The Detroit Tigers dropped their series opener against the Cincinnati Reds, 9-8, in a walk-off on Friday night after building an early lead and sitting through a two-hour rain delay.
On Saturday, they turn to right-hander Framber Montero to even things up in the Queen City against their NL foes. The 25-year-old hurler has been a godsend for the Motor City Kitties after replacing an aged Justin Verlander in the rotation, having already accumulated a full win above replacement (Fangraphs) in just four games.
Montero has faced the Reds just once before — a five-inning effort last year that saw him allow two runs on seven hits (two of them solo home runs) and a walk while striking out four in an 11-5 home victory.
Opposite him is fellow righty Brett Lowder, who has been solid so far in his second season of action. The 24-year-old will be facing the Tigers for the first time in his young career on Saturday.
The game will be broadcast nationally on FOX. Here is a look at how those two pitchers match up.
Detroit Tigers (14-13) vs. Cincinnati Reds (17-9)
Time (ET): 1:40 p.m. Place: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, Ohio SB Nation Site:Red Reporter Media: FOX, Tigers Radio Network
Game 29: RHP Keider Montero (1-2, 3.68 ERA) vs. RHP Rhett Lowder (3-1, 3.10 ERA)
Dan Vladar smiled as he fist-bumped staff members and left the ice after morning skate.
The Flyers’ most valuable player will be in net Saturday for Game 4 against the Penguins at Xfinity Mobile Arena (8 p.m. ET/NBCSP). With a 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series, the Flyers have a chance to close out Pittsburgh and avoid going back to PPG Paints Arena.
“To see him get in those kind of uncomfortable spots the last couple of games, you never want to see that for anybody, let alone him when he’s in the zone like that,” Owen Tippett said Saturday. “It’s a huge boost to see him out there, but none of us in this room doubted him.”
Dan Vladar at skate preparing ahead of Game 4. Flyers have chance to sweep Penguins. Coverage at 7:30 p.m. ET on @NBCSPhilly. pic.twitter.com/f0jeujmjYj
SARASOTA, FL - MARCH 20: Franklin Arias #65 of the Boston Red Sox bats during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium on Friday, March 20, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Mets pitching staff pulled off a fantastic bullpen game on the uninspired WooSox offense. Worcester got just two hits on the night on the six pitchers Syracuse marched out, which totally upstaged whatever goodwill the Worcester staff got by allowing just one extra base hit on the night. There wasn’t much to write home about in this game, but kudos to the bullpen for not making the result even worse as well as Anthony Seigler for being the only WooSox bat on the night to reach base more than once. Hard to win games when hits are so tough to come by.
No, Franklin Arias did not get a home run last night against the Yard Goats (Rockies AA). He actually didn’t even get a hit, failing to reach base for just the second time all season and seeing his OPS drop to a paltry, lackluster 1.340. His batting average is now just .408. The offense wasn’t found elsewhere in the Sea Dogs lineup, as they got just three hits on the night and only one off each pitcher Hartford marched out. The two runs the Sea Dogs allowed in the first innings ended up sealing the game, but no one knew it yet. Maybe Arias is a catalyst for the rest of this lineup…
The Drive had two guys mash their fourth home runs of the season, Mason White and Yophery Rodriguez. Rodriguez hit a go-ahead home run in late innings for the second time in a week. The Tourists (Astros High-A) couldn’t hit Greenville reliever Devin Futrell, as many on the year have struggled to do. Through 17 2/3 innings having already recieved a promotion, he just allowed his first run tonight, but he remained strong through more than four innings and gave those home runs a chance to elevate Greenville to a win.
The RidgeYaks jumped ahead of the Nationals with runs in each of the first two innings, but the lead wasn’t held for too much longer and they fell victim to their three errors on the night. Soon, that 2-0 lead was a 6-2 deficit, and it only got worse from there as Salem, on top of their defensive woes, also went hitless in nine attempts with guys in scoring position. When you allow extra bases with errors and allowing nine walks, you’re more apt to lose games.
There’s something special about this Cubs team. Do you feel it?
Utterly dominated by Dodgers right-hander Emmet Sheehan for six innings, trailing 4-0 heading to the seventh, the Cubs cut that to 4-3 thanks in part to a triple (!) by Dansby Swanson. Then an Alex Bregman homer tied the game in the eighth, and Swanson’s two-run homer in the ninth gave the Cubs their 10th consecutive victory, 6-4 over the Dodgers.
Did I mention that two relievers who weren’t even on the radar when the season started threw four innings of two-hit relief against the tough Dodgers lineup?
Let’s begin at the beginning.
Jameson Taillon matched Sheehan for two innings, then gave up a single and walk leading off the third. Taillon struck out Shohei Ohtani and got Freddie Freeman on a line drive to center.
Unfortunately, Will Smith then smashed a three-run homer off Taillon. That’s been an issue for Jamo since Spring Training, when he allowed 10 homers in 13.1 innings. Now he’s allowed seven in 27.2 innings this season. It’s definitely a concern.
I thought that was a bad send by Quintin Berry. The hit by Alex Bregman wasn’t that deep, it moved quickly and Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages charged it. True, it took a perfect throw to get Busch, but if he had stayed at third, the Cubs would have had first and third with one out. Instead, there were two out with Bregman taking second on the throw. Ian Happ popped up to end the inning.
The Dodgers scored in the bottom of the fourth to make it 4-0.
It was still that score in the sixth when Tucker got robbed again by a Cubs fielder, this time Swanson [VIDEO].
And Sheehan continued to mystify Cubs hitters. He struck out 10. More on Sheehan’s night from BCB’s JohnW53:
Emmet Sheehan is the first pitcher to record double-digit strikeouts vs. the Cubs this season. Two did it last year: Jesus Luzardo of the Phillies (10 in 6.0 IP) and Nolan McLean of the Mets (11 in 5.1). Six did it in 2024, five in 2023 and 17 (!) in 2022. The most whiffs by any of them was 12.
The Cubs finally got to him, and Dodgers relievers, in the seventh. Moisés Ballesteros singled off Sheehan with one out and that brought left-hander Alex Vesia in to face Carson Kelly, who flied to right. Then Vesia walked Pete Crow-Armstrong.
Well. Now we’ve got a ballgame! Hoerner likely wasn’t running here, but Vesia threw over to first three times and didn’t get Nico the third time. That’s a disengagement violation and Hoerner was awarded second base. I don’t recall that happening to the Cubs since that rule went into effect three years ago. There were only 35 such violations in all of MLB in 2025. Hoerner was stranded, though, when Busch struck out.
That’s not only an excellent play by Nico, but also give credit to reliever Ryan Rolison for alertly getting to first base when it was clear Busch wasn’t going to make it.
Now that one, I thought was a good send. You’ve got that chance to take the lead, and it would take two perfect throws to get Happ — and the Dodgers accomplished that. Hat tip to Pages and Hyeseong Kim for those two throws.
So the game remained tied to the bottom of the eighth. Rolison retired the side in order. Can’t say enough about Rolison, who entered 2026 with a 7.02 career ERA. He threw three shutout innings, allowing just two hits.
Then the Cubs scored what would be the decisive runs in the ninth. PCA led off with a single.
The next three Cubs were retired in order, so they went to the bottom of the ninth with a two-run lead. On to save the game was… Corbin Martin, another reliever with a career ERA north of 6. The Cubs signed him to a minor-league deal in January and assigned him to Triple-A Iowa to start the season. He’s only in the big leagues because, well, you know about all the pitching injuries.
The Cubs now have erased 10 deficits this season, each in a different game. They eventually lost the first two, Opening Day (March 26) vs. the Nationals and April 11 vs. the Pirates. They have won all eight since then, including each of the last three days.
Last year, the Cubs erased 68 deficits in 60 games. Of those 60, they eventually won 32 and lost 28.
There’s something special about this Cubs team. Do you feel it?
I think the players feel it. Everyone steps up, every single member of the 26-man roster including the guys added to it because of injury. So many Cubs contributed to this win, including Rolison and Martin, neither of whom were on this roster a couple of weeks ago — and Rolison hadn’t pitched in 10 days.
The last time any Cubs team won 11 in a row was July 31-Aug. 12, 2016. This year’s Cubs will try to match that when they take on the Dodgers this evening in the second of this three-game series. Colin Rea will start for the Cubs and Roki Sasaki goes for the Dodgers. Game time is 6:15 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Fox-TV (regional — coverage map). A reminder that if you subscribe to MLB.TV or MLB Extra Innings, you can watch this game via those services even if it’s not on the Fox affiliate in your market.
CLEARWATER, FL - MARCH 13: Baltimore Orioles Outfielder Ike Irish (97) and Infielder Wehiwa Aloy (95) walk back to the dugout before the spring training game between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies on March 13, 2026 at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Runs were hard to come by in this one, as nobody scored until the Tides walked it off in the bottom of the 10th. Christian Encarnacion-Strand did the honors with a bases-loaded single to right to drive in Maikol Hernández and send the Tides fans home happy. Encarnacion-Strand had two of Norfolk’s six hits, and Creed Willems had two others. All six hits were singles. Leadoff man Jud Fabian reached base thrice on a hit and two walks.
Six Tides pitchers combined for the 10-inning shutout. Starter Cameron Weston handled the first 3.2 innings, striking out six, and five relievers each worked at least one scoreless inning. That group included rehabbing O’s lefty Dietrich Enns, who tossed a perfect sixth. Southpaw Josh Walker earned the win with two scoreless frames, stranding the go-ahead run at third base with nobody out in the 10th.
In stark contrast to the Tides, the Baysox played a game that featured 18 runs and 28 baserunners. The Baysox fell behind by five runs after a six-run Akron fourth inning, then stormed back with seven unanswered to take an 8-6 lead, only to let the RubberDucks score the game’s final four runs to conclude a roller coaster of a game.
Chesapeake got no help from the top of the lineup — with #1 and #2 hitters Brandon Butterworth and Aron Estrada going 0-for-9 — but plenty of production from the bottom. The #8 hitter Tavian Josenberger was 2-for-3 with a double, three runs, and two RBIs, and #9 man Frederick Bencosme was 2-for-4 and drove in three.
All four Baysox pitchers allowed at least one run, but they have their defense to blame for a lot of it. Akron scored six unearned runs thanks to three Baysox errors. Both the second baseman Estrada and third baseman Carter Young committed errors in the top of the ninth that led to Akron’s tie-breaking two-run rally. Earlier, a miscue by Butterworth at short cost starter Sebastian Gongora three unearned runs. Jose Espada, just sent down from the Orioles’ bullpen yesterday, pitched 1.1 innings for Chesapeake and gave up two runs.
High-A: Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nationals) 7, Frederick Keys 3
What a performance by Frederick starter Juaron Watts-Brown, the Orioles’ acquisition in last year’s Seranthony Domínguez trade. The right-hander pitched five scoreless, hitless innings with eight strikeouts, retiring 15 of the 16 batters he faced. Watts-Brown is on a rehab assignment from Chesapeake, and he sure looks like he’s about ready to head back to Double-A.
Unfortunately, as soon as Watts-Brown left the game, things spiraled quickly. Towering lefty prospect Boston Bateman got blasted for seven runs (five earned) and nine hits in just 2.1 innings. He also committed two balks. Ugly.
It wasn’t a banner day for the Frederick offense overall, with 11 strikeouts and just one walk, but the two highly touted 2025 draft picks — Ike Irish and Wehiwa Aloy — each homered. Orioles fans could get used to seeing that. Vance Honeycutt took an 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. Nate George did not play.
Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds 7, Wilson Warbirds (Brewers) 2
This marked the professional debut for left-hander Caden Hunter, the Orioles’ sixth-round pick last year, and he had his ups and downs. In 2.2 innings, he held the Warbirds to one hit, but also walked three. The only run on his ledger was an unearned one. Christian Rodriguez picked up the win with 3.2 innings of long relief, striking out seven and giving up just an unearned run.
Catcher Johnny Tincher, signed as a minor league free agent earlier this week, made his organizational debut and smacked a home run and drove in four. Not a bad first impression. His dinger was Delmarva’s only extra-base hit, but the Shorebirds made the most of their six singles, five walks, and four stolen bases to tally a seven-run game.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - APRIL 14: JJ Wetherholt #26 of the St. Louis Cardinals rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians at Busch Stadium on April 14, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Heading into Friday’s game, the Cardinals’ record stood at 14-10. Extrapolate that winning percentage over a full season, and we are looking at a 95-win pace! The Cardinals are back, let the good times roll! OK, a 95-win pace might be a little optimistic… Over at FanGraphs, their projection system actually likes the Cardinals LESS than when the season started and is projecting them to win only 45.6% of their remaining games (down from 46.4% on Opening Day). Maybe we shouldn’t start planning a parade just yet. I will fully admit that we still do not really know who these 2026 Cardinals are, but as they continue to bank wins, Chaim Bloom has to be considering the possibility of a more complicated trade deadline than originally anticipated. Since we do not know if the Cardinals are real, the only reasonable solution I can think of is to flip a coin (or a few million) and try to predict if Chaim Bloom will get to take a summer vacation or will be glued to the phone lines come August 3rd.
Before we start flipping coins, let’s set the stage. The Cardinals have played 24 games and have 89 more to go until the trade deadline. The NL Central is shaping up to be an absolute dogfight with all five teams currently over the .500 mark, but with the advent of the third wild card in 2022, there are an increasingly large number of teams that remain in contention later into the summer. So, with 14 wins in the bank, how many of the 89 games remaining until the deadline would the Cardinals need to win to be considered a proper contender and perhaps force Chaim to hang onto his expiring contracts or even consider adding players? To answer this question, I went back and looked at all teams with a record better than .500 on August 3rd of the last four seasons and averaged their odds of making the playoffs at that point in time.
This does not come close to capturing all the context of team quality, strength of schedule, and divisional situation, but it gives a directional reference point as to what kind of a record is needed to be considered “in contention” at the trade deadline. Nine of the ten teams between 7-9 games over .500 at the last four deadlines have had playoff odds greater than 50%, so that seems like as good a place as any to draw the contention line.
Using a random number generator, I simulated 100,000 sets of the 89 individual games remaining until the deadline to see how often the Cardinals landed at a 60-53 record or better by August 3rd. For the first run, I slightly weighted the coin to give the Cardinals a 45.6% chance to win each game to reflect their current rest-of-year projected winning percentage. Here are the results:
So if we assume the projection systems nailed the Cardinals’ team quality and the first 24 games were just lucky, the hot streak has given them a 15% chance to be squarely in contention with another 19% chance of being over .500 but more on the fringes of the race. This raises the question, what were the chances going into the season that the Cardinals would be in contention at the deadline, if we assume the projected 45.6% winning percentage is accurate? I re-ran the simulation for the full pre-deadline 113-game sample size without giving the computer knowledge of the first 24 games. Out of 100,000 runs, only 6.5% of the stretches ended with a record of 60-53 or better, less than half of what the simulation spits out now.
Now, what if you are on the more optimistic end of the spectrum and the first 24 games have convinced you that the Cardinals are a true-talent .500 ballclub and have roughly even odds in each game? Once again, I ran 100,000 sets of the remaining 89 pre-deadline games and saw a dramatic increase in complicated trade deadline scenarios. The results:
There you have it: if you accept the premise that 7 games over .500 at the trade deadline is fully “in contention” AND you believe the Cardinals are a .500 talent team, there is a 42% chance of a trade deadline that will have Chaim tossing and turning.
The real question I was trying to answer with this article was how impactful early-season wins can be in setting the stage for one of the largest front-office decision-making points each season. Obviously, the front office will have a more robust algorithm than “7 games over .500 we buy or hold, anything worse, we sell.” The standings at that point in time will be a real factor, as will the internal assessment on how “real” the team’s record is. Still, this framing does give a directional sense of what it means to bank early-season wins. If the Cardinals continue at this pace for another month, or stumble into a seven-game winning streak, the team’s position could force Chaim into making an uncomfortable decision.
What would the Cardinals’ record need to be for you to support the unthinkable, adding at the deadline? Should Bloom continue to stay the course of deferred gratification and trade all the expiring contracts no matter what? I am not sure how I would answer either of these questions, but I would love to wrestle with them for another couple of months, if the Redbirds want to keep on winning for a bit.
CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 23: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies is seen in the dugout prior to the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Thursday, April 23, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by George Gaza/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Each day I drive to work, it’s a decent drive. 35 minutes one way doesn’t sound like much until you actually have to do it each time. During those drives, I listen to a lot of podcasts and yesterday, I caught the latest episode of “Phillies Therapy”. If you’ve listened to it, you know that Matt Gelb and former TGPer Paul Boye are two of the best to talk about the team (shoutout to John Stolnis as well!). On the episode, Gelb talked about the possibility that the team has already lost the division and April isn’t over.
That brings us to our question of the day: have the Phillies already lost the division before May has even begun? As Gelb reminded us, the old adage about how a division can’t be won in April, but it can sure be lost seems to be able to be applied here. The losing streak has plunged them into a hole that they may not be able to get out of, either for the division or a playoff spot.
Apr 3, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Grant Holmes (66) walks off the mound at the end first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images | Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images
Everything about Grant Holmes just says reliever. The heavy fastball-slider usage, the pitches that seem to come and go, the 2 times through the order numbers, the stache, the long hair. Yet he’s grabbed 33 starts with Atlanta in the last 3 years. This year’s 2TTO numbers weren’t bad coming into this start. Though they were not great last night and his 1TTO and 2TTO FIP are probably close to equal now for the season. (I mean, it’s late as I’m writing this so I ain’t mathing it. I’m not AI, or at least the prompt Ivan used to create me compels me to deny it.)
These numbers (coming into last night) are pretty damning for a starter. The FIP increases by 2.24; the OBP by .109; the SLG by .187. So why do the Braves have him starting? Well, the answer to that question is answered by two others? One, when are Spencer Schwellenback and Hurston Waldrep coming back? And two, is one of his offerings going to become a reliable third pitch?
He’s yet to find consistent results with any of his offerings. The curveball is flattening out. The changeup is meh. But the slider and fastball has been good. So maybe he and Chris Sale can put their heads together and come up with a new approach. Or he could grow half a foot to Sale’s level. That would make his arsenal dance.
To the Schwellenback and Waldrep question, I don’t know. I haven’t heard anything about their progress lately. Availability is the best ability and all that. Grant has a decent fastball. So there you go, I guess. He’s been fine, but matchups with the Tigers, Dodgers and Cubs are looming.
Saturday is littered with Major League Baseball, with 15 games on tap.
That means plenty of MLB player props to choose from, including a hot-hitting Randy Arozarena looking to do some damage against lefty Matthew Liberatore in St Louis.
Read below for the rest of my favorite MLB picks for Saturday, April 25
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Randy Arozarena
Over 1.5 Hits
+210
Kevin Gausman
Over 5.5 strikeouts
+126
Ronald Acuna Jr.
2+ Total Bases
+105
Randy Arozarena Over 1.5 hits (+210)
Randy Arozarena doubled and scored a run in Friday’s 3-2 series opening win over the St. Louis Cardinals, which gives him hits in 10 of his last 13 games.
Of those games, six have been multi-hit efforts, and he draws a favorable matchup Saturday against Matthew Liberatore. In just five at-bats, Arozarena has two hits against him, including a homer and four RBI.
The Seattle Mariners’ left fielder is hitting .364 against lefties on the season (8-for-22) with a home run, a double and two RBI.
Time: 2:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Mariners.TV,Cardinals.TV
Kevin Gausman Over 5.5 strikeouts (+126)
After back-to-back 10+ strikeout performances to start the season, veteran Toronto Blue Jays righty Kevin Gausman has been Under six strikeouts the next three starts.
But the Cleveland Guardians are a good matchup for him, as this current edition is hitting just .196 in 92 at-bats, with Gausman striking out 25.
In both starts against the Guardians in 2025, he was on point: Gausman pitched six innings of shutout ball allowing just one hit on May 3, striking out nine.
He followed that up on June 26 by going 8.0 scoreless innings, giving up two hits and fanning six.
Time: 3:07 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FS1
Ronald Acuna Jr. 2+ total bases (+105)
Ronald Acuna Jr. is coming off just his second homer of the year in their series opening win over the Philadelphia Phillies, giving him hits in 14 of his last 17, grabbing at least two total bases in seven of them.
He’ll face Zack Wheeler Saturday, and he’s shown some pop against the veteran righty, going 12-for-49 (.245), with four doubles, four home runs and seven RBI.
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCSP, BravesVision
Eric Rosales' 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 5-9, +1.63 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 23: Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks reacts to referee Nick Buchert #3 against the Atlanta Hawks during the second 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 Knicks head back to State Farm Arena for Game Four against the Hawks, down 2-1 in their first-round playoff series. New York must find a way to stop the bleeding after dropping two straight one-point losses, including Thursday’s 109-108 bummer in Game Three. The Knicks can still win the series, but you’re forgiven for any loss of confidence as they continue to let go of the rope and then hang themselves with it.
In Game Three, the Hawks edged out the Knicks 109-108 on a late fadeaway jumper from CJ McCollum with 12.5 seconds left. McCollum finished with 23 points, while Jalen Johnson led Atlanta with a 24-point, 10-rebound double-double. For the Knicks, OG Anunoby poured in 29 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns had a 21-17 double-double, but Jalen Brunson can’t find his cape in the series, and Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges combined for two points on 1-of-11 shooting in Game Three. Josh can be forgiven due to the rebounding and various intangibles he delivers, but Bridges looked every bit of his -26 plus-minus, committing four turnovers and taking three shots before getting benched during the second half.
Usually the team that owns the glass with a +14 rebounding edge in the series and leads for a majority of game time would be in the driver’s seat. Yet defensive lapses, curious late-game execution, and missed opportunities at the free-throw line have been self-inflicted gashes. Poor preparation and execution? Sounds like a coaching failure. Mike Brown’s rotations and timeout management have indeed drawn criticism, particularly his failure to keep All-Star players on the floor consistently in crunch time. Integrating Towns more effectively early and attacking Atlanta’s frontcourt weaknesses remains an obvious adjustment, and with more gravity drawn to Towns, Brunson might find a little more spacing in which to conjure his dark arts.
Greater contribution from their bench would be nice, too. Jordan Clarkson has been adequate in his limited role, but Landry Shamet has recorded three points in the series. So much for a flamethrower off the bench. Mitchell Robinson should be the X-Factor against these smaller Birds, but he has played only 44 minutes and grabbed 15 rebounds. Dude should be playing 25-30 minutes and averaging double-digit boards per game. And how about letting Mohamed Diawara play a possession or two, when a tad extra height would give New York an edge around the paint? A smart coach should be able to find 3 minutes for the long rookie in a playoff game, even if just to protect Towns from foul trouble at the end of the third quarter or something.
The keys to victory for New York are unchanged: control the tempo, crash the boards, limit turnovers, and stay locked in on Atlanta’s perimeter threats (McCollum, Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker). The Knicks must also clean up their late-game decision-making and free-throw shooting. Getting Towns involved early and keeping him or Brunson (or both) on the floor at all times in the fourth quarter is essential. The postseason is no time for grab-bag experimentation—unless that means starting Miles McBride over Bridges. That’s a change that much of the fanbase would support at this juncture.
On the injury front, the Knicks are reportedly healthy. OG Anunoby is playing through a minor ankle issue. The Hawks remain without Jock Landale; Onyeka Okongwu is managing knee inflammation but has been available.
ESPN gives the Knicks roughly a 54% win probability on the road. Good deal. This series can still belong to New York if they tighten up the small details and stop letting Atlanta off the hook late. Expect another tight, grind-it-out battle in Atlanta. When the Knicks play their best basketball–disciplined, physical, and relentless on the glass–they’ve shown they’re the better team. Prediction: Knicks by four.
Game Details
Who: New York Knicks (1-2) at Atlanta Hawks (2-1) Date: Saturday, April 25, 2026 Time: 6:00 PM ET Place: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA TV: Peacock / NBC Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky
Apr 24, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets Head Coach Ime Udoka reacts during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers 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
The Houston Rockets fell into a practically insurmountable hole against the Los Angeles Lakers, falling 112-108 in overtime to a team still missing two of its three best players. The Rockets were also without Kevin Durant, but they had a chance to win the game, but fell apart down the stretch and into overtime, with the Lakers walking away with the 112-108 victory.
Head coach Ime Udoka called out his team after the loss, saying “Horrendous mistakes. “I don’t know if you want to say youth or scared of the moment, or whatever the case.” Just once I’d like to see Ime call out his own horrendous mistakes — and there have been many in the series — but just another moment in a long string of Udoka assigning blame but failing to take any for himself.
Although it certainly wasn’t Ime who turned the ball over to LeBron James in closing moments, leading to a three — that was Reed Sheppard. And it wasn’t Ime who missed a shot down the stretch — that was Alperen Sengun. Jabari Smith Jr. also had an ugly turnover down the stretch. But the Rockets have struggled closing out games even with Kevin Durant this season — and that’s ultimately a failure of coaching as well that a long-standing issue has not been addressed.
In addition, Udoka’s season-long issues with rotation have been well-discussed around here and have reared their ugly head once again in this series, partcularly in Game 2.
Udoka also told his team following this loss to, “Grow up. You’re not that young anymore.” But if it were up to me, the Rockets would be doing some serious introspection following this likely series loss, and moving on from Udoka should be one of the top considerations. This season has been as much about a referendum on Udoka’s coaching inadequacies as much it’s been a referendum on Houston’s mismatched roster.
But in this one, the Rockets were led by Sengun, with 33 points, 16 boards and 6 assists. He was 15-for-27 from the field. Amen Thompson had 26 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals on 8-for-14 shooting, and Jabari Smith had 24 points and 6 boards on 8-for-16 shooting.
Reed Sheppard also pitched in 17 points, but he shot just 6-for-21 from the floor and and had 5 turnovers in 45 minutes played, including a big one down the stretch. Coach, maybe if you didn’t pull Reed all year when he made a mistake, it might have made him more confident in these types of moments — some coaching 101 stuff. Reed did add 7 assists but was also cooked on D.
The Lakers were led by LeBron James with 29, Rui Hachimura with 22 and Marcus Smart with 21, but this game — and series — is less about the Lakers and more about Houstons failures. The Rockets did battle back from an early 15-point deficit in the first half, but couldn’t keep it together to close things out.
Once Houston loses this series, I believe all options should be on the table — including firing Udoka, or trading Kevin Durant or even Alperen Sengun. I don’t know that the Rockets feel the same way, and in fact, I fear that they don’t. This teams needs changes, that’s for sure.
Even with Anthony Edwards not at full strength, the Minnesota Timberwolves are starting to look like a team hitting its playoff groove and they’ve got Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets on their heels heading into Game 4.
Sure, the defense grabbed the headlines after holding Denver to just 34% shooting on Friday, but quietly, Minnesota’s offense is beginning to find its rhythm too.
Rather than folding, Minnesota’s supporting cast has stepped up in a big way. Donte DiVincenzo, Jaden McDaniels, and Ayo Dosunmu combined for 60 points in Game 3, showcasing the depth and resilience of this roster.
That same formula will be critical as the Timberwolves look to seize a 3-1 series lead, and it puts a bright spotlight on DiVincenzo. The sharpshooting guard has cleared this scoring line in all three games of the series, riding a red-hot stretch that includes hitting 11 of his 22 attempts from beyond the arc.
The Denver Nuggets have struggled to deal with his quick trigger and off-ball movement, particularly in actions like dribble handoffs and screens. His ability to create space and fire in rhythm has made him a constant threat, especially in transition, where Minnesota dominated with a 21-7 edge in fast-break points last game.
While this total sits close to DiVincenzo’s regular-season average of 12.2 points per game, the Timberwolves will need even more offensive punch from him with Edwards not at full strength. His scoring has become a key component of their attack.
Minnesota has looked like the more physical and assertive team through three games, and DiVincenzo’s perimeter shooting continues to stretch Denver’s defense thin.
Still, don’t expect Nikola Jokic to stay quiet for long. The three-time MVP has built his playoff reputation on consistency, averaging 27.4 points and 12.4 rebounds per game, and is primed for a bounce-back showing in Game 4.
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TORONTO, ON - APRIL 24: Gavin Williams #32 of the Cleveland Guardians pitches in the first inning during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on April 24, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians had the first bad Gavin Williams start of 2026, took some significant punches from former Guardians Andres Gimenez and Ernie Clement and had Cade Smith allow the first two Blue Jays to reach base in the bottom of the 9th… and still won 8-6.
Jakhob has your recap here. Sorry I posted it late, I fell asleep.
Kyle Manzardo has a wRC+ of 47. We are nearing emergency status with him. Also, basically, Vogt needs to keep Daniel Schneemann and Angel Martinez in the lineup every day (maybe just against RHP for Schnee) until further notice.
AROUND MLB;
The Tigers gave up a big lead to Tito’s 17-9 Reds and lost 9-8, the Twins also lost, but the White Sox and Royals won.
We’ll soon learn if telling your team to “grow up” proves to be a genius motivational tactic.
Rockets coach Ime Udoka viciously ripped his team after one of the most shocking collapses in recent memory in their 112-108 home overtime loss to the Lakers in Game 3 on Friday to fall in a 3-0 series hole.
Houston somehow lost despite having the ball while leading by six points with less than 30 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
Rockets collapse part 1 (start at :25 second mark)
“Grow up, and you’re not that young anymore,” Udoka said of his postgame message to the team. “You’ve been to the playoffs once, and we watched every situation just now.”
You can likely begin prepping the “Gone Fishing” segments for the Rockets’ season after Friday’s choke job, one that certainly raises questions about this group of players and Udoka’s future with the team.
Udoka has come under fire for his team not performing as expected this year, and going out this meekly — albeit without Kevin Durant — is a bad look for the 48-year-old leader.
That he would be so blunt and openly critical of his players is an interesting wrinkle since some coaches would take the blame to avoid making it seem as if they put their talent under the bus.
But Udoka didn’t hold back.
“Horrendous mistakes,” Udoka said to describe the loss. “I don’t know if you want to say youth or scared of the moment or whatever the case. You have a six-point lead with 30 seconds to go…”
Ime Udoka’s Rockets are one loss from going fishing. AP
Friday’s game unraveled when Jabari Smith Jr. made one of the most mind-boggling turnovers you’ll see with the Rockets ahead, 101-95, and the Lakers not even pressing.
Instead of holding the ball, he attempted to pass in the direction of the one Laker even remotely playing defense in Marcus Smart.
Smart intercepted the ball and Jae’Sean committed what Udoka called a “terrible” foul to bump him while he shot a 3-pointer, resulting in three foul shots that Smart made to slice the deficit to 101-98.
The Rockets still had control of the game, but Reed Sheppard got pick-pocketed on the next possession, resulting in a LeBron James game-tying 3-pointer with 13.6 seconds remaining.
Ime Udoka ripped his team for its Game 3 performance. Getty Images
Udoka said the Rockets then botched their final offensive play.
“We don’t run what was drawn up,” Udoka said.
The Lakers scored first in overtime and never trailed the rest of the way to put the Rockets on the brink of elimination.
A season that began with championship aspirations could instead end in one of the most underwhelming showings in team history and perhaps lead to Udoka being fired.
“It’s obviously a weakness of ours to close out and finish,” Udoka said. “The amount of mistakes or the type of mistakes are egregious, and you can’t have those.
“I talk about age all the time, but I’m not talking about 23, 22, whatever it is. I’m looking at five years, four years, three years in the league and drawing from there and learning from previous experiences.”
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 21: Brent Headrick #47 of the New York Yankees pitches during the game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Natalie Reid/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Four weeks into the season, the Yankees are riding high with the best record in the American League. Despite several key starters beginning the year on the IL, their rotation has been excellent and, even with a weeklong swoon, New York’s offense has scored the fourth-most runs in the league. The biggest area of concern has been a bullpen that’s ranked middle-of-the-pack and featured some alarming underperformers.
As I do each month in a given season, I’m going to take a look at the Yankees’ relievers to identify how manager Aaron Boone is deploying each and offer a verdict as to how much trust we can place in them moving forward.
Statistics below are as of the morning of April 24th.
The Closer
David Bednar
Recent results: 10.2 IP, 3.38 ERA, 13 SO, 2.11 FIP, 7 Saves (in 8 opportunities)
Bednar has not been the dominant force he was after coming over at last year’s Trade Deadline, a stretch which earned him the Yankees’ closer job. Only 3 of his 11 appearances have been clean outings, as the right-hander—known for his ability to pitch around traffic—has been forced to live up to that reputation. After a rough start, though, he appears to have settled in, rattling off scoreless innings his last four times out.
Confidence Level: High
Bednar’s peripherals, including a 2.50 ERA, suggest he’s pitched into some bad luck. He’s actually allowing much less hard contact than he did last year and, for the first time in his career, inducing opponents to put the ball on the ground at an elite rate. Weakly-hit grounders are surely a formula for success. Expect Bednar to continue to put his early-season blip in the rearview.
The Setup Man
Camilo Doval
Recent results: 10 IP, 7.56 ERA, 8 SO, 4.71 FIP
After doing little to augment their bullpen this offseason, the Yankees were counting on a resurgence from Doval. There was reason to believe — despite struggling in the second half after joining New York last year, the righty looked more like the pitcher who’d saved 107 games for San Francisco during the previous five seasons. The early returns have been abysmal. He’s allowed multiple runs three times this month, the types of showings which swing games in the late innings. Doval has limited walks after free passes plagued him last year but he’s allowing far more hard contact and struggling to induce groundballs (think Bizarro Bednar).
Doval may well have already lost the setup job; he hasn’t pitched since April 17th, which also happens to be the last traditional setup opportunity the Yankees have had. Boone gave his embattled reliever a show of confidence after his last poor outing. “Really, it’s back-to-back outings where I think he’s been really good, really sharp,” the skipper said, somewhat implausibly. “I feel like he’s close to being really dialed in.” Time will tell.
The Middle Relievers
Fernando Cruz
Recent results: 7.1 IP, 2.45 ERA, 10 SO, 3.69 FIP
A late bloomer if ever there was one, a 35-year-old Cruz burst onto the scene in the first half last year, riding a filthy splitter to a 3.00 ERA while punching out 54 in 33 innings. After trailing off in the second half, it was fair to wonder if that run of dominance was a flash in the pan. Cruz’s stuff has looked nasty so far, as he’s posted the lowest hard-hit percentage (13.3) in the league. But only two AL relievers have a higher walk rate, showing the potential for boom-and-bust in his game.
Confidence Level: Medium
Cruz has performed well, but his walk rate is wholly unsustainable. If he can improve his control, he has a potential to be a difference-maker in the back end of the bullpen. If not, his numbers could quickly nosedive.
Brent Headrick
Recent results: 13 IP, 2.08 ERA, 14 SO, 2.15 FIP
After shuttling between the Yankees and their Triple-A affiliate last year, Headrick has been the biggest surprise in the bullpen so far. The southpaw has tied for the most appearances in baseball while riding a dynamic four-seamer — against which opponents have hit .160 — to strong numbers. His splits have been reversed to a startling extent, with righties posting a feeble .429 OPS against him while his fellow lefties have feasted to the tune of a 1.195 mark.
Despite his solid start, the splits and 3.87 expected ERA raise some red flags. In the developing late-inning vacuum created by Doval’s struggled, Headrick will get the chance to show if his newfound dominance is sustainable. We don’t even need to attach a qualifier next to “will,” as Boone has him on pace for a number of appearances that can best be described as “Scott Proctor level.” The Yankees clearly like Headrick, and if anything, they might need to ease up on him — at least a little bit.
Tim Hill
Recent results: 10 IP, 0.90 ERA, 3 SO, 2.55 FIP
In a world in which relievers’ fortunes seemingly change by the week, you can set your watch by Tim Hill. He’s posted a 2.53 ERA in 115 appearances as a Yankee, neutralizing lefties while holding his own against righties. The sinkerballer has been at his extreme best this year — he’s yet to allow a walk or a barrel while posting a ridiculous 80-percent ground-ball rate that easily leads baseball.
Hill’s consistency makes it difficult to find anything new to say about him. As I’ve written in pretty much every instance of this series, the 36-year-old remains one of the biggest bargains in baseball. The Yankees are fortunate to have his steady hand as an anchor of their bullpen.
The Long Relievers
Ryan Yarbrough
Recent results: 8 IP, 5.63 ERA, 4 SO, 5.64 FIP
Yarbrough had a run last year that made him something of a folk hero in the Bronx, going 3-0 with a 2.08 ERA through his first five starts to help stabilize an embattled rotation. That showcase earned him a return engagement on a $2.5 million plus incentives deal. The journeyman’s numbers are inflated by a four-run outing against the Angels on April 16th, and he hasn’t pitched since.
Confidence Index: Low
While his impressive run last year provides a glimmer of hope, the breadth of Yarbrough’s career makes that look like a wonderful outlier. Expect him to remain in a low-leverage, innings-eater role.
Paul Blackburn
Recent results: 8 IP, 4.50 ERA, 5 SO, 3.02 FIP
Despite struggling with both New York teams last year, the Yankees took a flier on Blackburn on a similar deal to Yarbrough’s. He’s performed slightly better so far in a similar role, though there’s little in his profile or peripherals to suggest a breakout on the horizon.
Confidence Level: Low
See above. Blackburn is a righty Yarbrough, serving as a veteran long reliever with little upside.
The Mop-Up Men
Jake Bird
Recent results: 7 IP, 7.71 ERA, 9 SO, 2.43 FIP
A disappointment after joining the Yankees from Colorado last deadline, Bird got a shot at redemption after cracking the team’s roster out of spring. But he allowed six runs in seven innings and it was back down to Triple-A. The righty has allowed far too much hard contact to consistently get outs at the major-league level. Called back up this week as depth with starter Ryan Weathers landing on the paternity list, Bird has yet to be used and is extremely likely to return to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre once Weathers is activated.
Confidence Level: Nonexistent
Bird remains a talented reclamation project, best suited to work through his command issues in the minors.
Angel Chivilli
Recent results: 2.1 IP, 3.86 ERA, 3 SO, 11.29 FIP
Another former Rockie, Chivilli started the year at Triple-A. He was recalled after tossing 8.1 scoreless innings but has yet to see much action with the Yankees. The right-hander features elite fastball velo but has struggled to turn that into commensurate strikeout rates, leading his new team to up his changeup usage.
Confidence Level: Nonexistent
The jury’s still out here. Chivilli has some promise but has not yet been given enough runway to establish any kind of confidence.
Ronald Acuna Jr.
