April 2026

There were 1,431 posts published in April 2026 (this is page 31 of 144).

Blue Jays bus from Phoenix to Southern California after their charter plane is grounded

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — A mechanical issue with their charter plane forced the Toronto Blue Jays to bus from Phoenix to Southern California on Sunday night, a six-hour drive on a dark desert highway that got the team to its Orange County hotel at around 12:30 a.m.

“I felt like I was back in the Northwest League,” manager John Schneider said before Monday night’s series opener against the Los Angeles Angels. “But we made the best of it, we all got here safe, and we’re ready to go.”

Schneider said he was informed by Blue Jays traveling secretary Rodney Hiemstra of the mechanical problem at about 4 p.m. on Sunday, as the Blue Jays were finishing a 10-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

“There was an issue with the joystick, which is pretty important — apparently, it’s used for takeoffs and landings,” Schneider said. “So the options were to get a new plane, which would have had to fly down from Vancouver and wouldn’t have landed until 10 p.m., or drive. We took a team vote, and the team voted to bus.”

While pitcher Dylan Cease, who was Monday night’s scheduled starter, flew commercial from Phoenix to Orange County, the team unloaded luggage and food from the charter plane and loaded it onto three buses — two for players and one for the rest of the traveling party of about 40, which included the coaching staff.

“The math was a little off,” Schneider said. “It worked out way better for the players, but there was a whole lot of doubling up for us. I had my own two seats, and I still had cases of water around me, and you feel bad reclining on people.”

Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer was on the losing side of the vote — he preferred the team fly to Orange County — but the veteran right-hander was still able to find some humor in the situation.

“I got reprimanded by Max for electing to travel that way,” Schneider said as he showed reporters a letter Scherzer printed out for the manager. “So we’re going to go to a trial in kangaroo court.

“I was like, ‘Max, why don’t you just buy a plane? You’ve got plenty of cash.’ Most of the guys who were playing (Monday night) wanted to get out of there.”

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Kentucky forward Mouhamed Dioubate commits to LSU out of NCAA transfer portal

Kentucky forward Mouhamed Dioubate has committed to LSU out of the NCAA transfer portal, On3 has learned. Dioubate spent the last year with the Wildcats.

Previously, he had suited up for Alabama for two seasons before transferring within the SEC. He had his most productive season to date at Kentucky.

Mouhamed Dioubate logged 10 starts in 31 appearances. He averaged a career-high 8.8 points, while also chipping in 5.5 rebounds per game. He also perfectly averaged an assist, a block and a steal per game.

While Dioubate had shown some ability to drift out to 3-point range during his final season at Alabama, he was far less effective in that capacity at Kentucky. He shot 46.2% from 3-point range on 26 attempts at Alabama in 2024-25, but his percentage dipped to 21.4% on 28 attempts at Kentucky in 2025-26.

Regardless, he’s a high-motor player who checks in at 6 foot 7, 220 pounds. He should be a strong fit for new LSU coach Will Wade‘s system.

Mouhamed Dioubate turned in arguably his best game of the season in an NCAA Tournament opener against Santa Clara. He recorded 17 points, eight rebounds, three blocks, an assist and a steal.

That was the 11th performance on the season in which Dioubate logged a double-digit scoring outing. He twice reached the 20-point mark, including with a 20-and-11 double-double against Eastern Illinois early in the year.

The talented Mouhamed Dioubate recorded two double-doubles during the 2025-26 season. Both came early in the year. Interestingly enough, those two games were the only games in which Dioubate reached double figures rebounding, though he was close a few other times.

Prior to enrolling at Alabama, Mouhamed Dioubate was ranked as a four-star prospect and the No. 99 overall recruit in his class. He checked in as the No. 23 small forward and the No. 4 overall player from his state.

My final seven-round mock draft for the Denver Broncos

Georgia Bulldogs tight end Oscar Delp (4) avoids Florida Gators defensive back Sharif Denson (0) in the first quarter in an NCAA football game, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla.[Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It’s finally draft week and I’ll be wrapping up my pre-draft coverage with several big boards based around research on George Paton and Sean Payton and their draft tendencies over the next two days. However, for today, I’ll use that research to lay down my final seven-round mock draft for the Denver Broncos.

To be honest, I liked how it played out.

Broncos daily recap

Some interesting draft-related rumors came out today along with some normal stuff we do.

2026 NFL Draft: Broncos are expected to draft a linebacker
Per DNVR’s Zac Stevens, the Broncos are expected to address linebacker at some point in this draft, though it sounds more like a Day 3 investment than a second-round priority. Denver has done its homework on the position with profiles on Michigan’s Jimmy Rolder, Oregon’s Bryce Boettcher, Buffalo’s Red Murdock, and Alabama’s Deontae Lawson all fitting as mid-to-late round targets who could develop behind the current starters.

5 offensive players I think the Broncos could draft in the 2nd round
MHR’s second-round offensive wish list is headlined by tight ends Eli Stowers (Vanderbilt) and Max Klare (Ohio State), both of whom would immediately address a position group that has done almost nothing in the passing game for Denver in recent years. Klare is the better blocker with big-play receiving upside, while Stowers profiles as a pure pass-catching weapon with a 45.5-inch vertical. Washington RB Mike Washington Jr. makes the list as an explosive complement behind Dobbins and Harvey, and the case is also made for Jadarian Price and an offensive tackle option like Austin Barber to get ahead of the line’s upcoming turnover.

Drew Sanders is moving from LB to edge rusher
Drew Sanders is switching positions again — this time flipping back to edge rusher after spending time at off-ball linebacker. The 2023 third-round pick’s career has been derailed by injuries and constant positional shuffling, and Jonah Elliss’ move to linebacker likely pushed Sanders out of that room. He’s now firmly on the roster bubble heading into 2026, and this latest switch feels like a last-chance audition to find a home on the defense.

2026 NFL Draft Roundtable: What position groups should the Broncos target?
The MHR staff roundtable lands on a clear consensus: inside linebacker, tight end, and running back are the big three needs, roughly in that order. One writer pushes for offensive line investment on Day 2 given the unit’s approaching turnover cycle despite being arguably the best O-line in football right now. Defensive tackle depth and a Day 3 defensive back also get mentions, but the staff largely agrees that ILB is the position where this draft class best aligns with the Paton/Payton scouting profile.

2026 NFL Draft Roundtable: What prospects would you like the Broncos to select?
Putting names to positions, the MHR staff favors Eli Stowers at tight end, Washington’s Jonah Coleman or Penn State’s Kayton Allen at running back, and Missouri’s Chris McClellan or Iowa State’s Domonique Orange at defensive tackle to help replace John Franklin-Myers. On the offensive line, Drew Shelton and Jude Bowry get love as developmental tackle projects. Michigan’s Jaishawn Barham fits the hybrid edge/LB mold Vance Joseph loves, and defensive backs Kamari Ramsey, Bishop Fitzgerald, and Jalon Kilgore round out the wish list as Day 3 secondary targets.

2026 NFL Draft: Reviewing the Broncos top-30 visits
MHR breaks down the full list of known Top-30 visitors to Dove Valley, and the position clusters tell the story. Tight end dominates with Eli Stowers, Max Klare, Nate Boerkircher, and Justin Joly all coming through the building. Florida DT Caleb Banks got a visit that likely included a medical evaluation, Oregon OG Emmanuel Pregnon came in as a plug-and-play interior lineman, Missouri OT Keagen Trost made the trip, and TCU LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr rounded out the reported visits — painting a clear picture of where Denver sees its draft capital going on Day 2 and Day 3.

Under the radar

Albert Breer thinks Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers would be the perfect joker-type for Sean Payton.

From the FEED

Denver has very little draft capital, but could they be in on a guy like Kyle Pitts?

Final 7-round mock draft

I took my last stab at drafting for the Denver Broncos while leaning heavily on my Payton/Paton Fit Score metrics — brought to you by ClaudeAI. Here’s who I ended up with:

  • R2, 62: Josiah Trotter, LB, Missouri
  • R4, 109: Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia
  • R4, 111: Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington
  • R5, 170: Logan Taylor, OG, Boston College
  • R7, 246: Collin Wright, CB, Stanford
  • R7, 256: J. Michael Sturdivant, WR, Florida
  • R7, 257: Joe Fagnano, QB, UConn

Do you like it? Hate it? Am I celebrating 4/20 too hard? I liked it, but we always like our own piles of garbage more than others’ piles of garbage.

West Milford softball beats rival to win new-look Dondero Classic

WEST MILFORD – Alyssa Kral didn’t mind wearing red. At least, not this time.

“No, not today,” the West Milford senior said. “I mean, one game a year, one game.”

Powered by a grand slam and five RBIs by Izzy Gibson, West Milford won the Dondero Classic softball game, 14-4, over rival Lakeland on April 20.

This was the first playing of the two teams in the game named for Lakeland softball star Darlene Dondero since 2018.

“Finally, finally, we’re frozen, but no rain,” laughed West Milford coach Nikki Gwinnett.

With temperatures in the 40s, both teams wore the same black tops with the name Dondero on the front and her number, 17, on the back. The teams did wear different colored pants.

It was also the first time the game was played since the death of Darlene’s father, Bob, a long-time coach at both schools. Bob’s wife Marilyn threw out the ceremonial first pitch, and handed out a new traveling trophy to West Milford at game’s end.

True to her word, Marilyn sat on one side of the field for the first 3.5 innings before switching to the other.

Darlene was a student at West Point when she died in a car accident in April of 1994. The Dondero Classic started a year later and used to feature just about every team in Passaic County. Next year, the hope is to play the game at West Point.

Coaches from both Lakeland and West Milford have made it a priority to keep Darlene’s memory alive in both programs.

“I learned she was a great player who always put the team before herself,” said Kral, who reached base four times in the contest. “She always did what was best for the team. She led with kindness and passion. Today was a great day to celebrate that family.”

Gwinnett and former Lakeland coach Laura Junta spoke to the crowd before the game, bringing Marilyn on to the field and giving her flowers. Gwinnett still remembers where she was when she found out about Darlene’s death.

The emotions are still high.

“When I was writing my speech I realized you know, it’s a long time ago and how long I have know the family. … Darlene was just everything,” Gwinnett said. “I hope what I said to the girls in my speech got to them. That’s the kind of player I want them to be. She was selfless.”

West Milford (7-4) jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a two-run single by Bella Kling.

Gibson, a freshman first baseman, ripped a grand slam down the left field line to make it 12-1 in the third. Lakeland kept things going when Kate Eviner socked an RBI double to make it 12-4 in the top of the fifth.

In the bottom of the fifth, Gibson missed a walk-off three-run homer by about a foot.

“I thought she had it,” said Kral smiling. “She’s gotta get in the weight room.”

Gibson’s double made it 13-4, exactly 17 runs – Darlene’s number – and the sun poked through the clouds as if on cue. Megan Allwood delivered an RBI groundout to end it.

Both coaches had to leave soon after the game for the Passaic County Tournament seeding meeting. West Milford won’t be one of the top seeds, but the Highlanders are one of the biggest surprises in Passaic County after five wins last season.

“I think we have a really resilient team,” Kral said. “We compete in every situation and even if we’re losing we still play our hardest.”

“We’re still young,” Gwinnett said. “We’re still learning different things. We have to play defense, but we’re going to hit the ball. We are very good offensively.”

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: West Milford NJ softball beats rival to win new-look Dondero Classic

Game #23: A’s at Mariners Game Thread

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 15: Shea Langeliers #23 of the Athletics celebrates hitting a two-run go-ahead home run in the bottom of the sixth inning against the Texas Rangers at Sutter Health Park on April 15, 2026 in Sacramento, California. All players are wearing the #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. (Photo by Justine Willard/Athletics/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Road trip! The A’s have departed Sacramento to head north to Seattle, getting ready to take on the division-rival Mariners for a mid-week three-game set. The A’s at 11-11 are tied for the AL West lead so a win tonight would be huge since Texas is off today. A win this evening and the Athletics will be back in sole possession of the division. Early but exciting!

On the mound for the Green & Gold tonight will be J.T. Ginn. The right-hander is on a bit of a roll coming into tonight, putting together two quality starts since taking the rotation spot of Luis Morales. The 26-year-old is taking advantage of this opportunity and he’ll be aiming to keep it up tonight against the M’s, who entering tonight are in fourth place in the AL West at 10-13. Seattle’s offense hasn’t quite found their groove yet as they have the 24th-ranked OPS by team in the league. A lot of that is due to the struggles of catcher Cal Raleigh but there are still solid hitters in that lineup that Ginn will need to be careful with. This’ll be his first appearance against these guys so he’s got that advantage going for him as well.

Here’s how the lineup behind Ginn will look:

The first lineup of the series will see the typical 1-2 atop the lineup with Nick Kurtz leading off followed by Shea Bangeliers. Interestingly Mark Kotsay is putting backup outfielder in the DH spot and hitting third tonight. The DH’ing, that makes sense. But that high in the lineup? Interesting move, though he does have a .372 OBP. Behind him batting cleanup will be Tyler Soderstrom.

The middle of the lineup provides a bit more of a typical top-of-the-order with Jacob Wilson and Jeff McNeil hitting back-to-back. That could provide a bit of a leadoff-esque spark halfway through the batting order. Max Muncy and Lawrence Butler follow, but then we got a surprise at the bottom. Zack Gelof will get the start in center field today as Kotsay wants more offense in there against a tough starter. This’ll be his second game at the position after he handled an inning there in a blowout last week. If he can provide a decent glove up the middle that would be huge for both him and the team, considering Denzel Clarke’s struggles with the bat so far.

That starting nine will be going up against Seattle right-hander Emerson Hancock. Once one of the top prospects in the sport, Emerson is living up to that hype early this season. After struggling in the first couple years of his big league career he’s off to a hot start here in 2026, posting a 2.28 ERA over his first four starts. He’s been especially stringy with the free passes issuing only four so far. If the A’s can work some walks against him they’ll need to take advantage of those opportunities.

And here’s Seattle’s lineup for the first game at T-Mobile Park this series:

The A’s are getting a bit lucky tonight as the Mariners placed third baseman Brendan Donovan on the IL prior to tonight’s game. Donovan, one of their bigger additions this past offseason, was out to a strong start for his new team. HIs absence will deprive them of one of their better hitters, which bodes well for the Athletics this series. Hey, we’re missing Rooker too after all.

The rest of the Seattle lineup is full of regulars. Catcher Cal Raleigh is off to a horribly slow start this year but you can’t count on that lasting all year. Julio Rodriguez is another batter that’s off to a slow start. But Seattle has gotten big contributions from Randy Arozarena and Luke Raley so the A’s pitchers have to be a little extra careful with them.

Time to get back in the win column and start a new winning streak. Let’s go A’s!

Ronald Acuńa, Jr. leaves game after being hit by pitch

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 20: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves is hit by a pitch in the fourth inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on April 20, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuńa, Jr. was removed from tonight’s game prior to the bottom of the sixth inning after being hit by a pitch on the left wrist by Washington Nationals starting pitcher Jake Irvin. It was the second time in the game Irvin hit Acuńa, Jr.

Acuńa, Jr., who was replaced in right field by Eli White, came in to score on a Drake Baldwin double but was stranded in the on-deck circle after the team batted around in the top of the sixth.

Braves starting pitcher Bryce Elder hit Nationals’ shortstop C.J. Abrams in the bottom of the inning, leading both teams to receive a warning.

The pitch that hit Acuńa, Jr. the second time appeared to catch part of a protected guard, but he was shown pointing where the pitch hit him on the wrist after reaching first base.

More details of his status will hopefully be available after the game.

Dodgers vs. Rockies game IV chat

DENVER, CO – APRIL 18: Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with third base coach Dino Ebel #91 after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Saturday, April 18, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

With Alex Call batting second, the Dodgers face José Quintana in Coors Field.

Monday’s game info

  • Teams: Dodgers at Rockies
  • Ballpark: Coors Field, Denver
  • Start time: 5:40 p.m. PT
  • TV: SportsNet LA
  • Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

Arizona Diamondbacks Series Preview # 8 :  Diamondbacks vs White Sox

Munetaka Murakami (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Which team is projected as better? On 20 April, FanGraphs projected the Diamondbacks to win more games (82 vs 68).  Only the Rockies were projected to win less games than the White Sox. 

The Diamondbacks are better in four top-level comparisons.

  • Offense.  This season through 17 April, the Diamondbacks averaged one more run scored per game (4.45 vs 3.45).
  • Defense.  The Diamondbacks are better by a wide margin (Outs above average, OAA +2 vs negative 5, Defensive Runs Saved, DRS +14 vs negative 7).
  • Bullpen.  This season through 19 April, shutdown performances by the Diamondbacks bullpen were more than double the White Sox bullpen (33 vs 16).
  • Starting Pitcher Matchups.  The Diamondbacks have an overall edge:  first game is clear advantage D-backs (Kelly vs Burke), second game is slight edge D-backs (Rodriguez vs Kay), and third game is equal (Soroka vs Martin).

White Sox Player to Watch.

Munetaka Murakami is a player worth watching.

Power Batter. He hit 7 home runs in his first 21 MLB games, which was 2 more than Ohtani hit in his first 21 MLB games as a batter. In the most recent six games through 18 April, Murakami hit 1.325 OPS with 7 RBIs.

First Baseman. He played 8 seasons in Japan before this season. He is a rookie in MLB. In Japan, he started his career primarily at first base until 2021 when he became primarily a third baseman. This season, in spring training and the regular season he played at first base.

White Sox. He was asked why the White Sox. Per his translator, this is what he said:

“I feel there are a lot of exciting young players here. Just as I played when my career panned out in Japan, I went to a team that was very young and we got to the promised land of winning a championship there. And I kind of feel something similar here. And I feel like I’m destined to be here.” — Munetaka Murakami, January 2026

The batting lineup of the White Sox has 6 of 9 players 25.0 years old or younger. Munetaka is 26.2 years old.

Pitching Matchups.

Tuesday,6:40 PM MST.

Merrill Kelly.  This will be his second start of the season.  That appearance was a confidence builder that his injury is behind him.  This game, he will likely pitch even better!

Sean Burke.  Burke is arguably an average pitcher (ERA+ of 99).  On the other hand, ignoring his latest start (4 earned run in 5.1 innings), this season his strikeouts outnumber walks (15 vs 3), and he allowed zero homers. So, it’s possible that he may challenge Diamondbacks batters. They are up to the challenge.

This matchup of starting pitchers is clear advantage Diamondbacks.

Wednesday, 6:40 PM MST.

Eduardo Rodriguez.  In his first four games, his 1.96 ERA is comparable to June of 2025, when his ERA was 1.98. This season his ERA+ of 211 is a career best.

Anthony Kay.  In 2024 and 2025, he pitched in Japan. This season his ERA+ of 169 is a career best.

This matchup of starting pitchers is slight edge Diamondbacks.

Thursday, 6:40 PM MST.

Michael Soroka. His last start was a quality start (2 earned runs in 7 innings). This season, he started 4 games, and was credited with 4 wins.  Unexpectedly, he emerged as a solid part of the rotation.  

“I think I’m better than I’ve ever been.  I mean, everybody goes through some sort of injuries at some point in their career, or struggles with performance. And I think for myself, it has always been there. I’ve always been able to kind of show that ability and give teams a reason to believe in me, and I’m very thankful that I’m with an organization that does as much as anybody. So, it’s easy to go out there and want to prove them right.” —  Michael Soroka, April 2026

Davis Martin.  This season, 3 of his 4 starts were quality starts. He is the ace of the White Sox rotation.

This matchup of starting pitchers is equal.

Edwin Díaz to undergo surgery: How long will Dodgers closer be out?

Los Angeles Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz will undergo surgery on Wednesday, April 22 to remove loose bodies in his right elbow, the team announced April 20. Díaz was officially placed on the 15-day injured list, but the Dodgers said they expect their star reliever to be out until the second half of the season.

The move comes after Díaz gave up three earned runs on three hits without recording an out in the ninth inning of LA’s 9-6 loss to the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on April 19. Díaz started the season strong with four saves and just one run allowed in his first five outings, but has given up six earned runs while retiring just three batters in his last two outings, which were separated by nine days after manager Dave Roberts showed concern about Díaz’s fastball velocity.

Díaz has previously mentioned that his velo has been down early every year since tearing his ACL in 2023, but he’s historically averaged 97.2 to 99.1 mph over the last four seasons. That number’s down to 95.7 mph so far this season and dipped as low as 92.8 on April 19.

“Today was a tough evaluation,” Roberts told reporters postgame. “I know what it’s supposed to look like, and when it doesn’t look like that, it gets a little concerning, really. So, I’ll have a conversation with him.”

Looks like that conversation is over for now.

Loose bodies in an elbow are small fragments of bone or articular cartilage (called “gristle”) that have broken off and are floating around in the joint, according to ArmDocs. This can be the result of an injury or wear and tear, and can enlarge over time to the point where they might become trapped between the bearing surface and impede movement.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Edwin Díaz to have elbow surgery