Chris Sale Off to Strong Start in 2026
Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale is off to a strong start in 2026 in his 16th year in the big leagues and his third in Atlanta, going 3-1 with a 3.27 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 22:6 K:BB in 22 innings pitched over his four starts. Sale bounced back nicely in his last appearance on Sunday against the Cleveland Guardians by allowing just one earned run with a walk and six strikeouts in six innings pitched. On April 6 against the Los Angeles Angels, Sale surrendered six earned runs on five hits (two homers) while walking two and striking out seven in only four innings. The 37-year-old nine-time All-Star and former American League Cy Young winner is still a strong fantasy starter, even though he's 37 years old, but durability is a major concern. Sale has made 20 starts in a season just once since 2017. He'll have a difficult upcoming matchup on Saturday against the Phillies, but Sale remains a must-start in fantasy when he's healthy.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Is Mac Jones Worth Stashing in Dynasty Leagues?
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones is one of the more productive backups in the league, offering the ability to come off the bench and keep his team in the game. We saw Jones handle plenty of starter reps in 2025, as he started eight games last year with 2,151 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He even got onto the fringe of the fantasy radar by ranking as the overall QB16 from Week 2-10. However, as soon as Brock Purdy was healthy enough to play, the Niners turned to him and sent Jones to the bench. There was some speculation that Jones could be traded this offseason if the 49ers felt he was too valuable to leave on the bench. Nothing is stopping the Niners from making that deal now, but remaining with the team this deep in the offseason seems to be a pretty good sign that he'll stick around. Jones has upside when he gets onto the field, but given how difficult the roster crunch can be in fantasy football, managers don't need the former first-round pick clogging up their bench spots. He can be dropped to waivers in most formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tez Johnson Due for Touchdown Regression in Year 2
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Tez Johnson wasn't a steady fantasy option last year, but his 322 yards and five touchdowns were enough to turn some heads. Scoring five touchdowns as a rookie isn't easy, especially for a seventh-round pick buried on the depth chart. Nevertheless, Johnson emerged as a decent fantasy contributor, often filling in productivity-wise for any injured players among the core of Mike Evans, Emeka Egbuka, and Chris Godwin Jr. The good news for Johnson is that Evans has departed, leaving one fewer mouth to feed on offense. The bad news, though, is that Johnson's five touchdowns are not sustainable as long as he occupies a depth role. He's merely a depth receiver for now, but given how often wide receiver injuries occur in the NFL, there's a nonzero chance that Johnson could end up making a fantasy impact in 2026. Still, the anticipated touchdown regression has dropped Johnson down to WR95 in the latest RotoBaller dynasty rankings.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jacoby Brissett an Emergency Option in Dynasty Leagues
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett offers a bridge or stop-gap option on his own team, and he could provide similar value to fantasy football managers in 2026. Brisett was thrust into the starting quarterback role somewhat unexpectedly last year, starting 10 games in the absence of Kyler Murray (foot). The veteran signal caller was easily better than anyone could have imagined, accruing 3,336 passing yards with 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Not only did he unlock a level of fantasy dependability that Murray, who is now a Viking, was never able to achieve, but he also supported top-tier fantasy performances from his teammates. Most notably, tight end Trey McBride was the year's overall TE1, and Michael Wilson enjoyed a nice breakout of his own at wide receiver with 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns. Unless the Cardinals make an aggressive quarterback selection in the NFL Draft, Brissett will be the starter for most of 2026. He has a decent chance to pick up where he left off, but the fact that he isn't guaranteed to start games beyond 2026 certainly reduces his dynasty upside. He currently ranks as the QB30 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty rankings, only offering trade appeal to fantasy managers with no other quarterback options.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Aaron Judge Launches Eighth Home Run on Thursday
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge went 1-for-4 with his major-league-leading eighth home run of the season and a strikeout in the team's 11-4 loss to the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Thursday in the Bronx. Judge and Angels star outfielder Mike Trout put on an impressive display of back-and-forth power in the four-game series at Yankee Stadium this week. The 33-year-old three-time MVP hit a pair of home runs in Monday's victory over the Halos and then added his eighth dinger of the year in the series finale. Judge wasn't exactly firing on all cylinders at the start of the 2026 season, but he's beginning to heat up and is now hitting .236 with a .918 OPS through 19 games played. The seven-time All-Star and five-time Silver Slugger winner also has 14 RBI, three stolen bases, and 16 runs scored for the Yankees. Fantasy managers will be hoping that Judge can continue his elite power display going into this weekend's series against the visiting Kansas City Royals. Judge is always a must-start in fantasy leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Oneil Cruz Stays Hot With Two Hits, Becoming a Fantasy Mainstay
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz continued his hot start to the 2026 season by going 2-for-5 with a double, two stolen bases, an RBI, a run scored, and a strikeout in the team's 8-7 extra-inning loss at PNC Park to the Washington Nationals on Thursday. Cruz came into Thursday's game slashing .310/.380/.563 with a .943 OPS, five home runs, 16 RBI, seven stolen bases, 14 runs scored, seven walks, and 25 strikeouts in 18 games played. It's very nice to see for the Pirates and fantasy managers who have been waiting for Cruz's breakout season. He did have 20 home runs, 61 RBI, and a league-high 38 stolen bases in 135 games in 2025, but he also hit just .200 (94-for-471) with 174 strikeouts in 544 plate appearances. The 27-year-old Dominican has some of the best bat speed and exit velocities in the big leagues, so if he can cut down on the whiffs, his power/speed upside makes him extremely dynamic for fantasy baseball purposes.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Jared Goff a Steady Dynasty Option Despite Age, Lack of Rushing Upside?
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff is far from the flashiest name in fantasy football, but his reliability has allowed him to be a top-10 fantasy option year in and year out. Goff has ranked as the QB10 or higher in each of his four seasons, including a QB9 finish in 2025 as he tallied 4,564 passing yards, 34 passing touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He lacks rushing upside, but he also does a pretty good job protecting the football, which has allowed him to remain in the top-12 range. It also helps that he has a bunch of superstars at his disposal, including Jahmyr Gibbs at running back, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams at wide receiver, Sam LaPorta at tight end, and Penei Sewell in the trenches. Older, non-rushing quarterbacks aren't typically dynasty trade targets, but if we assume that Goff will produce similarly to Matthew Stafford in his thirties, then the Cal product can still be an intriguing offseason addition in dynasty leagues. Plus, he'll remain relatively affordable in trades as long as he lacks the rushing upside that quarterbacks like Trevor Lawrence and Justin Herbert possess. A current ranking as the QB23 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings doesn't quite reflect the short-term QB1 value he could bring to a contender in dynasty leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Daniel Jones a QB1 When Healthy?
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (Achilles) is working his way back from a season-ending Achilles tear that he suffered in Week 14 of the 2025 season. Jones was enjoying a career resurgence with the Colts before the crushing injury. He finished the year with 261 completions, 3,101 passing yards, 19 passing touchdowns, eight interceptions, 164 rushing yards, and five rushing touchdowns across 13 games. Prior to the Colts' Week 11 bye, Jones ranked as the overall QB5 in fantasy football. He played well for long enough that we can be confident his success was legitimate and not just a fluke. With that in mind, fantasy managers should be excited about the value he'll offer upon his return from injury. Still in his twenties and signed through 2027, Jones can be a short- to medium-term quarterback option in fantasy football. He's a top-12 quarterback option in redraft leagues, but with some uncertainty in his long-term outlook, he ranks as low as the QB27 in dynasty formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Oswald Peraza Stays Hot in Victory, Tallies Three RBI
Los Angeles Angels infielder Oswald Peraza was doing a little bit of everything during Thursday's game against the New York Yankees. Peraza got revenge on his former club with a two-run home run during Thursday's blowout win. He went 2-for-4 at the plate with a double, a homer, three RBI, one walk, and a stolen base in the 11-4 victory. Peraza probably doesn't have an everyday role, but is taking advantage of the extra at-bats with Jorge Soler suspended right now. He's 5-for-10 with two homers, four RBI, and three walks over the last three games. Peraza could be a short-term spark plug for fantasy managers looking for help right now.
Source: mlb.com
Source: mlb.com
Clayton Beeter Blows Second Save of the Season
Washington Nationals relief pitcher Clayton Beeter continued to struggle with his command during Thursday's outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Beeter was handed the ball in the ninth inning with a one-run lead on Thursday. The right-hander allowed two walks, one hit, and one run to blow his second save of the season. He was able to get out of the inning and eventually earn the win with the Nationals taking the lead in the 10th inning. Orlando Ribalta wound up earning the save by tossing a scoreless inning in the 10th. Beeter could be on a short leash in the closer role with eight walks in 9.1 innings this season.
Source: mlb.com
Source: mlb.com
Angel Zerpa Earns Save on Thursday, Emerging Name to Monitor in Bullpen
Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Angel Zerpa was handed the ball with a one-run lead against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday. Zerpa picked up his first career save on Monday and was asked to do it again a few days later. The southpaw gave up a leadoff single to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to begin the final frame. Zerpa was able to work around the hit and earn his second save of the season. Trevor Megill pitched in the eighth inning, while Abner Uribe didn't pitch for rest purposes. This could end up turning into a committee between Megill, Uribe, and Zerpa going forward. Fantasy managers should monitor Zerpa to see if the Brewers continue using him in save situations.
Source: mlb.com
Source: mlb.com
Ryan Walker Remains in Setup Role on Thursday
San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Ryan Walker once again was called upon in a non-save situation on Thursday. The right-hander was handed the ball in the seventh inning of Thursday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. Walker was solid as he tossed a scoreless outing with one strikeout to earn himself the hold. The Giants decided to go with left-hander Erik Miller in the ninth inning of Thursday's game. It went well for Miller, who struck out three batters to earn his first save of the season. Clearly, Walker isn't the full-time closer, and the Giants want to continue going closer-by-committee. Fantasy managers who are relying on Walker for saves might need to start looking elsewhere.
Source: mlb.com
Source: mlb.com
Trevor Megill Used in Eighth-Inning Role on Thursday
Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Trevor Megill appears to have lost the closer role for now. Ahead of Thursday's game, Megill had allowed seven earned runs over his last two outings. The Brewers decided to have Megill pitch in the eighth inning of Thursday's game. The right-hander tossed a scoreless frame with two strikeouts. Milwaukee handed the ball to left-hander Angel Zerpa with a one-run lead in the ninth inning. The southpaw gave up one hit but was able to close the door for his second save of the season. Megill could earn his way back into the full-time closer role, but for now, Zerpa and Abner Uribe should be in the mix as well.
Source: mlb.com
Source: mlb.com
Nicholas Singleton Cleared to Resume Running
Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton (foot), who broke the fifth metatarsal in his right foot during the Senior Bowl in January, has been medically cleared and has resumed running, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Now that he's healthy, Singleton is projected to be a mid-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft next weekend. The 22-year-old had two 1,000-yard seasons and 45 total rushing touchdowns in his four-year career with the Nittany Lions in college. He had a career-low 549 rushing yards on 123 carries in 12 games last year, but he added a career-high 13 rushing touchdowns as well and caught 24 passes for 219 yards and an additional TD through the air. Singleton is athletic, but he's considered more of a third- or fourth-rounder and boom/bust asset, depending on where he lands in the NFL. He has top-end speed and great burst/acceleration, but in the short-term for fantasy, Singleton will most likely be a change-of-pace/third-down back.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Parker Messick Flirts With No-Hitter in Latest Gem Against Orioles
Cleveland Guardians rookie left-hander Parker Messick flirted with history in an impressive pitching performance on Thursday night in a 4-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles at Progressive Field. Messick took a no-hitter into the ninth inning and ended up giving up two earned runs on two hits while walking two and striking out nine in eight innings of work to win his third game of the year. Outfielder Leody Taveras singled with no outs in the ninth inning to break up Messick's no-hit bid. Messick generated 18 swings and misses on a total of 112 pitches in his outing, and his changeup continues to be a nasty pitch for opposing batters to pick up. The 25-year-old former second-round pick in 2022 out of Florida State doesn't have an overpowering fastball, but in comparison to his plus-plus changeup, it gets on hitters faster than expected. Messick is quickly becoming a must-roster player in all fantasy leagues, and he'll be a must-start in his next scheduled outing next Tuesday against the Astros. He currently holds a strong 1.05 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, and 25:7 K:BB in 25 2/3 innings for Cleveland.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Peter Lambert Could Start for Astros on Friday
The Houston Astros added right-hander Peter Lambert to their taxi squad on Thursday, according to the Houston Chronicle's Matt Kawahara. The Astros haven't listed a starter for their series opener on Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals at Daikin Park, with Lance McCullers Jr. and Mike Burrows listed as the probable starters for Saturday and Sunday, respectively. The 28-year-old Lambert will be making his Astros debut when he gets into a game after four years with the Colorado Rockies, where he posted a 6.28 ERA (5.46 FIP) and 1.61 WHIP with 181 strikeouts and 95 walks in 243 2/3 innings over 74 appearances (35 starts). Lambert has allowed only three earned runs with three walks and 12 strikeouts in 14 2/3 frames in three outings (two starts) at Triple-A Sugar Land so far this year, and he'll be on six days of rest going into Friday. Lambert won't be a very attractive fantasy streamer for a matchup against a Cardinals team that is in the middle of the pack in terms of team OPS (.695). UPDATE: Lambert will officially start on Friday against the Cardinals.
Source: Houston Chronicle - Matt Kawahara
Source: Houston Chronicle - Matt Kawahara
Tatsuya Imai Plays Light Catch on Thursday
Houston Astros right-hander Tatsuya Imai (arm) played light catch on the field at Daikin Park before Thursday's contest against the visiting Colorado Rockies with a team trainer nearby, according to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle. Imai was put on the 15-day injured list on Monday with right-arm fatigue. The good news is that the first-year MLB player isn't dealing with any structural damage to his arm. The early returns from the 27-year-old through his first three major-league starts weren't great, as he allowed seven earned runs on seven hits while walking 11 and striking out 13 in 8 2/3 innings pitched. Imai will be eligible to return from the IL later this month, but the Astros may take things slowly and not rush him back to the starting rotation, even with the Astros dealing with plenty of early-season injuries to their rotation arms.
Source: Houston Chronicle - Matt Kawahara
Source: Houston Chronicle - Matt Kawahara
Carlos Rodon Expected to Need Three Rehab Starts
New York Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon (elbow, hamstring) will throw live batting practice on Saturday and then should advance to a minor-league rehab assignment, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. Manager Aaron Boone said that Rodon will probably need three starts in the minors before the team considers activating him from the 15-day injured list to make his 2026 season debut. The 33-year-old three-time All-Star is putting the final touches on his rehab from elbow surgery last year to have a bone spur removed, and the Yankees have also been cautious of late after he suffered a minor hamstring injury. Rodon will likely begin a rehab assignment at some point next week as long as he doesn't suffer a setback when he faces live hitters in a batting practice session on Saturday at Double-A Somerset. If Rodon looks good in the minors, he could make his season debut for the Yankees in early to mid-May. Fantasy managers need to have Rodon stashed in an IL spot everywhere after he finished sixth in the American League Cy Young voting in 2025.
Source: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
Source: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
Matthew Boyd Strikes Out Six in Rehab Start on Thursday
Chicago Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd (biceps) looked good in his minor-league rehab start on Thursday with Triple-A Iowa, allowing three earned runs on four hits while walking one and striking out six in 3 2/3 innings pitched. Boyd is on the 15-day injured list with a left-biceps strain, but the 35-year-old veteran is expected to only need one rehab outing before the Cubs have him rejoin the big-league starting rotation. If Boyd is done making rehab starts in the minors, his next outing for Chicago could come as soon as Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field. That wouldn't be the greatest matchup for fantasy baseball purposes, especially with Boyd throwing only 3 2/3 frames on Thursday at Iowa. Boyd allowed seven earned runs in 9 1/3 innings in his first two starts of 2026 before going on the IL, but he also had a 1.87 FIP with 17 strikeouts and three walks. Fantasy managers should be stashing the crafty lefty veteran in most fantasy leagues, especially with his return not far off.
Source: Milb.com
Source: Milb.com
Willi Castro Out on Thursday With Hand Injury
Colorado Rockies infielder Willi Castro (hand) is on the bench to begin Thursday's game at Daikin Park against the Houston Astros, according to MLB.com. Edouard Julien is starting at second base and will bat leadoff for the Rockies against Astros right-hander Ryan Weiss. Castros was removed from Wednesday's game after he was hit on the right hand by a pitch, but thankfully, X-rays on his hand came back negative. For now, fantasy managers in deeper leagues should consider Castro day-to-day. Before his hand injury, the 28-year-old switch-hitting Puerto Rican was hitting just .214 (12-for-56) with a home run, eight RBI, eight runs scored, and a stolen base in his first 16 games played with Colorado. Check back on Friday to see if Castro will be returning to the starting lineup for Friday's series opener at Coors Field against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers. If Castro continues to struggle at the dish, he could start to lose more playing time to Julien at the keystone in Denver.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Freddy Fermin Out With Head Injury on Thursday
San Diego Padres catcher Freddy Fermin (head) is not in the team's starting lineup for Thursday night's series finale against the Seattle Mariners at Petco Park, according to MLB.com. Luis Campusano is doing the catching for right-hander Walker Buehler and will hit eighth against Mariners veteran right-hander Luis Castillo. Fermin was shaken up in Wednesday's walk-off win over the M's early in the game when a foul ball caught him square in the mask. He was checked by trainers before eventually being replaced by Campusano behind the plate. The good news is that Fermin hasn't experienced concussion symptoms, which makes him available off the bench on Thursday. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day and check back on Friday to see if he's back in action for Friday's series opener on the road against the Los Angeles Angels. Campusano has gotten off to a strong start in 2026 at the plate, going 8-for-25 (.320) with a homer, five RBI, and four runs scored in nine games. He has never faced Castillo in his career.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Hawks Plan to Re-Evalute Jock Landale in Two Weeks
Atlanta Hawks center Jock Landale (ankle) will miss the start of the postseason. He is working his way back from a high ankle sprain, and the team announced on Thursday that Landale will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks. The Hawks begin their first-round series against the New York Knicks on Saturday. After he was acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies in February, Landale suited up for 23 regular-season games with the Hawks. He averaged 9.1 points and 4.1 rebounds in 19.4 minutes. Starting center Onyeka Okongwu looks set for a heavy workload in the playoffs, with Mouhamed Gueye and Tony Bradley sharing the backup role.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Mike Trout Hits Five Homers in Series Versus Yankees
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout has been looking like his former MVP self this week in the Bronx during a four-game series against the New York Yankees. Trout finished Thursday's 11-4 victory by going 1-for-2 with a solo home run, three runs scored, and three walks. The 34-year-old former 11-time All-Star and three-time MVP finished the four-game series against the Yanks with five total home runs, which is the first time any opposing player has hit five home runs in a series against the Yankees. After another big game on Thursday, Trout is now hitting .246 on the year with a 1.010 OPS, seven home runs, 16 RBI, two stolen bases, a league-high 21 runs scored, 18 walks, and 18 strikeouts in 19 games played in his 16th year in the majors. Trout has had trouble staying healthy in recent years, but he's fully healthy now, and he's rewarding his fantasy managers with plenty of production across the board. If the future Hall of Famer can stay on the field all year, he'll end up being an absolute steal in fantasy and a potential league-winner.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Jonathan Isaac Considered Questionable for Matchup Versus Hornets
Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac (knee) is listed as questionable on the injury report ahead of Friday's Play-In Tournament game against the Charlotte Hornets. He hasn't seen any action for more than a month due to a left knee sprain. Isaac was also questionable for Wednesday's tilt against Philadelphia before he was ultimately ruled out. During the regular season, Isaac averaged only 10.0 minutes across 52 games, so he isn't a major loss for the Magic.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Moussa Diabate Listed as Questionable for Friday
Charlotte Hornets center Moussa Diabate (hip) is considered questionable for Friday's Play-In Tournament matchup against the Orlando Magic. Charlotte may be without its starting center for the win-or-go-home game, as Diabate has landed on the injury report with a sore left hip. The 24-year-old is coming off an eight-point, 14-rebound effort in Tuesday's win over Miami. If Diabate can't get on the floor on Friday, Ryan Kalkbrenner and Grant Williams are likely to get the bulk of the work at center. Xavier Tillman may also enter the rotation.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Cardinals Pick Up Paris Johnson Jr.'s Fifth-Year Option
The Arizona Cardinals picked up the fifth-year option on left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. (knee) on Thursday, a source told Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. Johnson will now make just over $19 million for the 2027 season, with the former sixth overall pick back in 2023 out of Ohio State most likely to eventually sign a contract extension with the team. The 24-year-old finished last year on Injured Reserve due to a knee injury, but he should be ready in plenty of time for the start of the 2026 campaign this fall. Johnson has started in all 43 games that he's appeared in over his first three seasons with the Cardinals in the desert. He's coming off a career-low 12 games played in 2025, but Johnson could bounce back as one of the better left tackles in the league in 2026 in his fourth year in the league if he's completely past his knee injury. Johnson will be blocking the blind side for veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett to begin next season.
Source: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
Source: NFL Network - Mike Garafolo
Joel Embiid Expected to Miss Start of Playoffs
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (abdomen) is not expected to play at the start of the team's first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics, ESPN's Shams Charania reports. He underwent a successful appendectomy a week ago and needs more time to recover from the procedure. "The Sixers are preparing for battle without Joel Embiid, at least to start the series," Charania said during an appearance on NBA Today. "He's only a week-ish removed from surgery for that appendicitis. So he's very much in the recovery phase of this. Once you recover, then you have to have a separate rehab part of the process as well." Adem Bona has started at center during Embiid's absence, including in Wednesday's Play-In Tournament win over Orlando. However, backup big man Andre Drummond has been more productive, posting three straight double-doubles.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Arsenii Sergeev to Make NHL Debut Thursday
Calgary Flames goaltender Arsenii Sergeev will be between the sticks on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Kings, Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet 960 The Fan reports. With Devin Cooley (illness) unavailable, the Flames brought Sergeev up from the minors, and he will be thrown straight into action. This will be Sergeev's NHL debut after appearing in 28 AHL and 12 ECHL contests this season. He will go up against a Kings team that has averaged 3.50 goals per game this month and is still fighting for a higher playoff seed, so this could be a long night for Sergeev.
Source: Pat Steinberg
Source: Pat Steinberg
Aleksander Barkov Cleared for World Championship
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (knee) will play for Team Finland in the World Championship, ESPN's Emily Kaplan reports. The Panthers captain missed the entire 2025-26 NHL campaign due to a knee injury, but he was medically cleared to play by team doctors on Wednesday. The World Championship will be played from May 15 to May 31 in Switzerland. Anton Lundell (ribs), who missed Florida's final 14 games, will also suit up for Finland. Lundell's usage will suffer next season with Barkov back in the lineup. Before his knee injury, Barkov was a point-per-game player for five consecutive campaigns. The missed year might affect his productivity in 2026-27.
Source: Emily Kaplan
Source: Emily Kaplan
Giants Want "a Lot" for Dexter Lawrence
The feeling around the NFL is that New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence is underpaid on his current deal, and the Giants want "a lot" for him in any trade, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN. According to sources, Lawrence wants to be traded, which is why he officially requested a trade. He was open to a fresh start, dating back to the start of last year. The 28-year-old former 17th overall pick in 2019 out of Clemson is coming off a down year in 2025 in which he had only half a sack in 17 games, following three straight Pro Bowl appearances from 2022 to 2024. In 2025, Lawrence had a career-high nine sacks in just 12 starts. The G-Men do not want to give Lawrence a new deal coming off his down season, and they aren't just going to give him away in a trade. They have had talks with other teams about a trade, but nothing has materialized yet. This situation could be resolved before the start of the 2026 NFL draft next Thursday night.
Source: ESPN New York - Jordan Raanan
Source: ESPN New York - Jordan Raanan
RADIO



