ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 23: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks reacts after a missed basket in the final seconds of the fourth quarter of game three of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at State Farm Arena on April 23, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA first round is well underway, and while the Mavericks aren’t participating, there are still lessons to be learned.
As the Mavericks approach a pivotal offseason, they should focus on the trends that emerged during the playoffs. Certain types of players thrive within the heightened physicality and focus of the playoffs, while others fail. The Mavericks should try to find the type of players who will succeed in that environment if they hope to contend in the near future.
Small guards are not worth the investment
One of the most evident trends from recent years is that small guards are simply not very useful anymore.
Now, ball-handling is incredibly important, but having it be from small, unathletic, guards is not a good idea. The principal example of this is the Houston Rockets, who are down 0-2 to a Lakers team without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
The Rockets lack any real on-ball creation or shooting outside Kevin Durant, and have struggled mightily offensively. The answer to their problems could be second-year guard Reed Sheppard, who is an elite shooter and ball-handler.
The problem is that he compromises the Rockets’ defense, serving as an entry point for any of the Lakers’ on-ball creators.
Because of this, he only played 11 minutes in Game 2.
But the Rockets aren’t the only team with this problem.
The biggest example is the Knicks, who are having a serious Jalen Brunson problem. Now, by no means is Brunson a bad player, nor is it his fault that the Knicks are down 1-2, but his flaws are becoming hard to ignore.
Similarly to Sheppard, Brunson has been relentlessly hunted all series, repeatedly getting beaten by CJ McCollum and Jonathon Kuminga.
This should open the eyes of anyone in the Mavericks front office, as this upcoming draft pick could be a small guard with limited athleticism. These players, even the best ones, can have destructive flaws, ones that cannot be covered up.
The Mavericks are blessed to have a two-way superstar
This take was formed as I was watching the Nuggets vs Timberwolves game on Thursday night, and seeing Nikola Jokic get relentlessly hunted by everyone on the Timberwolves.
No one can deny Jokic’s greatness offensively, but his defense is what holds him back from being one of the 5 best players of all time. This flaw is brought to the forefront when Aaron Gordon doesn’t play, as the Nuggets have no one else to insulate Jokic on the defensive end.
Seeing this makes me excited about the prospect of building around Cooper Flagg, who will never be a player who is hunted by other teams.
This should make team-building easier, as well as giving Flagg an insanely high floor, even when his shot isn’t falling.
Now it may be a while before Flagg plays in these games, but when he does, the Mavericks won’t lose playoff games because of his individual defense.
Shooting is king
This one is obvious, but three-point shooting continues to rule the playoffs. Teams with ample shooting and spacing simply have more avenues to win than teams without it.
The Lakers series is the prime example of this, as the Lakers are shooting 49% from three, while the Rockets are shooting 29% from three. Not only are the Lakers making more threes, but the threat of these shots has opened up the lane for LeBron James and Marcus Smart to score inside.
On the other hand, the Rockets have had truly disastrous spacing, leading to incredibly aggressive defense by the Lakers. This flaw was apparent in game 2, as the Lakers sent hard double teams at Kevin Durant all game, opting to leave players like Tari Eason wide open.
This lack of spacing has also limited the paint opportunities, forcing the Rockets to settle for very difficult shots when they are inside the arc.
These problems are ones that plagued the Mavericks all season and would have been exposed if they had made it this far. To me, this further illustrates the need for a drastic increase in shooting, as no one wants to see Cooper Flagg double-teamed for entire playoff games.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 24: Dylan Beavers #12 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates after hitting a home run against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 24, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning Birdland,
That felt good! We have been waiting for this Orioles offense, which is loaded with potential, to finally break out and show us their power. They did exactly that on Friday night, blasting six home runs as part of a 10-3 dismantling of the visiting Red Sox. It could not have gone much better than it did.
You can go up and down the box score to find things worth smiling about.
Perhaps the most important nugget is that Adley Rutschman continues to look like his old self, picking up right where he left off before his recent IL stint. He went 3-for-5 with two home runs and six RBI in the win last night, and now has a 1.115 OPS on the season.
Rutschman being back has given the entire lineup better structure. Samuel Basallo has dropped a few spots in the order and looked better for it. The youngster went 4-for-5 on Friday, including his fourth homer of the year.
The hardest hit of the day belonged to Gunnar Henderson. He had a 111.2-mph single in the second inning, not a bad follow-up to the 109.1-mph homer he had to begin the game. Maybe he is coming out of his recent cold spell. The O’s would welcome the boost.
Speaking of which, has Coby Mayo been activated? He hit another homer on Friday, his third of the week. There is still work to be done on his season numbers, but the outcomes have been better recently. The Orioles do not need him to be a star, but they have to hope for more more than a .618 OPS out of the third base position. He has plenty of talent to make that happen.
And don’t forget about the 4-for-4 night from Taylor Ward, or the three hits (including a home run) from Dylan Beavers. Oh, and Tyler O’Neill was activated from the concussion list. Plus, the news was good on Jackson Holliday’s MRI.
The point is that the Orioles depth is (for now) showing itself. That doesn’t mean it will always be apparent, or that other rough patches won’t come. But in this moment, the team is showing what it is capable of against some admittedly struggling opponents. That’s what team’s with playoff aspirations have to do.
Imaging clean on Holliday’s hand/wrist, rehab paused due to ongoing discomfort | Orioles.com Holliday said that “it felt like I broke my hand again” during that painful looking swing earlier this week. Fortunately, after getting imaging done, the Orioles medical staff confirmed that there is no structural damage, only slight inflammation. The infielder will still take some time off to let that inflammation subside. At this rate, it feels unlikely that he is back with the big league club until at least mid-May.
Elias provides injury updates before tonight’s series opener against Red Sox | Roch Kubatko The only “negative” update was on Dean Kremer, who is going to miss “several weeks to say the least” with a quad strain, according to Mike Elias. Holliday is going to take off a week and then get back to work. Jordan Westburg is hitting and throwing down in Sarasota. Heston Kjerstad is doing the same and is close to a rehab assignment. Keegan Akin is expected to be ready soon. Dietrich Enns is right behind him. For one day at least, the Orioles didn’t get bad news about an injury.
Mike Elias is ‘bullish’ this year’s Orioles will avoid last year’s tailspin | The Baltimore Banner This year’s team has already shown they are quite a bit deeper than the 2025 version. That has allowed them to tread water as they get healthy. A 13-13 record isn’t great, but it has them in the thick of the wild card picture, and there is reason to think that the team will improve as the season goes on.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
Robert Andino turns 42 today. He played parts of four seasons in Baltimore from 2009 through 2012, with his signature moment coming on the final day of the 2011 season. On that day he (and the rest of the Orioles) eliminated the Red Sox from playoff contention with a walk-off single that was part of a wild day in MLB.
Darren Holmes is 60 years old. The journeyman reliever played for eight teams across 13 major league seasons. In all that time he played in just five games for the O’s, all of which came in 2000. He returned to the organization as major league bullpen coach from 2020-23.
The late Art Schallock (b. 1924, d. 2025) was born on this day. He pitched in 30 games (six starts) for the 1955 Orioles.
This day in O’s history
April 25th has been a slow date in Orioles history, according to Baseball Reference. So here are a few happenings from beyond Birdland:
1953 – Francis Crick and James Watson publish the first article that explains the double helix structure of DNA.
1954 – The first practical solar cell is publicly demonstrated by Bell Telephone Laboratories.
1960 – The USS Triton completes the first submerged circumnavigation of the globe. The journey had started on February 24, taking 60 days and 21 hours.
1961 – Robert Noyce is granted a patent for an integrated circuit, now known widely as a “microchip.”
1983 – Pioneer 10, a NASA space probe that was launched in 1972, travels beyond Pluto’s orbit
I’m willing to do all I can to make things right! I closely read the stories from my usual group of writers. Nothing about the big story of the weekend, if not the week. I even read the national writers, thinking that someone may need one more story for the day. Nada. So I present to you the fans the story that should have been written:
Michael Busch entered Monday’s game having struggled all season (.164, 12-for-73). Then … the Philadelphia Phillies came to Wrigley — and so did George the Goose. Busch was looking for contact, a hit any way. Then *Thunk* — Busch hit a weak, soft single, RIGHT OVER GEORGE, who ended up leaving Wrigley with PTSD.
But on that the night, and through the beginning of the weekend, Busch is back! From this almost tragic Monday through Friday’s game, Busch was 8-for-23 (.348) with 2 HR and 7 RBI. This is the story Mr. Busch deserved, celebrating his breakthrough.
*means autoplay on, (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.
Thomas Domol (North Side Baseball) – Edward Cabrera’s Cubs Legacy Is Only Getting Started “Edward Cabrera has been the Chicago Cubs’ best starting pitcher in 2026. Can he keep the momentum rolling into the summer? There’s a whole lot of good going on with the Cubs, who walked it off in the 10th inning with an 8-7 win Thursday at Wrigley Field.
Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): The Annual Cubs Bullpen Reckoning is Here: “The good news is, the Cubs didn’t lose a bunch of winnable games en route to their yearly spring bullpen overhaul. The bad news is, they have to improbably nail one again, anyway.”
Evan Altman (Cubs insider): Hodge to 60-Day IL, Lopez Selected, Kingery Optioned” “It’s pretty much a lateral move, with Lopez bringing better defense to the table in what figures to be a very limited role. This will be something like his 43rd stint with the team in the last two years, so he’s very familiar with Craig Counsell and a number of his new/old teammates already do.“
Everyone knows B. B., so I’ll be short with him: Riley B. King was born in Mississippi and became an American blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter known as the “King of the Blues.” In 1946, he followed his cousin Bukka White to Memphis, Tennessee. White took him in for the next ten months. King returned shortly afterward to Mississippi where he better prepared himself for the next visit. Two years later, he returned to West Memphis, Arkansas attracted to music and taught himself to play guitar, beginning his career in juke joints and on local radio. He worked at WDIA as a singer and disc jockey where he was given the nickname “Beale Street Blues Boy”, later shortened to “Blues Boy” and finally to “B. B.” It was there that he first met T-Bone Walker. King said, “Once I’d heard him for the first time, I knew I’d have to have [an electric guitar] myself. ‘Had’ to have one, short of stealing!”
It sounds like B. B. would gladly vouch for T-Bone Walker, who was a pioneer and innovator of the jump blues, West Coast blues, and electric blues sounds. Aaron Thibeaux Walker was born in Linden, Texas. His stepfather, Marco Washington taught him to play the guitar, ukulele, banjo, violin, mandolin, and piano. His stepfather was a musician, and Blind Lemon Jefferson, a family friend, sometimes came over for dinner. Initially, by the time he was 15, he was Jefferson’s protégé and would guide him around Deep Ellum, Dallas for his gigs. By the time he was 25, he working clubs in Los Angeles. In 1942, Charlie Glenn, the owner of the Rhumboogie Café, brought T-Bone Walker to Chicago for long stints in his club. Walker started his recording in 1946-48, and again 1950-1954.
He didn’t release a record for six years — a collaboration that was widely record during three separate years. Walker rarely recorded through the 60’s, then recorded intently from 1968 until his death in 1975.
Feb 18, 2026; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher Brennan Bernardino (83) poses for Photo Day at Salt River Fields. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
For nearly a month, the Rockies tried something you don’t see very often: They carried one left-handed reliever.
If you’ve followed bullpens for a while, that probably jumped out to you the same way it did to me. You get used to seeing two, three, sometimes four lefties when you scan a roster. Different looks, different roles, different ways to navigate a lineup. That’s just how it’s always been.
That’s why this stood out — and why it was worth watching.
Now, that setup has recently changed — Sammy Peralta is here — and the Rockies have a second lefty. But that almost makes the original experiment more interesting.
Because the Rockies didn’t just end up with one lefty. For a stretch, they leaned into it. Brennan Bernardino was the only left-handed option in the bullpen, and the question wasn’t just whether it would work. It was what would it tell us.
So, what did the Rockies learn from trying it?
From LOOGY to the three-batter minimum
If you’re like me, you might tend to picture bullpen construction the old-school way.
You needed a LOOGY (Lefty One Out Guy) — a lefty who could come in, get one tough left-handed hitter out, and head back to the dugout like he just checked a box. That was a role. That was a roster spot.
That role is gone.
Since MLB introduced the three-batter minimum in 2020, relievers have to face at least three hitters or finish the inning. There are small loopholes — two outs, clean inning, you can sneak through — but the point is clear: You can’t just deploy a one-batter specialist anymore.
That didn’t eliminate left-handed relievers. It eliminated the reason to carry one who can’t get righties out.
So the job changed.
Now it’s not ‘do you have a lefty?’ It’s ‘can your lefty handle everyone?’
Why Bernardino made it work
That’s what made this viable at all. Because Bernardino isn’t a specialist.
So far this season, he’s handled both sides:
Vs LHH: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 6 K, 1.20 WHIP
Vs RHH: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 4 K, 1.06 WHIP
No dramatic platoon split. No obvious lane where he needs to be protected.
And when you watch him — and when you dig into the data — it makes sense.
He works with five main pitches (plus a rarely used slider), and none of them dominate the mix. Sinkers, curveballs, cutters, changeups, four-seamers — he’s constantly shifting shapes and speeds. The sinker/change combination helps him navigate right-handed hitters, while the breaking ball mix keeps lefties from getting comfortable.
He’s not overpowering anyone. He’s just not letting hitters get comfortable.
And the contact profile is what really drives it:
82.1 mph average exit velocity allowed
20% hard-hit rate
53.3% ground ball rate
At Coors Field, that’s not just useful — that’s survival.
Bernardino doesn’t blow hitters away. He just keeps them from doing damage. And in today’s game, that’s enough to let a lefty face anyone.
The other side of it: righties vs lefties
If you’re only carrying one lefty, though, the rest of your bullpen has to pick up the slack.
Right-handers have to get left-handed hitters out.
And to the Rockies’ credit, they’ve mostly held up there.
Jimmy Herget, Jaden Hill, and Antonio Senzatela have all been effective against lefties — limiting damage, keeping the ball on the ground, and giving the Rockies a way to survive without constantly chasing the left-on-left matchup. That’s part of why this didn’t unravel early.
But it hasn’t been universal.
Victor Vodnik and Juan Mejia, in particular, have been more vulnerable in those spots. And that’s where the lack of a second lefty starts to show.
When your righties can handle those matchups, you don’t notice the absence.
When they can’t, it becomes obvious pretty quickly.
Where it shows up in-game
You saw a glimpse of that recently.
Vodnik ended up facing left-handed hitter Gavin Sheets in a big spot.
In a more traditional setup, that’s often where a lefty gets the call.
But that’s not what happened here — and that’s what made it interesting.
Instead, Vodnik stayed in to face Gavin Sheets and gave up the home run. With the damage done, he remained in to strike out the next batter — a righty — before the Rockies turned to Bernardino. The lefty was available, but he wasn’t used as a matchup lever in that moment.
But that might not be how the Rockies are thinking about it right now.
Part of the shift this season has been toward flexibility — leaning on pitchers who can cover innings, manage workload, and handle a mix of matchups rather than just one. In that context, leaving Vodnik in to face Sheets isn’t just a matchup decision. It’s a usage decision.
Would having another lefty — someone like Peralta — have changed the calculation?
Maybe. Maybe not.
But that’s the tradeoff.
When you only have one lefty, you don’t always get to chase the clean matchup. You trust your right-handers to navigate it — and live with the results.
He’s different than Bernardino. He throws from a similar arm slot, but he’s still figuring out his pitch mix.
In 2025, Peralta leaned heavily on a slider-driven approach, throwing it nearly half the time, with a sinker and changeup behind it. That’s a more traditional relief profile — one often built to handle same-handed hitters first and figure out the rest second. So far at the major-league level, the results have been uneven. He’s shown flashes of dominance against left-handed hitters in small samples — but hasn’t found consistency — and hasn’t shown the same ability to suppress contact or flatten splits the way Bernardino has.
He isn’t replicating Bernardino’s role — he’s complementing it. Giving the Rockies a second look. A different option. A way to play the matchup when they actually want to, for now.
Strategy or shortage?
For a stretch, the Rockies showed something.
They showed that if your lefties are versatile enough — and your righties can hold their own — you can get by without multiple lefties.
That part worked.
But the roster move tells you something too.
Calling up Peralta suggests that one reliable lefty — and a handful of righties who can survive — still isn’t the same thing as having enough flexibility over a full season.
So what do you think?
Did the Rockies prove one-lefty bullpens can work? Is adding Peralta to the mix any indication of their thinking?
The Albuquerque Isotopes (13–11) lost a close one, falling 4–3 to the Sacramento River Cats (13–9) despite a late push. Albuquerque made it interesting with a three-run sixth to climb back into the game, but couldn’t find the tying run late. Cole Carrigg and Chad Stevens each went 2-for-3 with a walk, with Stevens driving in two runs. Patrick Weigel took the loss, while Welinton Herrera impressed out of the bullpen with 1.2 scoreless innings and three strikeouts.
The Hartford Yard Goats (8–10) picked up a solid 5–1 win over the Portland Sea Dogs (9–9) at Delta Dental Park on a chilly 46-degree night. Andy Perez led the offense, going 2-for-4 with a home run, while Zach Kokoska added a 2-for-3 night with a long ball of his own. Blake Adams was the difference on the mound, earning the win with four innings of scoreless relief. Clean game, timely hits, and shutdown pitching — hard to draw it up much better than that.
The Spokane Indians (6–13) dropped a tough one, falling 2–1 to the Everett AquaSox (11–8) on a walk-off in the bottom of the ninth. Alan Espinal led the offense with three hits, while Everett Catlett struck out seven over 4.2 innings, working around five walks and a solo homer. Justin Loer kept Spokane in it with 3.1 innings of scoreless relief to bridge the game late. Francis Rivera took the loss after allowing the winning run in the ninth.
The Fresno Grizzlies (12–7) broke things open late and rolled to a 10–3 win over the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (10–9), powered by a big night at the plate. Clayton Gray led the way, going 3-for-4, while Ethan Holliday and Tanner Thach each went deep — Thach’s fourth homer on the season was a towering moonshot that climbed high into the dark sky and felt like it was golfed out over the right-field fence. Jack O’Dowd added a long ball of his own as Fresno’s offense showed real punch. On the mound, three pitchers combined to keep things under control, backing up the breakout offensive performance.
In this MLB.com piece, Thomas Harding checks in on RJ Petit and Pierson Ohl as they grind through the long, often boring Tommy John rehab process, where it’s more about patience than payoff right now. Along the way, though, there’s a random noodle mishap and a worried mom sprinkled in that serve as a reminder there’s still a real human side to all of it.
The Rockies quietly flipped Nicky Lopez to the Cubs for cash. Lopez had been swinging it well in Albuquerque and represented a potential plug-and-play depth option if needed, but the Rox have chosen to move on. For the Cubs, it’s a low-risk reunion with a glove-first infielder they know well.
Barstool rounded up some clips of fans making some seriously impressive foul ball catches at Coors Field. It’s a fun mix of skill and chaos in the stands, and they’re definitely worth a quick watch.
J.P. Hoornstra of Sport Illustrated breaks down Mason Miller’s absurd strikeout streak. The interesting part — somehow, of all teams, it’s the free-swinging, strikeout-prone Rockies that put it to an end. Of course it happens that way… baseball makes no sense.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 21: Tony Vitello #23 and Landen Roupp #65 of the San Francisco Giants prepare for the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park on April 21, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Suzanna Mitchell/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
The San Francisco Giants are wrapping up another week of games this weekend, so it’s time to see everyone’s picks for Player of the Week!
I think my pick for this week has to be Landen Roupp. Roupp is quietly having a very good start to the season, and the team has supported his endeavors by winning four of his first five starts. So far this year, he’s got 2.28 ERA, 2.42 FIP, with 31 strikeouts to 12 walks in his 27.2 innings pitched.
That trend continued this week in the Giants’ 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday. In which Roupp allowed just the one run on one hit with seven strikeouts in five innings. That’s a good start regardless of the opponent, but to do it against the Dodgers in the opening game of the series? Yeah, he’s my Player of the Week.
Who is your pick for Player of the Week?
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants continue their series against the Miami Marlins this afternoon at 1:05 p.m. PT.
2 min The first foul is committed by Morgan Rogers, needlessly, on Sander Berge – they were in the centre circle.
1 min Fulham kick off and play the ball around at the back. They’re in all white, so they bear a very slight resemblance to Real Madrid. Villa are in a lot of claret and a little blue.
Apr 24, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luke Kennard (10) shoots the ball as Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) defends during the first quarter during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
What’s a night of playoff basketball without the Brotherhood?
It doesn’t happen very often, and it didn’t happen Friday night.
Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers, 108-100. Luke Kennard helped JJ Redick’s Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets, 112-108. Finally, Mason Plumlee and the San Antonio Spurs knocked off the Portland Trail Blazers, 120-108.
Tatum scored 25 against the Sixers, including a 3-point dagger to put Boston up 106-100. He also had 5 rebounds and 7 assists, as one of the greatest comebacks in NBA history continues to unfold.
Although he had an off-night from behind the line, shooting just 1-6 on three-pointers, Luke Kennard still scored 14 and had 6 rebounds and 6 assists.
Mason Plumlee got another DNP for San Antonio, but the Spurs won without big man Victor Wembanyama, who is in the concussion protocol.
The Chicago Blackhawks' biggest objective this offseason when it comes to adding to their roster should be to bring in a top-six winger. While this is the case, they also should not be against improving their bottom six after trading away veterans like Jason Dickinson and Nick Foligno at the trade deadline.
When looking at this year's pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs), one player who stands out as a solid potential target for the Blackhawks is Pittsburgh Penguins forward Connor Dewar.
If the Blackhawks signed Dewar, he would have the potential to give their bottom six a nice boost. His stats from this regular season show this, as he set career highs with 14 goals, 16 assists, 30 points, and 144 hits in 78 games for the Penguins. This was all while in a bottom-six role for the Penguins.
With numbers like these, Dewar would give the Blackhawks a solid bottom-six forward who can provide solid secondary scoring and plenty of grit. He is also capable of playing both center and the wing, so he would give the Blackhawks another forward with good versatility. He is also an impactful penalty-killer due to his solid defensive play.
With this, if the Blackhawks want to add a proven NHL-caliber forward to their bottom six this summer, Dewar stands out as a good potential option. This is especially so when noting that he is currently 26 years old, so he is entering his prime years.
Our NBA player prop projections are all set for tonight's Game 3 matchup between the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic, with the model flagging several high-value opportunities.
By breaking down the data and stacking it up against current market lines, we’ve identified where the strongest edges lie.
If you’re building out your card, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Saturday, April 25.
Pistons vs Magic computer picks for Game 3
Pistons
Magic
Cunningham u28.5 points -117
Banchero o20.5 points -165
Duren u10.5 rebounds -132
Suggs o4.5 assists -139
Thompson o2.5 assists -120
Wagner o4.5 rebounds -114
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Pistons Game 3 computer picks
Cade Cunningham Under 28.5 points (-117)
Projection: 26.7 points
As the series shifts to the Sunshine State, the Detroit Pistons are aiming to steal at least one game on the road against the Orlando Magic. Playing at the ninth-slowest pace in the league over their last 25 games, Detroit will look to control the tempo while carefully managing Cade Cunningham’s workload due to health concerns.
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Jalen Duren Under 10.5 rebounds (-132)
Projection: 10.4 rebounds
Jalen Duren averages 10.5 rebounds per game on the season, but he’s fallen short of that mark in each of the first two games of the series.
Now heading on the road, the Magic present another tough matchup on the glass, making it difficult for him to clear this number especially with Duren hitting the Under in eight of his last 10 games at a 10.5-rebound line.
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Ausar Thompson Over 2.5 assists (-120)
Projection: 2.7 assists
The Pistons could see an uptick in possessions in this matchup against Orlando, who rank as the fourth-fastest offense over their last 10 games.
That added pace should create more opportunities for Ausar Thompson to facilitate and make plays, especially after clearing his 2.5-assist line in seven of his last 10 outings.
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Magic Game 3 computer picks
Paolo Banchero Over 20.5 points (-165)
Projection: 21.6 points
The Magic have been productive offensively, averaging 117.4 points per game over their last 25 outings (10th in the league), but they’ll need more from Paolo Banchero to keep that momentum going—especially at the free-throw line.
This matchup against the Pistons sets up well for drawing contact, with opposing starting power forwards attempting 5.0 free throws per game over the last 10 (sixth-most in the league). The opportunity is there for Banchero & it just comes down to capitalizing and turning those chances into points in front of the home crowd.
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Jalen Suggs Over 4.5 assists (-139)
Projection: 4.8 assists
Jalen Suggs has been quietly effective as a facilitator, clearing his 4.5 assist line in five of his last 10 games, and this matchup sets up well for him to do it again in Game 3 against the Pistons.
With Orlando playing at a faster tempo lately, there should be more possessions to go around, giving Suggs additional opportunities to create.
His role as a secondary playmaker alongside Banchero and Wagner puts him in prime position to rack up assists, especially when defenses collapse on those primary scoring options.
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Franz Wagner Over 4.5 rebounds (-114)
Projection: 4.9 rebounds
Franz Wagner has been reliable on the glass in this series against the Pistons, clearing this line in both Game 1 and 2. Now back on his home floor, expect an extra boost of energy that could help him cash the Over once again.
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How to watch Pistons vs Magic Game 3
Location
Kia Center, Orlando, FL
Date
Saturday, April 25, 2026
Tip-off
1:05 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock
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Apr 24, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets third baseman Mark Vientos (27) reacts after lining in to a double play to end the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Meet the Mets
It was good while it lasted. After winning two straight games, the Mets are back to their losing ways following a 4-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies last night. Freddy Peralta faltered late in the game, as he is wont to do, and the Mets failed to get enough clutch hits to overcome the deficit, as they are wont to do.
The Anaheim Ducks beat the Edmonton Oilers by a 7-4 final score in Game 3 of their first round matchup. With it, the Ducks now have a 2-1 series lead over Edmonton and are in a good spot heading into Game 4.
A former Pittsburgh Penguins forward certainly played a role in the Ducks' Game 3 win, as Mikael Granlund dominated. Granlund scored a goal and recorded three assists in the Ducks' victory over the Oilers. With this, he put together a four-point night in a playoff game, which is certainly impressive.
With this big performance, Granlund now has one goal, four assists, and five points in three playoff games so far this postseason for the Ducks. This is after the former Penguins forward recorded 19 goals, 22 assists, and 41 points in 58 games for the Ducks during the regular season.
Granlund played in 21 games for the Penguins during the 2022-23 season, where he had one goal, five points, and a plus-1 rating. He was traded to the San Jose Sharks during the 2023 NHL offseason in the deal that brought star defenseman Erik Karlsson to Pittsburgh.
This one lasted just long enough as the Mud Hens seized the lead in the bottom of the fifth, and then the game became official as rain washed out the rest of the day.
Lael Lockhart Jr. was uncharacteristically wild in this one, walking four. He gave up a run in the third, and then two more in the fourth. Matt Seelinger cleaned up a little jam, and then Brenan Hanifee handled the top of the fifth.
So it was 3-0 headed into the bottom of the fourth. Jace Jung led off with a walk, and Eduardo Valencia launched his third homer of the year to make it a 3-2 game.
Eduardo Valencia goes down and golfs a 2-run homer to left to pull the Med Hens back within a run. Left his bat at 108.8 MPH and went 387 feet. pic.twitter.com/A4Nbn4mfUT
Hanifee immediately allowed a single and then a Josh Rojas double in the top of the fifth. A strikeout and a pair of ground outs got him out of the inning unscathed.
Ben Malgeri singled to open the bottom of the fifth, and by then the rain was really coming down and a half hour delay followed. It was still ominous when they resumed, but after Max Clark struck out, Gage Workman singled Malgeri to third. Workman stole second base, and the throw went into center field as Malgeri scampered home to tie the game, and the throw in from Drew Waters in center field also went awry as Workman roared around to score as well.
It wasn’t a walkoff, but it eventually functioned as one as the rain picked up again and the game was put into the books after five innings.
Malgeri: 2-3, R
Workman: 2-3, R, SB
Valencia: 1-2, R, 2 RBI, HR
Coming Up Next: It’s a 5:05 p.m. ET start on Saturday in Toledo as the Hens lead the series 3-1.
Dariel Fregio made his fourth start after getting promoted to Erie and converted to the rotation out of need. He was mauled for six runs as the Ponies ran roughshod over the SeaWolves on Friday.
The Ponies scored a run in each of the first three frames, two on solo shots, before the SeaWolves answered back in the fourth. Brett Callahan led off the top half with a walk and Chris Meyers singled. Andrew Jenkins reached on a fielders choice that forced Meyers at second, and Callahan scored on an Izaac Pacheco ground out.
Fregio gave up three straight singles in the bottom of the fourth, and Colin Fields had to take over. That did not work out as Fields allowed all three runs to score on two sac flies, and then a two-run homer from the Ponies’ A.J. Ewing. 7-1 Binghamton.
In the sixth, Peyton Graham was hit by a pitch and Callahan walked. Graham moved to third on a Meyers ground out and scored on a wild pitch. Otherwise it was a poor night for the offense.
Fields allowed two more runs in relief, and the Ponies added one against Eric Silva to complete the scoring. The SeaWolves only had two hits on the night.
Fregio (L, 0-1): 3.0 IP, 6 ER, 6 H, BB, 2 K
Fields: 2.0 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 2 K
Coming Up Next: The SeaWolves lead the series 3-1, with first pitch on Saturday set for 1:00 p.m. ET.
West Michigan Whitecaps 7, Lake County Captains 6 (box)
Rayner Castillo threw a great game, but the late innings got dicey until the Whitecaps stormed back to walk this one off in Comstock Park.
Castillo, our 25th ranked prospect in the offseason, had a down year in 2025 and has been up and down early on this year. The 21-year-old locked in on Friday night, two-hitting the Captains over five scoreless frames with five strikeouts.
The ‘Caps got on the board right away when Jackson Strong led off the bottom of the first with a single and scored on a Samuel Gil double. Nolan McCarthy launched a solo shot for his first with the Whitecaps in the fifth inning. Andrew Sojka followed him with a solid single to center and Clayton Campbell pumped an RBI double to center to make it a 3-0 lead.
Carlos Lequerica took over from Castillo with a snappy 1-2-3 sixth, but gave up a solo shot in the seventh. 3-1 ‘Caps.
Seth Chavez followed Lequerica, taking over in the eighth, and the Captains jumped all over him after the leadoff hitter reached on a Gil error from second base. They banged out five straight hits and a sac fly and it was a 6-3 Lake County lead with the smoke cleared.
Gil redeemed himself quickly by leading off the bottom half with a single, and Garrett Pennington made it count with a two-run blast that made it a 6-5 Lake County lead.
Garrett Pennington crushes a 2-run homer to left center and the Whitecaps are back within a run. It’s his 5th home run of the year. @ThatDanHasty on the call. pic.twitter.com/zqT8MIe9k1
Lefty Ethan Sloan cleaned up the eighth and tossed a 1-2-3 top of the ninth. That was well as it set the Whitecaps up for the comeback. Campbell led off with a single and Hunter Dobbins reached on an error. Two fly outs followed, but Pennington got an 0-2 pitch on the outer edge and dumped it into right field for a two-run walkoff double. And the LMCU faithful rejoiced.
🚨Whitecaps Walk-Off Win🚨
Garrett Pennington was down 0-2 with 2 outs in the 9th when he bloops a 2-run walk-off double into shallow right. @ThatDanHasty calls it. pic.twitter.com/LfnRb6cPAk
Tampa rallied back to win on Friday, but I don’t care because RHP Kelvis Salcedo was back on the mound for his first start of the year.
The 20-year-old right hander broke out in a big way last summer, featuring huge stuff and advanced strike throwing. He had a minor meniscus clean up procedure this spring, so the Tigers started easing him back in with a two-inning outing in this one. Once he’s built up, Salcedo should be moving to West Michigan pretty quickly. He torched the Tarpons for two innings in this one, striking out five and allowing one single and a walk. His fourseamer was 94-95 mph, and he racked up plenty of whiffs on his slider in particular, getting 7 total whiffs on 15 Tarpon swings.
This is arguably the most exciting young pitcher in the system, at least of those who aren’t perpetually on the injured list. We’ll see.
Jordan Yost got the Flying Tigers started on Friday by leading off the bottom of the first with a deep drive to center field. He turned on the afterburners and raced around the bases for a triple off of lefty Justin West. Thayron Liranzo immediatley pulled a single to left for a 1-0 lead.
19-year-old Jordan Yost (@tigers 2025 first-rounder) hammers his first pro triple and zooms from home-to-third in 11.48 seconds 🏃♂️
After the leadoff hitter reached on a Carson Rucker error to start the third, RHP Jose Guzman took over from Salcedo and did a nice job getting out of the inning, though most of the credit goes to Liranzo, who cut down the runner trying to steal third.
Zach MacDonald, one of the big stories early on this spring, crushed a 112.9 mph home run in the bottom of the third to make it 2-0. The 22-year-old outfielder now has six homers in 17 games and is showing off huge raw pop to go with his speed. He is still striking out a huge amount, however. Don’t get too excited. It’s just that center fielders with double plus raw don’t grow on trees.
Guzman was solid, while Charlie Christensen allowed a run in the top of the fifth. In the bottom half, Yost slapped a ground ball single the opposite way and advanced to third on a passed ball and a wild pitch. Liranzo lifted a fly ball to right field for a sac fly to make it 3-1.
After that it was all Tampa. Eliseo Mota gave up three runs, two earned in the late innings, and the Flying Tigers’ offense didn’t have an answer.
Yost: 2-4, 2 R, 3B, K
Liranzo: 1-3, 2 RBI
MacDonald: 1-4, R, RBI, HR, 3 K
Salcedo: 2.0 IP, 0 R, H, BB, 5 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:00 p.m. ET start in Lakeland on Saturday.
Apr 24, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves pinch hitter Michael Harris II (23) hits a double to drive in two runs against the Philadelphia Phillies during the sixth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Braves began the homestand on a high note and defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3. For the first time in 19 years, the Braves have now won four straight over the Phillies to open a season. It was a solid night from both the lineup and the bullpen, but once again, Michael Harris II headlined the night with some later-inning heroics.
Though originally scratched from the lineup with quad tightness, he came to the plate as a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning and delivered a double to give the Braves the edge.
It was previously reported that Harris was day-to-day, but so far, that has not limited him from driving in runs for Atlanta. The Braves aim to ride this momentum and collect another series win tonight at 7:15 ET.
More Braves News:
Walt Weiss announced that though Raisel Iglesias has not started throwing yet, he is expected to return relatively soon.
Isaiah Drake, Eric Hartman, and John Gil continue to be the heavy hitters for the Rome Emperors. More in the minor league recap.
MLB News:
The Cincinnati Reds will place DH Eugenio Suarez on the 10-day injured list due to a low-grade oblique strain. Fortunately, this injury does not appear to be overly serious.
From the Feed:
The Braves have already been successful in game one, so submit your picks on how many games the Braves win this series.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 24: Starting pitcher Brayan Bello #66 of the Boston Red Sox reacts in first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 24, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s more than fair to wonder whether Brayan Bello is on the verge of losing his spot in the starting rotation. Bello has been the Sox’ clear weak link, posting an ERA of exactly 9.00 after 5 starts this year. But with Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo currently on the shelf, Alex Cora says Bello isn’t going anywhere, as the Red Sox plan to “stay the course.” That’s why, when Alex Cora pulled the unusual move of paying Bello a mound visit in the third inning last night, he didn’t remove him from the game but, rather, wanted him to improve his body language: “We’re here to compete, be prepared. We go out there and do our best. Regardless of the situation, you’ve got to keep competing and he actually did. I’ll give him that. But we’ve got to figure it out.” (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)
Speaking of staying the course, it doesn’t look like Caleb Durbin will be losing his job anytime soon, either, despite the fact that Durbin is the single-worst hitter by OPS in all of baseball right now. “I hate the comparison, but Dustin Pedroia was hitting .190 on May 15 in 2007,” Alex Cora said incorrectly, as Pedroia was actually .259 with an OPS over .700 on that date. “It’s still early in the season. There’s some trends that we like. He’s not chasing. Of course, he’s not hitting the ball hard — we know that — but he keeps working. He’s a good defender, too. We cannot forget that. Just got to keep playing.” (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
It’s not merely Bello and Durbin whom Cora is sticking by. The manager continues to believe in the roster at his disposal and is trying to block out the criticism: “You have to cancel the noise because it’s loud, very loud. Anywhere you look, they’re talking about us and how bad we are. Deservedly so. The record is the record. But I don’t think we have a bad team. We’re just going through a bad stretch.” (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)
At least they won’t have much time to dwell on last night’s lopsided loss in Baltimore. Due to bad weather expected in the mid-Atlantic, today’s game has been moved up from 4:05 PM to 12:05 PM (MLB)
But will Roman Anthony be back in the lineup for the earlier start? He is reportedly making progress with the sore back that has kept him out of the lineup for three straight games. “[He’s] feeling better, moving better,” said Cora. “Hopefully at one point during the weekend he plays. We’re not gonna rush it, but it was a better day for him.” (Ian Browne, MLB.com)
Anthony better get back into the lineup quickly, because this Red Sox season is beginning to be characterized by something even worse than bad baseball: fan apathy. (Rob Bradford, WEEI)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 16: Angel Martínez #1 of the Cleveland Guardians hits the ball in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Progressive Field on April 16, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Russell Lee Verlinger/Cleveland Guardians/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In what looked like it could be a laugher early, the Guardians were able to hold on for an 8-6 victory to open the series in Toronto, off the back of two 2-run home runs from Angel Martínez. It was Martínez’s first career multi-home run game.
The first inning started off with a bang, as Daniel Schneemann took Max Scherzer deep on the 8th pitch of the first at bat of the game. The Guardians weren’t done yet, though. After a José Ramírez walk and a Rhys Hoskins single, George Valera just missed a home run, as he hit a 2 run double off the very top of the high wall in right field, giving the Guardians a 3-0 lead. Then the very next hitter Angel Martínez took Scherzer deep, capping off a 5 run first inning.
Toronto was able to answer back in the bottom half. Nathan Lukes doubled off Gavin Williams to lead off the inning for Toronto, but he would leave with injury. (As of writing, the only available update was “left hamstring discomfort”.) The pinch runner Davis Schneider moved to 3rd on a sac fly and scored on a ground ball to short stop. Then with two outs and no one on base, Jesús Sánchez took The Big Rig deep, making it a 5-2 game.
After a scoreless 2nd from the Guards, the Blue Jays were able to tack on one more on a solo shot from Kazuma Okamoto, closing the gap to just 2 runs. Then it was Angel Martínez to the rescue again. After falling behind 0-2, Martínez fouled off several pitches, working the count back to full. On the 11th pitch of the at bat, he took Scherzer deep again to right field for his second 2-run home run of the night.
Gavin Williams was able to settle in after that, at one point retiring 11 Blue Jays in a row, before walking Davis Schneider in the 5th, who would go on to score on an Ernie Clement double. The Guards would tack on a big insurance run with an RBI fielder’s choice by Chase DeLauter, making it 8-4. The Jays would go on to score two more in the 6th on a bloop double by Andrés Giménez off Williams to bring the Jays closer at 8-6. Williams would get out of the inning though, and was done for the night. His final line was 6IP 6ER 7H 2BB 4K, and while not ideal from the pitcher most consider the Ace of this staff, he was able to keep the lead intact and get through 6 innings to help ease the load on the bullpen.
The Guardian’s bullpen then came in and got 6 hitters out in a row, with both Hunter Gaddis and Erik Sabrowski each throwing a 1-2-3 inning in the 7th and 8th respectively. After that, it was up to Cade Smith to close it out. It wasn’t without drama, as Okamoto led off the inning with a 112 mph laser beam high off the wall in left field, but a great play on the ball off the wall by Angel Martínez held Okamoto to a very long single. He was followed by known Guardian hater Andrés Giménez lining a single to RF, and it looked like the inning was set up perfectly for the Blue Jays. However, Cade Smith was able to get the pinch hitter Eloy Jiménez to hit a weak ground ball to José Ramírez, and the Guards defense got the very clutch 5-4-3 double play. Finally, with a runner on 3rd and 2 outs, Smith was able to get Schneider to pop out to second base to end the game and seal a series opening victory for the Guardians.
The Guards will have a chance to take the series tomorrow afternoon, but they’ll have to take down Kevin Gausman, the Blue Jays Ace, to do it. It’ll be Joey Cantillo on the mound for Cleveland, with first pitch scheduled for 3:07pm.
Pistons
Magic
