Celtics, Bucks injury reports show 1 team will be very shorthanded

Mar 2, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks forward Pete Nance (35) in the second half at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

The Celtics will once again be without Nikola Vucevic when they face the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night. Vucevic is continuing to recover from a fractured right ring finger suffered almost four weeks ago (on March 6th), but seems to be progressing in the right direction.

“He’s getting better, as you saw in the workout today,” Joe Mazzulla said on Wednesday night before Celtics-Heat. “The most important thing is that he feels 100%. When he’s ready, he’ll come back, and we just want him back when he’s ready to go. He’s going to help us — we obviously see the impact that he has on us as a player.”

The Celtics have an otherwise clear injury report; Jaylen Brown, who missed two games due to left Achilles tendinopathy, is fresh off a 43-point, 7-assist game vs the Heat and dismissed long-term concerns regarding the injury.

And Jayson Tatum, who made his return to the lineup on March 6th, continues to be available for the Celtics without significant restriction. Tatum has only missed two games since making his return, and is averaging 21.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game.

The Bucks, meanwhile, will be without Giannis Antetokounmpo (left knee hyperextension), Kevin Porter Jr (right knee synovitis), and Bobby Portis (left wrist sprain). Thanasis Antetokounmpo is questionable with a left calf strain.

How the Celtics, Bucks stack up

The Celtics are 51-25 and have the East’s second-best record, holding a 2.5 game lead over the New York Knicks. They’ve won 8 of their last 10 games, most recently an 18-point thrashing over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night.

The Bucks, meanwhile, have had an undeniably disappointing campaign. They’re 30-46 and officially out of play-in contention. Giannis Antetokounmpo is out for the season. And, they’ve dropped 7 of their last 10 games.

The Celtics are 2-1 against the Bucks this season; they dropped a December 11th game in Milwaukee when Kyle Kuzma exploded for 31 points. They went on to win their next two games against Milwaukee, both by almost 30 points.

Celtics-Bucks tips off at 8pm on Friday night in Milwaukee.

Final Four 2026: Most Outstanding Player for NCAA tournament, year by year

The 2026 Final Four for the men’s NCAA tournament is set. Illinois faces UConn at 5:09 p.m. ET Saturday, April 4, followed by Michigan against Arizona at 7:49 p.m.

Come Monday night, there will be a new national champion. The NCAA also will crown a Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. Here’s a look at who has won the award every year of the tournament since 1939.

Year

Player

Class

School

2025

Walter Clayton Jr.

Senior

Florida

2024

Tristen Newton

Senior

UConn

2023

Adama Sanogo

Junior

UConn

2022

Ochai Agbaji

Senior

Kansas

2021

Jared Butler

Junior

Baylor

2020

No tournament because of pandemic

2019

Kyle Guy

Junior

Virginia

2018

Donte DiVincenzo

Junior

Villanova

2017

Joel Berry II

Junior

North Carolina

2016

Ryan Arcidiacono

Senior

Villanova

2015

Tyus Jones

Freshman

Duke

2014

Shabazz Napier

Senior

UConn

2013

Luke Hancock

Senior

Louisville

2012

Anthony Davis

Freshman

Kentucky

2011

Kemba Walker

Junior

UConn

2010

Kyler Singler

Junior

Duke

2009

Wayne Ellington

Junior

North Carolina

2008

Mario Chalmers

Junior

Kansas

2007

Corey Brewer

Junior

Florida

2006

Joakim Noah

Sophomore

Florida

2005

Sean May

Junior

North Carolina

2004

Emeka Okafor

Junior

UConn

2003

Carmelo Anthony

Freshman

Syracuse

2002

Juan Dixon

Senior

Maryland

2001

Shane Battier

Senior

Duke

2000

Mateen Cleaves

Senior

Michigan State

1999

Richard Hamilton

Junior

UConn

1998

Jeff Sheppard

Senior

Kentucky

1997

Miles Simon

Junior

Arizona

1996

Tony Delk

Senior

Kentucky

1995

Ed O'Bannon

Senior

UCLA

1994

Corliss Williamson

Junior

Arkansas

1993

Donald Williams

Sophomore

North Carolina

1992

Bobby Hurley

Junior

Duke

1991

Christian Laettner

Junior

Duke

1990

Anderson Hunt

Sophomore

UNLV

1989

Glen Rice

Senior

Michigan

1988

Danny Manning

Senior

Kansas

1987

Keith Smart

Junior

Indiana

1986

Pervis Ellison

Freshman

Louisville

1985

Ed Pinckney

Senior

Villanova

1984

Patrick Ewing

Junior

Georgetown

1983

Akeem Olajuwon

Sophomore

Houston

1982

James Worthy

Junior

North Carolina

1981

Isiah Thomas

Sophomore

Indiana

1980

Darrell Griffith

Senior

Louisville

1979

Magic Johnson

Sophomore

Michigan State

1978

Jack Givens

Senior

Kentucky

1977

Butch Lee

Junior

Marquette

1976

Kent Benson

Junior

Indiana

1975

Richard Washington

Sophomore

UCLA

1974

David Thompson

Sophomore

NC State

1973

Bill Walton

Junior

UCLA

1972

Bill Walton

N/A

UCLA

1971

Vacated

N/A

N/A

1970

Sidney Wicks

N/A

UCLA

1969

Lew Alcindor

N/A

UCLA

1968

Lew Alcindor

N/A

UCLA

1967

Lew Alcindor

N/A

UCLA

1966

Jerry Chambers

N/A

Utah

1965

Bill Bradley

N/A

Princeton

1964

Walt Hazzard

N/A

UCLA

1963

Art Heyman

N/A

Duke

1962

Paul Hogue

N/A

Cincinnati

1961

Jerry Lucas

N/A

Ohio State

1960

Jerry Lucas

N/A

Ohio State

1959

Jerry West

N/A

West Virginia

1958

Elgin Baylor

N/A

Seattle

1957

Wilt Chamberlain

N/A

Kansas

1956

Hal Lear

N/A

Temple

1955

Bill Russell

N/A

San Francisco

1954

Tom Gola

N/A

La Salle

1953

B.H. Born

N/A

Kansas

1952

Clyde Lovellette

N/A

Kansas

1951

Bill Spivey

N/A

Kentucky

1950

Irwin Dambrot

N/A

CCNY

1949

Alex Groza

N/A

Kentucky

1948

Alex Groza

N/A

Kentucky

1947

George Kaftan

N/A

Holy Cross

1946

Bob Kurland

N/A

Oklahoma A&M

1945

Bob Kurland

N/A

Oklahoma A&M

1944

Arnie Ferrin

N/A

Utah

1943

Ken Sailors

N/A

Wyoming

1942

Howie Dallmar

N/A

Stanford

1941

John Kotz

N/A

Wisconsin

1940

Marvin Huffman

N/A

Indiana

1939

Jimmy Hull

N/A

Ohio State

Mariners active J.P. Crawford from injured list, begin countdown

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 16: J.P. Crawford #3 of the Seattle Mariners looks on during the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game four of the American League Championship Series at T-Mobile Park on October 16, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images

J.P. Crawford is our shortstop… again… for now.

The Mariners activated Crawford from the injured list on Thursday. He will join the team in Anaheim as they begin their first road tip of 2026. Crawford missed the first week of the season with right shoulder inflammation, which bugged him throughout Spring Training.

It’s a precarious time for Crawford. The Mariners on Tuesday announced a record-breaking extension for shortstop prospect Colt Emerson. Jerry Dipoto said the team is in “no rush” to debut Emerson in the majors, but as Kate Preusser points out, his talent may be forcing the team’s hand. Emerson is clearly the Mariners’ long-term plan at shortstop, leaving Crawford somewhat in the way.

Crawford, 31, is the longest-tenured Mariner, having arrived in 2019. He’s had an eventful career, first appearing as an all-glove-no-bat shortstop before a swing change in 2023 made him one of the best players in the league. He battled injuries and poor luck in 2024 but turned it around in 2025, although inconsistency at the plate limited his season overall. Crawford in 2025 posted four months with a 115 wRC+ or better, and he posted two months with a wRC+ less than 100. This all worked out to a 113 wRC+, which ranked 10th among qualified shortstops.

The Mariners might be willing to accept that up-and-down performance, but Crawford struggles in every other aspect of the game. His -9 Fielding Run Value last year ranked second worst among shortstops, as part of a years-long slide in the field. He doesn’t have good range anymore, and he doesn’t have the arm strength to make up for it. He also struggles on the bases, as one of the slowest shortstops in the league. When he hits, as he did for two-thirds of 2025, he’s a more than solid option at a premium position. When he slumps, he’s a replacement level player.

And the Mariners now have their replacement. Exactly when and why they’ll make the call on Emerson is unclear, and it’s possible they slot him into the lineup at another position with Crawford still at short. It’s also possible Emerson struggles upon his debut, and I doubt the team would forgo contingency before giving him the full-time job. But the Mariners are in win-now mode, and they aren’t likely to give Crawford 600 plate appearances for the sake of loyalty if he’s struggling. For the first time as a Mariner, Crawford is no longer the future at shortstop, and he’ll have to earn his playing time to stick around.

While he may no longer be the future of the Mariners, it’s worth noting he is still very much the past. Crawford needs just 16 more games to pass Jose Lopez for 10th most games played by a batter in team history. With 610 plate appearances, he’ll pass Raul Ibanez for ninth. With 2.8 WAR, he’ll pass Bret Boone and Mike Cameron for 11th, and with 3.6 WAR he’ll pass Robinson Canó for 10th. Crawford is surely one of the best players in the history of the franchise, and it would nice to see him, at the very least, hang on to be commemorated at the Mariners 50th Season Spectacular in August.

The Mariners in a corresponding move Thursday optioned infielder Ryan Bliss to Tacoma. Bliss got two plate appearances as a pinch hitter on Saturday and struck out in both of them. He spent most of last year on the injured list after tearing his biceps while swinging. Bliss remains interesting org depth and has demonstrated the ability to draw walks and put the ball in play in the minors. He will likely find his way back to the majors at some point this season, although there’s no clear path to playing time around the infield at the moment. He has four in-season options remaining, according to Darren Gossler’s payroll tracker.

Leo Rivas remains on the team as the backup infielder. Rivas has a tremendous eye, or at least a historically low swing rate, allowing him to draw walks and get on base. He’s a passable bench bat, and as a switch hitter, the only Mariners’ infielder capable of standing in the righty batter’s box. This handedness dilemma is another branch in the team’s shortstop log jam, potentially delaying Emerson’s debut and threatening Crawford’s use as a role player.

The Mariners also placed reliever Ryan Loutos on unconditional release waivers. Loutos was designated for assignment Monday, removing him from the Mariners’ 40-man roster. Every team will get a chance to claim Loutos. If he goes unclaimed, he will become a free agent.

Gamethread: Penguins @ Lightning

TAMPA, FL - DECEMBER 4: Pontus Holmberg #29 of the Tampa Bay Lightning against Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at Benchmark International Arena on December 4, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

Talk about the game with Pens fans here!

Cardinals’ Masyn Winn shares photo of wrecked car following crash hours after Mets walk-off

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Masyn Winn celebrating with teammates after hitting a game-winning single, Image 2 shows Damaged gray car with extensive front-end collision damage, with the caption:

Masyn Winn is “feeling great” after he was involved in a car accident hours after he notched a walk-off hit against the Mets on Wednesday — but the same cannot be said for his vehicle.

The Cardinals shortstop shared a photo of the wreck on his Instagram story Thursday, showing the mangled front bumper on his black sedan as first responders worked on the scene.

“For everyone wondering… I’m feeling great!” Wynn’s caption read. “Car is a little banged up but nothing that can’t be replaced! Big thanks to our security team and first responders for taking care of me! See yall on the field soon!”

Winn, 24, was driving alone on Interstate 64 near St. Louis before the single-car crash, which was caused by wet pavement, according to a statement from the Cardinals.

St. Louis Cardinals players surround Masyn Winn after he notched the game-winning hit during the eleventh inning of against the New York Mets. AP

The Gold Glove winner was taken to a hospital for an evaluation after the crash, but did not sustain any serious injuries and was released shortly thereafter.

“We are grateful that he is OK, and thank the first responders in our community who helped Masyn tonight,” the Cardinals said in a statement.

A photo of Winn’s car after the crash. Instagram/masynwinn

Hours earlier, Winn led the Cardinals to a 2-1 win over the Mets in the 11th inning.

Facing Mets reliever Tobias Myers, Winn blooped a hit to right that fell in front of a diving Carson Benge, giving St. Louis its fourth win of the season.

Former Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer slated as opening day starter for Long Island Ducks

A man in an all-red baseball uniform winds up to pitch
Diablos Rojos' Trevor Bauer pitches against New York Yankees during an exhibition game March 24, 2024, at Alfredo Harp Helu Stadium in Mexico City. (Fernando Llano / Associated Press)

Former Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer will pitch for a U.S. team for the first time since 2021 when he serves as the opening day starter for the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League later this month.

Since his last MLB start, on June 28, 2021, Bauer has been accused of sexual assault by four women. He denies all the allegations and has never been charged with a crime.

After Bauer served a 194-game suspension for violating the league's sexual assault and domestic violence policy, the Dodgers severed ties with the 2020 National League Cy Young Award winner on Jan. 6, 2023, less than two years after signing him to a three-year, $102-million contract.

Read more:Shaikin: The signs say Uniqlo Field. You will continue to say Dodger Stadium

Bauer has said he wants to pitch for an MLB team again but until now has only received opportunities to play professionally in Mexico and Japan.

"We are excited to welcome Trevor to Long Island,” Michael Pfaff, Ducks president and chief business officer, said in a Thursday news release announcing Bauer's signing. “His talent and knowledge will be important additions to our ballclub, and we are happy to offer him this opportunity to showcase his talents to MLB clubs while giving fans unprecedented access to Ducks baseball.”

According to the release, "Bauer will be 'Mic’d Up' for all games and practices for the purposes of content creation to be featured on his and the team’s social media and streaming outlets."

Read more:Trevor Bauer wants back in majors: 'I don’t believe that I was given a lifetime ban'

The Ducks did not immediately respond to further questions from The Times regarding Bauer's signing.

Bauer is expected to start when the team opens the season at home April 21 against the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars.

“I’m looking forward to competing in front of U.S. fans again this season,” Bauer said in a statement released by his new team. “The Ducks have had some incredible players come through their organization, and I’m excited to be part of that tradition.”

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Giants place José Buttó on the IL, call up Blade Tidwell

José Buttó throwing a pitch.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 01: Jose Butto #70 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the San Diego Padres during the eighth inning at Petco Park on April 01, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After Wednesday’s loss to the San Diego Padres, it seemed all but certain that the San Francisco Giants would place right-handed reliever José Buttó on the Injured List at some point today. And indeed, on Thursday afternoon, a few hours before starting a series against the New York Mets, the Giants announced that Buttó was headed to the 15-Day IL with right arm fatigue. Replacing him on the roster is fellow right-handed pitcher Blade Tidwell, who has been called up from AAA Sacramento.

The news felt inevitable for Buttó, and now we just cross our fingers and hope it’s nothing serious. He entered in the eighth inning of Wednesday’s matinee, in what was at the time a 3-1 deficit, with the team trying to stay close ahead of the ninth inning. But something was off from the get-go, as Buttó retired just one of the eight batters he faced, while issuing four walks, and allowing a single, a double, and a home run. Just eight of his 28 pitches found the strike zone and, in a large warning sign, his velocity was significantly down.

As his appearance came to an end, he appeared in discomfort, and had a long talk on the mound with head athletic trainer Anthony Reyes, before leaving the game. It’s very rare that you see a pitcher leave a game with a trainer and not end up on the Injured List, and unfortunately Buttó is no exception.

So up comes Tidwell, with a chance to make his Giants debut against the team that drafted him. The 24-year old, who was a second-round pick by the Mets in 2022, came over to the Giants along with Buttó and Drew Gilbert in last summer’s Tyler Rogers trade. He was sensational in four games with Sacramento, and was primed to make his Giants debut late in the season (his MLB debut came earlier in the year for the Mets), but a mild injury kept him from making it to San Francisco.

While still being developed in the Minors as a starter, Tidwell showed off some serious heat while primarily working out of the bullpen in Spring Training, and struck out 13 batters in just 6.2 innings (though he also walked six and allowed seven earned runs). He made one AAA appearance this year before the call-up, pitching 2.2 no-hit innings, in which he walked one and struck out three. Giants manager Tony Vitello has a lot of familiarity with Tidwell, as he coached him in college at Tennessee.

I had assumed that the Giants would replace Buttó with Spencer Bivens, a somewhat similar pitcher. Perhaps they’re just higher on Tidwell right now, or perhaps they wanted someone who could eat larger chunks of innings, especially since they’re still in the first half of a stretch of 10 games in 10 days.

Former Golden Knight Whitecloud Preparing for Emotional Return to T-Mobile Arena

When the Vegas Golden Knights parted with Zach Whitecloud in a deal to acquire Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames, they didn’t just lose a good player– they also lost a man with deep roots in the Las Vegas community.

On Thursday, Whitecloud will take the ice at T-Mobile Arena wearing road whites. After playing 368 games in a Golden Knights uniform, he had one word to describe how it feels coming to Las Vegas as a visitor: weird.

“It’s a little weird,” he admitted. “It’s just weird, right? I spent seven or eight years here, created a lot of lifelong relationships here, not just with the team but in the community. I’m mainly excited to get back, see everyone, play in front of that building, and have some fun with it.

“It’s going to be weird going through the gameday routine and being on the other side of it,” continued Whitecloud. “Yeah, it’ll be different, and it’ll be weird. But it’ll be exciting for my friends and family, and exciting [for me] to play against those guys.”

The trade caught Whitecloud by surprise, but he’s thriving in Calgary. He has been a rock and a pillar of stability for a young Flames team in the midst of a rebuild. He has six assists through 23 games and plays over 24 minutes on most nights.

“It’s been good,” said Whitecloud. “First and foremost, the guys and everyone in the organization did a fantastic job of making me feel at home pretty quickly… The coaches and players made me feel pretty comfortable coming in, made me feel part of the family.

“It’s a business on the other side of it, too, and we all get that,” Whitecloud continued. “I’m excited for my opportunity in Calgary. I’ve made a good adjustment here, met a lot of new guys, and the new fanbase has been great too.”

In 2017, the Golden Knights signed Whitecloud as an undrafted free agent out of Bemidji State University. He went on to spend the next nine years of his life as a part of the organization. In 2023, Whitecloud helped the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup, playing in all 22 games and scoring a game-winning goal in the Final.

“I’m obviously grateful for my time here,” Whitecloud began. “There’s not one bad thing to say about Las Vegas, its people, its community, the fans, the organization, everyone that helped me get to the NHL and be a regular here and try to help the team win.

“Every time I come back here in the future will be exciting for me,” finished Whitecloud. “This will always be home in my heart. It’s the place I first broke into the NHL and learned how to win, and eventually won with this group.”

Because the trade happened so suddenly, Whitecloud didn’t have the chance to say a proper goodbye to all of the people in his day-to-day life. Now, he has that opportunity.

“It was pretty quick when the day came,” said Whitecloud. “Being Canadian, I was able to get on a plane and jump right out [to Calgary]... I didn’t really get to say goodbye to a lot of the staff and the people behind the scenes who really make all these things go around and keep us playing. Being able to see a lot of them today was pretty emotional, to be honest with you. [There are] a lot of guys that take care of the players and make sure that we can be ourselves and be the pros that we are, and people don’t really see that… Just being able to give them a hug and see them was really great.”

Whitecloud went to dinner with a group of his former teammates on Wednesday night.

“All the guys have been great,” said Whitecloud. “They were all excited to see me, and me likewise. I got to catch up and see how everyone’s families are doing, how all the kids are doing, and make sure everyone’s good.”

As is tradition, Whitecloud knows that there’s an emotional tribute video in store for him, and he’s ready for it. But he’s also ready to continue processing the emotions stemming from the trade.

“I think, once this game goes by, I can kind of let everything go a little bit,” he said. “Not that I’ll forget everything… I spent a lot of time here and built a lot of roots here. Everything’s weird, everything’s exciting. There are a lot of emotions. Happy, sad, grateful, appreciative– a lot of words come to mind.”

Rockies place José Quintana on IL, make other roster moves

MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 29: Jose Quintana #62 of the Colorado Rockies throws a pitch during a game against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on March 29, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images

On Thursday afternoon, the Colorado Rockies announced that left-handed pitcher José Quintana has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a right hamstring strain, retroactive to March 30th.

Quintana, 37, was scheduled to make his second start of the season during the Rockies’ first homestand against the Philadelphia Phillies this Saturday. The journeyman veteran had previously started against the Miami Marlins over Opening Weekend, where he gave up two earned runs on four walks and four hits over 4.1 innings. He struck out two batters.

In a corresponding roster move, the Rockies have recalled right-handed pitcher Valente Bellozo from the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes.

Bellozo, 26, signed a minor league deal with the Rockies this off-season after previously working with Rockies pitching coach Alon Leichman in Miami. While he started the season in Triple-A, he was added to the 40-man roster on March 26th. He is capable of working both in the rotation and out of the bullpen, and made a start for the Isotopes last week in their season-opening series against the Oklahoma City Comets.

The Rockies have additionally optioned utility-man Ryan Ritter to Triple-A Albuquerque. Ritter started his season 1-for-7 with three strikeouts in a variety of different roles—from starter to pinch runner—and has appeared in all six of the Rockies’ games thus far.

Optioning Ritter likely clears the way for the Rockies to activate outfielder and designated hitter Mickey Moniak from the 10-day injured list on Friday. Moniak started the season on the injured list with a finger sprain after an awkward slide during his final spring training appearance.


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Victor Wembanyama named Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month for March

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 1: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs blocks the shot of Nate Williams #19 of the Golden State Warriors during the game on April 1, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama has been named Western Conference Defensive Player of the month for the third straight time, the league announced.

Wembanyama averaged 9.7 defensive rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 3.7 blocks per game during March in just 29.9 minutes a night. The Spurs held opponents to an outrageous low 102.9 points per 100 possessions with the big man on the floor, with his defense playing a huge part in San Antonio’s 13-2 record for the month.

At this point, Wembanyama has established himself as the league’s premier defender and seems like a lock for Defensive Player of the Year if he remains eligible. He’s won Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month three times, the only player to get to that amount this season in either conference, and has anchored the third-best defense in the league. Wembanyama leads the league in blocks by a wide margin and ranks second in defensive rebounds per game, but his individual impact goes beyond the numbers.

The Pistons’ Ausar Thompson was named Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month, his second consecutive distinction.

Wembanyama is averaging 24.7 points, 11.5 rebounds, three assists, 3.1 blocks, and one steal in 29.2 minutes a game this season.

Braves repeat same lineup in Dbacks series opener

ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 01: Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves looks on in the fifth inning during the game against the Athletics at Truist Park on April 1, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Let’s play four in Phoenix.

For the third straight game, Walt Weiss has penciled in the same lineup. (And for the second straight series, the Braves social team has used “New series on deck” as the accompanying copy…)

I’m mostly interested who, if anyone, plans to step up offensively. Reigning ROY or not, Baldwin can’t do it all on his own. Looking at the birthday boy Austin Riley, in particular. I’ve heard a trip around the bases is a nice way to turn 29.

Being home has been good to the Diamondbacks, who will send Ryne Nelson to the mound tonight. They responded to being swept by the Dodgers with their own sweep of the Tigers. In that series, they had a Michael Soroka immaculate inning (see you Saturday, old friend), Zac Gallen outdueling Tarik Skubal, and rookie Jose Fernandez homering twice in his debut. Fernandez won’t be at first base tonight, though – that will be Carlos Santana, who was signed to a 1-year deal in February.

Here’s the rest of the lineup for AZ:

Yes, you’re seeing that right. Nolan Arenado is a Diamondback now and is batting sixth.

As we noted in the preview, our lefties Matt Olson and Michael Harris II homered off Ryne Nelson when he last faced the Braves in July 2024. Fingers crossed some of the Arizona heat will help the Braves’ hard-hit outs leave the yard.

For The Los Angeles Kings, The Stanley Cup Playoffs Already Started

The Los Angeles Kings are in the fight of their life trying to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs this season, which would mark the fifth consecutive post-season appearance, beginning in 2021-22.

But in a way, the playoffs have already begun for the Kings, and the rest of those post-season hopefuls in the Western Conference.

One of those teams is the Nashville Predators, Los Angeles' opponent on Thursday and Monday. These will be two of the Kings' most important outings all season long. In addition to those two affairs with the Predators, the Kings will also meet the Seattle Kraken on April 13, the third-last game of their regular season.

Los Angeles has just one point more than Nashville going into their Thursday game, and has three points more than Seattle, but the Kraken have a game in hand on the Kings.

They also need to be wary of Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks, as they've won their last three games. Now, the Sharks are one point behind the Kings with a game in hand on them.

While every game for Los Angeles at this point is critical, those three highlighted contests can extend or end the Kings' season, the principle of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Kings' Kopitar Proving He's Not Hanging Up His Skates Without An Honest FightKings' Kopitar Proving He's Not Hanging Up His Skates Without An Honest FightLos Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar is retiring at the end of this year. But with the way he's been playing lately, he's not interested in letting his career end without a fight to get into the post-season.

The Kings' 2-1 overtime victory against the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday was massive, and it pushed them back into a playoff position. It's the first time they've been in a wild-card position since March 20. 

The game against the Blues was tight-checking and impersonated a playoff atmosphere in some ways. Each shift was taken with caution, but with a high-level of intensity and attention to detail. That's why it required another extra frame, and was 0-0 for most of the evening.

There's a good chance that a handful of the remaining games in the Kings' regular season will wind up that way. Especially because of Los Angeles' final eight outings, five of which are against Pacific Division opponents.

Artemi Panarin (Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)
Artemi Panarin (Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)

To add to the drama of this final stretch and the implications of this push for the post-season, the Kings have one of the worst tiebreakers in the NHL. With only 19 regulation wins this season, they'll have to beat opponents in the standings by points outright. They have the second-fewest regulation wins in the league, only the last-place Vancouver Canucks have fewer.

Despite being on track for their worst season since the 2020-21 campaign, the Kings will need to bring their playoff-style game immediately in hopes of getting into the post-season.


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How to watch Warriors vs. Cavaliers

CLEVELAND, OH - DECEMBER 6: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots the ball during the game against the Golden State Warriors on December 6, 2025 at Rocket Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Golden State Warriors look to shake off Wednesday’s loss as they prepare to face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night. Tip-off is set for 7:00 PM PT in San Francisco and will be broadcast on NBC Sports Bay Area.

Previously with the Warriors:

The Warriors suffered their 40th loss of the season Wednesday night, losing to the San Antonio Spurs, 127–113. The double-digit defeat came as little surprise given how undermanned Golden State was as they fell into an early 17–3 hole and trailed 70–49 by halftime.

Golden State had no answer for Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, who dominated with 41 points, 18 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks — his second consecutive 40-point double-double. After the game, head coach Steve Kerr spoke about Wembanyama’s rise into superstardom in just his third season.

What to watch for tonight:

The Warriors were extremely shorthanded against San Antonio, with nine players ruled out for the game. That lack of depth was evident, as two-way guard Nate Williams logged 47 of a possible 48 minutes in regulation. Meanwhile, fellow two-way forward Malevy Leons battled through a right wrist injury, even shooting free throws left-handed to remain on the floor.

The good news is that, despite it being the second night of a back-to-back, Golden State is expected to have more players available. Kristaps Porzingis and Gary Payton II are not listed on the injury report and should return. Porzingis, in particular, should provide a much-needed boost in the frontcourt while helping ease the team’s scoring burden on offense.

Whether that will be enough against a Cavaliers team that enters tonight’s matchup with a 47–29 record and sits fourth in the Eastern Conference remains to be seen. At the very least, though, the Warriors should be in a better position than they were a night ago — with added optimism that this could be their final game before a potential Stephen Curry return on Sunday.

Enjoy the game Dub Nation. GO WARRIORS!!! 

Projected Starters

Warriors: Brandin Podziemski, De’Anthony Melton, Gui Santos, Draymond Green, Kristaps Porzingis

Cavaliers: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Sam Merrill, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

How to watch Regular Season Game 77

Who: Golden State Warriors (36 – 40) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (47 – 29)

When: Thursday, April 2nd, at 7:00 p.m. PT

Where: Chase Center — San Francisco, California

TV and Streaming: NBC Sports Bay Area (available on fuboTV)

Mets' Jonah Tong struggles in second start for Triple-A Syracuse

After tossing four scoreless innings in his first start of the season for Triple-A Syracuse, Mets prospect Jonah Tong had a rough second outing on Thursday against the Detroit Tigers' affiliate, the Toledo Mud Hens.

The right-hander got into some early trouble as MLB.com's No. 8 overall prospect Max Clark doubled and the next two batters walked to load the bases. After getting a strikeout for the second out, Tong gave up a three-run double to MLB vet Corey Julks.

Things didn't get better in the second inning. Following a fielding error by 3B Jackson Cluff, Tong let up a two-run HR to Wenceel Pérez to make it a 5-0 game. Clark reached safely on an error by Ronny Mauricio, and then, after a force-out, Tong walked Jace Jung and allowed a two-run double to Eduardo Valencia as Syracuse went down 7-0.

Tong's day came to an end after just 1.2 IP as he allowed four earned runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts. The 22-year-old threw 60 pitches (34 strikes) in the brief outing.

His season ERA now sits at 6.35 through 5.2 total innings on the mound.

Twins 5, Royals 1: Bradley shines, bats pull away late

Apr 2, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Minnesota Twins second baseman Kody Clemens (2) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a run during the second inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Twins got on the board early in this game, but not with the need of bats. In the 2nd inning, after Victor Caratini singled, Kody Clemens singled and moved to 2nd after Caratini tried going 1st to 3rd and was thrown out. Clemens would later score on a throwing error by Salvador Perez in an attempted pickoff.

Other than that, offense was hard to come by for the Twins against Royals lefty Cole Ragans. He had little trouble, scattering 4 hits and a walk over 6 innings.

Meanwhile, Taj Bradley had a good start. In the 3rd inning, he got Bobby Witt Jr. to strike out looking with 2 men on to end the inning. In the 4th, he got Lane Thomas to strike out swinging with the bases loaded to end that threat. He ended the day with a solid 6 shutout inning performance.

After Kody Funderburk pitched a clean 7th, the Twins added a 2nd run in the 8th inning. Josh Bell walked, then Royce Lewis doubled, and Trevor Larnach was intentionally walked. Byron Buxton drove in Bell with a sac-fly RBI for a needed insurance run.

Cole Sands entered for the 8th, and immediately was greeted by back-to-back singles setting up 1st and 3rd. Vinnie Pasquantino hit a sac-fly RBI of his own for the Royals first (and only) run of the day. Taylor Rogers came in and cleaned up the inning, preserving the 2-1 Twins lead.

In the 9th, Matt Wallner hit an opposite field solo homer, his 2nd of the season. Then, two batters later, Clemens hit a homer of his own to left, his first of the season. Josh Bell followed with yet another solo homer to make it a 5-1 game, that’s his 2nd of the year.

Justin Topa entered in the 9th, and, with the help of a ground ball double play, tossed a scoreless inning to secure the Twins second victory of the year.

Studs:

Taj Bradley: 6.0 IP, 5 H, B, 3 K

Luke Keaschall: 2-4

Wallner, Clemens, Bell: They hit homers, we like those.

Duds:

NO DUDS TWINS WIN!!