Drew Fortescue signing his three-year, entry-level contract in March has allowed the New York Rangers to see what they have in the young defenseman.
After three seasons playing at Boston College, Fortescue decided to make the jump to professional hockey and immediately go from the NCAA to the NHL.
Through seven games, Fortescue has seemed to adapt well to the NHL, impressing Mike Sullivan in the process.
“I've been really impressed with his puck poise, his vision,” Sullivan said of Fortescue. “He keeps the play simple, but he's not just an off-the-glass-and-out guy. He's looking to go tape-to-tape. He has the composure and the confidence to find the middle play, say, on a breakout. He doesn't just play safe hockey. He plays smart hockey. He doesn't play reckless hockey. There's a difference between those three, and I like the fact that he's trying to play smart hockey.”
Through most of his time with the Rangers thus far, Fortescue has been paired alongside Braden Schneider.
Sullivan believes that playing with a steady defenseman like Schneider benefits Fortescue, who is still finding his footing at the professional hockey level.
“Schneids is a bona fide, legit, solid NHL defenseman, who defends well,” Sullivan said. “He has good mobility. The lefty-righty combination is something that we liked. Schneids can help him as a stabilizing partner. Schneids is very predictable, you know where he is going to be, he’s in the right spots, those kinds of things, which I think is important for a young defenseman that is trying to find his way.”
The 20-year-old defenseman has recorded two assists, while averaging 14:58 minutes per game.
Rangers defenseman Adam Fox (23) celebrates his goal against the Sabres.
During the stretch after Adam Fox first returned from long-term injured reserve following the Olympic break, head coach Mike Sullivan was controlled when asked about the Rangers’ star defenseman.
His production, Sullivan said March 18, was getting better. Fox, he added, was building his game again. The ceiling for a point-per-game, Norris Trophy-winning member of the blue line had already been established, but Sullivan acknowledged it would take time for Fox to return to that point due to his extended absences this season.
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But Wednesday night, from the bowels of the Garden during his postgame press conference, Sullivan didn’t hesitate when asked about Fox, who’d just recorded a multipoint game for the third consecutive match. His goal and assist against the Sabres gave Fox 15 points in his past eight games, 24 in his past 22 and 52 in the 52 contests he has skated in this season.
“Well, I think he’s captured his game that he started the season with,” Sullivan said.
There’s no question the Rangers are a better team with Fox in the lineup, but with the offseason lingering after a three-game road trip to close the season, the future of the defenseman remains one of their most pressing questions. His cryptic comments from late February, when asked about whether he wants to remain with the Blueshirts through their retool, still loom. And that remains their dilemma: Fox, in the most injury-plagued season of his career, has once again shown his peak value, but what happens if he wants out?
“When you miss a stretch of time, it could take a little bit,” Fox said after Wednesday’s game when asked about his eight-game point streak, “but I think over the last month or so, I feel really good about my game.”
Rangers defenseman Adam Fox (23) skates with the puck in the third period of the Buffalo Sabres’ 5-3 win. Bill Kostroun
The uncertainty with Fox stemmed from an answer following the Rangers’ Feb. 26 game against the Flyers when, after another loss in his first game back from injury, Fox fielded a question about his thoughts on The Letter 2.0 — which president and general manager Chris Drury dropped during his time on long-term injured reserve.
Fox said he felt “a little helpless” after seeing the public commitment for a retool, but when asked if he wanted to remain with the Rangers through this next stage, Fox, in part, said, “I think that’s a conversation when we’re done playing games.”
In a normal Rangers season, there wouldn’t even be a doubt about Fox’s future with the team. He’s a Long Island native who never masked his desires — or dreams — to play on Broadway. He’s a defenseman regarded as one of the top power-play quarterbacks in the league. His contract lasts through the end of the 2028-29 season, and the Blueshirts’ top priority last offseason involved signing left-handed defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov to pair with Fox.
And the benefits of having Fox in the lineup have once again become apparent. The Rangers have collected the most power-play goals in the NHL since Feb. 28 (20) — a stretch beginning the game after Fox returned — and are tied for the league lead in power-play percentage (33.3) since that juncture, according to the team. They have the No. 3 power play this year after watching their constant strength crater to the No. 28-ranked unit in 2024-25.
“He obviously is an elite player offensively,” Sullivan said of Fox. “He sees it so well. The poise he has with the puck. He drives offense in so many ways.”
The Rangers didn’t have that luxury for a chunk of their season. Fox skated in just three games between Nov. 29 and Feb. 26, with a pair of stints on long-term injured reserve surrounding the midseason break — the Olympics that Fox wasn’t selected to participate in for Team USA — to create the prolonged absence. He’d never played in fewer than 70 games across a full 82-game campaign. This year, if he appears in all of the Rangers’ remaining games, he’ll log just 55.
Rangers defenseman Adam Fox (23) celebrates his goal against the Sabres. Bill Kostroun
But after recording just 61 points in 74 games last season, Fox has again matched the production level that made him an annual part of the Norris conversation. If there were concerns about injuries contributing to a production drop-off, he eliminated those worries. The Rangers, though, still need to figure out if they can depend on it for next season.
Even a vintage production tear from Fox isn’t enough to change that reality.
MLSE CEO Keith Pelley felt the Maple Leafs were underutilizing their resources. With Mehta’s success with analytics, he could likely be considered a favorite to land the Maple Leafs job.
But in came the Devils, who fired their GM, Tom Fitzgerald, on Monday. Mehta received his first NHL gig with the Devils, where he worked as an analyst for four years, from 2014-18.
In addition to Mehta, Lebrun mentions Brett Peterson, who has been involved in interviews for the Nashville Predators vacancy. LeBrun wonders whether the Maple Leafs and Devils will approach Peterson as part of their process, but at the moment, they haven’t.
With the Panthers’ recent success, it’s no surprise that teams around the NHL want to pry the Panthers’ management group away.
If the Panthers lose both Mehta and Peterson, they’ll need to look for assistant GMs to join Bill Zito and Gregory Campbell’s staff.
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One day late in spring training, when many Yankees and the cameras that follow them were in Lakeland for a game against the Tigers, Ryan McMahon took batting practice off a machine at Steinbrenner Field.
Almost no one was around that day, not with roster decisions being finalized and half the team on the road. But it was clear to anyone who was there that he was working on something, looking back at coaches between swings, watching the flight of each ball closely, shaking his head after mishits.
As he swung, Aaron Judge ambled out of the dugout and leaned against the back of the cage, eyes locked on McMahon. He stayed there for the next 20 to 30 minutes, sometimes popping out to start his now-iconic swing, using it to demonstrate the way he keeps his weight on his back leg and how his hands go from ready and waiting to heading toward the ball with no added motion. When McMahon hit the ball, Judge watched until it landed. Between swings, he offered encouragement.
“I’m telling you, man,” Judge said after McMahon sent a line drive to right center, as if urging McMahon to see new possibilities. “You have great power to all fields.”
McMahon, 31, has demonstrated consistent 20-home run power during his 10-year major league career. But he has never exactly been known for his hitting. What Judge seemed to be suggesting, and what Yankees coaches, tweaking things, seemed to be hoping, is that it was not too late to make improvements.
Early this season, he has struggled to provide even his usual levels of production. He, like many of his teammates, went hitless in Thursday’s 1-0 loss to Jeffrey Springs and the Athletics. That leaves him 2 for his first 29 at-bats this year — and one of those hits was a seeing-eye single on Opening Day.
The veteran’s first few weeks have been so frustrating offensively that his manager came to his public defense Thursday, insisting to reporters that McMahon is “a good major league hitter” – something managers do not often have to say when all is well.
“It’s 10 games. He’s scuffling right now, but the reality is, he’s been on base four times, too, with walks and hits and big at-bats,” Boone said Wednesday. “We want him to improve even who he’s been, obviously, in his career. And he’s off to a slow start right now, but a number of guys are.”
Though McMahon has been somewhat vague, those improvements Boone referenced largely center on McMahon changing the way he positions his body as part of an effort to be more on time. That is what McMahon was trying to feel that day in spring training, and when asked about it weeks after the fact, McMahon needed no reminding.
“I know exactly what you’re talking about. It was right near the end of spring training, right?” McMahon said. “That day, I had been struggling. Still am a little bit, but I’ll grind through it…”
That day, McMahon recalled, he was “grinding” through cage work while Judge was waiting for his turn. At one point, Judge walked over and looked at the iPad recording McMahon’s swings. He listened to what he and the coaches were talking about. Then he pulled McMahon aside and said, “I’ve got an idea for you.”
“He started talking, told me what he thought. So I said, ‘I’m going to go out and hit this machine until I can feel it,’” McMahon said. “He completely stops his routine. Comes outside to watch me. Pauses everything he’s doing that day. Watches every swing I take. Helped me out big time.”
New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) reacts after hitting a two run home run during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
McMahon estimated Judge added an extra hour to his work that day – an otherwise quiet one that veteran hitters not in the lineup treasured for its brevity after weeks of spring training drudgery. And when presented with the idea that Judge, a massive righty with an unorthodox swing, might not be the most relatable instructor for a slight lefty with a more traditional one, McMahon interrupted.
“Yeah, but he understands. He understands how things can apply to other people,” he said. “The way he does it, what works for him is being extreme. Where I think he understands with other guys, it might not be extreme, but he can still talk the swing. They’re still mechanics that he knows and is trying to execute.”
As for those mechanics, McMahon has largely been vague about exactly what he is working on during his early-season struggles. But he said most of his work during that last week of spring training and the first days of the regular season centered on timing.
“Just trying to be able to swing as soon as that guy releases the baseball. And that’s like, a pretty well-known, obvious thing to do. But it’s hard,” McMahon said. “Being in a better spot, being close to that launch spot – where you launch your swing from. Making sure you can feel that and swing as soon as you need to.”
McMahon is not a member of the Yankees because of his bat. As long as he climbs out of his slump and into regular production levels, he will be fulfilling his duties to them. But they and their captain seem to believe he can do more offensively than he has in the past.
The start of McMahon's season has been frustrating. But for now, with an 8-4 record and other sluggers to carry them, they can afford to see if he can prove them right.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 7: Rob Dillingham #7 of the Chicago Bulls looks to pass the ball during the game against the Washington Wizards on April 7, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards play the Chicago Bulls at 7 p.m. today. Watch the game on Monumental Sports Network.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Sabres goalie Alex Lyon could miss the start of the playoffs due to a strained lower-body muscle.
Coach Lindy Ruff provided the update on Thursday, a day after Lyon was hurt during the team's pre-game skate ahead of Buffalo's 5-3 win at the New York Rangers. Ruff said the initial prognosis is the goalie missing a week, while adding there is a chance he won't be available for the start of the playoffs, which are scheduled to open April 18-19.
The Sabres, who host Columbus on Thursday night, are contending for the Atlantic Division title after clinching their first playoff berth in 15 seasons.
The 33-year-old Lyon has gone 20-10-4 in his first season in Buffalo while sharing the starting duties with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Buffalo is carrying a third goalie, Colten Ellis, who was scheduled to face Columbus in his first start since a 31-save outing in a 4-3 overtime loss at Tampa Bay on Feb. 3.
Ellis entered the day with a 7-4-1 record, and would serve as Luukkonen's backup while Lyon is sidelined.
A ludicrous Martim Fernandes own goal allowed Nottingham Forest to leave Porto level going into the second leg
Thiago Silva is at the back for Porto, at a very young 41. He must ruddy love football. I would have been a deck chair long ago. It is, however, nice to know there are still a few active footballers who are older than me.
SAN FRANCISCO — LeBron James and Steph Curry have a lot in common.
They’re on the Mount Rushmore of basketball greats. They met in the Finals four straight seasons from 2015-2018. And they deeply admire each other’s games.
But they share something less desirable, too.
LeBron James and Steph Curry have had many memorable moments against each other. Getty Images
Both of them are aging superstars who have to transform into superheroes for their teams to have a chance in the NBA playoffs after their seasons were wildly derailed.
That’s no easy task when guys a decade (or two!) younger than them are lying in wait, including the 22-year-old Victor Wembanyama and 27-year-old Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Warriors and Lakers entered this season with high expectations and the hope that their deep rosters would carry them past the gauntlet of Western Conference talent. But both rosters have been whittled down to the bones, exposing two of the top players in NBA history to loads they weren’t expected to bear on their own.
For James, this was a shock.
Just a week ago, the Lakers looked like championship contenders. They had gone on a 16-2 run. Doncic was playing MVP-caliber basketball, averaging an otherworldly 37.5 points in March. Reaves was playing at an All-Star level and averaging a career-high 23.3 points a game.
That meant James could switch gears for the first time in his career, becoming the team’s third option. He was on cruise control until last Thursday, when Doncic and Reaves sustained their injuries in a dreadful 43-point loss to the Thunder.
Now?
James has a 60.8-point hole he’s expected to fill for the fourth-seeded Lakers (50-29).
As for Curry, his challenge is similarly tricky.
He entered this season with high hopes after the Warriors went 23-8 after they acquired Butler at the 2025 trade deadline. Golden State could’ve made some real noise last postseason. but Curry suffered a hamstring injury in Game 1 of their second-round series against the Timberwolves and they crumbled in five games.
This season, things were supposed to be different.
But Butler suffered a torn ACL in January. Making matters worse, Curry just returned Sunday after missing 27 games because of a knee injury. Now, the Warriors (37-42) are in 10th place, and their survival depends on the balky joint of a player who was sidelined the last two months.
James was content to be the Lakers’ third option on offense, but now he needs to assume a larger role. NBAE via Getty Images
James and Curry have been through better times.
Often against each other.
James vs. Curry was one of the best rivalries in NBA history. James is arguably the greatest player of all time. And Curry is the top shooter the world has ever seen. When they collided, there were fireworks.
Curry led the Warriors to three championships against James, who was at the peak of his powers. And James orchestrated the greatest comeback in NBA history against Curry, leading the Cavaliers to roar back from a 3-1 series deficit in the 2016 Finals en route to the franchise’s first championship.
The NBA will be robbed of seeing the two stars play this season, which is a massive bummer considering James is pondering retirement. Curry will be sidelined Thursday because of his knee on the front side of a back-to-back. He also missed both of the teams’ meetings in February. James was out for their season opener because of sciatica.
It has been eight years since they cast an intoxicating spell over the NBA.
And in its place now are two franchises that are clinging to postseason relevance with a pinky finger, led by megastars who have aged like fine wine.
It’s a shame they’re in this position.
But it’s also another thrilling test for two superstars whose narratives keep overlapping.
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The Blue Jays’ series with the Dodgers this week brought back nightmarish memories from the 2025 World Series.
In Wednesday’s game between the two teams, when Shohei Ohtani started on the mound and batted in the Dodgers’ lineup, Toronto outfielder George Springer spoke with the umpires about limiting the time Ohtani had between innings.
The gripe was the second time the Blue Jays have brought the issue up, the first coming in last season’s World Series.
Shohei Ohtani has pitched 12 innings across two starts this year for the Dodgers. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
During the Fall Classic — where Los Angeles outlasted Toronto in seven games for its second straight title — Blue Jays manager John Schneider complained about it as well.
That came to a head in the first inning of Game 7, when Ohtani had yet to throw a warmup pitch when the television broadcast returned from commercial. A three-minute delay ensued, and similar pauses occurred in the next two innings.
Schneider was later seen tapping his watch as a reminder to crew chief Mark Wegner to remember the time.
Fast forward to this year’s series, and the Blue Jays clearly haven’t forgotten about October.
Ohtani is a special case, though. Most starting pitchers don’t need to worry about taking their gear off after running the bases or an at-bat. Ohtani, the sport’s two-way phenom, obviously does.
Blue Jays outfielder George Springer told the umpires to watch out for Shohei Ohtani’s warmup time earlier this week. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Per MLB’s rules, umpires can give pitchers more time to warm up if there are “special circumstances.”
Pitchers are typically given two minutes to get ready after the conclusion of the previous half inning. In addition, Ohtani’s hitting capabilities helps him exploit another rule stated on the league’s website: “If the pitcher is on base, on deck or at-bat when the (previous) inning ends, the timer begins when the pitcher leaves the dugout for the mound.”
Funnily enough, Toronto ended up winning Wednesday’s game 4-3, despite losing the first two games. The Blue Jays were decimated 14-2 in Game 1. In Game 2, Schneider was tossed for arguing a balk call on starting pitcher Kevin Gausman, leading to a second defeat.
Through 12 games, Toronto is 5-7, tied for third in the American League East. It’ll need to start by forgetting its past ills to return to the Fall Classic again.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 09: Brooks Lee #22 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates as he runs to first base after hitting a two-run single in the eighth inning during the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Thursday, April 9, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Andrew Ritter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
They say baseball is a marathon and no team has embodied that more in the first two weeks of the 2026 season than your Minnesota Twins. After a rough start, an April winning streak once again has the Twins right back in the mix for the third season in a row, sweeping the division-favorite Detroit Tigers and moving over .500 for the first time.
Starting pitcher Mick Abel was dancing through raindrops all afternoon. He ended up not allowing a run, but the Tigers were able to get the first two batters on base in each of the first two innings and had at least one batter in scoring position in five of the six innings Abel was on the mound. But you have to give him credit for battling through to keep the Tigers scoreless and deliver one of his best starts on a career-high 102 pitches. On a day where the bullpen was close to spent, Abel battled through and gave the Twins just enough length to squeak out a victory.
The Twins had plenty of base runners as well, despite just one run through the first seven innings. They took great at bats, hit balls hard that unluckily found gloves, were patient at the plate, and looked like a professional, complete lineup for the first time all season. Minnesota had at least one baserunner in every inning except the fifth, with the lone run coming on a Josh Bell moonshot to continue his hot start. 1-0 Twins.
After his three-hit afternoon, Bell is slashing .325/.440/.650 for a 1.090 and 173 wRC+. Will he keep it up for the entire season? Almost definitely not, but someone needed to step up while Buxton and Keaschall are finding their swings.
New Twin and someone you DEFINITELY knew about before this game Garrett Acton came in to pitch the 7th and hit Detroit’s no. 9 batter Jake Rogers and allowed a single to Colt Keith to put runners on the corners with one out. Gleyber Torres followed with a sac fly to knot the game at one apiece. Things could have spiraled from there, but a nifty catch in the left field corner by James Outman got the Twins out of the inning. Acton, thankfully, had a clean 8th, where the Twins were able to deliver the finishing blow in the bottom half of the inning.
With one out in the inning, Matt Wallner battled back from being down 1-2 to earn a walk, followed immediately by a Victor Caratini single to put two on for the bottom third of the lineup. Kody Clemens pulled a reverse Wally and went from up 3-0 to striking out, leaving things to Royce Lewis. After a brief mid-AB injury scare, Royce beat out an infield single and loaded the bases for Brooks Lee, who came in as a defensive sub after some pinch hitting switcharoos. Inarguably their worst hitter in the young season, Lee came up HUGE and delivered a single hit just hard enough to sneak past the glove of Detroit second baseman Zach McKinstry. That was all Garrett Acton and Eric Orze needed. 3-1 Twins win.
Before I wrap up my recap with a usual pithy comment of some sort, I want to give Royce Lewis his flowers. The overall numbers still aren’t looking great, but he is taking very good at bats, getting good hacks, and hitting the ball very hard even if it’s leading to outs. The season is incredibly young with the sample size incredibly small, but his 92.5 MPH average exit velocity is in the top 15% of the league. He’s DRASTICALLY reduced his chase rate and is top 15 in walk rate. That’s exactly how you make up your other physical tools taking a step back from his younger years. Plus, sprinting to to beat out an infield single immediately after tweaking your knee is something everyone in that locker room is going to love.
STUDS
Josh Bell: 3-4, 1 HR
Brooks: 1-1, 2 game winning RBIs
Pitching B Squad (Abel, Acton, Orze): 9 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 9 K
Royce Lewis: see soliloquy above
DUDS
NO DUDS, TWWWWINS WWWWIN
We’ll see you all in virtual Toronto tomorrow night!
Russian lifts Fury in the air during final face-off
A cheerful Tyson Fury has promised his latest comeback to the ring will begin with a destructive knockout of Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday night. “It’s going to be different because, for the first time in forever, I’m the hunter,” Fury said at the fight’s final press conference. “I’m not the hunted, and we all know that when I’ve always been the hunter in the past, I’ve always fucked people up.
“I actually feel sorry for Makhmudov because I’m going to make an example of him. He’s a big six foot seven lump, 18 or 19 stone. But I’ll knock his head right off his shoulders. I’m going to lay him unconscious like the gamecock on top of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. He will be knocked spark out on the canvas looking up, thinking: ‘What just happened there?’ But it’s no shame because he’s fighting the great Tyson Fury.”
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 6: Bubba Chandler #36 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch in the fourth inning during a game against the San Diego Padres at PNC Park on April 6, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Make no mistake about it, the Chicago Cubs dominated the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2025.
The division rivals played 13 times last season. Chicago won 10. The Cubs outscored the Pirates 54-26 and hit .256 against Pittsburgh’s pitching.
Chicago smacked an impressive 16 home runs, compared to the Pirates’ five, and earned a .740 OPS. The Pirates batted .182 as a team with a .523 OPS.
In all its charm, Wrigley Field has been a house of horrors for the Pirates in recent years.
The Pirates (7-5) look to set a new precedent in 2026, beginning a three-game series at Wrigley on Friday.
In his first full season as manager, Don Kelly has watched a dreadful offense come to life through the first 12 games.
After hitting a league-worst 117 home runs, the Pirates have already smashed 12, tied for 8th in baseball, and at one point held the National League lead.
A big reason why is offseason additions Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn, who have both hit three apiece.
The offense ranks tied for 9th in hits per game (8.3), 9th in average (.247), 6th in on-base (.338), 8th in slugging (.383), and 7th in OPS (.721). The Bucs consistently ranked in the bottom third, if not last, in every category last year.
One early carryover is strong starting pitching. Pittsburgh owns the 6th best starters ERA at 2.87, third in the NL behind the Cubs (2.72) and Atlanta Braves (2.79).
Paul Skenes and Mitch Keller pitched in the Padres series at PNC Park, meaning the club will be without their top two arms against a vaunted Cubs (6-6) lineup.
Carmen Mlodzinski gets the ball on Friday, opposite Shota Imanaga, who has dominated the Pirates for what feels like more than a decade (despite it only being three years).
Mlodzinski has allowed two runs in each of his first two starts, but hasn’t been able to pitch out of the fifth inning. The third time through the order is where Mlodzinski, primarily a reliever in his career, has struggled to get through innings.
Saturday plates Braxton Ashcraft against Edward Cabrera, who hasn’t allowed a run in 11.2 innings for Chicago since being traded from the Marlins.
Ashcraft has been Pittsburgh’s surprise starter after an impressive rookie year. Ashcraft earned a 2.71 ERA over 69.2 innings spanning 26 appearances, eight starts.
He has pitched six frames in each of his first two outings and allowed two runs or fewer both times.
All three games have solid pitching probables, but Sunday’s might be the most fascinating.
Former Pirate Jameson Taillon takes the ball against Bubba Chandler. The No. 11 overall prospect and second-highest ranked pitcher at the start of the season, Chandler touches 101 MPH with his fastball.
The problem is, you don’t always know where it’s going. Chandler’s control remains a main concern, walking 10 batters in 8.2 innings. He didn’t allow a hit over 4.1 innings in his season debut at Cincinnati, but walked six and struck out six.
Chandler walked four against the Padres on Monday and allowed five hits and three runs.
Chandler has elite stuff, but has work to do to become a consistent pitcher that the rotation can depend on.
Chicago was the preseason favorite to win the NL Central, providing three important games in April for who may take the grand prize in late September.
If the Pirates are going to begin to prove that their start and chances to compete in the Central aren’t a fluke, it begins on the road against a very good team.
All three games of the series will begin at 2:20 p.m. Eastern, 1:20 p.m. Central.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 05: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors looks on against the Houston Rockets in the fourth quarter at Chase Center on April 05, 2026 in San Francisco, California. 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 Eakin Howard/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors are officially locked into the 10th seed in the Western Conference, meaning they’ll have to win two road games in the Play-In Tournament to secure a spot in the playoffs.
It’s not where the team expected to be entering the season, but injuries derailed those plans, and now, their playoff hopes come down to a win-or-go-home two-game stretch.
However, despite the stakes, Draymond Green isn’t exactly excited by the opportunity. While he embraces the challenge, Green made it clear after Tuesday’s win over the Sacramento Kings that the Play-In doesn’t carry the same intensity as a traditional playoff series.
Draymond Green is not looking forward to the Play-In tournament AT ALL 😅
"It's not exciting. I'm a competitor so going into the game I'm going to do all I can to win but it's not that exciting… I'm not going to sleep tomorrow night like 'man I got this Play-In next week.'" https://t.co/EghIt9WsWfpic.twitter.com/rIdI1sIBfd
Green expanded on this perspective, pointing to the original purpose of the Play-In which was to incentivize teams to keep competing late in the season. But in this year’s Western Conference, the top 10 in the standings have largely been locked in for weeks now, with little pressure from outside teams due to what he claims is tanking.
Draymond Green on if the Play-In Tournament is still good for the NBA:
"To have a team stuck in 10th, it ain't working. We could have lost our last 15 games and been stuck in 10th. It ain't working… we wanna make the playoffs so it works I guess." pic.twitter.com/qbpEmKtmWx
Regardless of how it feels, the stakes remain clear.
The Warriors will need to win twice on the road to advance and earn a first-round matchup against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, or else, their season comes to an early end once again.
🏆 PLAYOFF PICTURE 🏆
▪️ OKC wins 7th straight, clinches the #1 seed in the West, and secures the NBA's best overall record ▪️ ORL rises to #7 in East
In ESPN’s conversations with dozens of players, coaches and front office executives, a consistent theme emerged: Nobody likes it — “I hate it,” Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said — but not many deny it is often the most prudent team-building path when stuck near the bottom. Different seasons and different drafts will generate different forms, but everyone agrees it’ll continue until the NBA figures out either the proper rules or punishments to curb it.
“These teams are doing the whole gamut: sitting guys in the fourth, playing analytically bad lineups, drawing up plays for bad shots,” one Western Conference general manager said. “The creativity is impressive and I don’t blame them. It’s the best strategy to get better. Look at all the most promising teams in the league: Thunder, Spurs, Pistons, Rockets, Hornets. Years of being bad and building up on high picks. It’s painful but worthwhile.”
After the win, Curry broke down exactly how he’s able to convert those difficult, contact-heavy shots.
“You have to obviously focus in on the rim,” Curry said on NBC Sports Bay Area’s “Warriors Postgame Live.” “Sometimes there could be contact or whatnot — I do fall a lot — but those two were just timing, confidence, let it go, absorb the contact and have fun with it.”
That simple formula — focus, timing and confidence — has helped Curry turn chaotic moments into highlight plays throughout his career.
Top Dogs: With the win, the Thunder secure the West’s top seed and the league’s best record, a feat they’ve now pulled off in back-to-back seasons
“It’s extremely important,” said Holmgren on securing the No. 1 seed. “Just knowing that in the event of a Game 7, it’s always gonna be at home. You can’t underestimate how valuable that is … now, we got more to do.”
Seeking 65: At 64-16, OKC is one win shy of the franchise’s first-ever back-to-back 65+ win seasons
The Warriors coach is about to see his contract expire, and there haven’t been any reports of working on a new contract. Even though there’s occasionally been some tension between Kerr and owner Joe Lacob, the simple fact is that Kerr has an open invite to coach the Warriors for as long as Curry is on the roster. Curry very openly does not want to play for any other coach … but of course, it takes two to tango, and Kerr will have to make the decision.
So we’re asking Warriors fans: do you want to see Kerr return next year? Or would you prefer he call it quits, and the organization can bring in a new face?
Follow@unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.
The Mets have been very cautious with Polanco since the recent flare-up of his Achilles tendinitis, using him mainly as a designated hitter, but the possibility that the 32-year-old still lands on the injured list remains... possible.
"It is a possibility that we get to a point that we need to give him a break," Mendoza said about the IL. "It's fluid. We'll see what we got."
Asked if the injury was something they are going to have to deal with indefinitely, Mendoza said, "It's hard to tell."
"There's days when he comes in, and he feels really good, and he goes out there and do a little bit of defensive work," the manager said. "And then there's days where he feels it more.
"We're watching it closely here. And see what happens."
The switch-hitting Polanco is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against Arizona left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez and is being considered day-to-day, Mendoza said, adding that he was feeling it. He had served as the DH in the first two games of the series – going 2-for-8 – and had started the last four games for the Mets.
Soto hit on Wednesday in the cages at Citi Field and played catch, Mendoza said, adding that he is doing “better” after landing on the IL earlier this week with a calf strain.
“But, again, not gonna be running,” the skipper did caution. “But the fact that he’s hitting in the cages and playing catch, just trying to keep him with baseball activities."
Mendoza said he didn't yet have an idea of when Soto might start moving his legs around.
"I know they're doing a lot inside with treatment and in the weight room, a lot of exercises there," he said. "As far as the running goes, we still gotta wait.
"But he's good when he's taking swings, when he's playing catch."
Mendoza said Lindor’s slow start to the season – 7-for-47 with three extra-base hits, zero RBI, and a 77 wRC+ – is not related to lingering effects of hand surgery during spring training and not something the manager is too concerned about.
“The injury had nothing to do here, he’s fine,” Mendoza said, adding that Lindor is typically a slow starter to the season and pointed to last year being the only one in his career in which he had a good month of April.
But on the encouraging side, the manager said he’s seen a lot of bad luck for Lindor.
“Honestly, there’s been a lot of balls that he’s hit hard that just right at people,” he said. “He’s an aggressive hitter, he’s gonna go out there and he’s gonna swing. He’ll get out of it, he’ll be fine.”
Myers entered the season as a bullpen arm for the Mets, a reliever who had experience as a starter and somebody they wanted to stretch out for longer outings.
But in his three outings since his 39-pitch, 3.0-inning appearance on Opening Day, he hasn't gone more than 30 pitches and two innings and is getting more high-leverage opportunities.
Mendoza said they are comfortable with him throwing up to 45 pitches and in some smaller windows, too.
“He’s built up for that,” the manager said. “If we need to use him for one inning, high-leverage, we will.”
Mendoza added that having him stretched out further is “not something as of right now that we’re looking at, ‘oh, when we use him we gotta get him all of his pitches.”
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - APRIL 06: Aday Mara #15, Yaxel Lendeborg #23, Roddy Gayle Jr. #11 and Trey McKenney #1 of the Michigan Wolverines look on during the first half of a game against the UConn Huskies in the National Championship of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 06, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the majority of college basketball players, the final goal is to make it in the National Basketball Association. A very small minority have their dreams become a reality while most go on to do something other than sports. For a team like Michigan that just won the National Championship, the NBA is a realistic dream for a good portion of the roster.
Today, we will power rank the members of the 2025-26 Michigan roster by their pro potential. Keep in mind, we aren’t just ranking the players’ NBA potential next year — we’re talking the long-term trajectory of each players’ future career in the NBA.
Honorable Mention: Howard Eisley Jr., Harrison Hochberg, Charlie May
These players have no shot at the NBA. However any national champion deserves an honorable mention in my book.
13. G Ricky Liburd
Liburd redshirted this season, as he was a late addition to the class and wasn’t a highly sought after prospect. We’ll know significantly more about him next year, but for now, it’s impossible to assess his NBA potential.
12. C Malick Kordel
An international prospect from Germany, Kordel played during garbage time during his first season of college basketball. He was clearly very raw, but at 7-foot-2 and 275 pounds, he has the frame of an NBA center. His need for development prevents him from being any higher on this list.
11. F Will Tschetter
Don’t take Tschetter’s low placement on this list as any disrespect towards one of the pivotal pieces on the national title team. The heartbeat of the program, he embodied the Michigan mantra of “those who stay will be champions.” Unfortunately at this point in his career, we know exactly what his limitations are and so too do NBA scouts. Tschetter was an all-time college basketball character but will likely never see any NBA action.
10. F Oscar Goodman
Goodman was tough to place on this list. The young forward saw more minutes than anyone else on the bench mob and flashed some potential with high flying dunks and blocked shots in garbage time. Depending on Michigan’s activity in the portal, he may be a part of the rotation next year. Given his youth, he could still develop into a fringe NBA type player. Time will tell.
9. F Winters Grady
Like Goodman, this is entirely based off of projection. Grady played in just nine games this season and wasn’t entirely effective before being shut down due to an injury. However, his recruiting profile suggests that of a sharpshooter who could develop into a three-and-D type of player. He is obviously nowhere near draft boards now, but he’s got the right frame and archetype as that of a bench NBA player.
8. G Elliot Cadeau
I wanted to put Final Four Most Outstanding Player much higher on this list, but couldn’t quite pull the trigger. Elliot Cadeau played some of his best basketball during the NCAA Tournament and will be forever remembered for his performances in the Final Four. However, the NBA is beginning to value height and length more and more as time progresses. He is generously listed as 6-foot-1. Small point guards who aren’t elite three-point shooters are going out of style in the NBA unfortunately.
7. G Nimari Burnett
Like Grady, Burnett displays the archetype of a typical three-and-D type player. Burnett doesn’t thrive when asked to create his own shot, but he could thrive in a bench role in the NBA a la Caleb Houstan if he can become an elite three-point shooter. He was very good but not quite elite in his college career which will prevent him from being drafted. However, it wouldn’t surprise me one bit to see him invited to the NBA Summer League and try to make a name for himself this offseason.
6. G/F Roddy Gayle Jr.
April Roddy’s ascent from frustrating shooter to lock-down defender and the best dunker on the team will become the stuff of legend over time. In college, Gayle seemed to get more athletic the older he became, which is quite rare. Like Burnett, his lack of on-ball playmaking will hamper his draft status, but several players just like him have latched onto NBA rosters via Summer League invites over the years. It’s not impossible.
5. G L.J. Cason
As we’ve covered extensively, Cason suffered a season-ending injury, which fortunately didn’t derail Michigan’s season. Before the injury, he was playing arguably as well as anyone on the roster. Cason was explosive on the fast break, shot lights out from three, and provided instant offense whenever called upon. While still young and a bit raw, his weaknesses are the types of things that can be corrected over time as there are certainly no physical limitations to his game. Assuming he returns to full health with no lingering side effects, Cason has a very legitimate chance to be drafted to the NBA in the next few years.
4. G Trey McKenney
A former five-star, McKenney led his dream school to the National Championship as a true freshman. That’s the type of thing dreams are made of. Following Cason’s injury, his role exploded as he became the primary backup ball-handler. He also became Michigan’s most reliable shooter in the tournament as evidenced in the Final Four game against Arizona (6-of-9 from three). Next season will likely be his last in Ann Arbor before heading to the NBA, potentially as a lottery pick if things go right.
3. C Aday Mara
Now things start to get serious. Mara was the difference maker for Michigan basketball this season. His rim protection was the anchor of the No. 1 defense in all of college basketball. He’s projected to be a mid-first round pick, which leaves him with a stay-or-go decision. In the NBA’s eyes, he will need to bulk out his incredibly wiry frame. However, his passing is incredible for his size and he possesses a nice shooting stroke despite the limited attempts this year. He will likely be looked at as a top-end developmental pick should he decide to go pro.
2. F Morez Johnson Jr.
Morez Johnson Jr. proved to be much more than just a rim-runner in Ann Arbor this year. He is an incredibly versatile defender, able to stay in front of guards consistently despite being 6-foot-9. He also developed a post game on offense and was much more than just a dunker this season.
At the NBA level, Johnson could contribute right away in a reserve role. He’s got the size and strength to match up physically and is an excellent free throw shooter for the position. Should he declare this offseason, he could be a serviceable big man in the NBA for a decade or longer such as an Isaiah Stewart type player.
1. F Yaxel Lendeborg
No one helped their draft stock more in the NCAA Tournament than Yaxel Lendeborg. The constant knock on his draft stock will be his age — he’ll be 24 before the NBA season starts — but he proved time and again he can impact the game in every facet.
At 6-foot-9, Lendeborg can guard any position on the court. He is elite at finishing through contact, and shot 82 percent from the free throw line and 37 percent from three. Most importantly, he is patient and lets the game come to him. Lendeborg doesn’t need the ball in his hands to make a massive impact on the game, which makes him incredibly valuable. He proved to also be incredibly tough, as evidenced by his play during the National Championship essentially on one leg.
I would expect Lendeborg to be drafted either late in the lottery or just outside of it. Under the right circumstances, he could start in the NBA right away. His age may prevent him from becoming a star in the league, but he has every single tool necessary to become a very, very good NBA player. It will be fascinating to watch his career progression.
