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NBA play-in history: Has a No. 10 seed ever made it through to the playoffs?

NBA play-in history: Has a No. 10 seed ever made it through to the playoffs? originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The NBA Play-In Tournament is relatively new, but there’s been an obvious trend since its inception in 2021.

Over the past four years, none of the teams that entered as the No. 10 seed have ever won both play-in games to make the postseason.

This year, in the fifth edition of the play-in, the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks will both try to make history by advancing to the playoffs as the No. 10 seed.

Here’s a look back at the history of the lowest seeds in the play-in:

Has the No. 10 seed ever made it through the play-in?

No.

All eight No. 10 seeds (East and West) from 2021 to 2024 failed to make it to the playoffs.

What’s the best that a No. 10 seed has done in the play-in?

Of the previous eight No. 10 seeds, only two defeated the No. 9 seed to make it to the deciding game.

The Heat and Mavericks added two more wins to that total, so No. 10 seeds are now 4-6 in initial play-in games since 2021.

The first two No. 10 seeds to win the initial play-in game were both in 2023 with the Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder. Both teams lost their next game (by double digits) to miss out on the playoffs.

So, history says the Heat and Mavericks shouldn’t even be competitive on Friday. Time will tell.

When is the NBA Play-In Tournament game?

The final two games of the 2025 Play-In Tournament will be held on Friday, April 18, to finalize the playoff field.

  • Miami Heat (10) at Atlanta Hawks (8), 7 p.m. ET, TNT
  • Dallas Mavericks (10) at Memphis Grizzlies (8), 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

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Report: Knicks' Perry frontrunner for Kings' open GM position

Report: Knicks' Perry frontrunner for Kings' open GM position originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Kings appear to be zeroing in on potential general manager targets less than 24 hours after mutually parting ways with Monte McNair.

Sacramento and McNair agreed to part ways immediately after the Kings’ 120-106 NBA play-in tournament loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday at Golden 1 Center.

And with the search for a new general manager underway, former Kings vice president of basketball operations and current New York Knicks general manager Scott Perry is expected to receive strong interest for the position in Sacramento and is considered a frontrunner, The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Anthony Slater reported late Wednesday night, citing league sources.

Amick and Slater also reported, citing league sources, that former Denver Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth also is expected to be given consideration.

Perry previously served as Kings vice president of basketball operations for three months in 2017 before he was hired as New York’s general manager. Throughout his tenure with New York, the Knicks have posted a 293-337 record across eight seasons with four playoff appearances in 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Booth, who was fired by Denver alongside championship-winning coach Mike Malone on April 8, previously interviewed with Sacramento for its general manager job in 2020 before the team hired McNair.

Whomever the Kings choose as their next general manager will have influence on the team’s search for its next coach, although current interim coach Doug Christie is well-positioned to keep the job, Amick and Slater reported, citing team sources.

Amick and Slater also reported, citing league sources, that McNair now could return to a front-office role with the Houston Rockets, where he spent 13 years before joining the Kings.

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Bayern’s Josip Stanisic admits pushing ballboy was ‘a bit stupid’ in exit at Inter

  • Defender reacted after ballboy threw ball away from him
  • Bayern were chasing goal to force extra time at San Siro

Bayern Munich’s Josip Stanisic said it was “stupid” of him to push a ballboy off his stool after he tossed the ball away in stoppage time of their Champions League match against Inter on Wednesday.

A 2-2 draw in the second leg at San Siro enabled Inter to advance to the semi-finals 4-3 on aggregate.

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The Stats Behind Game #82: Golden Knights 4, Canucks 1

Apr 14, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Jake DeBrusk (74), forward Brock Boeser (6), defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) and forward Aatu Raty (54) celebrate DeBrusk’s goal against the San Jose Sharks in overtime at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver's most recent 4-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.

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The Canucks wrapped up their season with a decent night from an analtyics perspective. Vegas won the even-strength scoring chances battle 18-17, while also holding a 7-6 advantage in even-strength high-danger chances. Overall, Vancouver was able to stay in this game for two periods, but were unable to hold off the Golden Knights during the third period.

The heatmap is a good representation of why the Canucks only scored one goal on Saturday. Vancouver elected to take most of their shots from distance, and struggled to create second-chance opportunities in the crease. The hope is that next season, the Canucks can become a team with a stronger net-front presence, which should lead to more goals and chances.

Vancouver Canucks vs Vegas Golden Knights, April 16, 2025, Natural Stat Trick

To wrap things up, Nils Höglander had a strong game for Vancouver. During his 13:22 of ice time, he recorded an assist and finished with an xGF% of 61.85. In the end, Höglander finished the season on a high and showed that he deserves a spot in the top six next year.

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

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Less than an hour after Kings are eliminated from postseason, they part ways with GM Monte McNair

It took less than an hour after the Kings were summarily dismissed from the postseason by the Mavericks — an ugly ending to the end of a messy season in Sacramento that saw the franchise take a step backwards.

The Kings and GM Monty McNair have agreed to part ways, a story broken by Sam Amick of The Athletic and confirmed by multiple reports. The Kings have yet to release an official statement on the move.

McNair had been voted NBA executive of the year by his peers in 2023, the year he helped build a team that won 48 games and snapped the franchise's NBA-record 16-year playoff drought. Under McNair, the Kings had a .488 winning percentage, which is not ideal but looks good compared to the .362 win percentage the 15 years prior.

McNair's exit is the latest example of how fast things have fallen off in Sacramento. In 2023, the Kings were one of the best stories in the NBA. However, while the Kings stood pat after that season (betting on internal growth that would never come as they hoped), the rest of the West made moves, got better, and passed the Kings. Sacramento fell to just 46 wins in 2024, but that only earned them the No. 9 seed, and they did not make it out of the play-in.

This season was a massive step back for the Kings. They had entered the season with internal expectations of making the playoffs, and last summer inked coach Mike Brown to an extension, with the support of All-Star guard De'Aaron Fox. However, Fox himself didn't sign an extension, keeping pressure on the organization to win and be consistent (the things that mattered to him). Those wins did not come, and after a 13-18 start to the season with a number of clutch losses — and Brown throwing his players under the bus in several press conferences — McNair decided he needed to do something. So he fired Brown.

Fox and Brown had a strong relationship, and the firing did not sit well with the star guard. Also, the Kings were not winning or showing consistency — the standards Fox had set — which led to him requesting a trade and ultimately being sent to San Antonio. Doug Christie took over the head coaching job, and while the team's luck changed in a few close games, the overall situation did not improve. Particularly the defense, which was exposed by Dallas when Sacramento was knocked out of the Play-In Tournament Wednesday night.

Now McNair is gone, too.

That leaves owner Vivek Ranadive facing some big questions this offseason: Who should be hired as the new head of basketball operations to replace McNair? Should Doug Christie have the interim tag removed and become the full-time head coach (he was 27-24 in the role), or is it time to bring in a new coach from the outside? Do they want to extend Zach LaVine's contract? On top of that, All-Star Domantas Sabonis wants to meet with management because he has questions about the franchise's direction and his future in it. If Sabonis asks for a trade, what does that leave players such as Malik Monk or DeMar DeRozan?

All of it sucks for Kings fans, who thought they had seen their team come out of a long dark ages to light the beam and make the playoffs, only to have the whole thing fall apart within a couple of years. It will be a long summer for them in the California capital and maybe a rough one for Kings fans.

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Hull KR and Hull FC savour local supremacy before top-of-table clash

With the clubs occupying first and second spot in the standings, the stakes are high for their Good Friday derby

Nestled at the eastern tip of the M62, the city of Hull may sit on the very tip of British rugby league’s geographical landscape but, right now, it is the epicentre of Super League.

Few cities are driven by a passion for rugby league quite like it. Both of the city’s clubs – Hull FC and Hull KR – have enjoyed spells in the upper echelons of Super League over the past 30 years but not since the early 80s, long before the advent of summer rugby, was there a time when both East Riding clubs were simultaneously competing for honours.

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Heat knock out Bulls as Mavs set up Grizzlies tie

Tyler Herro joined the Miami Heat in 2019
Tyler Herro joined the Miami Heat in 2019 [Getty Images]

The Miami Heat eliminated the Chicago Bulls to progress in the NBA play-in tournament - beating the six-time Championship winners 109-90.

Tyler Herro scored 38 points as the Heat set up a game against the Atlanta Hawks, with the winner earning the right to take on top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the Eastern Conference play-offs.

The Heat's victory came after three regular season defeats by the Bulls.

"Chicago humbled us this year," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said.

"They have a unique style of play, the way they play with that pace, and they score.

"They had two games where we felt like we were in control of the game both times in the fourth quarter and they came storming back and had some impressive scoring quarters. Our guys really respected how much they could score."

Should Miami beat the Hawks, they would achieve a franchise record of reaching the play-offs for a sixth consecutive season.

Mavs to face Grizzlies

In the Western Conference, the Dallas Mavericks beat the Sacramento Kings 120-106 to set-up a play-in tie against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Klay Thompson scored 23 points - 16 of which came in the second quarter alone - to advance against the Grizzlies.

The winner of that tie will take on top-seeded Oklahoma City in the opening play-off game.

NBA acknowledge officiating errors

The play-in tournament features the teams who finished in seventh to 10th in both Conferences.

They face off to determine who fills the final two spots in their Conference play-offs.

Under the play-in format, seventh play eighth - with the winners going straight into the play-offs. The loser gets a second chance against the winners of an eliminator between ninth and 10th.

The Grizzlies, who finished eighth in the Western Conference, go into the 'second chance' game against the Mavericks having lost their first play-in tie, to the seventh-placed Golden State Warriors, in controversial circumstances.

The Warriors secured their play-off spot following a late flurry against the Grizzlies.

However, the NBA has since acknowledged officiating errors in the final moments of the match.

With the Warriors leading 117-116, the NBA's Last Two Minute Report said the Grizzlies should have been awarded the ball with 7.6 seconds left after Stephen Curry got the last contact on an out-of-bounds play.

It was Curry that then sank two free throws to give the Mavericks a 119-116 lead.

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Game Day Preview: The Calgary Flames vs The Los Angeles Kings

Calgary Flames center Jonathan Huberdeau (10) scores a goal against Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper (35) during the second period of their game at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024 in Calgary. (Photo: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)

The Calgary Flames (40-27-14) will travel to the City of Angels to face the Los Angeles Kings (48-24-9) for their final regular-season game.

This game was originally scheduled for Jan. 8, but was postponed due to the wildfires in Los Angeles.

With the playoff pursuit now over, the Flames are expected to set shape their future by suiting up Zayne Parekh, Sam Morton, Hunter Brzustewicz and Aydar Suniev for their debuts against L.A. Full article on these skaters here.

The Kings on the hand have already qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs and are slated to face the Edmonton Oilers in the first round. Several of their top players have been listed as day-to-day including defensemen Drew Doughty, Joel Edmundson, Mikey Anderson, center Anze Kopitar, wings Quinton Byfield and Tanner Jeannot.  It will not be a surprise to see them not in action, in hopes of being rested and ready for the post-season.

HEADS 2 HEAD

At even-strength, Calgary’s save percentage is the third-highest against Los Angeles. They average 30.5 shots on goal per game against the Flames, which is the ninth in the league. The Kings’ power play is ranked tenth based on the performance of the last 30 days. With L.A. not being at full strength, expect those numbers to be different.

Dustin Wolf is expected to suit up for his ninth-consecutive game and to his relief, his final of an outstanding season.

Meanwhile, the Kings’ save percentage is the fifth-best against the Flames of all teams. However, Calgary averages a league-low 23 shots on goals per game to L.A. Both those numbers could look also look different with a younger Flames lineup. It will also be interesting to see how the power play turns out. Before a rare two-power-play-goal night against Vegas on Tuesday, the Flames were 3-for-20 in the man-advantage.

TALE OF THE TAPE (SKATERS)

Source: Natural Stat Trick

TALE OF THE TAPE (GOALIES)

Source: Natural Stat Trick

Puck drops at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles tonight at 7:30 MT/9:30 ET.

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Vancouver Canucks Conclude 2024-25 Season With A 4-1 Loss To The Vegas Golden Knights

Apr 12, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Nils Hoglander (21) and forward Jake DeBrusk (74) and forward Pius Suter (24) and forward Brock Boeser (6) celebrate Debrusk’s goal against the Minnesota Wild in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

The Vancouver Canucks wrapped up their 2024-25 season with a 4-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. Pius Suter scored the only goal while Kevin Lankinen stopped 19 of the 20 shots he faced through two periods. Nikita Tolopilo was credited with the loss, as he made six saves on eight shots in the third period.

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Despite a strong first period, Vancouver was unable to gain momentum as they were outscored 4-0 in the second and third periods. The Canucks could not match the Golden Knights speed, as they fell for the 16th time this season in regulation at home. In the end, it felt as though the only people in Vancouver who had energy in the third were the fans, as they started multiple chants near the end of the game.

Games like Saturday are a good reminder of how much the Canucks need to improve their roster ahead of next season. Yes, getting players like Elias Pettersson, Filip Chytil, and Tyler Myers will help, but the difference in speed and skill was on full display during the 4-1 loss. Despite neither team having anything to play for, Vancouver was still outshot 29-17, with the team once again recording more missed shots (20) than those that hit the net.

Shifting off the ice, Saturday was long-time equipment manager Pat O'Neill's final game with the organization. O'Neill has been working in the NHL for over 40 years, and has been with the Canucks since the late 80's. Not only did O'Neill receive a standing ovation, but every player on the Golden Knights roster ensured they went by the bench after the game to shake his hand.

"He's just a terrific person," said Quinn Hughes post-game. "We've had some great years, some tough years here through the six years I've been here. He's one guy that, no matter what, you come in and he's got a smile on his face. He's the same person to everyone. He acts the same every single day. So he's a legend in Vancouver, a pillar for the organization. He's seen so much, so many great players, great people, coaches and captains. He's definitely a legend here, and he'll be missed. I talked to him today. I know he's planning to still be around the rink a little bit. It's gonna be probably hard to go cold turkey for him, but yeah, just a tremendous, tremendous human being."

In the end, Vancouver's season ends with more questions than answers. They will miss the playoffs for the fourth time in the last five seasons, and may be on the verge of losing key contributors in free agency in Brock Boeser, Pius Suter, Derek Forbort and Rick Tocchet. Ultimately, the next few months will be challenging for the organization as this management group looks to build a roster that can compete for a spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Stats and Facts:

- Pius Suter sets a new career high with 25 goals
- Conor Garland hits the 50-point mark for the second time in his career
- Kiefer Sherwood finishes the season with 462 hits
- The Vancouver Canucks finish the 2024-25 season with a 38-30-14 record

Scoring Summary:

1st Period:

8:23- VAN: Pius Suter (25) from Conor Garland and Nils Höglander

2nd Period:

18:33- VGK: Victor Olofsson (15) from William Karlsson and Shea Theodore

3rd Period:

7:59- VGK: Pavel Dorofeyev from Victor Olofsson and Ben Hutton
10:45- VGK: Jack Eichel (28) from Ben Hutton and Brett Howden
18:28- VGK: Cole Schwindt (1) from Shea Theodore (ENG)

Up Next:

Year End Media- Friday, April 18, 2025

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

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Mavericks beat the Kings 120-106 to advance to face the Grizzlies in the Play-In Tournament

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Klay Thompson scored 16 of his 23 points in Dallas’ dominant second quarter to get redemption for his dud in Sacramento a year ago, helping the Mavericks beat the Kings 120-106 on Wednesday night to advance in the Play-In Tournament.

One year to the day when Thompson missed all 10 shots in his final game for Golden State in a play-in loss in Sacramento, Thompson fueled the win with four 3-pointers in Dallas’ 44-point second quarter. That turned the game into a laugher and kept the Mavericks’ chaotic season alive for at least one more game.

“Human nature, when you end a season on a sour note like that you want to come out and prove people wrong,” Thompson said. "But I thought I did a good job to start the game of trying to dish, rebound, play defense. The shots came to me after that.”

Dallas advanced to play at Memphis on Friday night for the chance to get into the playoffs as the eighth seed in the West. The winner of that game will open the playoffs on Sunday at top-seeded Oklahoma City.

The Mavs have undergone a rough season after trading young superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a seismic trade that brought Anthony Davis to Dallas and vitriol from the fan base to the organization.

Star point guard Kyrie Irving went down with a season-ending knee injury shortly after that trade, ending any realistic hopes of another deep playoff run after making it to the NBA Finals last season.

“We've had a tumultuous season to say the least,” Thompson said. “The injury bug has struck us like I’ve never seen before. But we’re still here playing postseason basketball. We can really give the city of Dallas some hope, especially if we go to Memphis and repeat this type of performance.”

Dallas opened the second quarter with a 20-6 run fueled by back-to-back 3s from Thompson. Thompson hit two more 3s later in the quarter as the Mavs built the lead to 23 points at the half, removing any drama.

“We shot it very well, get stops on defense and were able to run,” said Davis, who led Dallas with 27 points. “Offense was clicking. We had what, 44 in the quarter? We played with a lot of pace and opened up the game."

DeMar DeRozan scored 33 points for the Kings, and and Zach LaVine added 20.

It was a disappointing ending to an underwhelming season for the Kings, who fired coach Mike Brown in December and traded star point guard De’Aaron Fox to San Antonio in February. It all led to Sacramento missing the playoffs for the 18th time in 19 seasons, raising questions about the team’s future starting with the status of interim coach Doug Christie.

“This is where I want to be,” Christie said. "You guys know that. I need to finish what I started.”

---

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

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Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Tanner Scott investment paying off, Robert Suarez leads Padres dominant pen

In this week's Closer Report, Tanner Scott's three saves for the Dodgers solidify his role as the team's primary closer. Robert Suarez leads a Padres bullpen that's been the best in baseball. And Trevor Megill appears to be fine despite some injury speculation.

Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings

Tier 1: At the Top

Mason Miller - Athletics
Josh Hader - Houston Astros
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners

Miller picked up his fourth save on Saturday against the Mets, then struck out the side on 12 pitches Wednesday against the White Sox for his fifth. He's struck out 12 batters with just one walk and three hits allowed over six scoreless innings. The 26-year-old right-hander is just flat-out dominating when on the mound.

Hader pitched a scoreless inning in a non-save situation on Sunday before locking down his fourth save Tuesday against the Cardinals. He's made six scoreless appearances, including a pair of two-inning outings, since giving up one run on Opening Day.

We stay in the AL West to finish out the top tier, with Muñoz pitching lights out in Seattle. He worked three save chances this week and is up to seven saves over nine scoreless innings. The only knock on the 26-year-old right-hander is an elevated walk rate, but it helps to have an 18.5% swinging-strike rate.

Tier 2: The Elite

Robert Suarez - San Diego Padres
Devin Williams - New York Yankees
Ryan Helsley - St. Louis Cardinals
Emmanuel Clase - Cleveland Guardians
Edwin Díaz - New York Mets
Jeff Hoffman - Toronto Blue Jays

Suarez picked up his MLB-leading eighth save on Wednesday against the Cubs. He's tossed nine scoreless frames as the leader of a Padres bullpen that leads the majors with the best ERA. The 34-year-old right-hander got off to a similarly impressive start last season. This time around, it's with more strikeouts as he's generated a 17.1% swinging-strike rate behind increased usage of his changeup.

It was a better week for Williams as he made three scoreless appearances, including two saves to bring his total to three. The 30-year-old right-hander isn't getting the whiffs he's accustomed to getting in the early going while struggling with control. He's posted an 8/6 K/BB ratio across six innings of work.

Helsley picked up his second save of the week on Wednesday against the Astros and third on the season. His one outing in which he walked four batters and allowed two runs on April 6 against the Red Sox has skewed his ratios a bit, but he's been otherwise solid.

Clase picked up his second save of the season Tuesday against the Orioles, working just his fourth scoreless appearance in eight games. There's nothing suggesting a decline for the 27-year-old right-hander. His profile indicates he's been more a victim of bad luck to start the season with a bloated .467 BABIP. Clase continues to limit walks and has generated an 18.1% swinging-strike rate. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him go on a dominant stretch as his BABIP normalizes.

Díaz had allowed five runs over his last two outings before striking out two batters in a scoreless inning on Wednesday in a tie game against the Twins. Walking five batters over his last three games hasn't helped, but he also has been hurt by an inflated BABIP. The 31-year-old right-hander's velocity has been down a bit before getting back up to 97 on Wednesday, an encouraging sign.

After working back-to-back two-inning outings, Hoffman closed out Wednesday's game against the Braves with his fourth save of the season. The 32-year-old right-hander is off to an excellent start with Toronto, giving up two runs with a 14/1 K/BB ratio across 10 1/3 innings.

Tier 3: The Solid Options

Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers
Ryan Walker - San Francisco Giants
Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves
Jhoan Duran - Minnesota Twins
Félix Bautista - Baltimore Orioles

Walker picked up his fourth save of the season against the Yankees on Sunday, striking out one batter in a clean inning. While the 29-year-old right-hander has been effective at limiting walks and hard contact, the strikeouts haven't been there yet with his swinging-strike rate down in the early going.

Scott converted the three save chances for the Dodgers this week, giving him three straight and six of the team's nine saves. Blake Treinen has mixed in for two saves, but Scott is solidifying his role as the primary closer despite the early mixing and matching. The 30-year-old left-hander has allowed three runs with a 10/0 K/BB ratio across 10 innings.

Iglesias gave up a solo homer against the Rays in Tampa on Saturday but held on to the lead for his second save. The 35-year-old right-hander has allowed a lot of hard contact so far but holds a strong 7/1 K/BB ratio across six innings.

Tier 4: Only Here for the Saves

Pete Fairbanks - Tampa Bay Rays
Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers
Kenley Jansen - Los Angeles Angels
Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox
Justin Martinez/A.J. Puk - Arizona Diamondbacks
Jose Alvarado/Matt Strahm - Philadelphia Phillies
Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals
Carlos Estévez - Kansas City Royals
Luke Jackson - Texas Rangers
Emilio Pagan - Cincinnati Reds
Ryan Pressly - Chicago Cubs

Fairbanks added his third save of the season on Friday with a scoreless inning against the Braves. His swinging-strike rate is up to an impressive 20.4% over six outings after seeing a decline all last season. Durability will always remain a concern for the 31-year-old right-hander, but he should otherwise be a solid closing option.

Megill was hit with a blown save after giving up three runs on Saturday against the Diamondbacks. There was some concern following the outing as he reportedly has been pitching through a lingering knee issue. An MRI revealed no structural damage and he bounced back with a scoreless inning in a non-save situation on Wednesday against the Tigers. Abner Uribe has pitched well and figures to be next in line for saves if Megill is unavailable.

Jansen picked up a save on Saturday with a scoreless inning against the Astros. He's yet to allow a run over six innings while posting a 7/2 K/BB ratio. While not as dominant as he once was, Jansen is as safe a bet for saves as they came when healthy

Chapman took a loss on Saturday, giving up one run against the White Sox. He bounced back with saves on Monday and Tuesday, giving him four with a 1.23 ERA and a 40% strikeout rate across 7 1/3 innings. With Chapman unavailable Wednesday, Justin Slaten picked up the save against the Rays. Liam Hendriks appears set to come off the injured list in the next week and could factor into the late-inning mix. However, I wouldn't expect him to step in to save chances right away.

The Diamondbacks continue to play the matchup game in the late innings. After Martinez converted a pair of saves last week, Puk got the save chance against the Brewers on Sunday and converted his third of the season.

Not to the same extent, but the Phillies will mix and match the high-leverage situations. Alvarado picked up his third save on Saturday against the Cardinals, then faced the top of the Giants' lineup on Tuesday before Matt Strahm picked up the save in the ninth.

As usual, Finnegan works through trouble to get the job done. The 33-year-old right-hander made a pair of scoreless appearances to convert two saves, giving him six with one run allowed and an 8/4 K/BB ratio across 7 2/3 innings.

Estévez is up to five saves after picking up two this week against the Twins and Guardians. He had his most impressive outing Sunday in Cleveland as he struck out the side. Lucas Erceg is pitching well in a setup role, but Estévez is locked in as the closer.

Jackson worked around a hit and struck out one batter in a scoreless inning to finish out the game against the Angels with a four-run lead on Tuesday. He then pitched a clean ninth on Wednesday for his sixth save.

Pagán has pitched well as he's settled into the closer role in Cincinnati. The 33-year-old right-hander worked three perfect outings this week, picking up two saves to bring his total to four. Manager Terry Francona has stated that Pagán will continue to work as the team's primary closer despite Alexis Díaz returning from the injured list.

Pressly has his best week as a Cub. The 36-year-old right-hander had not worked a clean inning through seven outings until tossing two perfect frames this week to pick up a save and a win.

Tier 5: Bottom of the Barrel

Dennis Santana - Pittsburgh Pirates
Tommy Kahnle - Detroit Tigers
Seth Halvorsen - Colorado Rockies
Anthony Bender/Calvin Faucher - Miami Marlins
Jordan Leasure - Chicago White Sox

The Pirates have not converted a save since sending David Bednar to Triple-A. Still, Santana's usage suggests he should be getting the save chances, at least until Bednar is back in the majors.

Kahnle gave up a run against the Twins on Friday but was able to hold on for his second save. Meanwhile, Jason Foley has not allowed a run over 6 2/3 innings with Triple-A Toledo.

Halvorsen pitched a scoreless inning against the Brewers last Thursday, then gave up a run against the Dodgers on Tuesday. Both outings were in non-save situations as the Rockies have won just three games all season.

Bender was charged with a blown save after giving up one run in the eighth inning against the Nationals on Friday. Calvin Faucher got the save chance the following day and converted his first.

Another week with no save chances in Chicago for the White Sox. The team did designate Mike Clevinger for assignment after he allowed five runs with a 3/8 K/BB ratio over 5 2/3 innings. It's not much use speculating here, but Leasure seems likely to be in line for any save chances.

Relievers On The Rise/Stash Candidates

The Angels placed right-handed setup man Ben Joyce on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation after seeing a dip in velocity during his last outing. With Joyce sidelined, Ryan Zeferjahn is in line to step into more high-leverage work behind closer Kenley Jansen. Zeferjahn has collected strikeouts over his last few outings and owns a 47.4% strikeout rate behind a 22.1% swinging-strike rate, albeit over a small sample so far. The 27-year-old right-hander has closer stuff with a 98 mph fastball and wipeout slider. Zeferjahn should be next in line to close on days Jansen is unavailable, at least until Joyce returns. He's a solid option to roster in holds leagues, especially if he can maintain the strikeouts. Staying in Southern California, Dodgers long reliever Jack Dreyer is another reliever gaining some value in deeper roto leagues. The team has leaned on the 26-year-old southpaw to give them some length in the middle innings and he's come through with one run allowed and a 16/1 K/BB ratio across 12 innings. He's also falling in line to pick up two wins, which could be invaluable in those 15-plus team roto/category formats.

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Bobby Miller struggles, but Dodgers complete sweep of Rockies

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Bobby Miller
Bobby Miller had a tough outing against the Rockies on Wednesday. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

One year and three weeks ago, Bobby Miller was at the peak of his young major league career.

After a promising rookie campaign in 2023, the hard-throwing right-hander had made the Dodgers’ 2024 opening-day rotation. In his season debut, he dominated the St. Louis Cardinals with 11 strikeouts over six scoreless innings. And as a former top prospect in the organization’s pitching-rich farm system, his ascent in the big leagues seemed to be just beginning.

One year and three weeks later, he faces a long climb back.

Called up from triple-A Oklahoma City for a spot start Wednesday, Miller’s first MLB start of 2025 mirrored the struggles that plagued him over the rest of 2024.

Over a woeful three-inning outing, the 26-year-old gave up six runs to the middling Colorado Rockies. Despite striking out seven batters, he was knocked around for a five-spot in the third, punctuated by a hanging curveball Michael Toglia hit for a grand slam.

The Dodgers still won, riding a seven-run first inning to an 8-7 victory that completed a three-game series sweep at Dodger Stadium this week.

But Miller’s implosion was another troubling sign for the Dodgers’ young depth options on the mound.

Read more:Dodgers legend Manny Mota suffers stroke: 'We hope he can recover all his functions'

Like Justin Wrobleski and Landon Knack before him, his return to the majors inspired little confidence.

In a rare opportunity to make an impression on the Dodgers’ big-league roster, he instead faltered in a frustratingly familiar script.

Two innings into Wednesday’s start, Miller appeared to be in full control.

He had limited damage in a three-hit first inning, striking out the other three batters he faced to give up just one run. He breezed through the second, stranding a two-out single with two more strikeouts.

And in between, he waited in the dugout for the 25 minutes while the Dodgers launched an assault on Rockies starter Germán Márquez.

Shohei Ohtani blasted a 448-foot leadoff home run to the top of the right-field pavilion. Freddie Freeman also found the right-field seats for a solo blast two batters later. From there, the Dodgers just kept coming, with Andy Pages driving two runs home with the bases loaded, Austin Barnes tacking on two more with a double that marked his first hit of the season, and Ohtani collecting another RBI in his second at-bat of the inning with a base hit.

All told, the Dodgers scored seven times, had nine batters reach base and chased Márquez from the game after 37 dismal pitches.

It seemingly set Miller up to cruise through the rest of his night.

Instead, it all came unglued in the top of the third.

After responding to a leadoff single with his sixth strikeout of the game, Miller lost his feel for, what up to that point, had been an effective curveball. He hung one to Kyle Farmer for a single. He missed with two to Hunter Goodman to walk the bases loaded.

Then, in a 1-and-2 count to Toglia, he fired another that stayed over the heart of the plate. Toglia unloaded for a grand slam. Miller hid his frustration behind a stoic face.

So often last year, Miller endured starts like this, unable to build upon his early-season momentum in what became a forgettable campaign.

Following that dazzling debut against the Cardinals, he yielded seven runs over 5 ⅔ innings in his next two starts. Shoulder inflammation landed him on the injured list for two months after that. And once he returned, he never looked the same, stumbling to a 9.34 ERA over his final 10 outings.

Read more:Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw throws three scoreless innings in rehab start

During that second-half stretch, Miller was dogged by a nagging knee issue. But wild command (he walked 30 batters in 56 innings on the season) and lack of execution with his breaking pitches (highlighted by a .357 batting average against his curveball) were equally troublesome problems.

On Wednesday, they resurfaced again.

An at-bat after Toglia’s grand slam, Miller fell behind Mickey Moniak by throwing two changeups that bounced to the backstop. Then, with Barnes holding his catcher’s mitt low in the zone, Miller fired a fastball that stayed up and over the plate. Moniak hit it the other way for a solo home run. What had once been a 7-1 lead was trimmed to 7-6.

Luckily for Miller, the bullpen picked up the slack against the woebegone Rockies (3-15) — including three innings of one-run relief from swingman Ben Casparius, who provided a bridge to Alex Vesia and Tanner Scott to close it out.

The Dodgers’ offense, meanwhile, provided just enough breathing room with a fifth-inning RBI single from Pages.

The question now: What will the Dodgers do next Wednesday, when there will once again be a hole in their rotation?

Tony Gonsolin is still expected to make one more triple-A rehab start before returning from his back injury. Knack (who had a 7.27 ERA in three outings this year) and Wrobleski (who yielded eight runs in his lone start last week) have already been optioned.

Given Wednesday’s results, Miller might be facing the same fate.

Before the game, manager Dave Roberts had remained bullish on his long-term potential, reflecting back at where he was one year and three weeks earlier.

“He was just really thriving,” Roberts recalled. “As far as the upside potential, absolutely [it’s still there]."

Wednesday, however, was a reminder of how far he's slipped trying to reach it.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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NHL Releases Information On Game One Between Colorado and Dallas

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) and Colorado Avalanche center Martin Necas (88) talk during a stoppage of play in the second period at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

NHL Public Relations announced the schedule for the Opening Day of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Wednesday evening. Playoffs are set to begin on Saturday, April 19th, and will broadcast two games on Saturday evening.

Per an email from NHL PR, game 1 of the first round series between the Colorado Avalanche and the Dallas Stars is set for Saturday, April 19th at 6:30 pm MT/8:30 pm ET. The series will begin in Dallas at American Airlines Center for the first two games before both teams travel to Denver to play out games 3 and 4 at Ball Arena. TNT, TruTV, and Max will broadcast the games in the United States, while Sportsnet, SN360, and TVA Sports will host the game broadcast in Canada.

This will not be the only game set to air on Saturday. The series between the St. Louis Blues and the Winnipeg Jets is set to begin with game 1 in Winnipeg at Canada Life Centre. Puck drop is set for 4:00 pm MT/6:00 pm ET. The game will be on Sportsnet, CBC, and TVA Sports in Canada. In the United States, the game will be on TNT, truTV, and Max.

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Pair Of Carolina Hurricanes Rookies Make NHL Debuts

Apr 16, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Domenick Fensore (89) skates with a puck during his rookie lap in warm-up before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)Apr 16, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Carolina Hurricanes center Skyler Brind'Amour (76) shoots a puck during is rookie lap in warm-up before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

The Carolina Hurricanes had a memorable night Wednesday even despite a 4-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens as the team had a pair of rookies making their NHL debuts.

Forward Skyler Brind'Amour, son of head coach Rod Brind'Amour, and defenseman Domenick Fensore got to suit up for their first NHL games after both putting in good years in the AHL.

"I think they acquitted themselves well," Rod Brind'Amour said. "I really do. It's a tough environment to walk into, but I thought all of them did a nice job."

Brind'Amour, 25, logged 15:28 centering William Carrier and Logan Stankoven and finished the night with a block and a hit as well as going 8-for-10 in the dot.

"There's been a lot of emotions," Brind'Amour said on his debut. "Kind of all over the place. It was a lot of fun. Obviously it's the best league in the world so it's tough to jump in and get your feet wet in that kind of environment with playoffs on the line for them, but it was really cool to be able to do that and really grateful for everybody that's helped me get to this point."

There were still a few learning moments for the rookie, namely the opening goal where he found himself accidently screening Pyotr Kochetkov.

 "He was fine," Rod Brind'Amour said. "Had the one big mess up on the first goal, covered the wrong guy and kind of took him too far in and then screened the goalie on a long shot, which as I said, if there's no screen, it's not going in. But other than that, I think he handled himself pretty well.

"I was happy for him because he's earned it. He's earned it, played solid. He's not a guy who's going to score three, four goals a night, but I think he was good on the faceoffs and that's kind of the little things that he does, kill penalties, that kind of role and I think he did a good job."

Fensore, 23, played 17:13 and had five shots on goal, a block and two hits.

The defender showcased his smooth skating, being unafraid to carry and transition the puck and his defending was nothing to scoff at either.

"It's been kind of crazy," Fensore said. "Got the news yesterday and flew here last night. Just being jumped into a big game like this was pretty special."

Both players also got time on the penalty kill, which was a perfect 3-for-3 on the night for Carolina.

In total, the pair brought the Canes' rookie number to five in Montreal as they skated also alongside Bradly Nadeau, Scott Morrow and Logan Stankoven and they all will probably have the chance for one more game too in Ottawa on Thursday.

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Yankees Notes: Clarke Schmidt supplying pitching reinforcements, Aaron Judge 'locked in'

The Yankees finished a three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night, thanks in part to Clarke Schmidt's first start of the year and capped by Aaron Judge's seventh-inning home run that proved to be the difference in the game.

Making his season debut, an amped-up Schmidt had to shake off some rust in the first inning, where he threw 21 pitches, but after allowing an early run, the right-hander settled down and managed to complete 5.2 innings on just 72 pitches in his first start off the IL.

"Definitely a little amped up and rightfully so," Schmidt said. "… The fans got me juiced up a little bit, so I was really happy I was able to settle it down."

Manager Aaron Boone thought his starter pitched great and was impressed by the length Schmidt ended up giving the team after throwing so many pitches in the first.

"In the first he's up over 20 [pitches] so you kind of go into the night, hopefully you get four [innings], couple times through [the lineup] maybe," Boone said. "For him to almost get through six, to be that efficient, keep us right there, I thought it was a good night for him and another good step to being all the way back for him. Really excited he's back in the rotation."

Without Gerrit Cole for the entire season and a starting rotation that has ranked near the bottom of the league in ERA (4.96) so far, Schmidt supplies the Yankees with much-needed pitching reinforcements and couldn't come at a better time.

With that in consideration, the 29-year-old understands how his role is amplified this season.

"Obviously, I always have high expectations for myself, but given the circumstances, I know that it’s a little bit more important right now," Schmidt said. "... I definitely have to step up. The whole rotation has to step up and I know that my job is to go out there and be consistent as possible every five days and give my team a chance to win, so I definitely know that I have to step up."

Wednesday's outing was a start in the right direction and helped New York secure the win as Schmidt dropped it off to Mark Leiter Jr. and Fernando Cruz, who recorded his first career save by getting the last six outs of the game with closer Devin Williams unavailable due to a heavy workload recently.

The pitchers did their part, which set up Judge to do his.

Stuck in a power outage over his last 10 games but still tearing the cover off the ball during that time, Judge stepped up to the plate to lead off the seventh inning and broke a 3-3 tie with a blast to center field for his first home run since April 4. He finished a triple shy of the cycle and looks as "locked in" as his skipper has seen him.

"Honestly, tonight was the most locked in [he was] I felt like at-bat wise where he was just like on everything," Boone said. [Royals starter Kris] Bubic is tough and I just felt like he was seeing it well and on everything and then all the way to the homer."

For Judge, it wasn't about hitting a home run in that situation, but just trying to get on base for the players behind him to drive him in, like Anthony Volpe did in the third inning.

"I want to get on base, I think that’s the biggest thing," he said. "Especially hitting in the middle of the order and especially if I’m gonna be hitting second a lot, I got to touch first base. That’s my job. Touch first base, let the guys behind me do their thing.

"When you’re hitting at the top of the order, you gotta know what your job is and my job is to get on first base and get on for the guys behind me."

And even though his manager seems to think he's as locked in as ever, when asked how he feels, Judge smiled and said, "We're getting there."