Feb 19, 2026; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets pitcher David Peterson (23) poses for a photo during media day at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Mets lineup
Francisco Lindor – SS Juan Soto – LF Bo Bichette – 3B Jorge Polanco – 1B Luis Robert – CF Brett Baty – DH Marcus Semien – 2B Carson Benge – RF Francisco Alvarez – C
David Peterson – LHP
Pirates lineup
Jared Triolo – SS Ryan O’Hearn – 1B Bryan Reynolds – LF Marcell Ozuna – DH Nick Gonzales – 3B Brandon Lowe – 2B Nick Yorke – RF Joey Bart – C Jake Mangum – CF
Mitch Keller – RHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 4:10 EDT TV: SNY Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
BRADENTON, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 27: Mitch Keller #23 of the Pittsburgh Pirates delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles during a Grapefruit League spring training game at LECOM Park on February 27, 2026 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the road today against the New York Mets at Citi Field looking to grab a win and raise the Jolly Roger.
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SCOTTSDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 28: Michael Lorenzen #24 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Zach Gardner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
After a disappointing 2-1 loss on Opening Day, the Colorado Rockies will look to even the series against the Miami Marlins. However, one bright note was first baseman TJ Rumfield. Rumfield made his MLB Debut last night, and is the only member of the Opening Day roster with true rookie status. He also became the 10th Rockie to make their MLB debut on Opening Day and the fifth to start the game — the last to do so was shortstop Trevor Story in 2016. Rumfield also hit a broken-bat single in the ninth inning, becoming the 60th Rockie to record a hit in the first MLB game (last: Kyle Karros on Aug. 8, 2025).
Michael Lorenzen will make his Rockies debut after joining the team on a one-year, $8 million contract in the offseason. The right-hander boasted about his desire to join the Rockies and work towards solving the problem of pitching at altitude. Spring training saw Lorenzen make four starts where he went 0-1 with a 10.97 ERA. However, he also pitched for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic. Most notably, Lorenzen had a stellar outing against Team USA in the last game of Pool Play where the Italians won 8-6 after going up early but allowing the US to claw its way back. Lorenzen has faced the Marlins 17 times (six starts) and owns a 4-2 record with a 2.33 ERA. In loanDepot Park, he is 2-2 with a 2.76 ERA.
Lorenzen will face Marlins’ right-hander Eury Pérez. Pérez was signed by the Marlins out of the Dominican Republic in 2019 and made his MLB debut in 2023. However, he missed all of 2024 due to elbow inflammation that eventually led to Tommy John surgery. He returned in June 2025 and ended up pitching 20 games for the Fish, going 7-6 with a 4.25 ERA over 95.1 innings. Pérez has faced the Rockies twice in his young career, both times at Coors Field, going 1-1 with a 2.89 ERA.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 26: A general view of Citizens Bank Park during the national anthem on Opening Day between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Texas Rangers at Citizens Bank Park on March 26, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers @ Philadelphia Phillies
Saturday, March 28, 2026, 3:05 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / RSN, Victory+)
The Los Angeles Dodgers aim for a season-opening three-game sweep of their NL West counterpart, the Arizona Diamondbacks, in the series finale on Saturday night.
Eduardo Rodriguez is slated to start for the visitors, and my Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers predictions and MLB picks foresee him doing his part in avoiding the sweep on Saturday, March 28.
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers predictions
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers best bet: Eduardo Rodriguez Over 3.5 strikeouts (+124)
The veteran southpaw isn’t known for his punchout prowess, but he’s had strikeout success against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Across a sample size of 131 at-bats vs. L.A.’s projected hitters, he’s racked up a respectable 26% K-rate.
Rodriguez tossed 4+ strikeouts in 20 of his 29 starts last year, and was in fine form during the World Baseball Classic, throwing four scoreless against Team USA. Expect a successful start to the season for him.
COVERS INTEL: Arizona didn’t get much length from either Zac Gallen or Ryne Nelson, so Rodriguez may have a slightly longer leash than normal.
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers same-game parlay (SGP)
How about a pitcher’s delight?
Tyler Glasnow may be primed for a career year — if he can finally stay healthy — and looked dominant in his last outing, striking out 11 Angels in an exhibition start.
The towering righty has maintained a K rate above 29% each of the last eight seasons and gets a favorable matchup against an Arizona lineup that has failed to launch, posting a 77 wRC+ and 29.4% K rate in games one and two.
L.A. has its best bullpen in years, which will lead to more low-scoring games in 2026 now that it provides an adequate pairing with the strong rotation.
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers SGP
Eduardo Rodriguez Over 3.5 strikeouts
Tyler Glasnow Over 6.5 strikeouts
Dodgers moneyline
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers home run pick: Teoscar Hernandez (+400)
Teoscar Hernandez has been quiet to start the year. That could change in game three, given that he’s had success against Rodriguez in the past, batting 10-for-26 with three home runs and a 1.293 OPS.
The outfielder is posting strong underlying numbers early (.348 xBA and a 74th percentile bat speed). He’s mashed lefties in his career (136 wRC+), which will play against Rodriguez, who surrendered 1.57 HR/9 to right-handed bats in 2025.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 1-0, +1.45 units
SGPs: 1-0, +3.26 units
HR picks: 0-1, -1 units
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers odds
Moneyline: Arizona +200 | Los Angeles -240
Run line: Arizona +1.5 | Los Angeles -1.5
Over/Under: Over 9 | Under 9
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers trend
Eduardo Rodriguez has gone Over 3.5 strikeouts in 23 of his last 33 outings. Find more MLB betting trends for Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers.
How to watch Diamondbacks vs Dodgers and game info
Location
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Saturday, March 28, 2026
First pitch
9:10 p.m. ET
TV
Dbacks TV, SportsNet LA
Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Eduardo Rodriguez (2025: 9-9, 5.02 ERA)
Dodgers starting pitcher
Tyler Glasnow (2025: 4-3, 3.19 ERA)
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers latest injuries
Diamondbacks 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.
A lot has changed since 1996 – summer matches, bigger crowds, more foreign players, a salary cap, skin-tight jerseys and female referees – but some things always stay the same
The first season of Super League kicked off on 29 March 1996, when 17,873 people watched Paris Saint-Germain beat Sheffield Eagles 30–24 at Stade Charléty. The opening fixture might sound outlandish 30 years later, but the first season of the competition set the tone for the next decade.
St Helens ended Wigan’s run of seven successive titles and Bradford showed what was to come by finishing third. The three clubs would dominate the opening era of the new competition before Leeds finally fulfilled their potential. Leeds RLFC (rhinos were still something you only saw at the zoo) finished 10th in the inaugural season, winning just six of their 22 games. Hull KR were scrambling off the canvas, romping to the third-tier title, while Hull FC finished third in the second tier behind Salford and Keighley.
When the Wizards played the Spurs in late December, Jamir Watkins spent a bunch of time guarding Victor Wembanyma. Wemby faces physical, dogged defenders who get up under him all the time. Watkins seemed to present a new challenge.
The Wizards’ second round rookie mirrored Wemby’s lanky dribble and looked ready to rocket into the air at every moment to contest sky-high jumpers. In a game where the Wizards characteristically gave up a lot of points, Watkins changed the tenor by blanketing the Spurs’ best player.
The Wizards have found something here. They rewarded Watkins last month by converting his two-way contract into a two-year, fully-guaranteed deal.
His offense is, to put it mildly, a work in progress. But his defense jumps off the TV screen. There is elite potential here, and it is one of the current joys of watching this Wizards team.
Take this play from last weekend’s game against Oklahoma City:
The impeccable closeout might be my favorite thing here. He’s able to bound full speed to the perimeter, then slide his feet and shut off any advantage.
From there, he’s actually a beat slow to recognize that Jared McCain is spinning into a dribble hand-off. It simply doesn’t matter. Watkins beams back to the perimeter and blows up the whole play.
Already, Watkins is one of the best defensive playmakers in the NBA. Per Databallr, he ends 4.2 percent of his defensive possessions with a steal, block, or foul drawn — a 97th percentile figure.
The Wizards have him guard every position. In the same game against Cleveland earlier this year, he spent time on both Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen. He defends bouncing on his toes, as though every dribble is available for the taking. He has an impressive ability to balance in-your-jersey aggression with fundamental sliding and mirroring.
Watch him track Jamal Murray, recover from being screened, and contest his shot at the rim:
His length and quickness has made him an especially intriguing fit defending lead guards. He is at his best picking guys up high on the court and turning simple actions into a chore. But as we saw in the Spurs game, he is also an asset guarding (way) up in size. When Watkins is on the court, the Wizards are six points better per 100 possessions on defense.
Like most rookies, he has areas where his feel will improve and he can match his boundless athleticism with technique. He has an inclination toward gambling. Sometimes, he relies a little too much on his own athleticism — letting guys drive, then trusting himself to make an unlikely recovery. His off-ball recognition will get better with experience.
I’m most intrigued by his rim protection upside. As good as he is at blowing plays up and forcing turnovers, he can get better at understanding when guys like to get their shots off, and how he can generate a quality contest.
Watkins defends 10.3 shots at the rim per 100 possessions, which is the most in the entire NBA for qualified non-bigs. He is also tracked as the closest defender on more than 20 shots per game all over the court, another elite number. Still, he is only in the 17th-percentile at impacting those shots, meaning opponents are hitting those shots above their regular averages.
Those stats are admittedly noisy, and are partially a product of the Wizards’ general porous defense. But Watkins has room to grow in tracking guys over screens, staying down on fakes, and contesting straight-up at the rim.
He has all the tools to get there. He is clearly very good already. As moribund as the Wizards can look defensively at times, Watkins is a flash of lightning who catches opponents off guard and changes the shape of the game.
To hold onto a role in the NBA, he’ll have to find a role on offense. Promisingly, he’s shooting 34 percent on corner threes. (Don’t look at his above-the-break percentage.) Otherwise, while we’ve seen some brief flashes, he rarely gets the ball and doesn’t put up many shots. Given that he’s too small to carve out a niche as a small-ball five, he’ll have to gain more comfort and feel attacking from the perimeter.
With his defensive ability, he deserves a long leash. There’s not many guys in the NBA who can do what he does.
BALTIMORE, MD - MARCH 26: Tyler O'Neill #9 of the Baltimore Orioles bobbles a fly ball in the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins on Opening Day at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on March 26, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First Pitch: 3:05 pm CDT TV: Twins.TV / FS1 Radio: TIBN / WCCO 830 / The Wolf 102.9 FM / Audacy
Each of the last few seasons, that pesky day off right after the season opener has felt particularly sting-worthy. In 2023 and 2025, it delayed Minnesota’s early-season chances to prove that the bad breaks of last season were a thing of the past — that this iteration of the Twins was ready to get back on the horse, and that a late-season collapse did not define the fresh new version of the team. In 2024, it put a temporary pause on the momentum of 2023, and left room for another day of morbid speculation as to what effect “right-sizing” was going to have on the season ahead.
But in 2026, an early day off feels less like a tease and more like a delay of the inevitable. In their opening salvo, the Twins stamped all the squares on their 2026 bingo card: a great start from Joe Ryan, a loss credited to leaky relief and bad defense, an outright failure to hit with runners in scoring position, and a run-scoring opportunity created single-handedly by Byron Buxton, maybe the only good player in the lineup. It was a loss so emblematic of the gloomy forecast, Dan Hayes’ recap was mostly about how Joe Ryan is probably going to be gone soon.
Now that we’ve had about 48 hours to feel sorry for the state of things, it’s time to get back to the grind. After all, as predictable as the Opening Day loss felt, there’s 161 games left this season, and a whole weekend worth of series left for Minnesota to try and win. In their attempt to do so, they’ll send out this year’s #2 starter, Mr. Taj Bradley.
Along with Abel, the 25-year-old Bradley is one of two key cogs in the starting rotation delivered by last season’s trade deadline from beyond the grave. Shipped by the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Griffin Jax, straight-up, Bradley got six games under his belt as a Twin in 2025, walking a few too many hitters and giving up a few too many runs (6.61 ERA in 31.1 IP, with six homers allowed.)
Armed with a couple different fastball looks, a splitter/curve mix, and an occasional sinker, Bradley is hoping to live up to his stock as a fifth-round draft pick after putting up two and a half relatively uninspiring seasons in Florida. With the exception of a 2024 in which he managed a 97 ERA+ and a career-low 3.1 BB/9, Bradley’s other big-league stints have been marked by ballooning earned run averages and dwindling ERA+ marks. (Some even say that those go hand-in-hand.)
What Bradley has going for him is his age, a change of scenery, and a former top-50 prospect ranking. There has always been potential with Bradley, and there may yet be a well to be tapped, but any player within the Rays organization who fails to see their potential extracted — and particularly a pitcher — there remains cause for concern that another team can do the same. The counterargument would be that the Twins did just that with Joe Ryan, another Tampa Bay prospect, although the optics of trading a minor-league Ryan for Nelson Cruz are admittedly shinier when compared to the optics of TB’s front office giving up on Bradley after over 350 big-league innings.
Both Bradley and Abel, who we’ll see again next week, will presumably get long leashes throughout a major figure-it-out year for the entire roster. If both can perform, the perception of the team is somewhat transformed. If either struggle, it may take us back to the Chris Archer/Dylan Bundy days of rotational depth.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 27: Michael King #34 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Petco Park on March 27, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Diego Padres fans had the wool pulled over their eyes last night by the Detroit Tigers as the Friars lost their thin 2-1 lead late into the night.
The Friar Faithful believed they were close to the first win of the season and tasted victory before an eighth-inning Tigers rally snatched it away.
Michael King looked vintage, pitching five scoreless innings of one-hit ball (in large part to Jackson Merrill’s miraculous home run robbery).
Beyond that, the Padres got to Detroit starter Framber Valdez just enough to give a cushion typically good enough for the bullpen to keep. But Jeremiah Estrada’s eighth-inning meltdown forfeited San Diego’s chances.
Today, the Padres hope to hold off the Tigers from sweeping them this Opening Week. The Friars need to get their first win out of the way. Until they do, it’ll be hard to feel good about any minor success the club has without the wins to back it up.
Taking the mound
Jack Flaherty (DET) v. Randy Vásquez (SD)
With Flaherty hoping to rebound from a rough 2025 before he goes into free agency at the end of this year, the onus will be on him against Vásquez.
After having a career-year in ‘25, Vásquez is looking to build on his resumé for San Diego. He will get a chance to do that today after having a rough outing the last time he faced Detroit (six runs over two-plus innings).
San Diego got a fantastic start from King yesterday but somehow managed to lose the game late. The Padres won’t need an incredible start from Vásquez given the Friars’ previous success against Flaherty.
Batter up!
With the Padres’ first game against a right-handed pitcher, the starters will look more like last year’s.
The lineup will likely look similar to yesterday’s, with only a few minor tweaks:
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Jackson Merrill, CF
Manny Machado, 3B
Ramón Laureano, LF
Nick Castellanos, DH
Gavin Sheets, 1B
Freddy Fermin, C
Jake Cronenworth, 2B
Even though Tatis has been the leadoff hitter for the first two games, it’s possible manager Craig Stammen returns to his lineup from earlier this spring, with Bogaerts in the leadoff spot and Tatis batting cleanup. Though that’s unlikely to be the case against right-handed pitchers even though Bogaerts has been wrecking Tigers pitching thus far.
The assumption would be that Castellanos will be benched in favor of ‘25 breakout Gavin Sheets. But Castellanos owns a career .375 batting average and a 1.069 OPS against Flaherty (16 at-bats) so he’ll likely slide to DH over Miguel Andujar, with Sheets starting at the cold corner.
Relief corps
With Adrian Morejon going two full innings yesterday, it’s safe to say he’s out for tonight’s finale against the Tigers. Estrada is in a similar position after blowing the game wide open for Detroit with back-to-back-to-back walks to load the bases.
David Morgan has pitched two innings in as many games, so he’ll probably be kept in the bullpen. Alongside him is Wandy Peralta who has gone one and a third in the same time frame.
With that in mind, Kyle Hart, Ron Marinaccio, and Bradgley Rodriguez are all available to pitch. Closer Mason Miller has yet to be used after the Padres have failed to attain a lead in the ninth. Hopefully tonight will mark his 2026 debut in San Diego.
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA - 2016/04/16: Roger Centre entrance, the landmark is a multi-purpose stadium in downtown Toronto, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays among other sports teams. (Photo by Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images) | LightRocket via Getty Images
On holiday in Japan. I wonder if my MLB TV subscription will work when I’m there. Scheduling these so Tom_M has one less thing to worry about.
All going well, we are in Tokyo today. It will be 4:00 am Tokyo time when this one starts so I’m not going to be watching.
Of course, since I’m doing this a couple of weeks ahead of time, I don’t have the lineups. If someone would like to post them in the thread that would be great.
I don’t think I’ve ever been away at the start of the season before.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Magnitude beat race favorite Forever Young to win the Dubai Gold Cup on Saturday in the first major outdoors sporting event since the outbreak of the Iran War.
The 4-year-old American horse, ridden by Jose Ortiz and trained by Steven Asmussen, successfully resisted a determined effort from Japan's Forever Young with Ryusei Sakai on board, to win the almost $7 million first prize.
Meydaan was third, followed by Imperial Emperor, both Irish horses.
There was a total of €12 million in prize money for the 9-horse race.
Most people don’t want to be reminded of one of their worst moments in life.
But for Alex Vesia, that moment is also close to his heart.
Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Alex Vesia celebrates after the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) AP
Vesia and his wife, Kayla, tragically lost their newborn daughter last October, which caused him to miss the Dodgers World Series run last season.
So when Opening Day came this year, the Vesia family knew emotions would be heightened after picturing life differently.
Kayla attended Los Angeles’ season opener against the Diamondbacks, and in an Instagram post, she called her evening at the ballpark “very bitter sweet.”
“What I would give to have my Sterling girl here,” Kayla wrote, “carrying her in my heart always.”
Alex and Kayla announced on Nov. 7 that Sterling Vesia, their newborn, died on Oct. 26. They wrote at the time there were “no words to describe the pain we’re going through.”
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Now every time Alex takes the mound, he’ll be reminded of Kayla and Sterling.
Alex made his season debut Saturday night in Los Angeles’ 5-4 victory over the Diamondbacks, throwing one inning of scoreless ball while surrendering one hit.
While his stat line was impressive, it was what he was wearing that caught everyone’s attention.
Alex was seen sporting a custom glove with Sterling Sol stitched onto it.
Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia is wearing a custom glove with the name of his late newborn daughter Sterling Sol Vesia on it, along with her birthday and the letter K on the ring finger for his wife Kayla
His newborn daughter passed away two days after the start of the World Series… pic.twitter.com/SxlrQMUMKq
Alex first spoke about his and Kayla’s loss during spring training when he read a prepared statement to the media.
“The lessons we’ve learned from this is that life can change in an instant,” Alex said. “Ten minutes is all it took. Sterling Sol was the most beautiful girl in the world. We got to hold her, change her diaper, read to her and love her. Our time together was far too short. Kay and I will keep those precious moments and memories to ourselves. I hope that anyone listening can empathize and respect our wishes for privacy as we continue to heal, and as we navigate the ups and downs of a baseball season.”
The Dodgers return to action Sunday when they wrap up their three-game series with the Diamondbacks. First pitch is set for 6:10 p.m.
This afternoon, the Athletics will look to rebound from yesterday’s back-breaking loss and nab their first win of the 2026 season in game two of the team’s inaugural series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Shea Langeliers’ two home runs and starting pitcher Luis Severino’s five solid innings pitched was not enough to prevent the team from losing its opening game. After Langeliers’ second home run of the game, a game-tying blast in the top of the ninth inning off of Toronto’s closer Jeff Hoffman, the Blue Jays instantly responded. The hosts recorded three straight two-out hits in the bottom of the ninth off A’s reliever Justin Sterner for the walk-off victory, sending their fans home happy.
Left-hander Jeffrey Springs will take the mound today for the A’s. Springs turned in a decent season last year, his first with the A’s following four years with the Tampa Bay Rays. Over 32 games, 30 of those starts, Springs went 11-11 with a 4.11 ERA, striking out 138 hitters in 171 innings pitched. The veteran lefty struggled the first month of his A’s tenure before posting a 3.72 ERA from May till the end of the season, a number that the A’s would be more than happy to see replicated this year. One cause for alarm is that Springs struggled this spring, pitching to a 6.28 ERA in the Cactus League. As a result, his first start today will be worth watching to see if that was just an aberration due to preseason games meaning nothing. To contend this season, the A’s need Springs and Severino to pitch well and give the team a chance to win every time they are on the mound.
Springs will go up against 30-year-old right hander Dylan Cease, who will be making his much-anticipated Blue Jays debut. Having signed a seven-year, $210 million contract with the team in free agency, Toronto is counting on Cease pitching like the top-of-the rotation arm he can be as the team aims for a return to the World Series. Last year, with the San Diego Padres, Cease went 8-12 with a 4.55 ERA, striking out 215 batters in 168 innings pitched.
Cease will face this A’s lineup this afternoon at the Rogers Centre:
The A’s lineup is nearly the same as yesterday, with Nick Kurtz once again in the leadoff spot. The only change is Carlos Cortes getting the start in right field instead of Lawrence Butler, a switch likely to give Butler rest following his recent return from knee surgery. Langeliers was the only A’s batter to record a hit yesterday. Hopefully more of his teammates can join him in the hit column today!
Springs will go up against this Blue Jays lineup today:
A’s pitchers did a good job neutralizing Blue Jays superstars George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. last night. Kazuma Okamoto was one of the Blue Jays who stepped up instead, recording two hits and scoring the game-winning run in the Japanese third baseman’s MLB debut.
This could have been a matchup of two of the best young stars in the NBA. Instead, both the Detroit Pistons and the Minnesota Timberwolves are having their depth tested with Cade Cunningham and Anthony Edwards sidelined.
My Pistons vs. Timberwolves predictions and NBA picks see value in those injury absences on Saturday, March 28, with Naz Reid stepping up to fill the void.
Don't miss tip-off at 5:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Pistons vs Timberwolves prediction
Pistons vs Timberwolves best bet: Naz Reid Over 14.5 points (-120)
It would be understandable to accuse me of suggesting this bet as a reaction to Scott Foster’s egregious ejection of Naz Reid in overtime in Wednesday’s utterly chaotic Minnesota Timberwolves win against the Rockets. Foster’s idiocy and the subsequent $50,000 fine levied on Reid do not hurt the motivation here, but the logic is actually much more tangible.
Jaden McDaniels has been ruled out for this matchup against the Detroit Pistons. Without McDaniels and Edwards around, more of the Timberwolves’ offense will run through Reid.
Yes, that is also true of Ayo Dosunmu, but with a tender calf, he may not be as frenetic in transition, and that could suddenly worry his points prop of 16.5 (with the Over juiced to -120 at bet365).
Reid, however, should see some minutes at the three in McDaniels’s stead, and he should take those added minutes and turn them into transition buckets, offensive rebounds and open 3s.
As much as Dosunmu and Bones Hyland have gotten the headlines for Minnesota finding some gear in transition, Reid deserves even more credit. He has always been eager to push it. He was running the floor with the “Twin Turbos” guards as soon as they were on the Timberwolves’ roster.
With Daniss Jenkins now carrying an inordinate workload for the Pistons without Cunningham, a few more transition opportunities may be available. Jenkins has turned over the ball at least three times in three of his last four games, including six against Atlanta on Wednesday.
Pistons vs Timberwolves same-game parlay
These are all bets on quality players taking advantage of added minutes due to stars’ absences. With Cunningham sidelined due to a collapsed lung, second-year St. John’s product Daniss Jenkins has cleared this points prop in his last four games, averaging 22.5 points and 13.75 shot attempts per game.
Pistons vs Timberwolves SGP
Naz Reid Over 14.5 points
Naz Reid Over 6.5 rebounds
Daniss Jenkins Over 16.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: No Edwards, No Problem
On a night-to-night basis, the Timberwolves are not better without Anthony Edwards, but they are more consistent. It is not a total surprise that Minnesota has gone 4-1 against the spread with Edwards sidelined by knee inflammation, with four of those five games hitting their Unders.
Pistons vs Timberwolves SGP
Timberwolves -2
Under 223.5
Naz Reid Over 14.5 points
Pistons vs Timberwolves odds
Spread: Detroit -1.5 | Minnesota +1.5
Moneyline: Detroit -125 | Minnesota +105
Over/Under: Over 221 | Under 221
Pistons vs Timberwolves betting trend to know
The Timberwolves have not only gone 4-1 ATS without Edwards since March 17, they have also exceeded bookmakers’ expectations by an average of 10.3 points per game, even when including the sole ATS loss. Find more NBA betting trends for Pistons vs. Timberwolves.
How to watch Pistons vs Timberwolves
Location
Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Date
Saturday, March 28, 2026
Tip-off
5:30 p.m. ET
TV
ABC
Pistons vs Timberwolves latest injuries
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 ANTONIO, TX - JANUARY 15: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs is guarded by Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks on January 15, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much.
It’s the final stretch of the season, and your intrepid game thread writer has gone on vacation. While I’m on a boat in the middle of the ocean, you people get to watch the Spurs, and talk to each other in the game thread. No worries, I’ll be back before the playoffs. In the meantime: GO SPURS GO!!
[NOTE: while Mark is on vacation, the game prediction will be replaced by a random fact from the archives.]
Random Fact:
Scurvy isn’t real. It’s just something that Big Citrus made up to sell more fruit to pirates.
San Antonio Spurs at Milwaukee Bucks March 28, 2026 | 2:00 PM CT Streaming: NBA League Pass TV: Prime/FanDuel Sports Southwest Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.