"They're gonna kill me if I start answering questions. I'm trying to follow more rules this time," Wade said to the group of reporters as he was driven off.
Will Wade is back in Baton Rouge, four years after he was fired by LSU: "They're gonna kill me if I start answering questions. I'm trying to follow more rules this time."#LSUpic.twitter.com/wdjQKhzZoJ
Wade reportedly agreed to a seven-year deal with the Tigers, who also fired Matt McMahon on Thursday after leading LSU to a 60-70 overall record in his four seasons at the helm.
"We are excited to welcome Will back home as the next head coach of the LSU Men’s Basketball program," LSU director of athletics Verge Ausberry said in a statement. "As LSU fans know well, Will is a consistent winner, a diligent program-builder, and a charismatic leader with an incredible ability to connect with his student-athletes and the fan base. Not only does he bring his postseason pedigree and an energetic presence, but he is innovative and strategic at a time in college athletics that requires both."
The 43-year-old coach has a history of rule-breaking from his first stint at LSU, and that is likely the source of his humor in that clip. Wade was fired by the Tigers in 2022 after the NCAA accused him of committing multiple Level I and Level II violations, including "lack of institutional control." That wasn't the first rule-breaking or scrutiny Wade was under at LSU, though. In 2019, Wade was involved in a federal investigation into corruption in college basketball recruiting, centered on paying recruits before the now-NIL era.
The NCAA issued Wade a two-year no-show cause and a 10-game suspension in 2023, the first season he was hired by Heath Schroyer at McNeese State. Schroyer was hired at LSU on Thursday for a senior administrator role that oversees the men's basketball program, a hire that was reported to be a significant factor in Wade's abrupt return to LSU after Wade denied rumors that his name was linked to LSU at the ACC tournament.
On the court, Wade won in his first tenure at LSU. He led the Tigers to a 105-51 overall record, an SEC regular-season championship in 2019, and four postseason tournament appearances, including three to the Men's NCAA Tournament.
LSU and NC State came to terms on a $4 million buyout for Wade to leave the Wolfpack. According to Wade's contract with the Wolfpack, obtained by the USA TODAY Network, the buyout for him to take another job was at $5 million before dropping to $3 million on April 1.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 14: Rui Hachimura #28 and Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers defend against the dribble of Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets during the second half of a game at Crypto.com Arena on March 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With LA up four and minutes away from sweeping consecutive road games against a fellow Western Conference foe, the team sets up on one of its final defensive possessions.
As they’ve done all game, the Lakers threw a double team at superstar Kevin Durant. His frustrations are clearly mounting over a blatant form of coverage he doesn’t encounter regularly.
Pounding the basketball in retreat, Durant passes out of the trap, pointing and directing to no avail as a cross-court pass creates no advantage with all Lakers in ready position. The weak side catch results in a Tari Eason airball over the outstretched contest of LeBron James.
Before the Pistons snatched away victory in the final seconds, the Lakers were in the midst of a nine-game winning streak. It was a run that featured the purple and gold slowing down some of the top stars in the league, doing so with an unorthodox, playoff-style approach to defense.
A variety of reasons contribute to the overall improvement on that end. There’s been a renewed effort across the board, led by LeBron’s role and usage being set appropriately, allowing him to devote more energy to “big man” responsibilities. Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić‘s increased physicality and intent, along with Deandre Ayton’s role rejuvenation, all play a part as well.
A major contributing factor is head coach J.J. Redick’s game planning and adjustment for each matchup, specifically tailoring coverage of the opposing star with his available personnel and the situation it calls for game to game.
“This time of year, with the standings the way they are, a chance to get the tiebreaker over Denver, we treated this like a playoff game,” Redick said after the team’s big home win over the Nuggets. “Our guys approached it like a playoff game. They played it like a playoff game. It wasn’t perfect, but they stuck with it.
“The winning plays really stood out. And then just their ability in high-pressure situations to execute multiple end-of-game situations was really high level.”
That approach began with doing things that normally spell death against a player like Nikola Jokic. It was decided early to switch any screen with the superstar big man, then front the post with the guard to deny the entry pass and close by sending a quick double to prevent any isolation play.
Watch them execute it in the defensive possession below. Luke Kennard and Jaxson Hayes are involved in the initial action. They switch the screen, with Kennard now responsible for fronting the post and making the pass as difficult as possible. Jokic catches it on the extended wing while the Lakers instantly show him bodies.
Notice the rotations around it. Every player is in sync with their close-outs. The ball swings a few times and leads to a Jamal Murray contested miss at the rim. The fellow Nuggets star, who’s had his way with LA in the past, was held to just 1-14 shooting that evening.
The Lakers didn’t shut down Jokic, as he still put up his numbers. But this aggressive, intentional defense forced him into 13 turnovers in their last two meetings.
“It was a total team effort,” Marcus Smart said. “To be able to adjust on the fly, we were throwing different looks at him. Not a lot of looks we threw at him; we practiced. It was just kind of go and make a play. I think that speaks volumes about the team, the chemistry that we’re building, and the chemistry with the coaching staff.”
That chemistry continued a few days later against the Rockets, as the Lakers brought out another unorthodox game plan.
In the clip below, the Lakers have Jake Laravia and Hayes involved at the top of the key. They “red” one through five, meaning to switch and hope to negate any advantage a screen may create. Then, Laravia comes to “fire”, or put two on the ball to get the ball out of Durant’s hands.
This way, it not only gets the ball out of the superstar’s hands but also lets the team dictate the terms of engagement for who gets the open shot.
LA trusted their rotations behind the aggressive on-ball coverage and lived with the Rockets’ wings being forced to playmake out of a four-on-three situation. Dorian Finney-Smith, under duress, heaves the ball over the head of his teammate out of bounds.
Durant was held to just two points in the second half, along with seven turnovers, the second most he’s had all year. He joins a host of stars LA has kept in check with this style, including Anthony Edwards at 2-15 shooting and Paulo Banchero at 4-14 shooting.
How this holds up against teams in a real playoff setting with time to prepare remains to be seen. Taking something away defensively will open up counters elsewhere. This aggressive switching style, with the tendency to overhelp, can create damaging mismatches and wide-open looks.
With that said, the Lakers are 13-2 in their last 15 games, posting the 10th-best defense during that stretch, and seem to be rolling high into the playoffs. It’s allowed a team made up of below-average to passable defenders at best to commit to a style that rewards them with wins for the effort they put in.
Whether this defense is legit or a “gimmick,” as Durant described it postgame, it has the Lakers believing and playing in lock step with each other. That’s just as, if not more than, important as anything Redick could draw up on his clipboard.
PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 30: Rickard Rakell #67 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates against the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Defenseman Erik Karlsson is getting most of the attention right now for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and deservedly so given the way he is playing. He is not only playing the best hockey he has ever played as a member of the Penguins, he is playing some of the best hockey that he has ever played for anybody. It is a marvel to watch. He is in command every time the puck is on his stick and is completely changing games. With Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin going in and out of the lineup, Karlsson has consistently stepped up and played like the superstar the Penguins need. He is their MVP right now, and for this season.
He is not the only Swedish player that is stepping up and making a major impact at the moment. Rickard Rakell is right there with him.
Maybe not at quite the same level, but at least fairly close.
He was every bit the impact player that Karlsson was in Thursday night’s 4-3 shootout win over the Ottawa Senators, scoring a pair of goals, assisting on another and making a handful of plays that even dazzled the Ottawa crowd. He was on one, and it was spectacular to watch.
It has also been a pretty common theme for him throughout the month of March.
With his three-point effort on Thursday, Rakell is now up to seven goals, eight assists, 15 total points and 31 shots on goal in the 14 games this month, while also scoring the game-winning shootout goal against the Winnipeg Jets this past Saturday. From an underlying numbers standpoint, his 59.04 percent expected goals share over that stretch is tops on the team (among players that appeared in at least 10 games) while the Penguins have outscored teams 14-9 with him on the ice during 5-on-5 play. He is also averaging 1.26 individual expected goals per 60 minutes. He is creating chances. He is converting on them.
It has been an especially important month for Rakell because a lot of that production came with Sidney Crosby out of the lineup and Rakell having to play out of position at center. The experiment with him at center may not have been wildly popular, and it is certainly not his strongest position or the ideal spot for him, but he simply produced and provided offense at a time when the Penguins needed.
He has also faced some criticism this season for seeing his overall production drop a bit from his career-year performance in 2024-25. But that was always going to be a very real possibility, if not an expectation. Most players that have a career-year in their early 30s are not going to repeat it or build on it. That is just not how aging curves and career progressions work. The important thing was for him to at least get back into the same ballpark and be close to it.
From a big picture perspective, he mostly has.
There was a big discussion at the trade deadline a year ago over whether or not the Penguins should have traded Rakell, but given the trade market for non-star wingers on the plus side of 30 (especially in-season), it seems unlikely that there was a huge market for him. At least not enough of one to make trading him worth it when he still has productive hockey to give. He clearly still does.
After Thursday’s game Rakell is now up to 17 goals and 39 assists in 51 games for the season. That is a 27-goal, 62-point pace over 82 games. Both numbers are above his normal 82-game averages (24 goals, 54 points) for his career. The production is not what it was a year ago, but it is still there at a more than acceptable rate. More importantly, it has been there when the Penguins needed it from him.
The Yankees had the most productive offense in the majors last year, and that lineup returns intact. They'll light up Robbie Ray, who is coming off a solid season but had worrying underlying metrics. Ray was in the Bottom 10th percentile in average exit velocity, and the bottom 20th percentile in hard-hit rate.
Meanwhile, Yankees hurler Cam Schlittler should build on an impressive rookie campaign by mixing in more breaking pitches.
COVERS INTEL: The Yankees led the majors in barrel rate, hard-hit rate, and exit velocity last year. Ray was in the Bottom 26th percentile in all three categories.
Yankees vs Giants same-game parlay (SGP)
Schlittler fanned 11 batters in 9 2/3 frames during spring training. He averages 98 mph on his four-seamer and sinker, with his cutter now at 94.7 mph — nearly 3 mph higher than last year. He averaged 10.4 K/9 last season and will be even more overpowering in 2026.
Aaron Judge is the best hitter in the world, and over the last two years, he's posted an incredible .457 OBP while plating 259 runs in 310 games.
Not only does Ray give up too much hard contact, but San Fran's bullpen sits near the bottom of the majors in most preseason rankings. This could be a game where the Yankees win by multiple runs, especially if Judge and Schlittler play well.
Yankees vs Giants SGP
Cam Schlittler Over 4.5 strikeouts
Aaron Judge Over 0.5 runs
Yankees -1.5
Yankees vs Giants home run pick: Aaron Judge (+240)
Judge went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts on opening night. That said, the three-time AL MVP is a proven slugger who has mashed more than 50 dingers in three of the last four seasons.
He should bounce back and this is a great matchup for him. Judge has jacked three dingers in four career games at Oracle Park. The towering right-hander also has the platoon advantage against Ray and has gone 3-for-8 with three homers in his career against him.
2026 MLB Transparency record
Best bets: 1-0, +1 units
SGPs: 0-1, -1 units
HR picks: 0-1, -1 units
Yankees vs Giants odds
Moneyline: Yankees -134 | Giants +114
Run line: Yankees -1.5 (+122) | Giants +1.5 (-146)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-102) | Under 8.5 (-120)
How to watch Yankees vs Giants and game info
Location
Oracle Park, San Francisco, CA
Date
Friday, March 27, 2026
First pitch
4:35 p.m. ET
TV
YES, NBC Sports Bay Area
Yankees starting pitcher
Cam Schlittler (2025: 4-3, 2.96 ERA)
Giants starting pitcher
Robbie Ray (2025: 11-8, 3.65 ERA)
Yankees vs Giants latest injuries
Yankees vs Giants weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
CHICAGO – Michigan vs. Alabama sounds like a football fan's dream. But Friday night's Sweet 16 game will be everything a basketball would want, too. Why? Expect plenty of fireworks.
Michigan averages 87.4 points per game, while Alabama leads the nation at 91.6 ppg. Giddy up.
Alabama has looked impressive with tournament wins over Hofstra (90-70) and Texas Tech (90-65), and even without Aden Holloway, the backcourt pairing of Labaron Philon (29 points vs. Hofstra) and Latrell Wrightsell (24 points vs. Texas Tech) have been lethal.
Big Ten Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg leads the line for Michigan, with Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Aday Mara anchoring the post. The Wolverines were able to slow down the run-and-gun, high-flying Saint Louis offense in the second round. Can they do the same vs. the Crimson Tide?
The winner of tonight's game advances to Sunday's Elite Eight, where it will play the winner of No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 6 Tennessee.
Here's what you need to know for tonight's Michigan vs. Alabama Sweet 16 game, including predictions and how to watch.
HIT REFRESH FOR UPDATES.
Michigan vs Alabama live score
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What time is Michigan vs Alabama?
Time: 7:35 p.m. ET, Friday, March 27.
What channel is Michigan vs Alabama? How to watch, streaming info
The game is airing on TBS/truTV, streaming via Fubo.
The Tide have the shooting and know their formula to win: "Execute the game plan, make shots, protect the way to ball, find a way to rebound," Oats said. Saying it is one thing. Doing it is entirely different. Michigan has more avenues to victory. If the shots aren't falling, it can go inside. If drop coverage isn't working on pick-and-rolls, U-M can hard hedge. If one player is having an off day, even Lendeborg, there is enough talent to offset that. Alabama doesn't quite have the same room for error. It must hit 3s, lots of them, to win this game. With the belief Michigan can eventually find a way to slow the Tide down as the game goes on, it's reasonable to think the Wolverines will be in a tight game that they eventually pull away in.
"As a young high school coach, I didn't think I'd ever be in this spot not too long ago. I'm not a guy that's always trying to jump around," Oats said. "The grass isn't always greener. I love Alabama. My girls love Alabama.
"I'm not looking to leave."
Oats continued: "I still can't believe I am getting paid this much. I'm coaching basketball guys," Oats said of his current contract with Alabama. "I did this thing for free at Maranatha [Baptist] for three years. … For the first 16 years I coached basketball, [I made] less than $500,000 total.
"My salary goes up half a million every year. I am a glorified P.E. teacher making too much money right now. So, I'm not going to complain."
Why isn't Aden Holloway playing for Alabama? Latest news on guard's arrest
Holloway was arrested on Monday, March 16 and charged with first-degree possession of marijuana and failure to affix a tax stamp after the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force found 2.1 pounds of marijuana in his residence.
He was transported to the Tuscaloosa County Jail and was set with a $5,000 bond, according to The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. The University of Alabama later released a statement and said he was removed from campus and won't return to the team until the university's office of student conduct finishes its investigation.
What Yaxel Lendeborg said about Alabama not recruiting him
Lendeborg played for the University of Alabama-Birmingham for two years in 2023-24 and 2024-25 before entering the portal at the conclusion of last season. When he entered, he had hoped to stay in-state.
"When I entered the transfer portal out of UAB, I was hoping to get recruited by Alabama. And when I didn't, it kind of hurt me a little bit. Not in a way that I can say 'I hate them.' It just bothered me a little."
"There's going to be juice for sure," Lendeborg said of playing Alabama. "I know I'm going to try my best to be the best player on the floor tomorrow for sure. All it is extra motivation for sure, just not in the sense where I'm like, 'this is what you guys missed on,' but like you guys could have called at least, or something like that."
Dusty May and Nate Oats refuted that Alabama never recruited Lendeborg, who was named Big Ten Player of the Year this season.
"Nate and I being friends, we talked through that process," May said. "And don't tell Yax, but they did try to recruit him."
CAMDEN, N.J. — Kelly Oubre Jr.’s self-reported status was straightforward after the Sixers’ practice Friday.
“I’m playing basketball tomorrow,” Oubre said.
The 30-year-old wing’s imminent return is more significant, positive injury news for a Sixers team that got Joel Embiid and Paul George back Wednesday in a blowout win over the Bulls.
Oubre’s missed the Sixers’ last eight games with a left elbow sprain. The Sixers face one of his former teams Saturday night in the Hornets.
“I’m excited just to get back out there and bring the crazy,” he said.
Both the Charlotte game and the Sixers’ Monday night meeting with the Heat figure to be important ones in determining how the Eastern Conference standings shake out.
The Sixers entered Friday night seventh in the conference at 40-33, a game ahead of the Hornets and the Heat. Their regular-season series against both teams are even at one game apiece.
Charlotte’s been among the NBA’s best teams for two months and change. Since Jan. 22, the Hornets have gone 23-6. They’ve had the NBA’s No 2 net rating, No. 1 offensive rating and No. 5 defensive rating during that stretch, according to Cleaning the Glass. The Hornets held a 50-point lead over the Sixers back on Jan. 26.
“Listen, Charlotte’s obviously a big surprise to everybody, but they’re legitimately for real,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said. “They are very good. You guys can look at all the numbers … the record, who they’re beating, all that stuff is totally legitimate. It’s not like they’re doing it once in a while. It’s been a consistent thing here since the turn of the new year. So we’ve got to get ready to go.
“The pace they’re playing at, the energy, the amount of people they’re playing. … There’s just no moments to relax or ease into anything. It’s just kind of on from the jump ball. I think it’s a tremendous test for us to see how we react to that and see how our bench can react to that, too. We’re going to have to play all these guys that have been playing, which I think is a positive for us. … They’re definitely going to play a lot of guys and with a lot of speed.”
While the Sixers will still be down a very speedy player in Tyrese Maxey, the Sixers’ All-Star guard has made obvious progress in recent days with his right pinky injury.
“I feel pretty good,” Maxey said Friday. “I just got a new splint. … I’ve been working conditioning-wise, doing all the things that they need me to do. So we’ll see.”
Maxey said he’s “learned patience” while rehabbing his injury and felt confidence in his teammates’ ability to “hold down the fort.”
“Our team has really done a good job of just maintaining all season,” he said. “So being able to have this time off, rehab and just let the pinky get better … it’s on my shooting hand. That’s the main reason. If it were on my left hand, no one would really even know I was hurt. I’d just be like, ‘Listen, I’m playing regardless.’
“But I’m just trying to get better every single day, stay with the team and keep doing the things that I’m asked.”
Sep 26, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Brandon Sproat (40) delivers a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Brewers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
In this week’s Reacts survey, we asked fans which young pitcher they’re most looking forward to seeing play with the Brewers this season. The results were a bit more split than I honestly expected. I’m not surprised at the order, though.
Brandon Sproat finished atop the voting at 39%, followed by Kyle Harrison (27%), Logan Henderson (23%), and Robert Gasser (11%). Sproat and Harrison, two of the newest Brewers, are also the only two of the group in the majors right now. Both Henderson and Gasser are at Triple-A, though they’re certainly among the “first men up” in the event of an injury or bad performance.
While we haven’t yet gotten a glimpse at Sproat or Harrison, both are slated to pitch in the next few days; Sproat gets the start on Sunday against the White Sox, and Harrison will follow against the Rays on Monday.
In a quick cup of coffee with the Mets last year, Sproat made four starts, pitching to a 4.79 ERA, 2.80 FIP, and 17 strikeouts over 20 2/3 innings. Harrison, still only 24, is the most experienced of the group, as he’s made 42 appearances (37 starts) over three seasons with the Giants and Red Sox. In 2025, he appeared in 11 games (six starts) between the two teams, pitching to a 4.04 ERA, 3.72 FIP, and 38 strikeouts over 35 2/3 innings.
Gasser and Henderson each had cameos with Milwaukee the last two seasons, as Gasser has made seven starts with a 2.67 ERA, 3.96 FIP, and 21 strikeouts over 33 2/3 innings with a Tommy John surgery in the middle. Henderson made five starts with a 1.78 ERA, 3.02 FIP, and 33 strikeouts over 25 1/3 innings in 2025 but dealt with elbow injuries in the second half of the season. Elbow soreness lingered this spring, but the team sounds hopeful that it’ll clear up with some extra rest.
The Washington Wizards are in full-blown tank mode, while the injury-riddled Golden State Warriors are essentially locked into a spot within the Western Conference Play-In Tournament.
Golden State’s shorthanded roster just lost Moses Moody, but my Wizards vs. Warriors predictions expect Gui Santos to pick up the slack on offense and keep the momentum going from his career-high scoring performance.
Here are my best free NBA picks for this cross-conference showdown on Friday, March 27.
Wizards vs Warriors prediction
Wizards vs Warriors best bet: Gui Santos Over 15.5 points (-112)
Already running low on quality scoring options, the Golden State Warriors suffered another devastating loss, as Moses Moody tore a ligament in his left knee. With Moody joining Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and a number of role players on the sideline, someone else will need to step up on offense.
Over his last 12 games, Gui Santos has averaged 16.5 points, going for 16+ seven times and exactly 15 points once more. Santos has scored at least 16 in two straight games, including his career-high 31-point eruption against the Nets on Wednesday.
Santos has averaged 14.5 points across 25 starts compared to just 4.7 points off the bench. He’s scored 16+ in 11 of 25 games as a starter, including six of 10 starts at home, where he’s averaged 16 points. He finished with 18 points against the Washington Wizards in his first matchup.
The Wizards own the NBA’s worst defensive rating at 120.7, and the team has surrendered the second-most points to opponents (124.1). The Wizards will offer no resistance, and I expect Santos to build on his career-best performance with at least 16 points.
Wizards vs Warriors same-game parlay
Washington could be without Alex Sarr and Tristan Vukcevic tonight, leaving the Wizards vulnerable on the glass. Golden State doesn’t have an elite rebounder, and with Al Horford and Quinten Post out again, someone else will need to step up to grab boards.
Santos has averaged 5.8 rebounds in 13 March games, grabbing 6+ six times.
The Wizards have hit the Over in eight of their last 10 games, and the Warriors have done so in seven of their last 10.
Over the last five games, Washington has surrendered 129.8 points per game, and Golden State has given up 121.8. In that span, both teams rank T-7 in pace, and there should be plenty of points tonight.
Wizards vs Warriors SGP
Gui Santos Over 15.5 points
Gui Santos Over 5.5 rebounds
Over 232.5
Our "from downtown" SGP: Podz & Porzingis
Brandin Podziemski has averaged 16.5 points and 5.9 rebounds across his last eight games, leading his team in rebounds in that span. He's scored 16+ four times in that span, including 20+ in two straight.
Podz recorded 7+ rebounds twice, and exactly six rebounds three more times.
Kristaps Porzingis has only averaged 17.4 points and 4.7 rebounds over his last seven games, going for 6+ rebounds once and 19+ points thrice.
He may not see a ton of playing time, but he won't need to be on the court too long to take advantage of a Wizards team surrendering the most rebounds and second-most points to opponents this season.
Wizards vs Warriors SGP
Brandin Podziemski Over 15.5 points
Kristaps Porzingis Over 18.5 points
Brandin Podziemski Over 6.5 rebounds
Kristaps Porzingis Over 5.5 rebounds
Wizards vs Warriors odds
Spread: Washington +14 (-110) | Golden State -14 (-110)
Moneyline: Washington +650 | Golden State -1000
Over/Under: Over 232.5 (-110) | Under 232.5 (-110)
Wizards vs Warriors betting trend to know
The Wizards have hit the Over in 18 of their last 25 games (+10.30 Units / 37% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Wizards vs. Warriors.
How to watch Wizards vs Warriors
Location
Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Date
Friday, March 27, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
Monumental SN, NBC Sports Bay Area
Wizards vs Warriors latest injuries
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.
Opening Day is here — and it’s time to make some bold calls.
In this episode of the Royals Rundown Podcast, hosts Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco break down the upcoming start of the Kansas City Royals’ season while diving into the biggest storylines shaping baseball both on and off the field. From early-season reactions and roster updates to lingering buzz from the World Baseball Classic, the hosts set the stage for what could be a defining year for the franchise.
A major focus of the episode is the evolving landscape of MLB broadcasting, including frustrations with Netflix’s baseball coverage, ongoing blackout restrictions, and what the future of streaming means for fans trying to follow the Royals. Jacob and Jeremy explore how media rights, accessibility, and league partnerships could reshape how fans consume the game in the coming years.
The episode also introduces a brand-new segment: the “Bold Royals Predictions” game, where the hosts make betting-style projections on player stats, team performance, and season outcomes. From home run totals and ERAs to total team runs scored, the predictions range from realistic expectations to ambitious (and sometimes wild) forecasts for 2026.
Blending season preview insights, media analysis, and interactive fan engagement, this episode gives Royals fans everything they need to start the season informed, entertained, and ready to make their own predictions.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 26: Jake Cronenworth #9 congratulates Ramón Laureano #5 of the San Diego Padres after his solo homerun during the seventh inning of a game against the Detroit Tigers on Opening Day at Petco Park on March 26, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After the San Diego Padres dropped Opening Day against the Detroit Tigers, 8-2, they’re not off to nearly as auspicious a start as the 2025 season, to say the least.
There’s plenty to be excited about: Xander Bogaerts’ two hits off Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, Ramón Laureano’s home run, the bullpen (more or less) locking it down and only using one high-leverage reliever.
But the starting pitching took a hit.
In a game that was already going to be difficult with Skubal on the mound for the opposition, Nick Pivetta struggled to get out of the first inning.
After striking out leadoff man Kerry Carpenter, he couldn’t find the zone and issued two walks and a single to the load the bases before walking in a run.
He ended the inning having given up four runs but was mostly solid for the rest of his outing (3 innings).
San Diego knew it wasn’t going to get much against Skubal but managed to put up two runs against a dominant Tigers pitching staff. But if they want to stay in games the pitching will need to be a lot stronger moving forward.
Taking the mound
Framber Valdez (DET) v. Michael King (SD)
Enter Michael King.
King was an ace for the Padres in 2024, pitching to a 2.95 ERA across a career-high 30 starts. But in ‘25 he suffered an injury-plagued campaign that saw him miss half the season.
If King can return to form, San Diego’s rotation will go a long way toward being as elite as it can be.
Today, the Friars will have their work cut out for them against ground ball extraordinaire Framber Valdez. After spending his whole career with the Houston Astros, he inked a three-year, $115 million deal with Detroit to serve as a co-ace with Skubal.
Batter up!
San Diego will likely use a very similar lineup as they did on Opening Day. Skubal and Valdez pitch quite similarly, with them being two of the most dominant southpaws in the game.
Despite Fernando Tatis Jr. hitting leadoff yesterday, it seems possible that manager Craig Stammen could shake things up and go back to his lineup from earlier this spring:
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Jackson Merrill, CF
Manny Machado, 3B
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
Ramón Laureano, LF
Miguel Andujar, DH
Nick Castellanos, 1B
Freddy Fermin, C
Jake Cronenworth, 2B
The case for Bogaerts leading off is in large part due to the fact that he’s raked against Valdez (and went on a tear yesterday against Skubal). In 11 career at-bats against him, he has a .364 batting average and a .917 OPS.
It’s possible they use the same lineup as yesterday, putting Tatis at leadoff and bumping Bogaerts down to second again. It seems likely that Castellanos will get the start at first base after coming in to pinch-hit for Gavin Sheets in the eighth inning.
Relief corps
Stammen gave Pivetta quite the leash in spite of his difficult first inning, letting him work out of the jam. But after three innings, San Diego turned to its relievers.
Ron Marinaccio surrendered the only bullpen runs on a two-run homer in the fifth inning, but was spotless across two innings outside of that.
Top prospect Bradgley Rodriguez and David Morgan racked up four strikeouts across a combined three scoreless innings, and the Padres brought in Wandy Peralta to close out the game in the ninth.
With the game so out of hand before the seventh-inning stretch, most of the high-leverage options stayed in the ‘pen. Hopefully San Diego can get to Valdez today and they’ll get to have Mason Miller close out his first game of 2026.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 6: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies draws a walk in the eighth inning during a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park on April 6, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You can’t step into the same batter’s box twice. Well, you can— the rulebook is rather stringent about what qualities a batter’s box has to have. But we’re talking in a Heraclitean sense here. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the batter’s box remains the same, but the batter himself does not.
Bryce Harper is going to try to challenge Heraclitus’ opinion in the same way that he challenged Dave Dombrowski’s (though it is doubtful that he will accompany this challenge with a custom t-shirt). Recently, Harper stated that he wanted to walk more in 2026. A lot more. He was one of MLB’s better walk-drawers in 2025, with his 12.1% rate ranking 23rd league-wide. Only 28 players had more free passes than Harper’s 70. But he wants to draw 140 to 150 in 2026. That would be a career-high for him. The closest he’s gotten is 130 in 2018, his final season as a National. Since then, he’s changed his approach at the plate to a somewhat more free-swinging style. It’s brought him success in Philadelphia. But now he’s looking to go back to the past. Can Harper find a way to return to being the Bryce of 2018?
Before we can answer that, we have to ask a different question: who was the Bryce of 2018, anyway? This pre-Philly Bryce was a superstar, albeit one who had not yet discovered the sartorial flair of a good Phanatic headband. But he was a star with a rather different approach at the plate as compared to the Harper of today. 2018-Harper swung 45.7% of the time, as compared to 2025-Harper’s 54.2%. He was significantly more patient than his older self, swinging at the first pitch of an at-bat 40.4% of the time as compared to his current self’s 54.1%. And most of that bygone reluctance to swing was concentrated on pitches outside the zone: 2018-Bryce’s 25.3% chase rate ballooned to 35.6% by 2025. Interestingly enough, the more conservative 2018 Harper was slightly more likely to whiff than the swing-happy 2025 edition (31.4% vs. 30.7%).
Harper getting back to to drawing walks like it was 2018 would take significant effort and focus, though Harper’s determination is not to be doubted. But Harper can only control what he can control. And while he can control what pitches he swings at, he can’t control what pitches he gets. The Bryce Harper of 2018 was seeing a very different pitch mix than the Harper of today. In 2018, just about a quarter of the pitches he saw were breaking balls. In 2025, it was 41.3%. How might that impact his efforts to return to the past?
Here’s Harper’s swings on pitches outside the zone (O-Swing%), by pitch type, in 2018 and 2025, using FanGraphs’ pitch definitions.
Pitch Type
O-Swing %, 2018
O-Swing, % 2025
Four-Seam
27.80%
26.30%
Slider
25.60%
39.10%
Curveball
27.30%
49.70%
In 2018, Harper was just about as likely to chase a breaking ball as he was a heater. His chase rate on four-seamers hasn’t changed much since then. But his chase rate for breaking balls has exploded — which, of course, is why pitchers are so eager to show him more of them. That’s good news for his efforts: if his chase rates on fastballs and breaking balls were similar in 2018, then the change in the pitch mix he’s being shown shouldn’t be a problem, as long as he returns to swinging like he did in 2018.
Easier said than done, of course. And while the passes are free, pursuing more of them comes at a cost. We know what Harper stands to gain by taking more BBs. But we have to look at what he stands to lose as well.
Harper’s increased willingness to chase diminished his walk rate, but it helped him build production in some areas. Here’s his wOBA by zone in 2018 and 2025. The third image shows the difference between the two.
The 2025 version of Harper produced more on pitches inside. All that chasing generally hurt his production outside the zone, but it dramatically improved it on pitches he chased up and inside. The difference may not be as much as it seems, though— note that the gap between his expected wOBAs in 2025 and 2018 in that same quadrant was .104; less than half as much. Still, he really did produce more on those pitches with his 2025 style. He’d potentially be giving that up if he returns to his old approach.
Is that worth it? Well, nostalgia can’t be quantified, but run value can. And we can say that 2018-Harper was more productive than 2025-Harper by that measure.
2025-Harper was more productive on pitches in that upper right quadrant. But looking at the whole, he produced 37 runs in 2018, and only 24 in 2025. The gains he made with the new approach were offset by the costs. Granted, his run values in 2023 and 2024, when he was about as chase-happy as he was this past season, were quite similar to his 2018 run value. So perhaps the gap between 2018 and 2025 isn’t as much about the chasing as it was something else. The comparison between 2018 and 2025 is meaningful, but a little narrowly-sliced; there’s plenty of variance within the results of two given seasons. Still, given Harper’s underwhelming 2025, it’s not hard to see why he felt that it was time to return to the old ways.
You can’t really go home again, though. Maybe that’s an odd thing to say in the context of baseball, the sport in where the whole point is to reach home. But it’s true. Even if Harper could perfectly replicate the mentality and approach of his 2018 self, he can’t replicate the body he had 8 years ago. At 33 years old, he’s far from washed up, but certainly at the point where age is being felt. Unfortunately, we only have bat speed data dating back to 2023. But it is probably fair to assume that he cannot swing the bat in 2026 as fast as he did in 2018. That may mean that the exact same approach at the plate would produce different results. Even if he can replicate the walk rate he had in 2018, he may end up with a very different stat line overall. If swinging less doesn’t produce the change he’s hoping to see, Harper will have to look to alternate strategies for reasserting his eliteness. We don’t know exactly what form he’ll settle into by the end of the 2026. We know it won’t really be 25-year old Harper again. But we can be sure he’s hellbent on finding the best version of 33-year old Harper that can be.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks begin the second game of a three-game series this evening in a pitching mismatch.
LA won last night, and we expect a repeat here.
My Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks predictions and MLB picks break down why I like LA to take care of business on Friday, March 27.
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers predictions
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers best bet: Dodgers -1.5 (-115)
Emmett Sheehan's 2025 campaign was a nice breakout and something I see as sustainable: 30.6% K rate (92nd percentile), 30% whiff rate (93rd). He misses bats, gets plenty of chase, and the Arizona Diamondbacks lineup lacks the contact quality to punish mistakes throughout.
On the other side, Ryne Nelson was a common fade candidate for me last year, and I see no reason for that to change. Especially against this Los Angeles Dodgers lineup. His below-average whiff rate and a hard-hit rate in the bottom 20 percent of baseball loom large against Shohei Ohtani and company.
COVERS INTEL:The Dodgers had four players last season with a double-digit run value against the four-seam fastball. They'll face Ryne Nelson, a pitcher who threw the heater over 60% of the time last season.
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers same-game parlay (SGP)
Sheehan struck out 30% of batters last year, and Arizona's lineup is heavy on free swingers. His slider alone generated a 94th-percentile breaking run value, which is another trouble spot for the Snakes.
I projected his strikeout number at 5.8, so there's plenty of value in the plus-money price as well as the same-game parlay pairing.
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers SGP
Dodgers -1.5
Emmet Sheehan Over 5.5 strikeouts
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers home run pick: Will Smith (+400)
Will Smith has some under-the-radar value tonight against Nelson.
His fastball makes up the bulk of his pitching arsenal, which is something you'd think he'd reduce (at least some) against this Dodgers lineup. Enter the slider.
Nelson relied on this pitch throughout 2025 as a go-to secondary option. If he uses that against Smith, he'll be showing him a pitch on which Smith produced the second-highest average exit velocity and hardest hit rate of any Dodger player.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 0-0, 0 units
SGPs: 0-0, 0 units
HR picks: 0-0, 0 units
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers odds
Moneyline: Arizona +265 | Los Angeles -210
Run line: Arizona +1.5 (+105) | Los Angeles +1.5 (-115)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 | Under 8.5
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers trend
The Dodgers have won four of the last five head-to-head matchups with the Diamondbacks. Find more MLB betting trends for Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers.
How to watch Diamondbacks vs Dodgers and game info
Location
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Friday, March 27, 2026
First pitch
10:10 p.m. ET
TV
ARID, SportsNet LA
Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Ryne Nelson (2025: 7-3, 3.39 ERA)
Dodgers starting pitcher
Emmet Sheehan (2025: 6-3, 2.82 ERA)
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers latest injuries
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Friday night's showdown between No. 1 Duke and No. 5 St. John's tips off the fun at the Capital One Arena.
The Blue Devils, who haven't looked the part of the tournament's top overall seed in the first two rounds, may get a boost with the potential return of point guard Caleb Foster, who Jon Scheyer deemed a "game-time decision."
St. John's is coming off the high of knocking off another blue-blood, Kansas, with a buzzer-beating layup by Dylan Darling. The Red Storm's secret weapon may be Pitino, who is 12-1 in Sweet 16 games.
Tonight's winner advances to Sunday's Elite Eight where it will play the winner of Michigan State vs. UConn.
Here's what you need to know for tonight's Duke-St. John's showdown, including predictions and how to watch.
HIT REFRESH FOR UPDATES.
Duke vs St John's live score
TEAMS
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2H
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St John's
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Duke
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What time is St John's vs Duke?
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET, Friday, March 27.
What channel is St John's vs Duke? How to watch, streaming info
The game is airing on CBS, streaming via Paramount+.
Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer told reporters during a media availability Thursday that Caleb Foster is going to be a game-time decision for Friday's 7:10 p.m. ET tip-off against the 5th-seeded Red Storm.
"He's in a position where he's going to try to do that tomorrow night," Scheyer told reporters. "... He's going to give it everything he has to go tomorrow night."
Foster has been out since March 7 with a foot injury that he sustained in the final game of the regular season against North Carolina.
Rick Pitino NCAA Tournament history: When was Rick Pitino's last Sweet 16 appearance?
Rick Pitino has been to 14 Sweet 16s. His last trip to the Sweet 16 prior to this season was in 2014-15 with Louisville.
What is Rick Pitino's record in Sweet 16 games?
The St. John's coach is a remarkable 12-1 in the Sweet 16. His lone loss was in 2014 with Louisville... to Kentucky.
Cameron Boozer NBA draft stock, mock draft predictions
Boozer is widely projected as a top-3 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Here’s a look at where various mock drafts from major outlets have the Duke freshman going:
Cameron Boozer and his twin brother, Cayden (also a freshman for Duke) are the sons of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer.
Before his 13-year career in the NBA, Carlos Boozer was a standout forward for the Blue Devils under Mike Krzyzewski from 1999-2002. A member of Duke's 2001 national championship team, Carlos Boozer finished his three-year career with the Blue Devils with more than 1,500 points scored and started 93 of the 101 games in which he appeared.
Rick Pitino history vs Duke: Christian Laettner shot
on the eve of another game against Duke, the memory is still fresh for Pitino, who was the coach at Kentucky in 1992 when Christian Laettner hit a game-winning shot at the buzzer to beat Kentucky and lift Duke to the Final Four.
The flashback still seems to make him edgy. He said Sunday he was "so sick of commercials with Christian Laettner hitting that shot over and over and over."
He said friends recently convinced him to watch a show on Hulu called “Paradise” but then learned Laettner’s shot is referenced in that, too.
"That’s cruel," Pitino said.
He got his own buzzer-beater from Darling Sunday. Now it’s on to Duke in Washington, D.C.
“You win some, you lose some,” Pitino said. “And I'm hoping we can get Duke at the buzzer next to make up for that Christian Laettner shot.”
As Boilermakers coach Matt Painter exited the court at the SAP Center in San Jose, he perfectly captured the sentiment of many college basketball fans around the country:
"Holy s---," Painter said in a video captured by Eli Gehn of WTHR-TV in Indianapolis (editor's note:explicit language used).
Painter was slightly more composed when speaking about the play in Purdue's postgame news conference.
"We got a good shot there at the end," Painter said. "Braden, I thought he executed well, made the right read, and took the right shot. And perfect timing. That's what you want. You want a chance to get a stick back. If you don't, then you go to overtime.
"TK was around the basketball, and it's one of those things that happened, as coaches, you want to fill your defense, and you want the best defenders out there. Sometimes your best offense is a missed shot in those situations. You see it happen a lot, but we've also seen it where you do that and then guys make shots. You feel like, it doesn't matter as a coach either way. It's really, really difficult."
"I think when you give the ball to Braden, he can go by anybody in the country," he said. "We have plays designed for him to do that. I thought he got a good shot. Then Coach always says that it's not — a lot of times it's not the first shot that goes. They're the tip-in at the end of games. He said that my four years here, so it's kind of cool to actually experience that."
Next up for Purdue is No. 1 seed Arizona, with the West Region championship — and a spot in the Final Four — on the line. The Boilermakers and Wildcats play on Saturday, March 28 at 8:49 p.m. ET.
CHICAGO, IL - MARCH 26: Brady House #55 of the Washington Nationals celebrates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run in the ninth inning of the game between the Washington Nationals and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Thursday, March 26, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
After the Nats big Opening Day win over the Cubs, I wanted to sit back and see what we can take away from this performance. Obviously it is just one game, but we are always looking for trends. I found three things that could be important themes of this 2026 season.
The Nats are Swinging for the Fences:
One of the biggest things I saw yesterday is that the Nats are going to the plate looking to do damage. This team digs the long ball, and they are willing to sacrifice some contact to do that. The Nats whiffed 20 times against Cubs starter Matthew Boyd, but that did not stop them from doing damage.
Joey Wiemer and Brady House were two players taking really big hacks, and both were rewarded. Those two hit two of the Nats three home runs. Wiemer did not strike out, but he did whiff a few times. He was more than happy to let it rip, especially when he was ahead in the count.
House did strike out a couple times, but when he made contact, it was loud. His two hits were 107 MPH and 111 MPH. House’s homer just pierced through the strong Chicago wind and gave the Nats a cherry on top in their impressive win. His strong production from Spring Training carried over to the regular season, at least today.
Brady House just smashed a 2-run HR. He went deep just 4 times in a half season a year ago.
I think House will always be more of a mistake hitter who pitchers can get out if they execute. However, that is not necessarily a bad thing. If House can consistently punish mistakes, he will put up big numbers. Pitchers are not going to hit their spots every time and punishing them when they miss is a valuable skill. House is always ready to swing, which means he won’t be taking many pitches down the middle.
Wiemer and House were not the only ones taking big hacks though. Andres Chaparro, CJ Abrams and even Jacob Young were out there swinging for the fences. Young got rewarded with a shocking Opening Day homer, while the other two just missed home runs.
There will be days where the Nats are unable to overcome their whiff issues, but today they did enough damage to make it a moot point. Hitting the ball in the air and hunting for power will be emphasized with this new regime. There are drawbacks to this approach, but we saw the upside yesterday.
The Pitching Bent but did not Break:
The Nats pitching staff only allowed four runs and three earned runs yesterday. However, the Cubs were putting consistent pressure on Nats pitchers. It felt like the Cubs leadoff man was on just about every inning. The Nats arms were able to dig deep and get out of most of the jams though.
Cade Cavalli, PJ Poulin, Brad Lord and Clayton Beeter all got themselves in and out of jams yesterday. They got themselves out of it in different ways. Cavalli and Beeter used the strikeout to bail them out, while Lord used his ability to generate ground balls. Sometimes they won’t be as fortunate, but the Nats pitching staff walked the tight rope yesterday.
The Cubs had a rally there. Two runners on, Nico Hoerner was up in the count 3-0. Brad Lord worked the count full, then got Hoerner to ground into an inning-ending double play.
The Nationals dugout was fired up, especially pitching coach Simon Mathews.
Overall, the Nats pitchers looked solid, but not perfect. I did like how they were deployed by manager Blake Butera though. He was quick to pull Cavalli, when I thought he could have gone one more batter. That decision paid off, with PJ Poulin retiring Matt Shaw. Conversely, Butera gave Brad Lord a longer leash and let his long man get out of a couple jams.
Maybe on another day those decisions would have backfired, but Butera looked like a genius yesterday. His bullpen management will be different than what we saw last year, and it could take some getting used to. However, between the lineup construction and the bullpen usage, Butera looked like a mad scientist yesterday. Long may that continue.
Cade Cavalli made his first Opening Day start, and he was fine. Not amazing, not terrible, just fine. He ran into some bad luck and his defense did not do him any favors. That led to his pitch count climbing in a hurry. When Butera pulled the right hander with two outs in the 4th, his pitch count had already climbed to 75 pitches. Maybe later in the season, Butera would have tried to push him further, but the bullpen is as fresh as it will ever be.
The stuff looked good for Cavalli, especially early on. He was sitting 97 with a sharp sweeper and curve to go with it. Cavalli also mixed in a few changeups, which kept lefties off balance. The sweeper is a bit of a weird pitch. It is almost like another variation of his curveball rather than a traditional sweeper. His command of the pitch was spotty at times, but it is a strong new weapon.
Cade Cavalli starts his season with a solid outing!
Cavalli added a curveball variation this Spring, labeled sweeper on pitch plots. It plays similar to a curve but has more two-plane movement, breaking down and to the left.
Another guy I was impressed with was Cionel Perez, who delivered a 1-2-3 ninth. The wind probably saved him from allowing a homer, but his stuff looked crisp. He averaged 96.5 MPH on his heater and his breaking balls looked good. Perez seems primed for a bounce back and will be a big part of the Nats bullpen.
James Wood’s Struggles Continue:
There was so much good in yesterday’s game, but James Wood was not a part of that. He went 0/5 with 4 strikeouts yesterday. Wood continued to look like the guy from the second half and Spring Training who has really struggled to make contact. After yesterday’s performance, Wood has a 40% strikeout rate since July 4th of 2025.
After going 0-for-5, 4 K in today's win, James Wood now has a 40.0% strikeout rate — 123 K in 307 PA — since July 4 of last season, spanning 71 games. That's the highest strikeout rate in MLB over that span.
Obviously, that is not what you want to see from a guy who should be a cornerstone piece. Kevin Frandsen mentioned on the broadcast that Wood was in between on everything and I think that is a good observation. He was taking fastballs down the middle and expanding the zone on breaking balls away.
Wood just looks like a hitter who is devoid of any confidence right now. If I were advising him, I would tell him to simplify things. Just sit on the fastball and adjust for now. Just try and hunt heaters in the zone and if you strike out on a bunch of breaking balls, just tip your cap.
He is clearly thinking too much right now and that is not working for him. Unlike Dylan Crews, we have seen Wood be a star level player for long stretches. That means I would not want to send him down anytime soon. However, he needs to start putting together competitive at bats.
We all know what James Wood can do when he is right. He is the most important player on the current roster for the future of this team. Getting Wood back to his best needs to be the Nats top priority right now. You don’t often see guys who produce like MVP candidates for half a season at just 22 totally lose it, but Wood just does not have it right now.
The talent did not just disappear, but it is hidden away right now. I still feel like he is one adjustment away from recapturing his previous magic. However, it is tough to see him looking the way he does. Wood getting going would be such a big boost for fans.
Despite Wood’s struggles, this was still a great day for the Nats. The rest of the lineup looked great, the pitching staff was solid and Blake Butera pushed all the right buttons. Last season, the Nats were never above .500 at any point in the season. You will not be able to say that about the 2026 Nats.
COVERS INTEL: The Yankees led the majors in barrel rate, hard-hit rate, and exit velocity last year. Ray was in the Bottom 26th percentile in all three categories.
