Sports
Fantasy Baseball Busts 1.0: Oneil Cruz among riskiest picks for 2026
There’s two types of bust candidates in this world, and Oneil Cruz is both of them.
On the one hand, you’ve got the guys who are fine players who just cost way too much in drafts. Cruz, who had 20 homers and 38 steals despite his shortcomings in 2025, certainly counts as a “fine” player, but his cost in drafts (98.6 in NFC drafts to date) is just way too much to justify given his limitations.
And that’s where the other hand comes in. Because that other category of busts for Fantasy baseball are the players whose downside is so great that they might not even be worth drafting at any cost. Cruz, who hit .200 with sub-replacement-level totals of 62 runs and 61 RBI, surely counts here, too.
And it could get worse for him. Sure, I think it’s unlikely Cruz is a worse hitter in 2026 than 2025 – his .218 xBA and .324 xwOBA, for instance, suggest he probably deserved better results than he actually got last season. But even if Cruz does hit better than 2025 overall, there’s still real risk that he’s just a platoon bat coming off a season with a .400 OPS against lefties. He has generally been unplayably bad against lefties throughout his career, and the underlying numbers don’t paint an especially rosy picture – among 240 hitters with at least 100 plate appearances against lefties, Cruz’s .260 xwOBA was the 20th worst mark in baseball.
And Cruz isn’t such a dynamic defender (despite his physical tools) that a team actually trying to win games can justify leaving him in the lineup when he isn’t hitting. And, for whatever else you might say about the Pirates, they are actually trying to win games in 2026. They may decide that a fully-realized version of Cruz playing every day is their best chance to actually win games, but they also might come to the realization that playing Cruz against lefties is untenable and banish him to the realm of platoon bats.
Is there upside for Cruz to grow beyond what he’s shown so far in his career? Of course there is. Nobody in baseball hits the ball harder than him, and he remains one of the most gifted athletes in the game. But he’s also 27 years old, a few years past the point where we’re typically giving players a lot of credit for their potential.
So yeah, there’s upside. But there’s also considerable downside risk for Cruz. He might hit .200 again. He might get benched against lefties. He might be a stolen bases specialist who drags you down in the other four categories (and he might just be outright unplayable in points leagues thanks to his plate discipline). I’d be tempted to take a flier on the upside and see the glass half full if Cruz was sitting there around 150th in a draft. But at a top-100 price? No, the downside is what we should be focusing on there, and Cruz has a ton of it. Among top-100 players, he might be the most likely to prove actively detrimental to your chances of winning in 2026, in fact.
I’m not touching Cruz in 2026 drafts, but he obviously isn’t alone. In the rest of today’s newsletter, I’ve got 10 more bust candidates for you, including four whose price makes them busts, and six more whose skill sets are what scares me off of them.
Busts 1.0
Like the player, not the price …
Nick Kurtz, 1B, Athletics
This isn’t the first time I’ve made this point, but it’s worth revisiting in light of how historically awesome Kurtz was as a rookie. His 1.002 OPS made him just the sixth player in MLB history with an OPS north of 1.000 with at least 450 plate appearances as a rookie. Here’s how the five before him fared in their following season:
- Judge: 1.049 OPS as a rookie; .919 OPS his next season
- Pujols: 1.013 OPS as a rookie; .955 OPS his next season
- Braun: 1.004 OPS as a rookie; .888 OPS his next season
- Williams: 1.045 OPS as a rookie; 1.036 OPS his next season
- Bernie Carbo: 1.004 OPS as a rookie; .677 OPS his next season
That doesn’t mean Kurtz is fated to take a step back in 2026, but it’s a pretty safe bet. And not just because Bernie Carbo ended up being one of the all-time flashes in the pan. For as good as Kurtz is, he definitely overperformed as a rookie, putting up a .419 wOBA (second-best in baseball) compared to a .371 xwOBA (17th-best in baseball). Now, of course, there’s nothing wrong with being the 17th-best hitter in baseball. But when it comes in a package that will probably include a pretty low batting average (.245 xBA as a rookie) and no speed, it makes a second-round investment tough to justify. There’s nothing wrong with being Matt Olson, but Matt Olson is just a lot cheaper than Kurtz right now, and I’m not 100% convinced Kurtz is better than him. He’s one of the better bets for 35- or even 40-plus homers, so Kurtz should be a very useful Fantasy option. Just not one worth a top-20 pick.
The case for Rice is already pretty strong – he was the No. 5 catcher in Fantasy last season and seems in line to easily exceed last season’s 530 plate appearances now that he seems secure as the Yankees’ starting first baseman. And if you dig beyond the underlying numbers, the case gets even stronger – his .394 expected wOBA was the eighth-best mark among all hitters in 2025. If he can truly live up to that, we’re talking about a guy who could be an impactful Fantasy 1B who also happens to be eligible at catcher. That could be a huge cheat code for your Fantasy team.
The problem is that Rice is already being drafted as if he is that kind of cheat code. Every year, there is at least one player the Fantasy Baseball hive mind pushes up draft boards way more than their track record can justify (last year, it was Lawrence Butler and Wyatt Langford), and Rice seems to be this year’s version. Since the start of January, Rice’s ADP is up to 46.2, which makes him not just the No. 2 catcher off the board, but also ahead of proven stud first basemen like Bryce Harper, Matt Olson, and Rafael Devers. Rice could be worth that price, but I simply cannot justify taking him over William Contreras, who was the No. 9 hitter at any position in 2024.
Rice might be that good. The underlying numbers certainly support the idea that he has that upside, certainly. But it is worth noting that Rice has now underperformed his underlying numbers in both of his MLB seasons, so there might be something about his swing that holds him back a bit – my best guess is a swing more geared for power to the power alleys than down the line, despite a relatively high pulled-air rate. But the truth is, even if Rice does have the upside to justify his current cost, he isn’t the only catcher you can say that about. So why pay the premium for him alone?
Nolan McLean, SP, Mets
This year’s class of second-year pitchers is really, really exciting, and McLean is a big part of that. But as with Rice, early drafters have elevated McLean to a point where it just doesn’t make a ton of sense to buy into him at this point. Here’s where McLean and the other pitchers in his cohort are coming off the board right now:
I think it’s perfectly reasonable to like McLean best of this group, even if my personal favorite is probably Burns. But McLean has a lot going for him coming off a season where he threw 161.2 innings between the minors and majors, put up a 10+ K/9 or better at Double-A, Triple-A, and in his 48 innings in the majors. Add in his elite groundball rates and presence on a Mets team that should have a very good defense, and it’s easy to see why people like him so much.
But it’s hard to see why people like him so much more than the rest of this group. Burns, for example, tied for the ninth-most double-digit strikeout games in the majors last season in just eight starts; Schlittler put up a 2.96 ERA and 10.4 K/9 before going on to throw up a couple of gems in the postseason; Yesavaga was even more brilliant in the playoffs, striking out 39 and putting up a 3.58 ERA in 27.2 innings while pitching the Blue Jays to the precipice of a World Series title. McLean has a lot going for him, but he’s not so much more talented or proven than the rest of this group that it makes sense to draft him two, three, or even five rounds ahead of them.
Blake Snell, SP, Dodgers
At the risk of oversimplifying, there’s this:
Blake Snell has finished as a top-five SP in Fantasy two times in 10 MLB seasons. He hasn’t even been a top-30 SP in any of his other eight seasons.
The upside is impressive, and he’ll go through a two-month stretch seemingly every season where he pitches like one of the three or four best in baseball. And on two separate occasions, he has managed to stay healthy and been just that. The best-case scenario for Snell isn’t theoretical; we’ve seen it, and he reminds us of it at some point every season. And you can make the case that, by the end of the season, the production is good enough to justify drafting him around the 20th SP off the board.
But here’s the qualifier: If you’re going to draft Snell, you have to know what you’re getting into. At this point, you have to know that there will probably be a stretch where he isn’t just useless for your Fantasy team, but might just be actively harmful. Snell usually misses time every season (last year it was with a shoulder issue), but even when he’s on the mound, he has these stretches where he’s just torching your ratios, including an ERA of 5.00 or worse as late as May 25 in each season from 2021 through 2023. If you ride it out, you usually end up with pretty excellent numbers in the end, but the ride to get there is often bumpy, and his injury history raises the risk of both a slow start and no late-season redemption. Or worse: You draft him, eat the ratio-killing months, and then either drop or trade him when his value is at its lowest.
Could Snell be worth a top-20 cost among SPs, with a price inside the top-75 overall? Sure, he could be. It’s just not a particularly likely outcome, and at some point, we’ve gotta stop chasing the good times and accept that Snell is who he is.
The bottom could fall out
Spencer Strider, SP, Braves
I want to be wrong about this one. So badly. Strider at his best was so much fun to watch, and was even more fun to have on your Fantasy team. And maybe he can get back to that level now that he’s another full year removed from the internal brace procedure that cost him nearly all of his 2024 and severely limited his effectiveness in 2025.
But here’s where I struggle with Strider: He just wasn’t close to even being an average pitcher last season. His 4.45 ERA tells that story, but his 4.93 xERA tells it even better. Even at his best, Strider wasn’t the kind of pitcher who dominated because he had mastered the art of pitcher; he just overwhelmed you with a dominant fastball and slider combo. His command was iffy, and he had trouble limiting damage on contact, but he overcame that by missing more bats than anyone else.
But the stuff has backed up considerably since the surgery, with his four-seamer losing nearly 3 mph from 2022 and losing multiple inches of ride along with it. He went from an elite fastball to a pretty poor one, and he needs to get a lot of that back to be a viable Fantasy option. Maybe he’ll show us that in spring and justify a top-110 price, but it’s not like he got better as the season went on, either – Strider had a 2.79 ERA in five September starts, but that came with just a 21% strikeout rate and a walk rate north of 10%.
I’m rooting for Strider to prove me wrong. But I need to see something from him before I have faith in him again.
Cedanne Rafaela, OF, Red Sox
I don’t like Rafaela’s price (124.8 ADP in January so far), and I’d be out on him for that reason alone. But even if he was going 50 picks later, I’m not sure Rafaela would be on my draft board, because I just have severe questions about his skill set. He has some of the worst plate discipline skills of any hitter in baseball, and while he managed to both cut his strikeout rate and nearly double his walk rate last season, the underlying skills are still pretty weak. He swings at over 40% of pitches out of the strike zone, and while he improved his contact skills in 2025, that still leaves him making contact with a lot of balls he probably can’t do anything with.
And he does this without premium, or even above-average quality of contact metrics – his .355 xwOBA on contact is solidly below the MLB average of .369. And he doesn’t have Pete Crow-Armstrong‘s ability to elevate the ball to the pull side and hasn’t really shown 30-plus steal upside, either. 15 homers and 20 steals have some value, but I don’t see much reason to chase that from Rafaela when you have guys like Sal Frelick, Jordan Beck, Otto Lopez, or Dansby Swanson going off the board later who can do the same thing. If there’s any regression in Rafaela’s profile, he could legitimately be one of the worst hitters in baseball.
Roki Sasaki, SP, Dodgers
I can’t argue with the price – 245.2 ADP is basically all upside. The problem is, I just don’t really believe in Sasaki carrying much upside at this point. He was a disaster as a starter in his rookie season, and even his move to the bullpen for the playoffs was less impressive than the hype around him might have made you think – he ended up with just one run allowed in 10.2 innings, but he also struck out just six and walked five. The problem comes down to this: Because of his release point, Sasaki’s fastball will probably always struggle to be an effective pitch. He can overcome that with premium velocity, but even when he was sitting in the high-90s out of the bullpen, you can see he just wasn’t missing many bats.
Sasaki does have that killer splitter, but that’s a tough pitch to rely on, especially his version, which often moves unpredictably. With a slider that doesn’t look like anything to write home about, we really need to see Sasaki show the ability to sustain premium velocity as a starter, and I just haven’t seen any sign that he can do that. Maybe he’ll come out in Spring Training averaging 98 like he used to in Japan, but here’s the problem: If that happens, Sasaki’s price is almost certainly just going to keep rising, taking him out of the “no downside” range of drafts.
Which is all to say: His current price is probably fine, but he hasn’t shown the skills to even be worth taking ahead of other, cheaper pitchers like Shane McClanahan, Joe Musgrove, Jack Leiter or Bryce Miller, and if he does start to flash that kind of skill, we’re likely to see his price skyrocket to the point where he still isn’t a good pick. And the likeliest outcome based on his rookie season might just be that Sasaki is useless for Fantasy.
Shane Bieber, SP, Blue Jays
This is one I want to revisit in Spring Training, because the last we heard of Bieber, he was dealing with a forearm issue that may have led him to pick up his player option instead of hitting free agency, a pretty concerning sign from a guy who might not get another chance at a big payday. He returned from Tommy John surgery last August after some fits and starts and mostly looked okay, but not exactly impactful – he struck out just 37 in 40.1 innings in the regular season, with nine of them coming in six innings in his first start. He struck out less than a batter per inning in the postseason, too, and had a FIP north of 4.00 in both the regular and postseasons.
Now, it’s fair to note that Bieber was doing that in his first action since the start of 2024, coming off major elbow surgery, which is why I was initially willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that he would fare better in 2025. But given the uncertainty around the health of his arm – and, more than that, his ability to stay healthy moving forward – I need to get Bieber at a steep discount to justify the risk. In January drafts, his ADP is down to 188.9, so that discount is there, and I’m mostly finding taking a flier on him around 200 as part of a diversified portfolio of pitching risks.
But the risk here is real, and the chances Bieber just cannot pitch effectively – or at all! – cannot be ignored.
Jacob Wilson, SS, Athletics
It’s worth noting that, because of his extreme contact skills, Wilson is a better fit for H2H points leagues – though even there, he is a pretty fringe starting option given the generally shallower lineups in those leagues.
But in Roto leagues? I just don’t have very much interest in Wilson outside of a very specific team-building scenario, because I think he’s basically a one-category player. We just went through this the past few years with Luis Arraez, who is a very useful (though still limited) Fantasy option when he’s challenging for batting titles and otherwise is a pretty fringe-y option if he just has a good but not elite batting average. The Wilson boosters will point to his 13 homers in 2025 as proof that Wilson has more impact potential in his bat than Arraez, but I’m not sure that holds up – Wilson had a more or less average HR/FB rate of 10.5% last season despite worse quality of contact metrics than even Arraez, plus a below-average pulled-air rate.
I’ll grant two things: Wilson is still young enough to get better, and his home park in Sacramento should help. But he outperformed his expected wOBA by 34 points in 2025, the fourth-biggest mark in baseball. The skill set here just isn’t particularly strong, and while there are some factors working in his favor to outrun that, there’s no guarantee we get that best-case scenario from him again. And the mid-range outcome here might be shockingly mediocre for Fantasy.
Nick Pivetta, SP, Padres
Are you surprised to learn Pivetta will be 33 on Opening Day? On the one hand, he’s been around for a pretty long time, but he also only just turned in his first season ever with an ERA south of 4.00 in 2025, so you could be forgiven for thinking he’s younger than that. But betting on a 33-year-old coming off a career year usually isn’t a smart policy for Fantasy, and in Pivetta’s case, there are some red flags even beyond the typical regression concerns.
For one thing, while Pivetta had his strongest results ever, the underlying skill set showed some real weaknesses, with his strikeout rate dipping to 26.4%, his lowest since 2022, while his quality of contact allowed remained as poor as ever (.392 xwOBA on contact, compared to a .390 career mark). Petco Park can help cover up for that to some extent, but his 3.99 xERA in 2025 suggests there was a lot more that went right for Pivetta than can be accounted for by a better home park. And, given his age, it’s not unreasonable to worry there could be even more skills-based decline on the way. With a margin for error as slim as Pivetta’s, that’s concerning.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) made a spectacular start with the ball in their second IPL 2026 clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Sunday, and their owner Sanjiv Goenka’s happiness was there for everyone to see. Veteran pacer Mohammed Shami dismissed the dangerous SRH opening duo of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head cheaply, and Prince Yadav clean bowled Ishan Kishan to leave SRH tottering at 11/3. Sanjiv Goenka, watching on from the stands, appeared to thank the heavens as LSG made the perfect start.
LSG suffered defeat in their opening game of the season against Delhi Capitals. As a result, their sensational start against SRH must have been a relief for Goenka.
Fans on the internet were also quick to point out Goenka’s reaction, which came in the fourth over after Prince Yadav dismissed Ishan Kishan.
MOST HAPPIEST MAN LSG OWNER SANJIV GOENKA pic.twitter.com/CJB6N5R0Yk
— Ravi (@RaviWritess) April 5, 2026
Prayers worked
Sanjiv Goenka celebrates as Lucknow Super Giants rattle Sunrisers Hyderabad top order early! pic.twitter.com/ik7LWstW8Y
— (@imGauravsingh96) April 5, 2026
SRH vs LSG, IPL 2026: As it happened
Mohammed Shami’s figures of 2/9 and an unbeaten 68 by skipper Rishabh Pant led Lucknow Super Giants to a tense five-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL on Sunday.
Pace bowler Shami’s inspirational opening spell had Hyderabad tottering at 26/4 before the home team reached 156/9 at the Uppal stadium.
Lucknow started strongly but wobbled in the middle phase before the left-handed Pant kept calm to steer the team home with one ball to spare for their first win of the season in two matches.
Aiden Markram’s 45 off 27 balls set up the chase but Lucknow lost quick wickets including impact substitute Ayush Badoni, stumped for 12, and Nicholas Pooran, run out for one.
Needing nine off the final over, Pant, a wicketkeeper-batter, hit three fours including the winning boundary off Jaydev Unadkat.
Shami stood out after he took down Hyderabad’s dangerous openers Abhishek Sharma, for a duck, and Travis Head, for seven, on successive balls in his first two overs.
He had Sharma caught at short third off the last delivery of his opener and Head then taken at mid-off from the first ball of his second over.
With AFP inputs
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IPL 2026: One Trophy, Ten Teams – Who Writes History?
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J.J. Spaun had a dream season in 2025. But for the first few months of his follow-up campaign, things looked more like a nightmare.
Through seven starts entering this week, Spaun had made just three cuts, with a T24 finish standing as his high-water mark. His strokes-gained metrics had declined across the board, and his putting was so poor that he ranked among the 10 worst on Tour.
At TPC San Antonio, none of that mattered.
Spaun, playing this week as a final tune-up before the Masters, fired a final-round 67 to win the Valero Texas Open by one shot over Matt Wallace, Michael Kim and Robert MacIntyre. The victory marked Spaun’s second at the Texas Open (he also won in 2022) and the third of his PGA Tour career.
“I haven’t been in the form I wanted based on last season,” Spaun said. “It means a lot to come back and win here at a place that’s been so good to me.”
Returning to a course filled with positive memories proved to be the spark he needed. At the Players, Spaun recorded his best finish of the season to that point with a T24. He missed the cut the following week at the Valspar, but a return to the familiar setting of the Texas Hill Country seemed to bring something out of him.
After opening with back-to-back rounds of 69, Spaun surged over the weekend in soggy conditions. With play suspended midway through his third round on Saturday, he returned early Sunday morning to complete a six-under 66, putting himself firmly in contention. When the final round began, he kept the momentum rolling, carding four birdies and an eagle en route to a five-under 67 to claim the clubhouse lead. When none of the contenders on the course could track him down, the burden of his nightmare start had finally been lifted.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself at the start of the year, and a lot of expectations,” Spaun said. “It’s the complete opposite of the mantra I had all year last year that really helped me, so I tried to get back to that. Went into the last few weeks starting at The Players just trying to be freed up and put less pressure on myself. It’s been trying, but sticking to that mantra has really helped me.”
With the win, Spaun earns a custom pair of cowboy boots and a $1.76 million paycheck. More importantly, he heads to Augusta for the Masters in his best form of the season — and you can’t put a price tag on that.
Sports
Virat Kohli’s heartwarming gesture after Sarfaraz Khan’s dismissal goes viral – watch | Cricket News
A small but telling moment involving Virat Kohli and Sarfaraz Khan caught the eye during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s dominant win over Chennai Super Kings at the Chinnaswamy. As Sarfaraz walked back after a blazing knock, Kohli called out to him amid the noise of the crowd. When the CSK batter turned around, Kohli applauded and gave him a thumbs-up, acknowledging an innings that briefly brought life into an otherwise struggling chase. Sarfaraz had taken charge when CSK were in deep trouble. Reduced to 30 for 3 inside the first three overs while chasing 251, the visitors were staring at an early collapse. It was then that he counterattacked with intent, finding boundaries consistently and racing to a 25-ball fifty. His effort helped CSK reach 77 by the end of the powerplay, offering a glimmer of hope. However, the momentum did not last long. Sarfaraz was dismissed on the first ball after the powerplay, stumped off Krunal Pandya by Jitesh Sharma, ending a crucial stand just when CSK needed him to carry on. Earlier in the evening, RCB had set up the match with a commanding batting display. Kohli and Phil Salt gave them a steady start before Devdutt Padikkal took charge with a fluent half-century. The innings then exploded at the death, with skipper Rajat Patidar and Tim David unleashing a relentless assault, adding 99 runs in just 35 balls to propel RCB to 250 for 3. In response, CSK never fully recovered from the early blows delivered by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jacob Duffy. Contributions from Prashant Veer and Jamie Overton helped them cross 200, but the target remained well out of reach as they were bowled out for 207 in 19.4 overs, slumping to their third straight defeat. While RCB sealed a comprehensive 43-run win, it was Kohli’s gesture towards Sarfaraz that stood out, a moment of appreciation in the middle of a high-intensity contest.
Bernardo Silva’s glittering Manchester City career appears to have entered its final few weeks.
However, it could yet end with silverware after City were paired with Sky Bet Championship Southampton in the FA Cup semi-finals, with Leeds facing Chelsea in the other tie.
The Saints’ quarter-final victims Arsenal will look to ease their cup heartache when they return to Champions League action against Sporting Lisbon this week.
No Silva lining for Bernardo?
Bernardo Silva is set to leave Manchester City this summer, assistant manager Pep Lijnders has indicated.
The Portugal midfielder, who has won six Premier League titles, the Champions League, two FA Cups and five Carabao Cups in a 450-appearance City career, is in the final year of his contract and his future has been the subject of speculation throughout the current season.
Lijnders appeared to confirm the 31-year-old’s imminent departure while carrying out media duties on behalf of manager Pep Guardiola after Saturday’s FA Cup win over Liverpool.
The Dutchman, responding to a question about how City might replace him, said: “Every good story comes to an end and I hope he enjoys the last months – because there is only six weeks – and has a good farewell. He deserves all the attention as well.”
Saints get City draw
Southampton’s reward for dumping Premier League leaders Arsenal out of the FA Cup is a semi-final showdown with City.
The Championship promotion hopefuls, who beat the Gunners 2-1 on Saturday evening, were paired with Guardiola’s men in Sunday’s draw.
Leeds will face Chelsea in the other semi-final after a dramatic conclusion to their quarter-final clash with West Ham.
The West Yorkshire club led 2-0 at the London Stadium, but saw the hosts score twice in added time to take it to an extra 30 minutes, only for the visitors to eventually triumph 4-2 on penalties and claim a place in the last four for the first time since 1987.
The ties will be played on Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26 at Wembley.
Arsenal gunning for Sporting Lisbon
Christian Norgaard has urged Arsenal not to dwell their shock FA Cup exit as the Premier League leaders look to bounce back in the Champions League.
Mikel Arteta’s men were dumped out by the Saints on Saturday evening as substitute Shea Charles’ late strike compounded their Carabao Cup final loss to Manchester City a fortnight ago.
The Gunners will attempt to get back to winning ways in Lisbon in Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Sporting, before the runaway league leaders host Bournemouth in a key game on Saturday.
Experienced midfielder Norgaard said: “The message is to have a positive body language, to talk with your team-mates, with the coaching staff.
“Now is not the time to go with our heads down for too long. It’s fine to be frustrated tonight and also tomorrow to analyse what went wrong, but then we also have to look forward because there are so many big games coming up for this club.”
What’s on today?
The focus is on the Sky Bet Championship on Easter Monday with leaders Coventry looking to defend their 11-point lead over Millwall when they head for play-off contenders Hull.
The Lions, who climbed into the automatic promotion places after their Good Friday victory at top-two rivals Middlesbrough, host Norwich, while Boro travel to Swansea and fourth-placed Ipswich are at home to Birmingham.
At the other end of the table, Leicester and Oxford will attempt to climb out of the bottom three with away games at Sheffield Wednesday and Portsmouth respectively.
Dealing with a depleted backcourt and the playoffs drawing ever closer, Luka Doncic is doing everything he can to get back to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Doncic is heading to Europe to seek specialized medical treatment on his Grade 2 left hamstring strain in hopes of expediting his return to play, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Sunday.
The supertar guard has been out since suffering an injury against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, and it was initially announced that he would miss the remainder of the regular season. His timeline to return was unclear and his status for the post-season was uncertain.
Grade 2 hamstring strains sometimes require several weeks of recovery, but Doncic also has prior experience with hamstring issues. He missed four games right before the All-Star break with another left hamstring strain, but returned to the lineup after the break.
Doncic is putting up spectacular numbers in his first full campaign with the Lakers, who acquired the Slovenian superstar from the Mavericks last season. He is averaging 33.5 points, 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds in 64 games for Los Angeles this season.
The decision to expedite his recovery process comes after the Lakers announced that fellow guard Austin Reaves would be out four to six weeks with an oblique injury, ruling him out for the remainder of the regular season into the playoffs.
Following Sunday’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks, the Lakers are 50-28 and are third in the Western Conference with four games to go.
— With files from the Associated Press
It was a dramatic weekend in the Nigeria Premier Football League as momentum swung across the table, with title contenders slipping and teams at the bottom finding renewed belief.
League leaders Rangers International failed to strengthen their grip at the top after being held to a goalless draw by Barau United in Enugu. Despite controlling much of the game, the hosts could not convert their chances, and a disallowed goal for offside summed up a frustrating outing.
Things went from bad to worse for Rivers United, whose poor away form continued. They suffered a 2-0 defeat to Warri Wolves, a result that further weakens their fading title ambitions.
Meanwhile, the fight for survival gathered pace. Remo Stars secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Shooting Stars, while Kano Pillars delivered one of the standout performances of the round, thrashing Bendel Insurance 4-0. The heavy defeat piles more pressure on the Benin side, who are still dealing with instability on the bench involving Kennedy Boboye.
The biggest surprise came in Lafia, where struggling Kun Khalifa FC pulled off a stunning 1-0 win against Nasarawa United. After soaking up intense pressure, the visitors snatched victory with a late goal deep into stoppage time.
Elsewhere, Kwara United boosted their chances of staying up with a convincing 3-0 win over El-Kanemi Warriors, while Katsina United edged Niger Tornadoes 1-0 to steady their campaign.
On the road, Enyimba FC showed character to earn a 2-2 draw against Wikki Tourists, a result that does little to ease the hosts’ struggles this season.
With the season entering a decisive phase, every result is proving crucial, as the race for the title and the battle to avoid relegation both intensify.
Apr 5, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels second baseman Adam Frazier (20) is greeted by first base/outfield coach Adam Eaton (92) after hitting an RBI single against the Seattle Mariners during the fifth inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Nolan Schanuel’s sacrifice fly scored the winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning as the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Seattle Mariners 8-7 Sunday afternoon in Anaheim, Calif.
Shaun Anderson (1-0) struck out Cal Raleigh with the bases loaded in the top of the inning.
With Adam Frazier the automatic runner at second base, Gabe Speier (0-2) intentionally walked Zach Neto leading off the bottom of the inning. Both runners advanced on Oswald Peraza’s sacrifice bunt and Schanuel lifted a fly ball to left, with Frazier beating the throw home.
Both teams scored in the 10th. Randy Arozarena’s single to right gave the Mariners a 7-6 lead in the top of the inning. In the bottom half, automatic runner Jo Adell advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Bryce Teodosio and scored on Logan O’Hoppe’s sacrifice fly to center.
The Mariners tied the game with a two-out rally in the ninth. Raleigh doubled to left and chugged home on Julio Rodriguez’s broken-bat single to left on a 2-2 slider from Sam Bachman.
The Angels’ Mike Trout left the game in the bottom of the eighth after being hit on the left hand by a pitch from Casey Legumina.
The Angels took the lead in the first inning as Neto led off with a double and scored on Jorge Soler’s two-out single.
Seattle responded in the second, with Leo Rivas’ two-run single making it 2-1. The Angels tied it in the third as Trout led off with a double to left-center, took third on a groundout and scored on Soler’s single to right.
Los Angeles took a 4-2 lead on the fourth on a Rivas fielding error at third which allowed Josh Lowe to score and a Schanuel infield single with two outs.
The Mariners regained the lead in the fifth on Cole Young’s three-run homer to right.
The Angels wasted little time regaining the lead, scoring twice in the bottom of the inning. Jeimer Candelario led off with a line-drive double, scoring on an Adell single to level the score at 5. Adell came around to score the go-ahead run to make it 6-5 on a grounder which got under Rivas’ glove. Angels right-hander George Klassen, called up from Triple-A Salt Lake City to make his major league debut with scheduled starter Ryan Johnson scratched because of an illness, lasted just 2 2/3 innings. Klassen gave up two runs on three hits, with five walks and four strikeouts.
Mariners starter Luis Castillo didn’t go much longer, giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits over 3 2/3 innings. The righty walked one and fanned four.
–Field Level Media
The 2026 NFL Draft will arrive in about 2.5 weeks, and the Minnesota Vikings are anxious to know the outcome of the team’s first few picks, as interim general manager Rob Brzezinski has four selections in the Top 10. But what if he swerves? Always remember — the Atlanta Falcons drafted Michael Penix about six weeks after signing Kirk Cousins two years ago.
Minnesota has several sneaky draft paths that could catch fans and analysts off guard.
Here’s a look at the realistic curveballs Minnesota could throw at you in the draft.
A Few Unexpected Draft Moves Remain in Play for Minnesota
Ranked in no particular order, this is the sneaky stuff Minnesota might have up its sleeve.
1. Trading Up for RB Jeremiyah Love
Love would make the Vikings’ offense unstoppable; let’s get that out there. With Kyler Murray in the house, the sky is the limit for Kevin O’Connell’s scheme, and landing Love would change everything about the franchise. It’s O’Connell’s ticket to changing a pass-happy offense into a balanced killer.
The trade, however, won’t be cheap. To get Love, whether at pick No. 4, No. 6, or No. 10, the Vikings will have to surrender their 18th pick, a 2nd-Rounder, and perhaps a 3rd-Rounder. If they love Love, it might be worth it.
2. Drafting TE Kenyon Sadiq at No. 18
At 6’3″ and 245 pounds, Sadiq is still 21, allowing him ample time to develop compared to other prospects. Across 42 games at Oregon, he logged 80 receptions for 892 yards and 11 touchdowns. Highlighting his athleticism, Oregon also used him as a kick returner in ’23 and ’24.
Sadiq’s versatility sets him apart as a potential first-round pick. His capacity to catch passes and block for both runners and quarterbacks is a rare combination for a tight end his age.
TE1 T.J. Hockenson will be a free agent next offseason. There’s absolutely no reason the Vikings or the team’s fans should say, “We have Hockenson; we don’t need a tight end.”
Embracing the best player available mindet, Minnesota could take the plunge with Sadiq at No. 18. The coaching staff won’t regret it.
3. Trading Jonathan Greenard, Jordan Addison, or J.J. McCarthy
A Greenard trade has been rumored for over a month. If he wants a contract over $30 million per season, Minnesota might have to trade him for budgetary purposes. After all, Micah Parsons earns $46 million per year in Green Bay. Greenard’s at $19 million. Quite the variance. The Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles have evidently been side-eyeing Greenard’s trade price for weeks.
Then, an Addison trade is unlikely after exercising his fifth-year option this week. But what if a team dangled a 1st-Rounder, which Minnesota could parley into Jordyn Tyson or Omar Cooper? Would you do it?
On McCarthy, teams like the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals need long-term quarterback fixes, or at least plans in that direction. If Minnesota could pry loose a 2nd-Rounder or 3rd-Rounder for McCarthy, Brzezinski would have to listen.
4. Picking a WR at No. 18
Jalen Nailor now works for the Las Vegas Raiders. He was the Vikings’ WR3 in 2024 and 2025. On deck as his replacement? Tai Felton — who barely played at all on offense as a rookie last year.
On top of those factoids, Addison’s legal problems (the WR2) are troublesome. He could be arrested at any minute, sending the Vikings’ offensive planning into disarray. That’s just a fear the Vikings must live with by now.
Pretend Minnesota let Nailor walk because it planned to spend a 1st-Rounder on a new wide receiver. These players could be on the board at No. 18:
- Makai Lemon (USC)
- Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State)
- Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana)
- KC Concepcion (Texas A&M)
- Denzel Boston (Washington)
The Vikings do one single thing really, really well throughout the last four decades: draft fantastic wide receivers. Maybe they’ll shock the world and do it again. After all, O’Connell is an offensively minded head coach (and now the default Team CEO).
5. Choosing an EDGE in Round 1
The deepest spot on the Vikings’ roster, less than three weeks from the draft? Outside linebacker. These men headline the group:
- Jonathan Greenard
- Andrew Van Ginkel
- Dallas Turner
Still, drafting an EDGE cannot be ruled out because Greenard is evidently on the trade block to some extent, and Van Ginkel will be a free agent next offseason.
These are the names to keep in mind:
- Keldric Faulk (Auburn)
- Akheem Mesidor (Miami)
- T.J. Parker (Clemson)
- Cashius Howell (Texas A&M)
- Zion Young (Missouri)
The Vikings have drafted one EDGE rusher in Round 1 in the last 20 years: the aforementioned Turner. Adding another isn’t the worst idea in the world; fans rarely complain about their favorite team having “too many good OLBs.”
Newlook, the import from France, registered his first Australian triumph through a tenacious staying run, winning the Group 2 $300,000 Chairman’s Quality (2600m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Trained by Trent Busuttin alongside Natalie Young, Newlook had posted no placings from five prior Australian appearances, but the soft track suited him to dominate.
His Chairman’s Quality score bolsters prospects in the upcoming Group 1 $2 million Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick next Saturday.
The Chairman’s spoils include Sydney Cup ballot exemption and no penalty, so Newlook enters on a plum 50kg mark.
A $8.50 chance with Rachel King aboard, Newlook powered home down the track’s centre, scoring by 1¼ lengths ahead of Campaldino ($7) who was the same clear of Juja Kibo ($3.70 equal favourite), from Travolta ($3.70 equal favourite) in fourth spot close up. King took heart from Newlook’s late surge to fifth last time in the Manion Cup.
“I was confident he would take good improvement from his last start, he was only second up there,” King said.
“He still probably blew out at the 50m, I thought I was going to win easy at the furlong but he just got a little bit tired.’
“But he’ll take good improvement again, I galloped him during the week and was confident he would run well over this distance.”
A Chairman’s Quality-Sydney Cup double would make Newlook the 10th such achiever, after Circle Of Fire (2024), The Offer (2014), Jessicabeel (2010), No Wine No Song (2008), Henderson Bay (2002), Linesman (1997), King Aussie (1990), Major Drive (1987) and Marooned (1986).
Last June’s Brisbane Cup conqueror Campaldino proved on song for the Sydney Cup courtesy of his determined second.
Campaldino conveniently drops to 52.5kg from 59kg for the 3200m Randwick feature next week.
Rider Tim Clark admired Campaldino’s recent Sydney Cup pipe-opener.
“He bounced back to form today,” Clark said.”Then next Saturday with a few kilos less he is going to be hard to beat.”
Craig Williams on Ciaron Maher’s Juja Kibo expects sharpening for the 2026 Sydney Cup.
“He has run really well again and ahead of his ‘Grand Final’ next week,” Williams said. “It is all part of Ciaron’s preparation with today’s run into the Cup in seven days.’”
Find the best racing betting markets ahead of the Sydney Cup.
Ruturaj Gaikwad admitted his own failure at the top hurt Chennai Super Kings as they slumped to a heavy loss against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, elaborating on key moments in the post-match press conference. CSK were rocked early in the chase of 250, collapsing to 30 for 3 after losing Ruturaj, Sanju Samson and Ayush Mhatre. That early damage proved decisive despite a spirited response later. Reflecting on the fightback, Ruturaj said in the post-match conference: “Well, even I was surprised, to be honest. Great fight by Sarfaraz, Prashant Veer, Jamie Overton, even to some extent Shivam Dube. So I think, maybe I would have, contributed more top of the order, you never know, we would have chased it down. So definitely it’s on me today.” He highlighted how the efforts of Sarfaraz Khan, Prashant Veer and Jamie Overton kept CSK in the contest briefly, but admitted the game had already slipped due to the poor start. Ruturaj also elaborated on a crucial moment in the field that could have shifted momentum. Virat Kohli was dropped early, and RCB capitalised fully. Speaking about that phase, he said: “We would have had, as you rightly said, if we would have taken early chance of Virat Kohli, I think that was, I mean, maybe we would have had momentum to ourselves. But I think, we still had the game in our hands till the 13th, 14th over, and that’s when the momentum really shifted.” That shift came dramatically at the death, when Tim David tore into the CSK attack. Ruturaj pointed out that they almost had an opportunity to dismiss him earlier. On that moment, he said in the press conference: “Well, you’re right, KP. I think, Anshul almost got a wicket of him. Unfortunate to be illegal delivery, but yeah, after that, he just smacked all around the park and, as you rightly said, hats off to him.” RCB’s late surge, powered by Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar and David, took the game away completely. For Ruturaj, the takeaway was clear. Missed chances, an underwhelming start with the bat, and a brutal finish from the opposition combined to seal CSK’s fate.
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