BOSTON, MA - APRIL 28: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket during the game against the Boston Celtics on April 28, 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
An emergency appendectomy.
Just 10 days before the start of the playoffs.
If you had to guess which player it happened to, you’d say “Joel Embiid” before someone even asked. Just another bizarre and unfortunate moment for a player whose career has been derailed by them.
But for one night, there was no talk of bad luck. No concerns over how the Sixers can integrate such a unique player. No questions about what will happen this offseason.
In one of the guttiest postseason performances in Philly sports history, Embiid kept the Sixers’ season alive with a dominant 33-point effort in a 113-97 win over the Celtics in Boston Tuesday night. With the Game 5 victory, the Sixers have forced Game 6 at Xfinity Mobile Arena Thursday.
Embiid returning to the court at all is nothing short of incredible. He was able to play in Game 4, just 17 days after his surgery. No NBA player has ever come back that early from an appendectomy — let alone returned in the middle of an intense playoff series.
After the Sixers were crushed in Game 4, Embiid revealed more details about his most recent ordeal. He felt stomach pains playing against the San Antonio Spurs back on April 6, something he thought might’ve been a stomach bug or food poisoning. The pain only got more intense when the team arrived in Houston for a big matchup against the Rockets. After pushing through the pain at practice that Thursday, it was becoming more intense.
Embiid was unable to sleep that night. When it got to be 4 or 5 a.m. Friday morning, he knew something wasn’t right. He couldn’t go to the bathroom or even walk on his own. That’s when he was taken to the hospital and the surgery was performed.
It wasn’t smooth sailing post-surgery, either. Embiid said he dealt with complications, though he chose to keep the details of those private. Before appearing in Game 4, Embiid was only able to get up and down the floor in practice one time. He then went out and scored 26 points in 34 minutes, looking like the only Sixer putting forth serious effort.
Game 5 started off a bit rocky. The Sixers’ gameplan coming in was to jack up as many threes as possible — a sound strategy against Boston and one that worked to perfection in Game 2. But Embiid was ice cold from deep, missing all three threes he attempted and his first five shots overall. He was better in quarter No. 2, but missed two more threes.
In the third, he made a concerted effort to get into the post. Joe Mazzulla chose not to send help for his big men, allowing Nikola Vucevic and Neemias Queta to take on Embiid 1-on-1. It made sense for Mazzulla to force Embiid to prove he could operate down low.
And he did.
Repeatedly.
It got to a point where it was almost head-scratching for Mazzulla to continue leaving his bigs on an island. When Boston finally tilted the defense Embiid’s way, the Sixers’ offense really opened up. A 10-point third from Embiid whittled a seven-point halftime deficit down to one.
Embiid even had another scare, briefly exiting the game and heading to the locker room after knocking knees with Jaylen Brown. Luckily, Embiid quickly returned to the bench and the game.
In the fourth, as Embiid continued to see multiple bodies in the post, he made the right plays, finding Tyrese Maxey, Quentin Grimes and the Sixers’ other perimeter players for open looks. Embiid finished the night with eight assists to three turnovers.
After many questioned his defense and his ability to move throughout the regular season, he turned in a terrific performance on that end in the fourth, as the Sixers held the Celtics to a paltry 11 points in the period.
Not bad for a guy who’s barely played basketball over the last month.
Say whatever you want about Embiid, just don’t ever question his toughness and desire to play basketball ever again.
“One thing about me,” Embiid told reporters in Boston, “I’ve dealt with a lot of stuff over my career. I don’t complain. I just want to give as much as I can every single time I step on the floor. I know a lot of people might have takes that I might be lazy or whatever, but every single time I’m on the floor, I want to play as hard as possible. I want to do whatever it takes to win a basketball game. …
“I just want to enjoy these moments just being a part of a basketball team that’s trying to accomplish something.”
Torn meniscus (multiple times).
Sprained LCL.
Torn thumb ligaments.
Gastroenteritis.
Broken face (also multiple times).
Add appendicitis to the list of weird, unlucky ailments Joel Embiid has overcome to cement himself as a legend in this city.
Enjoy him while he’s here and capable of nights like this, Sixers fans.
“I didn’t want to go home and think about all summer what could have been if I was healthy going into the playoffs,” Embiid said. “So, one more day and one more game to go out and try to make it back [to Boston for Game 7]. That’s the mentality. I’m just thankful I’m in a position where I get to play. I don’t know how long I have, [how long] I can do this, so I just want to enjoy it as much as possible.”
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 28: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics takes a shot in front of the Philadelphia 76ers bench during the second half of Game Five of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoff at TD Garden on April 28, 2026 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. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
1. Abysmal 4th Quarter
Going into the fourth quarter of Game 5, the Celtics allowed the 76ers to get back into the game, cutting a 13 point halftime lead to 1 point at 86-85. Boston would then go on to have one of the worst fourth quarters I have ever seen, being out scored 28-11 and Philadelphia was able to take another game in TD Garden, wining 113-97. The negative stats that came out of this abysmal fourth quarter are just something you don’t see every day.
Boston shot 3-22 (14%) fr0m the field, 2-8 (25%) from three, and 3-7 (43%) from the free throw line in the final quarter in this game. After Neemias Queta made an and-1 alley-oop layup at the 7:03 mark, the Celtics would proceed to score ZERO baskets for the rest of the game. Boston missed their last final 14 shots in a row during this time, the most in a playoff game since 2005. The Celtics made three more free throws to finish off their scoring night while the 76ers shot 9-17 (53%) in the fourth quarter. Just an overall, no good, very bad fourth quarter for the Boston Celtics.
2. Forced Embiid to Beat Them
Joel Embiid returned to play in Game 4 in Philadelphia and it looked like he completely threw off the 76ers offense. He finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists on 9-21 shooting and 1-6 from three, essentially shooting Philadelphia out of the game as Boston steamrolled them 128-96. In Game 5, it looked like the Celtics were trying their best to force Embiid to beat them and I would say he did just that. Embiid finished with 33 points, 8 assists, and 4 rebounds on 12-23 shooting from the field, 0-5 from three, and 9-10 from the free throw line. Boston’s defensive game plan looked to be just leaving him one-on-one and hoping he misses. Whether it was Neemias Queta, Nikola Vucevic, or Luke Gara, nobody could stop Embiid once he made it into the midrange.
This game gave me flashbacks of another big Embiid game that the 76ers won against the Celtics back on December 20th, 2021 when he dropped 41 points on 14-27 shooting. Enes Freedom at the time was the primary defender on him and spent 40 minutes just getting taken to town in the midrange. I never thought I’d see the Celtics run out that same defense scheme against Embiid again, especially in a playoff game, but this game was another example of the one-on-one defense not being a great strategy.
Another reason why the Celtics were so dominant in Game 4 of this series was due to the fact Boston was able to keep the team around Joel Embiid in check. The highest scorer outside of Embiid was Tyrese Maxey who had 22 points, Paul George who had 16 points, and Quentin Grimes who had 12 points. In Game 5, the other guys for the 76ers torched the Celtics with Maxey scoring 25 points, Grimes scoring 18 points, George scoring 16 points, and VJ Edgecombe scoring 10 points.
Grimes was maybe the biggest back breaker out of all of these players for the 76ers in this game for the Celtics, knocking down 5 threes and giving Philadelphia a reliable person to kick the ball out to. Edgecombe was this player in Game 2 when Boston lost at home when he scored 30 points with 6 three pointers. Boston did not to a great job when it came to closing out to shooters with Philadelphia shooting 15-42 (36%) from three. If the Celtics are going to allow Embiid to get what he wants that’s fine, but they have to make sure the rest of the 76ers roster is kept under wraps.
It feels weird to give any type of critique to Derrick White’s game after he has shown for years to be a complete player and an amazing third option on a championship team. However, his three point shooting in this series is really starting to hurt a lot. When White can’t knock down his open threes it can completely send the Celtics offense to a stand still and make it look uncomfortable when there isn’t another third guy like Payton Pritchard carrying the load offensively.
Derrick White is averaging only 8.2 points while shooting 14-47 (30%) from the field and 7-33 (21%) from three point range in this series so far, including Game 5 where he had another bad shooting night, going 2-8 from the field and 0-4 from three. White in this series has missed so many wide open looks from three and when they aren’t wide open, he has taken some head scratching contested ones. His decision making has not looked great so far and despite having his second worst three point shooting season of his career, I still have a hard time not having faith in him to turn it around.
Derrick White through 5 games in the playoffs so far: 8.2 PPG 14-47 FG (30%) 7-33 3PM (21%)
It's been a tough shooting performance so far from him but I still have faith he can turn it around pic.twitter.com/tX03UYUtRh
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum both had pretty okay games when looking at the stat sheet. Brown finished with 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists on 9-23 shooting while Tatum finished with 24 points, 16 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals on 8-19 shooting from the field and 4-12 shooting from three. However, the fourth quarter was brutal for everyone on the team but the Jays were a big part of it. They combined to score only 2 points on 0-8 shooting from the field and 0-2 shooting from three with 2 turn0vers.
No other play describes the struggles them and the entire team went through than the shot Brown missed at the 5:32 mark of the fourth quarter. Quentin Grimes to his credit played some really great defense on Brown, poking the ball away and making him go into the back court. Grimes continued to swarm Brown in the backcourt but no one on the Celtics came to help him. Brown was then forced to throw up a shot at the end of the shot clock and missed.
Hold up i’m still hot.
This is the representative play of the game in my eyes. Pretty careless with the ball and then *nobody* thought to flash up and help.
Just a collective *sigh* and “welp!” from everyone in a black jersey.
The 76ers put that kind of pressure on the Jays all night long and it led to some tough shooting nights. I don’t think these were the best games Brown and Tatum could have put out there but they were still doing a great job of carrying the load and finding teammates but with Boston shooting 11-39 (28%) from three, it just won’t show up on the boxscore. They have done so much heavy lifting for this Celtics team in this series that I don’t have any real problems with their play overall. I am just hoping for a bounce back Game 6 in Philadelphia to hopefully close the series.
6. Positive Pritchard Performance
Payton Pritchard built off his incredible 32 point Game 4 performance in Game 5, being one of only two Celtics players to finish with a positive +/-. Pritchard had 12 points and 6 assists on 5-10 shooting from the field and was a +8 overall. He only shot 1-5 from three in this game but he made a lot of great plays when it came to attacking the basket and in the midrange.
Via databallr, the Celtics are a +21.4 net rating when Payton Pritchard is on the court along with a 132.3 offensive rating and a 110.9 defensive rating. In only 26 minutes he was able to help the Celtics offense stay afloat but wasn’t a big part of the fourth quarter collapse, only playing 4 minutes in the middle of the drought. There a chance potentially playing Pritchard more in these kind of situations could help the offense when things are going slow. Either way, it’s nice to see Pritchard continue to be a positive, steady force for Boston in the last few games.
7. Queta Finally Got to Play
Neemias Queta despite playing really well when he is on the floor, has not been able to stay on it for most of this series due to foul trouble. He is averaging 4.0 fouls per game in only 18.3 minutes per game through the first four games of this series. Game 5 saw him once again get into foul trouble with 5, but he was able to stay on the court for a lot more minutes, playing in 26 and finishing with 8 points and 14 rebounds on 4-8 shooting. He did a great job finishing at the basket in this game and just being one of the only inside presences the Celtics had.
Queta showed why he can be such a X-factor for the Celtics in the first quarter when he played 9 minutes, scoring 4 points and grabbing 8 rebounds with any fouls. However, his foul trouble came back to bite him in the second quarter when he picked up 3 fouls in only four minutes. He played only 2 minutes in the third quarter where he picked up another foul but was able to get extended time in the fourth, finishing with 10 minutes played, 2 points, and 4 rebounds. If Queta can just find a way to not get into foul trouble, he will really be able thrive for Boston in these playoffs.
8. Vucevic Offensive Contribution
Although the numbers won’t say it, I think Nikola Vucevic has been a really positive contributor to this Celtics team with his scoring punch off the bench. He was shooting 38% from the field and 29% from three before Game 5 but in this game he was pretty solid, finishing with 8 points on 3-6 shooting and 2-5 from three. We even saw a poster dunk from him on Kelly Oubre Jr in the first quarter that got everyone out of their seat.
The defense was not great, especially on Joel Embiid but everyone knew that when the Celtics traded for him. I think he gets a lot of unnecessary slander from some parts of the fan base but when he is on the court he provides the five-out spacing that can make Boston so effective. If he can provide more positive offensive games like he did in this one, he will continue to be a big resource the Celtics use off of the bench in these playoffs.
9. Walsh Intensity On Display
Jordan Walsh has really opened some eyes in this series and it has come with his defense and intensity that he has played with on the court. He has done a solid job when it comes to guarding Tyrese Maxey off the bench and has knocked down the occasional corner three. In Game 5 he finished with only 1 point on 0-2 shooting in 16 minutes but everything else he did felt bigger with 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals.
The first steal Walsh got is where I think his intensity showed the best. Off a missed three, Walsh and Embiid fought for the rebound. After Embiid fell and lost the ball, Walsh picked up and battled with Paul George until he eventually got fouled. Walsh proceeded to hype up the crowd who erupted, appreciating the hustle he put on display. This is a glimpse of the intensity that I love to see Walsh play with and I believe he is built for a playoff setting.
10. Rally Towel Theory
Now this final takeaway is a theory that I have concocted that has nothing to do with the basketball playing on the court. However, it has been a big indicator of who has won each game in this series so far. I call it, the Rally Towel Theory.
Before Game 1 in TD Garden, the Celtics put out t-shirts for every fan in the arena and Boston won that game in a 32-point blowout. However, ever since Game 1, in both TD Garden and Xfinity Mobile Arena, they have given the fans rally towels. Now theres a chance if they gave t-shirts to every game it could be too expensive and in the Celtics case people won’t wear them anyway, but the home team that has given out a rally towel now has a record of 0-4. Boston lost Game 2 at home, Philadelphia lost Games 3 and 4 at home, and Boston lost again at home in Game 5 all due to a small piece of cloth.
Does this theory have any direct correlation to any of these games whatsoever? Probably not. Is this cope for me as I try to understand how the Celtics lost 2 games at home? Potentially. However, there is an old saying from a song by Yo Gotti back in 2009 that goes, “women lie, men lie, numbers don’t lie,” and in this case the numbers are saying when you give out a rally towel, you are setting yourself up to lose. We will see in Game 6 if the 76ers give out rally towels or t-shirts but it could be the difference between the series being over or forcing a Game 7.
Rally Towel Theory is Undefeated so far in this Celtics vs 76ers series:
Home team record when giving out t-shirts: 1-0 Home team record when giving out rally towels: 0-4
The St. Louis Cardinals have jumped out to a 2-0 series lead over the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the NL Central rivals will play the third of four games at PNC Park on Wednesday, April 29.
My top Cardinals vs. Pirates predictions and MLB picks call for Pittsburgh to crawl back into the series tonight with a high-scoring win.
Who will win Cardinals vs Pirates today: Pirates moneyline (-142)
St. Louis Cardinals starter Andre Pallante hits the mound with a 4.26 ERA, 4.91 xFIP and an alarming 18.7% blast-contact rate. Add him sporting negative pitch values on two of his three most frequent offerings, and I’m expecting the Pittsburgh Pirates to rough up the righty.
The Bucs sport a ninth-ranked on-base percentage against right-handed arms for the year, and their 45.2% hard-hit rate (per FanGraphs) is second in baseball during their current 3-5 slide.
I’m anticipating statistical correction kicking in at the dish against Pallante for the Pittsburgh lineup.
COVERS INTEL: St. Louis Cardinals rank 26th in bullpen ERA while sporting the second-lowest strikeout percentage in the majors.
Cardinals vs Pirates Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-110)
The Over 8.5 is my favorite bet in this game because Bucs righty Bubba Chandler has also started the season slowly, and the wind is forecasted to be blowing out at a decent clip at PNC Park.
Chandler checks in with a 4.88 ERA and 5.30 xFIP alongside a below-average 35.0% squared-up contact rate.
So, with St. Louis and Pittsburgh both sporting a league-average 102 wRC+ against righties this season, I expect nine or more runs tonight.
Neil Parker's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 13-8, +6.29 units
Over/Under bets: 5-6, -1.94 units
Cardinals vs Pirates odds
Moneyline: Cardinals +125 | Pirates -145
Run line: Cardinals +1.5 (-155) | Pirates -1.5 (+135)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-110) | Under 8.5 (-110)
Cardinals vs Pirates trend
The St. Louis Cardinals have hit the Over in 28 of their last 50 away games (+6.90 Units / 13% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cardinals vs. Pirates.
How to watch Cardinals vs Pirates and game info
Location
PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Date
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
Cardinals.TV, SportsNet-Pittsburgh
Cardinals starting pitcher
Andre Pallante (2-2, 4.26 ERA)
Pirates starting pitcher
Bubba Chandler (1-2, 4.88 ERA)
Cardinals vs Pirates latest injuries
Cardinals vs Pirates weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Detroit Tigers opened up their three-game weekday series against the Atlanta Braves after a disappointing 5-2 loss at Truist Park on Tuesday night. Adding insult to… um, injury, was losing Casey Mize to right groin tightness and Javier Báez to a bum right ankle.
Both will undergo MRIs prior to Wednesday night’s game to assess the extent of their respective injuries.
Speaking of Wednesday, the Motor City Kitties have a chance to even up the series behind their ace lefty, Tarik Skubal, who is once again on pace for another superlative campaign. So far, the 29-year-old hurler has gone at least six innings in five of his starts and allowed just one run in four of them; the two others saw him cough up four, including his last outing against the Milwaukee Brewers.
It has been a while since Skubal has seen the Braves, with his last appearance coming in Atlanta on June 19, 2024. He did not fare too well in that matchup, giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits (two home runs) while walking two, hitting two and striking out seven over four frames of work in the loss.
The home team will send rookie JR Ritchie, who has just one major league appearance under his belt so far, to the bump to battle the Tigers. The former first-round pick’s ERA to FIP gap certainly raises an eyebrow but his overall peripherals look pretty tidy coming into the matchup.
Take a look at what each starter brings to the table on Wednesday.
Detroit Tigers (15-15) vs. Atlanta Braves (21-9)
Time (ET): 7:15 p.m. Place: Truist Park, Atlanta, Georgia SB Nation Site:Battery Power Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 31: LHP Tarik Skubal (3-2, 2.72 ERA) vs. RHP JR Ritchie (1-0, 2.57 ERA)
Back in December, the Columbus Blue Jackets traded Egor Chinakhov to the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was no secret that the 25-year-old winger wanted a change of scenery, and the fresh start in Pittsburgh certainly has benefited him.
In 43 regular-season games with the Penguins following the trade, Chinakhov had 18 goals, 18 assists, and 36 points. With numbers like these, the former Blue Jackets first-round pick has cemented himself as a key part of the Penguins' roster.
However, Chinakhov has gone cold so far during the playoffs for the Penguins.
In five games for the Penguins so far this postseason, Chinakhov has zero points and a minus-4 rating. He has also had zero shots in each of his last two games.
With this, there is no question that Chinakhov will be looking to break the ice for the Penguins in their Game 6 matchup against the Flyers. Given how well he performed for the Penguins following being traded by the Blue Jackets, he certainly has the potential to break out of his slump.
Chinakhov was selected by the Blue Jackets with the 21st overall pick of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. In 204 games over five seasons with the Blue Jackets, he had 37 goals, 40 assists, 77 points, and 195 hits.
Sometimes, it pays to put the numbers down and take a deep historical look at things. Teams fire managers in the season nearly every year, but it is fairly rare to see teams fire their manager before the halfway point in the season. In fact, coming into the season it had only happened six times since 2000. However, the Philadelphia Phillies were the second team this season to fire their manager on Tuesday morning. The Boston Red Sox also fired Alex Cora last week.
This is obviously pertinent since many in Astros nation are calling for the head of Joe Espada. Thoughts usually go back to 2004 when the Astros fired Jimy Williams after the midpoint of the season and Phil Garner led them to the NLCS. However, that one doesn’t count because Williams had made it through the halfway point. We can break these six situations down to see if success should be predicted with a change here in Houston. Obviously, every situation is different, so past results are not a guarantee of future results, but it pays to look at the history of these things.
The Marlins Can Everyone
The Marlins make the list three times since 2000. What we want to do with all of these is look at the record before and after the change to see if there was general improvement. Like I have said many times, our memories often play tricks on us.
2001: John Boles (22-26) Tony Perez (54-60)
Those winning percentages are almost identical. So, at best the move would be ineffectual and Perez did not continue to manage long after taking the job. As you can see, the Marlins did this again just a couple of years later. It would be fair to assert that few teams are run more shoddily than the Marlins.
2003: Jeff Torberg (16-22) Jack McKeon (75-49)
This is obviously probably the historical example people will go back to. The Marlins won the wild card and went on to beat the Yankees in the World Series. This was a veteran laden team that seemingly needed a kick in the pants. They may have turned around on their own. I suppose we will never know.
2011: Edwin Rodriguez (32-39) Jack McKeon (40-50)
So, lightening does not strike twice. The Marlins tried it again with the aging McKeon and the team did not get any better and eventually finished in fourth place in the NL East. When doing a longitudinal study one can look at the aggregate or simply go situation by situation. In two out of the three situations, the team’s fortunes were not improved.
The Phillies Have Done This Before
All that is old is new again. Rob Thomson was the beneficiary of this move in 2022 and that story should seem familiar since that was the team the Astros beat to win their second World Series title. Like with the Marlins, the Phillies were beneficiaries of the wild card as they were not able to overtake the Braves in the NL East, but got hot at the right time.
2022: Joe Giradi (22-29) Rob Thomson (65-46)
An 87 win team usually does not get very far in the playoffs and it is nothing to write home about. The Phillies got hot at the right time to be sure. Was that Thomson? Who the heck knows? Giradi had been a playoff manager with the Yankees and Phillies prior to that, so there is reason to believe he could have righted the ship on his own. Now, the Phillies will try to have lightening strike twice with Don Mattingly.
2025 May Have Started a Trend
Two teams did this last season as well. It is important to note what the objective is. If you fire a manager that early in the year you are trying to turn things around. Maybe you think you have an outside shot at the playoffs or maybe you are so far out of the hunt that you just want to get an earlier look at a managerial candidate.
2025: Bud Black (7-33) Warren Schaeffer (36-86)
I can’t call Schaeffer a failure per se. His winning percentage was better than Bud Black’s because can you really be that much worse a .175 clip over 40 games. They won 43 games, but this is one of the worst teams statistically in baseball history. Schaeffer deserves extra credit for avoiding what the White Sox had achieved before them. However, the further you get away from it, the more it looks like you are just spinning your wheels.
2025: Ron Washington (36-38) Ray Montgomery (36-52)
I’ve never been a Washington fan, but this one was more due to health concerns than anything else. The Angels obviously tabbed Kurt Suzuki this year, so Montgomery was not particularly impressive. This might be the only case where the interim manager performed significantly worse than the initial manager. I suppose at least any team thinking of doing this could hang their hat on that.
Putting It All Together
Simply put, most teams either performed about the same or worse before and after firing their initial manager. The 2003 Marlins and 2022 Phillies were notable exceptions. Obviously, every situation is different and the lab is not a place to recommend moves necessarily. Simply put, if history is our guide then it is more likely than not that any interim manager this year would fare about as well as Joe Espada has. However, I suppose there is always a chance it would work.
Our MLB best bets are scattered across the board today, both in terms of bet types and start times, based on some great prices available at Polymarket.
See why our expert MLB picks for April 29 like the Cubs early, some evening offense at GABP, and the Royals to end the night with a dub.
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Josh Inglis' expert pick: Rockies/Reds YRFI
Price: 50¢ (+100) at Polymarket
Tomoyuki Sugano has been circled yet again. He continues to run hot, but a matchup against the red-hot Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park is another tough test. He’s coming off a 101-pitch outing — the second-highest total of his MLB career — and could be vulnerable early. The Reds are in position to get to him quickly and cash a YRFI bet that has a fair price around -120. On the other side, Brandon Williamson has also struggled this year and can give it up early, especially with 11 mph winds blowing out.
Neil Parker's expert pick: Cubs moneyline
Price: 51¢ (-104) at Polymarket
The Chicago Cubs are rolling at the dish during their 14-6 heater, with the highest wOBA in baseball and an average of 6.2 runs per game. Facing San Diego Padres righty Matt Waldron shouldn’t be too high a hurdle this afternoon, either: He sports a career 5.19 ERA and 4.53 xFIP across 201 1/3 innings in the majors. I also particularly value the sustainable surface of the Chicago offensive success, with the Cubbies sporting the fifth-highest walk rate and fifth-lowest strikeout percentage during this 20-game stretch.
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Royals ML
Price: 48¢ (+108) at Polymarket
I love the underdog spot for a Kansas City Royals team that’s riding its first wave of momentum of the season with four straight wins. The bats lead MLB in OPS over the past week, putting up 27 runs across their last three games, making it a tough matchup for Luis Severino, who’s been getting hit hard in Sacramento — a carry-over from last season's 6.01 home ERA. Meanwhile, Michael Wacha has been steady, with two ERs or fewer in four of five starts, and is backed by a bullpen hitting its best stretch of the season.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
ISLAMORADA, FL - JUNE, 1955: General view of a Tarpon fish jumping out of water circa June, 1955 off the coast of Islamorada, Florida. (Photo by Hy Peskin/Getty Images) (Set Number: X2717) | Getty Images
For Hickory, Aneudis Mejia struck out five in 4.1 scoreless innings, walking one.
Marcos Torres homered twice. Dewar Tovar was 2 for 6 with a homer. Paulino Santana drew a pair of walks. Yolfran Castillo had a double and three walks. Josh Spring had a hit. Daniel Flames had a pair of hits. Esteban Mejia had a pair of hits.
Hub City starter Aidan Curry went 4.1 innings, striking out four, walking five and allowing two runs. Andrew Susac allowed a three run homer in 1.2 IP, striking out one and walking one. Kai Wynyard allowed seven runs in 1.2 IP, including four home runs.
Malcolm Moore had a double and a walk. Maxton Martin had a walk and a stolen base. Paxton Kling had a hit.
Frisco starter Josh Trentadue’s difficult 2026 continued, as he allowed five runs in four innings, walking three and striking out one. Ryan Lobus threw a scoreless inning. Eric Loomis walked two and struck out one in a scorleess inning.
Ian Moller doubled. Keith Jones II had a hit. Dylan Dreiling drew a pair of walks.
For Round Rock, Dane Acker allowed a run in 1.2 IP, striking out three and walking two. Robbie Ahlstrom struck out one in 1.1 scoreless innings. Carter Baumler went 0.2 IP, walking one and striking out one. Ryan Brasier struck out one in 1.1 scoreless innings. Michel Otanez walked two and struck out one in a scoreless inning.
Justin Foscue had a double. Cam Cauley had a pair of hits. Aaron Zavala had a hit.
The Chicago Blackhawks may not be in the playoffs this spring, but many of their former players are currently competing for the Stanley Cup. Yet, two specific former Blackhawks have been among the NHL's top playoff performers early on: Brandon Hagel and Taylor Hall.
Hagel has been on a fantastic run with the Lightning so far, as he has a playoff-leading six goals and has one assist in four games. He has scored at least one goal in each of the Lightning's first four games, which included him scoring twice in the Lightning's Game 4 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday.
As for Hall, he was one of the big reasons behind the Carolina Hurricanes sweeping the Ottawa Senators in the first round. Hall turned back the clock in Carolina's series against the Senators, as he had two goals, five assists, and seven points in just four games.
It will now be interesting to see how these two former Blackhawks forwards perform as the playoffs carry on. They have clearly been playing some great hockey early on.
Five former members of the Vancouver Canucks were on the verge of elimination on Tuesday night heading into their respective Game 5 matchups. In a surprising but exciting twist, all five have extended their post-season by at least one extra game.
The first players to successfully evade elimination were Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov of the Boston Bruins, who were down 3-1 in their first-round series against the Buffalo Sabres. They kept it close throughout Tuesday's Game 5 matchup as well, with this game going to overtime after Lindholm tied things up for Boston around halfway through the game. David Pastrňák ultimately scored the overtime winner, keeping the Bruins in the series for at least one more matchup.
Next up on the list of near-elimination saves were Vasily Podkolzin, Jason Dickinson, and Curtis Lazar of the Edmonton Oilers. Their first-round opponent, the Anaheim Ducks, managed to win three-straight to give themselves a 3-1 series lead by Tuesday night. However, the Oilers showed up big-time by defeating the Ducks by a score of 4-1. Podkolzin made his mark in this game by scoring the opening goal for Edmonton.
Lindholm and Zadorov, as well as Podkolzin, Dickinson, and Lazar will now set their sights on winning their respective Game 6 matchups to bring their series' to sudden-death for both teams. The Oilers will play in their next game on Thursday, April 30 at 7:00 pm PT, while the Bruins will play on Friday, May 1 at 4:30 pm PT.
Apr 28, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Boston Bruins center Elias Lindholm (28) celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period against the Buffalo Sabres in game five of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Mar 26, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) shoots past Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) in the second half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the West Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to come to the conclusion that the Dallas Mavericks desperately need guard help. Cooper Flagg was thrusted into the role early, which obviously led to a ton of early struggles. While development was certainly had, playing point is never going to be the way to best optimize the newest rookie of the year.
Because of that, it seems to be most logical that Dallas must use their lottery pick on a guard. However, this draft does offer a couple of interesting scenarios if the Mavericks choose not to do so. There are some very interesting depth pieces in this draft that could be available in the 20 to 25 range. Guys like Christian Anderson (Texas Tech), Bennett Stirtz (Iowa), Ebuka Okorie (Stanford) and Tyler Tanner (Vanderbilt) are all mid-to-late first round guards that the Mavericks could very well fall in love with. If that happens, it makes this draft far more intriguing at the top. With that and mind, let’s run through some quick scenarios.
If the Mavericks jump into the top two…
Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Let’s assume the Mavericks stick and pick here, although trading back a couple of spots and recouping some of the draft assets they’ve traded over the years isn’t a bad idea. BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson are likely going to be the top two picks, and whichever one the Mavericks would be lucky enough to take will be difference makers. Dybantsa is more of your scoring wing type, while Peterson is an elite combo guard. Regardless of who the selection is here, it doesn’t fill the point guard need for the Mavs. However, there’s simply nobody else you would select here.
If the Mavericks jump to third or fourth…
Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Things get a bit more interesting here, as the two players who are widely expected to go in this range are Duke’s Cam Boozer and North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson. The talent of those two guys are both overwhelming, but the fit is more murky. Boozer’s athleticism concerns are real, as well as his fit defensively in the NBA. Wilson is an A++ athlete, with the potential to be the best defender in this class. However, his offensive fit would be very clunky, as Wilson will provide very little floor spacing around Flagg, who isn’t a marksman from deep himself.
I could paint a really good argument that Dallas should simply take the guard they like the most at this spot, even though he wouldn’t likely be drafted until fifth at the earliest. If they don’t, the talent is undeniable with Boozer and Wilson that they can easily justify the pick. This spot is a great place to be in, as you’ll either take a fantastic player, or get a nice package to move back from someone who is desperate for their guy.
This scenario is very simple to me. The Mavericks should simply take the best available guard on the board, unless they fall in love with a guy in the twenties. There are five really good guards in this class, with the run likely starting at pick five. At eight, you won’t get your first choice of who you like, but you’ll likely still be picking an elite, five-star prospect.
At nine and ten, the choices get a bit more funky. If they go with a guard, they have to accept that you’re dropping a tier level in talent that would certainly invite forwards into the equation. If you get to that point, I’d be hammering the phone lines to move back in the order. This isn’t a great forward class at the top, but the depth stretches all the way through the lottery and into the teens. If the Mavs choose to go forward early and guard later, getting an extra late lottery or mid-teens pick is a savvy way to go about it.
The verdict
The way I see it, there shouldn’t be a mandate that the Mavericks must take a point guard. Taking the best player available is always a prudent strategy, and if the Mavericks jump or fall to a certain point, taking a guard might not make sense. Because this team isn’t under pressure to win right now, they need to acquire as much top-level talent as possible and try and develop it together. Depending on where that is, it might come from someone other than a guard.
Apr 22, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians right fielder Chase DeLauter (24) hits a single during the third inning against the Houston Astros at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | David Dermer-Imagn Images
So, what’s wrong with Chase DeLauter? This has been a pretty hotly debated topic, at least online. He started the season scorching hot, putting up a 200 wRC+ in the first two series of the year. He, notably, finished his regular season debut with 2 homers, one off Andres Munoz. Since then, he’s been in a weird spot. To many, it looks like a slump. A weird slump, though.
He’s not chasing more than usual, not whiffing more than usual. None of the telltale signs of a slump. No pressing, no (repeated) poor swing decisions. Through the home opener, where he went 3/4 against the Cubs with a homer and 3 RBI, he had a slashline of .346/.370/.923, good for a 250 wRC+. Since then? .206/.321/.324 (85 wRC+). But, he’s walking 14.8% of the time and striking out just over 6% of the time. He hasn’t homered once since the home opener, although he’s tallied 7 extra base hits (half of his total hits since then).
He’s gotten unlucky, yes. But, I’m not sure that’s telling the whole story. Over his last 50 plate appearances, his rolling xwOBA has crept below league average, sitting, now, around .300. His savant page is, still, bright red, and it shows that he’s underperforming his xwOBA, albeit only by a few points (.359 to .366).
So, what’s wrong with him? DeLauter has hit at every level, and was considered one of the safest hitting prospects the Guardians have ever produced. But, he doesn’t seem to be slumping, at least in the stereotypical way. I decided to look at something that I thought might provide some answer as to what’s going on with him. If he’s not pressing and setting himself up repeatedly in bad counts, what’s going on?
As we all know the topline of almost every story about DeLauter, throughout his professional career, has been his injury history. Since being drafted, he’s never playued more than 60 games in a minor league season. So far this year, he’s played in 27 of the Guardians’ first 30 games. So, here’s a graph of his bat speed, labeled with, at least what I think, are notable points on the graph that should be explained. Disclaimer, before you look at it, is that most players are going to have somewhat drastic bat speed fluctuations throughout the year, and usually the continued stretch of games in which a player’s bat speed is higher than usual are the ones in which the player does the best. Bat speed correlates extremely strongly with a number of metrics (wOBA, xSLGCON, Barrel%, Hard-Hit%, Average Exit Velocity), so I thought it might explain why he’s been performing more poorly recently, even when he’s walking over twice as often as he’s striking out.
Again, disclaimer, this is a small sample size. You’d, ideally, like at least 60 games of a sample to determine whether or not his bat speed correlates with the amount of playing time he’s getting. But, I don’t want to wait that long, so we’ll try to work with what we have. As you can see, the majority of the low points on the graphs correspond with games in which he’s played multiple games in a row, in which he’s mostly played the field. I’ve noticed that DH’ing doesn’t necessarily always mean he’s going to perform better (.830 OPS in RF, .782 OPS as DH), but you’d think it might help the strain off of a player’s body throughout an extremely strenuous 162 game stretch, or even a stretch in which a team plays 13 straight games in 3 different cities. He’s strangely been siginificantly better on the road (.878 OPS vs .762 OPS), but that is most likely buoyed by his torrid stretch in Seattle during opening weekend.
If you can remember last season, when there were constant rumors about DeLauter being called up over the summer, Chris Antonetti’s response seemed to always sound something like “We’re very excited about Chase, but we want to see him built up with his conditioning to be able to withstand an 162-game season”. DeLauter last year in the minors never played more than 3 games in a row, and rarely played 3 games in a row. This season? He’s played >3 days in a row *4* times. Now, the guy who (even now) is still one of your best hitters is of course going to force himself into the lineup more often than not. But, at a certain point, you have to ask yourself whether the ends justify the means. That is, if his performance keeps slipping when he’s playing multiple games in a row, is it worth it to have him in the lineup just to have him in the lineup? Wouldn’t he be more valuable with more days off, so that when he’s in the lineup, he’s actually productive? On days in which he’s played at least 3 days in a row, he’s slashing .200/.286/.320 (.606 OPS). On all other days, he’s slashing .261/.350/.551 (.901 OPS).
So, what’s the solution? The Vogt Punt Game™, as I like to call it. In every game that precedes an off day, keep him out of the lineup. Punt it. We’re all too familiar with these punt games, perhaps the most infamous of which was that horrid Sunday morning Roku game against Tarik Skubal, where he madduxed the Guardians (1 of 2 madduxes twirled against the Guardians in 2025). Don’t pinch-hit, don’t pinch-run, don’t bring him in as a defensive replacement. Leave him out of the lineup. His bat is far too important to this team, and you have to do whatever necessary to give him the best chance to succeed. Obviously it’s early, and his body isn’t used to this amount of stress. He might acclimate to the season, and he might only do that if you play him more often. Regardless, the learning curve should be far less steep than it is now. Ease him into 5/6 games a week.
There is, of course, more to this slow stretch than just the things I mentioned. Any rookie who starts their season the way that DeLauter did is bound to get adjusted to far more quickly than your average player. The zone in which he was doing the most damage (inside), is getting attacked far differently than it was before. Before his slump, he was crushing inside fastballs. Since then, the league has adjusted. They’ve stopped throwing him sinkers and cutters (.548 xwOBA, 1.014 xwOBA) inside, and have started attacking him with breaking pitches. This has, in turn, hurt his numbers on inside 4-seamers. Seeing more spin inside has gotten him off 4-seams, going from a .440 xwOBA on those pitches to a .251.
To say the least, there’s a lot going into this slump from DeLauter. The league adjusted to him — he has to adjust back. But underneath all of this, the Guardians have to put him in the best position to succeed. To be blunt, they need to bubble-wrap him. No more 3 days in a row. While the DH option is there, it doesn’t seem to be helping. He needs to have more rest to be able to be the best hitter possible.
DETROIT, MI - APRIL 23: Tarik Skubal (29) of the Detroit Tigers delivers a pitch during an MLB game against the Milwaukee Brewers on April 23, 2026 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
A simple one this morning. There are many pitchers in baseball. Is Tarik Skubal the best?
A reason to say yes: he has the highest projections for a single pitcher across Steamer and ZiPS. He also (barely) led Paul Skenes in fWAR last year, and finished second to Chris Sale in fWAR in 2024.
A reason to say no: well, I’m not going there. I think definitively saying he isn’t is too tough a sell. He is not the pitching fWAR leader right now, trailing both Cam Schlittler (and his ridiculous video game numbers through seven starts) and Max Fried of the Yankees. That said, he’s still top five in FIP- and top seven in xFIP- among anyone that’s thrown 20 innings so far (142 pitchers), and he actually has one fewer start than Schlittler and Fried, so…
Anyway, what say you? Tarik Skubal, currently the best pitcher in MLB? If not, who is.
Columbus Clippers Travis Bazzana (12) throws the ball to first base during home opener at Huntington Park on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It was a big day for the Clippers offense as five different players had multi-hit games, led by Kody Huff and Maick Collado, who both had three hits, with Collado collecting two doubles and a walk.
Kahlil Watson also went 2-for-3 with two walks and a stolen base while Dom Nunez went 2-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base. Milan Tolentino stayed hot, going 2-for-4 with a double and a walk.
Austin Peterson made his 2026 debut, tossing 3.0 scoreless innings with four strikeouts and a walk on two hits. It’s great to see him back.
Jack Leftwich had 2.0 scoreless innings of relief, but Will Dion got absolutely blasted for six runs in just 1.1 innings. Thankfully, Tanner Burns and Cody Heuer followed with 1.2 innings of scoreless relief and the offense responded with four runs to retake the lead. Burns also did allow both of his inherited runners to score.
Akron had a rough day on offense. Ralphy Velasquez was the lone player who reached base safely twice, going 1-for-3 with a walk. Jake Fox stole a base.
The lack of offense ruined a decent start from Josh Hartle, who allowed two runs on five hits in 5.1 innings. He struck out four and walked one.
Lake County’s rally fell just one run short in the ninth inning as Beloit took advantage of 15 walks from Lake County pitchers to score more runs than it had hits on the day.
Offensively, Bennett Thompson continues to stay hot, going 2-for-4 with a double, a stolen base and a walk, raising his OPS to 1.228.
Aaron Walton went 1-for-4 with a home run and a walk while Nolan Schubart continues to heat up, going 1-for-3 with a home run, a stolen base and two walks, also scoring three runs.
Esteban Gonzalez went 3-for-5 with a stolen base while Dean Curley went 1-for-3 with two walks and a stolen base.
Fresh off his best start of the season, Jackson Humphries allowed a pair of runs on two hits in 3.0 innings with a whopping six walks and four strikeouts.
Cam Walty walked three more, then Connor Zsak walked four more in the next 1.2 innings combined. The walk parade finally ended with a strong showing from Kendeglys Virguez, who struck out six batters in 2.0 innings of work.
Hill City’s offense went ballistic on Tuesday as the team reached base safely a whopping 29 times.
Robert Arias went 3-for-7 with a double, Juneiker Caceres went 2-for-6 with a hit by pitch, Riley Nelson went 1-for-2 with four walks, Anthony Martinez went 1-for-3 with three walks, Luis De La Cruz went 2-for-5 with a walk and a stolen base, Jonathan Martinez went 2-for-5 with a triple and aa walk, Ty Howard went 2-for-4 with two walks and Yelferth Castillo went 1-for-3 with a walk. Dauri Fernandez also went 1-for-6 with a double and a walk.
Aidan Major was outstanding in his start, tossing 5.0 shutout innings of three-hit ball with seven strikeouts and a walk.
Zane Petty added 3.0 scoreless frames, but the shutout was blown in the ninth by Wes Burton, who walked four batters. Keegan Zinn got the final out.
The Cubs got the bats going in San Diego for the second straight night, highlighted by Pete Crow-Armstrong’s three-run homer that broke the game open in the seventh inning. That, plus some solid pitching from Edward Cabrera, Hoby Milner and Ryan Rolison, gave the Cubs an 8-3 win over the Padres, breaking their three-game losing streak.
Swanson then stole third, but was stranded. When the bottom of the second began, Swanson was out of the game, with Nico Hoerner moving to short and Nicky Lopez taking over at second. Here’s what the Cubs said about that a couple of innings later:
Dansby Swanson left tonight’s game with a left glute cramp.
There were no updates on Swanson postgame, but this doesn’t sound too serious. I’d think Swanson might sit out of today’s game and, with Thursday’s off day, be ready to go on Friday.
Xander Bogaerts homered off Cabrera in the bottom of the second to make it 2-1.
The Padres tied the game up in the bottom of the fourth. Bogaerts walked to lead off the inning, and I want to show you two (!) pitches he got overturned in that at-bat.
I mention these because both of those pitches were almost in the exact location of the pitch that got Bogaerts called out on strikes in the ninth inning of Game 3 of the Wild Card Series last October at Wrigley Field. You have to believe Bogaerts has not forgotten that — and that the Cubs were very lucky that ABS challenges were not available for that game.
Anyway, Bogaerts then stole second and was singled in by Ty France to make it 2-2.
Then the Cubs took that two-run lead back in the top of the sixth. Kelly singled. Lopez tried to sacrifice him to second, but Kelly was forced. PCA walked and after a pitching change, reliever David Morgan wild-pitched both runners up a base.
The Cubs put the game away with a four-run seventh. Seiya Suzuki led off with a walk. One out later, Michael Busch was hit by a pitch, and had to be checked out by trainer Nick Frangella. Ultimately Busch stayed in the game [VIDEO].
Kelly followed with a ground ball. Busch was forced at second, but Kelly beat the relay throw, putting runners on first and third with two out. Craig Counsell sent Alex Bregman up to bat for Lopez. Bregman had not started this game to try to give him a bit more rest from the sore foot he had after being hit by a pitch in Los Angeles on Sunday. If it seems like the Cubs have been hit by pitches a lot, they’re in the middle of the pack with 16 HBP. The Angels and Cardinals lead MLB with 24.
That made the score 8-3 and, as that home run was off a left-hander, I thought you might be interested in seeing that PCA has had strong reverse splits so far this year.
PCA vs. RHP: .215/.261/.292 (14-for-65) with two doubles, one home run, four walks, 20 strikeouts PCA vs. LHP: .277/.370/.404 (13-for-47) with a double, a triple, a home run, five walks, 17 strikeouts
You’d think that eventually he’ll hit RHP as he did last year (.271/.315/.523 with 24 home runs) and will have the year everyone expects from him.
The Cubs shut down the Padres the rest of the way. Ryan Rolison, who’s been a real find for this team, threw two shutout innings, retiring all six batters he faced, striking out two. He’s allowed just three of the 19 batters he has faced this year to reach base and hasn’t walked anyone. Perhaps it’s early for this declaration, but could Rolison be this year’s Drew Pomeranz? Rolison was once a first-round draft pick (Rockies, 2018) so… maybe?
PCA talked about all the walks the team is drawing in that clip. The Cubs have 136 walks in 30 games, 4.53 per game. That’s second in MLB to the Yankees, who have 137, and that pace would shatter the franchise record, which is 656, set in 2016. And the eight-run outburst gave them 164 runs for the season, 5.47 a game, a pace for 886. The 164 runs is third in MLB behind the Dodgers (165) and Braves (171).
The Cubs will go for the series win, which would give them a 3-3 road trip, Wednesday afternoon in San Diego. Jameson Taillon will start for the Cubs and Matt Waldron goes for the Padres. Game time is 3:10 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network
COVERS INTEL: St. Louis Cardinals rank 26th in bullpen ERA while sporting the second-lowest strikeout percentage in the majors.
