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Five-time Gold Glove winner Jason Heyward announces retirement after 16-year MLB career

CHICAGO — Jason Heyward, who launched his 16-year major league career with the Atlanta Braves in 2010 and won a World Series title with the Chicago Cubs in 2016, announced his retirement on Friday.

Heyward played in 34 games with San Diego in 2025, hitting .176.

For his career, Heyward hit .255 with 186 home runs with six teams. He also played for St. Louis, Houston and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The outfielder won five Gold Gloves, including four straight seasons from 2014 through 2017.

Heyward, whose nickname is “J Hey,” played his first five seasons with the Braves and set career highs with 27 homers and 82 RBIs for Atlanta in 2012. He was drafted by the Braves in 2007 from Henry County High School in suburban Atlanta.

Heyward played for the Cubs for seven seasons, from 2016 through 2022. He said he plans to focus on his Jason Heyward Baseball Academy, a youth development program based in Chicago.

“I wanted to reach this moment and know without a doubt that it was time to walk away, and I do,” Heyward said in a statement. “No second-guessing, no looking back, just gratitude.”

Heyward said playing 16 years in the major leagues “gave me everything, and now I get to give some of that back. Through the Jason Heyward Baseball Academy, I get to mentor the next generation, keep my hands in the game, and make sure kids in my community have the opportunities and the space to dream the same way I did.”

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Mets LHP Bryan Hudson claimed off waivers by White Sox

The Mets lost lefty Bryan Hudson on Friday, as he was claimed off waivers by the White Sox. 

Hudson actually landed with New York in a deal with Chicago this offseason. 

He seemed like a strong early-season insurance policy as A.J. Minter continued working his way back from a lat injury, but ended up struggling mightily during Grapefruit League play. 

The southpaw allowed six runs on five hits and three walks over just 3.1 innings of work. 

New York ultimately decided to bring back Richard Lovelady to fill the final spot in their bullpen instead, and Hudson ended up being DFA'd ahead of Opening Day.

Now he lands back with the White Sox, where he'll look to carve out a role in their bullpen.  

The Mets' other two final roster cuts did, however, remain in the organization as catcher Ben Rortvedt and versatile infielder Vidal Bruján cleared waivers and were outrighted to Triple-A. 

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Takeaways: Interior Offense Leads the Way in Flyers Win Over Blackhawks

A win like Thursday’s can be read two ways.

At the surface level, it was straightforward: the Flyers beat a weaker team, scored five goals, and handled their business after a disappointing loss earlier in the week. In a playoff race, the ability to bank those points without overcomplicating the night is part of the job.

But the more useful reading is less about the score and more about the way the Flyers produced it. On the surface, it's a comfortable win over a rebuilding opponent. But it  was also a game that showed how Philadelphia wants to attack, and which parts of its current success are real enough to trust.

1. The Flyers Are Scoring in a Way That Should Travel

The biggest tactical difference in this game was where the offense came from. Against Columbus, the Flyers spent too much time chasing cleaner looks than the game offered. Against Chicago, they stopped waiting.

They attacked the middle of the ice earlier and put pucks to the net without overhandling them. They created offense from inside the dots instead of trying to work everything into the perfect passing lane. 

A team that relies on perimeter possession can look productive without being dangerous. A team that gets to the interior creates rebounds, scrambles, and second chances. That was the Flyers’ better version here.

Rick Tocchet’s comment about “playing interior” was the key phrase. It's not just coach-speak. It describes a measurable shift in how the Flyers are trying to win games. They are getting pucks on net quicker, occupying the crease more consistently, and forcing defenses to collapse instead of getting to sit and shape the play.

That is a real adjustment, and it is more meaningful than a simple five-goal result against a team at a different stage of its cycle.

2. Alex Bump’s Night Says More About Depth Than Fireworks

Alex Bump’s first multi-point game was perhaps the most encouraging individual development of the night, but not because it means he is suddenly going to singlehandedly drive a playoff push. It matters because of what it says about the Flyers’ options.

Bump has six points in 10 NHL games, which is a solid start for a young winger adjusting to a very different level of pace and decision-making. More important is how he is producing. He's not floating through shifts waiting for play to find him. He's active on retrievals, quick through touches, and willing to make the next play without trying to force the ideal one.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Alex Bump (20). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)
Philadelphia Flyers forward Alex Bump (20). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)

That is relevant in a bigger roster sense. The Flyers have been trying to build enough forward depth that they can absorb lineup churn and still generate offense without leaning too heavily on one line. Bump’s emergence helps in that regard, but it also clarifies something: the organization is beginning to find real NHL contributors in roles that do not require huge minutes to matter.

That is not nothing. Teams with playoff ambitions rarely get far without at least a few young players who can enter the lineup and not look out of place.

Bump looked like that on Thursday.

3. The Flyers Are Getting More From Their Middle

Christian Dvorak’s goal and assist showed not only his continued individual contributions to the offense, but also how the Flyers are getting more consistent production from the second and third layers of the lineup.

When teams get to March, the first line can still drive play, but it can't realistically carry every game. Philadelphia’s recent stretch has shown more contributions from players like Noah Cates, Dvorak, Luke Glendening, and Garnet Hathaway than it did earlier in the year. That creates something the Flyers did not always have: the ability to keep pressure on when the top players are off the ice.

Cates has become a particularly important part of that profile. His 16th goal tied his career high, but the more meaningful number is his 14 points since the Olympic break. That is not a small stretch; that is a middle-six player actually influencing the shape of games.

4. A Useful Test in Net-Front Control

The Blackhawks may not be a league benchmark, but that does not make this result any less important. If anything, lower-end opponents are often more revealing in one specific area: whether a team can impose its preferred style without forcing it.

The Flyers did that here by controlling the net-front battle. Tocchet’s note that the team had “good presentations” and that players were “always around the net” is backed up by the structure of the scoring itself. The Flyers did not depend on point shots and hope. They got inside and stayed there. That's a mature approach, and it's also one the Flyers had not always consistently embraced.

5. What This Win Does and Does Not Mean

This is the part that matters most.

A 5–1 win over Chicago doesn't tell you the Flyers have solved the season. It doesn't prove they are a finished playoff team. It doesn't erase the structural questions that still exist around their offensive consistency, their home-ice struggles, or the degree to which their recent success depends on playing a cleaner brand of hockey than they were earlier in the year.

What it does tell you is that the message is getting through.

The Flyers are no longer relying on hope or a single line to produce all of their offense. They're getting better at playing to the game in front of them instead of the game they wish they had. They're using their depth more effectively, and they're generating offense from more areas. And when they face a team they are supposed to beat, they are not making the night harder than it needs to be.

That sounds simple. In practice, it's not.

Teams in the Flyers’ position often win and still leave the game feeling unresolved, because the process doesn't match the result. This was different. The process and the scoreline lined up.

That is the useful takeaway—not simply that the Flyers blew out the Blackhawks.

It is that they looked like a team that understands what it needs to do to keep winning games like this. And at this point in the season, that is the kind of lesson that actually matters.

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Blake Butera is going to keep Washington Nationals fans on their toes this season

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 17: Washington Nationals Manager Blake Butera (L) puts on a Nationals jersey as he is introduced during a press conference at Nationals Park on November 17, 2025 in Washington, DC. Butera became the eighth manager in Nationals team history and the youngest manager in Major League Baseball since 1972. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images

When Nationals fans saw the lineup card yesterday, many of them scratched their heads. It was an unconventional alignment, with Andres Chaparro hitting second and CJ Abrams hitting sixth. Buckle up because this is not going to be the last time we see an odd looking lineup. Blake Butera is going to shuffle his lineup around based on the matchup a lot this season.

Tinkering with lineups and bullpen usage is going to be part of the Nats new philosophy this season. Honestly, Davey Martinez had started to tinker with his lineups more in the last couple years, but we will see it taken to an even more extreme degree this season. CJ Abrams was almost always the leadoff man and James Wood was usually right behind him. This year, we are not going to have as good of an idea as to what the lineup will look like.

That is both cool to see, but I am sure it will be frustrating at times. You want to play the matchups, but at the same time you do not want to out think the room. At the end of the day, you want your best hitters at the top of the lineup. However, who your best hitters are can vary depending on the matchup.

When I saw Andres Chaparro in the two hole, I was a bit bemused at first. Sure, he hits lefties well, but that was not who I would have expected to hit second. If you gave me five chances to guess who was hitting second, Chaparro would not have been in my top five. However, Butera put him there and the move worked, with Chappy collecting two hits.

This has been the case the last few seasons, but more than ever, the Nats lineup will look very different depending on whether the pitcher is righty or lefty. The Nats platooned plenty under Davey, but usually guys like Wood and Abrams stayed at the top of the lineup. Honestly, I cannot remember the last time CJ Abrams hit lower than 4th in a lineup.

Abrams is not even a total liability against lefties, Butera just thought guys like Chaparro and Joey Wiemer matched up better against Matthew Boyd. I am curious to see what the lineup looks like tomorrow against a right handed pitcher. Presumably Chaparro and Wiemer will be out of the lineup, but what will the alignment look like?

Luis Garcia Jr. is likely to be the first baseman and hit pretty high in the lineup. However, I have no clue who will DH assuming the outfield is Daylen Lile, Jacob Young and James Wood. My best guess would be one of Jose Tena or Jorbit Vivas, but neither screams DH to me. It will also be interesting to see if the switch hitting Nasim Nunez stays in the lineup. He always provides value with his feet and glove, but he is a better hitter as a righty. 

There will also be more that goes into consideration besides platoon splits though. I am sure the Nats are plugging in all sorts of numbers and seeing which combination is the best. This numbers based system will lead to plenty of surprises as we head through the season.

Lineups are not the only thing that will be different though. We saw yesterday that Blake Butera had a quick hook with Cade Cavalli. Butera asked the bullpen to get 16 outs and they rose to the occasion yesterday.

One thing I think we will see a lot more of is Butera weaponizing multi-inning relief arms. Both Brad Lord and Ken Waldichuk are well equipped to go multiple innings. Butera is going to want at least one of those guys available most of the time. 

We saw Lord get the Nats 7 outs yesterday and that was huge. The Nats are going to lean more on their bullpen this year and that is good because I think this unit will be better than expected. 

Another unknown after yesterday is who the Nats closer is and if they will have one at all. If I had to guess, I would have predicted that Clayton Beeter would be the Nats closer. However, Butera used him in the 8th inning of a 4 run game. Cionel Perez was in for the 9th, but at that point the Nats had blown the game open.

Like with the lineup, the Nats are going to mix and match with their high leverage arms. The Nats are going to have a few guys who are designated as high leverage arms, but I do not think any one of them will be “the closer”. 

Some nights it will be Beeter, some days it will be Cionel Perez and other times it could be Cole Henry. As the season goes along, other names could establish themselves as high leverage arms as well. The Nats are going to be a very different baseball team this year and it is refreshing.

Blake Butera is going to follow a script for most games, but that script can change radically from game to game. Yesterday, his unorthodox moves paid off and he looked like a genius. However, there will be nights where these big brained moves back fire. That is just baseball. Hopefully, Butera’s big moves pay dividends more often than not.

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Pete Crow-Armstrong is exactly who the Cubs need as the face of the franchise

The Cubs officially announced the long-term signing of Pete Crow-Armstrong by press release late Thursday. As is the team’s custom, they did not announce the terms, though it has been reported as a six-year, $115 million deal with no opt-outs that will begin next year.

That binds PCA to the Cubs through 2032. Late Thursday, news broke of the extension of Nico Hoerner on a similar six-year deal, though we do not know the terms yet. Presuming Nico’s deal also begins in 2027, both these players will be with the team through 2032.

Given that and the long-term deals for Dansby Swanson (through 2029), Alex Bregman (through 2030) and Michael Busch not being eligible for free agency until after 2029, that makes a five-player core for this team for at least four more seasons (including 2026).

That’s a pretty good core that Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer has built, I’d think.

PCA met the media Friday afternoon for the first time since the signing was announced. Before I tell you about that, though, I would commend you to read three articles:

In the Players Tribune article in particular, you can see how PCA is just really an overgrown big kid, having fun playing baseball. I love that attitude and it’s one of the biggest reasons PCA is so popular among Cubs fans. That is certainly one of the reasons the team wanted him locked up long-term, as it’s always good for a contending team to have a “face of the franchise.” For the World Series era Cubs, it was Anthony Rizzo — you could see that in the reaction he received when he threw out a ceremonial pitch on Opening Day. PCA’s the same kind of charismatic individual who will be great in that role.

Now, here are a few highlights of PCA’s presser Friday afternoon.

First, PCA being PCA — wearing a fancy tuxedo-style jacket. I would have expected nothing less. The presser began with Hoyer noting how great PCA is with kids, thanked his parents and assistant general manager Jared Banner, who was with the Mets when they drafted PCA. Hoyer said Banner pushed hard at the 2021 deadline to make the deal. Jed also thanked PCA for being the kind of person he is.

For PCA, he thanked both his parents, especially for “all the hours they put in” and said he’s hoping to move them to Chicago full-time now that he’s signed long-term. He also thanked the Ricketts family and is proud to represent the entire organization, saying he’s loved all the time he’s spent in Chicago.

To Banner, PCA said he was “glad he didn’t hold it against me for showing up late the first day of Mets camp” and said that began an excellent relationship with him.

Hoyer said, “This was a player we anted to make a commitment to. Five years wasn’t enough, from a playing standpoint and a brand standpoint, Pete is a very easy person to invest in.” I do think that was a key part of this, knowing that PCA is the kind of person and player who’s perfect to be that “face of the franchise.” Hoyer made a point of noting that PCA’s jersey is among the top 10 sellers in all of baseball, and PCA himself noted that he saw some of that support outside Chicago last year in Tokyo. But he also added, “I’m most excited about being in Chicago for the next six-plus years, very lucky to be in an amazing city and around the people here.”

He added, “This is one of the most unique baseball cities in the world, I would argue that it’s the best. It was the coolest thing for me to learn about Cubs fans and the attention they pay. They’re not quick to turn things negative. It really helps us as players to play in front of people who want to win, but are also just happy to be at the ballpark and watch baseball.”

PCA was asked about something I noted earlier in this article, about his interaction with young fans. He said, “If I treat them well, they will associate those kinds of memories when they think about baseball. Young fans will continue the game, so it’s good to look out for the greater good of baseball. But just treating people with kindness is the most important thing.” This is a 24-year-old (indeed, he just turned 24 two days ago) who really has some keen insights about people in general.

Asked about manager Craig Counsell, PCA said his presence is “big” but “mild-mannered.” He called Counsell very thoughtful and that he cares about players as people and njoys playing for him every day.

Lastly, I was amused when PCA said, “This (referring to the presser) is more nervewracking than standing in center field.”

Fortunately, we all know he’s got the confidence to play amazing defense in center field. Hopefully, his 2026 season — and the six after that — will be, at the plate for PCA, more like last year’s first half.

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Y’all like spending money on the rotation

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 26: Cristopher Sánchez #61 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches in the first inning on Opening Day against the Texas Rangers at Citizens Bank Park on March 26, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Cristopher Sanchez was phenomenal during Thursday’s season opener against Texas. Seeing him put up six innings of shutout baseball is more and more becoming the normal expectation for a start of his, a mark of not only an exceptional player development success, but also the work put in by Sanchez to get to that point.

The Phillies have seen this work and rewarded it, giving him an extra two years on his original deal due to his excellence the past year and a half. It continues a trend of theirs to obtain, develop and extend starting pitchers in their organization. Sanchez, Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Jesus Luzardo – all show that the team is fearless when it comes to giving starting pitchers what they as a team believe to be something important to their organization. Yet the question I asked was if it was a wise use of resources, the allocation of a significant amount of their payroll resources to the starting rotation. The results?

That’s a resounding affirmation from the fanbase that what they are doing is a good decision. While putting that much money (~$101 million) into the starting rotation would scare off a lot of teams, the Phillies have made it a pillar of their team building and it has helped them get to the postseason the past four years. We can also thank whatever training and rest/recovery regimen they have, but the pitchers are the ones that are doing the work.

This article brought to you by FanDuel.

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Braves series preview: Let’s get it started

ATLANTA, GA - MAY 04: Alex Verdugo #8, Michael Harris II #23, and Eli White #36 of the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Braves mascot Blooper react after beating the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Sunday, May 4, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Last year the Braves suffered their first losing season since 2017, dropping 86 games amid a myriad of injuries. New manager Walt Weiss is hoping for better health this year, but the team is already missing catcher Sean Murphy, infielder Ha-Seong Kim, and pitchers Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Joe Jiménez to begin the season. Still, PECOTA projects them for 89 wins, and they still feature a team with some big boppers and solid arms.

Kansas City Royals (0-0) vs. Atlanta Braves (0-0)

Royals*: 4.02 runs scored/game (26th in MLB), 3.93 runs allowed/game (4th)

Braves: 4.47 runs scored/game (13th), 4.53 runs allowed/game (20th)

*-All numbers from 2025

The Braves offense was in the middle of the pack last year in runs scored, although they fared better in the second half of the season. Ronald Acuña Jr. and Austin Riley each missed significant time with injury last year, but are capable of providing All-Star numbers. Matt Olson was 11th among National League hitters in fWAR, and tied for 13th in the league with 29 home runs. Michael Harris II became the 12th player in Braves history to put up a 20/20 season.

The team added former Royals outfielder Mike Yastrzemski, who hit very well down the stretch in Kansas City last season. He will have to make up for the loss of Marcell Ozuna, who left for the Pirates, and Jurickson Profar, who will serve a year-long suspension for PEDs. Slick-fielding Mauricio Dubón takes over at shortstop, and the team filled out the roster with non-roster invitees Dominic Smith and Kyle Farmer.

*-All numbers from 2025

The Braves pitching staff has been hit hard with injuries over the last year, but 2024 Cy Young winner Chris Sale is healthy enough to get the Opening Day start. The 36-year-old has a 13-10 record against the Royals in his career with a 2.66 ERA in 189.2 innings.

Reynaldo López missed most of last year after a shoulder injury that required surgery, and there is concern he may not be right after some low velocity numbers in spring training. He had a 1.99 ERA in his first year with the Braves in 2024, earning an All-Star nod.

Grant Holmes is recovering from a partially torn UCL and a flexor strain that ended his season prematurely last season. He throws his slider 35 percent of the time, and opponents hit just .183 against it last year.

*-All numbers from 2025

Robert Suarez led the National League with 40 saves in San Diego last year. He will set up Braves closer Raisel Iglesias this year, giving them one of the best 1-2 bullpen combos in baseball. The Braves bullpen had a 4.19 ERA last year, but was awful down the stretch as injuries piled up. This year’s pen gets thin quickly, with former Royals reliever Joel Payamps winning a spot, along with rookie Didier Fuentes.

*-All numbers from 2025

This will be just the sixth visit to Atlanta for the Royals, but they took two of three against the Braves last year in Kansas City. The Braves are a good team, but injuries have exposed them a bit. The Royals have a chance to get the season off to a good start if they can get the bats going early.

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Tigers vs Padres Prediction, Odds & Home Run Pick for Today's MLB Game

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The Detroit Tigers will try to make it two in a row as Framber Valdez takes the mound for them against the San Diego Padres tonight.

Detroit looks to have a major pitching advantage in this one, which is why I’m taking it to win outright in my Tigers vs. Padres predictions.

Keep reading for my full MLB picks for Friday, March 27.

Tigers vs Padres predictions

Tigers vs Padres best bet: Tigers moneyline (+110)

Framber Valdez will make his Detroit Tigers debut tonight, and Detroit is expecting him to deliver the same performances he put together in Houston for the past few years.

Valdez has been one of the game’s best ground-ball pitchers, getting batters to hit it on the ground 61.5% of the time in his career.

The San Diego Padres will counter with Michael King, and should be concerned with his recent struggles. King threw to a 10.19 ERA and 1.868 WHIP this spring.

Unless he turns things around instantly, the Tigers should jump on King and win tonight.

Covers COVERS INTEL: The Padres struggled against left-handed pitching in 2025, hitting just .244 with a .690 OPS against southpaws for the season.

Tigers vs Padres same-game parlay (SGP)

I’m backing the Tigers to win, and I’m pairing that with a couple player props to form a same-game parlay for tonight.

First, let’s take Valdez to hit the Over on his strikeout total. Valdez is averaging 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings, and hit the 5+ strikeout mark in 20 of his 31 starts last year.

I’ll also take Riley Greene to pick up his first hit of the year after taking an 0-for-4 in the season opener. Greene was one of Detroit's most important hitters in 2025, producing 36 homers and 111 RBI. 

Tigers vs Padres SGP

  • Tigers moneyline
  • Framber Valdez Over 4.5 strikeouts
  • Riley Greene to record a hit

Tigers vs Padres home run pick: Spencer Torkelson (+450)

These are generous odds on Spencer Torkelson to get off the mark with his first home run on Friday.

The Tigers 1B matched his career-high with 31 homers in 2025, and all signs are that his power was still there in spring training. 

The longball played a big part in King’s struggles in the preseason, where he allowed nine homers in 17 2/3 innings of work. If that’s not entirely worked out as we move into the first weeks of the season, it makes King a great target for HR props.

2026 Transparency record
  • Best bets: 1-1, -0.28 units
  • SGPs: 0-2, -2.00 units
  • HR picks: 0-2, -2.00 units

Tigers vs Padres odds

  • Moneyline: Detroit +110 | San Diego -130
  • Run line: Detroit +1.5 | San Diego -1.5
  • Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5

Tigers vs Padres trend

The Padres were 4-7 straight up in King’s last 11 starts of the 2025 season. Find more MLB betting trends for Tigers vs. Padres.

How to watch Tigers vs Padres and game info

LocationPetco Park, San Diego, CA
DateFriday, March 27, 2026
First pitch9:40 p.m. ET
TVDSN, SDPA
Tigers starting pitcherFramber Valdez
(2025: 13-11, 3.66 ERA)
Padres starting pitcherMichael King
(2025: 5-3, 3.44 ERA)

Tigers vs Padres latest injuries

Tigers vs Padres weather

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

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Karim Lopez declares for NBA Draft, on track to be first Mexico-born player taken in first round

In what is projected as one of the deepest and best draft classes in a long time, one of the best stories may come in the middle of the first round.

Karim Lopez — projected to be the first Mexican-born player ever taken in the first round — has declared for the NBA draft, reports Jeremy Woo and Shams Charania of ESPN.

"It's been my dream and my goal my whole life to play in the NBA," Lopez told ESPN. "Honestly, since I can remember. I was probably like 5 years old, making drawings of myself playing in the NBA. ... It's pretty special, you know, to be in this position right now."

Lopez, a 19-year-old 6'8" wing, is projected to go in the late lottery or just after and is the highest-ranked international player on most boards. He played the past two seasons for the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian NBL (through its Next Stars program) and averaged 11.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game this season. The Breakers used him primarily as a guy with the ball in his hands because he was such a mismatch, according to scouts, and his playmaking and skills have grown in the past year.

There have been players in the NBA of Mexican heritage, with the current example being Miami's Jamie Jaquez Jr. Previously, we had seen Juan Toscano-Anderson, the only player of Mexican heritage with an NBA championship ring. There have also been players born in Mexico in the league, such as Eduardo Nájera.

Lopez is expected to take part in the NBA draft combine, May 10-17, in Chicago.

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Pelicans vs Raptors Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NBA Game

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The Toronto Raptors will be out for some revenge after being humiliated by Dejounte Murray and the New Orleans Pelicans when they last met earlier this month.

Murray and the Pels literally flexed over the Raps in a 122-111 win as 2-point home dogs. But this time, the Raps are at home and favored by nearly double-digits.

Can Toronto exact some revenge, or is this number too big? My Pelicans vs. Raptors predictions and NBA picks break it all down for this matchup set to tip off at 8:30 pm ET at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, on Friday, March 27.

Pelicans vs Raptors prediction

Pelicans vs Raptors best bet: Jakob Poeltl Over 10.5 points (-120)

The New Orleans Pelicans are not your typical NBA team destined to miss the playoffs. Now that Dejounte Murray is back, this team can compete most nights and rank a respectable 14th in net rating since the All-Star break.

The Toronto Raptors know that well, after watching Murray put up 27 points in that March 11 upset.

Luckily, Murray is sitting this one out for load management reasons. Plus, there are still some other areas where the Pelicans are vulnerable, particularly on the inside, where they have little depth behind Zion Williamson and rookie Derik Queen.

New Orleans enters this matchup ranked 24th in both opponent points in the paint per game and points allowed to opposing centers per game.

Enter Jakob Poeltl. Like Murray for the Pels, Poeltl’s turn has given the Raptors an added dimension on both ends of the floor. Specifically, on offense, the Raptors' big man is averaging 12.7 points per game over his last 12 games with a .688 effective field goal percentage. 

Poeltl is still getting a modest point total prop, sitting at 10.5 points. He’s topped that number six times in the last 12 games. Not only that, he’s had at least 15 points in all the games where he went over this number. So, looking at his alt point totals at plus money isn’t a bad idea either.

But for our best bet purposes, let’s stick with the Over 10.5.

Pelicans vs Raptors same-game parlay

The Raptors' backup “big man” is also back in Collin Murray-Boyles. CMB plays a Draymond Green-esque role for the Raptors, and they are glad to have him back. 

He’s put up nine and 10 points in his first two games back from a thumb injury and, like Poeltl, should have plenty of room to work inside in this matchup.

The lack of an interior presence also hurts the Pels on the boards, where they rank 19th in rebounding rate and 25th in opponent rebounds per game. 

So, let’s add Scottie Barnes Over 6.5 rebounds to this SGP, a number he’s topped in five of his last six games.

Pelicans vs Raptors SGP

  • Jakob Poeltl Over 10.5 points
  • Collin Murray Boyles Over 7.5 points
  • Scottie Barnes Over 6.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: Double dino trouble

Let's go a little crazy and back both Poeltl and Scottie Barnes to record a double-double.

Pelicans vs Raptors SGP

  • Jakob Poeltl double-double
  • Scottie Barnes double-double

Pelicans vs Raptors odds

  • Spread: Pelicans +9.5 | Raptors -9.5
  • Moneyline: Pelicans +300 | Raptors -380
  • Over/Under: Over 228 | Under 228

Pelicans vs Raptors betting trend to know

The Raptors have hit the Game Total Under in 31 of their last 50 games for +10.10 Units and a 18% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Pelicans vs. Raptors.

How to watch Pelicans vs Raptors

LocationScotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
DateFriday, March 27, 2026
Tip-off8:30 p.m. ET
TVGulf Coast Sports, Sportsnet

Pelicans vs Raptors latest injuries

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Chase DeLauter’s family made sure phenom’s first homer counted before going wild

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Cleveland Guardians' Chase DeLauter jogs the bases after hitting a solo home run against Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Seattle. , Image 2 shows Cleveland outfielder Chase DeLauter's family was there to see him hit two home runs in his regular-season debut in the Guardians’ 6-4 win over the Mariners in Thursday's Opening Day matchup at T-Mobile Park on March 27, 2026.
Cleveland outfielder Chase DeLauter shined in his regular-season debut in the Guardians' 6-4 win over the Mariners in Thursday's Opening Day matchup at T-Mobile Park.

Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter shined in his regular-season debut in Cleveland’s 6-4 win over the Mariners in Thursday’s Opening Day matchup at T-Mobile Park.

His family and his girlfriend, Isabella Fitzwater, couldn’t contain their excitement when DeLauter hit his first career home run in the top of the first inning to give Cleveland an early 1-0 lead.

But before they could celebrate, they had to make sure the hit was legit.

The broadcast focused on DeLauter’s family standing and waiting for the umpire to signal his finger in the air and circle it — and when he did, they began cheering, as seen in an X video by MLB.

The 24-year-old DeLauter went 3-for-5 with two home runs to become the first player in Cleveland franchise history to hit multiple home runs in his regular-season debut.

Cleveland outfielder Chase DeLauter’s family was there to see him hit two home runs in his regular-season debut in the Guardians’ 6-4 win over the Mariners at T-Mobile Park on March 27, 2026. X/MLB

The broadcast showed his family again cheering during his second homer to right field at the top of the ninth inning, which gave the Guardians a 6-4 lead over Seattle.

DeLauter became the seventh player in MLB history to hit two homers in his first regular-season game, and the first since Trevor Story in 2016, per the Elias Sports Bureau.

His girlfriend praised him in an Instagram Story post.

“AN OPENING DAY HOMERUN!!!!!” Fitzwater wrote, including a few teary-eyed emojis and a photo of him blasted on the scoreboard. “@chasedelauter you never fail to amaze me.”

After his second homer, she wrote, “ARE WE SERIOUS @chasedelauter the most deserving I love you.”

DeLauter’s dad, his stepdad, mom, brother, best friend and his best friend’s mom were all in attendance, according to MLB.com.

Cleveland Guardians’ Chase DeLauter jogs the bases after hitting a solo home run against Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Seattle. AP

He shared that his dad flew to Seattle from back home in West Virginia and had not flown in a while.

“It’s unbelievable,” his dad, Jason, said. “I know the debut in the playoffs, he was super excited about that. We were blindsided by it, to be able to get called up like that. He’s just worked. He’s continued to work. None of this was guaranteed.”

The Guardians and Mariners face off again Friday night at T-Mobile Park.

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Opening Day is here as Chris Sale takes the mound for the Braves against the Royals

FORT MYERS, FL - MARCH 21: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Izzy Rincon/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Opening Day for the Atlanta Braves is finally here and they will actually be playing a home game. The last time they had a home game to open the season was back in 2022 against the Cincinnati Reds where Max Fried gave up five earned runs, resulting in a loss.

Today they will be taking on the Kansas City Royals and their ace Cole Ragans. Ragans had a hard year last season with a groin injury and a rotator cuff injury which shortened his season to only thirteen starts. In 61.2 innings he struggled to a 4.67 ERA, but had a solid WHIP of 1.18.

Ragans is good example where a small sample size hurt his ERA. According to Statcast he had an expected ERA (xERA) of 2.67, which would be in the best 4.0 of MLB. He also struck out 38.1 percent of the hitters he faced, which is good for top 3.0 percent of all qualified pitchers. Hitters only had an expected batting average of .187. Needless to say, he showed many signs of his ERA dropping over time, even in an injury riddled season. The Braves may have their hands full trying to squeak out runs today, which is why it is odd that as of right now Jonah Heim is slotted to start.

Kyle Farmer is second on the ream with eleven at-bats against Ragans and has struggled to an OPS of .606, albeit with a .273 average. This may be why Heim is in the lineup and Farmer is not.  Mauricio Dubón leads the team with twelve at-bats and has been successful against Ragans with a .333 average and .916 OPS. He could be the key to winning this game.

Of all the other players that will start, no one has more than two at-bats. Austin Riley hit a two-run HR in his only at-bat against Ragans and Michael Harris had a double in one of his two at-bats. Everyone one else is hitless. Ragans’ lone appearance against the Braves was in 2023 as a member of the Rangers where he came in as a long reliever to pitch 3.0 innings and surrendered four ER.

Chris Sale will be getting the ball as the Opening Day starter for the Braves yet again this season. This is seventh time in his career to get that honor.  Three with the White Sox, two with the Red Sox, and two with the Braves.

Of the players that Sale will likely face today, no one comes close to the number of at-bats that Salvador Perez has against him. Perez has faced him an astonishing sixty-eight times. No one else on the Royals has faced him more than seven. In those sixty-eight at-bats Perez has one HR with a .265 average and .628 OPS. Lane Thomas and Starling Marte have each faced Sale seven times and have an OPS of .679 and .572 respectively.

With the Braves’ rotation being as depleted as it is, every Chris Sale start will have even more importance. Today is only the first game of many this season, but it would be encouraging to get a Chris Sale dominated start and prevent on the first day this season what happened last season when the Braves got swept to start the season.

The first pitch is at 7:15 EDT at Truist Park.

Game Notes

Time: Friday, March 27 at 7:15 p.m. EDT

Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, Ga

TV: BravesVission, Gray TV

Streaming: MLB.TV audio

Radio: 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan

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Yankees Mailbag: Streaming headaches and bullpen musings

TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 25: Major League Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. looks on during warm ups prior to Game Two of the 2025 World Series presented by Capital One between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Saturday, October 25, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Michael Chisholm/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Good afternoon everyone, it’s time to dive back into the mailbag and answer some of your questions. Remember to send in your questions for our weekly call by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.

ReadingYankee asks:I can’t possibly be expected to keep so many streaming services for the sake of watching a handful of baseball games in a season. Will all of this streaming of baseball games have a point where it stops expanding? Or, perhaps a better question is will we ever go back to a one-stop service where an out-of-market family can watch ALL the games in a season?

Everyone is looking ahead to the 2027 season and the labor dispute that’s sure to boil over into a lockout, and with good reason, but the media rights landscape that MLB is navigating may just be the second-biggest issue facing the sport right now. The league is pushing streaming heavily these past couple of years, securing deals with Apple, Amazon Prime, and now Netflix among the biggest names to get a foothold on covering regular season games. They’re hardly the only league to be doing so, but MLB faces the dual issue of being a more regional broadcast sport compared to the others in the North American big four, and those regional networks are struggling right now. Turnover from bankruptcy has seen the likes of Bally Sports and the FanDuel Network already come and go in a lot of places, leaving many franchises in a bit of a bind with their day-to-day broadcasts.

The Yankees haven’t felt this side of the issue as much, thanks to the success of the YES Network freeing them up to be one of the few flagship stations that’s thriving. However, that success then gets cut into by the league forcing a foothold for streaming, because any media rights deal is going to demand to see a premier franchise like the Yankees on their site. This leads to a massive headache for the fans, and at the same time isn’t even pulling many new eyes towards the league — but it is bringing in a wave of revenue. I don’t know how they can remedy these issues, but one thing is for sure: the league isn’t slowing down on this front anytime soon, unfortunately.

Russo Radio asks: Why are we holding onto Blackburn as a sure ‘pen member? What am I missing? It looks to me like he gave up basically five runs a game for years and still does the same now!

The simple answer is that bullpen depth is bullpen depth, and the team sees enough in Paul Blackburn to give him some room to throw in the bottom of the ‘pen — at least to start the year out. He’s only been with the team since the back-half of last year, but his numbers largely showed improvement since coming over from the Mets: his strikeout rate spiked from 16.4 percent to 24.6 percent, his walk rate dipped a bit to 6.2 percent, and while his ERA remained high at an unsightly 5.28 his FIP was a much more manageable 4.39, while his expected rates were significantly lower than that mark at 2.92 and 3.54 respectively. That’s enough to showcase room for tinkering with Matt Blake and company, so while the early reserves of the pitching staff are being used to support the starting rotation with three regular members still out, Blackburn can stick around and work with the mop up role. There’s the potential that he earns his way into some middle leverage, but at worst-case the Yankees move on once pitchers start to return and push the fringe starters back into the bullpen.

treatycity asks:This applies to Winquest. Drafted as Rule 5 player the Yanks must keep him on their MLB roster the entire season, so he’s on their 40-man. Let’s just say that he stays on their 40-man the entire season, would he have three options available starting next season, if they need/want to use them?

To clarify, it’s not enough for Cade Winquest to sit on the 40-man roster all year — he has to stay on the active 26-man roster, barring IL stints, all season in order for the Rule 5 restrictions to be lifted. Should he accomplish that, and log more than 90 days on the active roster in the case of a long-term IL trip, then he’ll be freed up to the larger 40-man roster and regain the options in his rookie contract starting next year.

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NBA Picks: Our Boosted NBA Moneyline Parlay Bet for March 27

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Finding the right value on a Friday night slate is all about identifying trends and mismatches before the market catches up. For this March 27 lineup, I’ve put together a four-leg moneyline parlay that balances momentum with favorable matchups.

My NBA picks focus on some Western teams facing full-blown tankers, along with two of the titans in the Eastern Conference.

Best of all: This parlay has been BOOSTED by our friends at bet365.

NBA moneyline parlay for March 27

img src="https://img.covers.com/betting/sportsbooks/2/bet365.svg" alt="bet365 Logo" loading="lazy" width="194" height="62"

Clippers Clippers

Celtics Celtics

Cavaliers Cavaliers

Rockets Rockets

s+219/s strong+260 /strongat bet365

Clippers Los Angeles Clippers vs Pacers Indiana Pacers

  • Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
  • Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse
  • TV: NBA League Pass, FDSN SC, FDSN IN
  • Pick: Clippers (-380)

Los Angeles is listed as an 8.5-point favorite, but I see clear value on that number — I make it closer to -11.5. The matchup strongly favors the Clippers, starting with their five-out offense and elite floor spacing.

With John Collins and Brook Lopez stretching the floor, Indiana’s defensive structure gets pulled apart. That’s especially problematic for Jay Huff, who’s forced to defend on the perimeter, leaving the paint unprotected and exposing the Pacers at the rim. Once the lane opens up, it creates easy opportunities for players like Darius Garland and Kawhi Leonard to attack off the dribble and score efficiently in isolation.

The market seems to be overreacting to the win against the Magic — and the Pacers' backdoor cover against the Lakers — giving Indy more respect than it deserves in this spot.

Hawks Atlanta Hawks vs Celtics Boston Celtics

  • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Location: TD Garden
  • TV: NBA League Pass, FDSN SE-ATL, NBCSB
  • Pick: Celtics (-205)

I don’t care how hot the Atlanta Hawks are — the Boston Celtics are the best team in the Eastern Conference, and they’ll prove it again tonight.

The edge in this game is largely determined by the injury report, with Neemias Queta still listed as questionable. Jaylen Brown has been ruled out, but with Derrick White available, I'm still backing the Celtics.

Heat Miami Heat vs Cavaliers Cleveland Cavaliers

  • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Location: Rocket Arena
  • TV: NBA TV, FDSN SU, FDSN OH
  • Pick: Cavaliers (-220)

The Cavaliers represent the smallest edge among the teams in the parlay, as I have them priced as 6.5-point favorites while they’re currently listed at -5.5.

Cleveland was blown out by the Miami Heat in its most recent game, but that was a tough scheduling spot — the second night of a back-to-back, with the first game being a competitive matchup against Orlando.

With Jarrett Allen expected to return, I like the Cavaliers in the rematch.

Rockets Houston Rockets vs Grizzlies Memphis Grizzlies

  • Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
  • Location: FedExForum
  • TV: NBA League Pass, SCHN, FDSN SE-MEM
  • Pick: Rockets (-900)

This matchup heavily favors Houston, starting with Alperen Sengun against Olivier-Maxence Prosper at center. At 6-foot-11 vs. 6-foot-8, it’s a clear size and strength advantage, and the Rockets should look to establish Sengun early and often inside.

Memphis’ pace also works in Houston’s favor: The Grizzlies like to push the tempo, but that plays right into the hands of the Rockets — especially for Amen Thompson, who thrives in transition and adds another layer to their offense in an up-tempo game.

From a game script standpoint, Memphis being on the front end of a back-to-back only adds to the risk of a blowout. They’re already limiting minutes, and if things get out of hand, there’s even more incentive to pull starters early. All signs point to a strong Houston performance — I make this line closer to -15.5.

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NBA lottery changes could combat tanking: Inside three ideas

At the NBA Board of Governors session earlier this week, the league presented three NBA Draft lottery reform concepts to ownership in an ongoing attempt to combat tanking.

A person with direct knowledge of the matter told USA TODAY Sports that the session was akin to a brainstorm and that the concepts discussed were not considered formal proposals that would be presented to the Board of Governors for voting — at least not yet. Before it gets to that stage, the NBA’s executives want to hear more feedback from team front office personnel prior to elevating any concept as a formal proposal.

The person also said that the concepts could be tweaked further, or that new concepts could be raised in the future. To that effect, the March 25 discussion with NBA ownership was not the first meeting the group has had on these issues. In essence: the league’s efforts against tanking are fluid and evolving.

The person spoke under the condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to publicly discuss the matter.

During a March 25 press conference at the end of the Board of Governors meeting, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver characterized discussions with NBA owners about tanking as “lengthy” and vowed that the league is taking the matter seriously.

“We are going to fix it, full stop,” Silver told reporters in the press conference. “I want to say that directly to our fans.”

Given that the 2025-26 NBA season is nearly complete, the NBA does not necessarily need to rush this process, because any potential changes would not impact the bottom of the standings this year. Still, the league is prioritizing the anti-tanking effort and wants to enact changes sooner rather than later.

The NBA will convene a special session of the Board of Governors to vote on any formalized proposals for the 2026-27 season.

“This meeting was not about pointing fingers at any team in particular,” Silver said. “Again, I understand where the incentives are. We understand why it results in certain behavior. I will say it seemed unanimous in the room that we needed to make a change and we needed to make a change for next season. Exactly what that change is, we’re continuing to work on. No votes were taken today.

“I think there’s also unanimous agreement that we need to make this change in advance of the draft and free agency this year so all the teams understand the rules of the road going into next year.”

Here's a look at the concepts presented:

Concept No. 1: Expand NBA draft lottery eligibility to play-in teams

In this scenario, 18 teams would qualify for the lottery. The 10 teams with the worst records would have the same chance, 8%, to win the lottery. The eight teams that qualify for the Play-In Tournament would then divvy up the remaining 20% of odds, in descending order, from Nos. 11-18.

Concept No. 2: WNBA-style weighted lottery

This concept blends some facets of the way the WNBA operates its lottery. In this scenario, 22 teams would be lottery-eligible. This would include the same 18 teams as the scenario above, while adding the four teams that lose their first-round playoff series.

Then, similar to the way the WNBA ranks teams for its lottery, the NBA would weight teams by their combined records over the most recent two seasons.

Concept No. 3: 18-team lottery most similar to current system

This concept is closest to the way the lottery is set up right now, with some tweaks.

In this version, 18 teams would qualify for the lottery: the teams with the 10 worst records, plus the eight play-in teams. This concept would give the teams with the five worst records — as opposed to the teams with the three worst records in the current setup — the same odds to win the lottery.

Then, odds would go in descending order for the teams ranked sixth through 18th.

Similar to the current lottery system, this concept would have some protections in place to prevent for statistical aberrations: the lowest fall one of the five worst teams could have would be the No. 10 pick.

How does the NBA come up with anti-tanking concepts?

Feb 14, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks to the media during a press conference before 2026 NBA All Star Saturday Night at Intuit Dome.

It starts with ongoing discussions and ideas. These can come from team operations or from people within the league office, but the NBA is trying to curate options that appear to have the most traction in a comprehensive list.

The effort to curate and distill these ideas into concepts is being led by NBA executive vice president of basketball strategy and analytics Evan Wasch, NBA president of league operations Byron Spruell and executive vice president, head of basketball operations James Jones. Those three are in constant contact with the NBA’s competition committee so that when the concepts are presented to NBA owners, they’re listed clearly and concisely.

Would any change be permanent?

Almost certainly not. During his press conference, Silver said he believed the league’s previous efforts to combat tanking with lottery reform had worked, but he acknowledged that changes in collective bargaining and changes in analytics and behavior rendered the previous reforms obsolete.

“The world changes, behavior changes,” Silver said. “I don’t necessarily think the changes we made over the last 40 years or so were necessarily wrong. I think in some cases they worked for a period of time. Math is math. When we make those changes and change odds, you know exactly statistically where you’re going to come out.

REQUIRED READING: NBA expansion in Las Vegas, Seattle: What it means, what's next

“What’s changed is behavior around those odds. It may be as the value of franchises has gone up, as the analytics have gotten more sophisticated, as pressure has come from fan bases to engage in behavior that even team ownership or GMs are not proud of, that’s where we find ourselves.”

He also cautioned against the framing of any upcoming lottery reform as a “forever fix” and vowed that the league would continually look at potential changes to the lottery as league economics and league dynamics changed.

“If I’m the one standing at the podium (in five years), I want to make it clear that I recognize things may change also because there also may be changes that we see through collective bargaining or other changes to the system that may impact what we’re doing now,” Silver said. “Certainly going into next season, the incentives will be completely different than they are now.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA tanking conversation turns to three draft lottery reform concepts