WNBA Draft 2026 winners and losers, including Storm, Sky, Tempo, and Valkyries The 2026 WNBA Draft had uncertainty at the top until the last moment. The Dallas Wings could have gone in a number of different directions with the first overall pick, but eventually the team settled on reuniting former UConn teammates Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd in the backcourt. Dallas’ Fudd pick at No. 1 set the course for the rest of the draft, which included several big surprises throughout the first round.Find a full recap of every pick made during the 2026 WNBA Draft here. Now let’s dive into some winners and losers from the evening.Yes, you need a couple years at minimum before you can truly judge a team’s performance in the draft. So why do this exercise? It’s a fun way to see what we were thinking in the immediate aftermath of the draft. Teams get things wrong all the time, and writers do, too. Feel free to check back in the future to see what we got right, and where we missed.Awa Fam was the best prospect in the class, and I thought she should have been the Wings’ choice at No. 1 overall over Fudd. Seattle got her with the No. 3 pick, which is just great business. The Storm weren’t done: they also swung a shocking trade for former LSU star Flau’Jae Johnson. Seattle landed the two best athletes in the draft, and it gives them arguably the league’s best young core moving forward.Fam, a 6’4 big out of Spain, is everything the league wants out of a modern front court player with a tremendous combination of length and mobility. She should thrive as a pick-and-roll target offensively, and have coverage versatility defensively. Fam joins Seattle’s first round pick last year, French big Dominique Malonga, for the league’s scariest young front court. Malonga is blessed with world class length (7’1 wingspan) and athleticism, and already proved to be a productive player in the W at only 20 years old last season. Fam and Malonga is just an unfair combination if both hit their ceiling. Adding Johnson to the wing — where she can lock down defensively, thrive in transition, and hit some open threes — makes the whole package even more enticing.The Storm will need a couple years before the two young bigs really hit their stride, but the upside here is terrifying.It’s not that Gabriela Jaquez is a bad player. She was one of my favorite role players in this class for her high-motor, Swiss army knife skill set on the wing. It’s just that Jaquez felt more like a late first-rounder than a top-5 pick, and Chicago left better players on the board by choosing her at No. 5 overall.It felt like the Sky drafted for fit instead of upside. That’s a strange move for a team that has gone 23-61 combined over the last two years. GM Jeff Pagliocca has a reputation for making short-sighted decisions that mortgage the team’s future to try to save his job, and he did it again. The Sky signed Skylar Diggins in free agency, traded for Jacy Sheldon, and also have Courtney VanderSloot, so maybe that’s why they passed on lead guard Kiki Rice at No. 5 overall. Well, Diggins is 35 years old, VanderSloot is 37, and the Sky just aren’t good enough to be passing up the long-term upside of Rice for a player who fits the current lineup better right now in Jaquez.My main issue with Jaquez is that she operated at such low usage at UCLA with only an 18 percent usage rate. Drafting low usage college players is always a risky move even if teams project them for similar roles in the pros. It’s always easier to scale down than it is to scale up. Jaquez also had nearly as many turnovers (70) as assists (78) this season with the Bruins. Her outside shooting development was encouraging, but she doesn’t have nearly the same track record as a shooter as someone like Sonia Citron, who Pagliocca foolishly traded the draft rights to last season.Jaquez will probably be a solid role player, but the Sky needed to be shooting for something more than that without a true franchise player on the roster. I think they will regret passing on Rice.The Bruins won the national championship in women’s college basketball, then watched six players get chosen in the top-18 picks of this draft, including four of the first nine picks. That’s a hell of a recruiting pitch going forward. Head coach Cori Close is building a power program out in Los Angeles.Want to get the steal of the draft? All you have to do is pick behind the Chicago Sky. Kiki Rice slipping to No. 6 is almost unfathomable. The former No. 1 overall recruit took a few years to develop her outside shot, but this season she looked like the player she was promised to be out of high school. Rice is more of a combo guard than a pure point, but she still combines a fantastic first step with advanced driving ability and an understand of how to get to the cup and finish. Her shooting touch is developing nicely: she made 90 percent of her free throws, and 38.5 percent of her threes this season — a big improvement from the 21 percent three-point stroke she showed as a freshman.While the other expansion team, the Portland Fire, is very much playing the long game in their first season, Toronto could be pretty good right away. Marina Mabrey was a nice pick in the expansion draft who will be a good starter from day one, and signing Brittney Sykes in free agency was an inspired move. Isabelle Harrison and Nyara Sabally is a solid veteran front court. Rice feels like she could be one of the three best players to come out of this draft five years from now, giving Toronto a future face of the franchise if they can continue to develop her.Winner: The Mystics drafting Lauren BettsThere’s been some criticism about Washington’s other picks in the 2026 draft, but it really doesn’t matter if Betts if as good as I think she can be. The 6’7 center was absolutely dominant in the post on UCLA’s national championship run, and she has a multi-year history of being an on/off monster. I know that everyone wants more mobile bigs with floor spacing potential these days, but there’s still no substitute for a physically dominant big inside with soft touch. Betts and Sonia Citron is going to be a killer combination. Yes, the Mystics need to add a lot more shooting. Yes, it’s weird that they didn’t try to get shooting with any of their other picks. I just think Betts is a home run at No. 4 overall, and Washington will have a long runway to surround her with better-fitting pieces.Loser: Golden State ValkyriesI just don’t understand the value behind the Flae’Jae Johnson trade. Golden State said that the trade was completed before the draft, which is fine, but it still strikes me as bad value even without factoring in that Johnson was available. I’d rather have the No. 8 overall pick than two second rounders in the WNBA Draft. Historically the talent in these drafts tends to thin out after the early second round, and adding three expansion teams in the last two years will only take away from more late round value. I was excited about Flae’Jae Johnson on the Valkyries after their awesome debut season last year. It just wasn’t meant to be.The Minnesota Lynx had the best record in the WNBA last year at 34-10, but their dream season fell apart in the playoffs against the Phoenix Mercury when Napheesa Collier went down with an ankle injury. The Lynx received the No. 2 overall pick thanks to a pick swap with the Sky from the original Angel Reese trade, and they used it to add an elite point guard prospect in Miles. The 5’10 ball handler left Notre Dame for TCU for her senior season, and put up fantastic overall numbers with a 36.4 percent assist rate, excellent rim finishing, and a 35 percent three-point stroke. Miles is so quick off the dribble, and she made 62 percent of her shots at the rim with only 17 percent of them being assisted. She’s also really good at getting into the passing lanes defensively.It’s not often an elite team adds a great prospect with a top pick, but the Lynx pulled it off. This continues to be one of the best run franchises in the W. #WNBA #Draft #winners #losers #including #Storm #Sky #Tempo #Valkyries

WNBA Draft 2026 winners and losers, including Storm, Sky, Tempo, and Valkyries
The 2026 WNBA Draft had uncertainty at the top until the last moment. The Dallas Wings could have gone in a number of different directions with the first overall pick, but eventually the team settled on reuniting former UConn teammates Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd in the backcourt. Dallas’ Fudd pick at No. 1 set the course for the rest of the draft, which included several big surprises throughout the first round.
Find a full recap of every pick made during the 2026 WNBA Draft here. Now let’s dive into some winners and losers from the evening.
Yes, you need a couple years at minimum before you can truly judge a team’s performance in the draft. So why do this exercise? It’s a fun way to see what we were thinking in the immediate aftermath of the draft. Teams get things wrong all the time, and writers do, too. Feel free to check back in the future to see what we got right, and where we missed.
Awa Fam was the best prospect in the class, and I thought she should have been the Wings’ choice at No. 1 overall over Fudd. Seattle got her with the No. 3 pick, which is just great business. The Storm weren’t done: they also swung a shocking trade for former LSU star Flau’Jae Johnson. Seattle landed the two best athletes in the draft, and it gives them arguably the league’s best young core moving forward.
Fam, a 6’4 big out of Spain, is everything the league wants out of a modern front court player with a tremendous combination of length and mobility. She should thrive as a pick-and-roll target offensively, and have coverage versatility defensively. Fam joins Seattle’s first round pick last year, French big Dominique Malonga, for the league’s scariest young front court. Malonga is blessed with world class length (7’1 wingspan) and athleticism, and already proved to be a productive player in the W at only 20 years old last season. Fam and Malonga is just an unfair combination if both hit their ceiling. Adding Johnson to the wing — where she can lock down defensively, thrive in transition, and hit some open threes — makes the whole package even more enticing.
The Storm will need a couple years before the two young bigs really hit their stride, but the upside here is terrifying.
It’s not that Gabriela Jaquez is a bad player. She was one of my favorite role players in this class for her high-motor, Swiss army knife skill set on the wing. It’s just that Jaquez felt more like a late first-rounder than a top-5 pick, and Chicago left better players on the board by choosing her at No. 5 overall.
It felt like the Sky drafted for fit instead of upside. That’s a strange move for a team that has gone 23-61 combined over the last two years. GM Jeff Pagliocca has a reputation for making short-sighted decisions that mortgage the team’s future to try to save his job, and he did it again. The Sky signed Skylar Diggins in free agency, traded for Jacy Sheldon, and also have Courtney VanderSloot, so maybe that’s why they passed on lead guard Kiki Rice at No. 5 overall. Well, Diggins is 35 years old, VanderSloot is 37, and the Sky just aren’t good enough to be passing up the long-term upside of Rice for a player who fits the current lineup better right now in Jaquez.
My main issue with Jaquez is that she operated at such low usage at UCLA with only an 18 percent usage rate. Drafting low usage college players is always a risky move even if teams project them for similar roles in the pros. It’s always easier to scale down than it is to scale up. Jaquez also had nearly as many turnovers (70) as assists (78) this season with the Bruins. Her outside shooting development was encouraging, but she doesn’t have nearly the same track record as a shooter as someone like Sonia Citron, who Pagliocca foolishly traded the draft rights to last season.
Jaquez will probably be a solid role player, but the Sky needed to be shooting for something more than that without a true franchise player on the roster. I think they will regret passing on Rice.
The Bruins won the national championship in women’s college basketball, then watched six players get chosen in the top-18 picks of this draft, including four of the first nine picks. That’s a hell of a recruiting pitch going forward. Head coach Cori Close is building a power program out in Los Angeles.
Want to get the steal of the draft? All you have to do is pick behind the Chicago Sky. Kiki Rice slipping to No. 6 is almost unfathomable. The former No. 1 overall recruit took a few years to develop her outside shot, but this season she looked like the player she was promised to be out of high school. Rice is more of a combo guard than a pure point, but she still combines a fantastic first step with advanced driving ability and an understand of how to get to the cup and finish. Her shooting touch is developing nicely: she made 90 percent of her free throws, and 38.5 percent of her threes this season — a big improvement from the 21 percent three-point stroke she showed as a freshman.
While the other expansion team, the Portland Fire, is very much playing the long game in their first season, Toronto could be pretty good right away. Marina Mabrey was a nice pick in the expansion draft who will be a good starter from day one, and signing Brittney Sykes in free agency was an inspired move. Isabelle Harrison and Nyara Sabally is a solid veteran front court. Rice feels like she could be one of the three best players to come out of this draft five years from now, giving Toronto a future face of the franchise if they can continue to develop her.
Winner: The Mystics drafting Lauren Betts
There’s been some criticism about Washington’s other picks in the 2026 draft, but it really doesn’t matter if Betts if as good as I think she can be. The 6’7 center was absolutely dominant in the post on UCLA’s national championship run, and she has a multi-year history of being an on/off monster. I know that everyone wants more mobile bigs with floor spacing potential these days, but there’s still no substitute for a physically dominant big inside with soft touch. Betts and Sonia Citron is going to be a killer combination. Yes, the Mystics need to add a lot more shooting. Yes, it’s weird that they didn’t try to get shooting with any of their other picks. I just think Betts is a home run at No. 4 overall, and Washington will have a long runway to surround her with better-fitting pieces.
Loser: Golden State Valkyries
I just don’t understand the value behind the Flae’Jae Johnson trade. Golden State said that the trade was completed before the draft, which is fine, but it still strikes me as bad value even without factoring in that Johnson was available. I’d rather have the No. 8 overall pick than two second rounders in the WNBA Draft. Historically the talent in these drafts tends to thin out after the early second round, and adding three expansion teams in the last two years will only take away from more late round value. I was excited about Flae’Jae Johnson on the Valkyries after their awesome debut season last year. It just wasn’t meant to be.
The Minnesota Lynx had the best record in the WNBA last year at 34-10, but their dream season fell apart in the playoffs against the Phoenix Mercury when Napheesa Collier went down with an ankle injury. The Lynx received the No. 2 overall pick thanks to a pick swap with the Sky from the original Angel Reese trade, and they used it to add an elite point guard prospect in Miles. The 5’10 ball handler left Notre Dame for TCU for her senior season, and put up fantastic overall numbers with a 36.4 percent assist rate, excellent rim finishing, and a 35 percent three-point stroke. Miles is so quick off the dribble, and she made 62 percent of her shots at the rim with only 17 percent of them being assisted. She’s also really good at getting into the passing lanes defensively.
It’s not often an elite team adds a great prospect with a top pick, but the Lynx pulled it off. This continues to be one of the best run franchises in the W.
#WNBA #Draft #winners #losers #including #Storm #Sky #Tempo #Valkyries

Sports news wnba April 14, 2026

The 2026 WNBA Draft had uncertainty at the top until the last moment. The Dallas Wings could have gone in a number of different directions with the first overall pick, but eventually the team settled on reuniting former UConn teammates Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd in the backcourt. Dallas’ Fudd pick at No. 1 set the course for the rest of the draft, which included several big surprises throughout the first round.

Find a full recap of every pick made during the 2026 WNBA Draft here. Now let’s dive into some winners and losers from the evening.

Yes, you need a couple years at minimum before you can truly judge a team’s performance in the draft. So why do this exercise? It’s a fun way to see what we were thinking in the immediate aftermath of the draft. Teams get things wrong all the time, and writers do, too. Feel free to check back in the future to see what we got right, and where we missed.

Awa Fam was the best prospect in the class, and I thought she should have been the Wings’ choice at No. 1 overall over Fudd. Seattle got her with the No. 3 pick, which is just great business. The Storm weren’t done: they also swung a shocking trade for former LSU star Flau’Jae Johnson. Seattle landed the two best athletes in the draft, and it gives them arguably the league’s best young core moving forward.

Fam, a 6’4 big out of Spain, is everything the league wants out of a modern front court player with a tremendous combination of length and mobility. She should thrive as a pick-and-roll target offensively, and have coverage versatility defensively. Fam joins Seattle’s first round pick last year, French big Dominique Malonga, for the league’s scariest young front court. Malonga is blessed with world class length (7’1 wingspan) and athleticism, and already proved to be a productive player in the W at only 20 years old last season. Fam and Malonga is just an unfair combination if both hit their ceiling. Adding Johnson to the wing — where she can lock down defensively, thrive in transition, and hit some open threes — makes the whole package even more enticing.

The Storm will need a couple years before the two young bigs really hit their stride, but the upside here is terrifying.

It’s not that Gabriela Jaquez is a bad player. She was one of my favorite role players in this class for her high-motor, Swiss army knife skill set on the wing. It’s just that Jaquez felt more like a late first-rounder than a top-5 pick, and Chicago left better players on the board by choosing her at No. 5 overall.

It felt like the Sky drafted for fit instead of upside. That’s a strange move for a team that has gone 23-61 combined over the last two years. GM Jeff Pagliocca has a reputation for making short-sighted decisions that mortgage the team’s future to try to save his job, and he did it again. The Sky signed Skylar Diggins in free agency, traded for Jacy Sheldon, and also have Courtney VanderSloot, so maybe that’s why they passed on lead guard Kiki Rice at No. 5 overall. Well, Diggins is 35 years old, VanderSloot is 37, and the Sky just aren’t good enough to be passing up the long-term upside of Rice for a player who fits the current lineup better right now in Jaquez.

My main issue with Jaquez is that she operated at such low usage at UCLA with only an 18 percent usage rate. Drafting low usage college players is always a risky move even if teams project them for similar roles in the pros. It’s always easier to scale down than it is to scale up. Jaquez also had nearly as many turnovers (70) as assists (78) this season with the Bruins. Her outside shooting development was encouraging, but she doesn’t have nearly the same track record as a shooter as someone like Sonia Citron, who Pagliocca foolishly traded the draft rights to last season.

Jaquez will probably be a solid role player, but the Sky needed to be shooting for something more than that without a true franchise player on the roster. I think they will regret passing on Rice.

The Bruins won the national championship in women’s college basketball, then watched six players get chosen in the top-18 picks of this draft, including four of the first nine picks. That’s a hell of a recruiting pitch going forward. Head coach Cori Close is building a power program out in Los Angeles.

Want to get the steal of the draft? All you have to do is pick behind the Chicago Sky. Kiki Rice slipping to No. 6 is almost unfathomable. The former No. 1 overall recruit took a few years to develop her outside shot, but this season she looked like the player she was promised to be out of high school. Rice is more of a combo guard than a pure point, but she still combines a fantastic first step with advanced driving ability and an understand of how to get to the cup and finish. Her shooting touch is developing nicely: she made 90 percent of her free throws, and 38.5 percent of her threes this season — a big improvement from the 21 percent three-point stroke she showed as a freshman.

While the other expansion team, the Portland Fire, is very much playing the long game in their first season, Toronto could be pretty good right away. Marina Mabrey was a nice pick in the expansion draft who will be a good starter from day one, and signing Brittney Sykes in free agency was an inspired move. Isabelle Harrison and Nyara Sabally is a solid veteran front court. Rice feels like she could be one of the three best players to come out of this draft five years from now, giving Toronto a future face of the franchise if they can continue to develop her.

Winner: The Mystics drafting Lauren Betts

There’s been some criticism about Washington’s other picks in the 2026 draft, but it really doesn’t matter if Betts if as good as I think she can be. The 6’7 center was absolutely dominant in the post on UCLA’s national championship run, and she has a multi-year history of being an on/off monster. I know that everyone wants more mobile bigs with floor spacing potential these days, but there’s still no substitute for a physically dominant big inside with soft touch. Betts and Sonia Citron is going to be a killer combination. Yes, the Mystics need to add a lot more shooting. Yes, it’s weird that they didn’t try to get shooting with any of their other picks. I just think Betts is a home run at No. 4 overall, and Washington will have a long runway to surround her with better-fitting pieces.

Loser: Golden State Valkyries

I just don’t understand the value behind the Flae’Jae Johnson trade. Golden State said that the trade was completed before the draft, which is fine, but it still strikes me as bad value even without factoring in that Johnson was available. I’d rather have the No. 8 overall pick than two second rounders in the WNBA Draft. Historically the talent in these drafts tends to thin out after the early second round, and adding three expansion teams in the last two years will only take away from more late round value. I was excited about Flae’Jae Johnson on the Valkyries after their awesome debut season last year. It just wasn’t meant to be.

The Minnesota Lynx had the best record in the WNBA last year at 34-10, but their dream season fell apart in the playoffs against the Phoenix Mercury when Napheesa Collier went down with an ankle injury. The Lynx received the No. 2 overall pick thanks to a pick swap with the Sky from the original Angel Reese trade, and they used it to add an elite point guard prospect in Miles. The 5’10 ball handler left Notre Dame for TCU for her senior season, and put up fantastic overall numbers with a 36.4 percent assist rate, excellent rim finishing, and a 35 percent three-point stroke. Miles is so quick off the dribble, and she made 62 percent of her shots at the rim with only 17 percent of them being assisted. She’s also really good at getting into the passing lanes defensively.

It’s not often an elite team adds a great prospect with a top pick, but the Lynx pulled it off. This continues to be one of the best run franchises in the W.

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#WNBA #Draft #winners #losers #including #Storm #Sky #Tempo #Valkyries

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RCB vs LSG, IPL 2026: In-form Royal Challengers Bengaluru looks to extend winning run against Lucknow Super Giants <div id="content-body-70861990" itemprop="articleBody">In-form Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will look to make the most of its return to home environs when it takes on Lucknow Super Giants at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday.The clash will be the first of three consecutive games in the Garden City over the next 10 days, and having already won its two fixtures here, RCB would want to continue in the same vein and maximise its opportunities.Rajat Patidar & Co. will also have the added motivation of dishing out fine performances, for the defending champion’s Bengaluru leg in the league stage will end with these three matches.Sunday’s 18-run win away at Mumbai Indians should augur well. The batting came good again, as RCB posted 240 – its fourth 200 plus total in as many matches.Krunal Pandya then bowled four miserly overs for 26 runs and a wicket to keep a capable MI batting line-up under check.The only concerns from that contest were Virat Kohli’s troublesome ankle and pacer Rasikh Salam pulling up thrice in a single over. But those fears were allayed during practice on Tuesday when Kohli batted and Rasikh bowled.LSG has triumphed during its previous two visits here, but to even compete this time, its batting should fire. Rishabh Pant’s outfit has taken first strike twice this campaign, but made scores of just 141 and 164, and lost both matches.Nicholas Pooran has had an underwhelming season, totalling just 41 runs. If he can summon the spirit which helped him score a mesmerising 19-ball 62 in LSG’s one-wicket win at the Chinnaswamy in 2023, it will be timely.The LSG bowling has largely held up well, with veteran Mohammed Shami still in fine fettle. But it will face its toughest test yet against RCB’s marauding willow wielders at one of the best venues for batting.Published on Apr 14, 2026</div> #RCB #LSG #IPL #Inform #Royal #Challengers #Bengaluru #extend #winning #run #Lucknow #Super #Giants

#Deadspin #Dillon #Dingler #Tigers #overwhelm #Red #Sox">

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Apr 19, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) celebrates his three run home run against the Boston Red Sox during the fifth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Dillon Dingler finished a triple shy of the cycle on a 4-for-5, four-RBI day and Framber Valdez pitched six innings of one-run ball, leading the Detroit Tigers to a 6-2 win over the host Boston Red Sox on Sunday.

Detroit rocked four total extra-base hits — including fifth-inning homers by Jahmai Jones and Dingler — off Boston’s Garrett Crochet (2-3), who had allowed a career-worst 11 runs in 1 2/3 innings to the Minnesota Twins in his last start on April 13. The southpaw did strike out eight Tigers but allowed five runs on seven hits through five frames in his second straight setback.

Matt Vierling and Javier Baez also had multiple hits for the Tigers, who have won back-to-back games in the four-game series.

Valdez (2-1) struck out seven across his six innings of three-hit ball, with a Willson Contreras home run marking the only Boston run against him.

Crochet could not escape the first inning unscathed as Vierling and Dingler knocked consecutive doubles with two outs and two strikes to lift Detroit to an early lead.

The hosts immediately punched back as Contreras tied the game with a two-out homer out to left-center. Valdez limited the damage with an inning-ending strikeout of Ceddanne Rafaela after Trevor Story singled and Wilyer Abreu walked following the solo shot.

Crochet looked to settle in after the early run, dialing up two strikeouts in three of his next four innings. That stretch included stranding Dingler on base after a leadoff single in the fourth.

However, Detroit changed the game by socking a pair of two-out homers against Boston’s ace lefty in the fifth. Jones broke up a string of five straight Tigers retired when he crushed his first of the season, a 423-foot blast over the deepest part of the Green Monster in center field.

After Jones’ homer, Gleyber Torres walked and Vierling singled to keep the line moving, then Dingler broke the score open with a three-run shot to straightaway center.

The run support was more than enough for Valdez, who allowed just one hit — Rafaela’s two-out double in the fourth — after the opening frame before making way for the bullpen. Kyle Finnegan and Will Vest each threw scoreless innings.

In the ninth, the Tigers plated another run off Boston reliever Jack Anderson. After Baez hit a leadoff single and Kerry Carpenter walked, Torres dropped an RBI single just inside the right-field line.

Caleb Durbin’s two-out double off the wall in left brought the Red Sox a run closer, but right-hander Connor Seabold finished the final frame without any further damage.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Dillon #Dingler #Tigers #overwhelm #Red #Sox">Deadspin | Dillon Dingler, Tigers overwhelm Red Sox

Apr 19, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) celebrates his three run home run against the Boston Red Sox during the fifth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Dillon Dingler finished a triple shy of the cycle on a 4-for-5, four-RBI day and Framber Valdez pitched six innings of one-run ball, leading the Detroit Tigers to a 6-2 win over the host Boston Red Sox on Sunday.

Detroit rocked four total extra-base hits — including fifth-inning homers by Jahmai Jones and Dingler — off Boston’s Garrett Crochet (2-3), who had allowed a career-worst 11 runs in 1 2/3 innings to the Minnesota Twins in his last start on April 13. The southpaw did strike out eight Tigers but allowed five runs on seven hits through five frames in his second straight setback.

Matt Vierling and Javier Baez also had multiple hits for the Tigers, who have won back-to-back games in the four-game series.

Valdez (2-1) struck out seven across his six innings of three-hit ball, with a Willson Contreras home run marking the only Boston run against him.

Crochet could not escape the first inning unscathed as Vierling and Dingler knocked consecutive doubles with two outs and two strikes to lift Detroit to an early lead.

The hosts immediately punched back as Contreras tied the game with a two-out homer out to left-center. Valdez limited the damage with an inning-ending strikeout of Ceddanne Rafaela after Trevor Story singled and Wilyer Abreu walked following the solo shot.

Crochet looked to settle in after the early run, dialing up two strikeouts in three of his next four innings. That stretch included stranding Dingler on base after a leadoff single in the fourth.

However, Detroit changed the game by socking a pair of two-out homers against Boston’s ace lefty in the fifth. Jones broke up a string of five straight Tigers retired when he crushed his first of the season, a 423-foot blast over the deepest part of the Green Monster in center field.

After Jones’ homer, Gleyber Torres walked and Vierling singled to keep the line moving, then Dingler broke the score open with a three-run shot to straightaway center.

The run support was more than enough for Valdez, who allowed just one hit — Rafaela’s two-out double in the fourth — after the opening frame before making way for the bullpen. Kyle Finnegan and Will Vest each threw scoreless innings.

In the ninth, the Tigers plated another run off Boston reliever Jack Anderson. After Baez hit a leadoff single and Kerry Carpenter walked, Torres dropped an RBI single just inside the right-field line.

Caleb Durbin’s two-out double off the wall in left brought the Red Sox a run closer, but right-hander Connor Seabold finished the final frame without any further damage.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Dillon #Dingler #Tigers #overwhelm #Red #Sox

GLENDALE, AZ – JANUARY 08: OL Francis Mauigoa #61 of the Miami Hurricanes readies for play during the Miami Hurricanes versus Ole Miss Rebels College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on January 8, 2026, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Action picks up during the 2026 NFL Draft when the No. 3 pick hits the clock on Thursday night.

Although the Arizona Cardinals currently hold the No. 3 pick, rumors of a potential trade are growing increasingly louder. Multiple mock drafts this week from ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Gennaro Filice from NFL.com have Arizona making a first-round trade — although both analysts differ on when the Cardinals might make a move.

Arizona could keep the pick and potentially go with the elite defensive talent the New York Jets (presumably) don’t take. Or the Cardinals might find a suitable trade down to pursue a new long-term quarterback or offensive tackle later in the first round.

All the moving parts make for an interesting week for FanDuel Sportsbook’s NFL Draft Number 3 Overall Pick market.

The last several weeks Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey (+150) and Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese (+210) established themselves as the likely picks behind quarterback Francisco Mendoza. FanDuel gives Reese the edge for No. 2 pick at -150 odds. That would leave Bailey as the most talented defensive player on the board for No. 3. That’s the scenario currently playing out in SB Nation’s latest NFL mock draft from James Dator — with Arizona ultimately keeping the No. 3 pick to select Bailey.

Should the Cardinals (or a trade partner) opt to go another direction besides Bailey or Reese at No. 3, Miami (FL) offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa (+420) is next in FanDuel’s odds. Linked early and often to the Cardinals in previous mock drafts, questions surrounding Mauigoa’s back could drop him a few selections. But if Mauigoa’s health checks out, Arizona could continue a busy off-season overhauling its offensive line.

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (+950) is a wildcard for the No. 3 pick. The electric Fighting Irish playmaker is the FanDuel favorite for the No. 4 pick to the Tennessee Titans (+100 No. 4 pick odds). If another team coveted Love and wanted to make a move for him, Arizona is rumored to be a willing trade partner and could facilitate a jump over Tennessee.

Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles and Miami (FL) EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. (both +1800) are other potential options to watch with the third pick. Utah offensive tackle

Spencer Fano (+2700) is the only other draft prospect under 40/1 odds for the third pick.

#Arizona #Cardinals #NFL #draft #odds #favorites #sleeper #pick">

Arizona Cardinals NFL draft odds: 2 favorites and 1 sleeper for No. 3 overall pick

GLENDALE, AZ – JANUARY 08: OL Francis Mauigoa #61 of the Miami Hurricanes readies for play during the Miami Hurricanes versus Ole Miss Rebels College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on January 8, 2026, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Action picks up during the 2026 NFL Draft when the No. 3 pick hits the clock on Thursday night.

Although the Arizona Cardinals currently hold the No. 3 pick, rumors of a potential trade are growing increasingly louder. Multiple mock drafts this week from ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Gennaro Filice from NFL.com have Arizona making a first-round trade — although both analysts differ on when the Cardinals might make a move.

Arizona could keep the pick and potentially go with the elite defensive talent the New York Jets (presumably) don’t take. Or the Cardinals might find a suitable trade down to pursue a new long-term quarterback or offensive tackle later in the first round.

All the moving parts make for an interesting week for FanDuel Sportsbook’s NFL Draft Number 3 Overall Pick market.

The last several weeks Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey (+150) and Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese (+210) established themselves as the likely picks behind quarterback Francisco Mendoza. FanDuel gives Reese the edge for No. 2 pick at -150 odds. That would leave Bailey as the most talented defensive player on the board for No. 3. That’s the scenario currently playing out in SB Nation’s latest NFL mock draft from James Dator — with Arizona ultimately keeping the No. 3 pick to select Bailey.

Should the Cardinals (or a trade partner) opt to go another direction besides Bailey or Reese at No. 3, Miami (FL) offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa (+420) is next in FanDuel’s odds. Linked early and often to the Cardinals in previous mock drafts, questions surrounding Mauigoa’s back could drop him a few selections. But if Mauigoa’s health checks out, Arizona could continue a busy off-season overhauling its offensive line.

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (+950) is a wildcard for the No. 3 pick. The electric Fighting Irish playmaker is the FanDuel favorite for the No. 4 pick to the Tennessee Titans (+100 No. 4 pick odds). If another team coveted Love and wanted to make a move for him, Arizona is rumored to be a willing trade partner and could facilitate a jump over Tennessee.

Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles and Miami (FL) EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. (both +1800) are other potential options to watch with the third pick. Utah offensive tackle

Spencer Fano (+2700) is the only other draft prospect under 40/1 odds for the third pick. #Arizona #Cardinals #NFL #draft #odds #favorites #sleeper #pick

mwasimuddin125 0

GLENDALE, AZ – JANUARY 08: OL Francis Mauigoa #61 of the Miami Hurricanes readies for play during the Miami Hurricanes versus Ole Miss Rebels College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on January 8, 2026, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Action picks up during the 2026 NFL Draft when the No. 3 pick hits the clock on Thursday night.

Although the Arizona Cardinals currently hold the No. 3 pick, rumors of a potential trade are growing increasingly louder. Multiple mock drafts this week from ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Gennaro Filice from NFL.com have Arizona making a first-round trade — although both analysts differ on when the Cardinals might make a move.

Arizona could keep the pick and potentially go with the elite defensive talent the New York Jets (presumably) don’t take. Or the Cardinals might find a suitable trade down to pursue a new long-term quarterback or offensive tackle later in the first round.

All the moving parts make for an interesting week for FanDuel Sportsbook’s NFL Draft Number 3 Overall Pick market.

The last several weeks Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey (+150) and Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese (+210) established themselves as the likely picks behind quarterback Francisco Mendoza. FanDuel gives Reese the edge for No. 2 pick at -150 odds. That would leave Bailey as the most talented defensive player on the board for No. 3. That’s the scenario currently playing out in SB Nation’s latest NFL mock draft from James Dator — with Arizona ultimately keeping the No. 3 pick to select Bailey.

Should the Cardinals (or a trade partner) opt to go another direction besides Bailey or Reese at No. 3, Miami (FL) offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa (+420) is next in FanDuel’s odds. Linked early and often to the Cardinals in previous mock drafts, questions surrounding Mauigoa’s back could drop him a few selections. But if Mauigoa’s health checks out, Arizona could continue a busy off-season overhauling its offensive line.

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (+950) is a wildcard for the No. 3 pick. The electric Fighting Irish playmaker is the FanDuel favorite for the No. 4 pick to the Tennessee Titans (+100 No. 4 pick odds). If another team coveted Love and wanted to make a move for him, Arizona is rumored to be a willing trade partner and could facilitate a jump over Tennessee.

Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles and Miami (FL) EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. (both +1800) are other potential options to watch with the third pick. Utah offensive tackle

Spencer Fano (+2700) is the only other draft prospect under 40/1 odds for the third pick.
#Arizona #Cardinals #NFL #draft #odds #favorites #sleeper #pick">Arizona Cardinals NFL draft odds: 2 favorites and 1 sleeper for No. 3 overall pick

GLENDALE, AZ – JANUARY 08: OL Francis Mauigoa #61 of the Miami Hurricanes readies for play during the Miami Hurricanes versus Ole Miss Rebels College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on January 8, 2026, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Action picks up during the 2026 NFL Draft when the No. 3 pick hits the clock on Thursday night.

Although the Arizona Cardinals currently hold the No. 3 pick, rumors of a potential trade are growing increasingly louder. Multiple mock drafts this week from ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Gennaro Filice from NFL.com have Arizona making a first-round trade — although both analysts differ on when the Cardinals might make a move.

Arizona could keep the pick and potentially go with the elite defensive talent the New York Jets (presumably) don’t take. Or the Cardinals might find a suitable trade down to pursue a new long-term quarterback or offensive tackle later in the first round.

All the moving parts make for an interesting week for FanDuel Sportsbook’s NFL Draft Number 3 Overall Pick market.

The last several weeks Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey (+150) and Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese (+210) established themselves as the likely picks behind quarterback Francisco Mendoza. FanDuel gives Reese the edge for No. 2 pick at -150 odds. That would leave Bailey as the most talented defensive player on the board for No. 3. That’s the scenario currently playing out in SB Nation’s latest NFL mock draft from James Dator — with Arizona ultimately keeping the No. 3 pick to select Bailey.

Should the Cardinals (or a trade partner) opt to go another direction besides Bailey or Reese at No. 3, Miami (FL) offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa (+420) is next in FanDuel’s odds. Linked early and often to the Cardinals in previous mock drafts, questions surrounding Mauigoa’s back could drop him a few selections. But if Mauigoa’s health checks out, Arizona could continue a busy off-season overhauling its offensive line.

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (+950) is a wildcard for the No. 3 pick. The electric Fighting Irish playmaker is the FanDuel favorite for the No. 4 pick to the Tennessee Titans (+100 No. 4 pick odds). If another team coveted Love and wanted to make a move for him, Arizona is rumored to be a willing trade partner and could facilitate a jump over Tennessee.

Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles and Miami (FL) EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. (both +1800) are other potential options to watch with the third pick. Utah offensive tackle

Spencer Fano (+2700) is the only other draft prospect under 40/1 odds for the third pick.
#Arizona #Cardinals #NFL #draft #odds #favorites #sleeper #pick

In two games spread across 10 days in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League, David Miller’s output as a finisher has generated markedly contrasting outcomes.

If he was chastised for his failure to lead Delhi Capitals to victory against Gujarat Titans on April 8, he was celebrated for his boundary-laden exploits against Royal Challengers Bengaluru last Saturday.

DC’s one-run defeat to GT polarised opinion, especially because Miller had a chance to secure a tie off the penultimate ball. With two runs needed off two deliveries, the southpaw refused an easy single on offer in an attempt to get the job done off his own bat.

ALSO READ | IPL: Sunrisers Hyderabad hosts Delhi Capitals in clash of aggression and pragmatism

The decision stung as he failed to make contact with the final ball. It is a testament to the 36-year-old’s vast experience that he was able to brush the disappointment aside when confronted with a nervy chase against RCB.

DC coach Hemang Badani said on Monday that he concurred with Miller’s call against Titans.

“First and foremost, we need to understand that he’s somebody who’s been around for a very long time. Yes, it’s heartbreaking to lose a game like the one we lost against Gujarat. And there was enough chatter about it on social media, on the news, on the telly and even by the broadcaster. But the bottom line is that the player takes a call at some time,” Badani said.

“And sometimes you get the right call, sometimes you don’t get the right call. And I still believe that he took the right call. But to come out of that, he’s shown character,” he added.

Published on Apr 20, 2026

#Miller #shown #character #heartbreak #Gujarat #Titans #Delhi #Capitals #coach #Badani">

Miller has shown character after heartbreak against Gujarat Titans, says Delhi Capitals coach Badani In two games spread across 10 days in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League, David Miller’s output as a finisher has generated markedly contrasting outcomes.If he was chastised for his failure to lead Delhi Capitals to victory against Gujarat Titans on April 8, he was celebrated for his boundary-laden exploits against Royal Challengers Bengaluru last Saturday.DC’s one-run defeat to GT polarised opinion, especially because Miller had a chance to secure a tie off the penultimate ball. With two runs needed off two deliveries, the southpaw refused an easy single on offer in an attempt to get the job done off his own bat.ALSO READ | IPL: Sunrisers Hyderabad hosts Delhi Capitals in clash of aggression and pragmatismThe decision stung as he failed to make contact with the final ball. It is a testament to the 36-year-old’s vast experience that he was able to brush the disappointment aside when confronted with a nervy chase against RCB.DC coach Hemang Badani said on Monday that he concurred with Miller’s call against Titans.“First and foremost, we need to understand that he’s somebody who’s been around for a very long time. Yes, it’s heartbreaking to lose a game like the one we lost against Gujarat. And there was enough chatter about it on social media, on the news, on the telly and even by the broadcaster. But the bottom line is that the player takes a call at some time,” Badani said.“And sometimes you get the right call, sometimes you don’t get the right call. And I still believe that he took the right call. But to come out of that, he’s shown character,” he added.Published on Apr 20, 2026 #Miller #shown #character #heartbreak #Gujarat #Titans #Delhi #Capitals #coach #Badani

mwasimuddin125 0

In two games spread across 10 days in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League, David Miller’s output as a finisher has generated markedly contrasting outcomes.
If he was chastised for his failure to lead Delhi Capitals to victory against Gujarat Titans on April 8, he was celebrated for his boundary-laden exploits against Royal Challengers Bengaluru last Saturday.
DC’s one-run defeat to GT polarised opinion, especially because Miller had a chance to secure a tie off the penultimate ball. With two runs needed off two deliveries, the southpaw refused an easy single on offer in an attempt to get the job done off his own bat.
ALSO READ | IPL: Sunrisers Hyderabad hosts Delhi Capitals in clash of aggression and pragmatism
The decision stung as he failed to make contact with the final ball. It is a testament to the 36-year-old’s vast experience that he was able to brush the disappointment aside when confronted with a nervy chase against RCB.
DC coach Hemang Badani said on Monday that he concurred with Miller’s call against Titans.
“First and foremost, we need to understand that he’s somebody who’s been around for a very long time. Yes, it’s heartbreaking to lose a game like the one we lost against Gujarat. And there was enough chatter about it on social media, on the news, on the telly and even by the broadcaster. But the bottom line is that the player takes a call at some time,” Badani said.
“And sometimes you get the right call, sometimes you don’t get the right call. And I still believe that he took the right call. But to come out of that, he’s shown character,” he added.
Published on Apr 20, 2026

#Miller #shown #character #heartbreak #Gujarat #Titans #Delhi #Capitals #coach #Badani">Miller has shown character after heartbreak against Gujarat Titans, says Delhi Capitals coach Badani

In two games spread across 10 days in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League, David Miller’s output as a finisher has generated markedly contrasting outcomes.

ALSO READ | IPL: Sunrisers Hyderabad hosts Delhi Capitals in clash of aggression and pragmatism

DC coach Hemang Badani said on Monday that he concurred with Miller’s call against Titans.

“And sometimes you get the right call, sometimes you don’t get the right call. And I still believe that he took the right call. But to come out of that, he’s shown character,” he added.

Published on Apr 20, 2026

#Miller #shown #character #heartbreak #Gujarat #Titans #Delhi #Capitals #coach #Badani

Winner: The Mystics drafting Lauren Betts

Loser: Golden State Valkyries

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