標籤: Starting

Atalanta midfielder Ederson was left out of the starting eleven for Friday’s clash with Fiorentina as he completes a €50m move. Manchester United.

Quotidiano Sportivo’s report on the midfielder today Following reports yesterday that Manchester United are closing in on their move for him.

manchester united finale

Sport Witness covered a report by journalist Michele Cristiello that said consensus on all fronts There is a move for the Brazilian midfielder to Old Trafford this summer.

This was followed by weeks of reports insisting that Manchester United was ‘running’ Getting the 26-year-old as a replacement for Casemiro.

Quotidiano Sportivo now report that he has been left out of the starting eleven for the clash with Fiorentina. They wanted to ‘avoid any risk of injury’ which ‘could jeopardize the potential transfer.’

According to the newspaper, talks with Manchester United are now entering the ‘decisive phase’.

The two sides could soon reach an initial agreement for a €50m fee and a future €5m bonus. Both parties are getting closer, but the deal is not finalized yet.

Manchester United appear to have beaten off competition in England and Spain, namely Atletico Madrid, who seemed close to securing the midfielder in recent weeks.

“It was a mutual decision not to field Ederson. There are ongoing developments related to the transfer market,” Atalanta midfielder Rafael Palladino said on Friday.

“The fact that he is being monitored by such an important club should be a source of pride.”

manchester united relations

This was seen as confirmation that Manchester United were closing in on their man. His absence from the starting eleven as a precautionary measure is further proof of this.

Quotidiano Sportivo reports that the two clubs have a good relationship. Manchester United have already acquired Italian forwards Amad Diallo and Rasmus Hjolund in recent years.

It now appears Ederson will make it three, with Atalanta taking no risks to ensure the deal gets done.

The Cleveland Browns have one of the most intriguing quarterback rooms in the NFL at the moment, making for an interesting position battle that will last all summer. While NFL training camp is still a few months away, it appears the Browns have an early leader in the quarterback competition.

during an appearance on sports center This weekend, ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler reported that Deshaun Watson has “hit it out” with Browns head coach Todd Monken and some around the league believe he could win the starting job.

“He’s already been a factor on the practice field. I’m told he’s worked with Todd Monken, who has an offensive concept, some elements that Watson has run in the past and has gotten the best of them…Talking to people around the league, he believes Watson can ultimately earn this job.”

Jeremy Fowler on Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns QB competition

Watson, who turns 31 in September, last played in the regular season on Oct. 20, 2024. He has recovered from two Achilles tears and it appears his NFL career is in danger of being over by 2025.

This set the stage for Shadure Sanders, who was viewed as the early favorite to be named the Browns’ starting quarterback in 2026. Although he did not play well in his rookie season, posting an 18.9 ESPN QBR with a 7-10 TD-INT line, there was optimism he would improve with a revamped supporting cast in Cleveland.

However, Fowler’s reporting supports what Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot has said in recent weeks. In late April, she wrote for Cleveland.com that Watson had the “inside track” to winning the contest.

Regardless of who is named the Browns’ starting quarterback for Week 1, we’ll likely see both Watson and Sanders on the field in 2026. Given how both of them have performed in Cleveland, there’s also a real possibility that Dillon Gabriel will get some opportunities this fall.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

At the beginning of the offseason, there were expectations that the Baltimore Ravens would be able to retain Tyler Linderbaum, their starting center for the past four seasons. The Ravens chose not to pick up his fifth-year contract option worth $23.4 million in 2024, making the three-time Pro Bowler a free agent in March.

Once Linderbaum, widely considered one of the best centers in the NFL, hit the open market, the Las Vegas Raiders wasted no time in making him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Linderbaum agreed to a three-year, $81 million contract, making him the highest-paid center in the NFL, and yes, that’s more than the average the Ravens will be paying him for the upcoming campaign.

Meanwhile, the Ravens now need a new starting center. Many thought Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta would have found a replacement through free agency or the draft, but he did not do so. However, he recently acknowledged that the Ravens could end up trading for their new pivot. A local insider may have an idea of ​​who Baltimore is targeting.

RELATED: 2 Baltimore Ravens trade ideas for a new center

Recently, ESPN’s Ravens insider Jamison Hensley took a look at three important questions remaining for Baltimore. One of them focused on who would be the team’s new starting center after offensive coordinator Declan Doyle took over.

That’s when he suggested a possible trade candidate, Chicago’s Garrett Bradbury. Interestingly, Bradbury has already been traded once this offseason, sending him from New England to Chicago in exchange for a fifth-round pick. That trade occurred after Chicago’s starting center retired. But the Bears have selected a center in the second round, which could leave Bradbury in a reserve role.

Bradbury, 30, was the 18th overall pick in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He spent the first six seasons of his career with the Minnesota Vikings before starting all 17 regular season games and four playoff games with the Patriots last season.

Although he never lived up to his full draft potential, Bradbury has started all 105 games in his seven-year career, and he would certainly be an upgrade for Baltimore.

RELATED: 2026 NFL QB rankings: From the NFL’s worst starting QBs to the best

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

The Pittsburgh Steelers are still awaiting quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ decision on whether he will play in the 2026 NFL season. As the process moves forward, it appears that a contingency plan is now in place.

NFL insider Jason La Canfora reports that the Steelers are not pursuing any other veteran options via NFL free agency or trade. Instead, the team will have a quarterback battle between Mason Rudolph and Will Howard this summer.

RELATED: The Aaron Rodgers saga takes another turn for the Steelers

While there is real excitement in the organization about third-round pick Drew Allar, who is being coached by Mike McCarthy, the rookie isn’t set to see the field any time soon. Rudolph will likely be the favorite to win the Steelers’ starting quarterback competition, but it will be an open battle.

The Steelers organization is reportedly “very excited” about Howard’s development entering his second season. While the Eller selection added some uncertainty to Howard’s future in Pittsburgh, he remains a signal-caller who is highly rated in the organization.

RELATED: Insiders predict who the Steelers starting QB will be in 2027

In his career as the Steelers’ starting quarterback, Allard has compiled a record of 8–5–1 in 14 starts. He also has a 21-13 TD-INT ratio with an 86.7 passer rating in 26 career appearances with Pittsburgh. Howard, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, never saw the field in his rookie season.

For now, there remains tentative hope that Rodgers will announce his return and be the Steelers’ starting quarterback in 2026. If he retires, the team that looked to be a playoff contender this upcoming season may instead be headed for a transition year where it will struggle to post a winning record.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

The NASCAR Cup Series is at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend for the Jack Link’s 500. While there was no practice already scheduled for the superspeedway, Cup Series qualifying on Saturday was wiped out due to weather. As a result, NASCAR’s starting lineup for Sunday was determined by the metric.

While there were 41 competitors for Sunday’s race at Talladega, canceled qualifying meant Casey Mears (No. 62 car) would not make it into the 40-driver field. NASCAR’s starting lineup for Talladega was determined by metric scores taking into account recent results.

RELATED: NASCAR starting lineup for O’Reilly Series race at Talladega

As always, we’ll start with the Cup Series starting lineup for tomorrow’s race. Below that you can find Jack Link’s 500 starting grid. Again, there is no qualifying time to list.

jack link’s 500 starting lineup

Here is the NASCAR Cup Series starting lineup for Sunday’s race at Talladega Superspeedway.

RELATED: NASCAR predictions for Talladega

NASCAR starting grid for Talladega: Cup Series race

Here’s Jack Link’s 500 grid for Sunday’s Cup Series race.

RELATED: NASCAR weekend schedule for Talladega Superspeedway

Who is on the pole for the NASCAR race at Talladega?

Tyler Reddick is on the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR race at Talladega Superspeedway. Jack Link’s 500 starting grid was determined by metric scores after Cup Series qualifying was ended due to rain.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series is racing at the prestigious Talladega Superspeedway this weekend, with a field of drivers filled with top prospects and a few up-and-comers. Prior to Saturday’s race, NASCAR’s starting lineup for the O’Reilly Series race was determined in Friday night qualifying.

Of note, the drivers’ field this weekend includes O’Reilly Series debutant Tyler Ancrum in the No. 32 car. Meanwhile, King Carruth is behind the wheel of the No. 88 for JR Motorsports, while Natalie Decker appears in the No. 35 car. Of note, the drivers with the 10 fastest times advanced to the second round of qualifying.

Let’s take a look at the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series qualifying results from Talladega today. We will move forward with qualifying times with the AG-Pro 300 starting lineup, followed by the O’Reilly Series starting grid for Talladega.

RELATED: NASCAR predictions for Talladega

NASCAR O’Reilly Series starting lineup at Talladega

Here is the starting lineup for the AG-Pro 300 following the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series qualifying results.

RELATED: NASCAR weekend schedule for Talladega Superspeedway

AG-Pro starting grid: O’Reilly Series qualifying results

Here is the NASCAR starting grid for Saturday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

ranger guys In recent years the market has increasingly looked to Portugal when searching for value, particularly for defenders who can develop into a first-team role without requiring a huge upfront investment.

This strategy makes players like Gilberto Batista special danny rohl’s rangers – Young, relatively affordable, and already showing signs of settling into the senior level.

The 22-year-old has quietly built a solid platform at Moriarty this season, which has attracted the attention of Ibrox. He has played 1,662 minutes in 25 league matches, which is approximately 66 minutes per appearance. These figures show that he is moving towards a regular presence in the team.

Their underlying data supports that progress. Gilberto Batista is recording an 88% pass completion rate and 83% dribble success rate. For centre-backs, this points to composure and confidence in possession.

Defensively, he averages 6.6 clearances per 90 minutes, showing consistent involvement in key moments at the back.

eyes from Danny Rohl’s ranger guys

Against that backdrop, Rangers’ interest begins to make more sense.

according to gameThe Scottish club are among those monitoring the defender, with Moreense already moving to protect his position. The Portuguese side have offered Gilberto Batista a new contract, even though his current deal runs until June 2027. The move reflects both his growth and increased external attention.

The same report states that the transfer could be made for around €3m (£2.6m), a figure that would immediately put the player within Rangers’ reach. This is also a type of fee that attracts many clubs once availability becomes apparent.

establishing oneself

Gilberto Batista’s rise has not gone unnoticed internally either. O’Jogo described him as a defensive mainstay, highlighting how his performances have also attracted the attention of the Black Knight Football Group.

That relationship is important. Morerain shares links with Bournemouth and Lorient, meaning there are already built-in paths for the player to progress across that network. As a result, no move will be straightforward for him, even at a relatively low price.

Still, the fact that the Morerans are now pushing for renewal suggests they are aware of the pressure building. Players without solid interest do not usually receive better offers at this stage.

what happens next

Gilberto Batista is moving into a phase where clubs need to make quick decisions. Wait too long and the price will go up. Move too fast and there is still some risk associated with its development.

For Rangers, the €3m (£2.6m) represents a calculated gamble rather than a major commitment. The profile matches what they often look for – young, high-performing and having already handled senior football.

Moreirense’s contract talks may delay things, but they also highlight the situation. The player is starting to establish himself, and usually that’s when interest turns into action.

The NASCAR Cup Series returns to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend with the top drivers returning to the track after last Sunday’s off. Following Cup Series qualifying on Saturday afternoon, NASCAR’s starting lineup for tomorrow’s race has been set.

Here are the NASCAR Cup Series qualifying results today at Bristol. We’ll start by introducing the starting lineup for the Food City 500 and below you can find the starting grid for Sunday’s NASCAR race.

RELATED: NASCAR Predictions for Bristol Motor Speedway

NASCAR Starting Lineup: Food City 500

NASCAR Cup Series starts on the grid at Bristol

Here is the starting grid for the Food City 500 for tomorrow in Bristol.

Who is on the pole for the NASCAR race at Bristol?

Ryan Blaney is on the pole for tomorrow’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway, followed by Tyler Reddick on the Food City 500 starting grid.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

crystal Palace Will return to action this week as they face Fiorentina in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday.

sports witness It shows how the fans of the Italian club are excited about the game. They view the clash as arguably the biggest game for their team in recent years and the Eagles have even allocated extra tickets for La Viola loyalists.

There is growing discussion in Italy, particularly with Fiorentina battling relegation problems throughout the campaign.

Despite this, the Italian side could spring a surprise for Crystal Palace through selection. They will have to deal with a number of injury concerns, but they could field a much-changed eleven this weekend.

David de Gea wants to liberate England

Corriere dello sport report David De Gea has not played in the Conference League for La Viola this season. Oliver Christensen has been more involved, with the Spaniard having featured more regularly in Serie A. For the clash against Crystal Palace, De Gea is likely to start.

He last played a game in English football 1000 days ago during his time at Manchester United. The newspaper also sees the Eagles game as an attempt at redemption, with De Gea having played against them 19 times in the past.

Moise Kean can also start. He has a slight calf problem but is trying to perform in London.

The striker has played only 259 minutes in the Conference League. He started the last game against Rakao but Paolo Vanoli has used him consistently in Serie A. This situation mirrors that of De Gea, with both key players set to start against Crystal Palace.

However, Fiorentina have left out Niccolo Fortini, Fabiano Parisi and Manor Solomon and that is a blow.

Our Opinion: Mindset Can Determine Everything

Praising De Gea, Corriere dello Sport indicated that Fiorentina’s focus this season has been on avoiding relegation. Even sporting director Fabio Paratici has a similar mentality, with the January signings reflecting that intention.

This could prove important for Crystal Palace, who have not played any match since March 19.

Fiorentina have been in good form over the past month and have an excellent record in the Conference League. But it really depends on which version comes out on Thursday. At times he has appeared careless in his approach.

There is now a growing feeling that Dan Ndoye’s time at Nottingham Forest is over. The trend of returning to Italy in summer is increasing rapidly.

On Monday, Tuttosport spoke about Inter Milan’s interest in the Swiss winger. sports witness That covered claims that Christian Chivu saw Ndoye’s signing as a much-needed injection of momentum into his squad.

This came to light when the winger was asked about his future after Switzerland’s friendly match against Germany. He expressed disappointment at his playing time at Nottingham Forest.

ndoye Said: : “I don’t get many minutes at club level, but today I showed I have some quality. I feel very good with Switzerland and I want to enjoy these moments.

“It was important for me to get playing time and also to score. Why don’t I play for Nottingham Forest? I ask myself the same.”

It appears that these comments have indeed alarmed many in Italy, with Ndoye’s future increasingly in question.

Napoli also keen on the player

IT migration market Let us tell you that the 25-year-old player is one of the ‘hottest names’ for Serie A clubs before the summer transfer window. They note how he has struggled at Nottingham Forest, from playing in Europe to battling relegation.

The outlet not only covers the Inter interest but also makes it clear that Napoli remain keen. Both Italian clubs are ready to make an attempt for him, amid the belief that a return to Italy could revive Dan Ndoye’s career.

PassioneInter To add to the situation, it is revealed that the Nerazzurri are already working to sign the attacker.

Nottingham Forest are believed to want €35 million for a permanent sale. This could prove too much for the Serie A leaders, who will look into the possibility of executing an initial loan deal. This has been described as an ‘Akanji-style’ move, as Inter could add a conditional obligation to buy to the deal.

This would mean a loan with an obligation to buy for €35m.

Dan Ndoye should actively seek an exit

By now, it is clear that Dan Ndoye has not found his home at Nottingham Forest. Over the past few years, he has become accustomed to fighting at the other end of the table – even in Basel.

Should Ndoye wait for things to change at Nottingham Forest, it could also take a blow to his reputation. That’s why the summer should be the perfect time for him to find a new club and get himself back to where he believes he belongs.

Exclusive: Mathias Oliveira

🚨Nottingham Forest are still pursuing a Napoli player
➡️Change #NFFC Interest has not been affected
🔼The Premier League is the key to a successful transferhttps://t.co/f51ZV1MFiv #SSCinapoli

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 27 March 2026

The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starting lineup for Saturday’s race at Martinsville Speedway has been set, but for a different reason than usual. Due to weather in the area, qualifying ahead of tomorrow’s NFPA 250 has been canceled, and that means the lineup for Saturday’s race has been mathematically determined.

Let’s dive into the NFPA 250 starting lineups after metric scores determined the grid due to rain in NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series qualifying at Martinsville Speedway. Because there was no qualifying, the metric score prevents Dawson Cram and Justin Carroll from qualifying for the 38-car race.

RELATED: NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts standings before Saturday

NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starting lineup Martinsville

NFPA 250 Starting Grid

RELATED: NASCAR Predictions Martinsville

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

The Baltimore Orioles have moved on from one of their young starting pitchers after Opening Day. The Orioles and starting pitcher Shane Baz are finalizing a five-year, $68 million contract extension, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports. The Falcons were acquired by Baltimore in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays during the MLB offseason.

The 26-year-old starting pitcher is getting a contract extension before taking the field for the Orioles in a regular season game. In 2025, Baz posted a 4.87 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in 31 games for the Rays. The extension comes with risk, as Baz has a history of serious right elbow injuries in Tampa.

Baz underwent arthroscopic elbow surgery to remove the loose body in March 2022. The former Tampa Bay pitcher later entered the injured list with an elbow sprain in July 2022 before undergoing Tommy John surgery in September. Baz missed the entire 2023 MLB season, but returned to action in 2024, splitting time between the minors and MLB.

The 2025 MLB season was his first season at full health; However, the Rays’ temporary home at Steinbrenner Field affected their pitching. The Falcons had a 5.90 ERA at home compared to a 3.86 ERA on the road. This is an unbalanced value which is not indicative of their actual performance in 2025.

Baltimore was encouraged to offer an extension after trading four prospects and the No. 33 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft to the Falcons during the winter. The new contract will cover three arbitration seasons and buy out two free agent years. The Orioles are confident in his ability to be a frontline starter for the next five years.

Baltimore will now have the Falcons and their electric pitching arsenal at Camden Yards during the 2030 MLB season.

READ MORE: MLB Insider reveals the Baltimore Orioles will extend Gunnar Henderson

Austin Konensky is a sports writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and college football. His work…More about Austin Konensky

As the Cleveland Cavaliers’ season begins to wind down, there are questions as to who will join James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in the Cavs’ starting lineup when the playoffs arrive. Due to injuries and sporadic player availability, it has been difficult to establish consistency in the five matches before the start of the month, making decisions not easy.

However, as Cleveland head coach Kenny Atkinson has mentioned in the past, that’s why he has the job he does. Ultimately it is up to him and his staff to make the difficult decisions, such as who starts, who ends, and how many people play.

“We probably have to get to nine,” Atkinson said last week in Milwaukee. “I’m still evaluating who fits in and who will lead the way in terms of coming into the rotation. I still think we haven’t made a clear decision on who that nine is.

“But it’s hard to play 10. You might be able to do it early in the first round; you might be able to do it in the early games. But eventually, you get to nine or eight. We know that, but I still think we have to evaluate, especially our wings. We have a lot of wings right now.”

Realistically, the Cavs can pick whoever they want since they have a number of similar swingmen.

Here are the most likely candidates for that final starting spot.

dean wade

Atkinson likes the defensive versatility that Dean Wade brings to the table and, in turn, has rewarded him with the job when healthy. It makes sense because he’s a 6-foot-9, 230-pound underutilized player who can knock down open threes and rebound. People get frustrated when he doesn’t make shots and even more excited when he turns down shots, but the reality is that the veteran forward simply needs to be a threat on the perimeter of space and get closeouts.

The Cavs don’t need to be a big scorer; Just look at who she’s on the floor with. Don’t let the box score determine your opinion of Wade. As long as he’s doing his job – defending, breaking the glass, and making the perfect next play, which involves shooting the ball – then he’s the man for the job. He, Mobley and Allen form a trio that makes it difficult for any opponent to consistently counter, which makes sense considering they have been playing together for five seasons.

Furthermore, if the decision is made to send him to the bench, Wade isn’t exactly a prolific scorer to promote him in the way most sixth men typically do.

From the beginning, Atkinson has made it clear that Max Strus’ postseason berth is a lock. In four games, despite the ban, he has averaged 23.5 minutes per contest. While Strus’ season debut is doing the heavy lifting, he is averaging 8.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists on .440/.409/1.000 shooting splits. Similar to Wade, the 29-year-old doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be effective on a nightly basis for Cleveland.

However, Strus can handle the rock, and he has proven capable in the past with the Cavs’ rolling bigs in half-court scenarios. He’s a pocket passer with Allen in the two-man game, and Atkinson thinks there’s still potential with Mobley in dribble handoffs, as he did with Bam Adebayo in Miami. Strus has an uncanny knack for hitting contested threes, being in the right place at the right time for a backtap, and saving possessions with a quick game.

He gives Cleveland solid strength at third, and he has been a (healthy) everyday starter for Cleveland since signing as a free agent in the summer of 2023. If he is physically prepared and ready for the tough conditions of the postseason after this disappointing injury, he will be a big factor.

jaylon tyson

Switching roles isn’t as easy as Jaylon Tyson has had to do this season, but he’s handled it with ease. The burden from being one of the most important players on your team to playing less than 20 minutes in three consecutive games takes a toll on the mind. And yet, the second-year rising star is doing exactly what he’s asked in a specific role. Tyson was rewarded for that on Thursday night in Chicago, as he had an 18-point, 11-rebound performance before suffering a toe injury.

Injury aside, is it fair to ask Tyson, who emerged as a secondary playmaker in short roles next to Mitchell and Co. in the first half of the season, to do a similar job to Wade or Strus? It feels like it puts him in a kind of box, unlike what we saw in the first months. If he’s in the starting five, will he be limited to a low-usage role player, or will Cleveland free him up to the max be that? There can be no questioning his commitment as an individual defender or the attitude he brings to the field, although he has been self-critical about losing the ball to opponents on backdoor cuts.

Understanding that people have to pay their dues, it looks like Tyson has earned his money and shouldn’t be going back. If coming off the bench allows him to thrive in a looser unit as a facilitator and scorer, so be it. It’s admirable that he’s willing to be what the team wants him to be, but perhaps coaches should think twice about what they’re asking of him.

keon ellis

Keon Ellis made his first two starts for the Cavs in mid-March against the Dallas Mavericks. As a player he’s “still discovering,” Atkinson has a real passion for how he works in the pocket with his float game. Additionally, Ellis has shown a burst of driving from close to the perimeter, and Cleveland has been pleased with the increase in his offensive rebounding rate since his arrival.

It’s hard to argue against Ellis in terms of his defensive ability. He sees the dramas before they happen, acts on them, and resorts to alcohol and sleep on a nightly basis. Atkinson doesn’t mind playing him, and he also won’t hesitate to toss him to the 4 in small-ball sets. Ellis makes a lot of logical sense as a starter due to his low usage and patience.

Sam Merrill

It’s been a career season for Sam Merrill, who is averaging 12.8 points on a career-high 66.2% true shooting. He has started in 33 of his 45 appearances this season, and has had an almost even split between playing at 2 and 3. Merrill is an off-ball threat with consistent movement. His processing speed has improved tremendously with more reps, allowing him to establish chemistry with Harden and consistently thrive next to Mitchell.

Always on the floor, Merrill will leave his body to screen and defend despite being hunted. He will take the charge and ensure that he is present to contest the elections. It appears he is better suited at shooting guard because he is not forced to guard long, tall wings, but he is a starting-caliber player in this league. You can’t just look at Meryl one-dimensionally anymore. He will force you to pay off the dribble, get to the basket with cuts and take advantage of any piece of space.

However, who is the right Cavs fit?

The Cavs have an abundance of talent in the wing room for the modern league. Due to the length and strength of his potential opponents at 3, Wade makes the most logical sense. Last year was the only time Cleveland was able to field a healthy version of him in the postseason, and he was 10th in the rotation in the first round. Due to untimely injuries, the team had to throw him into the fire when the Indiana Pacers series was coming to an end.

Wade played only one postseason game with Mobley and Allen, lasting four minutes. One of the team’s most effective trio over the past few years has barely made an appearance due to bad luck and lack of opportunity. For example, Wade, Mobley and Allen shared the floor for 249 minutes last season.

This year, in 163 minutes, the combination has a net rating of plus-17.2, with tremendous balance on both ends of the floor. Ultimately seeing this happen with talents like Harden and Mitchell in the starting five last April could be the key to getting off to a good start defensively and setting the tone on the board.

Good defense leads to good offense. Its as simple as that.

Who gets to close out Cavs games is a different story.

Who’s on the pole for tomorrow’s NASCAR race? The NASCAR Cup Series starting lineup has been determined following qualifying for the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. In the 37-driver field, tire wear is expected to be a big story for tomorrow, so the starting order from today’s session could prove crucial for the points.

Let’s dive straight into the Goodyear 400 starting lineup following the NASCAR Cup Series qualifying results at Darlington today. Ahead you can find the starting grid for tomorrow’s NASCAR race.

RELATED: NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debuting lineup at Darlington

NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying results at Darlington: Goodyear 400

Here is the starting lineup for the Goodyear 400 for Sunday’s Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway.

RELATED: NASCAR driver sheds light on tire strategy, potential chaos at Darlington

Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 Starting Grid

Here’s the starting grid for today’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Darlington

RELATED: NASCAR Stage Winners 2026, This Season’s Stage Results Tracker

Who’s on the pole for tomorrow’s NASCAR race?

Tyler Reddick is on the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR race at Darlington Raceway. Reddick and Bubba Wallace will lead the starting grid for the Goodyear 400, with the top 23XI Racing drivers taking the top two pole positions.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Edoardo Bove joined Watford in January and the deal came as a welcome return to action for the midfielder.

sports witness His move to London was extensively covered, as the Italian made his debut against Preston in mid-February.

It was widely celebrated in Italy, where Bove saw his career take off and then fade due to heart problems. He became a fan favorite at AS Roma, where he initially enjoyed success under José Mourinho.

Bowe scored his first goal for Watford against Wrexham at the weekend. It was also his first goal in over 14 months, with his last goal coming on loan at Fiorentina.

The Italian has now spoken to the press in his home country.

The goal was seen as a starting point

The 23-year-old expressed his delight at TG1 after the goal and he sees it as the starting point for something special at Watford.

He said- relayed by voiceless: : “It was a very smart goal. Last year I had a lot of time to think and dream, now this is a new starting point.”

Bowe also revealed that he always tells his teammates to have fun after seeing the worst in the last few months.

“When we face certain types of obstacles, I think we gain special resources. I can tell the boys to always have fun, to put maximum passion into everything they do.”

romanist pages Also praising the player, he said that his family was present at Vicarage Road to see this goal. Members of Roma’s London fanclub were also in attendance, with the outlet saying that Bove felt like a footballer once again.

Bowe has come as a big boost for Watford

In a way, the midfielder’s rise to the Hornets’ first team has come at the right time.

They are still in the race for promotion and are five points clear of sixth-placed Southampton. Bowe’s playing time has also gradually increased since his debut, which is a very good sign.

His goal is a clear reminder of his abilities and that he is slowly getting back to his best level.

At Roma and Fiorentina, he was a hard-working box-to-box midfielder who was praised for his work-ethic. He can also play as an attacking midfielder when needed and Watford may soon see more of the same.

Arsenal’s season has been largely defined by control, structure and attacking cohesionMartin Odegaard is again playing a central role in that identity – at least when available.

Before his recent injury setbacks, the Norwegian was once again one of the Premier League’s most productive midfielders. In the first half of the campaign, he provided goals and assists at a steady rate, while remaining Arsenal’s main creative focal point.

Data from FBref and WhoScored shows he was averaging more than 2 key passes per game, as well as having strong numbers for progressive passes and final third involvement.

He also remained heavily involved in Arsenal’s vital structure. Odegaard was ranked among the team’s leaders for pressing in advanced areas, often creating situations without the ball. His mix of creativity and work rate has made him difficult to replace, even in a squad with increasing depth.

However, that influence has faded in recent months.

Questions are being raised regarding fitness

Norwegian outlet VG There are now growing concerns over Martin Edgard’s physical condition, with the midfielder struggling with a knee problem that has limited his participation throughout 2026, the report adds. He missed 8 games between October and November 2025. Another problem with his knee.

He has only featured in around a third of Arsenal’s minutes this calendar year. As a result, he has been reduced to watching matches from the bench recently, including the latest Premier League match.

The situation has now become so serious that his international prospects may be affected. Norway manager Stel Solbakken is ready to name his squad for the upcoming friendlies, but even if Odegaard is included, he is not expected to play a major role.

VG quotes pundit Vegard Olstad, who believes the tone around the injury may need to change: “We’ve probably been a bit naive and said it’s good that key players get rest. Now it’s time to start worrying.”

Managing risk before summer

There is still some caution from other voices in Norway. tv 2 Commentator Simen Stamsø Møller emphasizes that it is too early for alarm, but believes the timeline is important.

“If the situation remains the same in May then it is a matter of concern,” He said.

For now, the hope is that Norway will avoid taking risks. Maintaining good relations with Arsenal is also part of that thinking, especially as the club enters a crucial stage of the season.

Odegaard himself has acknowledged the difficulty of the situation. Writing in Arsenal’s match-day programme, he admitted: “It’s been tough for me because of my recent knee injury, but I’m working as hard as I can to get back into top form.”

Mikel Arteta has not ruled him out of upcoming fixtures, including the League Cup final at Wembley. Nevertheless, the manager made it clear that availability would depend on how the player responds in training.

what happens next

For Arsenal, it is less about immediate panic and more about timing.

When fit, Martin Odegaard remains one of the team’s most important players. However, his form has started to be disrupted by repeated absences at a crucial stage of the season.

With the Premier League underway and key fixtures ahead, Arsenal will need to carefully balance recovery and reintegration. Plus, Norway are keeping a close eye, knowing their captain could be heading into the summer with limited match acuity.

If the current pattern continues into May, what is now a manageable issue could become a much bigger concern for both club and country.

🇧🇷Mohammed Kone (Palmeiras) | Arsenal continue interest in €100m-clause defender they failed to sign in 2023https://t.co/i2ddwF26W9 #afc

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 18 March 2026

San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet has been a constant for the team throughout the season, stepping up in the absence of Victor Wembanyama. He found himself starting for the All-Star big man on several occasions this season, which he jokingly talked about white noise podcast.

“Vic was out for a while and then he was back on minutes restriction and coming off the bench,” Kornett said. “And we were doing pretty well. And nobody really asked me how I felt about it. I don’t know if you’re familiar with Wally Pipp. It was fun too because there was the All-Star thing going on and it felt like I was the starter on the team. I saw a lot of votes going the other way.”

Wembanyama returned to the Spurs lineup this season after playing only 46 games in the 2024–2025 season due to deep vein thrombosis. He made one appearance earlier this season in his third year in the league, but was slightly derailed by a calf strain. After being out for a few weeks, he returned in time for the in-season tournament and Christmas Day games versus the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the Spurs coaching staff moved him off the bench out of an abundance of caution. Instead, Luke Cornet began managing Vembanyama’s minutes following the injury.

The Spurs were actually able to remain competitive in the Western Conference without Wembanyama, posting a 10–5 record in 15 games without him this season. Kornet certainly played a role, averaging 6.7 points and 6.2 rebounds on 65% from the floor.

detroit tigers

1. pull skubble
2. framber valdez
3. jack flaherty
4. casey corn
5. Justin Verlander

With one of the most lethal 1-2 combos in the majors, the Tigers landed top free agent Framber Valdez to prepare for the growing possibility that star Tarik Skubal will wear a different uniform next year. The two would operate a cycle that in the past would have been viewed as squabbles and “causing chaos”.

It feels like 2011 again with Verlander in a Tigers jersey. It would be nice to see the veteran player finish his career with the team that started it all. It remains to be seen how much he will be able to contribute. Mize will return after having a breakout year for Detroit, helping solidify the rotation behind Skubal. After exercising his player option for 2026, Flaherty will look to bounce back from the ’25 campaign that hurt his upcoming free agency.

The Tigers are now in a position to win. With Skubal’s departure after this season, they need to take advantage of the opportunity they have received for the first time since defeating the San Diego Padres in the 1984 Fall Classic. If they don’t manage this this year, they could be out of contention fast.

cleveland patron

1. Tanner Bibi
2. gavin williams
3. Slade Cecconi
4. logan allen
5. parker messick

The Guardians have quietly put together an incredibly solid pitching staff. There’s no clear Cy Young winner here, but they field some of the best quality starters you’ll see day in and day out, and always have a chance on offense.

It seems likely that Bibby will get the opening day start, but Williams has also been tremendous. Top prospect Parker Messick debuted last year with great results. Granted, this was only in a seven-game sample size, but hopefully he impressed enough to earn a back end spot.

After shocking Detroit last season, they have a chance to run the AL Central this season. If the pitching staff can stay the course, they will be in contention all year long.

kansas city royals

1. cole ragans
2. Seth Lugo
3. Michael Wacha
4. chris bubic
5. noah cameron
6. Ryan Burgert

Kansas City, on the other hand, has not been quiet about its rotation strength. The pitching staff for the Royals is made up of aces one after another. Ragans was one of the best starters in MLB in 2024 but struggled with injuries last year. Lugo and Wacha provide a veteran presence that still manages to be effective on the mound. Bubic is trying to build on his first All-Star season from last year.

The Royals are looking to build a six-man rotation, with Cameron and Burgert performing admirably in their rookie campaigns last season. If each earns a spot this spring, it seems likely they will take all six spots.

As a fun side note, some updates were made to Kauffman Stadium this off-season, with Kansas City shortening the outfield dimensions. There have been a number of estimates showing how many more home runs would have been hit last year if these new dimensions were in place, but as ballparks become increasingly hitter-friendly, these pitchers will have to work around it.

minnesota twins

1. joe ryan
2. Bailey Ober
3. Simeon Woods Richardson
4. taj bradley
5. mick abel

Despite Minnesota sending away a ton of players at the 2025 trade deadline, they kept most of their pitchers. Thankfully, top player Joe Ryan will return at the top of this rotation. Unfortunately, co-star Pablo Lopez will miss the entire 2026 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last month.

That being said, Ober and Woods Richardson will return after serviceable seasons last year. They will try to improve low level performance. The same is true for Bradley and Abel, as both performed well for their former teams (the Tampa Bay Rays and Philadelphia Phillies, respectively) before struggling after being traded to the Twins.

If he can throw serviceable innings, it will go a long way in relieving Ryan’s responsibility as the only ace pitcher on this staff for Minnesota.

chicago white sox

1. shane smith
2. david martin
3. Eric Fedde
4. sean burke
5. Anthony’s

Shane Smith has been appointed as the Opening Day starter for the Sox, the rest are really up for grabs. It’s possible Martin, Fedde, Burke and Kay remain but Chicago has some other options. They clearly improved from a historically poor 2024 season, but still struggled. Hopefully they can continue to improve this year.

Three of the five are returners, with only Fedde and Kay being free-agent pickups this offseason. After gaining dominance in foreign countries, they will try to prove themselves. He has not pitched in MLB since 2023. If this staff can do a better job of limiting runs, it will go a long way in keeping Chicago competitive.

toronto blue jays

1. kevin gosman
2. dialing off
3. trey yesways
4. shane bieber
5. Cody Ponce
6. max shazer

The AL East’s slaughter is in the headlines in Toronto. After losing their first World Series in 32 years, they were not satisfied with making a run back to it. They signed strikeout artist Dylan Cease to a historic 7-year, $210 million contract. He then signed a short deal with Ponce, as he had spent the last few years pitching in Japan and Korea.

But Gausman is returning, Bieber exercised his player option, and Scherzer re-signed with the club. After an exciting postseason debut, Trey Yesavage will return to the pitch this season. His slider demolished batters in the playoffs and had a chance to do the same in his first full year in MLB.

The club will likely use Scherzer as a depth option, but have talked about a possible six-man rotation. Whatever the case, Jays fans have a pitching staff they can get excited about.

New York Yankees

1. max fried
2. cam schlitler
3. louis gil
4. Ryan Weathers
5. Will Warren

With Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon recovering from injuries this spring, they won’t return to the Yankees until 2026. Until then, Fried, Schlitzer and Gill make a formidable (and young) front three. New York traded for Weathers but he and Warren became depth guys after Cole and Rodon returned.

It’s been an up-and-down season for the Yanks when it comes to pitching. With an elite offense that keeps them in games, New York doesn’t have to rely on their starters too much. But the front three are elite.

Fried has had a great first year in Pinstripes and is looking to build on that. Gil missed the majority of the 2025 season after winning the AL Rookie of the Year award in ’24, and is currently struggling in the Grapefruit League. Schlitler is looking to build on an electric performance in the postseason. If those three can be effective, the pitching staff will be filled out when the Giants return later this year.

boston red sox

1. Garrett Crochet
2. ranger suarez
3. sonny gray
4. brian bello
5. johan oviedo

this is a Very Different rotation for Boston than last year. In addition to Ace Crockett and Bello, the club added top pitcher Ranger Suárez in free agency, and traded for Gray and Oviedo to strengthen the staff.

They lost some depth in the trade of Kyle Harrison to the Milwaukee Brewers, but they still have top prospects Peyton Tolls and Conley Early stuck in the minors. Both have impressed this spring and will be starters at the big league level this year.

baltimore orioles

1. trevor rogers
2. kyle bradish
3. Shane Baz
4. jack eflin
5. Chris Bassitt
6. dean kramer

To say that Baltimore has been aggressive this offseason would be a major understatement. After finishing last in the AL East, the front office pursued top free agents in their offense, but not so much in their pitching staff. They traded top pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Angels.

That being said, rotation is clearly better. They re-signed Eflin, brought in Bassitt to eat innings, and traded for Tampa Bay Rays veteran Shane Baz. This is a staff that can and should shorten games. Rodgers, Brady and Kramer are returning contributors to the starting group.

tampa bay rays

1. Drew Rasmussen
2. Ryan Peppiatt
3. Shane McClanahan
4. steven matz
5. nick martinez

With the loss of Shane Baz to the Orioles, Tampa Bay will get another look at McClanahan’s return after two years away from MLB. Peppiatt and Rasmussen are also returning after solid campaigns in 2025.

The Rays’ lone pitching moves came in signing free agents Matz and Martínez to short-term contracts. It’s not an entirely awe-inspiring group, and Tampa Bay is struggling to stay afloat in a crowded and bloodthirsty AL East. But they have a solid attack led by star third baseman Junior Caminero. As long as the starters are serviceable, the Rays will be able to remain competitive in most games.

seattle mariners

1. brian woo
2. logan gilbert
3. luis castillo
4. george kirby
5. bryce miller

With perhaps the best rotation in the entire American League (and certainly the best in the AL West), the Mariners are seeking a return to the postseason after coming close to reaching the Fall Classic for the first time in club history. Running behind a historic offense and superstar catcher Cal Raley, the pitching staff became somewhat anonymous.

But that’s not because they weren’t producing, they just dominated opponents all year. Wu and Gilbert are sharing co-ace duties with Castillo serving as a formidable third base. Kirby and Miller factor in as back end options, who (at most other clubs) would be front end options in the rotation.

Houston Astros

1. hunter brown
2. Tatsuya Imai
3. mike burroughs
4. Christian Xavier
5. spencer arigetti
6. Lance McCullers Jr.

The Astros lost longtime veteran Framber Valdez to the Detroit Tigers in free agency. But Brown’s emergence as a legitimate ace who can anchor a rotation helps things for Houston. One of their big free-agent pickups this offseason was top international pitcher Tatsuya Imai.

Everyone else is returning to Houston except Mike Burroughs, who was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates this offseason. They have talked about a possible six-man rotation to lighten the workload of their starting players, which makes sense. There’s not much inspiring pitching outside of those first two options. The Astros need to do anything they can to help the back end of that rotation (and keep Brown and Imai healthy).

Exercise

1. louis severino
2. jeffrey springs
3. aaron siwale
4. luis morales
5. jacob lopez

The Achilles’ heel of athletics, the starting group is rough. Headlined by Severino and Springs, this is an uninspired group. The young offensive core certainly makes up for it and will make for some interesting back-and-forth at Sutter Health this year.

Morales had a strong rookie campaign after being eliminated from Cuba in 2023. Hopefully he can carry it forward and become a major force for the A’s to shorten games.

Texas Rangers

1. nathan iovaldi
2. jacob degrom
3. mackenzie gore
4. jack ladder
5. Kumar Rocker

This rotation is shocking to the elite class. After having the lowest team ERA in baseball last season, the Rangers thought it was not enough and traded for ace Mackenzie Gore of the Washington Nationals. In doing so they gave up five prospects for Washington but gained a young, controllable starter who can play behind Eovaldi and deGrom.

Rocker struggled a bit in his second year in MLB. He pitched a career-high 64 1/3 innings and posted a 5.74 ERA. If he can find his rhythm and take the mound consistently, the Rangers will have the problem every team expects: too many good pitchers.

Los Angeles Angels

1. Yusei Kikuchi
2. jose soriano
3. reed detmers
4. grayson rodriguez
5. alec manoah

It’s not looking great for the Angels, but there is hope! Trading outfielder Taylor Ward for young prospect Rodriguez gives some hope for the future of the pitching team. Everyone else is returning except Manoah, who was a low-risk, high-reward pickup in the offseason. He has struggled massively this spring, but the Halos don’t have many other options and will need to put together whatever they can get to build a pitching staff.

milwaukee brewers

1. chad patrick
2. Jakub Misiorowski
3. Brandon Woodruff
4. kyle harrison
5. Brandon Sproat

With reports that Quinn Priester is dealing with a wrist injury that will keep him out of the start of the season, Patrick will likely start on Opening Day. After trading Freddy Peralta to the New York Mets, the rotation depth in Milwaukee is a little light.

In exchange for Peralta, the Brewing Crew added top prospect Sprott to their starting lineup. Harrison was included in the trade that sent Caleb Durbin to the Boston Red Sox. Additionally, Woodruff is looking to return for his first full season back from injury (although his status to start this year is still somewhat in question).

chicago cubs

1. Matthew Boyd
2. cade horton
3. Edward Cabrera
4. shota imanaga
5. Colin Rea

The Cubs are mostly running this aside from their trade for Cabrera with the Miami Marlins. Boyd has been named the Opening Day starter for Chicago, while Horton looks to build on his incredible rookie campaign.

Imanaga had a brief stint with the QBs in free agency before ultimately rejoining the club. Rea is the final piece of a very strong starting group for Chicago. Between the pitching and their elite defense, expect some low-scoring games in the Windy City that could end up with the Cubs running the NL Central.

pittsburgh pirates

1. Paul Skenes
2. mitch keller
3. bubba chandler
4. braxton ashcraft
5. jose urquidi

Powered by one of the game’s best pitchers, Pittsburgh is trying to improve on a disappointing 2025. Skanes and Keller are leading the way, and top pitching prospect Bubba Chandler looks to build on last season’s mediocre MLB debut.

Ashcraft is trying to recover from a tough ’25. After suffering through a number of injuries over the past few years, he is back to full health after two years in remission from the forearm problem that sidelined him in 2024. The Pirates signed former Detroit Tigers starter Urquidi to a short-term deal to add a playoff-tested pitcher to the group.

St. Louis Cardinals

1. Matthew Liberator
2. dustin may
3. Michael McGreevy
4. andre pallante
5. kyle leahy

St. Louis lost Miles Mikolas to free agency and traded Sonny Gray to the Red Sox. Apart from this he doesn’t have much else. Signing Mays and retaining Liberatore helps, but the Cards need some pitchers to eat innings. It will become more difficult to shorten the games from what they currently have.

With a strong and young offense, it will be exciting to watch games in St. Louis without the pressure of hoping for a playoff berth. They will get useful outings from these five, which will give the club a good chance of winning most of the games.

cincinnati reds

1. Andrew Abbott
2. Nick Lodolo
3. brady singer
4. Chase Burns
5. rate loader

News broke this week that star pitcher Hunter Greene could be out until the end of July after undergoing surgery to remove bone chips from his arm. The Reds still have a solid pitching staff without him. Abbott, Lodolo and Singer are solid contributors, along with impressive rookie Chase Burns.

Losing Jack Littell to free agency will certainly hurt, as he was a solid innings-eater for the club. Problems with his forearm kept Loewer out of action in 2025 after an impressive 2024 campaign. After a surprise postseason appearance for Cincinnati, they will be hoping to bounce back from this starting group.

los angeles dodgers

1. yoshinobu yamamoto
2. tyler glasnow
3. shohei ohtani
4. Emmett Sheehan
5. roki sasaki

One of the most elite rotations in baseball (and back-to-back World Series champions) will look to dominate this year as they seek a return to the Fall Classic. Led by World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Dodgers will try to fight against a cadre of injuries.

One of which is two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell, who will begin the season on the injured list. After battling soreness in the postseason, Snell has battled shoulder problems this offseason. But as long as their pitchers are ready in October, they don’t have to worry too much.

San Diego Padres

1. Nick Pivetta
2. michael king
3. Randy Vasquez
4. german marquess
5. walker buehler

San Diego enters the season with one of the weaker rotations in baseball. But it has a very high ceiling. Pivetta will look to add to last year’s incredible surge as the Kings bounce back from an injury-filled 2025.

Joe Musgrove would like to do the same but it is more likely he will not be with the club on Opening Day. Randy Vasquez will replace him at third, leaving two spots vacant. The rotation race seems to be leaning toward Marquez and Buehler for the first few weeks, but the Friars have plenty of options to choose from after trading away general manager AJ Preller.

san francisco giants

1. logan webb
2. Robbie Ray
3. adrian houser
4. tyler mahle
5. landen raupp

Faced with a desperate need for pitching this offseason, the Giants made two inexpensive additions in Houser and Mahle. With a largely complete offense, it was strange for them to spend on hitters but not spend as much on starting pitchers.

But the rotation front is formidable. Webb and Ray are some of the best starters in the National League, with Webb currently pitching for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. Hopefully the inexpensive additions will help San Francisco fix its starter group.

Arizona Diamondbacks

1. zack gallen
2. merrill kelly
3. Brandon Pfaadt
4. Eduardo Rodriguez
5. rain nelson

The Dubs are essentially running it back on the pitching front. After Kelly was traded to the Texas Rangers, they brought him back along with Gallen in free agency. They also signed Michael Soroka this offseason as a depth option.

Arizona’s starting pitching group last year was mediocre, but was capped by an above-average offense. The offense may not be as great with the departures of Josh Naylor and slugger Eugenio Suarez.

colorado rockies

1. kyle freeland
2. Michael Lorenzen
3. jose quintana
4. Tomoyuki Sugano
5. Chase Dollander

The Rockies’ only real loss this offseason was Colorado veteran Jermaine Marquez. He did a great job of adding to the rotation with returners Freeland and Hollander. They selected Lorenzen, Quintana and Sugano in free agency. Of the three, Lorenzen is producing great results as a starter for Team Italy in the WBC.

Neither of them are particularly top-dollar fetchers, but they add stability to one of the worst pitching groups last season. The caveat with this is the difficulty of pitching at Coors Field. Pitchers whose home park is a mile above sea level will naturally find it more difficult to limit runs.

toronto blue jays

• c alejandro kirk
• 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
• 2B Ernie Clement
• SS Andres Jimenez
• 3B Kazuma Okamoto
• Jesus Sanchez’s
• OF Daulton Varsho
• Edison Barger’s
• DH George Springer

After losing the World Series (by mere inches) to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Blue Jays were not satisfied with simply “running it back”. Last season, they gave superstar Wlady Jr. a chance to keep him in Toronto for his entire career.

Despite losing second baseman Bo Bichette in free agency, they were in the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes, signed one of the big international free agents in Okamoto, and traded top prospect Joey Loperfido for Sanchez to play in the outfield.

The Jays are hungry to get back to the Fall Classic after coming so close to winning it all, and they have certainly made the right steps to repeat as American League champions.

New York Yankees

• C Austin Wells
• 1B Ben Rice
• 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr.
• SS Anthony Volpe
• 3B Ryan McMahon
• Cody Bellinger’s
• Trent Grisham’s
• Aaron Judge’s
• DH Giancarlo Stanton

New York, on the other hand, is content to run it back. That’s a bit minimalistic for a team that will have top player Gerrit Cole returning from injury. But not much has changed on the offensive side.

Perennial MVP Aaron Judge and Stanton will definitely (as usual) hit a ton of home runs. Chisholm Jr. is trying to go 50-50 for the second time in MLB history. And the Yanks did a good job of retaining free agent Cody Bellinger despite lengthy talks about his departure.

Whether or not they achieve all of those goals, this is a club that won 94 games last season and is seeking a return to the Fall Classic in 2024 after losing to Los Angeles. They’re definitely ready to make a run for it.

boston red sox

• c charles narvaez
• 1B Willson Contreras
• 2B Marcelo Meyer
• SS Trevor Story
• 3B Caleb Durbin
• jerren duran’s
• sedan rafela
• Roman Anthony’s
• DH Willier Abreu

To say the Sox had an active offseason would be to sell general manager Craig Breslow a bit. After clinching a postseason berth in 2025, they lost to the rival Yankees in a three-game wild card series.

Their only major departure from the starting group is Alex Bregman who will be replaced by NL Rookie of the Year finalist Durbin at third base. The crowded outfield lineup will make the math difficult (especially for outfielder Masataka Yoshida). But this is arguably the Sox’s greatest strength, with Duran, Rafaela, Anthony and Abreu being some of the best outfielders in the game.

Additionally the Red Sox are excited to see Story have a full healthy season at shortstop, with Contreras starting behind Tristan Casas for the first time. This club’s attack looks stronger than in recent years, and (in a competitive division like this) they will need all the help they can get.

baltimore orioles

• c adlerushman
• 1b pete alonso
• 2B Blaze Alexander
• SS Gunnar Henderson
• 3B Kobe Mayo
• Taylor Ward’s
• Colton Cowser’s
• dylan beavers
• DH Tyler O’Neill

Last season was a major disappointment for Baltimore, with the club finishing last in the AL East after making the postseason in both 2023 and ’24. This led to the firing of manager Brandon Hyde midway through the 2025 season.

The O’s needed to prove something to their fans in the offseason, and they did. They traded pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Angels for outfielder Taylor Ward. They then signed top free agent Pete Alonso to take care of the cold corner. They finished their lineup moves by trading Alexander to play second while Jackson Holiday is dealing with an injury.

They have had great young players come through (Henderson, Rutschman, Cowser, Beavers), but their results last season were disappointing and inconsistent. If they can put it together again, and the pitching holds up, they will run the AL East standings once again.

tampa bay rays

• Nick Fortes
• 1B Jonathan Aranda
• 2B Gavin Lux
• SS Taylor Walls
• 3B Junior Caminero
• Jake Fraley’s
• Cedric Mullins’s
• OF Chandler Simpson
• DH yandy diaz

So far, the Rays have their star slugger, with All-Star third baseman Junior Caminero returning after the Electric World Baseball Classic with the Dominican Republic. But there isn’t a lot of help behind that.

They traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates to play second base after dealing Brandon Lowe, and they signed Mullins to help their outfield. Speedster Chandler Simpson will return to the club after surprising MLB with his ability to run around the diamond, and Yandy Diaz provides the club with a helpful veteran presence.

Don’t get your hopes up too quickly for a Rays postseason run just because they’re back at Tropicana Field. But, at least, there is hope for the near future.

los angeles dodgers

• c will smith
• 1B Freddy Freeman
• 2b hyesong kim
• SS Mookie Bates
• 3B Max Muncy
• Teoscar Hernandez’s
• by andy pages
• kyle tucker’s
• DH Shohei Ohtani

The Dodgers are (more or less) on a rebound from last season. For the two-time defending World Series champions, this is a solid strategy. They have one of the best lineups in baseball and undoubtedly Shohei Ohtani is the best player on the planet.

They solved their problems in the outfield by signing top free agent Kyle Tucker to a 4-year, $240 million contract. He projects to be the starting right fielder with the DH slot closed for Ohtani.

San Diego Padres

• C Freddy Fermin
• 1B Gavin Sheets
• 2B Jake Cronenworth
• SS Xander Bogarts
• 3b manny chado
• Ramon Laureano’s
• Jackson Merrill’s
• Fernando Tatis Jr.
• DH miguel andujar

After making the postseason two years in a row, the Padres struggled to get anything done this offseason (largely due to the payroll crisis that seems never-ending in San Diego).

Even with the departures of Luis Arraez and Ryan O’Hearn, their offense was mostly filled out. Nevertheless, they added Andújar as a powerful right bat. The Friars have said throughout the offseason that the first base void will likely be filled internally. Sheets is projected to start in that role in 2025 after his breakout season.

san francisco giants

• c patrick bailey
• 1B Bryce Aldridge
• 2B Luis Arraez
• SS Willie Adams
• 3B Matt Chapman
• Heliot Ramos’s
• Harrison Bader’s
• jung ho li ki
• DH Rafael Devers

Apart from the gaps on the left side of their infield, the Giants’ offense was fairly set. Devers factors into becoming the primary DH so top-prospect Bryce Aldridge can get reps at first.

Arraez was the big acquisition by San Francisco in the off-season, signing a 1-year deal to become their everyday second baseman. Arraez has spent the offseason working on his fielding as his weak defense has hurt his free agency case.

Arizona Diamondbacks

• C Gabriel Moreno
• 1B Carlos Santana
• 2B Kettle Marte
• SS Geraldo Perdomo
• 3B Nolan Arenado
• Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
• Alec Thomas’s
• Corbin Carroll’s
• DH Pavin Smith

Dubex made some solid contributions to their offense this offseason. After incredible seasons from perennial stars like Carroll, Marte and Perdomo, they traded for 10-time Gold Glover Nolan Arenado and selected veteran Carlos Santana in free agency.

Unfortunately, trading out Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez at last year’s trade deadline didn’t help them. But it’s unlikely either would have re-signed with the club in free agency. Replacing them with Arenado and Santana is certainly an offensive meltdown, but they will fill the spots serviceably.

colorado rockies

• C Hunter Goodman
• 1B TJ Rumfield
• 2B Willie Castro
• SS Ezequiel Tovar
• 3B Kyle Carros
• Jordan Beck’s
• Mickey Moniak’s
• Brenton Doyle’s
• DH Zack Wayne

A historically poor 2025 encouraged the Rocks to build on the good parts of last season. They have an abundance of young talent to be excited about. Most of their contributors are returning along with veteran utility-man Willie Castro.

Colorado adds Paul DePodesta moneyball His front office gained fame for leading baseball operations. After finishing with a 43-119 record last year, expectations are incredibly low for Colorado. If they can do anything to improve on that then they will consider this season a success.

Stephen Curry is close to returning to the court for the Golden State Warriors this season.

Curry has not appeared in a game since his performance against the Detroit Pistons on January 30. He is suffering from a knee injury which has kept him away from the game for the whole of February and half of March.

NBA insider Brett Siegel provided an update on the veteran superstar’s timeline during his appearance with Tomer Azrali on the Clutch Scoops show on March 12. His sources told him that Curry can expect to return in the last week of March to complete his recovery.

“Stephen Curry wants to return before the season ends and I’ve heard there’s optimism looking at the Saturday March 21 game, right after that 10 day window. That’s when things open up as to when he could potentially return. Or see if he travels on a six-game road trip because that will tell a lot about whether he can or not. But I’m told the Wednesday March 25 game starts seven of his last 10 at home, that’s really it. That’s the game in what’s probably the last period of this timeline,” Siegel said at the 42:23 mark.

Stephen Curry, what’s next for the Warriors

It is clear that the Warriors need the services of Stephen Curry. They’ve gone 23-16 with him and 9-17 without him, knowing he’ll be vital to their chances in the playoffs this year.

In the 39 games played by Curry, he averaged 27.2 points, 4.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game. He is shooting 46.8% from the field, including 39.1% from beyond the arc and 93.1% from the free-throw line.

Golden State has a 32–33 record on the season, tied for ninth in the Western Conference standings. They are above the Portland Trail Blazers and Memphis Grizzlies while trailing the Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns.

After three consecutive defeats, the Warriors will be looking to get back into the win column in their next match. They will face the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 13, tip-off at 10 PM ET.

The LA Clippers have maintained throughout the season that they are a better team than their record suggests, even when they started the season at a modest 6–21. But after months of work and impressive play on both ends of the court, the Clippers did something no other team has ever done.

The Clippers lost 21 of their first 27 games to start the 2025-26 regular season, which is far from what they expected given the offseason additions they made. But between Bradley Beal’s season-ending injury, Kawhi Leonard’s ankle injury and Chris Paul’s failure, the Clippers were having a lot of work to do to start the season.

All of which made what the Clippers were able to accomplish on Monday night all the more incredible.

LA won 126–118 at home against the New York Knicks, led by Kawhi Leonard’s 29 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in 35 minutes of play. The win improved the Clippers’ record to 32–32 on the season, bringing their record to .500.

No team in NBA history that started with six or fewer wins in the first 27 games has ever come back to finish the season with a .500 record or reach a .500 record at any time thereafter.

The Clippers are the second team in NBA history to reach .500 after playing 15 or more games under .500 in the same season, joining the 2016–17 Miami Heat. That Heat team started the season 19 games under .500 at 11–30 and finished the season at 41–41.

The only difference is that no team has ever finished over .500 in a single season, which the Clippers can now do on Wednesday night when the Minnesota Timberwolves visit the Intuit Dome for the second time in three weeks.

“It means a lot,” head coach Tyronn Lue said after the Clippers’ win over the New York Knicks on Monday night. “Our guys in the locker room stuck with it, kept fighting, kept competing. We thought we should have been better and could have been better. Injuries hurt us, but this team, since I’ve been here six years, our guys always keep fighting when our backs are against the wall.

“I give credit to our coaching staff they did a great job sticking with it, staying positive, continuing to help these guys get better. Starting 6-21 and getting to .500 right now is huge for us.”

The Clippers and Wolves kick off Wednesday night’s game at 7:30 PM PST.

The Washington Wizards are set to host the Utah Jazz on Thursday night. Is Trae Young going to make his Wizards debut tonight?

Young was transferred from the Atlanta Hawks to the Wizards before the 2026 trade deadline. However, he has yet to make his debut with Washington, as the All-Star guard is dealing with a knee injury that has kept him out of action since late December.

Here’s everything we know about Trae Young’s injury status for tonight’s game vs. the Jazz.

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Trae Young’s injury status vs. Jazz

Trae Young is not listed on the NBA injury report and is expected to make his Wizards debut tonight against the Jazz.

The Wizards hope Young and Anthony Davis can lead the team to a postseason run next year. Although Davis is still out due to injury, the next few weeks of the 2025–26 season will give Young a chance to get comfortable with his new team.

At 16-45 and 13th in the Eastern Conference standings, Washington is not going to contend this year. Still, the future is interesting for magicians.

When it comes to the question of whether Trae Young is playing tonight against the Jazz, the answer is yes.

magicians injury report

The Wizards have eight players listed on the injury report.

• Anthony Gill (illness): doubtful
• Anthony Davis (sprained left finger): Out
• Kishawn George (left elbow sprain): Out
• D’Angelo Russell (not with team): Out
• Alex Sarr (right hamstring strain): Out
• Tristan Vukcevic (left thigh injury): Out
• Jameer Watkins (sprained left ankle): Out
• Cam Whitmore (right shoulder deep vein thrombosis): out

The Jazz played a game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, which they lost 106–102. With Thursday’s contest representing the second consecutive contest for Utah, the Jazz have not released their injury report as of the writing of this story.

New Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken takes over a roster that already has three quarterbacks on the roster. Still, neither of them may be the team’s starter in 2026. Between Deshaun Watson, Shadure Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, could the Browns already have their franchise QB?

Monken made it clear during his press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine that the Browns want to give their quarterbacks a chance to unlock a new level of performance with his guidance. That includes Watson, who is entering the final year of a five-year, $230 million contract.

While Monken is impressed by the qualities of the three-time Pro Bowl QB, he called Sanders’ playmaking ability “elite” while speaking at the NFL Scouting Combine on Wednesday. Monken also left the door open for Sanders, a fifth-round pick in 2025, to become the team’s starting quarterback for the first week of the 2026 season.

Monken is “hopeful” the team’s QB situation will be sorted out by training camp, so the Browns’ starter can get all the first-team reps on offense.

Still, as curious as Monken is about the current QB room, he also acknowledged that the team will do its “due diligence” in evaluating others who could join the group this offseason. After drafting one in the third round last year and another in the fifth round, would the Browns really add another rookie?

In the meantime, would they also like another veteran? Watson is a seven-year pro, and both Gabriel and Sanders gained valuable starting experience last season. Unless they find a sure-fire starter who is obviously better than all three, the Browns will be better off rotating with their crew and hoping one of them can come out of the pack.

RELATED: Cleveland Browns’ Todd Monken excited to give Deshaun Watson a fresh start

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

The Atlanta Hawks are in the midst of an important homestand that could help them clinch a spot in the Eastern Conference. That means they have to play some of their best ball, and that comes with making changes to the lineup to put them in the best position to win.

Head coach Quin Snyder did just that recently, inserting C.J. McCollum into the starting lineup and moving Zachary Reisacher off the bench. This is not new territory for McCullum, as he has been a consistent starter for most of his career. He was asked about the lineup change at the recent Hawks shootaround.

“It’s part of the game. I’ve played 840 matches in my career,” McCullum told reporters. “I’ve obviously started 10 years in a row, and I’m comfortable with that. When I came here I told them, whatever you need me to do, I’ll do. I’ve played a lot of different roles in my career. I’ve been a DNP guy to start. I’ve been to the 7th, 8th and 9th man. I’ve been a starter. So whatever’s needed to help the team, I’ll do.”

With what McCollum has brought to the Hawks since being traded, they may be looking to keep him in the starting lineup instead of coming off the bench. Meanwhile, Riescher has not performed particularly well in his second season and it is time for a change.

“That group of guys that finished the game, their Nets rating is 10 points higher than any other combination,” Snyder said after their game against the Brooklyn Nets. “This is our best lineup. Not starting CJ gives us ball handling and some scoring punch off the bench. But we don’t get that lineup as much.”

Not only would this move help the Hawks get off to a strong start to games, but it could also give Resacher a chance to regain his confidence in a new role.

“I think the biggest thing is that this in no way reflects our and my personal confidence in Zack,” Snyder said. “I thought being in a different phase of the game against different matchups with different guys could be really positive for him. And I was glad to see that I think that was the case. He looked relaxed, and he competed. Jack has all the right things. His development is something that will continue, whether he’s starting or coming off the bench.”

Who is on the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR race? NASCAR qualifying for the Cup Series at Echo Park on Saturday was canceled. As a result, the NASCAR starting grid for the AutoTrader 400 is determined by metrics following the results of last Sunday’s Daytona 500.

Here is NASCAR’s starting lineup for tomorrow’s Cup Series race at Echopark Speedway. Because qualifying was canceled and there was no practice, no lap times were recorded.

NASCAR Starting Lineup: AutoTrader 400

Here is the NASCAR starting grid for the Autotrader 400 at Atlanta.

RELATED: NASCAR stock report before Atlanta, stocks up and down for drivers

NASCAR starting grid tomorrow: Cup Series grid for Atlanta

Here’s NASCAR’s starting grid or Sunday’s Cup Series race at Echopark Speedway.

• line 1: Tyler Reddick, Joey Logano
• Line 2: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chase Elliott
• Line 3: Brad Keselowski, Zane Smith
• Line 4: Chris Buescher, Riley Herbst
• Line 5: Bubba Wallace, Josh Berry
• Line 6: Noah Gragson, Daniel Suarez
• Line 7: William Byron, Kyle Busch
• Line 8: Carson Hocevar, Kyle Larson
• Line 9: Ty Dillon, Cody Ware
• Line 10: AJ Allmendinger, Michael McDowell
• Line 11: Ross Chastain, Ryan Blaney
• Line 12: Eric Jones, John Hunter Nemechek
• Line 13: Ty Gibbs, Ryan Preece
• Line 14: Cole Custer, Shane Van Gisbergen
• Line 15: Denny Hamlin, Austin Cindric
• Line 16: Connor Zylisch, Christopher Bell
• Line 17: Austin Dillon, Chase Briscoe
• Line 18: Todd Gilliland, Alex Bowman
• Line 19: BJ McLeod, JJ Yeley

RELATED: NASCAR Power Rankings after Daytona

Who is on pole or in the NASCAR race tomorrow?

Tyler Reddick is on the pole or in the NASCAR race on Sunday at Echopark Speedway. He is followed on the AutoTrader 400 starting grid by Joey Logano, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski and Zane Smith. The starting lineup for the NASCAR Cup Series race was created after qualifying was canceled.

RELATED: NASCAR’s 4 Picks for AutoTrader 400

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Who is the best pitcher in baseball? Major League Baseball is back, spring training is underway and pitchers are working on getting ready for Opening Day. As recent signings have demonstrated, aces are more valuable than ever and the teams with the best pitchers in MLB have an edge every time their workhorse takes the mound.

Let’s take a look at our list of the 10 best MLB pitchers right now.

Read More: MLB Power Rankings 2026, evaluating all 30 teams

1. Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers

Tarik Skubal is the best pitcher in baseball. Over the past two seasons, he has boasted the second-best K-BB rate (26.7 percent); Skubal and Garrett Crockett are the only two qualified starters with a K-BB over 25 percent. No other qualified starter has a K-BB rate higher than 24 percent. Skubal has also surrendered the second-lowest batting average (.199) with the lowest WHIP (0.89), while limiting opponents to the second-lowest hard-hit rate (33.4 percent) with an impressive 2.30 ERA in 387.2 innings. Coming off back-to-back seasons with the AL Cy Young Award, Skubal is on pace for the Hall of Fame as one of the best pitchers of his era.

RELATED: Teams scared off by Tigers’ asking price for Tarik Skubal trade

2. Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates

Paul Skenes is a perfect example of why wins don’t matter as much as they used to when evaluating starting pitchers. In his first two MLB seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, the 6-foot-6 player has allowed more than four earned runs in only five of his 55 career starts, and he has allowed more than three earned runs in only 16.4 percent of his major league career starts. Last season, when he was the unanimous NL Cy Young Award winner at age 23, his strikeout rate (29.5 percent) was fourth and he was the only eligible starter with a sub-2.00 ERA. Heading into his age-24 season, Skane’s adjusted ERA+ (215) is better than Jacob deGrom’s peak (190) from 2018-19.

3. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers

In Madison Bumgarner’s memorable 2014 postseason run, in which he earned NLCS MVP and World Series MVP, he recorded a 1.03 ERA with a 0.65 WHIP in 52.2 innings. Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, in his second season in the majors, was almost as good, posting a 1.45 ERA and 0.77 WHIP in the postseason. Of course, ranking him third among the best MLB pitchers is even more than October. During the regular season, he also gave up the lowest batting average (.183) among starters with over 170 innings, while posting the fourth-best strikeout rate (29.4 percent). As long as he’s healthy, he could challenge Paul Skenes for the NL Cy Young Award in 2026.

4. Garrett Crochet, Boston Red Sox

From 2020-23, Garrett Crockett pitched in just 73 innings as a reliever, with a 2.71 ERA and 1.33 WHIP. It all started to come together when he transitioned into a starter in 2024. The Boston Red Sox hit back, hoping the 6-foot-6 southpaw can keep that momentum going. What Boston got is the second-best starting pitcher in the American League. Crockett finished the 2025 campaign with the second-highest strikeout rate (31.3 percent) and second in outside zone swing rate (35.9 percent), while holding opponents to a .216 batting average.

5. Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants

Taken in the fourth round of the 2014 MLB draft, Logan Webb first reached the majors in 2019 and had a 5.36 ERA with a 1.52 WHIP over his first two seasons. Since the start of the 2021 campaign, the ace of the San Francisco Giants rotation has recorded the third-best ERA (3.19) among starters with over 800 innings. He has also been a workhorse the last three seasons, leading the National League in innings pitched each year and batters faced in the last two seasons. He’s been as durable as they come, and at a time when he’s so hard to find, the availability of the web is as important as his continuity.

6. Christopher Sanchez, Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies have done it again. It took some time for everything to click for Christopher Sanchez, although the signs became increasingly clear in 2023. He earned his first All-Star selection in 2024, posting a 3.32 ERA and tying for the major league lead in complete games. Sanchez reaches another stratosphere in 2025. He ranked ninth league-wide in K-BB rate (20.8 percent), fifth in ERA (2.50), and tied Paul Skenes for the lowest HR/9 (0.53) in the majors. He is also on a contract deal that will potentially make him $51.5 million over the next five seasons, and he will only receive a $50,000 bonus for each All-Star selection.

7. Hunter Brown, Houston Astros

The Houston Astros have a remarkable track record when it comes to drafting and developing pitchers. Hunter Brown is the latest success story. Just a few years after being taken in the fifth round of the 2019 MLB Draft, he earned All-MLB Second Team honors after posting the third-lowest ERA (2.43), ninth-lowest batting average (.201), and seventh-highest strikeout rate (28.3 percent) in MLB last season. He has established himself as one of the best starting pitchers in baseball right now, and he has a good shot at a sub-3.00 ERA while pitching 200 innings for the first time in his career this year.

8. Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves

It has truly been a remarkable major-league career for Chris Sale. From 2012–18, he recorded a 2.91 ERA and 1.02 WHIP, while leading the league in strikeouts twice. He then made only 56 starts (298.1 innings) over the next five seasons, and entering his age-35 season, a distinguished career seemed to be on its final legs. Since then, Sale has won the NL Cy Young Award after winning the Triple Crown and Gold Glove Award in 2024, and his 2.46 ERA is the third-lowest among starters with more than 300 innings over the past two seasons. Health is a big question heading into the 2026 campaign, but there’s no reason to think he can’t challenge for another Cy Young Award as a 37-year-old.

9. Cole Ragans, Kansas City Royals

The Kansas City Royals performed like historic bandits in the 2023 Aroldis Chapman trade and grabbed Cole Ragans from the Texas Rangers. Formerly the 30th overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft, he held a 5.32 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in only 64.1 career innings with the Rangers. Landing in Kansas City changed the direction of his major-league career. Ragans’ numbers in 2025 – a 4.67 ERA – are largely a reflection of the fact that he battled a rotator cuff strain that ultimately landed him on the 60-day injured list. We believe the starting pitcher who had the ninth-lowest batting average (.212) and sixth-best strikeout rate (29.3 percent) in 2024 will return to form this season.

10. Hunter Greene, Cincinnati Reds

There are several starters worthy of the 10th spot in our rankings. What brought Hunter Greene here are the surrounding factors through which he operates. Last season, the Cincinnati Reds were 20th in defensive runs saved and 21st in FanGraphs defensive rating (-2.6). On top of this, Great American Ball Park ranked as the fourth most unfriendly ballpark for pitchers with a 103 park factor. Green’s battery partner Tyler Stephenson also ranks 50th among catchers in catcher framing run (-8) and 45th in shadow strikeout rate (40.3 percent).

So, there are a lot of factors not working in his favor when Green is on the mound. Still, the 6-foot-5 standout is now coming off his second consecutive season with a sub-2.80 ERA, and he maintained a career-best 0.94 WHIP in his most recent campaign. The primary flaw on Green at this point is that he has yet to pitch more than 160 innings in a season. That said, even with some bad surrounding circumstances, his numbers on the mound make him one of the best MLB pitchers right now.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson