hot 🔥
ronny cruz with a three-hit night, including his second homer in just three games in high-a! pic.twitter.com/7oVXIew0tr
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) April 24, 2026
He has gone from a high upside flier to a top 100 prospect in the span of a few weeks. This guy has an incredible level of upside and ability. He has a natural feel for the barrel and does a great job hitting the ball at good angles. That allows him to tap into his impressive raw power. He is also a great athlete who could play all over the field if needed.
This season he has split time between shortstop, third base and second base. He has spent the most time at third, but could feasibly play at any of those spots. Cruz has good hands and actions on the dirt. That only makes his overall profile even more tantalizing.
Cruz is the real deal and is the Nats breakout prospect of 2026 so far. His plate discipline and hit tool are still a bit raw, but not to the point where it is truly problematic. We have seen so much development in this player already that you can project future growth as well.
I am curious to see what Cruz does as he sees better pitching. Will he eventually hit a wall as he sees better breaking balls or is this rocket ship only starting its ascent? Only time will tell, but Nationals fans have a new prospect to get excited about and his name is Ronny Cruz.
With the Bridgeport Islanders' season over, an era ends, with a new one beginning in Hamilton, Ontario.
Rocky Thompson, whom Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche hired ahead of this season, is expected to remain as head coach. Thompson led the team back to the Calder Cup Playoffs after back-to-back last-place finishes in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
We'll see about his assistant coaches, who, I'm sure, will get some attention from other teams, especially with the move up north.
Rosters from one season to the next are never the same. Here are the players under contract for at least 2026-27: those who finished the season with Bridgeport or are likely to be with Bridgeport next season.
RFA contracts must be tendered by 5 PM ET on June 30 or the Monday after the NHL Draft, whichever is later.
Unrestricted Free Agent:
A player whose contract has expired and who is completely free to sign with any team, with no restrictions and no compensation owed to their previous team.
Forward: Matthew Highmore, Matt Luff
Defensemen: Ethan Bear
Goaltender: Marcus Hogberg
Group Six Unrestricted Free Agent:
A player who is 25 or older, has played three or more professional seasons, and has played less than 80 NHL games.
Celtics
76ers
