CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 25: Head coach Kenny Atkinson of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the first half against the Miami Heat at Rocket Arena on March 25, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CLEVELAND — For the first time in five games, the Cleveland Cavaliers weren’t bailed out by their offense as they fell to the Miami Heat 120-103.
“If you want to win in the league, you have to commit to defense,” Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said before the game. “Point blank, you’re not going to win in the playoffs if you can’t defend. … You need that mentality first. Personnel definitely contributes to that. And schemes are a third.”
Right now, the Cavs are missing parts of all three of those ingredients, leading to another poor defensive performance.
Let’s break those elements down in the order Spoelstra laid out.
The defensive mentality just isn’t there for the Cavs. Good defenses aren’t just sometimes making the correct rotations; they do so every time to the point that there’s a sadistic joy in how they’re able to constantly beat their opponent to the spot they want to be, no matter how much effort it takes.
That just isn’t a priority for the Cavs right now. They’ll have a possession where there’s some extra effort, or an individual player might be hustling, but all five guys aren’t on a string like they need to be great.
You can hide bad defensive players. You just can’t hide ones that aren’t competing on that end. The Cavs have too many guys that fall into that latter bucket to be effective right now.
Second, the Cavs don’t have the personnel to be a dominant defense without Jarrett Allen (knee) and Dean Wade (ankle). There isn’t enough resistance at the point of attack to be good. That’s what happens when you have Donovan Mitchell and James Harden in your starting backcourt.
That issue is exaggerated by the lack of wing defense as well. Wade is a good defender, but his injury history and inconsistent offense make it difficult to fully trust him in the playoffs. And there aren’t many good options outside of that. Neither Max Strus, Jaylon Tyson, nor Keon Ellis has the size to handle bigger threes. That, inherently, limits how effective they can be at the point of attack when they’re guarding up a position.
The entire foundation of this defense is based on the idea that Evan Mobley and Allen can clean everything up. They’ve shown they can do so with the Darius Garland and Mitchell backcourt — they just haven’t been on the floor long enough to prove they can with this iteration.
Lastly, the scheme just doesn’t make sense.
The Cavs are overcompensating for their poor point-of-attack defense by collapsing too much into the paint on drives. They’re doing so even when the primary defender is in a good guarding position. This unnecessary help allows for clean three-point looks that are just an easy pass away.
Here are nine examples of the Cavs giving up clean three-point looks because of overhelping.
To the Cavs credit, they did prevent shots at the rim. Miami was in the 11th percentile for shot attempts in the restricted area. However, that isn’t helpful when that comes at the cost of giving up this many open threes.
There’s sound logic to wanting to lock down the paint. However, when it’s taken too far — and the execution falls short — it can lead to disastrous results.
“It’d be great if we sat here and said, ‘Yeah, we have no flaws,’ but no team has no flaws,” Donovan Mitchell said postgame.
It isn’t difficult to figure out that defense is this team’s major issue. However, he’s also right to point out that every team has weaknesses — including the top championship contenders. The teams that are best at hiding their shortcomings are the ones that will separate themselves in what is a wide-open playoff field.
The question is whether the Cavs can mask this issue in a way that isn’t just as simple as scoring 125 points on the other end. That’s what they’re going to be using the last nine games to figure out.
“That’s going to be our entire focus, how can we get to the level defensively that we’ve shown at times this year?” Sam Merrill said.
Despite what NBA coaches say, offense is more important in the postseason.
Coaches never have to get their team to try offensively, but that’s a common issue on the other end. That lends to this being a consistent point of emphasis. At the same time, it’s also fair to wonder how much the defense is going to limit their playoff ceiling, given how elite the offense has been — this game notwithstanding.
The Cavs have been fourth in offensive rating since Harden’s debut. They’ve done so with a much more diverse offensive profile than last year’s team, which isn’t solely built around the three-ball. This version of the Cavs has been elite at generating cleaner looks at all three levels and getting to the line in a way last year’s team wasn’t.
It’s also worth pointing out that defenses typically get better in the playoffs. The amount of game planning you can do, combined with the increased physicality, naturally lends itself to better defensive play. Offense is what truly separates teams, and what has led to the Cavs’ downfall in their last three playoff runs. And they still will have two elite rim protectors in Allen and Mobley to help mitigate some of the issues we’re seeing.
Even though the on-court product hasn’t been great, the Cavs are confident that they can turn things around before the games really start to matter.
“I have no doubt that everyone in this locker room is ready,” Mitchell said of the playoffs. “We have some things that we can clean up and fix. We have time to fix it, and we’re going to continue to build upon that. … We have a group that’s ready, that’s hungry, and I think we’ll be ready to go.”
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MARCH 25: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees looks on while batting in the second inning during the game between the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The 2026 season has begun, and the Yankees started their year off with a big 7-0 win over the Giants in San Francisco. The game was in their hands nearly the entire way, with a first inning jam being the only threat to Max Fried’s day before the offense jumped Logan Webb for five runs in the second inning. They tacked on two more runs in the fifth, one of them unearned, before Webb’s day came to a close; meanwhile, Max Fried shoved despite not getting much swing and miss action and exited after retiring the first batter of the seventh inning.
All in all, it was a pretty good day for New York. Now they’ll have a day off to reset before wrapping up the series with two more games in San Fran, and while they’re taking a breather there will be plenty of breakdowns coming analyzing that opening romp (some of them coming from this very site). What there will also be plenty of, and probably enough to drown out anything else productive, are overreactions to the Opening Day result. So, why not have a little fun and play into them ahead of time? Go ahead and give us your hot take on what a particular result from Game 1 of 162 means.
There are certainly plenty of narratives you can run with from this game. Starting on the offense’s end, much was made of the team’s decision to “run it back” in 2026 with largely the same roster as last year. Well, last year’s offense led the league in offensive production, and they got off to a fantastic start already this year as well. Is Brian Cashman vindicated? Was running it back the right call? Of course it’s too early to actually say so, but you know that start has got to feel good for the Yankee general manager.
One bat that didn’t shine in the effort, however, was Aaron Judge. The captain had a brutal opener, going 0-for-5 with four straight strikeouts followed by a groundout in the ninth inning. Coming off the heel of the World Baseball Classic finale where Judge didn’t show up (though to be fair, neither did most of that star-laden team) the spotlight was on the superstar outfielder to shake things off, and the opposite happened. Is Judge in store for a rough start to the year like he played in 2024? That season did, of course, lead to him going nuclear for the rest of the year and winning the AL MVP award, but people had their pitchforks out for how poorly he played in that opening month or so and they could reappear at a moment’s notice.
And how about Max Fried, the star of the night on Wednesday? The ace pitched a brilliant game despite clearly being rusty, striking out just four batters but pitching into the seventh before handing the ball off to the mop-up crew in the bullpen. There’s a lot of expectations on Fried’s shoulders after he stepped up last year with no Gerrit Cole around, and if he could surpass them again in his second season in the Bronx something truly magical could unfold. He just narrowly missed out on getting a podium finish in the Cy Young race last year, finishing fourth, but could he leapfrog a spot or two this year? Could he even win the whole thing if that’s how good he looks while still being off? The race is hardly won in a day, but it doesn’t hurt to start off with a 0.00 ERA. What caught your eye from Opening Day, and what has you irrationally excited or disappointed from the night?
Today on the site, Josh leads off with some thoughts on the strange bedfellows MLB has partnered with this year in light of the gambling scandal with Emmanuel Clase still playing out right in front of us. Then Nick wishes one-time Yankee José Vizcaíno a happy birthday before coming back later in the afternoon with the Rotation Depth Inventory for March, and Andrés looks more closely at how Max Fried executed without his top command last night.
What shall we expect of the Islanders tonight? With every point crucial in a crowded playoff race, they are in a run where they 1) played aimlessly against Ottawa yet still had at least a point on the table until the final 11 seconds, 2) gave up a gazillion goals to the Habs, 3) played a solid game against Columbus but still needed a Ilya Sorokin shutout, and 4) fell asleep for 10 minutes to lose to the Blackhawks.
That’s not good, not at all, and as a result they sit outside the playoff spots with 10 games to go.
Tonight a Cup contending team visits, though the Dallas Stars are on a three-game losing streak as they begin a four-game eastern trip.
The Isles, meanwhile, acre accumulating blueline injury issues, forcing Matthew Schaefer to break the record for ice time by a teenager in Tuesday’s loss to the Hawks. That game saw Tony DeAngelo leave injured in the first period, while Ryan Pulock sat out another one.
We’ll learn today from the morning skate if Isaiah George, called up before that last game, will get his first NHL action since a two-game stint in January. (On that note, Alex Romanov’s season-ender, Mikko Rantanen, has been out hurt but is apparently on this trip.)
PITTSBURGH, PA - FEBRUARY 2: Arturs Silovs #37 of the Pittsburgh Penguins makes a save against Drake Batherson #19 of the Ottawa Senators at PPG PAINTS Arena on February 2, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
With both teams desperate for points in their fight for playoff positioning, tonight’s game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators should have a playoff feel when the teams hit the ice. Right now, the Penguins are holding onto third place in the Metro division while the Senators cling to the second and final wild card spot by virtue of holding the tiebreaker over the New York Islanders. Both the Penguins and Senators will have only 10 games left after tonight’s contest, so expect both sides to leave it all on the ice tonight in Canada’s capital.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00PM EST and will be broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh.
Pens Points…
While a few of the upper tier teams in the Eastern Conference have created separation and are in a comfortable playoff position, that is not the case for the rest as the battle to make the Stanley Cup playoffs is going to come down right to the wire with razor thin margins separating the contenders. [Pensburgh]
After some recent struggles, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins righted the ship a bit last weekend, taking two of three games on a road trip through Canada and clinched a playoff spot in the process. With nine games left on the schedule, the goal is now to lock down a first round bye. [Pensburgh]
Another key injury appears to have hit the Penguins lineup at the worst possible moment. Forward Anthony Mantha, who has already set a new career high in goals this season, did not practice on Wednesday and is considered day-to-day but will be on the plane to Ottawa with the team. [Trib Live]
Like Mantha, Just Brazeau has already set a new career high in goals this season with the Penguins but the well has dried up as of late. He had a goal taken off the board against Colorado on Tuesday, but Brazeau knows the opportunities will come if he just keeps playing his game. [Trib Live]
There’s a strong case to be made for Kyle Dubas as the top general manager in hockey this season as his series of moves over the past year have perfectly positioned this Penguins team break their postseason drought after many considered them a likely basement dweller rather than a playoff contender. [Daily Faceoff]
Another testament to the work Dubas has done since joining the Penguins organization is the way the he has slowly but surely replenished the prospect pool that was near the bottom of the league before he arrived. Now they sit somewhere around the middle of the pack with that stock likely to keep rising. [The Athletic $$]
NHL News and Notes…
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman and team captain Victor Hedman will be taking a temporary leave of absence from the team, citing personal reasons. No other reason was given for his departure nor did the team release any kind of timetable for his return to action. [ESPN]
BRADENTON, FLORIDA - MARCH 21, 2026: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on during the first inning of a spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays at LECOM Park on March 21, 2026 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Leah King/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
With the MLB 2026 regular season upon us, here are your staff predictions from the Bucs Dugout crew:
Ethan Coulehan
I think the pirates will win 82 games this season. Pittsburgh has upgraded their bats, which really struggled last season. Additions like Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn, and Marcel ozuna will help the offense. The pitching will also be a bright spot for this team headlined by plays skenes. I think the pirates can do exactly what the reds did in 2025 which was sneak into the playoffs with around 82 wins.
Jaiman White
I think the Pirates with the offseason moves they’ve made to improve the lineup and with the stellar pitching staff they have assembled will finish just north of .500 this year. I think their lack of defense could hold them back and may be the difference maker in the games that matter the most down the stretch. Still though, the Pirates will have their most successful season under Ben Cherington and will finish with 84 wins.
Jeremy Brener
The Pittsburgh Pirates find themselves with higher expectations compared to last season. The team is coming off a 71-91 campaign, which was five victories less than 2023 and 2024. In order to take a step in the right direction this season, the Pirates need to have a better offense. They should have that with their free agency acquisitions over the offseason: Marcel Ozuna, Brennan Lowe, and Ryan O’Hearn. They should also challenge some of the best rotations in the league with Paul Skenes leading the way. Their pitching should be enough to keep them in a lot of games, but their hitting is what will turn some of those 2025 losses into 2026 wins.
There should be an improvement from the Pirates, but it remains to be seen how much better the team will actually be. A playoff berth is not totally out of the question, considering the fact that the Cincinnati Reds were a wild card team with just 83 victories last season. That would require a 12-win boost from the Pirates, which would be significant. I imagine the Pirates will get close to that number, but they won’t quite get there. 79 wins.
Darren Yuvan
There’s no doubt that the Bucs are improved from last year. The only question that remains is how much? The starting pitching should once again be a team strength, and Pittsburgh’s cast of new hitters should improve things offensively. I do think the bullpen is a potential struggle point, and I agree with Jaiman that team defense is another. Still, the top-notch pitching staff and more offense should be good for 10ish more wins, so let’s call this a .500 ball club. The Bucs finish with 81 wins. They miss the playoffs, but the road back to becoming a winning team starts this season.
It may feel like a lifetime ago when Yoshinobu Yamamoto fired a splitter to Alejandro Kirk, who rolled a ground ball to Mookie Betts with the bases loaded, Betts simply stepping on second and tossing to first and ending a World Series, just like that.
Yet here we are, Opening Day upon us and real baseball, coast-to-coast and nearly around the clock a daily reality. Does the world seem any different since Nov. 1, when the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays played one of the greatest Game 7s of all time, to end one of the greatest World Series of all time?
A lot can happen in 145 days. Especially in the baseball industry. With that, USA TODAY Sports gets you back up to speed on what you missed since the Dodgers claimed their second consecutive World Series championship:
The Blue Jays reinvented themselves – for the most part
We’ll start on that Rogers Centre turf, where the disconsolate Blue Jays filed back to a clubhouse where the tears flowed as easily as the champagne in the opposing room a few hundred yards away.
It’s really hard to repeat as champions in baseball, as the Dodgers learned. So wouldn’t it seem equally hard to get back to the Fall Classic after losing Game 7?
(Remember, 145 days can fly by, too).
With that, the Blue Jays took a wise hybrid approach to their offseason – not replicating the roster that fell just short but augmenting and future-proofing it.
Say hello to new starting pitchers Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce, the former a supreme bat-misser and the latter whose spring performance justified his $30 million commitment to arrive from Japan. Kazuma Okamoto is the new third baseman. Bo Bichette is gone.
Yet the guts of the club still remain, even 41-year-old Max Scherzer, looking incredibly spry this spring and probably much healthier than last year. And let's not forget that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. begins the first of his 14 years of contractual bliss, over which time Toronto will pay him $500 million. He’s already worth it – even moreso if the Jays can win one more game than they did last year.
The Dodgers are only further reviled
Don’t weep for the boys in blue: More than 4 million people flocked through the gates to see them play last year. They get plenty of California love.
Yet they just can’t help themselves when it comes to seismic signings that rock the industry.
Here’s where $60 million man Kyle Tucker comes in (or, $57 million man Kyle Tucker when taking deferrals into account). This wasn’t an epic free agent class this past winter but the vacuum of trade rumors and signings must be filled and Tucker became the Hope Diamond.
Great player. Not quite a franchise player. Yet after he chose the Dodgers’ front-loaded and opt-out friendly deal, manager Dave Roberts will have a hard act to follow.
After all, he relished that the Dodgers “ruined baseball” in the postgame celebration following their NLCS vanquishing of the Brewers. A third straight World Series appearance and the club might be taking the rap for climate change and mayonnaise, too.
ABS system: ‘Robots’ have arrived
Sometimes a colloquialism gets out of control. So it is with “robot umpires.”
The phrase gained steam as pitch-tracking technology got better and more widespread and the average modern fan posited that we’d be better off with robots calling balls and strikes.
And here we are. Kind of.
The ABS Challenge System enables batters, pitchers and catchers to tap their head should they immediately determine they’ve possibly been wronged. They can do it twice a game and then, if they fail, they must live with human error.
It’s a bit of a half-measure to keep the so-called human element fairly alive and well while providing a fairly sturdy guardrail against egregious crimes against the strike zone.
Thank goodness it only takes 30 seconds or so to render a verdict, keeping the game watchable. And perhaps more enjoyable if your team is the one benefiting.
It actually began before the World Series when Philadelphia Phillies president Dave Dombrowski opined in the club’s postseason postmortem that Harper wasn’t an “elite” player anymore.
It picked up steam when Harper, now a prolific TikToker, donned a shirt he said someone gave him bearing Dombrowski’s damning phrase. Just workout gear, he said.
Silly? Hey, the Narrative Factory never closes, and this is fodder either way, whether Harper falls into a 2-for-30 hole or claims his third MVP award at 33.
They still have 2024 Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale, and Reynaldo Lopez is kinda nice, and maybe Bryce Elder can recapture his 2023 first half magic that sent him to the All-Star Game.
Other than that? The Atlanta Braves have an entire pitching rotation on the injured list.
It’s no way for a recent power to erase the sting of a fourth-place finish. They lost Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep to bone chip surgery in late February. Joey Wentz to a torn ACL once Grapefruit League play began.
And they couldn’t break camp without Spencer Strider tweaking an oblique. Throw in AJ Smith-Shawver’s Tommy John surgery from last June, and that’s a quintet’s worth of innings lost.
Those that remain hopefully won’t step on any banana peels.
‘Nuclear winter’ drew a little closer
Looking forward to Opening Day, eh? Shame if something happened to it.
Kind of an apt marketing slogan for Major League Baseball, eh? Lest we forget, Opening Day 2027 is far from a given with labor storm clouds forming and commissioner Rob Manfred telegraphing a lockout that will end all baseball business Dec. 1 until a new collective bargaining agreement is struck.
In the meantime, the union is down a man, with executive director Tony Clark’s startling resignation in February coming with just enough time to regroup before negotiations begin. (Yes, talks could have commenced any time in the last year, but that’s just not how they do it).
So enjoy the sunshine and displays of talent and hopefully a nice W for your team of choice. Next year this time could be a lot different.
Then again, plenty can happen from the final pitch of one season to the first one of the next.
The men's NCAA Tournament resumes Thursday with the first half of the round of 16 in action.
The teams assigned to the West and South Regionals take the stage first. An accomplished quartet will be on display in San Jose, where three power conference tournament champions along with one of the last teams to squeeze into the at-large pool hope to continue their winning ways. In Houston, the home-town Cougars must outlast three more representatives of the Big Ten in their quest to make it back to the Final Four.
Here’s everything you need to know about the matchups, including TV channels and tip times.
No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 11 Texas
Time/TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CBS
The Boilermakers were expected to be here at the start of the campaign, though they hit a slump during the Big Ten schedule that had some observers wondering if their lofty preseason ranking was misplaced. The conference tournament seems to have flipped a switch for them, but the Longhorns have also unlocked something after a break-even SEC run. Purdue’s triumvirate of Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn, who’ve been playing together for multiple years, gives the team something of an old-school vibe. Matt Painter has made use of the portal as well, of course, adding a post presence in the person of Oscar Cluff. He’ll be needed to keep Texas big man Matas Vokietaitis at bay. Longhorns guard Tramon Mark has hit his share of big shots in his collegiate career, but the alpha dog for this group is Dailyn Swain, the team leader in points, assists, rebounds and steals.
No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 9 Iowa
Time/TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV
This might not have been the encounter between conference opponents we expected in the Big Dance, but there’s no disputing the Cornhuskers and Hawkeyes won their way here. The rivals from neighboring states actually met twice during the regular season, each winning on its own home court in close fashion. Nebraska gets much of its production from versatile forwards Pryce Sandfort and Rienk Mast, who can score from any level. But much of their work is facilitated by point guard Sam Hoiberg, who also battles his way to 5.3 rebounds a game despite often being the smallest guy on the court. The good news for Iowa is the team managed to survive a rare bad shooting game from Bennett Stirtz. His slump likely won’t continue, but Taveon Banks and Alvaro Folgueiras can help.
This heavyweight bout between the champions of the Big 12 and SEC should probably not be happening in the round of 16, but relitigating committee business is moot at this juncture. What is not pointless is noting the high magnitude of star power that will be on display in the San Jose nightcap. The brightest in the constellation is Razorbacks’ do-everything lead guard Darius Acuff Jr. Members of his supporting cast like Meleek Thomas and Trevon Brazile have done their share to contribute to Arkansas’s journey to this point, but expect the ball to be in Acuff’s hands when the game is on the line. The Wildcats are aware of that, of course, and they have no shortage of options themselves for offense and defense. Freshmen Brayden Burries and Koa Peat are often the finishers, but the veteran presence of Jaden Bradley makes the entire operation run smoothly. But Arizona’s biggest advantage might be on the glass, where the Wildcats average a double-digit rebound margin and the Razorbacks can struggle at times.
No. 2 Houston vs. No. 3 Illinois
Time/TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV
The Fighting Illini have certainly played in their share of road environments, which this almost certainly will be even if it isn’t the Cougars’ actual arena. What is more concerning for Illinois faithful, however, is how the team handled late-game situations over the last month of the campaign – or rather didn’t handle them. The Illini have avoided that issue thus far in the Big Dance by winning comfortably, but that isn’t likely to be the case against the well-drilled Cougars. Houston has a solid mix of veterans from last year’s national runner-up squad like Milos Uzan, Emanuel Sharp and Joseph Tugler, joined by high-impact recruits Kingston Flemings and Chris Cenac. Illinois has its own standout freshman in Keaton Wagler. Perhaps even more important, the Illini’s big front line featuring David Mirkovic and the brothers Ivisic, Tomislav and Zvonimir, are capable of generating second chances, which will likely be needed against the Cougars’ pressure defense.
Major League Baseball's 2026 season kicks into gear with a proper Opening Day on Thursday, March 26, featuring 11 games after the New York Yankees beat the San Francisco Giants in the official regular-season opener last night.
Some highlights of Thursday's slate include Cy Young winner Paul Skenes taking on the new-look New York Mets at Citi Field, Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers in San Diego facing the Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers lifting their second consecutive World Series banner at 8:30 p.m. ET.
The Atlanta Braves-Kansas City Royals and Toronto Blue Jays-Athletics series will begin Friday, March 27, concluding baseball's three Opening Days.
The men's NCAA basketball tournament now enters its second week. Even though the teams remaining still have to win four more games to claim a coveted national championship, this is the part of the tournament at which teams and their fans can realistically envision the possibility that it really can happen. That is the case even for programs that have never managed to get over the hump.
Ten of the 16 teams still alive in the Big Dance are seeking that elusive first title, but several others haven’t raised a banner since the turn of the millennium.
Here’s a cursory ranking of the eight matchups on tap this week in the Sweet 16.
1. Connecticut vs. Michigan State
Time/TV: Friday, 9:45 p.m. ET
This is the only matchup left in the field featuring coaches with national titles, though it’s been considerably longer since Michigan State and Tom Izzo hoisted the trophy in 2000. Dan Hurley and the Huskies will be seeking their third crown in four years.
2. Arizona vs. Arkansas
Time/TV: Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET
This is arguably the game with the most next-level talent on display. The Wildcats have several likely future pros, but the Razorbacks’ Darius Acuff is often the best player on the floor.
3. Duke vs. St. John’s
Time/TV: Friday, 7:10 p.m. ET
These big-name programs with plenty of history also happened to be among the hottest teams in the country entering March Madness. This contest should in truth be happening in a later round, as the Red Storm were curiously given a No. 5 seed despite winning the Big East championship, and the committee by extension did the Blue Devils, ostensibly the top overall seed, no favors with this difficult region.
4. Houston vs. Illinois
Time/TV: Thursday, 10:05 p.m. ET
These two programs have been on the doorstep of claiming the title but have yet to do so. The Cougars, agonizingly close a year ago, hope to make the most of this opportunity in their home city, but the Fighting Illini are capable of matching shots with them.
5. Michigan vs. Alabama
Time/TV: Friday, 7:35 p.m. ET
This would be a compelling matchup on the gridiron as well, but both these schools have also won their share of basketball games in recent years. The Wolverines topped the polls for a large chunk of the season, but the high-octane Crimson Tide are capable of upending anyone if their 3-point shots fall.
6. Nebraska vs. Iowa
Time/TV: Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET
There’s a curiosity factor for this one to be sure, as the Cornhuskers have never reached this round of the tournament and it has been a very long time for the Hawkeyes. It’s actually their third meeting of the season, with each winning at home during Big Ten competition, but obviously the stakes are elevated for this one.
7. Purdue vs. Texas
Time/TV: Thursday, 7:10 p.m. ET
There is mismatch potential for this one, as the red-hot Boilermakers hope to keep riding the momentum from their Big Ten tournament title. The Longhorns are the lowest remaining seed left in the field but have clicked since their First Four victory.
8. Iowa State vs. Tennessee
Time/TV: Friday, 10:10 p.m. ET
This might be the least appealing contest of the round in terms of historical pedigree, but there are plenty of subplots to monitor even if you don’t know much about these programs. The Volunteers are in the Sweet 16 for a third consecutive year but still seek a first Final Four appearance, while the Cyclones hope to take another step after last season’s run was cut short by tough injury luck.
Mark Pope whistled past the graveyard this week. He probably thought it sounded like a hopeful tune, but my ears detected more of sob story, set to a sad trombone.
Pope compared himself to John Calipari on his radio show, and he thought the comparison made him sound good. Say what?
In a four-minute monologue, Pope explained how, in his mind, his two seasons as Kentucky men's basketball coach deserve a little more love than Big Blue Nation is offering. Keep in mind, his Wildcats just got trounced in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
“This is what’s going to shock you," Pope said. "If you take the four years before we got here and compare them to the two years since we’ve been here, we actually have a higher winning percentage in the last two than we did in the four preceding (years, under Calipari) — barely, but a higher winning percentage.”
Whew, buddy, where to begin.
Mark Pope: 'Do the math.' OK, let's do it
Let’s start here: Winning percentage, are you kidding me? Pope should know Kentucky doesn’t hang banners for a .639 winning percentage. That winning percentage will get him a buyout check from Kentucky, not applause.
The next time Pope wants to compare himself to Calipari, stop. Just stop. Big Blue Nation wanted Calipari gone at the end of his tenure. Pope admitting he’s "barely" performed better than the end of Calipari’s reign is not the compliment Pope thinks it is — especially, when you consider Pope has delivered none of the success Calipari previously supplied, before Cal fizzled and flopped in March his final few years.
Calipari has six Final Fours (four at Kentucky) and a national championship. Pope has three tournament wins. He’s never won a Sweet 16 game or an SEC title. End of comparison.
Oh, one more thing: Calipari’s current Arkansas team won the SEC tournament, and he’s strutting like a rejuvenated mafioso into the Sweet 16, while Pope uncorks excuses, cites his winning percentage, and comes armed with strength of schedule metrics to an offseason radio show.
“Go do the math yourself,” Pope said, in defense of his record.
Yes, because if there’s one thing that’ll fire up a ravenous fan base, it’s whipping out a calculator and celebrating .639.
Calipari’s winning percentage his final four seasons: .635.
Well, glory be, I detect a whisker of progress!
Except, then you consider Calipari’s winning percentage his final three seasons was .703. I guess we’re not supposed to do that math.
To Pope’s credit, his Wildcats avoided the gut-punching first-round losses Calipari suffered to Saint Peter’s in 2022 and Oakland in 2024. That’s where the credit ends. Otega Oweh's banked-in 40-footer kept Pope's second season from ending with a first-round loss to 10-seed Santa Clara. Then, Iowa State busted out the whoopin' stick.
While we’re talking numbers, here are a few more: Calipari won 29 games his second season at Kentucky and went to a Final Four. He won 38 games his third season and delivered a national title.
That’s the bar. That’s the standard. That gets you a banner and praise. Not .639.
“We haven’t met our goals, clearly,” Pope said, “but we are making progress.
“We know where we need to go.”
So do I. To the Final Four, next season, or start packing.
Big Blue Nation doesn’t want to solve math problems. It cares about one number: One.
As in, it expects to be No. 1.
That’s what the Kentucky job demands. Same as North Carolina.
North Carolina firing Hubert Davis gives a warning to Mark Pope
If Pope needed a hint as to what .639 will get him, check out Hubert Davis. He’s unemployed today. Despite being a well-respected alumnus, like Pope is at UK, Davis failed to meet UNC’s blue-blooded standard for unflinching excellence, no matter the circumstances.
Davis’ winning percentage in five seasons at North Carolina: .698.
His winning percentage this season: .727.
A lot better than .639.
Fired anyway.
Numbers that come after a decimal point don’t matter at blue bloods nearly as much as banners do.
Iowa State smashed Kentucky, as Cyclones dealt with an injury
Pope, during his monologue, explained injuries affected his team the past two seasons. Kentucky’s savvy fans didn’t need Pope to repeatedly remind them of those injuries, but it’s true his Wildcats dealt with “some misfortune,” as Pope put it.
An injury didn’t keep Iowa State from steamrolling Kentucky in the second round. While prolific scorer Joshua Jefferson sat out with an ankle injury, the Cyclones nonetheless made a mockery of the Wildcats after halftime, in an 82-63 rout.
Know who else got bit by the injury big? North Carolina.
The Tar Heels weren’t the same after losing leading scorer Caleb Wilson to injury in early March. That injury to a superstar didn’t keep Davis off the firing line when the Tar Heels lost in the first round.
Davis took UNC to the national championship game his first season and to a Sweet 16 two years ago, but North Carolina decided he wasn’t an elite coach. So, it became time for him to go, so the Tar Heels can try again to hire a coach who'll hang a string of banners.
Let UNC’s firing of Davis be a warning to Pope: Win, or walk.
Mark Pope will get new boss soon
Kentucky is in the process of hiring an athletic director. The last AD retired, after hiring Pope and stroking a $38 million buyout to football coach Mark Stoops. Among the tasks for Mitch Barnhart’s successor: Make Kentucky basketball great again.
Kentucky came miles short of greatness the past two seasons. By Pope’s own admission, Kentucky fared “barely” better than Calipari’s last four seasons.
If you had to describe Kentucky in a single word under Pope, opt for a number instead.
.639.
Too bad for Pope this job demands banners, not calculators.
Major League Baseball's Opening Day is upon us, and with it comes the annual exercise of trying to predict the seven-month puzzle before a single pitch is thrown.
After an offseason and spring training of roster moves and position battles, the 2026 season officially kicks off in earnest with a clean slate for all 30 clubs. Can anybody take down the Los Angeles Dodgers? The two-time defending World Series champions added another star this winter in Kyle Tucker, infuriating fans across the baseball world.
Should we just name the MVP awards after Aaron Judge (three) and Shohei Ohtani (four)? And who are the rookies set to make the biggest impact in 2026?
Here's how USA TODAY Sports' MLB writers and editors see the season unfolding:
Bob Nightengale
AL East: Blue Jays
AL Central: Tigers
AL West: Mariners
AL Wild Cards: Yankees, Orioles, Red Sox
NL East: Phillies
NL Central: Cubs
NL West: Dodgers
NL Wild Cards: Brewers, Giants, Mets
ALCS Winner: Tigers
NLCS Winner: Phillies
World Series: Phillies over Tigers
AL MVP: Bobby Witt Jr. – Royals
NL MVP: Bryce Harper – Phillies
AL Cy Young: Framber Valdez – Tigers
NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes – Pirates
AL Rookie of the Year: Kevin McGonigle – Tigers
NL Rookie of the Year: Nolan McLean – Mets
Gabe Lacques
AL East: Blue Jays
AL Central: Tigers
AL West: Mariners
AL Wild Cards: Orioles, Yankees, Rangers
NL East: Phillies
NL Central: Cubs
NL West: Dodgers
NL Wild Cards: Mets, Padres, Reds
ALCS Winner: Mariners
NLCS Winner: Phillies
World Series: Mariners over Phillies
AL MVP: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – Blue Jays
NL MVP: Juan Soto – Mets
AL Cy Young: Garrett Crochet – Red Sox
NL Cy Young: Cristopher Sanchez – Phillies
AL Rookie of the Year: Kevin McGonigle – Tigers
NL Rookie of the Year: Justin Crawford – Phillies
Steve Gardner
AL East: Yankees
AL Central: Royals
AL West: Mariners
AL Wild Cards: Blue Jays, Tigers, Rangers
NL East: Phillies
NL Central: Reds
NL West: Dodgers
NL Wild Cards: Cubs, Mets, Pirates
ALCS Winner: Mariners
NLCS Winner: Dodgers
World Series: Mariners over Dodgers
AL MVP: Julio Rodriguez – Mariners
NL MVP: Shohei Ohtani – Dodgers
AL Cy Young: Garrett Crochet – Red Sox
NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes – Pirates
AL Rookie of the Year: Chase DeLauter – Guardians
NL Rookie of the Year: Konnor Griffin – Pirates
Stephen Borelli
AL East: Yankees
AL Central: Tigers
AL West: Mariners
AL Wild Cards: Blue Jays, Orioles, Astros
NL East: Mets
NL Central: Brewers
NL West: Dodgers
NL Wild Cards: Cubs, Phillies, Padres
World Series: Tigers over Dodgers
AL MVP: Cal Raleigh – Mariners
NL MVP: Ronald Acuña Jr. – Braves
AL Cy Young: Tarik Skubal – Tigers
NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes – Pirates
AL Rookie of the Year: Munetaka Murakami – White Sox
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 25: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder is guarded by Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics during the game on March 25, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
BOSTON — Jaylen Brown baited a foul on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, using the reigning league MVP’s signature move to get to the line with under eight minutes in the fourth quarter. It worked — and Brown cracked a smile on his way to the stripe. He called it “payback.”
“He got me last time we played them,” Brown said following Boston’s 119-109 win over Oklahoma City on Wednesday night. “He got me on the upfake, and I knew it was coming, and I still jumped forward. So, I guess that was a little payback.”
It wasn’t until 8:21 in the third that Brown attempted his first free throw of the night. More than four minutes later, Gilgeous-Alexander attempted his first before finishing with 12 total — two shy of Brown’s 14. The much-anticipated potential NBA Finals preview between the Celtics and Thunder didn’t end with anyone in Boston’s locker room looking back with regret or disdain for the officiating.
When it was only a matter of seconds until Boston officially ended Oklahoma City’s 12-game winning streak and split the season series, Brown looked toward the TD Garden crowd. With both arms raised in, he urged Celtics fans to rise to their feet. The Celtics had avoided falling victim to Gilgeous-Alexander’s foul-merchant ways — and instead, it was Brown who had beaten last season’s Western Conference leader in free-throw attempts (8.8) at his own game.
That took time — a career-high 11 technical fouls, one ejection, and one $35,000 fine in January.
“I feel like I play the same style, but maybe complaining is giving more notoriety to how the game is officiated, and I feel like I’ve gotten more calls,” Brown said. “I thought the officials did a good job tonight. Every call is not gonna be perfect, but I thought they did a great job of trying to keep it balanced or keep it the same both ways. So I didn’t have no complaints.”
Brown added: “If they’re gonna get those calls, as long as we get them too, then I feel decent about it.”
Two weeks ago in Oklahoma City, Gilgeous-Alexander baited Brown with the same move. Just over eight minutes into their matchup on March 12, Brown fell for the upfake and fouled Gilgeous-Alexander.
Knowing he messed up, Brown could only grin in frustration with himself.
So with the Celtics struggling to break out against the top-seeded teams in the West, having gone 1-8 against the Thunder, Spurs, Nuggets, Timberwolves, and Rockets before Wednesday night, Brown knew it was time to flip the script. Boston had just lost to an Anthony Edwards-less Minnesota team to begin the week, so it was time to reassess and establish a game plan once Oklahoma City arrived.
“That was a well-needed win,” Brown admitted. “I really wanted that win — we needed that as well. We know we can play anybody, but when you get a win on your home floor against the team that has the best record in the league, it feels good — especially after dropping the game I feel like we should’ve won against Minnesota, so (it was) very encouraging and it’s a step to build in the right direction.”
Brown finished with 31 points, combining for 50 with Tatum.
Boston outclassed Oklahoma City in second-chance points, rebounds (43-35), assists (25-17), and 3-point shooting (44% to 32%) — all without Nikola Vučević, still sidelined with a finger fracture since March 6. While Coach Mark Daigneault fielded a full-strength Thunder team, Coach Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics logged their most impressive victory of the season without their newly acquired trade-deadline star.
“This team has just been awesome all year,” Brown said. “It’s been a very fun season.”
Brown’s latest 30-point performance increased his Eastern Conference lead to 33 this season. To Tatum, his partner-in-crime’s rise has come as no surprise. Brown has spent the entirety of the year holding the fort down as the team’s leader through Tatum’s nearly-10-month-long absence, amassing a convincing league MVP campaign in the process.
Through their previous eight seasons together, Tatum knew Brown was more than capable of sitting in the driver’s seat while keeping the Celtics their usual competitive selves, regardless of circumstances.
“He’s made big plays in every game that we’ve been in, but this season he’s been able to take more ownership,” Tatum said of Brown. “Obviously, him and all the other guys (have) just been able to carry more weight, and obviously we all know he could do it. It was just when guys get more of an opportunity, they get to show it.”
Mar 25, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) challenges Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) for the ball in the fourth quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images
On Wednesday night, the Houston Rockets squared off against the Minnesota Timberwolves on the prime-time slate, in a game that had a playoff feel to it. Certainly a playoff intensity.
The game held major stakes, as it pertains to the Western Conference standings, as the two teams were separated by just a half game. Kevin Durant struggled at the onset, going 1-for-6 in the opening quarter, as the Wolves made it a point to neutralize him, by either employing double teams or having Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels rotate as Durant’s primary defender.
And although Julius Randle gashed the Rockets for 39 points in the last matchup between the two teams, he went 0-for-4 in the opening quarter. Houston struggled to execute on relatively higher percentage looks, going 9-of-23 in the paint in the first half. The Rockets also had seven straight 3-point misses in the opening half (which shouldn’t be a surprise, considering their struggles from the outside of late).
Defense was the story of the game. Alperen Sengun was a force on that end, amassing four blocks in total. But not just the blocks, Sengun was drawing charges, diving for loose balls to get key stops and even had the key stop of the game, getting a block on Randle that saw him bloody his lip at the end of regulation to extend the game to overtime.
The overtime period was a quarter of runs, by both teams. The Rockets went on an 8-0 run, looking like they were going to walk out victorious. However, the Wolves went on a 15-0 run to close the period, becoming the first team since the Phoenix Suns in 2021 to go on such a run in overtime.
The Rockets lost 110-108 and seem entrenched in the sixth seed in the West, as they are now 1.5 games back from the Wolves for the fifth spot and 3.5 games ahead of the Phoenix Suns, who are in the seventh spot. Durant finished with 30 points, albeit on an inefficient 22 shots and had a key missed free throw in overtime, while Sengun also had 30 points on 22 shots.
Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard went a combined 10-of-28 from the field and 4-of-16 from deep, in addition to five turnovers. Amen Thompson had a near triple double, with 11 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
The Azzurri are under pressure to avoid failing to qualify for soccer’s biggest event for a third consecutive time after being eliminated by Sweden in 2017 and North Macedonia in 2022.
In all, 16 teams are competing for four spots at the World Cup in North America.
Eight one-off semifinals are followed by four finals next week. The winners of the finals secure qualification.
Path A: Italy vs. Northern Ireland, Wales vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Path B: Ukraine vs. Sweden, Poland vs. Albania.
Path C: Turkey vs. Romania, Slovakia vs. Kosovo.
Path D: Denmark vs. North Macedonia, Czech Republic vs. Ireland
Juan Soto, Tarik Skubal, Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge will be in the mix for awards this season. Composite: Guardian Pictures (via Getty)
The Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System is …
A welcome introduction. Recent years have seen a tactical flattening of the game with the introduction of the universal DH, the banning of the shift and the three-batter minimum rule, but this adds an interesting wrinkle to game management. The league table of catchers’ challenge percentages will be fascinating. AE
The robo-ump makes me sick, but I also didn’t love the pitch clock and I could never go back to 3hr 45min games. In the end I think we’ll all get used it fairly quickly. Phillies left-hander Jesús Luzardo claimed he wouldn’t use it all year and didn’t make it one inning before he reversed course. BAG
Count me among the naysayers. There’s something pure about a pitcher figuring out the nuances of a particular ump’s strike zone. And ABS minimizes an important aspect of a catcher’s repertoire: framing. MJ
Umps have gone from God to gotcha thanks to instant replay and now, ABS. It’s been a slow, painful demise for the men in blue and now umps will be emasculated even more acutely. That said, strike zones will become more consistent, and once the umps just give up and learn what the computer likes, we’ll probably see fewer challenges and fewer embarrassing moments. DL
Shohei Ohtani is the greatest player since …
Eddy Merckx? Michael Phelps? Jan Zelezny? Leonidas of Rhodes? Secretariat? At this point you have to look beyond baseball and start making comparisons with other sports’ greatest ever competitors. What he is doing should be impossible. AE
He’s the greatest to ever do it, full stop. Ruth never faced 100mph sliders. Bonds never took the mound. Ohtani’s doing both at historic levels in the analytics age. BAG
There really is no comp for the value and domination Ohtani has brought to the game. No offense to The Babe, but he wasn’t exactly hitting off flamethrowers or throwing the ball 100mph like Ohtani. MJ
Himself! Ruth made 36 starts over two years before his hitting prowess forced him off the mound, while Ohtani has made nearly 90 starts over the past four seasons in which he has hit full-time. You can’t take your eyes off him. DL
What I’m most looking forward to …
Last year was supposed to be the year the Orioles’ young stars properly broke through. Instead, it was a disaster – players couldn’t find a rhythm, injuries piled up and the rest of the American League East was the strongest it had been in years. But the young core is back, Pete Alonso has joined, there’s a new manager, and the new owners seem to be more ambitious than the Angelos family was. AE
Seeing whether October bends to LA once more or finally breaks them. We haven’t seen this kind of superteam-v-the field tension since the fin-de-siècle Yankees. The Dodgers feel like a team all but nailed-on for a coronation, which usually means something weird is coming. The fun will be finding out which contender, if any, is bold enough to disrupt it. BAG
Exciting prospects. From elite infielders Konnor Griffin (Pirates), Jesús Made (Brewers), Kevin McGonigle (Tigers) and JJ Wetherholt (Cardinals) to power hitters Travis Bazzana (Guardians) and Sebastian Walcott (Rangers), there’s a great chance at least a couple of these prospects become household names. MJ
MLB and the MLB Players’ Association using every minute of this season to get together and figure out the next collective bargaining agreement. This is hard to believe, but baseball is actually on the rise for the first time in for ever after a great season, World Series and World Baseball Classic. It has real momentum, and to have an extended work stoppage that cancels or shrinks next season is sports suicide. DL
Young player to watch …
Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo played 31 games last year and averaged just .165, but the Camden Yards front office clearly saw something in him and signed him to an eight-year extension. Spring training is largely meaningless but the 21-year-old finished it with an OPS of 1.115 including several big home runs. Everyone in Baltimore loves Adley Rutschman, but if he has another down year, Basallo will be waiting in the wings. AE
Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony feels like the next face-of-the-league test case: a blue-chip prospect with only 71 games of big-league experience fixed to be the everyday leadoff hitter for an AL East contender. One of the World Baseball Classic’s breakout stars, the 21-year-old has even been hyped as a MVP candidate. BAG
Travis Bazzana. It’s not just that Bazzana, drafted first overall by the Guardians in 2024, is Australian. The kid was balling out this spring. The infield prospect’s power was on display for Team Australia in the WBC and for the Guardians – he hit two homers in a game last weekend. Bazzana will start in Triple A but there’s already buzz around his presumed call-up, which could turn the back-to-back AL Central winner into even more of a juggernaut. MJ
Well, the Pirates have a two-for-one now that pitching phenom Bubba Chandler has earned a spot on the rotation. The onetime two-way player who gave up the dream to focus on pitching will be Pittsburgh’s fifth hurler after Buccos brass wisely decided to start the 23-year-old rather than put him in the bullpen. DL
MVP winners will be …
It’s hard to look beyond Ohtani in the National League, for reasons outlined above. In the AL it’s trickier – Cal Raleigh deserved it last year, but Aaron Judge plays in a major market, is relentlessly consistent, and has shown he’s not a one-off. AE
It’s Ohtani in the NL and the Mariners’ Julio Rodríguez in the AL. The 25-year-old Rodríguez, just entering his prime, has the supporting cast in place to turn his electric tools into a season too overwhelming for voters to overlook. BAG
Ohtani (NL) and Bobby Witt Jr (AL). Make that four in a row for Ohtani. The AL race is a tad more fun, and I’ll cast a vote for Witt to double down on his all-around dominant 2025 and regain the batting title he won in 2024. MJ
Let’s be honest: the only way Ohtani and Judge don’t win the MVP awards is if they get hurt. DL
AL East winners …
The Yankees. Toronto were one the league’s luckiest teams last year and rode that fortune to within one out of winning it all, but are likely to fall back a bit. It’s the strongest division in baseball again, and any of the five teams could win it, but there is always an inevitable feeling about the Yankees. AE
Blue Jays. It’s the most volatile division in baseball, but Toronto’s recent October experience and offensive ceiling give them the narrowest edge. Health is the swing factor, yet if even a portion of the rotation stabilizes, their lineup can outslug anyone in a division where margins are razor-thin. BAG
Red Sox. There are safer picks. The Yankees have a superhero hitter and mostly unchanged roster that was successful in 2025. The Blue Jays were inches away from a World Series victory. It will be hard for Toronto to duplicate that effort, though, especially with Bo Bichette’s departure. But I’m smitten with Boston’s potential give their young talent, how well Anthony hit in the WBC, and adding Ranger Suárez to a rotation already featuring Garrett Crochet. MJ
If Gerrit Cole comes back and is healthy and effective, the Yankees will have a superb pitching staff, but I still like the Blue Jays to repeat as AL East winners. Yes, they lost Bichette, but they did sign Japanese third baseman Kazuma Okamoto to help fill their power gap, and the pitching staff is still rock solid. DL
AL Central winners …
The Royals. Tarik Skubal will depart the Tigers at some point, leaving them significantly weaker. The Guardians are arguably past their peak, which makes it time for the Royals’ decade of rebuilding to finally pay off. AE
Tigers. This is less about dominance than comparative stability. Detroit’s pitching foundation, bolstered by the Framber Valdez addition, gives them a higher floor than rivals with more obvious flaws. In a division defined by uncertainty, the Tigers are the safest pick. BAG
Tigers. Detroit were already the favorite in baseball’s weakest division. Then they signed Valdez. The Royals are intriguing by virtue of Witt’s presence. But none of the teams in the division did much this offseason to bolster their chances. MJ
Oh, the middling Central, where you never know who to pick because, well, who knows? That’s why I’m picking the Royals, with their young talented roster about to be infused with one of the best catching prospects in the sport, Carter Jensen. DL
AL West winners …
The Mariners have such a fun, likable team and it still feels as if they’re on an upswing. All the projections put them well ahead of their division rivals. And even though it would feel extremely Mariners-y for them to miss the playoffs regardless, they are just too well-rounded to fail completely. AE
Mariners. The consensus favorite on merit, Seattle’s elite pitching and improved offense make them the most complete team in the AL. Raleigh may not belt 60 homers again, but paired with a fully unleashed Rodríguez and a deeper, more balanced lineup, Seattle won’t need a historic outlier to score enough runs. BAG
The Astros are on a clear downward trajectory. The Rangers’ big acquisition of MacKenzie Gore could easily be a bust. The A’s may hit a billion home runs this season, but it won’t be enough to compensate for a weak pitching staff. That leaves the juggernaut Mariners. MJ
We know who it won’t be – the Angels, whose owner Arte Moreno doesn’t believe winning is a top priority for the team’s fans. That’s a hot take! They do actually enjoy winning in Seattle, where the Mariners fell just a game short of reaching their first World Series. Their three-headed pitching monster of Logan Gilbert, Luis Castillo and Bryan Woo, mixed with Raleigh and company should have enough to hold off Houston for a second consecutive season. DL
NL East winners …
It’s been a strange offseason for the Mets, but they’re clearly trying to get over their disappointing 2025 quickly by focusing on the immediate future, with short and short-ish contracts for newcomers Bichette, Luis Robert Jr and Freddy Peralta. All have proved their quality and if they gel, they could dominate the division. AE
Phillies. How many more times can Rob Thomson and Co run it back with this core? The answer may be one. But the lineup can still rake and the rotation is deep even before Zack Wheeler’s anticipated return in late April. The free-spending Mets will push them, but Philadelphia’s October-tested identity gives them the edge over 162 games (even if their final grades have left something to be desired in recent years). BAG
This shapes up to be a tight one. The Mets and Phillies are clear contenders, but the Phillies are old, and the Mets’ collapse is too recent to have faith. Enter the Braves and Ronald Acuña Jr, who returns to earlier career form. Atlanta also didn’t lose anyone significant and enter the season with a stacked, healthy roster. MJ
Phillies GM Dave Dombrowski said Bryce Harper’s 2025 season was “not elite”, and despite that being a correct assessment, it still hurt the first baseman’s feelings. That’s water under the bridge according to the pair, but I don’t buy it. Wheeler is recovering from injury, Suárez is now in Boston, and suddenly the Phils seem stale. So they’re no match for a revitalized Mets roster filled with multiple defensive gamers playing out of position. Yes, they’re the Mets, and yes, the team is a bit weird, and yes, it’s a make-or-break season for team president David Stearns, but the worn-down Phils will yield to the team in Queens as things turn around for the Amazins’. DL
NL Central winners …
The Pirates have been awful for a decade, but this may be the year that ends. Paul Skenes is the most exciting pitcher in the league, and Griffin is MLB’s top prospect. The Pirates weren’t quite ready last year and didn’t meet expectations, but the young stars and a weak division could mean Pittsburgh’s window is opening. AE
It’s a coin-flip division, but Chicago’s balance – enough pitching, enough lineup upside, fewer glaring weaknesses – makes them the safest bet. Milwaukee’s development machine keeps them close, yet the Cubs’ incremental improvements across the roster give them the slight advantage in a division no one has put their stamp on. BAG
It’s hard not to be smitten with the Cubs give their monster offseason additions, Alex Bregman and Edward Cabrera. They finally have to depth the overcome the Brewers. Look for the Pirates to make a run after adding several powerful bats. MJ
It’s the Milwaukee miracle: nine seasons, seven playoff appearances, just one finish below second place. For a tiny market, you can’t do much better than that, and if it weren’t for those pesky Dodgers, the Brewers might have even made it to their second World Series. That said, they traded Peralta and Caleb Durbin, so they’re going to rely on their younger up-and-comers to bridge the gap, hold off the Cubs and win their fourth straight division title. DL
NL West winners …
The Dodgers, obviously. But to make it a bit more interesting, I’ll predict they win more than 105 games but fewer than 110. AE
This isn’t really a race so much as a formality. The question isn’t whether they Dodgers win the division, but how hard they’ll gun it during the regular season. With unmatched depth and star power, they’re playing a different game than everyone else. BAG
Let me think. Oh yeah, the Dodgers. The only time in the past 13 years they haven’t won the NL West, they still cranked out 106 wins. They are the ultimate destination for free agents too, this year snagging Kyle Tucker, the best overall free agent, and the best available relief pitcher, Edwin Díaz. MJ
I picked the Rockies last year and was let down. I’m not picking them again this year, but am wondering, will they win 60 games? Not necessarily, but it is possible. What does this have to do with the Dodgers? Nothing. Will LA win the West? Yes. Who will finish second? San Diego, despite looking weaker in 2026. DL
AL wildcards …
Orioles, Blue Jays, Astros. AE
Yankees, Red Sox, Royals. BAG
Blue Jays, Royals, Yankees. MJ
Yankees, Red Sox, Tigers. DL
NL wildcards …
Cubs, Braves, Padres. AE
Mets, Braves, Brewers. BAG
Brewers, Pirates, Mets. MJ
Cubs, Phillies, Padres. DL
ALCS
Yankees over Orioles. AE
Mariners over Blue Jays. BAG
Mariners over Yankees. MJ
Mariners over Red Sox. DL
NLCS
Dodgers over Mets. AE
Dodgers over Phillies. BAG
Dodgers over Cubs. MJ
Mets over Dodgers. DL
Your World Series winners will be …
Dodgers over Yankees. The Dodgers are the best team in the league for boring reasons: they have the biggest payroll by far, and the best player in history. The depth of their roster is ridiculous – an injury to any other team’s ace could derail an entire season, but the Dodgers would barely notice. If they’re stuttering in July, they’ll just overpay at the trade deadline for whoever’s having a good year. The Yankees are probably best placed to try to stop them, but it’s hard to imagine any other outcome than a third consecutive title. AE
Mariners over Dodgers. All $ign$ point to three-peat in Chavez Ravine: unmatched rotation depth, a lineup with no soft spots and Ohtani elevating the whole operation’s confidence. It should be a cakewalk for an LA team who can beat you in so many different ways, but baseball is funny sometimes. Seattle have a deep rotation of their own that can go toe-to-toe with anyone, while Andrés Muñoz anchors a bullpen built for tight postseason games. Once they finally shed the dubious distinction of being the last active major-league club to have never appeared in a World Series, look for the Mariners to take it one further in unforgettable fashion. BAG
Dodgers over Mariners. Back in Tiger Woods’s prime, every major would lead with the question, Tiger or the field? Only a fool would bet the field. That’s the current Dodgers who, barring disaster or lots of weirdness, will three-peat. They plugged two minor holes this offseason, nabbing Tucker to fortify their outfield defense and signed star closer Díaz. The Dodgers have no weakness. Even if Ohtani’s batting is hurt by an increased load on the mound, he’s still the best player in baseball by a mile. The Mariners, so close to making this World Series happen last year, will snag a win or two thanks to an excellent rotation and closer. Jack of all trades Brendan Donovan is a nice boost and prospect Colt Emerson could add some pop, but Seattle just don’t match up toe-to-toe with the Dodgers. MJ
Mets over Mariners. Just imagine the confetti flying out of the windows on a crisp October afternoon. Hot pretzels fly off the carts. Four million souls line Broadway as the floats make their way down towards City Hall. The Mets beat Seattle in seven with a walk-off home run – I’m not sure who will hit it, that hasn’t come to me yet. When it does, I’ll let you know. What I do know is that Stearns is building meticulously, and though he had to make hard decisions, and did have a disastrous 2025, the team have a different quality. With a few deadline additions, they’re championship calibre. DL
