We all need something to be positive about after that weekend series versus the Atlanta Braves. Luckily, this team is good at finding those moments.
Messick Has Stellar Outing
While the Braves steamrolled the Guardians in games one and three, Parker Messick made sure that didn’t happen in game two. The rookie went 6.2 innings against the offensive powerhouse, giving up just four hits and two walks while striking out five. He earned the win after the offense put up six runs, and the bullpen was able to hold on to secure the shutout victory. Messick’s ERA sits at just 0.51 after three starts, and he’s earned the win in two of them. He’s collected 16 strikeouts in the 17.2 innings he’s pitched, and has only walked five. He’s quickly becoming a reliable option to fill out the second or third spot in the rotation.
Ramírez Sets Club Record
While this technically should’ve been in last week’s article, I want to be sure it gets highlighted. In Sunday’s second game versus the Chicago Cubs, third baseman José Ramírez set the all-time franchise record for most games played with 1,620. He passed Terry Turner’s 1,619 games after the fifth inning when Sunday’s game became official. He is now the only active player to lead a team in games played. He is continuing to prove that he wants to play in Cleveland through it all. He stated, “Of all the records, I feel that this one is the most important because it kind of resembles what I wanted to do with this team.” Somehow, 1,620 games with the perennial MVP candidate doesn’t seem like nearly enough, so I’m very glad to see that number continue to go up.
Brito Finding Success Early
With Gabriel Arias, unfortunately, being placed on the 10-day IL for a left hamstring strain, the Guardians needed to make a call-up prior to Tuesday’s game against the Kansas City Royals. While many were hoping it would be No. 1 prospect Travis Bazzana, they’re allowing him a bit more time to acclimate to Triple-A ball before making the move. They selected infielder Juan Brito, and he definitely made some noise in his debut. He ended the day with two hits including a double. Since then, he’s continued to hit well, picking up two more hits in his second game. He’s currently hitting .278/.350/.389.
Social Media Spotlight
This week’s social media spotlight goes to the amazing Jordan Shusterman and Jake Mintz over at Céspedes Family BBQ on Twitter. Since at least 2017, they’ve tweeted “@RhysHoskins congrats on the homer dude” Every. Single. Time. he hits a home run. I’ve been waiting patiently for that tweet since he signed with the Guardians, and it finally came in Sunday’s game against the Braves.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 11: Ville Koivunen #41 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates with the puck against Martin Fehérváry #42 of the Washington Capitals in the first period during the game at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 11, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The pair of weekend games for the Penguins against the Washington Capitals were about as low stakes as it gets in the NHL regular season from Pittsburgh’s perspective. The Pens had already locked up the second seed in the Metropolitan Division, regardless of results the rest of the way.
As a result of that knowledge, the team shifted gears into preparing for the playoffs. 18-year old rookie Ben Kindel was out for both games. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust, Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang and Parker Wotherspoon all sat out on Saturday and played on Sunday. Noel Acciari, Anthony Mantha, Ryan Shea and Connor Clifton played Saturday then sat out on Sunday. In a move unrelated to playoff rest, Connor Dewar is now week-to-week with a more serious injury and his status for the start of the playoffs would seem to be in real jeopardy.
While the games themselves had no impact for the Penguins, they can still carry some level of individual importance. Kevin Hayes dressed for his first games in a while, having only played twice since January 11th. Rutger McGroarty and Ryan Graves got in the lineup, both only having played two and three NHL games respecitvely since the start of February. Jack St. Ivany was back after last appearing in the NHL on January 25th, Ilya Solovyov got a chance to play for the first time since being rotated out as a healthy scratch after the March 18th game.
Other recent lineup regulars like Elmer Soderblom, Justin Brazeau and Tommy Novak received opportunities in good spots to continue to make their cases on why they could be options for the postseason. So the games mattered on some level, even if the results did not. Here’s a look at the Game Score cards for both games over the weekend.
On the positive side, Kevin Hayes scored a goal on Saturday and showed well on Game Scores across both games. His skating at this point of his career makes him an overall liability but he was able to pick his spots well. Dewar’s injury (as well as the status of Blake Lizotte coming back from an injury of his own) might add a little drama to the depth chart moving forward. The Pens have no shortage of fill-in depth options and K. Hayes might not be at the very front of that line, though with his 56 career NHL playoff games he could be in the mix at some point.
Ilya Solovyov and Jack St. Ivany had tough days on Saturday – where to be fair, in context the under-manned Pens team had a major uphill climb all game that day when they got out-shot 31-12 – but bounced back with better performances on Sunday. Solovyov especially has shown some skating and puck moving skills with the ability to lineup on the left or right side of the lineup. At this point he probably is factoring in as the seventh defenseman and first one up for the playoffs if needed, which the team can feel a little more comfortable with after seeing his performance on Sunday.
Soderblom also showed enough over the weekend – and more importantly over the last few weeks – to lock down a spot in the lineup for Game 1. That would have been a tougher squeeze had Dewar remained healthy, now the path to a spot is virtually automatic for Soderblom.
On the negative side, Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty let some chances slip away to stand out. So too did Avery Hayes, who was made a scratch for Sunday’s game. Koivunen’s game on Saturday was particularly disappointing with a -0.67 Game Score coming off playing a forward team-high 17:49 in a nice role on a line with Rickard Rakell and Egor Chinakhov, a game where Koivunen did not manage a shot on goal. Overall right now Koivunen is a skilled forward who cannot score, his 5v5 points/60 dropped to 404th out of 407 forwards across the NHL (minimum 400 minutes) and doesn’t look like he will be a factor for the NHL playoffs this spring.
Similarly, McGroarty’s weekend was too quiet, held without a shot in almost 15 minutes on Saturday and then relegated to 9:55 played on Sunday. A. Hayes popped out with a big goal in the March 30th game against NYI, his only point in his last 14 NHL games since his two-goal debut, and the Pens decided to sit Hayes on Sunday following his forward-worst -1.00 Game Score instead of resting a player like Brazeau or Novak in a weekend where plenty of NHL regulars got a game off. Forwards like Soderblom and Acciari performing well lately has had the effect to wall off a spot in the lineup for A. Hayes.
Graves was another player with a disappointing turn, suffering some ugly play on a pair of goals against on Saturday leading to a -3.46 Game Score while playing the fewest minutes among defensemen (15:30) and then returning to become a familiar scratch for Sunday’s game. Not that such a development is particularly surprising at this point given how things have gone for Graves in Pittsburgh, but it sure doesn’t look like he belongs anywhere near a game in the playoffs and his showing this weekend did nothing but reinforce that position.
Overall for the Penguins, this weekend was about getting some rest in and simply checking boxes to get to the playoffs. Every game presents opportunity for someone and there were plenty of positive and negative signs from their depth players to help provide extra information if there becomes a need to dig deeper into the organization for players who need to step in for the playoffs.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 1: Luis Severino #40 of the Athletics leaves the game during the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on April 1, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Morning A’s fans and welcome to another new week!
The club is back in Sacramento and set to kick off a new home stand tonight. It’s going to be a long one as the team will be home for the entire week, first with four games against the Texas Rangers and then three this weekend against the Chicago White Sox. Righty Luis Severino is going to kick things off tonight in the first game of the series. Texas and the Athletics have the same record two weeks into the season so someone is going to rise in the standings while the loser will fall a spot. It’s still early but these games matter so it’s important to get off on the right foot in the early going.
While no one in the Twin Cities knows how to feel about a successful season, the Minnesota Twins have surprised the world to start the year.
If and when Minnesota comes back to reality, it likely will be because of its pitching, a disadvantage tonight against the Boston Red Sox.
My Red Sox vs. Twins predictions and MLB picks doubt the weather will make things quick, but whenever there is a game, Minnesota’s surprise season should continue on Monday, April 13.
Who will win Red Sox vs Twins today: Twins +1.5 (-124)
Minnesota Twins righthander Bailey Ober has yet to throw a quality outing this season. Of his three starts, his season debut at Baltimore was the worst, but also the only one that the Twins lost.
With Ober’s continued struggles in mind, it is difficult to justify betting on Minnesota to beat the Boston Red Sox outright. But given the Twins have won six of their last seven games and are shockingly sitting atop the American League right now, some faith should still be put in them.
Minnesota sits sixth in runs per game this year, and while Garrett Crochet is a pitcher to fear, the Boston bullpen is not as fearsome (15th by ERA).
COVERS INTEL: Expected ERA paints and even grimmer picture for the Red Sox bullpen, as it ranks 26th.
Red Sox vs Twins Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (+106)
Expecting Ober to struggle immediately lends itself to expecting this Over to cash, as does expecting the Twins to still keep the game interesting.
Minnesota sits atop the AL because of its bats, ones that have powered the way to three straight Overs.
Crochet’s strikeout tendencies will cost the Twins some outs, but true-outcome baseball generally yields runs eventually, as well.
And if nothing else, the distinct likelihood of a weather delay tonight should throw any pitching plans into chaos.
Red Sox vs Twins odds
Moneyline: Red Sox -161 | Twins +140
Run line: Red Sox -1.5 | Twins +1.5
Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5
Red Sox vs Twins trend
In winning six of their last seven games, the Twins sprung outright upsets in five of those six wins. Find more MLB betting trends for Red Sox vs. Twins.
How to watch Red Sox vs Twins and game info
Location
Target Field, Minneapolis, MN
Date
Monday, April 13, 2026
First pitch
7:40 p.m. ET
TV
NESN, Twins.tv
Red Sox starting pitcher
Garrett Crochet (2-1, 3.12 ERA)
Twins starting pitcher
Bailey Ober (1-0, 5.27 ERA)
Red Sox vs Twins latest injuries
Red Sox vs Twins 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.
HOUSTON - OCTOBER 09: Manager Phil Garner #3 of the Houston Astros celebrates with the crowd after Chris Burke #2 hit a solo home run to defeat the Atlanta Braves in Game Four of the 2005 National League Division Series on October 9, 2005 at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. The Astros eliminated the Braves three games to one with a 7-6 victory in the 18th inning. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In memory of former Astros player and manager Phil Garner, this is a piece I previously wrote last year for The Sporting News on his reflection on the Astros first World Series run in 2005, twenty years after.
(This article was written for The Sporting News by Craig Larson Jr. and the original link can be accessed with the link below. Originally published 10/26/2025
As the World Series plays on without them, many Houstonians are feeling October withdrawals. George Springer’s heroics for Toronto reminded everyone just how special this time of year can be, and how nostalgia rules the moment.
Astros fans can never forget their first trip. It was twenty years ago this very week when Houston defied the odds, rallying from a 15-30 start to capture the National League pennant. The run finally erased the heartbreaks of 1980 and 1986, as well as more recent postseason disappointments against the Braves and Cardinals.
Their appearance in the 2005 World Series ended in a sweep by Chicago’s South Siders, yet it remains one of the most cherished chapters in franchise history. Manager Phil Garner, who guided that club, reflected with Sporting News on the magic of that run.
“It was a wonderful time,” Garner said. “People still approach me and say it was the best time they ever had. Families would get together and watch the games and had the best times of their lives. It looked bad at the start of the season, but most baseball players are optimistic. You never count yourself out. You can recover, but if we had been that percentage on the negative side after the All-Star break, it would’ve been virtually impossible to come back.”
Asked about finally breaking through to the franchise’s first World Series, Garner pointed to leadership and belief as the key.
“We had a couple of hurdles,” he said. “We had those series where we couldn’t get past the Braves, and then we had St. Louis the year before. I have to admit, you need great players, but you also need guys who have bought all the way into the program. If they don’t buy into what you’re selling, it’s not going to work. We had so much leadership on that team. There was Bagwell, Biggio, Clemens, Pettitte, Oswalt, and Lidge. We had all the core ingredients and great role players who carried us down the stretch.”
Two decades later, Garner is watching another October classic unfold — and he marvels at the modern era’s transcendent stars.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Garner said of Shohei Ohtani. “Look at the guys in the game right now who are 23 to 30 years old, this is the golden age of baseball. He plays both ways and plays at a Hall-of-Fame clip. It’s just crazy how good he is.”
Los Angeles, CA - April 10: Lakers guard Luke Kennard, #10, left, celebrates Lakers forward LeBron James, #23, basket in the second half against the Suns at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles Friday, April 10, 2026. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
With Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves out to start their postseason run, the Lakers won’t have many believers.
The team has relied on LeBron James, who has had some remarkable games and helped LA earn a top-four seed in the West. Still, those victories were against play-in teams like the Warriors and Suns, who were resting players as their postseason positions in the West were solidified.
Now that the Lakers are playing a legitimate team trying to win, stacking victories won’t be easy.
In our national SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we asked fans which top-four seed had the best chance to be knocked out of the first round and the Lakers were the clear winner.
No other team is dealing with injuries as severe as the Lakers. With their top two players out, generating enough offense to keep up with the best in the West will be an uphill battle for the purple and gold.
The good news is that Reaves and Dončić are not ruled out for the playoffs. In fact, Luka has spent time in Spain working to accelerate the recovery of his hamstring strain. While Dončić is doing everything possible to get better and his attempt to return is commendable, it can also be concerning.
He’s dealt with hamstring injuries throughout his career, including earlier this season. The last thing anyone wants is for him to return too soon and make his injury worse.
The Lakers were in a similar situation with Anthony Davis back in 2021. He got hurt in the middle of their first round matchup against the Suns with a groin strain. AD pushed himself and came back for Game 6. However, he was very hobbled and couldn’t even complete the first quarter, ending his night early as the Lakers were eliminated.
A scenario where the Lakers not only lose in the first round but Luka gets even more injured would be awful.
The Lakers’ medical staff will have to be 100% certain Luka’s good to go and not be influenced by what the first round series win total looks like. If Luka can play great, but there’s no need to push like a title is on the line. Dončić is the future of this franchise, and his health shouldn’t be jeopardized for minimal benefit in the present.
For now, it’s all about recovery for Luka as the postseason begins and we see if he’ll get a chance to play.
This particular feud between Perkins and Simmons dates back to June 2025 when Perkins posted a video in which he called Simmons a "fool," among other things, after apparent criticism Simmons had levied against Perkins for predicting the Raptors would be a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference during the 2025-26 season. Simmons, at the time, offered to put a "wager" on Perkins' take.
Well, the Raptors will be the No. 5 seed and face the No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers when the Eastern Conference playoffs begin this weekend.
Perkins didn't forget about Simmons' proposition for a bet. It's unclear if either side actually agreed to terms prior to Perkins resurfacing their original back-and-forth on Monday.
"Somebody tell @BillSimmons he can just make a donation to my non profit that’s for the youth in our communities that are less fortunate," Perkins wrote on his X account over the original tweet exchange with Simmons.
Somebody tell @BillSimmons he can just make a donation to my non profit that’s for the youth in our communities that are less fortunate https://t.co/wTpp9b7Mod
Perkins, 41, played 14 seasons in the NBA, including the first eight years of his career with the Boston Celtics. Simmons, 56, is an unabashed Boston sports fan who came to national prominence as a columnist at ESPN beginning in the early 2000s, including a two-year stint as an analyst on ESPN's NBA Countdown show.
"I don't know who anointed you the preacher or king or the head honcho of basketball, of the way things need to be. What have you done? Have you ever played?" Perkins said to Simmons in his initial video posted to social media on June 26, 2025. "... You feel like you're sitting on this throne. You got in your feelings because I feel like the Toronto Raptors are going to be a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference this upcoming season? So? That wasn't a crazy take or anything to that nature. It's a real thing, fool."
Simmons wrote back to Perkins in June he was, "honored that you sat in a car for 2+ minutes to scold me on your iPhone like this, even though we are a combined age of like 92. If you actually think Toronto will be top-6 in the East in anything other than 'most fun place to visit' – let’s wager on it ASAP."
Perkins was ready to collect just as soon as the NBA regular season concluded.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 10: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs walks off of the court before the game against the Dallas Mavericks on April 10, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Brandon Todd/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The 2026 NBA playoffs are upon us.
As of this moment, 20 teams are still alive for a shot at the Larry O’Brien trophy. However, eight of those teams still have some work to do before their playoff journeys can begin in earnest. Things kick off on Tuesday with the Play-In Tournament, as four teams in the Eastern Conference, and four teams in the Western Conference, vie for the final two spots in each conference.
Here is the schedule for the Play-In Tournament as well as the First Round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs. And be warned, if you want to watch all the games, you better have Prime Video.
Here’s the final bracket for the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Remember, the NBA does not reseed.
Update (Wednesday April 15): Updated with the day of each First Round playoff game as provided by the NBA.
Eastern Conference Play-In
The Eastern Conference Play-In tournament gets things going on Tuesday, April 15. The Miami Heat and the Charlotte Hornets square off in the first game, with the loser eliminated from postseason contention. The winner will take on the loser of Wednesday’s game between No. 8 Orlando and No. 7 Philadelphia, with the winner of that game securing the No. 7 seed in the East.
The loser of that second game will drop to the No. 8 spot.
No. 8 Orlando Magic at No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers: Wednesday, April 15 (7:30 p.m., Prime Video) Winner secures No. 7 seed in East
No. 7/No. 8 loser vs. No. 9 Charlotte Hornets: Friday, April 17 (7:30 p.m., Prime Video) Winner secures No. 8 seed in East, loser eliminated
Western Conference Play-In
Over in the Western Conference, the Play-In Tournament begins with the Phoenix Suns hosting the Portland Trail Blazers, with the winner of that game on Tuesday securing the No. 7 seed. The loser will take on the winner of Wednesday’s game between No. 10 Golden State and No. 9 Los Angeles.
All times Eastern.
No. 8 Portland Trail Blazers 114, No. 7 Phoenix Suns 110 Portland secures No. 7 seed in West
No. 10 Golden State Warriors at No. 9 Los Angeles Clippers: Wednesday, April 15 (10:00 p.m., Prime Video) Loser eliminated
No. 7/No. 8 loser vs. No. 9/No. 10 winner: Friday, April 17 ( 10:00 p.m., Prime Video) Winner secures No. 8 seed in West, loser eliminated
Eastern Conference Playoffs
Six teams are waiting in the Eastern Conference, led by the top-seeded Detroit Pistons. They’ll take on the No. 8 seed in the first round, while the Boston Celtics — who check in as the No. 2 seed in the East — will take on the No. 7 seed.
The other two first-round matchups are set: No. 3 New York vs. No. 6 Atlanta, and No. 4 Cleveland vs. No. 5 Toronto.
First Round
No. 1 Detroit Pistons vs. No. 8 (TBD)
Game 1: TBD at Detroit: Sunday, April 19 (6:30 p.m., NBC) Game 2: TBD at Detroit: Wednesday, April 22 (7:00 p.m., ESPN) Game 3: Detroit at TBD: Saturday, April 25 (1:00 p.m., NBC) Game 4: Detroit at TBD: Monday, April 27 Game 5: TBD at Detroit: Wednesday, April 29* Game 6: Detroit at TBD: Friday, May 1* Game 7: TBD at Detroit: Sunday, May 3*
No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 (TBD)
Game 1: TBD at Boston: Sunday, April 19 (1:00 p.m., ABC) Game 2: TBD at Boston: Tuesday, April 21 (7:00 p.m., NBC) Game 3: Boston at TBD: Friday, April 24 (7:00 p.m., Prime Video) Game 4: Boston at TBD: Sunday, April 26 (7:00 p.m., NBC) Game 5: TBD at Boston: Tuesday, April 28* Game 6: Boston at TBD: Thursday, April 30* Game 7: TBD at Boston: Saturday, May 2*
No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 6 Atlanta Hawks
Game 1: Atlanta at New York: Saturday, April 18 (6:00 p.m., Prime Video) Game 2: Atlanta at New York: Monday, April 20 (8:00 p.m., NBC) Game 3: New York at Atlanta: Thursday, April 23 (7:00 p.m., Prime Video) Game 4: New York at Atlanta: Saturday, April 25 (6:00 p.m., NBC) Game 5: Atlanta at New York: Tuesday, April 28* Game 6: New York at Atlanta: Thursday, April 30* Game 7: Atlanta at New York: Saturday, May 2*
No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Toronto Raptors
Game 1: Toronto at Cleveland: Saturday, April 18 (1:00 p.m., Prime Video) Game 2: Toronto at Cleveland: Monday, April 20 (7:00 p.m., NBC) Game 3: Cleveland at Toronto: Thursday, April 23 (8:00 p.m., Prime Video) Game 4: Cleveland at Toronto: Sunday, April 26 (1:00 p.m., ESPN) Game 5: Toronto at Cleveland: Wednesday, April 29* Game 6: Cleveland at Toronto: Friday, May 1* Game 7: Toronto at Cleveland: Sunday, May 3*
*If necessary
Western Conference Playoffs
Over in the Western Conference, the defending champions are waiting on the results of the Play-In Tournament, as the Thunder will have home-court in the First Round against the No. 8 seed. Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs secured the No. 2 seed, and will take on the No. 7 seed.
The other two matchups in the Western Conference are set. In the first, No. 3 Denver will take on No. 6 Minnesota, while in the second, No. 4 Los Angeles matches up against No. 5 Houston.
First Round
No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 (TBD)
Game 1: TBD at Oklahoma City: Sunday, April 19 (3:30 p.m., ABC) Game 2: TBD at Oklahoma City: Wednesday, April 22 (9:30 p.m, ESPN) Game 3: Oklahoma City at TBD: Saturday, April 25 (3:30 p.m., NBC) Game 4: Oklahoma City at TBD: Monday, April 27 Game 5: TBD at Oklahoma City: Wednesday, April 29* Game 6: Oklahoma City at TBD: Friday, May 1* Game 7: TBD at Oklahoma City: Sunday, May 3*
No. 2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 7 Portland Trail Blazers
Game 1: Portland at San Antonio: Sunday, April 19 (9:00 p.m., NBC) Game 2: Portland at San Antonio: Tuesday, April 21 (8:00 p.m., NBC) Game 3: San Antonio at Portland: Friday, April 24 (10:30 p.m., Prime Video) Game 4: San Antonio at Portland: Sunday, April 26 (3:30 p.m., ESPN) Game 5: Portland at San Antonio: Tuesday, April 28* Game 6: San Antonio at Portland: Thursday, April 30* Game 7: Portland at San Antonio: Saturday, May 2*
No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves
Game 1: Minnesota at Denver: Saturday, April 18 (3:30 p.m., Prime Video) Game 2: Minnesota at Denver: Monday, April 20 (10:30 p.m., NBC) Game 3: Denver at Minnesota: Thursday, April 23 (9:30 p.m., Prime Video) Game 4: Denver at Minnesota: Saturday, April 25 (8:30 p.m., ABC) Game 5: Minnesota at Denver: Monday, April 27* Game 6: Denver at Minnesota: Thursday, April 30* Game 7: Minnesota at Denver: Saturday, May 2*
No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 5 Houston Rockets
Game 1: Houston at Los Angeles: Saturday, April 18 (8:30 p.m., ABC) Game 2: Houston at Los Angeles: Tuesday, April 21 (10:30 p.m., NBC) Game 3: Los Angeles at Houston: Friday, April 24 (8:00 p.m., Prime Video) Game 4: Los Angeles at Houston: Sunday, April 26 (9:30 p.m., NBC) Game 5: Houston at Los Angeles: Wednesday, April 29* Game 6: Los Angeles at Houston: Friday, May 1* Game 7: Houston at Los Angeles: Sunday, May 3*
The Pittsburgh Pirates, who are leading the NL Central with a 9-6 record, open a four-game series with the Washington Nationals (7-8). The Pirates took two of three games from the Chicago Cubs over the weekend. Washington swept three games from the Milwaukee Brewers. Paul Skenes is expected to start for Pittsburgh against the Nationals’ Cade Cavalli.
How to watch Washington Nationals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - JANUARY 09: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts after scoring a three-pointer against the Orlando Magic during the fourth quarter at Kia Center on January 09, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. 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 Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the Sixers taking care of business against the Milwaukee Bucks (so long, Doc Rivers) and the Orlando Magic losing to the Hospital Celtics, we’ll have meaningful basketball in South Philly this week.
The Sixers will host the Magic in the 7-8 play-in game Wednesday at Xfinity Mobile Arena. It’s simple: win and the Sixers will take on the second-seeded Boston Celtics in the first round. Lose and they get another shot to make the playoffs and take on the top-seeded Detroit Pistons with a win over the loser of the 9-10 play-in game. Lose both games and that’s all she wrote.
Any questions or thoughts about the matchup? Hit me up in the comments.
The Philadelphia Phillies (7-8) begin a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs (7-8). The Phillies have lost four of their past five games. The Cubs avoided a three-game sweep by the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 7-6 victory on Sunday. Javier Assad is scheduled to start for the Cubs against the Phillies’ Cristopher Sánchez.
How to watch Chicago Cubs vs. Philadelphia Phillies
The Chicago Cubs (7-8) travel to Citizens Bank Park to take on the Philadelphia Phillies (7-8) in the start of a three-game series.
Chicago is coming off a 7-6 comeback win over Pittsburgh yesterday that saw them trail 5-0 at one point. The Cubs have been at or below .500 all season long and have another chance to reach .500 with a win today. Chicago's offense has sputtered this season with a .224 batting average (21st) and 122 hits (22nd), ranking bottom 10.
Philadelphia is 1-4 over the last five games and is looking to reach .500 at home. The Phillies are 4-5 at home this season and lost two of the past three. Philadelphia has lost two straight series and scored four or fewer runs in five consecutive games.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Cubs at Phillies
Date: Monday, April 13, 2026
Time: 6:40 PM EST
Site: Citizens Bank Park
City: Philadelphia, PA
Network/Streaming: MLB TV / FS1
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Cubs at the Phillies
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Chicago Cubs (+153), Philadelphia Phillies (-186)
Spread: Cubs +1.5 (-143), Phillies -1.5 (+119)
Total: 8.0
Probable starting pitchers for Cubs at Phillies
Monday's pitching matchup (April 13): Javier Assad vs. Cristopher Sanchez
The Phillies’ Bryce Harper is hitting .273 with 15 hits and 29 total bases over 55 at-bats
The Phillies’ Alec Bohm is hitting .148 with eight hits and 10 strikeouts over 54 at-bats
The Cubs’ Nico Hoerner is hitting .316 with 18 hits and 28 total bases over 57 at-bats
The Cubs’ Michael Busch is hitting .135 with seven hits, 12 strikeouts, and seven walks over 52 at-bats
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Cubs at Phillies
The Cubs are 5-10 ATS this season
The Phillies are an MLB-worst 3-12 ATS this season
The Cubs are 8-6-1 to the Over this season
The Phillies are 7-7-1 to the Over this season
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Cubs and the Phillies
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Cubs and the Phillies.
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Cubs on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cubs at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Over on the Game Total of 8.5
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The New York Yankees (8-7) start a four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels (8-8) at Yankee Stadium. New York has lost five in a row, including a three-game sweep by the Tampa Bay Rays. Will Warren is scheduled to start for the Yankees against the Angels’ Yusei Kikuchi.
How to watch Los Angeles Angels vs. New York Yankees
Let's open up the mailbag to discuss some of the Mets' top prospects...
Does the organization have any concerns regarding A.J. Ewing’s arm strength in center field and could second base be a better fit? -- Mets Ledger
In talking to multiple people in player development about Ewing over the past couple of months, I have not gotten any indications that they believe arm strength will limit his ability to end up in center field long term.
He may not have the arm talent of a Carson Benge, but Ewing’s arm grades out average to a tick above. The Mets firmly believe he has the tools to become elite defensively at center field and it should be expected he spends a vast majority of his time this year in center.
Him playing some second base early is about maintaining versatility. It doesn’t hurt that second base is a natural position for him. It would not shock me if as the year wore on, you saw the second base reps dissipate.
Even if Ewing’s arm strength isn’t a plus, it is not considered to be a deterrent to his future in center field.
What is the outlook for Nate Lavender this season? Can he make the MLB club? -- Dan B
Lavender was returned to the Mets from the Rays this past November, after Tampa Bay selected him in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft. He missed the 2025 season due to Tommy John surgery and had a cleanup procedure in August.
Given that cleanup, the Mets took it slow with Lavender this spring. Despite being a non-roster invite to big league camp, he did not get into game action. Instead, he worked in the backfields on building back up.
He has made two rehab outings so far with Low-A St. Lucie, with two scoreless innings, striking out three batters and walking none. His velocity is back to pre-Tommy John form, averaging 93 mph and touching 95 mph. He’s also throwing a low-to-mid 80s slider.
Lavender should be moving his rehab up before long, and if he performs once he reaches Triple-A, a big league debut could be in the cards. It ultimately does take a number of relievers to get through the marathon of 162 games.
The question is whether there will be a situation where there is a need for a third or even fourth left-hander in the bullpen.
While the Mets are hopeful that their main left-handers (A.J. Minter once he’s back and Brooks Raley) provide stability, Minter has a history of injury that has to be taken into account. There is also the uncertainty in what the long-term role this season will be for Sean Manaea. If Minter and Raley can remain healthy, it’s hard to envision Lavender playing a significant role in 2026.
The organization’s plan is for Lavender to be bullpen depth in Triple-A, but as we have seen year over year, especially in the bullpen, that depth often finds its way to being needed.
With Eli Serrano's move out of Brooklyn .. think we see emergence as a top prospect in the system? -- Dave Schoenfeld
Serrano stands out as a player who was affected by the environment of Brooklyn, which is known as the toughest park for left-handed hitters in minor league baseball. In 2025 in Brooklyn he hit .189 with a .635 OPS, while hitting .255 with a .743 OPS on the road.
Ranking 17th in my preseason top 30 list, Serrano does stand out as someone who could take a step forward, even at a higher level of competition. Through seven games with Double-A Binghamton to start 2026, he is hitting .320 with a .979 OPS and four extra-base hits (two doubles and two triples).
Serrano is a long-levered, 6-foot-5 outfielder who is up 20 pounds since being drafted in 2024. It is a power over hit profile, with above average raw power. He has worked with hitting coordinator Daniel Nicolaisen to refine his swing mechanics, and even dating back to spring training, Serrano has been impacting the baseball more.
Serrano is one to follow, and with a strong season along with some graduations expected to happen this year, he could make a jump towards the top 10 of the system.
Mike and Dan react immediately to the Islanders getting eliminated from playoff contention after a lost weekend against Ottawa and Montreal.
We’ve seen the Islanders lose in many different ways over the years. But we’ve never seen them choke away a season like this. They played almost every game since the Olympic Break as if they were playing out the string, whittling away a playoff berth that they might not have totally deserved. And while a few players get a Hall Pass, namely Matthew Schaefer and Cal Ritchie, many of the guys who have been here a while conducted themselves in a despicable, cowardly fashion. Which calls into question what the franchise’s real intentions are and where their true priorities lie. Do they want to get people to watch them and spend money on them, or do they actually want to win games first and foremost? Do they want to be just good, or truly great?
In the second half, we look ahead to their final, meaningless game against Carolina and the few milestones that we’d like to see get hit. We also talk briefly about the week’s one victory over a DOA Leafs team in a game we can’t even enjoy anymore because, like everything else, it amounted to nothing. Very few of their games over the last five seasons have been purely enjoyable because of the team’s attitude. There have been players and moments to remember but overall, this era can be personified by a noticeable and unsatisfying lack of accomplishment.
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COVERS INTEL: Expected ERA paints and even grimmer picture for the Red Sox bullpen, as it ranks 26th.
