The three-game series is up for grabs when the Baltimore Orioles meet the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium this afternoon.
Royals starter Michael Wacha’s peripherals point to regression, and my Orioles vs. Royals predictions and MLB picks are backing the underdog Orioles.
Who will win Orioles vs Royals today: Baltimore Orioles (+115)
Michael Wacha’s 1.00 ERA looks dominant, but it’s misleading. His 3.95 xFIP suggests he hasn’t pitched nearly that well, and regression is coming.
The Baltimore Orioles lineup is already rolling, scoring 12 runs in this series, and the Kansas City Royals' bullpen, ranked 26th in baseball, is unlikely to slow them down. The Orioles also hold a clear bullpen edge, and that matters once the starters exit.
The Royals are 8-16 for a reason; outside of Carter Jensen and Bobby Witt Jr., their sticks have been too inconsistent, and I'll take the plus-money Orioles today.
COVERS INTEL:This Orioles bullpen strikes out the second-most batters per nine innings (10.38) with a third-best 3.26 SIERRA.
Orioles vs Royals Over/Under pick: Under 9.5 (-126)
Wacha may be outperforming his metrics, but his 23.5% strikeout rate and 33% chase rate are legitimate, and Baltimore's lineup punches out 25% of the time against right-handers.
That's a dangerous combination.
Kansas City's bullpen may be a disaster, but they won't be tested much if Wacha deals deep into the game. Kansas City's lineup will swing early and often against Bassitt, and its 23.5% strikeout rate should help the struggling Orioles starter.
With two pitchers doing just enough against two aggressive lineups, runs might be hard to come by. Take the Under.
Phil Naessens' 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 3-5, -1.35 units
Over/Under bets: 4-3, +0.94 units
Orioles vs Royals odds
Moneyline: Orioles +113 | Royals -122
Run line: Orioles +1.5 (-170) | Royals -1.5 (+163)
Over/Under: Over 9.5 (+113) | Under (-117)
Orioles vs Royals trend
The Royals have cashed the Under in 29 of their last 50 games for +6.20 units and an 11% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Orioles vs. Royals.
How to watch Orioles vs Royals and game info
Location
Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Date
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
First pitch
2:10 p.m. ET
TV
MASN, Royals.TV
Orioles starting pitcher
Chris Bassitt (0-2, 6.19 ERA)
Royals starting pitcher
Michael Wacha (2-0, 1.00 ERA)
Orioles vs Royals latest injuries
Orioles vs Royals 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.
Apr 21, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) shoots over Portland Trail Blazers guard Matisse Thybulle (4) in an attempt to tie the game at the end of the fourth quarter of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
This game started off bad when Portland jumped to a 15-4 lead, became terrible when Wemby went down with a concussion, softened somewhat when the Spurs led by double digits in the fourth, and then landed like bad egg salad when they squandered that lead in the final minutes. Let’s be blunt: the Spurs are better than the Blazers even in the absence of Victor, as they proved earlier this year and for a big chunk of playing time in this game. However, this iteration of San Antonio is sorely lacking in playoff experience, and that absolutely showed down the stretch. Having said all of this, last night’s game did produce some interesting (albeit often disappointing) box score stats, and I hope you all will take solace in reviewing the highlights:
Note: Now that we’ve moved into the postseason, the reference period used for grading changes from the set of regular season games since 2012-2013 to the set of postseason games since 2012-2013. Unless otherwise noted below, this set DOES include play-in games. As of the end of April 21, 2026, this group include 1,135 games.
Factors that decided the game
Portland held minor edges in offensive boards (+3) and turnovers (-2), but these advantages had a minimal effect on offensive opportunity. In fact, while the Blazers did have three more field goal attempts, they also fouled the Spurs more often and at worse times, resulting in a FTA margin of +5 for San Antonio.
Unfortunately, the Silver and Black logged a disappointing free throw percentage of 71.43%, leaving eight crucial points on the table.
Given that San Antonio did outscore Portland by three at the charity stripe, the game ultimately was decided from the field. Interestingly, both teams made exactly 38 shots, meaning that the Spurs actually held a small edge in FG% (+1.49 percentage points).
However, the Blazers leaned much more heavily into shooting from distance, with a 3PA margin of +14. The Spurs’ terrible efficiency from three also gave Portland a +5.04 percentage-point edge in 3P%. Taken together, these forces generated a +6 3PM differential for the Blazers, resulting in Portland outscoring San Antonio by six from the field.
Rare Box Score Stats
There were quite a lot of steals and blocks in this game, and they were really unevenly distributed. In fact, this was just the eighth playoff games since 2012-2013 in which the winning team had a block differential of +6 or more while having a steal differential of -5 or less (that’s a frequency of once in every 142 games).
In the 1,135 playoff games since 2012-2013, this was just the 11th time that a team won while notching FGM and FTM differentials as bad or worse than +0 and -3, respectively.
Even though he finished with just 18 points, Castle was the Spurs’ leading scorer. This is not a great recipe for success, as there have only been 74 playoff games dating all the way back to 1996-1997 in which the winning team’s leading scorer register a point total at least this low. Furthermore, this event has become increasingly rare over time, with the last occurrence prior to last night being in 2021.
What are Team Graded Box Scores?
Very briefly, these box scores grade winner-loser differentials for basic box score statistics, with the grade being based on the winning team’s differential relative to other NBA winners during a defined reference period. Think of it like a report card for understanding how a given winner performed relative to other winners. The reference period used runs from the start of the 2012-2013 season to the latest date of play, including only games in the same season category (i.e., regular season and playoff games are not compared to each other).
Data Source: The underlying data used to create these box scores was collected from Basketball Reference. In all cases, the data are collected the morning after the game is played. Although rare, postgame statistical revisions after data collection do occur and may affect the results after the fact.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 21: New York Mets boo in the ninth inning in the game between the New York Mets and the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field on April 21, 2026 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. The Minnesota Twins defeated the New York Mets 5-3. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets lost their twelfth-straight game 5-3 to the Twins, despite a three-run home run from Francisco Lindor and a strong start by Nolan McLean.
Plenty has been said about who or what may be at fault for the Mets’ losing ways, but the Mets offense has been the worst in the league during their eleven game skid.
It’s only April, but questions have already been being raised about whether or not the 2026 Mets can be salvaged.
Kodai Senga’s start will be pushed back, with Christian Scott being called up to start Thursday instead, and David Peterson will remain in the bullpen.
Juan Soto will be activated for today’s game, but his workload will be managed in his return.
Soto may have more than just the Mets record on his back in his return—he could be responsible for his manager’s job security as well.
The Mets are breaking new ground for early season disappointment, at least when it comes to hyper-specific records.
Around the National League East
MLB and the Phillies revealed the festivities for All-Star Week, which coincides with the celebration of America’s semiquincentennial.
The Braves made a bevy of moves, with pitcher Raisel Iglesias landing on the injured list and Sean Murphy and Spencer Strider having their rehab assignments moved.
Zack Wheeler will be making his much anticipated (and needed) return to the Phillies rotation on Saturday against the Braves.
The Marlins fell to the Cardinals 5-3, with Chris Paddack giving up all five runs in 4.2 innings, with eight hits and seven strikeouts.
The division leading Braves were smacked around in an 11-4 loss to the Nationals. Reynaldo López lasted just one inning, giving up four runs on five hits and three walks.
The Cubs continued their hot streak against National League East teams, beating the Phillies 7-4. Jesús Luzardo pitched well for the Phillies, giving up just one run in 4.2 innings.
Around Major League Baseball
Craig Counsell criticized the two-way hitter designation with regards to Shohei Ohtani, and Dave Roberts responded.
MLB has no plans to have the ABS call every ball or strike…yet.
Recently released Met Luis Garcia found a new home, signing with the Mets current opponent, the Minnesota Twins.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
It’s been about a month of minor league baseball, and as such Steve Sypa delivered the fourth 2026 group of Mets Minor League Players of the Week.
Linus Lawrence looked back on the worst losing streak in Mets history, which was unsurprisingly in 1962, losing 17 straight from late May to early June. We’re getting closer!
This Date in Mets History
56 years ago, Tom Seaver received his 1969 Cy Young Award plaque and proceeded to strike out 19 batters in a 2-1 win over the San Diego Padres.
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 31: The Boston Red Sox ride in duck boats on Tremont Street during the Boston Red Sox Victory Parade on October 31, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There have been a lot of words spilled about the Mets and the Giants and the Blue Jays and the Red Sox potentially ending their October dreams, well, already. Seeing things like “only 3% of teams playing this poorly have gone on to make the playoffs” makes it sound like a done deal. But for most of baseball history making the playoffs was hard. Really hard. And the Red Sox are making it as hard as possible as they open the season going 9-14.
Until 1968 only two teams made the postseason. They played in the World Series. When the Yankees talk about “27 rings” remember that 20 of those were won via a single round of postseason play. (Yes that applies to the Red Sox too, but no other team is chanting their total titles.) The winner of that series won the World Series. No random chance 84-win team sending their ace in a coin-flip game. No Wild Card Series. No Division Series. No Championship Series. There was none of that when Cy Young, pictured above, was pitching in October, which was in fact, September in the beginning.
The 1951 New York Giants finished with a final record of 98-59. They started the season 9-14, just like the 2026 Red Sox. If the ‘51 Giants sound familiar to you it’s because they, like the 2026 Mets, lost 11 straight. During the opening 23 games. At least the Sox haven’t combined their record this year with the Mets losing streak. It’s partially sequencing, of course, as the Mets have only been a tad worse (7-16) than Boston so far, but it does feel better to know there is, like the Sarlacc pit, a new definition of pain and suffering.
Those Giants are the only team to start 9-14 and make the playoffs in this era. But keep in mind these were the two-team, straight-to-the-World-Series years.
From 1969 until 1993 the playoffs doubled in size from two to four teams. With expansion to 24 teams (12 and 12) and splitting each league into two divisions the playoff push became more difficult. But double the teams entered the competition! The 1969 Mets and 1979 Pirates even win the World Series after their slow starts. The 1984 Royals, 1987 Tigers, 1989 Blue Jays all make it into the playoffs, losing in their Championship Series to the Tigers, Twins, and Athletics, respectively.
This is not even half as much time as the World Series era but the slow starting 9-14 teams have five playoff appearances just by going from two to four teams.
Before the 1994 strike canceled the end of the season and the playoffs, baseball was set to debut a new postseason format. Expanding from two division into three with East, Central, and West divisions in the American and National leagues, MLB added two new playoff seats as each divisional champion would receive an invitation. And as they said in the As Seen on TV Ads of the ‘90s but wait there’s more! Two new Wild Cards – one per league – would be added as well. The team with the best record that wasn’t a division winner, across the entire league, would also make the playoffs. From four teams to eight.
The first team to go 9-14 and make the playoffs? The 2005 Yankees. The 2006 Twins, 2007 Rockies, 2007 Yankees, and 2009 Rockies would all go on to do this as well. That ‘05 Yankees team won 95 games! The Twins won 96. The ‘07 Yankees won 94.
Outcomes can be unlikely but still possible. Heck, just look at batting averages. It’s cliche but it’s true.
2012 would bring another tweak: the Wild Card would become a one-game playoff. We’re now at ten teams or one-third of the league. There will be a one-year sixteen-team playoff tournament in 2020 due to, well, everything. And then from 2022 to at least 2026, a twelve-team bracket. In all of these Wild Card expansions there has been only one slow starting team in October: the 2014 Pirates. They started at 9-14 but finished at 88-74. The 2014 Mariners would go on to win 87 games but not make the playoffs.
Since then the slow starters have maxed out at 82-80, the 2025 Kansas City Royals.
But the takeaway is not that it’s impossible or that it’s likely to happen. But that over time, as MLB expands the playoffs, teams can make bigger mistakes, start slower, and not necessarily be punished. It doesn’t’ matter that 3% of teams doing X, Y, or Z made the playoffs from 1901 until 2025. What really matters is from 2022 onward. In four seasons, yes, there hasn’t been a team that started 9-14 in the playoffs. And last year’s Royals finished 5.0 games back from even the expanded Wild Card. But the Tigers made it in with 87 wins. Not starting 9-14, but the Cincinnati Reds made it into the Wild Card with 83 wins. 83!
The Red Sox are frustrating. But it’s not over yet. Maybe 90 wins is impossible. But if they win 87 and Garret Crochet is healthy and cruising, Roman has 20 home runs, and Chapman has a pile of saved games, do you think that team couldn’t win 2 out of 3 in the postseason? Or 3 out of 4? I’m not sure I really want mid-or-low-80s teams to have a possibility of the playoffs, even if it’s my team, but in a 12 team bracket that’s possible. The longer MLB runs with 12 teams (or more!) in the postseason the more likely it is that these “no team has ever” records fall away.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - APRIL 21: Kumar Rocker #80 of the Texas Rangers delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Globe Life Field on April 21, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Rangers 5, Pirates 1
Hey, that was fun!
Texas got down two batters into the game. Oneil Cruz had a leadoff single, stole second and ended up on third when Danny Jansen’s throw ended up in center field, and scored on a Ryan O’Hearn single.
Oh no!, we all thought, Kumar Rocker doesn’t have it today! We are going to have to use Cal Quantrill for multiple innings!
Kumar Rocker did have it, though. As you can infer by the final score, no more Pirate runs scored the rest of the way. And after those first two leadoff singles, Rocker allowed just two hits and one walk. Rocker logged a Quality Start, striking out five. Way to go, Kumar!
There is, however, a huge asterisk on that final line. An Evan Carter shaped asterisk.
After the O’Hearn single, Rocker faced thirteen straight batters and got thirteen outs, with the one single he allowed erased on a double play ball. With one out in the fifth, Rocker was cruising.
Jake Mangum then hit a first pitch single. Konnor Griffin hit a grounder in the hole at shortstop. Corey Seager was only going to have one play, at first, but he ended up bobbling the ball, resulting in two on, one out. A Henry Davis (hey, remember him?) tapper in front of the plate moved the runners to second and third with two outs, bringing up Oneil Cruz with the Rangers up 2-1.
Evan Carter made a spectacular leaping catch at the wall, stealing a go-ahead homer from Cruz.
When Carter was going back to the wall, I was sure the ball was gone. I just knew that Carter would get there, leap, and the ball would be five feet over his glove. The Pirates had taken the lead.
But no…Carter got there, timed it perfectly, and made the catch of the year for the Rangers.
The Rangers added onto their lead in the bottom of the fifth, and things never felt in doubt after that. The Pirates didn’t get a runner past first base over the final four innings, with Cole Winn, Jacob Latz and Jakob Junis all responsible for an inning apiece.
I thought Latz would be asked to finish things out when he came into the game for the eighth inning, though with Robert Garcia day-to-day with a sore left shoulder, Latz appears to be late inning lefty #1 right now, and thus limited to shorter outings.
The bats put up crooked numbers in the second and the fifth. A Joc Pederson single, Josh Jung double, and Evan Carter single tied the game, with Josh Smith hitting a sacrifice fly to give the Rangers a lead that they would never surrender.
If Game Winning RBIs were still a thing, Josh Smith would have gotten one for that.
The other three runs came in the fifth when, energized by Evan Carter’s catch, the Rangers chased Pittsburgh starter Carmen Mlodzinski thanks to a Smith double, an Ezequiel Duran double, and a Corey Seager single. A Jake Burger single and a Joc Pederson walk loaded the bases up, and we all hoped the suddenly super-hot doubles machine that is Josh Jung would blow things open. We settled for an RBI groundout.
Duran, incidentally, was in the game in place of Wyatt Langford, who walked and stole a base, but left the game due to forearm soreness he felt swinging the bat in his second plate appearance. Langford is getting an MRI on Wednesday, and hopefully, he is fine. If not, well, I guess it is Alejandro Osuna Time.
Kumar Rocker’s sinker topped out at 95.5 mph, averaging 93.9 mph. Cole Winn hit 96.2 mph with his fastball. Jacob Latz reached 96.1 mph with his fastball. Jakob Junis topped out at 91.7 mph with his sinker.
Joc Pederson had a 109.4 mph single. Corey Seager had a 109.0 mph groundout. Josh Smith had a 108.1 mph double. Brandon Nimmo had a 106.8 mph fly out. Jake Burger had a 104.9 mph single. Josh Jung had a 103.5 mph double and a 101.0 mph groundout. Evan Carter had a 103.3 mph single and a 100.6 mph groundout.
Texas started the homestand off on a good foot. Let’s keep it going.
The positive spin: Boston dropped early round Game 2s against both Miami and Cleveland in 2024, then finished both series in five games en route to Banner 18.
The harsh reality: The Celtics shot themselves in the foot throughout Tuesday’s loss and activated a Sixers team that ought to feel confident as the series shifts back to Philadelphia.
The Celtics have some obvious defensive issues to shore up after watching “VJ Maxx” get way too comfortable on the parquet. But here are five more things the Celtics might need to tidy up ahead of Game 3 in Philly on Friday night:
The one that sticks in our mind was late first quarter, with the 76ers already walking down an early double-digit deficit, when Payton Pritchard got trapped above the 3-point line.
Maxey looked like a cornerback jumping a comeback route when he peeled off from Derrick White and jumped in front of Pritchard’s haphazard pitch intended for Nikola Vucevic. Maxey waltzed in for a dunk that made it a one-possession game.
The Celtics finished with six live-ball turnovers leading to nine points. They had 13 turnovers overall leading to 15 points. None of those numbers are egregiously bad, but when the offense is sputtering and every possession feels important, the Celtics certainly complicated their lives.
The other turnover that’s hard to forget came after the Celtics crawled within two with 6:25 to play in the fourth. The Garden got playoff loud only for Maxey to get free for consecutive pull-up 3-pointers.
Coming out of a timeout with a chance to steady themselves, Tatum threw another haphazard pass to a cutting Neemias Queta that Edgecombe easily picked off.
2. Eliminate backbreaking second-chance points
Despite Tatum’s late-game giveaway, the Celtics got back and set in the aftermath … only for Maxey to accelerate past Pritchard and Queta to elevate for a leaning layup while Tatum and Jaylen Brown watched.
The ball kissed off the glass too hard, but despite three green jerseys under the basket, it was Andre Drummond who swooped in with the tip-in that pushed Philly’s lead to 10 with 4:36 to play.
The 76ers turned 11 offensive rebounds into 19 second-chance points. Yet again, that’s not an egregious number, and the Celtics actually won the second-chance battle (18 offensive rebounds for 22 points).
But those second-chance points felt like momentum-sappers each time the Celtics couldn’t limit the Sixers to one shot. And all the attention that Maxey drew allowed Drummond and Edgecombe (seven combined offensive rebounds) to feast on the offensive glass.
3. Stay attached to shooters
The Sixers shot 32.2 percent on pull-up 3s during the regular season, so the Celtics will live with some of the shots that Maxey and Edgecombe knocked down off the dribble. (That number jumped to 42.9 percent for Game 2). It’s the 3-pointers where Boston defenders strayed a bit too far that Boston needs to clean up.
Quentin Grimes got a quality look when Pritchard wandered to help on Maxey in the first quarter, then got another wide-open catch-and-shoot opportunity when Sam Hauser went to help Pritchard in isolation against Paul George.
Baylor Scheierman got caught flat-footed when Drummond zipped a cross-court pass to Edgecombe for a corner 3 midway through the second quarter.
Too many times the Sixers got a great look when the Celtics were scrambling an extra defender in Maxey’s direction, and Boston has to be more disciplined in those moments.
During the regular season, Payton Pritchard ranked second on the Celtics with 11.9 drives per game. White was fourth at 7.5 per game. In Game 2, the duo combined for seven drives total, per NBA tracking.
Yes, both players have to be better knocking down shots. White has been in a season-long shooting funk, and it’d be nice to get that 3-point percentage back at previous playoff levels.
Things undeniably get tougher when White, Pritchard, and Hauser combine to go 4 for 22 on triples like they did in Game 2. The Celtics as a whole went 9-for-40 (22.5 percent) on open or better 3-pointers (4+ feet of space) in Game 2, per NBA tracking.
But good things happen when White and Pritchard attack the basket. Queta, who was a beast in the teams’ final regular-season meeting while largely subsisting on offensive rebounds and alley-oops, gets activated too when Boston’s guards commit to driving the ball.
Boston’s offense felt bogged down for much of Game 2 as the team settled for perimeter shots. Even when Pritchard did drive, he felt oddly hesitant instead of muscling room to finish like he normally does.
The Celtics logged just 14 total minutes of center-less play after Tatum’s return in March. Lineup combinations with Tatum/Brown/White/Pritchard + any wing were outscored by seven points in that limited sample.
The question lingers: Could the Celtics go small with Tatum at the five and sustain against a team like Philadelphia?
The Celtics went small for a whopping one possession in Game 1 (and a got a bucket out of it). Going small might put a tremendous amount of stress on Tatum to joust with the likes of Drummond and Adem Bona, but it’s an intriguing curveball that Boston might need to explore at times in non-Queta minutes.
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 21: Los Angeles Lakers guard Luke Kennard (10) and Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) battle for the loose ball as Houston calls a time out during the fourth quarter of game two in an NBA playoff game at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
In Tuesday’s Brotherhood Playoff Action, Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics lost to the Philadelphia 76ers 111-97; Mason Plumlee and the San Antonio Spurs fell to the Portland Trail Blazers 106-103, while Luke Kennard helped lead JJ Redick’s Los Angeles Lakers to a 101-94 win over the Houston Rockets.
Tatum just missed a triple-double with 19 points, 14 rebounds, and 9 assists in Boston’s loss.
For his part, Kennard had another outstanding game filling in for Luka Doncic with 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists.
Plumlee, however, got a DNP.
On Wednesday, Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter will lead Orlando against Trajan Langdon’s Pistons, while Jared McCain and OKC face off against Mark Williams, Grayson Allen, and Khaman Maluach.
393323 03: Boston Red Sox Executive Vice President and General Manager Dan Duquette (L) smiles as newly named manager Joe Kerrigan speaks at a press conference August 16, 2001 in Boston, Massachusetts after being appointed to replace fired manager Jimy Williams. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s bad enough that the Red Sox are struggling out of the gate. But we are also constantly hearing complaints from fellow fans that the 2026 Red Sox are no fun to watch. It’s hard to blame them. They only managed to score four runs in three games over the weekend! They are nearly being out-homered by Yordan Alvarez alone! They were just brought to heel by the Yankees’ worst pitcher!
So, yes, the 2026 Red Sox are no fun so far. No argument from me. But what would it take for them to become the least enjoyable team of your lifetime?
For me, I’m not sure I’ll ever hate a team more than the 2001 Red Sox. That team, unlike this one, started great, sitting at 17-9 on May 1, after an offseason in which we spent dreaming about finally breaking the curse. But this was the year that we began to see cracks in Nomar’s armor (he didn’t even play his first game until the end of July after the aggravated his wrist in February). This was the year that the team was briefly led by the worst manager of my lifetime (yes, even worse than Bobby Valentine): Joe Kerrigan, who took over for a tired Jimy Williams and was clearly in way over his head. This was the year they lost 13 of 14 games at the end of August and start of September.
Use this space to talk about teams you’ve hated and whatever else you want and, as always, be good to one another.
Apr 21, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians designated hitter Chase DeLauter (24) hits an RBI triple during the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
By beating the Houston Astros, the Guardians are now 14-11 and hold a 1-game lead over the 12-11 Twins.
For a while, it looked like the Guardians were going to blow their chance to face Houston’s terrible pitching, but a 6-run 8th inning saved the day. Chase DeLauter came up with the bases loaded and tripled home all three runners. Deborah has your recap here.
Franco Aleman has yet to give up a hit or a run in Columbus. Just in case Chris Antonetti was thinking we might need some bullpen help.
Houston fell to 9-16, banging into the floor of the trash AL West division. The A’s are now in first at 13-11.
Around baseball
The Mets are trying to rebound from a losing streak like the 2025 Guardians once did. Theirs is at 12 after the Twins came back to beat them yesterday.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 21: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers walks out to bat against the San Francisco Giants in the fifth inning at Oracle Park on April 21, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
These five words will never cease to amuse me: Shohei Ohtani made history, again.
Although the Dodgers suffered their third defeat on this current road trip— dropping Tuesday’s contest to the San Francisco Giants 3-1— Shohei Ohtani was able to extend his on-base streak to 53 games, tying Shawn Green for the longest such streak in Los Angeles Dodgers history. Ohtani is still five games off from tying Duke Snider for the longest in franchise history.
Ohtani is slated to pitch against the Giants for Wednesday’s game, and the Dodgers intend to have Ohtani resume his two-way duties after opting to only pitch in his previous start, notes Sonja Chen of MLB.com.
“I think that it makes a lot of sense that if you’re … hitting while pitching, it takes a little bit of a toll,” Roberts said. “He certainly has managed it really well, but if it makes sense, I’ll have that conversation with him.”
Now that the Dodgers are in the midst of their first season with Shohei Ohtani performing his two-way prowess for a full season, Mike Petriello of MLB.com writes about Ohtani potentially unlocking a new gear that the baseball world has yet to see.
Links
The Dodgers had their new bona-fide star closer for all of three weeks before landing on the injured list.
Edwin Díaz will miss the next three months after being diagnosed with loose bodies in his right elbow, which now raises a question about which Dodger reliever will take over as the team’s de facto closer. As for what Dave Roberts forecasts, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, the initial candidate is Tanner Scott but the decision will vary day-to-day.
“If I had to guess … I would say probably Tanner,” Roberts said. “And that could change. I honestly don’t know. I mean, Tanner can pitch in the seventh tonight, and Blake can get the save. So honestly, it’s kind of day to day. It really is.”
The Dodgers will shoot down trade talks involving the red-hot Dalton Rushing unless the return haul lands them something huge in return, reported Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic during his latest appearance on the Foul Territory podcast.
“At the deadline, anything is possible, but I can’t see the Dodgers entertaining this unless it was a major deal— unless they were getting something huge in return— and I’m not sure what that would be at this point.”
The Dodgers likely won't entertain a trade involving Dalton Rushing unless they're getting something huge in return, says @Ken_Rosenthal. pic.twitter.com/9WqS46ToyM
In just under two weeks, the NHL will conduct the 2026 draft lottery. May 5, 2026, will be a significant day in franchise history as the Vancouver Canucks enter the draft lottery with the best odds at landing first overall. With potential franchise-altering players at the top of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the Canucks hope that, for the first time, the lottery balls bounce their way and Vancouver leaves the lottery with a victory.
One of the big questions leading into the draft lottery is whether the Canucks will name their new General Manager before May 5. After firing Patrik Allvin less than a week ago, the Canucks have reportedly already started the search for the next GM. Many names have already been connected to the job, including Ryan Johnson, who is currently one of Vancouver's Assistant GMs.
According to a new report by TSN's Darren Dreger, the Canucks goal is to have a GM in place before the draft lottery. Dreger revealed the potential timeline while making an appearance on Sekeres and Price. In his report, Dreger revealed why Vancouver wants to get this hiring done sooner rather than later.
"Well, the hope is that they get something done around the draft lottery," said Dreger. "And there's reason behind that. You're talking about a relatively small window of influence and impact here on an organization. Especially one like the Vancouver Canucks, given their position in the draft and all of that. So how good would it be if your new head of hockey operations, or in this case, the General Manager, can participate in all scouting conversations leading up to the draft. And then he can quickly go through that crash course with the amateur scouts and everyone involved in that process with the Canucks. So that he is educated and feels part of very important days of decision making on the draft floor. It's a decentralized draft, so you're not going to have all of your hockey operations crew assembled in Buffalo, but the hope, the expectation, the target is to have that GM in place as early as the draft."
The Canucks enter the draft lottery with an 18.5% chance at first overall. According to the NHL, that equals 185 combinations out of a possible 1,000. The draft lottery broadcast will feature a live drawing and will be available to view on Sportsnet.
NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly (Photo Credit: @Canucks on "X")
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DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 21: Ice crew for the the Colorado Avalanche fixes a pane of glass that was broken in the second period against the Los Angeles Kings in...
The Los Angeles Kings expected a hostile environment for their first two games in Colorado at Ball Arena — but this was right out of a horror movie.
With 16:48 remaining in the second period of a scoreless game, Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood made a sensational save on Kings forward Quinton Byfield on a penalty shot.
As the fans celebrated, they leaned and pounded on the glass behind the Kings bench in a surge of playoff adrenaline. That’s when the sound of a giant crack could be heard as the glass shattered under too much pressure.
The shards of glass rained down upon interim Kings head coach D.J. Smith, with fragments of glass spilling all over him.
“Whoever the guy (was) just kept pushing and pushing and pushing,” Smith said before heading back to the tunnel to pick glass out of his suit. “I looked back because it hit me a bunch of times, then it broke.”
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton had a front row seat for the glass breaking.
The game was delayed for over 17 minutes while the cleanup crew came out with shovels to pick up shards of glass from the Kings’ bench.
“I thought the ice crew did a good job and they did their best to fix it as fast as possible. Doesn’t happen every day,” said Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog.
The Avalanche won, 2-1, in overtime on a goal by Nicolas Roy to grab a 2-0 series lead ahead of Game 3 in Los Angeles on Thursday night.
DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 20: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves plays the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter during Game Two of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 20, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. 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 Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
“This team will flip the switch in the playoffs”.
The infamous switch! The magical, mythical thing that was supposed to exist for the Minnesota Timberwolves to grab hold of, completely change who they are, and become a team much closer to their two years ago-selves on the floor when the games mattered more.
WRONG!
If the indescribable, exhilarating mile-high win on Monday night told me anything, it was the fact that this switch was just an idea all along. It doesn’t exist. It never did exist. It was a Trojan horse to excuse the bipolar nature of a team that saw jaw-dropping lows followed shortly by some of the best regular-season (and now playoff) moments this franchise has ever seen.
All of that is ok. It’s who they are, and for better or for worse, what they are going to be for the remainder of this season. On Monday night, it was certainly for the better.
DENVER , CO – APRIL 20: Donte DiVincenzo (0) of the Minnesota Timberwolves talks to Rudy Gobert (27) during the fourth quarter of the Timberwolves' 119-114 win over the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Monday, April 20, 2026. Minnesota tied the best-of-seven series 1-1. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) | Denver Post via Getty Images
How Much is Too Much?
Throughout the season, every player on the roster alluded in some capacity to how the team identity has procrastination and “winning time” baked into it. Prone to slow starts, letting leads slip, and poor stretches of effort over the last two seasons, a Western Conference Finals appearance last year quickly had many people forgetting about just how inconsistent the Wolves are prone to be throughout the course of an 82-game season.
With continuity being the message heading in, a pattern emulating 2023-24 was expected; a methodical, dominant season after a turbulent prior year that had a new group trying to figure each other out.
As we all know, it didn’t happen. In fact, throughout the season, it felt as though a group branded as continuous tried to test that label and see just how far they could extend their margin of error before holding onto a win or coming back to achieve one.
Enter Monday night.
Just how all-over-the-board did things get?
The Wolves wrapped the first quarter with a -53.8 net rating. Rudy Gobert had the worst of the bunch with a -68. A disaster start that looked like it would culminate in an early exit for the Wolves.
What happened in the very next quarter? You guessed it. a 53.8 net rating, with Gobert leading the way at a 96.7.
Carmelo Anthony was full of praise for Rudy Gobert's defensive effort on Nikola Jokic in Game 2. pic.twitter.com/UpJLlntCLr
They would go on in ostentatious fashion to extend the numbers on paper to a thrilling win in game two. Donte DiVincenzo led the way from a net rating standpoint in the second half, and Gobert would go on to play his now-famous defense on Jokic to seal the deal.
But given time to reflect on a win that wasn’t going to let anyone come back down to earth anytime immediately after, it made me wonder just how continuously close this Wolves team can get to the edge before it does them in.
In a series with Oklahoma City, this level of variance would not get you far. Hell, we’ll see how far it gets them in a series with Denver. We’re two games in, and a great win only goes as far as the next game.
But the “switch” of consistently disciplined basketball that we were all waiting for simply doesn’t exist. In a more intermittent fashion that flips on and off three or four times a game? Sure. I’ll give you that.
But we also have a new factor coming into play.
Throughout the pre and postgame media sessions in games one and two, there seems to be a touch of moxie percolating throughout the team. Living in ambivalence and shrugging their shoulders for much of the season when asked to explain why so many ebbs and flows occurred, it became mind-numbing at points to ask the same questions and see the same results.
How will something like that look in the long run? Only time will tell.
But more so than an on-court switch being flipped, it’s fair to say that there very well could be an attitude switch being flipped on this team. Denver likely brings this side out of them as one of the best rivalries in the league over the last 10 years. I think the Thunder also bring this side out of them – look no further than Chris Finch’s December ejection and the myriad of trash talk aimed at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from Anthony Edwards.
Finch raved about the in-huddle leadership and togetherness of the team on Monday. Donte DiVincenzo backed everyone up in the locker room, calling Gobert “our Defensive Player of the Year” and Anthony Edwards “Our MVP”. 84 games in, a sudden tone shift in approach looked to be taking shape.
A…switch you could call it?
Perhaps the one being flipped after all, when things have started to hit the fan, isn’t immediately one that’s reflected on the floor, but one in the locker room. Right now, trying to separate from being a prisoner in the moment, it does feel a little different. There does seem to be a wave of nastiness setting in with this team.
Will the one on the floor come next, or will the intangible tone switch fade in and out like the tangible on-court one did for much of the regular season?
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 22: A clown mask worn by actor Heath Ledger in the 2008 film The Dark Knight is on display at the DC Comics Exhibition: Dawn Of Super Heroes at the O2 Arena on February 22, 2018 in London, England. The exhibition, which opens on February 23rd, features 45 original costumes, models and props used in DC Comics productions including the Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman films. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, that was a brutal Game 1 in the Thunder/Suns series! I could make excuses like how the Suns were without starting center Mark Williams, and Grayson Allen is still too hurt to trust. I could point out that the Thunder are healthy and have been resting for over a week. The Suns beat the Warriors, hopped on a plane, flew to Oklahoma City, and then had about a day to mentally and physically prepare to take on the defending champs.
He described this Suns team as the monster under the bed. There was more to it than just having players who scare others. A theme was that players like Brooks were doubted, and they used that motivation to instill fear in the league. That’s what they need to re-capture. Let’s consider what a lot of the Suns players have no doubt heard about themselves, a villain origin story, if you will.
Dillon Brooks
Let’s start with the inspiration behind the article!
Narrative: He is just a just a defender. He will be out of the league and playing in China. He can’t control himself. He poked the bear. His mouth writes checks his game can’t cash. The most “punchable face in the league”. He is a “negative to every team he has been on…”.
What the Suns NEED to do this offseason
1) Fire Jordan Ott. Self explanatory. He kills players confidence and doesn’t know how to build a rotation
2) Trade Dillon Brooks for a wing or a good point guard. Bro is a negative to every team he’s been on and ISOs his teams to…
Truth: Brooks brought a hustle and confidence this Suns team has not had since Chris Paul helped guide them to the NBA finals. He set a career-high in scoring and can channel his energy into the game to help his teammates. The Suns needed this pitbull of a player who knows how to fight.
Devin Booker
Narrative: Empty stats player. Can’t hit three’s unless it is in the All-Star game. A weak defender. Not a leader. Often injured. Can’t handle the double team. Point Book doesn’t work. He is too tentative and won’t take over a game.
Truth: Devin Booker is the leader of the Suns. He has averaged over 21 points per game for 10 straight seasons. He doesn’t force shots and will dish to open teammates to the tune of 6 assists a game. He is one of the top players in the game. Oh, he is totally homegrown as well. The #13 overall pick in the 2015 Draft, he has spent 11 seasons and counting with the Phoenix Suns. If you need a basket to win the game, you go to Book.
Jalen Green
Narrative: A bust! He is too streaky. He can’t hit the 3 consistently. Worst defender in the league. Can’t stay healthy. Fails in the playoffs
“Core 7” Update:
1. Jalen Green, 2021 (#2): Bust and total sunk cost. No improvement in four years. Rightfully dumped, but he had enough trade value to get KD.
2. Alperen Sengun, 2021 (#16): The gem of the rebuild. Extended. All-NBA. The team’s backbone. Former backup to Bruno…
Truth: Jalen did have terrible luck with injuries this year, but he is finally healthy now. He had huge games in the Play-In tournament, nearly sealing the win against the Blazers and then pummeling the Warriors to make the playoffs. He is averaging a career-high in steals per game and has turned his athleticism into a major asset on the defensive end.
Mark Williams
Narrative: Dude is made of glass. Poor defender. Only a rim runner. The Lakers actually got cold feet and rescinded a trade for him, leading them later to believe DeAndre Ayton is better.
Truth: Mark has played a career-high 60 games this season. His defense has been much improved as well. His motor is far better than Ayton’s, and he doesn’t play nearly as soft with fadeaway jumpers that Ayton seemed to love.
Grayson Allen
Narrative: Dirty player. All he can do is shoot 3’s. Overpaid. Trade him!
I'll ask again for those not listening:
How in the world do you send a guy like Jordan Goodwin & Gillespie to the bench in favor of Jalen Green and Grayson Allen?
Trick question, you don't and trade Grayson Allen for a TRUE power forward while he has value.
Truth: No player had more Twitter fans calling for a trade than Grayson. In response, he sets a franchise game record for most three’s made in a game and sets career highs in assists per game and steals per game. Grayson can do a little bit of everything and torch the net while doing it.
Royce O’Neale
Narrative: He is undrafted for a reason. Too small to play forward and too slow to play anything else. A streaky shooter. Only brought in because he is friends with Durant from the Brooklyn days. Trade him!
Royce O’Neale: NO DUMB PASSES LEADING TO TURNOVERS IN TRANSITION. Take spot ups with his normal confidence. Try to make some impact defensively while not fouling too much. pic.twitter.com/TSKcJlF9iz
Truth: “Big Meal” O’Neale is a Swiss army knife for the Suns. He agitates bigger players and is long enough to stay in front of most guards. He set career highs in three-point shooting percentage and steals per game.
Collin Gillespie
Narrative: Who?? This guy is a cast-off, minimum contract hustle guy. Couldn’t stay with the Nuggets, and they didn’t even have a true point guard. Undrafted for a reason.
Truth: Collin is the Villain Jr. to Brooks. He has career highs in points, steals, and assists this season. He now holds the Suns franchise record for most three-pointers made in a single season.
Jordan Goodwin
Narrative: Not this guy again! He couldn’t hang with the Suns last time. He can’t hit a three-point shot. All he does is play defense. Undrafted for a reason! Should have kept Jared Butler.
Jordan Goodwin u are staying in China unfortunately u and Jared butler
Truth: Goodwin has continued his three-point shooting success from last year with the Lakers. He is one of the top rebounding guards in the game and has matched a career high in 1.5 steals per game while doing that in 7 fewer minutes per game. Goodwin has become a massive fan favorite, and his energy is infectious.
Oso Ighodaro
Narrative: Who?? This guy isn’t on anyone’s draft boards. He is blocking Maluach’s playing time. He is getting owned inside, and he can’t shoot outside. Terrible push shot.
Truth: There might be no player that Suns Planet Podcast fan KingNacho says we should get rid of more than Oso. However, what if I told you he is having a career year in points, shooting %, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks? Oh, he stayed healthy and played all 82 games. For a 2nd round pick, Oso has been phenomenal as a backup big!
Jordan Ott
Narrative: Who?? This man has no head coaching experience. He runs bad rotations. Too in love with the small ball. Not another Michigan State guy…
Truth: Ott would have been a coach of the year candidate had the Suns stayed healthy. He helped put the team in a position to play aggressive and grinding defense. A major upgrade over Bud and Vogel.
So, what Jake? So, some people doubted these guys.
That, my friends, is the essence of this Sun’s magical season. A lot of these players have been given second chances of sorts. We had some tremendous excitement with this team earlier in the season. We were defying all expectations and succeeding.
Then injuries piled up. Key players didn’t have time to gel. Now they face some adversity, and they are afraid of blowing it.
They need to share the fear with each other, become friends with it, and put that fear into the Thunder.
Steal a game in OKC, win another in Phoenix. We could see the OKC foundation crack a little. I am not predicting we win the series. However, I want to see these villains show they belong. They need to play hard, play smart, and be near perfect. That’s what will change the mood of the series.
It reminds me of that scene in Rocky IV when Rocky cuts the Russian. The Suns need to prove they are the monster under the bed to themselves again. That’s how they show they each deserved this second chance.
Apr 18, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami (5) hits a solo home run during the seventh inning against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | Scott Marshall-Imagn Images
Happy Wednesday, everyone! Did you know the Cubs are in the most interesting division in baseball? Of course, we always knew that, but it seems like the NL Central is getting a lot of attention this week. Other things on people’s minds? The Phillies, Mets, and Astros are the talk of the town, and it’s largely because of how bad they’ve been. Not bad? Astros’ slugger Yordan Alvarez. Likewise, Japanese star Munetaka Murakami might be striking out a lot, but he’s still exactly what the White Sox hoped for.
We’ve got all that and more—including goats—in today’s news brief, so let’s just jump right into it.
COVERS INTEL:This Orioles bullpen strikes out the second-most batters per nine innings (10.38) with a third-best 3.26 SIERRA.
