Blessedly as an act of soaring mercy, the 2026 Major League Baseball season is upon us. Opening Day is in the immediate offing, and soon we’ll have actual, for-keeps baseball games to distract us from the inferior remainder of human existence.
Specific to the 30 MLB teams that will do this honest work for us, there are questions — questions about how their 2026 seasons will go and which players will determine how those seasons go. Let’s explore those 30 questions now in suspenseful alphabetical order as a means to anticipate and proclaim the return of This, Our Baseball.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Biggest question: Can that rotation hold up?
There’s potential for disaster with this rotation. Zac Gallen was mostly bad last season and signed a one-year deal to try to re-establish his worth before diving back into free agency. Merrill Kelly is 37 and already dealing with back issues. Eduardo Rodriguez’s ERA has been above 5 both years in Arizona. Brandon Pfaadt got clobbered last season to the tune of a 5.25 ERA and his career mark is now 5.13 across more than 80 career starts. Corbin Burnes will miss most of the season. Ryne Nelson was good last year, but what’s his upside? Ace? Probably not. Mike Soroka hasn’t been a good starter for more than a few starts at a time since 2019.
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There’s certainly upside in this group if you could be guaranteed to get the best versions of Gallen and Kelly while Nelson kept building on last season, Pfaadt put things together and Rodriguez could pitch back to 2023 form. If all these things happen, the Diamondbacks have a good rotation before they even think about getting Burnes and his ace-caliber stuff back in there.
Can all of that really come together, though? Realistically?
The most likely scenario here is the starting pitching is a problem. — Matt Snyder
It wasn’t even technically just “late.” The A’s were one of the worst teams in baseball through June 4, sitting 23-40. Things clicked after that, though, and they went 53-46 the rest of the way. If we started the standings on June 5, the A’s would’ve been a playoff team. Of course, we don’t do that; the horrific stretch of baseball that preceded that run mattered.
In looking toward 2026, the A’s are surely telling themselves that they found something. One thing they found was Nick Kurtz as a centerpiece and rising superstar. Shea Langeliers is a force as an offensive catcher. Brent Rooker is a quality middle-of-the-order slugger. Tyler Soderstrom runs hot and cold, but his hot streaks are glorious. Jeff McNeil and Jacob Wilson are capable of running high batting averages. It’s a really good lineup. Luis Severino and Jeffrey Springs can look good in the rotation too, but there are questions all over the pitching staff.
Still, we might’ve seen a glimpse of the A’s turnaround last season. There’s good talent here, especially with the bats. — Matt Snyder
Biggest question: Do they have the depth to survive these injuries?
Even before spring training let out, the Braves lost Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow bone spurs), Spencer Strider (oblique), Hurston Waldrep (elbow bone spurs), and Joey Went (torn ACL) from the rotation. That’s a lot of pitching depth down for weeks, if not longer. Also, Reynaldo López’s fastball is missing about 4 mph after last year’s shoulder surgery. The Braves got slammed by injuries last year and they’re already heading down that road this year. The team’s pitching depth is not great. Injuries are part of the game and the best teams figure out a way to navigate them. Atlanta didn’t last year. Whether they can this year will shape their season. — Mike Axisa
Baltimore Orioles
Biggest question: Will their homegrown hitters actually hit?
Pitching was the No. 1 reason the Orioles underperformed so aggressively last season, but don’t let their homegrown hitters off the hook. Gunnar Henderson is great and he had a terrific season once he returned from his oblique strain. Colton Cowser, Jackson Holliday, Heston Kjerstad, Adley Rutschman, and Jordan Westburg all fell short of expectations. In some cases, far short. I’m willing to give Holliday a pass because he’s still so young. The others? Not so much. Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward bring needed righty power, and the rotation has been upgraded with Shane Baz and Chris Bassitt. Ultimately though, these homegrown hitters were the centerpiece of the rebuild and it’s time for everyone to join Henderson in pulling their weight. — Mike Axisa
There is more to this game than hitting home runs, but you do need them, and the best teams tend to hit a lot of them. The 2023 Arizona Diamondbacks are the only team in the last nine years to reach the World Series while finishing in the bottom half of the league in home runs during the regular season. Last year’s Red Sox finished 15th in home runs, and they’re projected to finish even lower this year:
A full season of Roman Anthony should help in the power department, ditto replacing Alex Bregman with Willson Contreras. Otherwise, there is not much reason to believe the Red Sox will hit the ball out of the ballpark at a rate typically seen by the game’s top teams. Their rotation is much improved and their defense should be better. Will they be able to put points on the board with one swing often enough? — Mike Axisa
Chicago Cubs
Biggest question: What will Bregman provide at the plate?
The departed Kyle Tucker — now with the Dodgers — indeed moved the needle for the Cubs last season with a 4.6 WAR in 136 games. That’s a quite significant loss and the Cubs will need to find a way to replace that lost value. Getting Pete Crow-Armstrong to hit like he did in the first half of the 2025 season is one path to doing so, but the more obvious one lies within Alex Bregman, the Cubs’ flagship addition of the offseason. Bregman upgrades the Cubs’ defense at the hot corner — they probably have the best infield defense in all of baseball now — and he’s an accomplished hitter of long-standing.
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Still, the fit and Bregman’s future outlook at the plate raise questions about his offense moving forward. Wrigley Field is a tough environment for right-handed batters, of which Bregman is one. As well, Bregman has spent his entire career to date in Houston and Boston, which feature parks much friendlier toward right-handed hitters. On the other hand, Bregman has balanced home-road splits for his career (he’s actually been a bit better on the road), which tracks given that he’s a high-contact, all-fields kind of batsman. You can find some signs of soft decline in his expected stats over the last two seasons, and that’s something to monitor as he moves into his age-32 campaign. This is probably more of a question of how Bregman’s five-year pact with Chicago will age, but the ballpark fit bears monitoring right away. They could use vintage Bregman at the plate and in the field if they’re going to end the Brewers‘ run in the NL Central. — Dayn Perry
Chicago White Sox
Biggest question: Will the rebuild take the next step?
This winter’s trade of Luis Robert Jr. to the Mets was in some ways the capstone on the White Sox’s teardown process — a teardown that saw them crater to a record 121 losses in 2024. After the teardown comes the rebuild. With their veteran contributors largely departed, the focus now shifts to developing and improving the young talent that’s on hand. That’s the next step for a club that could possibly contend as soon as 2027. The projected lineup features seven hitters 26 years old or younger. The bench skews young as well, as do two of the five projected members of the rotation. That’s not to mention five consensus top-100 prospects still on the way, and the Sox will of course have the top overall pick in this year’s MLB Draft. Other questions flow from that central question above. Will Colson Montgomery scale his power outburst in 2025 to a full season in 2026? Will splash signing Munetaka Murakami — himself just 26 — make enough contact to tap fully into his impressive raw power? Which of those prospects will trickle into the South Side this season? It’s a big bridge year for Chicago. — Dayn Perry
The Reds throughout much of recent history have been known for scoring runs, thanks in part to the strong tendencies of Great American Ball Park. Last season, though, it was run prevention that carried them to their first playoff berth in a full season since 2013. The offense, meantime, ranked a mere 28th in MLB in xWOBA (what’s this?), which does not bode well for the 2026 season. On the upside for Cincy, there are causes for hope. Major offseason addition Eugenio Suárez is the new cleanup hitter, and he’s fresh off a 2025 resurgent campaign in which he racked up 49 homers and placed in the 89th percentile in barrel rate. As well, star shortstop Elly De La Cruz may have been on his way to an MVP-caliber season at the plate before a lingering quad injury sapped his production. Elsewhere, Matt McLain will be looking for a bounceback season as he gets further removed from the shoulder surgery that cost him all of 2024, and 22-year-old Sal Stewart has middle-of-the-order potential. Some of those factors will need to go the Reds’ way in 2026 if they’re to make it back to the postseason. — Dayn Perry
Cleveland Guardians
Biggest question: Can they score enough runs?
The Dolans are, perhaps somewhat quietly, some of the worst owners in the sport — utterly unwilling to invest in the product for so much of recent history despite receiving a quite substantial amount of money through revenue sharing. This time around, their lack of interest in the on-field product will be most keenly felt on offense. The Guardians last season finished strong to eke out the division title, but they did so despite a negative run differential. That was largely a reflection of the offense, which ranked 28th in MLB in runs scored, 29th in OPS, 28th in OPS+, 29th in wOBA, and 30th in xwOBA. That’s a terrible run-scoring attack, and the ever-excellent José Ramírez can do only so much. As for new additions, there’s … Rhys Hoskins, who made the team out of spring training as an NRI. Yes, the Guardians are among the very best at developing pitchers and Ramírez is a future Hall of Famer who’s still at the top of the game. The rest of the lineup, though, probably isn’t good enough to put the Guards in contention for another trip to the playoffs in 2026. That fatal flaw traces right back to ownership. — Dayn Perry
Biggest question: How many more games can they win?
Look, there’s no reason to sugarcoat this. The Rockies are awful and might be the worst team in baseball. They were historically bad last season and came close to the all-time record for losses with 119. They’ll improve because it’s very, very difficult to be that bad. The White Sox set the modern record with 121 losses in 2024 and were terrible again in 2025, but they ended up 60-102. Does that automatically mean that the Rockies will improve by roughly 20 games? Of course not. They’ll win more games, though, mark my words. The question is just how many more. — Matt Snyder
Detroit Tigers
Biggest question: Is this Tarik Skubal‘s last ride in Detroit?
The winner of the last two American League Cy Young awards and perhaps the best pitcher in all of baseball, Skubal will be in his walk year in 2026. The expectation is that he’ll again be at the top of his craft and position himself for a massive payday on the free agent market during the 2026-27 offseason. Or will the Tigers somehow manage to sign Skubal to an extension before that time comes? Signs at this juncture point resoundingly toward no. It’s exceedingly rare for a superstar like Skubal to sign an extension this close to reaching free agency, and the Tigers — meaning, mostly, lackluster owner Christopher Ilitch — have not behaved seriously toward their franchise talent. First came their extension talks following the 2024 season, in which the club reportedly made an offer that can’t be characterized as anything but insulting. Then came an absurdly low arbitration offer (the Tigers, not surprisingly, lost their arbitration hearing against Skubal). Consider all of this and, no, a late-hour extension for Skubal doesn’t seem plausible.
To the Tigers’ credit, they didn’t trade their ace of aces this past offseason, which makes them real threats to make the playoffs for the third straight year and favorites to win the division. As well, they fortified their rotation behind Skubal with Framber Valdez, the top starting pitcher on the free-agent market. They also brought back franchise legend Justin Verlander to stabilize the back end after Reese Olson underwent shoulder surgery that will sideline him all season. The arrival of top prospect infielder Kevin McGonigle, who made the Opening Day roster, should also help make Skubal’s (presumed) final season in Detroit a memorable one. The Tigers, though, shouldn’t let the Skubal era end without a good-faith, powerhouse effort to keep him around beyond 2026. — Dayn Perry
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Houston Astros
Biggest question: How does the rotation fare?
There are plenty of offensive questions, but better health and a few bouncebacks are expected.
The rotation, though, is worrisome. Hunter Brown took a huge leap into acedom last season, but continued improvement is far from guaranteed. Cristian Javier has a 4.47 ERA in 46 starts in the last three seasons with a Tommy John surgery sandwiched in there. Tatsuya Imai was a beast in Japan, but sometimes pitchers struggle in the transition to Major League Baseball with the travel schedule (Japan only has one time zone, for example) and pitching once every five days instead of once a week. It’s hard to know exactly how he’ll fare. Lance McCullers missed all of 2023 and 2024 with injuries and had a 6.51 ERA in just 55 ⅓ innings last season. Mike Burrows could be good, but he has fewer than 100 innings of MLB experience and none with the Astros. Ryan Weiss is a 29-year-old minor-league journeyman who was in Korea last year.
It’s entirely possible to see something like Brown remaining an ace, Javier pitching like it’s 2022, Imai looking like a frontline starter all year, McCullers throwing it back to his prime, Burrows blossoming and Weiss bringing back frontline stuff from overseas. How likely is all of that, though? — Matt Snyder
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Kansas City Royals
Biggest question: Will Jac Caglianone be the hitter they need?
There’s a lot to like about the Royals as they angle to notch a third straight winning season in 2026. There’s rotation depth, and ace Cole Ragans is a bounceback candidate this season. The Matt Strahm signing was a nice targeted strike that improves the bullpen. Bobby Witt Jr. will likely be in the American League MVP race once again and Maikel Garcia is one of the most underrated players in the game. They could, however, use additional power to complement what’s provided by Witt, Salvador Perez, and Vinnie Pasquantino. That brings us to Jac Caglianone.
The University of Florida product and the No. 6 overall pick of the 2024 Draft has big-time power, but getting to that power against more advanced competition is an issue thanks to his occasional swing-and-miss problems. Across 232 plate appearances with KC last season as a rookie, Cags had an OPS+ of just 49 and chased pitches outside the zone way too often. None of this is overly concerning for a 22 year old who was facing big-league pitching for the first time, but the Royals need Caglianone to flip the switch in 2026. Last season, KC ranked 26th in MLB in home runs and 18th in slugging, and Caglianone could address those deficits in direct fashion if he finds something close to his expected level of production in 2026. For what it’s worth, Caglianone this offseason is coming off a strong showing in camp and a strong showing as a lineup regular for Italy during their deep run in the World Baseball Classic. — Dayn Perry
The Angels look ticketed for last place in the AL West. They finished last in 2024 and 2025 and own the longest playoff drought in baseball, having missed the postseason every year since 2014. They’ve wasted Mike Trout‘s career and the years they had with Shohei Ohtani.
I hate going this hard because I always feel bad for the fan base. They deserve better. So instead, what we’ll do now is find some fun stuff.
Well, there’s Trout. He’ll never not be fun on a baseball field for me. That’s likely a stale answer, though. Jo Adell and Jorge Soler both have light-tower power so there’s always the chance to see some prodigious home runs.
Also, bring on Zach Neto! He’s still only 25 years old and is a very nice power-speed combo. In just 128 games last season, Neto had 26 home runs and 26 steals — meaning there’s 30-30 or more potential in there in a full season. The only 30-30 players in Angels history are Trout (2012) and Bobby Bonds (1977). — Matt Snyder
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Los Angeles Dodgers
Biggest question: Will they threepeat?
The portmanteau threepeat was coined in Los Angeles when Pat Riley was discussing his “Showtime” Lakers. The most prominent baseball team in L.A. has never done it and the Dodgers have a shot this season, heading in as back-to-back champs. In fact, only the Yankees and A’s in MLB history have ever gone for a threepeat. This is how rare it is. These are the only times it has happened:
1936-39 Yankees
1949-53 Yankees
1972-74 A’s
1998-2000 Yankees
That’s it.
Can the Dodgers join that group? They are absolutely capable. The only question is will they. We’ll find out later this year, likely in mid-October at the earliest. Probably in late October.
As for the regular season, yeah, they likely cruise to the NL West title. Again. — Matt Snyder
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Miami Marlins
Biggest question: Will they build on their strong finish to 2025?
Last year’s 79-83 record represented a 17-win improvement for the Marlins, and that 79-83 record hides a really strong finish. Miami went 25-41 in their first 66 games and 54-42 (91-win pace) in their final 96 games. Several young hitters began to emerge (Jakob Marsee, Agustín Ramírez, etc.) and pitching stabilized. The Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers trades removed some rotation depth, though lefties and top prospects Robby Snelling and Thomas White are knocking on the door. Are the Marlins good enough to contend for a postseason berth? I don’t think so, but a) I could be wrong, and b) the arrow is pointing up regardless. At minimum, a winning record should be the expectation in 2026. — Mike Axisa
Milwaukee Brewers
Biggest question: Can they once again survive the departure of multiple key contributors?
The Brewers are without question one of the smartest and most impressive organizations in all of baseball. They’re in a class with the Dodgers. In broad terms, they’re the National League’s answer to the Rays, in that they doggedly succeed year after year despite significant churn among their core contributors. The Rays right about now may be at risk of finding the limits of such an approach — or, to be more precise, the limits of consistent success despite paltry commitment from ownership.
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But what of Milwaukee, which has won three straight division titles and made the playoffs in seven of the last eight years? This time around, they’ll be without ace Freddy Peralta (traded to the Mets in the offseason) and breakout infielder Caleb Durbin (traded to the Red Sox). The absence of Peralta may be acutely felt, as he’s reached at least 30 starts and 200 strikeouts in each of the last three seasons. There’s rotation depth in place and on the way in Milwaukee, but is there enough certainty post-Peralta? Brandon Woodruff is an ace when healthy, but that health is far from guaranteed. Will Jacob Misiorowski‘s command and control rise to meet his lights-out stuff? Will Luis Rengifo amply fill Durbin’s role? The model, impressive as it is, will be tested in 2026. — Dayn Perry
Minnesota Twins
Biggest question: Is the teardown complete?
Leading up to the 2025 trade deadline, no team was more active on the seller side than the Twins were. With front office turnover, a new manager, and persistent rumblings about a sale of the team, what’s ahead? It’s hard to see the Twins as contenders, even in the AL Central, and that’s especially the case after ace Pablo López was lost for the season to Tommy John surgery. If the Twins struggle in the first half, will franchise stalwart Byron Buxton be asked to consider waiving his no-trade clause? Will the underrated Joe Ryan be shopped to a contender? Will high-upside Royce Lewis be dangled now that he’s into his arbitration years? Those are the big unknowns, which fittingly reflect the uncertain future of the organization. — Dayn Perry
Biggest question: Will all the turnover equal more wins?
We’ll never truly know how much discord there was in the clubhouse last season, or whether it was something that had to be addressed or a narrative POBO David Stearns used as pretext to rebuild the roster in his image. What we do know for certain is it is now a much different clubhouse. The club’s four longest-tenured players were jettisoned in the offseason:
Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto and Mark Vientos will be only players in New York’s 2026 Opening Day lineup who were also in their 2025 Opening Day lineup. Soto changed positions too, shifting from right field over to left. The Mets emphasized defense up the middle with Luis Robert Jr. and Marcus Semien, and hitters with strong contact/power blends on the infield corners in Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco. They also added a new ace (Freddy Peralta) and have given the right field job to top position player prospect Carson Benge. The Mets will look much, much different this year, and, frankly, the change was needed. Will it result in more wins? In the end, that’s the only thing that matters. — Mike Axisa
New York Yankees
Biggest question: What will they get from their injured pitchers?
They might not come out and admit, but it sure feels like the Yankees are counting heavily on Gerrit Cole returning from Tommy John surgery as an instant ace. He looked good in his first spring training appearance and his rehab has gone very well, but still, it’s a lot to ask. Sandy Alcantara showed everyone last year that even the best pitchers can need time to get on track after having their elbow rebuilt. Cole is expected back in late May or early June. Carlos Rodón should return from his elbow surgery (loose bodies) in April. Clarke Schmidt (UCL surgery) is looking at an August or September return. The 2026 Yankees will look an awful lot like the 2025 Yankees. If Cole hits the ground running when he returns, he could swing the balance of power in the AL East. — Mike Axisa
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Philadelphia Phillies
Biggest question: How much will the young players contribute?
Other than effectively swapping Nick Castellanos for Adolis García, the Phillies spent the offseason bringing back their own players. They’re banking on several prospects coming up and contributing right away. Justin Crawford (Carl’s son) is the starting center fielder and righty Andrew Painter is in the rotation. Later this year, infielder Aidan Miller could come up to play somewhere (likely third base). Ultimately, the Phillies will only go as far as Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, et al take them. The young players being able to limit the growing pains could be what separates Philadelphia in the NL East race. — Mike Axisa
Pittsburgh Pirates
Biggest question: When will the Konnor Griffin era begin?
The Pirates this winter finally ramped up their spending just a bit, what with a trio of (quite dubious) free-agent signings and a canny trade for Brandon Lowe. The big story, though, involves one of the best prospects in baseball, shortstop Konnor Griffin. The 19-year-old former No. 9 overall pick is coming off a 2025 campaign in which he slashed .333/.415/.527 across three different levels with 48 extra-base hits and 65 steals in 122 games. That was his first professional season. This spring, he started off magma-hot in Grapefruit League play before cooling off and getting optioned to the minors before the Opening Day active roster was set. The Pirates, who hope to matter this season, at some point could absolutely use Griffin’s bat in the lineup that struggled last season, especially at the shortstop position. As well, the arrival of Griffin would put a charge in a fan base that’s been worn down over the years by owner Bob Nutting’s abject neglect. The Pirates can justify starting Griffin off back in the minors since he’s not yet 20 and hasn’t even played at Triple-A. Barring the unexpected, though, he’ll make it to Pittsburgh this season. How soon and how much he helps the cause this season are the unknowns. First, though, he needs to thrive once again back on the farm. — Dayn Perry
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St. Louis Cardinals
Biggest question: Will the young core take the next step?
The Cardinals under first-year president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom have drastically built out the player-development program, and they’ve also added lots of pitching and depth upside thanks to recent trades and other acquisitions by the Bloom regime. Now the focus becomes, to a large extent, developing the young talent that’s in the fold. Will Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman find a higher level as hitters and become a part of the young core? Will JJ Wetherholt‘s rookie season unfold as hoped? Will the velocity and swing and miss that’s been added to the organization make a difference in St. Louis this season, or is that more of a longer-term consideration? Will Masyn Winn take the next step as a hitter now that his knee has been surgically repaired? Will Dustin May get back to his old form and become a valuable deadline piece for the Cards? Speaking of trade candidates, will Lars Nootbaar produce after having surgery on both heels and be moved in the first half? Are Iván Herrera and his cleaned-up elbow capable of controlling the running game, or is a permanent move off the catcher position ahead? The 2026 season probably won’t bring contention to St. Louis, but it will be a clarifying campaign on many fronts. — Dayn Perry
San Diego Padres
Biggest question: Can the depth pieces step up?
There’s no question the Padres have the top-shelf talent needed to make the Dodgers sweat and maybe even to win a World Series. Fernando Tatís Jr. is capable of winning MVP. Hell, Manny Machado still might be. He finished second in 2022 and is still only 33 years old. Jackson Merrill and Xander Bogaerts look like All-Stars at their best. The rotation has three pitchers for whom you could say the same. The bullpen could be the strongest in all of baseball, or at least when we narrow it down to the late-inning guys.
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The roster depth is the concern. The Padres have a litany of main characters, but the problem here might be the supporting cast. The back half of the lineup can’t afford to be terrible. The fourth and fifth spots in the rotation can’t just be batting practice for opposing teams. They can’t rely on just a few arms in the bullpen to pitch every single time they are winning a close game.
The Padres are on one of the better runs in club history. They’ve made the playoffs in four out of five seasons and had previously only been to the postseason five times in 52 years. There’s an NLCS appearance in there, too. But they haven’t won the pennant in this five-year stretch and remain one of five MLB clubs with zero World Series titles.
New manager Craig Stammen needs his studs to be studs, yeah, but he needs the supporting cast to step up if this season is to be special in San Diego. — Matt Snyder
Biggest question: How does the Tony Vitello hire work?
Surely there will be some sort of transition phase with the new Giants manager, who was hired straight from the University of Tennessee. This isn’t like jumping from college to the pros in football or basketball, and college baseball coaches can be dictatorial. That won’t fly in the majors with high-priced talent on this team like Rafael Devers, Logan Webb, Willy Adames and Matt Chapman.
Tony Vitello traveled in the offseason to meet his players, including the Dominican Republic (Adames and Devers) and South Korea (Jung Hoo Lee), then gave a speech at the start of camp to the entire organization. He got rave reviews from his players. Will that translate on the field?
Seattle Mariners
Biggest question: Can they take the next step?
The Mariners were once one of the worst franchises in baseball, but they rose to respectability in the mid-90s and have since been the biggest tease to their fan base. They’ve had all-time greats like Ken Griffey Jr., Ichiro Suzuki, Randy Johnson and Edgar Martinez (and A-Rod … and King Felix … ), but have the unfortunate distinction of being the only franchise with zero World Series appearances.
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It isn’t just that, though. We can’t forget about the regular-season collapses. They set an MLB record with 116 wins in 2001 and failed to win even two games in the ALCS. In 2022, they finally got their first home playoff game since 2001 and scored zero runs in 18 innings in front of what started as a raucous crowd. Last year felt different for a while. They had that 3-2 ALCS lead after a five-run eighth inning in Game 5 — headlined by a Eugenio Suárez grand slam — sent T-Mobile Park into a frenzy. And then they lost the next two games.
That was the closest they’d ever come. The fans are as excited as ever now for 2026. Will the tease job continue or can the Mariners finally break through?
The rotation is on point, though there isn’t much margin for error concerning a terrible season or injury from one or two of them. The bullpen looks good, too, but sometimes those things go south. The lineup is capable, albeit with questions to answer. Things need to break right. My concern is that there isn’t enough depth to absorb a few bad outcomes, along with the reality that Cal Raleigh can’t possibly replicate what he did last season.
They have a very good roster, though, and the American League seems wide open. The front office needs to be ready to strike at the deadline, again, just like last year. — Matt Snyder
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Tampa Bay Rays
Biggest question: What can Junior Caminero do for an encore?
Well, he can star in the World Baseball Classic. We know that much. Junior Caminero went 7 for 20 (.350) with three home runs in the Dominican Republic’s six games and was arguably the most dangerous hitter on a team that included Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Juan Soto, and Fernando Tatis Jr. Last season, Caminero slugged 45 home runs for the Rays, the second most ever for a player in his 21 season (Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews hit 47 in 1953). Tampa finished in last place last season, then subtracted some pieces over the winter (Brandon Lowe, Shane Baz, etc.). To have any shot at contention in 2026, they’ll need Caminero to not just repeat his big 2025, but improve upon it. — Mike Axisa
Texas Rangers
Biggest question: Can the rotation carry them?
The upside of this rotation is the best in baseball. I have them fourth right now and that might end up being too low. There are ace-caliber arms and there is depth. It could be so great. There are questions in the bullpen, though, and the lineup has taken a huge tumble since being such a force in 2023. Last season, the Rangers finished 23rd in runs scored and 26th in OPS.
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They swapped out Marcus Semien for Brandon Nimmo and let Adolis García walk, giving the top of the order a makeover. They’ll need Wyatt Langford to become the star everyone thinks he can be while Corey Seager stays as healthy as can be expected. Still, that leaves the bottom part of the lineup. Is the Evan Carter breakout coming? Is there more from Joshes Jung and/or Smith? Jake Burger and Joc Pederson must be better to make this work, but are they capable?
That’s a lot of questions. The rotation has to be the engine here. — Matt Snyder
Toronto Blue Jays
Biggest question: Will all that go their way again?
In addition to being an excellent team, the Blue Jays had a lot break their way last season. Several role players, including backup catcher Tyler Heineman and extra outfielder Myles Straw, performed way above expectations, plus George Springer had close to a career year offensively at age 35. Teams that go to the World Series tend to have players come out of nowhere to perform unexpectedly well. That was the case with Toronto last season. There are already some cracks in the rotation (José Berríos’ elbow, Shane Bieber‘s forearm, Trey Yesavage‘s shoulder) shrinking their margin of error. As good as they are, the Blue Jays could use a little of that 2025 magic early in 2026. — Mike Axisa
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Washington Nationals
Biggest question: What would qualify as a successful season?
The Nationals won the World Series in 2019 and only the Rockies have lost more games since. Longtime GM Mike Rizzo was let go last summer and, in the offseason, new POBO Paul Toboni was brought in to get the organization up to speed. The Nationals had fallen behind in just about everything that matters. Analytics, scouting, player development, you name it. A sixth straight 90-loss season is the likely outcome here, but that doesn’t mean Washington can’t have a good season. Success for them would be young players like Dylan Crews and Harry Ford (both starting the year in Triple-A) emerging as legitimate building blocks, and some veterans playing their way into trade value. Think Zack Littell, Miles Mikolas, etc. The Nationals have had bad seasons the last few years. Will the 2026 team have a bad season that at least shows some signs of hope and progress? — Mike Axisa
Indian all-rounder Shivam Dube said on Thursday that his train journey back home after winning the T20 World Cup 2026 with his family was exciting but also quite tough, as he had to take extra precautions to avoid being recognised. Dube had to take an unusual route to get back home from Ahmedabad after the historic win. Unlike most Indian cricketers who travel by chartered or private flights, he couldn’t find any available flights from Ahmedabad to Mumbai, as they were fully booked. So, he decided to travel by train in a 3rd AC coach. Even though there was a risk of being recognised by fans, he felt it was the quickest option. In a video shared by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on X, Dube explained how he managed to avoid attention.
“It was quite tough. We took the train around 5 a.m., and there were many people. But since it was right after the World Cup, no one expected me to be there. I went to the top berth and slept for some time. We slept around 5:30 and woke up at 10:30,” he said.
Dube also shared that he had travelled by train in a similar way last year during a BPCL tournament in Baroda.
“I had done this before as well, wearing a mask. Last year, before the IPL, I travelled by train from a BPCL tournament in Baroda because I wanted to reach home early. I was sleeping on my berth, and there were a few friends with me,” he added.
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Sanju Samson, who was also part of the World Cup-winning team, will join Dube at Chennai Super Kings for the first time. Dube said Samson had asked him about the atmosphere in Chennai, and he replied, “You’ll love it. It will feel like home. There’s no pressure—you can just focus on your practice and training.”
Dube is expected to play an important role for CSK in IPL 2026. The five-time champions will begin their campaign on March 30 against the Rajasthan Royals at Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
YMCA member Austin Manengu works the keyboard as he plays a game of Fortnite during the unveiling of the new gaming lab at the Maplewood Family YMCA in Rochester Thursday, June 20, 2024. YMCA of Greater Rochester in partnership with Metro Sports & Entertainment Group will open two gaming labs for youth and teens this year.
PARIVISION and Xtreme Gaming pulled off clutch wins on the final day of group-stage competition on Wednesday to advance into the playoffs of the ESL One Birmingham event in England.
The teams entered the day in sixth and eighth place, respectively, in Group A and Group B. PARIVISION secured its second win over Yakult Brothers and then won a pair of one-off tiebreakers over GamerLegion and BetBoom to clinch the fourth spot.
In other Group A action before the tiebreakers, BetBoom beat GamerLegion while Team Yandex and Tundra Esports locked down the top two spots in the group with wins over MOUZ and REKONIX. MOUZ still finished in third place and advanced despite the loss.
Xtreme Gaming used a win over OG — its first of the competition — and losses by three other teams ahead of them to jump up four spots into fourth place in Group B. The losses they needed were Aurora Gaming beating paiN Gaming, Team Spirit beating Nigma Galaxy and Team Falcons beating Virtus.pro. Aurora Gaming and Team Spirit claimed the top two spots in Group B with Team Falcons claiming third.
The $1 million Dota 2 tournament, featuring 16 teams, will award $750,000 in prize money and $250,000 in club rewards as well as 35,460 ESL Pro Tour points spread among all participants.
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The top two teams from each group advanced to the upper bracket of the playoffs. The third- and fourth-place teams were delegated to the lower-bracket playoffs, with the remaining eight teams eliminated after Wednesday’s competition.
The playoffs will be contested Thursday through Sunday with a double-elimination bracket. All matches are best-of-three except for the grand final, which is best-of-five.
In Wednesday action, PARIVISION completed its win of Yakult Brothers with a 32-minute win on green followed by a 42-minute victory on red. Alan “Satanic” Gallyamov of Russia led the win with a 21-2-20 kill-death-assist ratio. Malaysia’s Daniel “Ghost” Chan led Yakult Brothers with a 7-8-6 K-D-A.
Yandex clinched the top spot with its 2-0 win over MOUZ, winning in 32 minutes and 31 minutes on green. Kazakhstan’s Alimzhan “watson” Islambekov led the win with an impressive 22-1-13 K-D-A, while Dutch competitor Remco “Crystallis” Arets led MOUZ with a 10-12-6 ratio.
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Tundra locked up the second spot with a pair of 29-minute victories on red followed by on green. Bozhidar “bzm” Bogdanov led the win with a 19-3-27 ratio, and Saieful “Fbz” Ilham of Indonesia led REKONIX with a 4-11-8 K-D-A.
BetBoom Team’s 2-0 win over GamerLegion in 45 minutes and 58 minutes on green made the Group A tiebreaker a necessity. Ilya “Kiritych” Ulyanov of Russia posted a 21-6-35 K-D-A for BetBoom, beating out Edmond Dantes’ 11-16-24 ratio for GamerLegion.
PARIVISION won the first tiebreaker over GamerLegion in 45 minutes on green and followed with a 51-minute triumph on red over BetBoom. Gallyamov led the team with an 8-8-19 ratio in the two tiebreakers.
In Group B action, Xtreme Gaming did its part to advance with 41-minute and 39-minute wins on green to beat OG. Wang “Ame” Chunyu of China led the effort by totaling 11-2-30 against a 5-12-9 ratio for OG’s John “Natsumi-” Vargas from the Philippines.
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Team Spirit beat Nigma Galaxy in 35 minutes on green and 49 minutes on red. Russia’s Denis “Larl” Sigitov led the win with a 17-2-27 K-D-A, while Tony “No!ob” Assaf of Lebanon led Nigma with a 14-11-13 ratio.
Team Falcons closed out the group stage with a 46-minute win on green followed by a 45-minute win on red over Virtus.pro. A 22-6-21 showing from Jordan’s Ammar “ATF” Al-Assaf led the way for Falcons against Abed “Abed” Yusop’s 18-6-18 ratio for Virtus.
Aurora Gaming finished atop the group with a 50-minute red victory followed by a 30-minute green beatdown of paiN. Egor “Nightfall” Grigorenko of Russia put up a 19-3-20 K-D-A to lead Aurora. Maximo “Wits” Orozco Alza led the Peruvian paiN squad with a 8-9-10 ratio.
Thursday schedule
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Upper-bracket semifinals
Team Yandex vs. Team Spirit
Aurora Gaming vs. Tundra Esports
ESL One Birmingham standings
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Position, Team, Match W-L (Maps W-L)
Group A
1. Team Yandex, 5-0-2 (12-2)
2. Tundra Esports, 4-0-3 (11-3)
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3. MOUZ, 4-3-0 (8-6)
4. PARIVISION, 2-3-2 (6-8)
5. GamerLegion, 2-3-2 (6-8)
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6. BetBoom, 2-3-2 (6-8)
7. Yakult Brothers, 1-3-3 (5-9)
8. REKONIX, 0-5-2 (2-12)
Group B
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1. Aurora Gaming, 6-0-1 (13-1)
2. Team Spirit, 5-1-1 (11-3)
3. Team Falcons, 3-1-3 (9-5)
4. Xtreme Gaming, 1-2-4 (6-8)
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5. Virtus.pro, 1-3-3 (5-9)
6. paiN Gaming, 0-3-4 (4-10)
7. OG, 0-3-4 (4-10)
8. Nigma Galaxy, 0-3-4 (4-10)
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ESL One Birmingham prize pool (prize money, club reward)
Harry Maguire was stepping onto a late afternoon flight to Bournemouth with his Manchester United teammates when a WhatsApp message pinged his phone. It was the England manager, Thomas Tuchel, asking if they could talk that evening.
Butterflies fluttered. Maguire hadn’t played for England for nearly two years, since he appeared in a Nations League game against Ireland in 2024. He had never played for Tuchel and there had been very little contact from the manager since he took the job last January. “I knew if I missed this camp, I don’t think I would have been back in the England setup,” Maguire admitted.
The defender has endured a mixed season. He struggled for form and fitness under Ruben Amorim and felt inhibited by the manager’s beloved back-three formation. But a run of games in Michael Carrick’s transformed United side have kindled faint hopes of playing in a third World Cup, at the age of 33.
Sitting on the plane, Maguire turned to fellow England prospect Kobbie Mainoo. “I asked Kobbie if he’d got a text as well and he said, ‘yeah’,” Maguire smiles. That offered some reassurance and, two hours later, Tuchel rang to confirm he was finally back in the England squad for World Cup warm-up games against Uruguay and Japan at Wembley.
Maguire rang round his family to share the news. His mum cried, though she was on holiday in Spain at the time and he suggests the tears may have been helped along by a few Sangrias. “It felt a bit like my first call-up,” he says. “I’ve played 60-odd games for England and been to three major tournaments, but when you’re playing every game, you don’t want to take it for granted, but you get comfortable with the setup. And then when it’s taken away from you all of a sudden, it hurts.”
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Harry Maguire in training for England at St George’s Park (The FA via Getty Images)
Maguire is speaking in a quiet room at England’s second home, St George’s Park, in Burton-upon-Trent, back where he feels he belongs. He spent seven years as a mainstay under Gareth Southgate, first on the left side of a back three and later in a pairing with John Stones. Over the past two years he had to get used to watching England as a fan again, taking his career full circle, back to when he was a Hull City player travelling around France with friends watching Euro 2016 from the stands.
“It did hurt [to watch England] but I still wanted them to win,” he says. “I have a lot of friends here. There are times when you feel like you should be in the squad and then that probably hurts a little bit more, but the last three camps I wasn’t fit, I wasn’t playing every game for Manchester United, I was in and out, I was playing three games and getting injured. When you don’t build up that rhythm, you don’t really have an excuse.
“It hurt more when I watched them in the final against Spain, losing that game [Euro 2024 final].”
Away from England, Maguire focused on performing for his club. He enjoyed working with Amorim but felt the central role in a back three limited his best attributes, consigned to be a sweeper when he wanted to roam and charge and challenge opponents physically. His freedom to carry the ball upfield was clipped, and it all added to the narrative that he was a fading force.
“When you’re playing in a back five and you’re playing that middle one, automatically people think you’re a little bit older and can’t move as much. I’ve always said I much prefer playing in a back four. I feel like I can play more aggressive, play more on the front foot and I feel like that’s a big part of my game.”
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Harry Maguire’s club form has put him back in the picture for England (Owen Humphreys/PA)
Amorim will be a great manager, Maguire insists. It just didn’t click. “I really like Ruben, I think he’s got great ideas. Those ideas just didn’t work at Manchester United. I do believe he’ll go on and have an amazing career. At his next club he’ll probably go and win many, many football matches.”
Carrick’s reign has been transformational. Maguire has enjoyed the freedom of a back four as United have climbed the table to third, in a strong position to qualify for next season’s Champions League with seven games to go. Surely the players want him to stay beyond the summer?
“Listen, Carrick coming in, he’s been amazing. He speaks really, really well. He’s tactically very, very good. He’s brought in some amazing staff, [such as] Steve Holland. [But] it’s not up to us. I think we’ve got to finish the season strong, and then I think he should go right into the mix with the other candidates.
“It’s going to be a big summer. We know that for Manchester United. We need bodies in to help the squad. It’s going to be a big recruitment in the management department, and I’m sure the hierarchy will get it right.”
Maguire has stayed fit and found form in recent weeks, ironically right up until Tuchel’s phone call. The next night he scored a goal at Bournemouth, but was sent off as United settled for a draw – “a harsh” red card, he says.
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Maguire is competing for a place on the plane to North America (The FA via Getty Images)
A one-game suspension means he won’t play for United again until 18 April at the earliest, when they travel to Chelsea. That time off will at least offer a window to speak to the club about his future, with his contract expiring at the end of the season. Maguire wants to stay, and the way he talks suggests that something might almost be agreed.
“What that agreement is, I’m sure you’ll find out over the next few weeks,” he says. “I think it’ll get sorted sooner rather than later, whether I stay or leave. I love this club, but it’s got to be right for myself, it’s got to be right for the club as well. I don’t want to be staying on a sentimental value. I want to be staying because I want to be there and the club want me to drive the club forward still, and they feel like I’ve got a big part to play in it.
“[I want to be] playing games and helping the team on and off the pitch. I want to be important to the club. So we need to sit down and speak – and I’ve got a long time off now with the red card.”
Only three months ago, Maguire’s international and club careers appeared to be in their winter days. Suddenly they are in full bloom again. He never gave up hope of travelling to North America to experience one more World Cup as a player, rather than a fan, when summer comes around. “I kept it free, just in case.”
Mar 25, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) reacts after the game against the Atlanta Hawks at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
The Detroit Pistons had their four-game winning streak snapped by the red-hot Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. They’ll look to start a new one when they host the lowly New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday.
Detroit dropped a 130-129 overtime thriller at home to the Hawks. Tobias Harris and Jalen Duren both missed shots in the final three seconds that would have extended the streak.
It was their first loss since star guard Cade Cunningham was diagnosed with a collapsed lung. Cunningham will miss his fifth straight contest on Thursday.
Detroit trailed by as many as 21 points in the first half, then climbed back by scoring the first 16 points of the second half.
“Didn’t like the way that we dug a hole in the first half, but to be able to have the conversation at halftime and come out and play the way that we did in the third quarter, fourth quarter, again, is a credit to the guys,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Obviously, we came up a point short, a bucket short. But most teams don’t even get themselves in that position. Most guys, most teams don’t even have the fortitude to dig down, collect themselves, pick themselves up off the mat, so to speak, and go out there and do what our guys did. So, no moral victories, but (I’m) proud of our guys’ effort.”
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Duren, the team’s other All-Star along with Cunningham, led the way on Wednesday with 26 points and 14 rebounds.
“He’s just everywhere,” forward Ausar Thompson said. “He’s blocking shots, he’s rebounding and then he’s sprinting the floor on the offensive end and getting us easy buckets, easy steals. So, he does a lot.”
Detroit is wrapping up a four-game homestand vs. New Orleans. The Pistons (52-20), who are looking to protect their four-game lead over the Boston Celtics and lock up the top seed in the Eastern Conference, play six of their remaining nine regular-season games on the road after Thursday’s contest.
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The Pelicans (25-48) have lost their last two games while putting up a good fight against two other Eastern Conference contenders. They lost at home to Cleveland 111-106 on Saturday, then began a three-game road trip with a 121-116 loss to the New York Knicks on Tuesday.
Zion Williamson led them in scoring both contests, including a 22-point outing on Tuesday. Williamson is shooting 67.7% from the field this month.
“He kept us in the game,” Pelicans’ interim head coach James Borrego said of the game against the Knicks. “You felt his physicality from the first moment. He does that for us. He gives us our paint pressure, our physicality, our energy. I thought he was phenomenal.”
Dejounte Murray was held to seven points — his lowest output since returning late last month from an Achilles tear — but he recorded a season-high 12 assists.
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New Orleans had won five of six games prior to the last two losses.
“We’re moving in the right direction,” Borrego said. “This group is playing at a high level.”
The Pelicans haven’t had much success on the road, going 9-26.
“Our defense has to travel with us,” Borrego said. “To be a good road team, you have to take your defense on the road.”
Former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko will captain Bosnia-Herzegovina against Wales in their World Cup play-off semi-final
As Wales prepare to face Bosnia and Herzegovina in their World Cup play-off semi-final, the visitors’ captain Edin Dzeko is set to fight for what is likely his last opportunity to compete in a major tournament. The veteran’s life hasn’t been without incident since he left Manchester City – and a run-in with Andre Onana is just part of the picture.
Dzeko, 40, will lead his nation at Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday evening as he returns to the UK. However, earlier in the qualifying campaign, he risked upsetting his country’s FA with strong remarks about fan access.
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Ahead of a November double-header against Romania and Austria, Bosnia were aware that two victories could secure direct qualification, whilst a solid performance would guarantee a play-off position. But controversy arose prior to the home match against Romania due to two fan groups being unable to buy tickets for the game in Zenica.
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BHFanaticos and Ljuti Krajišnica were both prevented from purchasing tickets by the country’s FA, prompting Dzeko to intervene and demand the decision be overturned. “On behalf of my teammates and on my own behalf, I DEMAND the Federation to reconsider its decision and, as before, to provide tickets for fan groups that have been cheering on the BiH national team for years!” he posted on social media.
“With loyal fan support from the stands, which we really need at this important moment for the national team, the players will do their best on the field to achieve a favourable result! We are all going to defend the colours of our homeland on our front.”
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When the match against Romania kicked off, over 11,000 fans were present at the 15,000-capacity Bilino Polje Stadium. However, by half-time, a goal from Daniel Birligea had put the visitors ahead, leaving Dzeko and his colleagues with a task on their hands.
The captain led from the front, equalising less than five minutes into the second half. Esmir Bajraktarevic then put Bosnia-Herzegovina ahead with just 11 minutes left, but the points weren’t secured until Haris Tabakovic added a clincher at the death.
Tabakovic scored again in the final group match in Vienna, putting Sergej Barbarez’s team on the brink of a World Cup spot. However, a second-half equaliser from Michael Gregoritsch meant Austria progressed as group winners and left Bosnia-Herzegovina needing to come through a match against Wales and a potential play-off final against Italy or Northern Ireland.
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Dzeko was part of the squad in 2014, the only previous occasion the country have qualified for a World Cup. Sead Kolasinac is the only other member of that group who is in the squad to face Wales on Thursday.
The striker, who was a Premier League champion with City in 2012 and 2014, spent ten years in Italy and Turkey after departing the Etihad Stadium. He transferred to his current club Schalke in January and has netted six goals in eight matches for the 2. Bundesliga leaders.
A stint at Inter Milan was among the highlights of his post-City club career. He was part of the team which reached the Champions League final in 2023 but had a much-publicised falling out with team-mate Andre Onana along the way.
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Onana, who would later leave Inter for Manchester United, was seen screaming at Dzeko and telling him to shut up during a round of 16 victory over Porto. Colleague Hakan Calhanoglu felt compelled to step in but the goalkeeper played down the incident after the 1-0 win.
“These things happen in the game, everyone has a right to think what they want,” Onana told Sky Sport Italia. “If the adrenaline that makes us angry also helps us to win games the way we did tonight, then it’s welcome!”
England’s 2026 World Cup kits
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England and Nike have launched the new home, away and goalkeeper kits to be worn at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. You can get free delivery on all orders with the code: ENGFREEDEL
Brooks Koepka returned to the PGA Tour with a quiet T56 at the Farmers Insurance Open, but there was more to that performance under the surface. If you looked past the fanfare of his triumphant return, you could see it.
That week at Torrey Pines, Koepka lost over seven shots on the greens while finishing positive in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, Approach and Around the Greens. He made a putter switch after the missed cut at the WM Phoenix Open, and his game has started to round into form ever since, with Koepka going T9-T13-T18 through the Florida Swing. He ranked third in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach last week at the Valspar and is ranked first in that category on the PGA Tour on the season, gaining 1.089 strokes on approach per round.
Koepka said he diagnosed a problem with his driver ahead of this week’s Texas Children’s Houston Open that likely “cost him six or seven shots” last week. (He finished seven shots behind eventual winner Matt Fitzpatrick.)
That subtle I could’ve won reference is reminiscent of the Brooks Koepka who once said he believed majors are easier to win than normal PGA Tour events. (He won that week.)
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Koepka arrives at Memorial Park Golf Course this week with the look and feel of the Koepka of old, the one who crushed major fields with exacting, boring golf. That Koepka is starting to show with the Masters on the horizon because the game that won him five majors, the one that has been missing since his 2023 PGA Championship win, well, Koepka feels it has finally returned.
“I do feel like it is ready,” Koepka said Wednesday when asked if his game was in condition for Augusta National. “Everything’s trending in a nice direction. Ball-striking feels really, really good. Pete [Cowen’s] done a phenomenal job just getting everything where it needs to be. Yeah, the putting was a huge thing. I feel like it’s been so different because I was putting so terribly, I felt like I had to birdie the hole almost from the fairway or from the tee box.
“Where now I can sit back and kind of play golf how I used to play in ’17, ’19, kind of in that run when I was playing very good where I can be very patient and just kind of wait my time. … I used to just kind of — it felt very boring, just hit the center of the greens and occasionally you push and pull one kind of right on the flag. I always think — I said it was like conservatively aggressive.”
The arrow has been trending up for Koepka ever since he made his return to the PGA Tour from LIV Golf at the end of January, but there’s one thing that’s missing as he looks to peak at Augusta National in two weeks: Koepka hasn’t been in the cauldron on the weekend yet during his PGA Tour rebirth.
He believes his game is back to the level that saw him suffocate major championship fields with ease, but he won’t know that for sure until he tests it under pressure. That’s the goal this week in Houston as Koepka starts to fully shift his focus to the Masters and his hunt for major No. 6.
“The only thing is I really haven’t put myself in contention with nine holes to go,” Koepka said. “That’s really the last missing piece that I feel like I need to accomplish here before Augusta. I just need to get the juices flowing of having a chance to win a golf tournament. It’s been a while. Didn’t win last year. I just need to be able to put myself and get those feelings again. And especially out here, competing against unbelievable players on a difficult golf course would be what I need to do for the final prep for Augusta.”
A few weeks ago at the Players Championship, Koepka acknowledged that TPC Sawgrass serves as a barometer for where your game is at heading into the start of the major season. It’s a difficult test on a course where carnage lurks around every bend. Solve it, and you head toward the Masters feeling confident in your prospects. But fail the PGA Tour’s flagship test, and you have very little time to find answers before you drive down Magnolia Lane.
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“This is kind of right where I feel like you needed to know where your game was at,” Koepka said at TPC Sawgrass. “Every time you come to the Players, you get a good idea of, hey, you’ve got a couple more weeks right before Augusta; if you’ve got to make any changes, this is where it needs to happen. This is kind of, in my eyes, the kickoff of the real heat of the golf season. And it’s a lot of fun, it’s exciting, and just need to be on top of things.”
He finished in a tie for 13th, picked up almost seven shots on approach, which ranked fourth in the field and would have been a real weekend factor if not for a three-hole blowup during Friday’s second round. Koepka followed that with another solid week at the Valspar that an overly spinny driver apparently derailed, and now arrives at his final Masters tune-up finally sounding like the swaggering, major-beating Koepka of old.
“I love the way I’m playing,” Koepka said. “Just want to put myself in contention here for the first time before Augusta. My game is rounding into form. I can see it. I don’t know if maybe results-wise, it probably hasn’t looked that way, but I can see it as a whole, it’s really all starting to come together.”
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That’s something no one hoping to add a green jacket to their closet in two weeks wants to hear.
Wednesday night, the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giantsopened the 2026 MLB season at Oracle Park. It’s the only game on Wednesday’s schedule. The other 28 teams are enjoying one last off-day before they begin their seasons Thursday and Friday.
The Yankees and Giants battled on the field Wednesday night, and three decades ago they battled in free agency for the game’s best player. Both clubs pursued Barry Bonds as a free agent during the 1992 offseason, and, of course, Bonds ultimately went home to the Bay Area, signing a six-year deal worth just under $44 million with the Giants. It made him the game’s highest-paid player.
During a visit to the Netflix broadcast booth on Wednesday, Bonds said late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was willing to make him baseball’s highest-paid player, but he put a deadline on the offer. That pushed Bonds to San Francisco. Here’s the story:
“George isn’t here anymore, so I can tell the truth, right?” Bonds started. “I would’ve been with the Yankees, but Steinbrenner got on the phone and called us and told me, ‘Barry, we’re going to give you the money — the highest-paid player at that time — but you got to sign the contract by 2 o’clock this afternoon. And I said, ‘Excuse me?!’ And I just hung the phone up.
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“And I went to go get lunch, and Dennis Gilbert, my agent, they were like, ‘Do you know what you just did?!’ I’m like, ‘Did you know what he just said?!’” Bonds continued. “I just said, ‘Forget it.’ By the time I walked down the street to go get lunch, I said, ‘Let me just think about this.’ The Giants called me, and I said, ‘I’m going home.’”
Back in 1992, the New York Times reported the Yankees gave Bonds two days to accept the offer, not until 2 p.m. Also, a sixth year was said to be the sticking point, not the deadline. The Yankees held firm at five years. The Giants put a sixth year on the table and that pushed it across the finish line.
Bonds enjoyed 15 very successful seasons with the Giants, winning four MVPs and eventually becoming the all-time home run king. The Yankees did just fine without him. They won the World Series in 1996, four years after losing out on Bonds, then won three more titles in 1998, 1999, and 2000.
Nigeria U19 Women Cricket Team pulled off a dramatic win over South Africa U19 Women Cricket Team in a Super Over finish at the TBS Cricket Oval in Lagos.
After both sides ended regulation play tied at 133, Nigeria held their nerve in the decider, winning by just one run.
South Africa set the target earlier in the match, finishing on 133/7, thanks largely to a strong innings from captain Mieke van Voorst, who scored 69.
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Nigeria’s response was driven by captain Lucky Piety, who delivered an outstanding unbeaten 66 off 35 balls, guiding the hosts to 133/3 and forcing the Super Over.
In the decider, Nigeria posted 10/0, before restricting South Africa to 9/1 to seal the victory.
The result sets up another meeting between the two sides in the semifinal on March 27, following their strong performances in the group stage.
In their final warm-up match before the start of the FIFA World Cup (June 11- July 19) in the United States, Mexico and Canada, France face Brazil in a friendly. Weakened by absences, the Brazilians will have their work cut out against the French, the World Cup runners-up, who comfortably topped their qualifying group. This international break could also be Kylian Mbappé’s chance to become the French national team’s all-time leading goalscorer.
Elsewhere, Italy are on tenterhooks. Having missed out on the last two World Cups, the Squadra Azzurra must still secure their qualification, starting with a match against Northern Ireland. Enough to describe this match as “the most important of my career”, according to Italy’s manager Gennaro Gattuso. And then there was the fine performance of Dorian Godon, the Frenchman, who remains the overall leader of the Vuelta a Catalunya and winner of the third stage.
;)
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