Who won the NASCAR race tonight? Kyle Busch dominated the Truck Series race at Dover Motor Speedway, leading 147 of the 200 laps in the ECOSAVE 200. It was classic dominance from Busch, who went pole-to-pole, and lapped most of the field on Friday night.

Let’s look at the NASCAR Truck Series results from Dover tonight. We’ll start with the overall ECOSAVE 200 results and score totals for the entire region. Ahead you can find the results of the Truck Series stage today.

NASCAR Truck Results at Dover: ECOSAVE 200

NASCAR Stage Results Tonight: Truck Series

Here are the results from today’s NASCAR Truck Series stage at Dover.

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

On Saturday, horse racing fans will gather at Laurel Park Race Track to see which competitor will win the second leg of the 2026 Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes. This year’s field includes a deep list of favorites, mystery horses and just one contender from the Kentucky Derby.

But who will win this year’s “Run for the Black-Eyed Susans”? We’d like to answer that with our ranking of the Preakness Stakes horses for casual fans.

14. robusta

Doug O’Neill-trained colt Robusta is one of only three horses competing in the Kentucky Derby, which will also take to the track at Laurel Park on Saturday. However, he is one of the biggest long shots in this year’s race due to his recent form.

Before running in the Derby, Robusta finished seventh at Santa Anita ahead of the competition he faced in Kentucky. He then finished 14th among 19 horses at Churchill Downs. It would be surprising for Robusta to reach the top three.

13. Bull by the horns

The colt Bull By The Horns, owned by Peachtree Stable and Mark Corrado, has had an up-and-down career in his first five races. While he placed first at Florida in his second race in November, he came seventh in the Fourth of Youth in February and finished well behind many Derby horses.

Although he won the 2026 Rushway in March, he has struggled on fast dirt tracks, as he will this weekend.

12. Crupper

After a sixth-place finish to start his career, the Robert Zoellner-trained colt Crupper is on the rise. He has won two of his last three races, including a win at Bathhouse Raw last month. However, the three-year-old is entering the Preakness Stakes as a major underdog due to the weak competition he has met so far.

11. Golden Crown

Three-year-old Corona de Oro has been a solid but unspectacular horse in his first five races. In March, the Dallas Stewart-trained colt earned his first career win. However, last month, he finished behind fellow Preakness competitor The Hell We Did at the 2026 Lexington.

We Do is not a favorite on Saturday, so this bodes well for De Oro’s chances of finishing the show this weekend.

10. talking

After winning on his debut in August last year, the Danny Gargan-trained colt Talkin has fallen short since then. Which also includes finishing ninth at the 2025 Remsen in December.

He got a chance to face Derby and Stakes level competition in his last two starts and peaked with a third-place finish in the Blue Grass last month. That’s why Talkin’ is a big underdog on Saturday.

9. Great White

The John Ennis-trained colt Great White has been all over the map in his first four races. The three-year-old won his debut match in December and the John Battaglia Memorial in February. However, White finished fifth in his other two races, including the Blue Grass in April.

This unpredictability is the main reason why he remained a weak player on Saturday. Furthermore, despite being an impressive specimen, losing his composure minutes before entering the post at Kentucky adds to that unpredictable reputation.

8. Napoleon Solo

After starting his career with consecutive wins including the October 2025 Champagne, Gold Square horse Napoleon Solo has not looked good since. In February, he faced tough competition at the Fountain of Youth and finished fifth.

Then last month, he went head-to-head again in the Preakness and Derby-level contests and again came in fifth. Solo gave bookmakers no reason to think he could be a show option on Saturday.

7. Chip Honcho

At the end of 2025, the Steve Asmussen-trained colt Chip Honcho was looking like a potential contender for this year’s Triple Crown. However, in 2026, he surprisingly struggled in three of his races. While there he finished second in the 2026 Risen Star in February, came fourth in the Lecomte in January, and came fifth in the high-level competition in the Louisiana Derby in March.

6. The Hell We Did

The Todd Fincher-trained colt The Hell We Did is another horse for consideration for risky punters. Although he suffered intermittent problems a few days before the race, he still looked very good in his first four races, taking two second places and two first places. But like Pretty Boy Mia, Saturday will be her chance to prove that she is an elite talent despite little competition so far.

5. Pretty Boy Mia

Jeremiah Englehart-trained horse Pretty Boy Mia is an intriguing underdog for Saturday’s Preakness Stakes. Although he finished fourth at Aqueduct in February, he has been strong in his other three races this year. Which also includes consecutive wins in their last two.

The big question is whether his success is based on his athletic talent or the competition he has faced so far in his career.

4. eyes

Ouseley, a horse trained by D. Whitworth Beckman, received a chance at the 2026 Kentucky Derby after several horses, including Right to Party, were eliminated from the race. Although Ouseley had six championships on his resume, he had no wins to his name.

Nevertheless, to the surprise of many the colt finished third at Kentucky. After that, Occelli’s showing can’t be doubted and should be considered a rock-solid show option this weekend.

3. Incredible

The colt Incredibolt, trained by Riley Mott, has had a checkered career. That’s why he was last in the betting odds for the Kentucky Derby after finishing sixth in the G3 Face off in January. However, he turned heads by winning the Virginia Derby in March, leading some to wonder if he might perform better than expected in the Derby.

He did not do so and finished sixth. However, oddsmakers still rate the colt highly, and he is viewed as one of the favorites in Saturday’s Preakness Stakes.

2. Iron Honor

Elite trainer Chad Brown has one horse in Saturday’s race, and that’s Iron Honor. Honor looked very good in his first two races as he took consecutive first-place finishes to start his career. However, at the Wood Memorial in April, he surprisingly finished seventh. Yet, many believe that they are given a hard time early on and are pushed out of the game.

Nevertheless, the talented colt is the favorite heading into the Preakness.

1. Taj Mahal

Brittany Russell-trained colt Taj Mahal enters the 2026 Preakness Stakes as the top selection for good reason. While the three-year-old only has three races on his resume, he has still performed excellently. 2026 Federico Tesio won all three, including. Castle is a safe win and/or bet to make on a Saturday night, especially under the guidance of a top trainer.

2026 Preakness Stakes Odds and Predictions

Here are the current betting odds for the 2026 Preakness Stakes. This year’s race will take place on May 16 at 6:50 pm ET.

• Krupper 30-1
• robusta 30-1
• Bull by the Horns 30-1
• Gold Crown 30-1
• talking 20-1
• Great White 15-1
• pretty boy mia 15-1
• The Hell We Did 15-1
• Napoleon Solo 8-1
• ocelli 6-1
• Chip Honcho 5-1
• Incredibolt 5-1
• Taj Mahal 5-1
• Iron Honor 9-2

2026 Preakness Stakes Prediction

Heading into the 2026 Preakness Stakes, Iron Honor is a popular choice to win it all. However, we are going with Taj Mahal to take the win as the horse has an elite trainer and has been running very well in recent races.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

Who won the NASCAR race today? Shane Van Gisbergen did it again on the road course at Watkins Glen, overcoming a late stop to pass more than a dozen cars on the final stage and hold off Ty Gibbs and Connor Zylisch for the win.

Let’s look at the NASCAR results at Watkins Glen today. We’ll start with the full Go Bowling at The Glen results with total points. Additionally, you can find NASCAR Cup Series stage results.

Bowling at the Glen Results

Here are the NASCAR results today at Watkins Glen.

NASCAR results: Cup Series stage results at Watkins Glen

Here are the results from today’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series stage.

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NASCAR is at Watkins Glen this weekend, where the Truck Series at the Glen Truck Series begins racing with the Bully Hill Vineyards 176 on Friday afternoon. We got a great battle in a field that included Cup Series drivers like Connor Zylisch, Carson Hocevar and Shane Van Gisbergen, making for some interesting NASCAR Truck Series results at Watkins Glen.

After a penalty in the final stages, Caden Honeycutt returned to the front of the field and defeated Zylisch and Van Gisbergen to earn his first Truck Series victory.

Let’s jump straight into the NASCAR results for today’s Truck Series race at Watkins Glen. We start with the full Bully Hill Vineyards 176 at The Glen results followed by the Truck Series stage results.

NASCAR Truck Series results at Watkins Glen

NASCAR Stage Results Tonight: Truck Series at Watkins Glen

Here are the results from tonight’s NASCAR Truck Series stage for the Bully Hill Vineyards 175 at The Glen.

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

Like all 32 NFL teams, the Buffalo Bills are constantly chasing the Super Bowl. However, it’s a little different for this Bills team, which has made four appearances in the big game but has yet to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.

And, not all teams are really in the hunt like the Bills. After all, Buffalo has reached the playoffs in each of the last seven seasons. But this year is different.

This marks the first time since 2016 that they will advance to the postseason without Sean McDermott as head coach. Now it’s Joe Brady’s show, and newly-promoted team president Brandon Beane is helping lead the charge.

While the Bills are almost a lock to reach the postseason, once they get there, they’ll have a hard time getting over the hump and getting to the Super Bowl. Thus, more experienced players, especially those with previous playoff and/or Super Bowl experience, may be able to make a bigger impact in Buffalo.

That may be the thinking behind bringing former Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Mike Danna in for a workout recently.

The 28-year-old has spent his entire six-year career with the Chiefs after they selected him in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft with the 177th overall selection. He has started 49 of 87 games, recording 194 tackles (25 TFL), 21.5 sacks and six forced fumbles.

Danna has reached the postseason in five of his six NFL seasons, missing only last year. If signed, he would bring two Super Bowl rings to Buffalo, and also a lot of playoff experience (16 games, 7 starts).

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

Who won the NASCAR race tonight? Carson Hocevar came out on top in overtime of Friday night’s Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. The SpeedyCash.com 250 featured a field of drivers that included Hocevar, Ross Chastain, and Kyle Busch. We got to see a phenomenal battle between Bush, Hocevar and Caden Honeycutt, then a battle between Hocevar and Gio Ruggiero with 3 to go before a caution to force OT.

Let’s look at the NASCAR Truck results at Texas Motor Speedway. We will present the entire SpeedyCash.com with 250 results, including total points. Then you can find today’s NASCAR Truck Series stage results.

NASCAR Truck Series results in Texas

RELATED: NASCAR Predictions for Texas Motor Speedway

NASCAR Stage Results Tonight: Truck Series at Texas

Here are the NASCAR Truck Series stage results for tonight’s SpeedyCash.com 250.

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 won the NASCAR race tonight? On a day when Brandon Jones dominated the podium, it was again someone else who came out on top in the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway. Tonight in an entertaining show where people like Carson Kvapil and Carson Kvapil got DNFs, it was Taylor Gray who defeated Sheldon Creed to win.

Let’s take a look at the NASCAR results from tonight’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Kansas. As always, we’ll start with total points and complete results followed by today’s NASCAR OARS Stage results.

NASCAR Results Today: OARS at Kansas

NASCAR Stage Results: O’Reilly Auto Parts Series

Here are the results from the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series stage at Kansas Speedway.

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

Sunday’s Ford City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway featured the kind of impressive racing you’d expect from the likes of Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney and Denny Hamlin. However, we had a few surprises in the Cup Series race today as Chase contenders like Christopher Bell and William Byron finished last. Plus, thanks to Kyle Busch getting revenge on Ty Gibbs, we got overtime at Bristol.

Let’s take a look at the NASCAR results for the Food City 500 today. We’ve covered results from the NASCAR Cup Series stage at Bristol further down, but we’ll start with the points totals and full Food City 500 results.

RELATED: Food City 500 winners, losers

NASCAR Results Today: Food City 500

NASCAR stage results today at Bristol

Here are today’s NASCAR Cup Series stage winners and the results of Stage 1 and Stage 2 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Official 2026 NASCAR Cup Series standings after Bristol Motor Speedway

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 raced tonight at Bristow Motor Speedway’s iconic short track, with a field of drivers that included Cup Series star Kyle Larson and rookie Connor Zylisch. This added to the spectacle of racing under the lights, causing some of the chaos in NASCAR results today. The best part, the battle between Larsson and Zylisch to the end.

Let’s look at the NASCAR results for today’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race from Bristol. As always, we’ll start with the race results and point totals and then follow up with the NASCAR OARS Stage results.

RELATED: NASCAR Starting Lineups Bristol

Suburban Propane 300 Results: NASCAR OARS Race at Bristol

RELATED: NASCAR Truck Series results at Bristol Motor Speedway

NASCAR O’Reilly Stage Results Today: Bristow Motor Speedway

Here are tonight’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series stage winners and the results of Stage 1 and Stage 2 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Official 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series standings out now after Bristol Motor Speedway

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 returns this weekend with teams heading to the iconic Bristol Motor Speedway. Two weeks to prepare for the Food City 500 gave drivers time to rest and get additional sim time, so we expect some great racing this weekend.

Let’s take a look at our NASCAR predictions for the Food City 500 at Bristol.

Denny Hamlin wins pole at Bristol

Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 team have not qualified lower than eighth at Bristol Motor Speedway in eight races since 2020. However, he has not won pole here since 2019 and has done so just twice since 2015. Joe Gibbs Racing completely designed the No. 11 at Martinsville two weeks earlier, the car performed well by winning the pole, posting the fastest lap, winning both stages and dominating the majority of the race. We believe the setup will be equally effective at Bristol, earning Hamlin pole position at Bristol for Sunday’s race.

RELATED: NASCAR Cup Series all-time win list, including Denny Hamlin

Kyle Larson wins Stage 1

Last April at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson led the field with two stage wins, fastest lap and led 411 laps. We may not see the same level of ownership of the No. 5 car in the Food City 500 this weekend, but Larson will score his first stage win of the season. This is also something he and Hendrick Motorsports need, considering he currently sits ninth in points. Larson will take Stage 1 on Sunday afternoon; This would be the start of an excellent points day for him.

Christopher Bell wins Stage 2

We think there will be a great back-and-forth between some of NASCAR’s best drivers at the Food City 500. Larson gets the Stage 1 win and, thanks to some issues on pit road by the No. 11 team, Christopher Bell takes the advantage, beating Hamlin and Larson for the Stage 2 win. He would finish in the top five on both stages, securing himself over 16 stage points, and he would come out strong over the weekend in the top three in terms of points earned during Sunday’s race.

ty gibbs stays hot

Ty Gibbs certainly isn’t one of the most popular NASCAR drivers at the moment, but you can’t deny the success he’s had recently. He entered the off-week with five consecutive top-six finishes, scoring an average of 41 points per race during that five-race period. He is not making the mistakes of the past where he would have ruined the great equipment, team and setup he was working with. Now, Gibbs is headed to Bristol Motor Speedway, a track where he has averaged an 8.4 finishing position in the past five races, including a third-place finish in last year’s spring race. We believe Gibbs can make it six consecutive top-five finishes.

Food City 500 Winner: Denny Hamlin

While Denny Hamlin hasn’t been as great as Tyler Reddick this season, 23XI Racing has their top driver struggle on these shorter tracks. Hamlin easily had the best car at Martinsville and if not for a loose tire after his final pit stop, which affected the car’s ability to catch up to Chase Elliott, he might have taken the maximum points and the win. We previously predicted that a small pit-stop issue would prevent Hamlin from taking Stage 2, but that the team would be faultless after that. In the battle of Hamlin, Larson and Bell, the two teammates help each other and then Hamlin defeats Bell for the Food City 500 victory.

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

A top MLB insider believes the Cincinnati Reds will make a bold trade for one of the best two-way players available on the trade market this offseason.

After more progress in 2025 and a return to the postseason for the first time in five years, there are high expectations for Reds Nation heading into the new MLB campaign. They have a good young core led by Eli De La Cruz, and in the offseason, the front office added Eugenio Suárez to add more strength to the lineup and signed Emilio Pagan as their new closer.

With the Milwaukee Brewers potentially taking a step back this season, Reds fans are hoping their team can make an incredible run to the National League Central title this summer. To do that, Cincinnati will likely need to add more talent before this year’s MLB trade deadline. And The Athletic’s Jim Bowden expects a major trade move by the club this summer.

Cincinnati Reds predicted to trade Byron Buxton

“Minnesota Twins star Byron Buxton has waived his no-trade clause and is traded to the Reds at the deadline with two and a half years of control remaining on his contract,” Bowden wrote in a new prediction article ahead of MLB Opening Day 2026.

The two-time All-Star and one-time Gold Glove winner would be a great addition for the Reds. In 2025, he had a big year as he set career highs in home runs (35), runs scored (97), and RBI (83), while adding 25 stolen bases. Furthermore, he is viewed as one of the best defensive midfielders in the American League.

The fact that Bowden believes the 11-year veteran will waive his no-trade clause for Cincinnati reflects the club’s improved profile around the game. While a trade would be expensive, Buxton is just not an on-field fit for the Reds. He is also playing on a reasonable contract. He’s making just $15.2 million annually over the next three seasons.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey has insisted his celebration against Newcastle United was no signal to their opponents in the Netherlands.

The 24-year-old was Sunderland’s hero on Sunday. he scored 90 runs^th Minute winner for the Black Cats in a 2–1 win.

That last-gasp winner ensured Sunderland’s first league win at St James’ Park in almost a decade. It also produced a double over the Magpies in their first season in the Premier League.

prestigious festival

A massive celebration followed, including a celebration for Brian Brobby. He took off his shirt straight in front of Newcastle United fans, beat his chest and displayed a toned body to say the least.

This caused some comment, especially in the Netherlands. His fitness and physical appearance were often questioned at Ajax. However, he insists it was not for him.

“Not for that. I worked hard, yes, I worked very hard,” he told espn. “I’ve been to the gym a lot. Naturally, I was very happy. It’s a derby.”

Asked if this had anything to do with Dutch criticism of fitness, he said; “No, it has nothing to do with the Netherlands. I was just very happy.”

Asked if it was for women (seriously) – “No” (and looked at the interviewer mockingly).

World Cup opportunity

Brian Brobbey’s fitness is a big talking point in the Netherlands, where he often failed to play 90 minutes under Francesco Farioli.

This season he has played 90 minutes five times for Sunderland, thanks to Regis Le Bris often appearing in a substitute role. This is a trick that is working well till date.

Brobbie has already been influenced by the French Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman praised.

Now the Sunderland man is firmly in their plans for the World Cup. The winner against Newcastle United confirmed that including him for this international break was the right choice.

Now, with the Netherlands in sight, perhaps Brobby will get the chance to show off his improved physique in front of Dutch fans again. Even though he emphasizes that the celebration was not for his Dutch critics.

As for the forward, he is living a great life in his career. Ahead of the World Cup, it has come at the perfect time. Not so long ago, his place in Ronald Koeman’s team would have been questioned, but now he has turned the situation around.

This can only benefit Sunderland in the coming months.

🇨🇭 Granite Zaka | “He knows his body”

➡️ Manager should respect the fitness of Sunderland players
✅ Consoling words for Regis Le Bris https://t.co/23IMqKk46w #safc

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 24 March 2026

NASCAR is at Darlington Raceway this weekend, with 37 drivers competing in Sunday’s Goodyear 400 at South Carolina’s iconic track. Fans will be especially interested in the Cup Series race, as Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe have both said that a tire blowout could result in chaos for one of the best NASCAR races in 2026.

Let’s take a look at our NASCAR predictions for the Goodyear 400.

Kyle Larson wins pole and stage

A year earlier in the spring race at Darlington Raceway, Kyle Larson’s day ended early on Lap 4 when the No. 5 car’s left side tire hit the apron, causing him to spin out and then hit the wall. We expect redemption from Hendrick Motorsports on Sunday at a track where, thanks in large part to William Byron, they have had success winning the pole. Larson has claimed the third-best average starting position (9.2) in NASCAR this season, and the pole winner at Darlington has won a stage in the spring race in each of the last two years, we think history repeats itself in the Goodyear 400 this weekend.

RELATED: NASCAR schedule, qualifying times and race information this week for Darlington

Chase Briscoe wins a stage, scores 35+ points

Over the weekend, Chase Briscoe’s success at Darlington Raceway came during the second half of the season. He won races at this track in 2024 and ’25, with a major finish last August when he finished second, won both stages, and then went to victory lane. While the spring race didn’t go as well for him, he finished fifth here two years ago and the No. 19 has dominated here previously with Martin Truex Jr. With Briscoe and the No. 19 team needing to recover from three last-place finishes in the season, we think a stage win and a big points day is coming for them.

RELATED: NASCAR Odds Darlington, 4 Picks for Goodyear 400

Ty Gibbs records fourth consecutive top-10 finish

We’re going to buy the number 54 team right now and the hot streak for Ty Gibbs. He has been participating in three races, where he has finished fifth or better each time and has recorded 123 points during that period. This car has qualified really well in the last two races here in the spring, starting from 11th or better the last two years, and Gibbs has turned them into stage points with a couple of 10th-place finishes each time. We’re predicting another great day for the number 54 side, with Gibbs leaving Darlington with more than 38 points.

RELATED: NASCAR Power Rankings ahead of Darlington Raceway, including Ty Gibbs

Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin finish in top 5

With tire wear and car handling expected to play such an important role in the Goodyear 400, we expect two of NASCAR’s oldest and most experienced drivers to shine. Denny Hamlin won’t be able to score back-to-back wins at his favorite track, but the No. 11 will finish in the top five in both stages and the finish on Sunday. As for Brad Keselowski, before last season, his average finishing position in five races at Darlington from September 2022 to ’24 was 6.4, and he finished sixth or better in stages five times. This will be a day with a strong point for both.

RELATED: Denny Hamlin reveals how many wins he’d like to end his career with

William Byron wins the Goodyear 400

The excellence of William Byron and the No. 24 car in the spring at Darlington will not stop this weekend. He has been incredible at this track with Hendrick Motorsports, finishing in the top five four times since 2021 and finishing second after winning the pole last year. Hendrick is looking for his first Cup Series win of the year, and it’s coming in the Goodyear 400, with Byron and the team celebrating the victory.

RELATED: NASCAR Entry List Darlington

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 will make the MLB playoffs in 2026? Another Major League Baseball season is just around the corner, with first pitches and Opening Day tipping off in 2026. With the roster largely set, it’s time to speculate more on what we might see in baseball this year.

Before Opening Day, let’s take a look at our MLB playoff predictions for this season. We’ll start with round-by-round predictions for the American League, then the National League, followed by the World Series.

AL Wild Card Round: (4) Baltimore Orioles vs. (5) New York Yankees, (3) Seattle Mariners vs. (6) Boston Red Sox

We’re looking at three teams from the American League East making it to the MLB Playoffs this season, which will see them face off in October. The Baltimore Orioles should bounce back nicely after a disappointing 2025 campaign heading into the offseason. We think the New York Yankees will get off to a slow start as their starting rotation overcomes injuries, but they will find form by the summer. In a winner-take-all game, New York advanced with a road win at Camden Yards.

Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox will face the challenge of defeating the AL West champions. This will be an excellent series, with both AL clubs boasting excellent postseason rotations and great pitching depth to pair with it. However, the Seattle Mariners boast a superior lineup and timely hitting sending them to the American League Division Series.

• Prediction: Mariners and Yankees move on

RELATED: MLB Predictions 2026, Projected Win-Loss Records for All 30 Clubs

American League Division Series: (2) Toronto Blue Jays vs. (3) Seattle Mariners, (1) Detroit Tigers vs. (5) New York Yankees

We think we’ll get a rematch of the 2025 American League Championship Series, just one round before the MLB postseason. The Toronto Blue Jays strengthened their pitching staff after the previous season’s loss in the World Series, while Seattle responded to their Game 7 loss in Toronto by acquiring Brendan Donovan. While sequels are almost never as good as the originals, the Mariners vs. Blue Jays matchup in the ALDS will be close. However, this time, Seattle’s postseason rotation is healthy and proves to be a difference maker.

Elsewhere in the AL, it will be a rematch of the 2012 American League Championship Series. The real test will be how successful the Yankees lineup can be against the Detroit Tigers rotation. Aaron Judge and Max Fried will be responsible for New York winning two games in each series, but it will be the Tigers who will punch their ticket to the ALCS under the leadership of Tarik Skubal and Riley Green.

• Prediction: Mariners beat Blue Jays in four games, Tigers beat Yankees in five games

RELATED: Best MLB players by position 2026, top 11 spots

ALCS: (3) Seattle Mariners vs. (1) Detroit Tigers

The American League’s dominance comes to the fore in the battle between the Tigers and Mariners in the ALCS. We saw this matchup last October, when Seattle had home-field advantage and won a winner-take-all Game 5 in the 15th inning. It’s going to the ALCS at seven. Skubal would lead Detroit to two wins, but he would only be available out of the bullpen for that crucial Game 7 at home. Led by a stellar performance on the mound by veteran Brian Woo and a home run by Julio Rodriguez off Friar Valdez, the Mariners are headed to the World Series for the first time in franchise history.

• Prediction: Mariners win over Tigers in seven games

RELATED: Best MLB Rotation 2026

NL Wild Card Round: (4) Atlanta Braves vs. (5) Arizona Diamondbacks, (3) Chicago Cubs vs. (6) Philadelphia Phillies

We’ve got two National League teams that missed the MLB playoffs last year and are facing off in the Wild Card games this season. The Arizona Diamondbacks arrive here on the strength of a lineup of Corbin Carroll, Geraldo Perdomo and Ketel Marte, while improved defense provides a little more stability overall. However, in a do-or-die game at Truist Park, it would be the bats of Drake Baldwin and Mike Yastrzemski that would help the Atlanta Braves reach the National League Division Series.

Perfect for playoff baseball, this will be a must-see matchup between the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies that should draw big ratings. We would see Christopher Sanchez outpoint Matthew Boyd in a pitcher’s duel, with Jhoan Duran giving up a two-run lead in the ninth at Wrigley Field to put Philadelphia ahead.

RELATED: Best MLB Lineups 2026

National League Division Series: (2) New York Mets vs. (4) Atlanta Braves, (1) Los Angeles Dodgers vs. (6) Philadelphia Phillies

Maybe there’s some wishing here with the hope that we get these two matchups in the National League Division Series. The most talked about matchup will be for the Braves against the New York Mets, a battle for bragging rights between the two NL East rivals. Atlanta has gotten to this point thanks to a great lineup with timely hitting, but the magic is gone at Citi Field. Nolan McLean delivers a pitching masterclass in a crucial game, with Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor both going deep in the series to send the Mets to the NLCS.

So far, we’ve seen the Phillies face off against the Los Angeles Dodgers a few times in October. Philadelphia can at least make things interesting with a playoff rotation of Sanchez, Zack Wheeler, Jesus Luzardo and Andrew Painter. This will not be enough. The Phillies’ lineup has gone cold again in a crucial playoff series, vacated by Yoshinobu Yamamoto and struggling against Tyler Glasnow as the Dodgers move back to the NLCS.

• Prediction: Dodgers in four games, Mets in four games

RELATED: MLB Awards Predictions 2026

National League Championship Series: (2) New York Mets vs. (1) Los Angeles Dodgers

The best teams that money can buy are vying for the National League pennant. To the delight of MLB and its TV partners, the series will also include two of the largest media markets in the country. Unfortunately for Mets owner Steve Cohen, the Dodgers have greater pitching depth and a much deeper lineup than New York. This is the kind of series that many around baseball can point to as proof that MLB needs the salary cap, with a super team with a $400 million payroll beating a super team with a $360 million roster. Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Kyle Tucker led the Dodgers back to the World Series.

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World Series 2026: Dodgers win the World Series

The Dodgers would become only the third franchise in MLB history – joining the Yankees (three times) and the Oakland Athletics (1972–74) – to become World Series champions three times. Los Angeles needs to go all-in in 2026 as the salary cap is approaching and the Fall Classic will be under threat of a lockout. Ohtani would further his legacy as one of the greatest players of all-time by winning the World Series MVP for the first time in his career.

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

Chelsea have seen many strikers pass through Stamford Bridge this century. Few have made as much of a mark as Diego Costa, who has now officially announced his retirement at the age of 37.

The former Blues forward confirmed the decision in an interview with the podcast mario’s wayHosted by his former teammate Mario Suárez. “It’s been a long time since I retired. My agent was looking around for something, but I lost the desire to keep playing.” He said.

brazilian outlet globo esporte That story was reported and reminded that Costa had not played a competitive match since December 2024, when he featured for Grêmio in Brazil. However, for Chelsea supporters, his story is strongly linked to the club’s most impressive recent era.

Premier League winner with bite

Chelsea signed Costa from Atlético Madrid in 2014. In his first season, he scored 20 Premier League goals and helped the club win the title under José Mourinho. They then achieved another league victory in 2016–17, this time under Antonio Conte, where he again finished as a key attacking figure.

Costa’s style divided opinion throughout England. He was combative, physical and tireless. Still he was decisive. He scored important goals in big matches and gave Chelsea the edge they often lacked in tight matches.

Overall, he won two Premier League titles and one League Cup with the Blues. In all competitions, he scored 59 goals in 120 appearances. This return underlines how central he was to Chelsea’s success during that period.

From Stamford Bridge to the Broad Forum

After leaving Chelsea in 2018, Costa returned to Atlético Madrid. He later had stints in Brazil with Atlético-MG, Botafogo and Grêmio. His last official appearance took place in late 2024.

Nevertheless, his prime years were in the Premier League. Despite being born in Sergipe, Brazil, he represented Spain at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups.

A mark in Chelsea’s recent history

Time has softened the edges of the controversy surrounding his Stamford Bridge exit. All that remains are silver vessels and tablets.

Costa was not subtle. He was not universally loved outside West London. However, during their peak, they embodied a ruthless Chelsea team built to win at any cost.

For a club that is struggling to find long-term stability, his retirement also serves as a reminder. Reliable, title-winning numbers of nine are rare. Chelsea had one in Diego Costa – and they knew it when he was at his best.

This must have been a bittersweet moment for many hockey fans in Toronto. Watching Mitch Marner score the spectacular overtime winner for Team Canada over Czechia in the Olympic hockey quarter-finals had many Maple Leafs fans wondering why he hadn’t been so clutch for the Blue and White in the Stanley Cup playoffs all these years.

But Marner’s Team Canada teammates supported the winger after the thrilling OT win.

It started with his Vegas Golden Knights teammate Mark Stone, who is playing with Marner in the Olympics. Stone was asked about Marner’s thoughts on not being ‘clutch’:

As a teammate, I haven’t had that experience. 4 Nations, he gets a big overtime goal for us, makes an incredible play for the winner. Then tonight, when we need him most, he makes a play. So… I guess it’s a Toronto thing.

Truly a ‘Toronto thing’.

Tampa Bay Lightning star and Canadian teammate Brandon Hagel also gave his support to Mitch and dismissed the ‘not clutch’ narrative.