The New York Knicks (52-28) can lock down no worse than the Eastern Conference’s No. 3 playoff seed with a win over the Toronto Raptors (43-35). The Raptors can secure the No. 5 seed if they beat the Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Atlanta Hawks.
Apr 4, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) skates with the puck against the Florida Panthers during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Alberti-Imagn Images | Mark Alberti-Imagn Images
The Pittsburgh Penguins are back in the playoffs, officially clinching their spot on Thursday night with a 5-2 win over the New Jersey Devils. It ends a three-year playoff drought and gets them back into the playoffs far sooner than anybody expected when Kyle Dubas was hired as general manager to start rebuilding the organization. There is still a lot of work to do long-term, especially as Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and even Erik Karlsson get closer to the end of their careers. Those are questions for another day.
The only question that matters right now is what can the Penguins actually do now that they are in the playoffs with home-ice advantage secured in the opening round.
Given that this team has silenced doubters and exceeded expectations all season, nothing should be completely ruled out.
I said this a few weeks ago, but if you ignored the preseason expectations and just simply looked at the way this team plays and the numbers behind it, you would probably not hesitate to call it a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
As of Friday they are on pace for 101 points this season. They have the eighth-best record in the NHL as a whole, the fifth-best record in the Eastern Conference and rate in the top-10 in pretty much every meaningful category.
Standings: 8th
Goal-Differential: 8th
5-on-5 Goal Differential: 7th
5-on-5 Expected Goals Share: 7th
5-on-5 Scoring Chance Share: 10th
5-on-5 High-Danger Scoring Chance Share: 9th
Power Play: 7th
Penalty Kill: 6th
They are also the second-highest scoring team in the league behind only the Colorado Avalanche, despite Crosby, Malkin, and Rickard Rakell each missing double-digit games. The depth has been sensational as they already boast 12 10-goal scorers, 10 15-goal scorers, five 20-goal scorers, and have outscored teams 93-89 with a 52 percent expected goal share during 5-on-5 play when neither Crosby or Malkin is on the ice.
They are incredibly deep at forward with as many as 16 or 17 NHL caliber players. That is a necessary ingredient for a Stanley Cup contender.
They also have two other necessary ingredients in a true No. 1 center (Crosby) and a true No. 1 defenseman (Erik Karlsson).
No matter who their first-round opponent ends up being, whether it is the Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Islanders or Washington Capitals (very long shot) the Penguins should be favorites in it. Imagine somebody telling you that back in September. You would look at them like they were crazy. Well there is nothing crazy about it now, because the Penguins are here, and they look like a team that is capable of at least advancing a little bit in the playoffs.
It is just a matter of how far they can go and what their ceiling actually is.
For all of the positives and key ingredients this team has, there are still a couple of questions that could limit what they do and how far they can go.
They can score with, and outscore, just about any team in the league.
The question will be stopping people.
While the Karlsson-Parker Wotherspoon pairing has been outstanding, the Penguins do have some big questions on defense after them.
The biggest being whether or not Kris Letang and Sam Girard can continue on the path they have started to display over the past couple of weeks.
When that duo was first put together it was a problem. A big problem. But as Girard has started to find his confidence, that pairing is starting to click a little bit. There might not be a bigger development for the Penguins right now than those two becoming a legitimate second defense pair. They are now outscoring teams 13-8 with a 52 percent expected goals share at 5-on-5 overall. Over the past 10 games those numbers are 11-5 and 58.4 percent.
That would be a game-changer to have two pairings you can count on.
The question then becomes whether or not you can hide the third pairing of Connor Clifton and Ryan Shea. And while they have been very good this season, and especially lately, I do still have some fears about Clifton in a best-of-seven series where teams are scouting deeper, line-matching harder and looking to exploit whatever weakness they can.
Then there is the goaltending.
Stuart Skinner seems to have taken the upper hand in net and is likely to enter the playoffs as the No. 1 goalie. It is deserved, and the best choice. For all of his flaws and inconsistencies, he has shown over the past two years he can play well in stretches, especially in big games, and at least do enough to get a team to the Stanley Cup Final. The Penguins do not need him to be a superhero in there. They just need him to not lose games.
I am not ready to say the Penguins are on the same level as a Colorado, Tampa Bay or even Carolina when it comes to Stanley Cup contenders. But they are also not going to be a pushover or an easy out if/when they get beyond the first round. This is a really good hockey team. A playoff team. Now we get to see just what type of playoff team they can be.
The Phoenix Suns (44-36) are locked into the Western Conference’s No. 7 seed and the play-in tournament. The Los Angeles Lakers (51-29) can finish anywhere from Nos. 3-5. A win against the Suns and a loss by the Houston Rockets to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday would secure home-court advantage for the Lakers in the first round.
With just a single win in their last six games, the Golden State Warriors try to get right ahead of the play-in when they visit the Sacramento Kings.
SacTown has gone full tank mode and should be sporting a bunch of unknowns Friday night.
Despite that, my Warriors vs Kings predictions and free NBA picks don't think Golden State is in any state to run through any team, even one as awful as the Kings.
He is expected to be back in the lineup and will take on the Sacramento Kings, the last team he played on Wednesday (April 7), scoring 17 points on 5-for-12 shooting in a Warriors 110-105 victory.
The Warriors are also expected to get some players off the injured list and into the lineup, including big men Al Horford (calf) and Kristaps Porzingis (illness) back in the lineup.
Curry has only played in 41 games this season, and the Warriors' offense is in shambles because of it.
They were a bottom-5 scoring team in the NBA when he went down with a knee injury on January 30, and missed the next 27 straight games, plummeting to 10th in the West.
As for the Kings, the season end couldn't come sooner. Sacramento looks nothing like the young, fun, and up-and-coming "Light the Beam" squad from two years ago, and almost every key player is in street clothes.
That includes DeMar DeRozan (hamstring), Russell Westbrook (foot), and Keegan Murray (ankle).
The Warriors have taken four of five in this head-to-head, and aside from the last meeting, have won by at least 26 points in the other three wins.
But these aren't the same Warriors. And while they should win, they're really just trying to get Steph Curry up to full speed before the play-in. That's no stress, and definitely not a blowout.
Warriors vs Kings same-game parlay
Let's focus on the Golden State star working to get back into game shape.
Steph has been held to 26 minutes or less in the two games since returning from a knee injury, but scoring 20 is nothing, especially against the Kings. In his last 25 vs SacTown, Curry has touched 20 points 21 times.
His assist numbers fluctuate more, but he's had at least five assists in four of the last five games against these Kings.
Warriors vs Kings SGP
Kings +10.5
Steph Curry Over 19.5 points
Steph Curry Over 4.5 assists
Our "from downtown" SGP: Curry Cooking Soup!
Knocking down the moneyball is what Curry does best, and he's consistently lighting up the Kings from deep. He's hit at least four 3-pointers in eight of his last 10 against Sacramento.
As for his rebounding, grabbing three boards shouldn't be a problem: he had five last game against the Kings, and has had at least three boards in 11 of the last 14 against them.
Warriors vs Kings SGP
Kings +10.5
Steph Curry Over 19.5 points
Steph Curry Over 4.5 assists
Steph Curry Over 3.5 made threes
Steph Curry Over 2.5 rebounds
Warriors vs Kings odds
Spread: Warriors -10.5 | Kings +10.5
Moneyline: Warriors -500 | Kings +375
Over/Under: Over 228.5 | Under 228.5
Warriors vs Kings betting trend to know
The Over has cashed in eight of the last 10 head-to-head matchups between these teams. Find more NBA betting trends for Warriors vs. Kings.
How to watch Warriors vs Kings
Location
Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
Date
Friday, April 10, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBC Sports California, NBC Sports Bay Area
Warriors vs Kings latest injuries
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When England begin their defence of the Women’s Six Nations against Ireland on Saturday at Twickenham they will be without Zoe Stratford, Lark Atkin-Davies and Rosie Galligan as they prepare to become mothers for the first time. The England rugby league player Kelsey Gentles – who has returned to her sport as a different player and person – says the World Cup winners should embrace the imminent metamorphosis.
Gentles left the Women’s Super League as a sparkling outside back in 2023; when she returned the following year, having given birth to her daughter Maia, she was a prop who blasted holes in defensive lines. She enjoyed a glorious comeback, scoring the winning try as York Valkyrie clinched the Grand Final, but there were challenges along the way.
This week on Sunday Night Baseball, the Cleveland Guardians head to Atlanta to take on the Braves. Live coverage begins at 7:00 PM ET on NBC and Peacock. See below for additional information on how to live stream the Guardians vs Braves game.
On April 12, 1966, the Braves played their very first game in Atlanta. Sunday's game marks the 60th anniversary of that day. Before moving to Atlanta, the team spent 13 seasons in Milwaukee.
Hall of Famers Andruw Jones, CC Sabathia, and two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber join NBC Sports’ announce team. Jason Benetti will provideplay-by-play in the booth with Kluber and Andruw Jones. Bob Costas will host the pregame show alongside Sabathia, who will also provide “Inside the Pitch” commentary during the game.
Sunday Night Baseball will make its debut March 29 with the Guardians vs. Mariners. The 18-game MLB Sunday Leadoff schedule will begin May 3, with the defending AL champion Toronto Blue Jays visiting the Twins in Minnesota. On Sunday, July 5, all 15 MLB games will be presented nationally across Peacock and NBC as part of a special all-day “Star-Spangled Sunday” showcase.
NBC Sports will also stream one out-of-market game each day of the 2026 MLB season nationally on Peacock. Telemundo Deportes will present all NBCUniversal-produced MLB games in Spanish, with Universo televising all games broadcast on NBC.
How to sign up for Peacock:
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You’ll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC and Bravo hits for whatever suits your mood.
Why are some MLB games unavailable to stream on Peacock?
Due to territorial blackout restrictions, select regular season, special event, and Postseason games may be unavailable on Peacock. Television territory blackout restrictions apply regardless of whether a Club is home or away and regardless of whether a game is televised in that Club's home television territory. For more information visit, Peacock’s Help Center.
Major League Baseball’s average salary rose 3.4% on opening day to a record $5.34 million, according to a study by The Associated Press, and the New York Mets topped spending at the season’s start for the fourth straight year.
The Texas Rangers head to Dodger Stadium to face the Los Angeles Dodgers and strikeout artist Tyler Glasnow on Friday night.
My top Rangers vs. Dodgers predictions and MLB picks are calling for Glasnow to cruise through the Texas lineup in winning fashion in the April 10 nightcap.
Who will win Rangers vs Dodgers today: Dodgers -1.5 (-107)
Los Angeles Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow has been dealing to start the year with a tidy 3.00 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 2.44 xFIP while holding opposing hitters to a miniscule 27.6% hard-hit rate.
The Dodgers are also second in both wOBA and ISO against righties, so I expect them to do damage against Texas Rangers starter Kumar Rocker given his 9.29 ERA, 1.97 WHIP and 5.01 xFIP on the highway since the beginning of 2025.
Opposing hitters have teed off to the tune of a .451 wOBA against Rocker, too.
COVERS INTEL: Glasnow's 30.9 K% since 2024 is the fourth-highest mark among pitchers with at least 200 IP.
Rangers vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Under 9 (-105)
I fully expect Glasnow to hold the Rangers in check, and while the Dodgers are positioned to put runs on the board, I’m not anticipating them sending this game Over the number on their own.
Texas ranks 22nd in OBP against right-handed pitchers and have only scored 3.7 runs per game. Additionally, the Rangers have hit the Under in five straight.
Finally, these are two solid bullpens, with Texas sporting the second-lowest ERA, and Los Angeles checking in 11th.
Neil Parker's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 3-4, -0.99 units
Over/Under bets: 1-2, -1.2 units
Rangers vs Dodgers odds
Moneyline: Rangers +200 | Dodgers -245
Run line: Rangers +1.5 (-105) | Dodgers 11.5 (-115)
Over/Under: Over 9 (-110) | Under 9 (-110)
Rangers vs Dodgers trend
The Dodgers have covered the run line in 29 of their last 50 games (+10.75 Units / 18% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Rangers vs. Dodgers.
How to watch Rangers vs Dodgers and game info
Location
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Friday, April 10, 2026
First pitch
10:10 p.m. ET
TV
CW33, SportsNet LA
Rangers starting pitcher
Kumar Rocker (0-1, 3.60 ERA)
Dodgers starting pitcher
Tyler Glasnow (1-0, 3.00 ERA)
Rangers vs Dodgers latest injuries
Rangers vs Dodgers 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.
Moreover, Woods Richardson has a career ERA of 11.35 against Toronto.
COVERS INTEL: Despite a 2.31 ERA through his first two starts, Wood Richardson's xERA is 3.99, and he ranks in the 37th percentile in xBA.
Twins vs Blue Jays same-game parlay (SGP)
I’ll continue to fade Woods Richardson in this matchup by taking the Over on his earned runs. He’s allowed five runs in each game against the Jays in his career, giving up five homers and a 1.240 OPS in two outings.
George Springer is starting to turn things around as well with hits and an RBI in back-to-back games. If the Jays pounce on SWR again tonight, he should be in position to drive in another run for a third straight game.
Twins vs Blue Jays SGP
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 1.5 total bases
Simeon Woods Richardson Over 2.5 earned runs
George Springer 1+ RBI
img loading="lazy" width="100%" height="null" src="https://img.covers.com/editorial/2026/jaysmlcbp.jpg" alt="Canada’s best price for Jays"
Get the best Jays ML odds at BET99 — every game.
Twins vs Blue Jays home run pick: George Springer (+245)
This is a half unit bet.
Davis Schneider isn’t on the board quite yet, but if he gets a last-minute start tonight, I’d bet on him to take SWR deep. He’s 4-for-5 with three home runs against the Twins starter.
The other Jays hitter I like to go deep tonight would be Springer, who showed signs of a turnaround the other night.
His ability to hit the fastball, paired with the 50% usage on that pitch for SWR, should give Springer an edge to take it deep over the wall.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 3-8, -2.35 units
SGPs: 1-10, -6.50 units
HR picks: 2-9, -0.30 units
Twins vs Blue Jays odds
Moneyline: Twins +118 | Blue Jays -138
Run line: Twins +1.5 | Blue Jays -1.5
Over/Under: Over 9 | Under 9
Twins vs Blue Jays trend
The Blue Jays have covered the F5 run line in 15 of their last 22 games at home (+7.00 Units / 27% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Twins vs. Blue Jays.
How to watch Twins vs Blue Jays and game info
Location
Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Date
Friday, April 10, 2026
First pitch
7:07 p.m. ET
TV
MNNT, Sportsnet
Twins starting pitcher
Simeon Woods Richardson (0-1, 2.31 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Patrick Corbin (2025: 7-11, 4.40 ERA)
Twins vs Blue Jays latest injuries
Twins vs Blue Jays 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.
Let's kick off the weekend with some winners from our MLB best bets!
Our baseball experts have given their favorite MLB picks for today based on prices from Polymarket, which allows MLB fans across the country to get in on the baseball action.
Our favorite plays for today go back to a profitable Under well, back a roster with a favorable pitching matchup, and start early with a pick for the 2:20 p.m. ET game.
Sign up now using our exclusive Polymarket promo code 'COVERS' (on your mobile app only) and get a $20 trading bonus after you deposit $20 to trade on any other event contracts — including MLB expert picks!
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Josh Inglis' expert pick: White Sox/Royals Under 8.5
Price: 55¢ (-122) at Polymarket
Let's keep riding these Kansas City Royals Unders. They've moved to 9-4 to the Under and have scored just three runs over their last three games — all without facing top-end pitching. This sets up similarly to yesterday’s 2-0 game, with another comparable starting pitching matchup on tap against the White Sox. Conditions also lean Under, with temperatures still below 60 degrees and winds now blowing in at 10 mph (after blowing out at 20 mph last night). This number looks a bit inflated, and it should close closer to a flat 8.
Jon Metler's expert pick: Red Sox moneyline
Price: 58¢ (-138) at Polymarket
The Red Sox are trading at 58% on Polymarket, and that’s a price worth attacking — I make them closer to a 66% favorite today against the St. Louis Cardinals. Dustin May relies heavily on his power sinker, but when it doesn’t have its usual bite — especially against left-handed hitters — it tends to run into their barrels. Early in the season, that sinker hasn’t shown much movement, which is reflected in the numbers: lefties are batting .500 with a 1.542 OPS against him... and that’s where this matchup becomes a real concern: The Red Sox lineup is built to exploit it, with left-handed bats like Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, and Wilyer Abreu stacked at the top of the order.
Neil Parker's expert pick: Cubs moneyline
Price: 58¢ (-138) at Polymarket
The Chicago Cubs will receive a boost with Seiya Suzuki making his season debut this afternoon, and the Cubbies have also been on the unlucky side to start the year. They rank second in hard-hit rate and sixth in barrel percentage, so positive regression to a 25th-ranked BABIP is coming — and Pirates righty Carmen Mlodzinski is the perfect get-right candidate, surrendering a 68% hard-hit rate through two starts, with three of his five offerings having negative pitch values.
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.
San Diego, CA - April 9: New San Diego Padres City Connect themed apparel is displayed at Petco Park on April 9, 2026 in San Diego, CA.(Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
For six-plus innings Thursday night, Nolan McLean dazzled at Citi Field. He allowed just a pair of hits and his stuff was especially filthy, as Arizona hitters were largely overmatched.
But lefty Eduardo Rodríguez was nearly as good for the Diamondbacks, and when McLean faltered in the seventh inning, Luke Weaver came in and got knocked around, as the Mets lost their second straight, 7-1.
The D-backs, missing Corbin Carroll from their starting lineup due to a minor hip issue, struggled to come away with enough base traffic to cause problems for Mets starter Nolan McLean. With a rested New York bullpen, the path to victory looked bleak.
The D-backs had no answers for Mets starter Nolan McLean at that point in the ballgame. Corbin Carroll was out with a tight left hip flexor, which is not expected to be serious, and Gabriel Moreno was on the bench after catching the previous two games, leaving the lineup shorthanded.
But then, Geraldo Perdomo led off the seventh inning with a walk, and Jose Fernandez flared a one-out single to center.
Again, there hasn’t been another player like Ohtani in baseball and it’s going to be very hard for Major League Baseball to find someone else who can do what he can. But fans around the league should start learning about another two-way prospect: Austin Smith of the Toronto Blue Jays.
During Wednesday’s series finale, the Blue Jays again raised the issue of Shohei Ohtani’s warm-up time between innings when he’s getting ready to pitch. Ohtani ended the top of the first inning on second base, then returned to the dugout to ready himself to throw. He got to the mound with less than one minute remaining on the two-minute between-innings clock and was granted additional time for his eight warm-up pitches.
George Springer, Toronto’s leadoff hitter, checked with home plate umpire Dan Bellino about the two-minute timer. The Blue Jays raised the same issue during the World Series last year, specifically during Ohtani’s Game 7 start.
[Ed. Note] This is just such a dumb argument to me. As the article notes, they’re just playing by the same rule that has always been on the books regarding a pitcher getting extra time after running the bases. It just only applies to Ohtani now since there is the universal DH.
And what are they trying to accomplish with this? None of the other 28 teams have brought this issue up. Do the Blue Jays think that they are the sole defenders of the sanctity of the pitch clock? Honestly, it just comes across as being sore losers after the World Series. Not a good look, imo.
A new MLB season means a new batch of City Connect uniforms, and the league opted to unveil all eight in a coordinated rollout on Thursday.
Each City Connect is meant to be distinct from its team’s regular uniforms while incorporating various elements from its setting. There are some true highlights out there — and also some of the ugliest uniforms you’ll see on a professional baseball player.
The 2026 group of eight uniforms has a variety along those lines. Here’s how we ranked them:
[Ed. Note] I like the Pirates one, but most importantly, Rest In Hell to the horrible sherbet Padres uniforms
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 05: J.T. Ginn #35 of the Athletics #35 reacts after a catch made by Shea Langeliers #23 of the Athletics (not pictured) against the Houston Astros during the sixth inning at Sutter Health Park on April 05, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Morning A’s fans and welcome to another Friday!
The club has wrapped up the first New York series this week with a series win over the Yankees. The last couple of games were especially close but they managed to pull through and get their record to 5-7. Now they depart from the Bronx to head to Queens to take on the Mets for three games this weekend.
We have a new member of the rotation making his first start of the year for the club tonight. Right-hander JT Ginn will be called upon for the first start by someone other than someone in the Opening Day rotation, taking the place of Luis Morales, who was optioned to Triple-A earlier this week. As a fun little tidbit, Ginn will be pitching against the team that drafted him (the A’s acquired Ginn in exchange for Chris Bassitt way back in 2022), so he might have some extra motivation in him tonight. The 7-5 Mets await the Athletics for some weekend baseball.
Ginn began the year among the starting candidates for the Opening Day rotation, though he was never a favorite for a spot in the starting five to begin the season. The 26-year-old righty would have needed to seriously impress the coaching staff if he was going to leapfrog Morales or Jacob Lopez or otherwise hope for an injury. The club gave him a serious opportunity this spring with four starts (6 total appearances) but he struggled mightily, giving up 17 earned runs in just 15 innings of work. That made it obvious that he would not be among the starting five and the expectation at the time was that after a tough camp he’d be the odd-man out and head to Triple-A to start the year.
We had a surprise for the Opening Day roster however as Ginn made the cut over Jack Perkins, who went down to Las Vegas instead. It was a long man role but Ginn still was in Toronto to open the year against the Blue Jays. As the team’s designated long reliever to start the year Ginn has only made three appearances. His first one went fantastic as he pitched nearly four full innings in relief of Morales, who had a short start against the Jays. His most recent two outings have not been as smooth, allowing two runs in each appearance. The right-hander seems stretched out enough to handle the first few frames and that’s likely the plan tonight. If he can make it through the Mets’ batting order one time without getting hit around then the A’s would gladly take that.
The A’s have made a roster move to bolster their staff for tonight’s series opener when they recalled Perkins from Las Vegas. It looks like he’ll be piggybacking after Ginn as the two of them will form a 1-2 punch against the Mets tonight. Perkins was in the same boat as Ginn this spring: theoretically a candidate to break camp with the club in the rotation, but realistically on the outside looking in. Since being in Triple-A he’s actually only made three appearances in relief. He’s been so-so, with one blowup appearance, a quality outing, and then another decent performance last time out when he only allowed a solo home run. What can we expect from the righty in his first big league game of the year?
The rest of the series lines up to be Jacob Lopez versus Kodai Senga on Saturday morning, and Aaron Civale gets the ball for the finale against Freddy Peralta. Thanks to the A’s winning the series against the Yankees they have a chance to finish the road trip with better than .500 record. That’d require a sweep but the A’s are starting to play some good baseball. And with the Mariners faltering hard in the early going the A’s can put some distance between themselves and last place in the AL West.
The Mets are doing solidly enough in the early going as well but they’ll be down their best player in Juan Soto during this upcoming series. The A’s are catching them at the right time in that regard, but the A’s may be down one of their big boppers themselves after Brent Rooker exited yesterday’s finale early. No word yet on the severity of it but his consecutive games played streak is now in jeopardy of being broken. Fingers crossed our DH can make it into the lineup tomorrow, or at the very least be available off the bench.
Perhaps we’ll soon be getting a Gelof sighting? He’s been demolishing the ball in Triple-A:
Zack Gelof has been placed on the Las Vegas taxi squad, which is what happened with Jack Perkins just before he was called up. So there's a good chance we'll be seeing Zack Gelof in NYC this weekend. He's been slashing .366/.519/.732 through 11 games at Vegas this season.
— Bill Moriarity – A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) April 10, 2026
A quick look back at Springs’ dominance yesterday:
6.1 innings of no-hit baseball in hostile territory for Jeffery Springs today
The lefty dominated with a heavier than usual dose of SL and CH. Today’s mix helped generate a 35% Whiff%, 9% higher then his 2025 average
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 01: Brendan Donovan #33 of the Seattle Mariners fields the ball against the New York Yankees at T-Mobile Park on April 01, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning everyone and happy Friday!
The Mariners kick off the first of 13 games in a row today with a four-game homestand against the rival Astros. With several Mariners struggling through the first two weeks, this will serve as an opportunity to bounce back. Which player are you picking to right the ship during this stretch? I’m going with Josh Naylor.
In Mariners news…
Angela Lim at The Seattle Times outlined what you should eat at T-Mobile Park this year.
Jim Bowden argued that even when Bryce Miller comes back from injury, the Mariners should not consider trading a starting pitcher.
Brendan Donovan has been hot with the bat to start the season, but he’s still getting used to his new defensive home at third base. Shannon Drayer has the story.
Are you familiar with the secret door at T-Mobile Park that provides Gonzo cocktails? Zach Geballe shared the details of this new delight.
Old friend Jorge Polanco is off to a slow start to the season with the Mets, and is now dealing with an Achilles issue that has kept him out of the lineup for a few days.
Hey, look! The Cubs don’t have to face Paul Skenes in this series — and he’s made more career starts against the Cubs than any other team, seven of his total of 58. Skenes, incidentally, currently has the highest ERA of any Pirates starter. Don’t expect that to be the case much longer, though.
Austin Bechtold is a writer at our SB Nation Pirates site Bucs Dugout. Here’s what he has to say about them.
Make no mistake about it, the Chicago Cubs dominated the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2025.
The division rivals played 13 times last season. Chicago won 10. The Cubs outscored the Pirates 54-26 and hit .256 against Pittsburgh’s pitching.
Chicago smacked an impressive 16 home runs, compared to the Pirates’ five, and earned a .740 OPS. The Pirates batted .182 as a team with a .523 OPS.
In all its charm, Wrigley Field has been a house of horrors for the Pirates in recent years.
The Pirates (7-5) look to set a new precedent in 2026, beginning this three-game series at Wrigley on Friday.
In his first full season as manager, Don Kelly has watched a dreadful offense come to life through the first 12 games.
After hitting a league-worst 117 home runs, the Pirates have already smashed 12, tied for eighth in MLB, and at one point held the National League lead.
A big reason why is offseason additions Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn, who have hit three apiece.
The offense ranks tied for 9th in hits per game (8.3), 9th in average (.247), 6th in on-base (.338), 8th in slugging (.383), and 7th in OPS (.721). The Bucs consistently ranked in the bottom third, if not last, in every category last year.
One early carryover is strong starting pitching. Pittsburgh owns the 6th best starters ERA at 2.87, third in the NL behind the Cubs (2.72) and Atlanta Braves (2.79).
Paul Skenes and Mitch Keller pitched in the Padres series at PNC Park, meaning the club will be without their top two arms against a vaunted Cubs (6-6) lineup.
Carmen Mlodzinski gets the ball on Friday, opposite Shota Imanaga, who has dominated the Pirates for what feels like more than a decade (despite it only being three years).
Mlodzinski has allowed two runs in each of his first two starts, but hasn’t been able to pitch out of the fifth inning. The third time through the order is where Mlodzinski, primarily a reliever in his career, has struggled to get through innings.
Saturday plates Braxton Ashcraft against Edward Cabrera, who hasn’t allowed a run in 11.2 innings for Chicago since being traded from the Marlins.
Ashcraft has been Pittsburgh’s surprise starter after an impressive rookie year. Ashcraft earned a 2.71 ERA over 69.2 innings spanning 26 appearances, eight starts.
He has pitched six frames in each of his first two outings and allowed two runs or fewer both times.
All three games have solid pitching probables, but Sunday’s might be the most fascinating.
Former Pirate Jameson Taillon takes the ball against Bubba Chandler. The No. 11 overall prospect and second-highest ranked pitcher at the start of the season, Chandler touches 101 MPH with his fastball.
The problem is, you don’t always know where it’s going. Chandler’s control remains a main concern, as he has walked 10 batters in 8.2 innings. He didn’t allow a hit over 4.1 innings in his season debut at Cincinnati, but walked six and struck out six.
Chandler walked four against the Padres on Monday and allowed five hits and three runs. He has elite stuff, but has work to do to become a consistent pitcher that the rotation can depend on.
Chicago was the preseason favorite to win the NL Central, providing three important games in April for who might take the grand prize in late September.
If the Pirates are going to begin to prove that their start and chances to compete in the Central aren’t a fluke, it begins on the road against a very good team.
Fun facts
The Cubs have played 2,621 previous games against the Pirates, their most against any opponent. They have played 2,525 vs. the Cardinals and 2,429 vs. the Reds.
Their 1,286 wins and 1,317 losses both are the most vs. an opponent. Their 605 losses at home are their most and their 690 wins at home are their third most, behind 715 vs. the Cardinals and 700 vs. the Reds.
Since 2015, the Cubs have won the season series against the Pirates every year while going 113-68-1 overall and 57-31 at Wrigley Field. They were 10-3 last year, including 5-2 at home.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 04: Curtis Mead #45 of the Washington Nationals bats against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Nationals Park on April 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Not much was made of the March 28 trade between the Washington Nationals and the Chicago White Sox, when the Nats sent minor league catcher Boston Smith for first baseman Curtis Mead, who was designated for assignment three days earlier.
A 25-year-old now on his fourth franchise, he had posted just a .231 batting average, .304 on-base percentage, and .632 OPS with 6 home runs and 34 runs batted in across 460 MLB at-bats. He secured a spot on the major league roster after the conclusion of the team’s first series and has absolutely run with every opportunity he’s been given.
The season is still in its earliest stages, but of all the issues plaguing the Nationals in their early 4-8 skid to open the season, Mead has certainly not been one of them. Mead was a former top 50 prospect in the sport, so this is a player with pedigree. He was known as a pure hitter in the minors, but so far that has not translated in big leagues. However, there is a chance, even if it is slim, that he has unlocked something in DC.
He’s seen 17 total plate appearances in 6 games since being activated, and has come out to a flaming hot start. After going hitless in his first 2 games against the Philadelphia Phillies, the first team he saw time in the minor leagues with, he’s recorded a hit in 5 of his last 11 at-bats. Of those hits, 2 have been doubles and 1 was a home run, tacking on 3 RBIs, a stolen base, and 3 walks en route to a .333/.412/667 slash line on the season so far.
Obviously, it’s unreasonable to make any definitive statements on a player just a handful of games under their belt. It’s far from a rare occurrence to see players come out swinging and quickly taper off, but the rise in advanced stats has made it far easier to predict what’s real and what’s a facade.
It’s an extremely small sample…but with everything that Taboni has cooked so far…I think we’re on 👀 watch.
Crazier things have happened than a post hype breakout with an analytically savvy team… pic.twitter.com/QxEFt2c7dy
— ProspectVibeCheck (@PrspctVibeCheck) April 9, 2026
Baseball Savant is by far the most popular database for under-the-hood metrics, and taking one look at Mead’s full profile shows some extremely favorable signs. Every single one of his listed offensive statistics grades out at an above-average percentile, albeit he hasn’t yet recorded enough batted ball data to qualify for a full breakdown. What is available, however, should spark plenty of hope among the Nats fanbase.
Throwing out a few numbers, he’s posted an expected batting average (xBA) of .321, an average exit velocity of 94.2 MPH, and is squaring up the ball at a borderline elite level, all while rarely whiffing at anything.
For the record, while these numbers can lead to a comfortable regression to the mean, they definitely aren’t an end-all be-all. Even so, it would be unwise to chalk up his electric Nationals introduction to just fluky April baseball. Mead has flat-out been a fantastic baseball player to begin his Washington tenure, and if he can continue to post at the plate, President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni might have his first big analytical win since joining the organization.
Apr 8, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants designated hitter Rafael Devers (16) looks on after hitting a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola (27) at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Justine Willard-Imagn Images | Justine Willard-Imagn Images
It’ll be a black and orange fest at Camden Yards this weekend as the San Francisco Giants roll into town for an interleague matchup. The two similarly colored teams from opposite coasts and opposite leagues are infrequent opponents. The Orioles have faced the Giants just 27 times in their history, going 14-13. This is the Giants’ first visit to Camden Yards since 2024, when the Orioles averted a sweep on Anthony Santander’s walkoff homer in the series finale. The Giants also took two out of three from the O’s in San Francisco last year.
One familiar name in the Giants lineup is Rafael Devers, a longtime division rival of the Orioles during his Boston days. San Francisco took on the disgruntled Devers and his $300+ million salary from the Red Sox in a shocking trade last June, and since then his bat hasn’t resembled his Beantown best. Devers is hitting just .220/.278/.360 with two homers in 13 games this year. The O’s, who also have a high-priced first baseman who is currently hitting well below his career numbers, can commiserate.
Otherwise, though, the Giants’ infield has been carrying the team offensively, with veterans Matt Chapman, Willy Adames, and three-time batting title winner Luis Arraez all hitting well so far. The outfield, on the other hand, has been a huge problem. Corner guys Jung Hoo Lee and Heliot Ramos each have an OPS+ of 29, which is horrid, but not as horrid as Harrison Bader’s 2. Yes, that’s an OPS+ of two. The veteran center fielder, signed as a free agent, is batting .114/.149/.205 with five hits in 47 PAs.
Overall, the Giants’ team OPS of .618 is tied for the third-worst in the majors. They’ve hit only five homers all season, last in MLB. They didn’t score their first run of the season until their third game, and didn’t score their second until Game 4. This is a struggling lineup that Orioles pitchers really need to exploit.
San Francisco’s pitching staff hasn’t been much better. Their longtime ace and Jesse Plemons lookalike Logan Webb has a 5.00 ERA through three starts, though most of that damage was done on Opening Night when he gave up seven runs to the Yankees. The rest of the rotation has been decidedly mediocre aside from Robbie Ray, who has a 2.08 ERA and sub-1.00 WHIP in three starts. The O’s, fortunately, will miss him in this series.
The Giants, like the Orioles, have a rookie manager, but San Francisco’s was a much more unconventional pick. The Giants hired Tony Vitello, previously the head coach at the University of Tennessee, who became the first manager in MLB history hired directly from the college ranks. The early returns on Vitello haven’t been great, and fans are already mad at him for airing the team’s dirty laundry, among other things.
Roupp (pronounced ROOP, not ROWP) is a third-year righty with excellent taste in birthdays who moved to the Giants’ rotation full time last season. He’s a league average-ish pitcher who gets by on his quality offspeed pitches — a curveball and changeup — rather than his underwhelming fastball. At least there aren’t any Orioles hitters who struggle to hit breaking balls, right? …Right?
The last time Baz walked off the mound on April 4, his ERA was 3.27. Now it’s 80 points higher, thanks to a scoring change from his start in Pittsburgh that changed an error to a hit (and an unearned run to an earned run). Still, his Pirates outing was a nice bounceback from his rough O’s debut a week earlier. This will be Baz’s first career outing against the Giants, one of six MLB teams he’s never faced. But he has faced Devers, and has been dominant against him, holding him hitless in eight at-bats.
There is no local broadcast of this game. It will stream exclusively on Apple TV+.
Game 2: Saturday, 7:15 PM, FOX
RHP Logan Webb (1-1, 5.00) vs. RHP Chris Bassitt (0-2, 14.21)
Woof. On paper, this is the biggest mismatch of the series. As mentioned, Webb got lit up by the Yankees in MLB’s season-opening game, but he’s been one of the most reliable starting pitchers in baseball for the past six years, earning Cy Young votes every season from 2022-25. He’s a true workhorse in a day and age when such things are rare; Webb has thrown at least 204 innings in each of the past three seasons. He’ll generally allow his share of hits but they rarely turn into sustained rallies, because he doesn’t walk many batters (career 2.1 BB/9) and rarely allows home runs (0.6 HR/9). The two Orioles who have faced him the most, Pete Alonso and Tyler O’Neill, are a combined 5-for-30, so this might not be the day for the Polar Bear to break out of his deep freeze.
Meanwhile, Bassitt’s introduction to Baltimore has gone as badly as possible. In two starts, he’s been bombed for 10 runs, 12 hits, and six walks — plus three HBPs — in just 6.1 innings. It’s the full Charlie Morton experience. Unless the 37-year-old Bassitt has just hit the wall, he’s not supposed to be this bad (the Orioles hope). If he aims to bounce back against the Giants, he’ll need to be very careful with Devers, who has owned him with a 10-for-20, three-homer performance in his career. On the other hand, Bassitt has been brilliant against Adames (0-for-11, five strikeouts).
Game 3: Sunday, 1:35 PM, 1:35 PM, MASN
RHP Adrian Houser (0-1, 3.97) vs. LHP Cade Povich (0-0, 3.18)
Show of hands, who picked Game 15 of the season as the first time we’d see a Cade Povich start this season? With all due respect to Cade, I was hoping that number would be in the triple digits. Or not at all. But with Zach Eflin having Tommy John surgery and Dean Kremer still stuck in the minors, the O’s are once again giving a shot to Povich, whose first 36 major league starts resulted in a 5.20 ERA and all too many abbreviated outings. I’m not expecting much from Cade, though he did have a workmanlike performance in long relief against the Pirates last week.
The Giants counter with the journeyman Houser, playing for his fifth team in the last four years. He was drafted by Mike Elias during his Astros days, a second-round pick in 2011, before being traded as a minor leaguer to the Brewers in 2015. After seven years in Milwaukee he bounced around to the Mets, White Sox, and Rays before landing with the Giants this offseason. The 33-year-old has faced the Orioles just twice in his career, including once with the White Sox last season, when he allowed nine baserunners in 6.1 innings but still managed a quality start. If the Orioles’ bats are going to heat up, this is the kind of pitcher to do it against.
How many games do you think the Orioles will win in this series? Let us know in the comments below.
COVERS INTEL: Glasnow's 30.9 K% since 2024 is the fourth-highest mark among pitchers with at least 200 IP.
