DALLAS– The No. 3-seeded LSU Tigers (33-2) completed a fourth quarter comeback to take down No. 1-seeded Virginia Tech (31-5), 79-72, inside American Airlines Arena in Dallas to advance to the National Championship on Sunday night.
LSU will play for a national championship in basketball for the first time in program history. The women’s program had previously reached five consecutive women’s Final Fours from 2004-08, but the Tigers never advanced past the national semifinal – until now.
The Tigers will face No. 2 Iowa for the national championship, as the Hawkeyes knocked off No. 1 South Carolina late Friday, 77-73. LSU and Iowa have met three times in women’s basketball history, most recently on Nov. 25, 1990.
Sunday’s National Championship will air on ABC at 3:30 p.m. CT. The Women’s Basketball program will look to capture LSU’s 50thnational championship as an athletics department.
An unbelievably dominant fourth quarter powered the Tigers to victory on Friday. LSU outscored Virginia Tech 29-13 in the final frame to come-from-behind and secure a seven-point win. The Tigers were led by and fifth-year senior Alexis Morris and sophomore forward Angel Reese, who scored 27 points and 24 points, respectively.
Elizabeth Kitley led the Hokies with 18 points and 12 rebounds, the only other player on the floor to capture a double-double alongside Reese. Virginia Tech also finished with two other players in double figures as Kayana Traylor and Georgia Amoore both tallied 17 points.
In just her second season in Baton Rouge, Mulkey will serve as the head coach in a National Championship game for the fourth time in her career. She has won every such game she has coached, winning NCAA Championships at Baylor in 2005, 2012 and 2019. She will look to become the first NCAA DI Women’s Basketball Coach with NCAA Championships at multiple schools. Mulkey is already the first person – men’s or women’s – with NCAA DI Championships as a player, assistant coach and head coach.
Major League Baseball says it is investigating a confrontation between Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon and an Athletics fan at Thursday's season opener in Oakland.
In a 12-second video posted on social media, Rendon grabs the fan by the shirt through the guardrails and accuses the fan of calling him a "b----." Rendon continues to challenge the fan as he denies the claim. Rendon then calls the fan a "motherf---er" and takes a swipe, which does not connect, as he lets go of the shirt and proceeds to leave the area.
No video showing what led to the altercation was immediately available.
"We are aware of the video and we are now looking into the matter," MLB said in a statement.
The Angels said they had no comment on the situation and that Rendon would discuss what happened with reporters before Saturday's game against Oakland.
Rendon was 0-for-3 in the Angels' 2-1, Opening Day loss to the Athletics. He missed the majority of 2022 after undergoing right wrist surgery during the season.
The madness of March is, I regret to inform you, officially coming to an end. After 64 NCAA Tournament games across multiple weeks of action, the Final Four is set to get underway Saturday on what will be the first day of April. There are two evening games with two winners going to the title game and the two losers headed home.
We've been with you every step of the way crunching the numbers and casting our picks for every single game -- both straight up and against the spread -- so as we put a bow on this year's tournament, I've assembled the team for one more weekend of picks. Our expert brackets may offer some help on this front as well.
While surviving and advancing is clearly what matters for most, we care about whether these teams will cover the spreads, and we've tracked the season since November to be able to offer our own thoughts on every game.
Be sure to stick with CBS Sports throughout the final weekend of the NCAA Tournament for full March Madness coverage as the Final Four wraps up and we crown a national champion.
Saturday, 6:09 p.m. | CBS, March Madness Live: I'm laying the points with the favorites in both games so that first means, like half of our staff, that I'm taking the Aztecs to win and cover the 2-point spread. SDSU matches up very well with FAU with a top-two 3-point defense pitted against an FAU team that shoots 3-pointers at a high volume and makes them at an impressive clip. No team has shot it well on SDSU from 3-point range, and I'm taking the stab here that FAU -- to its demise -- won't be the first. Pick: SDSU -2
Saturday, 8:49 p.m. | CBS, March Madness Live: UConn is on a dominant run with four wins of 15 or more points en route to its Final Four appearance. Miami, meanwhile, has covered in every game during the NCAA Tournament and has been at its best as an underdog; it is 9-2 on the season ATS. So something has to give, and I think the 'Canes side folds. The Huskies are playing in a different stratosphere than everyone else in the field right now and have the inside-out balance to win in a similar fashion as they have done all postseason.Pick: UConn -5.5
Hope springs eternal and another season began for the New York Mets on Thursday as they took on the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. It was a battle of Cy Young winners as Max Scherzer took on the reigning award winner in Sandy Alcantara.
Even with both aces on the mound, the game ultimately came down to a battle of the bullpens and thanks to clutch double by Brandon Nimmo, the Mets were able to pick up a 5-3 victory to begin 2023 on a great note.
The Mets first run of the game came in the top of the third. Daniel Vogelbach led off the inning with a four-pitch walk. Two batters later, Omar Narváez would pick up the first Met hit of the season with a single to right. With runners on the corners and one out, Brandon Nimmo drove in the first run of the season on a sacrifice fly to left. While Narváez was caught in a rundown between first and second, New York took a 1-0 lead.
In the top of the sixth, the Mets added on two more runs against Alcántara. With one out, Nimmo drew a walk and Starling Marte singled to center and advanced to second on an error by Jazz Chisholm Jr.Francisco Lindor would end up driving in Nimmo on a sac fly of his own to make the score 2-0.
Later in the inning, Pete Alonso drew a walk to give Jeff McNeil an RBI chance. Despite McNeil picking up an automatic strike during his at-bat, the second baseman was able to single up the middle to extend the lead to 3-0.
After an automatic strike was called, Jeff McNeil poked one up the middle anyway for a clutch RBI single.
That would end Alcántara’s day as he went 5.2 innings, allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits, walked four, and struck out two on 96 pitches (57 strikes) in what ended up being a no-decision. The four walks he allowed were the most he has allowed in an outing since May 1, 2022.
Scherzer was helped by his defense as the Mets turned two key double plays in the first four innings. In the first, the Arráez single was quickly erased by a Jean Segura 1-6-3 double play. Then, in the fourth, Garrett Cooper hit into a 4-6-3 inning-ending double play that was started by a nice play from Lindor.
Another double play to help Max Scherzer get through his fourth scoreless frame of work. pic.twitter.com/zml3MXDBTo
Miami did find a way to get to Scherzer in the sixth. Jacob Stallings led off the frame with a double to left center. Two batters later, Arráez picked up a double of his own. His second hit of the game drove in Stallings to cut the Mets lead to 3-1. Cooper would end up erasing the lead with a two-run home run to right center with two outs that tied the game at three.
Overall, Scherzer had a solid outing, but the sixth prevented it from being a great one. The right-hander went six innings, allowed three run on four hits, walked two, and struck out six on 92 pitches (64 strikes) in the win. Out of the 22 batters that he faced, 18 of them saw a first-pitch strike.
It wouldn’t take long for the Mets to take back the lead. With Tanner Scott in the game, Escobar drove a single and Narváez walked. That paved the way for Brandon Nimmo to be the hero as he hit a two- run double to center. Due to the ball getting past Chisholm Jr., it allowed both Escobar and Narváez to score and put the Mets in front, 5-3.
And the Mets are back in the lead! Brandon Nimmo hits a two-run double and now has three RBIs on the day. pic.twitter.com/fovVavcjZ5
Overall, Nimmo drove in three runs and became the first Met to drive in three runs on Opening Day since 2018.
In addition to Nimmo’s success on offense, Marte and McNeil each had a pair of hits in the victory.
After Scherzer left the game, Drew Smith came in and threw a scoreless seventh inning. He allowed one hit and struck out two on 19 pitches (10 strikes) as he got the win.
Brooks Raley made his Mets debut in the eighth and ended up shutting the Marlins offense down. He threw a 1-2-3 eighth inning and struck out two on 12 pitches (9 strikes).
David Robertson got the first save opportunity of the year and struck out two batters in a 1-2-3 inning of his own on 16 pitches (9 strikes).
Player Of The Game
Brandon Nimmo gets the first Player of the Game for the 2023 season. Not only did Nimmo drive in three runs, but he put up solid at-bats all game long. In the third, he got ahead of Alcántara 2-0 in the count and was able to take a sinker on the outer half to left for the sacrifice fly.
Nimmo would draw a four-pitch walk in the fifth. Then, in the seventh against a left-hander in Scott, the Mets center fielder got a slider that was at the lower half of the zone and drove it into center for the game-winning hit.
On Deck
The Mets and Marlins will be back in action in the second game of their four-game series on Friday night. You can catch the game at 6:40 p.m ET on SNY or MLB Network. It will be a battle of southpaws as David Peterson goes for the Mets against Jesus Luzardo for the Marlins.
NEW YORK -- One way or another, Aaron Judge was going to open the 2023 season at Yankee Stadium. Either he would re-sign with the New York Yankees and return a hero or sign with his hometown-ish San Francisco Giants and return as a potential villain. Judge remained with the Yankees, of course, and he led his club to a 5-0 season-opening win against the Giants on Thursday.
"That's pretty good," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said about the Opening Day win. "When your ace goes out there and punches 11 in six innings and the bullpen -- everyone kind of had a hand in it, we were able to add on a couple insurance runs with good quality at-bats late ... Just crisp, which you like to see on Opening Day."
This was the first time the Yankees and Giants ever met on Opening Day, despite a rivalry that dates back to the Polo Grounds days. The Yankees and Giants have met seven times in the World Series, the second most ever. Fandom still gets passed down through the generations and there were a lot of New York-based Giants fans at Yankee Stadium on Thursday.
Here's what you need to know about the Yankees' Opening Day win over the Giants.
"I was just trying to make solid contact," Judge said after the game. "Especially with a guy like Logan, got that nasty sinker-changeup mix. Lot of balls on the ground, lot of weak contact. Just trying to elevate a pitch and get it in the air best I could. I didn't expect that to happen. Try to swing at strikes."
Judge broke Roger Maris' 61-year-old AL home run record last year and Maris too went deep on Opening Day the year after his record-setting season. He finished with 33 home runs in 1962 after hitting 61 in 1961. Thursday's blast is Judge's first career Opening Day homer. He hit his first homer in his sixth game last season, and went deep just once in his first 13 games.
Webb, it should be noted, allowed just one home run in his final 10 starts last season. He is one of the game's great ground ball pitchers and home run avoiders. Case in point: Webb threw 1,826 sinkers the last two years and gave up only six homers on the pitch. It's not often someone goes yard against Webb's sinker. Then again, Judge isn't most hitters.
Gleyber Torres took Webb deep in the fourth inning, a two-run shot into Yankee Stadium's short right field porch for a 3-0 New York lead. Webb allowed two homers in his final 68 innings in 2022, then he allowed two homers in his first four innings of 2023. This sport, it's a weird one.
Cole and Webb set Opening Day strikeout records
With two great pitchers on the mound, strikeouts were prevalent at Yankee Stadium on Opening Day. Webb and Gerrit Cole both set a new franchise record for strikeouts on Opening Day. Webb punched out 12 batters in six innings, while Cole fanned 11 in six shutout innings. There were 32 strikeouts in the game overall (16 by Giants pitchers and 16 by Yankees pitchers).
Here are the highest Opening Day strikeout totals in the history of the two franchises:
"It was nice to get a lead right out of the chute with Aaron," Cole said. "To be able to attack the middle of the strike zone, and then we continued to tack on from there and I just tried to be as efficient as I could."
Cole led baseball with 257 strikeouts last season and is one of the game's preeminent strikeout pitchers. Webb is a ground ball guy more than a strikeout guy. Thursday was his fourth career double-digit strikeout game and the 12 strikeouts are a new career high. Webb is already one of the best pitchers in the sport. He can be even better if he adds strikeouts to all those grounders.
Thursday's game is the third Opening Day ever with two double-digit strikeout pitchers. Max Scherzer (12) and Jacob deGrom (10) did it in 2019, and Dave McNally (13) and Sam McDowell (11) did it in 1970. Scherzer and deGrom pitched for the Nationals and Mets, respectively. McNally vs. McDowell was an Orioles vs. Cleveland game.
The all-time record is 15 strikeouts on Opening Day by Camilo Pascual of the Senators. He struck out 15 Red Sox on the first day of the 1960 season.
Volpe debuts in the Bronx
Only Judge received a louder ovation during pregame introductions than Anthony Volpe. Volpe, the Yankees' No. 1 prospect and their new starting shortstop, became the youngest Yankee to start Opening Day since Derek Jeter in 1996. Living up to expectations, he came prepared with a quality Roll Call response, kissing the NY on his jersey when the Bleacher Creatures chanted his name.
The kid knows how make the people happy. We can say that for sure.
"It was probably the most fun day of my entire life," Volpe said. "The pregame festivities, I probably had goosebumps the whole day. Just to be out there and feel like I got welcomed by the fans the way I did, and then be able to go out and just play. That was the best part."
On the field, Volpe's MLB debut was fairly uneventful. He worked a seven-pitch walk against an excellent pitcher (Webb) in his first at-bat, then stole second base. He also made a nice play at short coming on a weakly hit grounder later in the game.
Volpe struck out with runners on the corners and one out in the seventh inning and went 0 for 2 with the walk in his debut. Friday is an off-day, so the 21-year-old New Jersey native will try again to record his first big-league hit Saturday afternoon.
"I thought really well," Boone said of Volpe's first game. "First AB gets the big walk, steals a base, handled the routine plays in the field, turned the double play, had the right at-bats."
Conforto played his first game since 2021
After missing out on Judge this past offseason, the Giants pivoted to another New York outfielder, and gave former Mets stalwart Michael Conforto a two-year deal worth $36 million with an opt out. Conforto did not play last year after suffering a shoulder injury last January and eventually having surgery.
Opening Day was Conforto's first MLB game since Game 162 in 2019. He went 1 for 4 and served a single to left field for his first big-league hit in 18 months. That single had to have felt good. It's been a long road back for Conforto, who turned only 30 earlier this month and authored a .259/.364/.473 line from 2017-21. It might take a while to shake off the rust, but Conforto has been a very good hitter throughout his career. Nifty signing by San Francisco.
Yankees still a work in progress
Because of all their spring training injuries -- they placed nine players on the MLB injured list Thursday -- the Yankees opened the season with 14 position players and 12 pitchers on the active roster rather than the usual 13/13 split. That will not last. Manager Aaron Boone strongly implied the club had a deal lined up to add a pitcher Thursday morning.
"We're going with just seven guys in the pen obviously with an off-day tomorrow," Boone said prior to the Opening Day win. "We have a potential deal going that'll probably change that moving forward in the next day or two, a pitcher could be in play for us, that we add or not. Whether or not we do, we'd be in a position to pull from the minor leagues, too."
The move seemingly came down following Thursday's win when the Yankees added spin rate righty Colten Brewer, who used an opt out clause in his contract with the AL East rival Tampa Bay Rays to sign with New York.
Brewer, 30, spent last season in Triple-A with the Kansas City Royals. He struck out 42 batters in 39 2/3 relief innings, but had a 4.76 ERA and surrendered seven homers in those 39 2/3 innings. Brewer has a 5.04 ERA in 91 career big league innings.
Up next
Friday is an off-day, then the Yankees and Giants continue their season-opening three game series Saturday afternoon. There is some rain in the forecast that day, though there appears a large enough window to play nine innings uninterrupted. Righties Clarke Schmidt (5-5, 3.12 ERA in 2022) and Alex Cobb (7-8, 3.73 ERA in 2022) are the scheduled starting pitchers.
The ace right-hander Justin Verlander’s being put on the injured list will test the team’s depth, but Max Scherzer and the Mets’ bullpen were enough to beat Miami.
MIAMI — Thursday was supposed to be the triumphant opening act of the Mets’ highly anticipated 2023 season. Steven A. Cohen, the team’s billionaire owner, committed a record $377 million to payroll, according to estimates, and that’s before the roughly $105 million luxury tax bill arrives. Money doesn’t guarantee a championship but it certainly improves the odds.
Case in point: The Miami Marlins started their ace, the right-hander Sandy Alcantara, the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner, on Thursday. The Mets countered with the right-hander Max Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner whom Cohen lured to New York with a record annual salary before last season. But when both stumbled by allowing three runs, Brandon Nimmo, the outfielder the Mets re-signed this off-season for $162 million over eight years, delivered the tiebreaking two-run double in the seventh inning of a 5-3 win.
“It was exciting to get back out there,” Nimmo said afterward. “And it felt like a home game. There was a lot ‘Let’s go Mets!’ chants.”
But just over two hours before the first pitch at loanDepot Park, the Mets announced that their most high-profile addition of the off-season, the pitcher whom they envisioned would help them get deeper into the postseason after an early exit last year, would begin the season on the injured list. Justin Verlander, last year’s American League Cy Young Award winner, had what the team called a low grade strain of a shoulder muscle.
Mets players had plenty of fans cheering for them in Miami.Saul Martinez for The New York Times
“Not the way I wanted my Mets tenure to start, that’s for sure,” said Verlander, who is signed to a two-year, $87 million deal. “I put in a ton of work to not have things like this happen.”
He added later, “I take a lot of pride and I love pitching. I just want to be out there and to not be able to do that, especially with a new team and a new fan base, just doesn’t feel great.”
The Major League Baseball regular season is 162 games over roughly six months, so there is plenty of time. Both Mets General Manager Billy Eppler and Verlander stressed that the magnetic resonance imaging examination of Verlander’s right shoulder revealed a “very minimal” injury to his teres major, a muscle that runs from the lower end of the shoulder blade through the arm pit.
Max Scherzer was not at his best, allowing three earned runs in six innings, but that was enough to earn the win.Saul Martinez for The New York Times
During his last start of spring training, Verlander, 40, felt something minor in his side that he chalked up to the usual soreness of pitching and tweaking his mechanics. But the feeling lingered into Wednesday, when he threw a bullpen session in anticipation of what was supposed to be his Mets debut on Saturday.
“The fact that I’m going to be able to continue to throw is showing how minor of an injury it is,” he said. “But still, there is something there. If this was a different point in the season, particularly late in the year, I think pitching is definitely on the table. Playoffs, I’m definitely pitching. Being the beginning of the season and coming off spring training, it just makes too much sense to not push it right now and risk three months when it could be much, much, much, much, much less than that.”
Verlander, however, is not the only key player the Mets are missing to start this season of high expectations. Edwin Díaz, the best closer in baseball, whom the Mets re-signed to a record-setting five-year, $102 million deal this off-season, was expected to miss the entire season following surgery to repair a patellar tendon in his knee he tore during the World Baseball Classic. José Quintana, the veteran left-handed starter who joined the Mets on a two-year, $26 million deal in December, may be out until the summer because of a stress fracture in a rib and a lesion on his side that required surgery.
Justin Verlander is hoping he will be back quickly from a trip to the injured list.Saul Martinez for The New York Times
In an N.L. East in which the Atlanta Braves are the defending division winners and the Philadelphia Phillies are the defending pennant winners, the Mets have little margin for error. The massive spending, Eppler pointed out, was part of Cohen’s plan to make the Mets contenders when he took over as the owner. His goal, Eppler said, is to stick with a high-spending strategy as the farm system is restocked so that in the future the team could use free agency “a little bit more as a luxury rather than necessity.”
So now is the time to lean on the depth the Mets have amassed. Tylor Megill, who had a 5.13 E.R.A. last year, will come up from Class AAA and substitute for Verlander, a three-time Cy Young Award winner. David Peterson, who will start the Mets’ second game of the season on Friday, will fill Quintana’s void.
And in terms of a closer, Manager Buck Showalter said he will lean on several relievers but he pointed out that the veteran right-hander David Robertson, another off-season addition, had the most experience in that role. With two strikeouts and a flyout, Robertson earned the save on Thursday.
“I’ve never been part of a team from start to finish, no matter how good of a team, whether it’s a World Series-winning team or playoff team or whatever, that didn’t deal with injuries throughout the course of the season,” Verlander said. “It just seems like it piled up a little bit at the very beginning of the season. But maybe we’re getting it all out of the way now.”
Brandon Nimmo went 1 for 3 on Thursday and drove in three runs in the Mets’ win.Lynne Sladky/Associated Press
Showalter said the Mets haven’t dwelled on those recent misfortunes, and he insisted that Verlander’s injury didn’t put a damper on the thrill of opening day. He didn’t deny that this season was World Series or bust for the team with the largest financial commitment in history.
“That’s why we’re suiting up,” he said. “That’s what we’re trying to do. So are the Marlins. So are the Washington Nationals and the Braves and Philadelphia. It’s going to be hard. It was hard last year. It’ll be hard this year. What went on, the good and the bad last year, we’re starting from scratch again.”
MILWAUKEE -- The last time Jayson Tatum suited up for a game at Fiserv Forum, the Boston Celtics were down 3-2 to the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the playoffs last season. Tatum responded with the best, and most important performance of his career -- a 46-point, nine-rebound masterpiece in Game 6 to keep the Celtics' season alive.
His 40-point, eight-rebound effort in Thursday night's 140-99 win for the Celtics wasn't nearly as important, but his shot-making was just as impressive. He went 12-of-18 from the field, including 8-of-10 from 3-point land and 8-of-8 from the free throw line, to equal his most efficient shooting performance of the season and record his 11th 40-point game of the season.
Tatum got plenty of help from Jaylen Brown, who finished with 30 points, five rebounds and five assists as well as major contributions from Al Horford and Malcolm Brogdon, each of whom chipped in 14 points. As a team, the Celtics shot 22-of-43 from behind the arc to tie the fifth-most 3s they've hit in a game this season.
Here are some key takeaways from the Celtics' impressive win:
Celtics keep hope for No. 1 seed alive
The Celtics were in control of the top spot in the Eastern Conference for much of the season, but that all changed in February when they stumbled and the Bucks ripped off a 16-game winning streak to jump them for both the best record in the league and the No. 1 seed in the East.
Entering Thursday's matchup, the Celtics trailed the Bucks by three games and were looking at a must-win to keep any slim chance of reclaiming the No. 1 seed alive. With their emphatic victory, the Celtics narrowed the gap to two games, but more importantly, they secured the tiebreaker between the two clubs. Now, if they finish with identical records at the end of the season, the Celtics would get the top spot.
Of course, that's a big if. The Celtics have five games remaining: at home against the Jazz, a quick road trip to play the Sixers, then back home for a two-game set with the Raptors and one versus the Hawks. As for the Bucks, they'll be home against the Sixers, away to the Wizards, back home to play the Bulls and Grizzlies, then on the road versus the Raptors.
The Bucks' magic number to clinch the No. 1 seed is four, which means they'll need a combination of four wins and/or Celtics losses
Tatum's 3-point shot returns
Tatum won the All-Star Game MVP Award in February by hitting 10 3-pointers en route to his record-setting 55 points. Unfortunately for him and the Celtics, he seemed to have used up all of his 3-point shooting ability that weekend, when he also participated in the 3-Point Contest.
Coming into Thursday's showdown with the Bucks, Tatum was 42-of-143 (29.4 percent) from 3-point land since the All-Star break and had not made more than six 3s in a game. That all changed in this one. He missed his first attempt, then got it stuck on automatic and finished 8-of-10 from deep in his best 3-point outing of the season, let alone since the break.
Jrue Holiday exploded for a career-high 51 points alongside eight rebounds and eight assists against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday. Giannis Antetokounmpo tacked on a triple-double with 38 points, 17 rebounds and 12 assists as the Bucks cruised to a 149-136 win.
The Bucks did all their damage against the Pacers in regulation. They also did it without All-Star Khris Middleton, who sat the first game of a back-to-back to manage the knee injury that cost him a chunk of the regular season. They instead got 21 points, eight rebounds and three blocks from Brook Lopez, who continues to thrive with an increased role in his fifth season in Milwaukee.
Jrue Holiday scored a career-high 51 against Indiana on Wednesday. (Trevor Ruszkowski/Reuters)
The win continues a torrid stretch for the Bucks, who have gone 25-4 since Jan. 23 to improve to 55-21 and seize control of first place in the East. With Wednesday's win, they extended their lead over the second-place Boston Celtics to three games with six games remaining on their regular-season slate.
They project to improve as three-time All-Star Middleton continues to get up to speed after playing just 30 games so far in the regular season. The Bucks were fine without him on Wednesday.
Holiday did most of his damage in the lane, where he scored 30 of his 51 points. He shot 20 of 30 from the field, including a 3 of 6 effort from 3-point distance. He did it all in 32 minutes. Antetokounmpo likewise needed 32 minutes to post his line that included a 14 of 18 effort from the floor.
The Bucks face tough tests against their top Eastern Conference rivals with a Thursday game against the Celtics and a Saturday game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Just as the sports events we like to call March Madness are wrapping up, the 2023 Major League Baseball season is set to hit the regular season. In the spirit of the hoops tournaments so many love so dearly -- notably filling out brackets -- making predictions is always a great form of entertainment. Part of the fun is that sports are totally unpredictable (ahem, the men's NCAA basketball tournament!), which means there will inevitably be some bad misses.
Here at CBS Sports, our MLB staff has put together our 2023 season predictions. Last season brought plenty of surprises, so what will happen this season? Here are our individual attempts to nail it down.
American League East
American League Central
American League West
National League East
National League Central
National League West
Wild Cards
Explanations
RJ Anderson: As always, my goal is to not look stupid rather than to look smart. (Amusingly, I still end up looking stupid.) I think this is as wide open a field in the National League as we've had in some time, and I'm excited to watch that three-team race in the East play out. I'm also intrigued by the American League West -- not because I think the Astros are in real danger, but because this is the best this group has been after them in a while. Anyway, I went with the Padres over the Astros in the end, but I can foresee any number of other teams making it to and winning the Fall Classic. It should be a fun season.
Mike Axisa: I think the Astros are the best team in the AL but, honestly, I'm bored of picking them to go to the World Series every year, so I'm going with Toronto. They have a strong 1-2-3 punch atop the rotation (Alek Manoah, Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt) and they added a few much-needed lefty bats (Brandon Belt, Daulton Varsho) this offseason. I like the way they're built for a short postseason series and believe this is the year they break through and advance in October. As for the NL, the Dodgers have clearly taken a step back and the Mets have age-related risk, and less power than I'd like. The Braves have so much youth and upside, plus they're great already. They're the best team in the league for me. I'm expecting and looking forward to a Braves-Padres NLCS, and then Atlanta besting Toronto in a 1992 World Series rematch.
Kate Feldman: I have no intention of looking at these predictions again as soon as I file this, so I'm winging it. I'm also going all in on the Angels. This probably way overestimates the talent Perry Minasian brought in to surround Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout, but also how much more do you need behind those two? We'll find out. Beyond that, I think the NL East is by far the most interesting division and I think it's going to come down to the wire again, but I'm seeing Edwin Díaz make a triumphant return to the mound to finish out the season with the Mets on top. A Subway Series World Series is almost definitely not happening but we deserve a little chaos.
Dayn Perry: I still default to the Astros being the best team in the AL in absence of additional major injuries. The Padres have the most loaded lineup in baseball once Tatis returns, and my title expectations for them assume they'll be aggressive in fortifying the rotation leading up to the trade deadline. Ohtani will set the tone for his upcoming free agency by topping 40 home runs at the plate and 200 strikeouts on the mound.
Stephen Pianovich: Is picking the Angels to make the playoffs so we get to watch Shohei Ohtani play meaningful high-stakes baseball again after his thunderous World Baseball Classic wishful thinking? Are the memories of last October still fresh enough to make a World Series rematch seem more likely than it really is? Will the Phillies actually win it all because Trea Turner puts them over the top? Probably.
Matt Snyder: So many of these were very close, whether we're talking about a fight for the division title (NL and AL Central), third place (Giants vs. Diamondbacks) or a playoff spot (3-5 in the AL East vs. the Guardians vs. 2-4 in AL West are all bunched so close for me). Oh, and yes, I'm a sucker for picking the Angels to make the playoffs. I'm aware. They always fail me, but I'm going back to the well. It might be reckless to throw the Phillies over the Mets for second in the NL East, but the Mets have plenty of questions in their own right. As for the championship rounds, I think the Astros are the number one team in baseball, but it's a bit boring to pick a repeat champ and I have the Padres as number two.
"I know that the reaction of the building was pretty high and everybody was pretty excited about having a player of that caliber," Johnson said Tuesday at the NFL Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, per ESPN.
Johnson articulated his anxiety over a deal between the teams not being done yet while simultaneously attempting to understate his concern.
"We're anxious. I guess we look forward is that we're optimistic, but we have a plan, so we're willing to stick with our plan. And I don't think anybody's hyperventilating at this point."
However, Gang Green's owner eventually laid out his feelings that he and the rest of the football world share: Patience is running thin in terms of how much longer he wants to wait for his acquisition of Rodgers to become official.
"I'm not the patient sort," Johnson said, via The Athletic. "We're in the win business. We have to win now."
Jets head coach Robert Saleh struck a different tone from his boss.
"I'm not going to hit the panic button," Saleh said Monday at the NFL Annual Meeting, per ESPN. "If a quarterback [Rodgers] has a great rapport with the [offensive] coordinator, there's no urgency. The quarterback, if he understands the system, if the quarterback knows it, it's just a matter of just refining skills and doing all that stuff. So there's no hurry."
While Saleh alluded to Rodgers and his tight relationship with former Packers offensive coordinator and current Jets play-caller Nathaniel Hackett, he never mentioned Rodgers by name. Having Rodgers, notorious for using a complex hand-signal system, able to work with their wide receiver group sooner rather than later would be beneficial for all Jets pass-catchers.
"First of all, Lamar Jackson is a fantastic player, but where we stand is, it would be disingenuous and negotiating in bad faith if we went down that path," Douglas said, per ESPN. "We have our plan, we have our process and we're sticking to that ... We're never going to operate in bad faith."
Now, Johnson has to keep his faith in Douglas to reach across the aisle to Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst in order to come together on a trade deal. Negotiations are reportedly being held up by New York's desire to receive a pick in addition to Rodgers since he expressed a strong desire to retire earlier this offseason. The first real "deadline" for this deal to be done is April 27, the opening night of the 2023 NFL Draft. Stay tuned.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addressed a possible vote that would allow flexible scheduling for Thursday Night Football in Weeks 14 through 17. Here’s what you need to know:
The vote is intended to provide fans with higher-quality matchups later in the season.
If approved, the league could shift teams from a Sunday afternoon game to Thursday night in Weeks 14 to 17 with 15 days’ notice. NFL owners chose not to vote on this proposal yet.
The NFL did, however, approve a measure that would allow every team to play on two short weeks. It previously was only one week.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
Why TNF flex scheduling is being discussed
Not everyone is a fan of the Thursday Night flex proposal and the idea of teams playing more than one Thursday game. Players already loathe playing Thursday games because of the short turnaround and reduced healing times. Giants owner John Mara told reporters he finds the idea “abusive,” and there also has been some concern that flexing Thursday games causes challenges for fans hoping to attend games.
But Goodell made it clear that the league, while always committed to delivering the best product to fans in attendance, serving the larger audience that is the TV audience, is a high priority. That’s because television revenue drives the machine.
Amazon paid the NFL $11 billion for the rights to Thursday night games for the next 11 seasons, so the league and its owners are highly motivated to ensure they give the company highly attractive matchups. It remains to be seen if the necessary 24 of 32 owners will vote to approve the Thursday flex during the May meetings, but it’s clear why the possibility is being discussed. — Jones
A risk going with TNF flex scheduling
The decision may bring higher ratings, which translate into greater financial returns in the long run, but there is indeed a risk, which involves further angering and alienating players, who already feel like the league doesn’t care about their health and well-being. Players started voicing displeasure over the proposal on social media, but Goodell insisted “I don’t think we’re putting Amazon over our players. We’ve always been (looking) at data with respect to injuries and the impact on players.”
He went on to say that players have expressed their approval of the 10-day layoff that follows Thursday Night games and concluded “Players have their views. Coaches have their views. We have to try to balance all of that.” But ultimately, the owners will get what they want. — Jones
What they are saying
“Providing the best matchups for our fans is part of what we do. It’s part of what our scheduling has always focused on. Flex has been a part of that,” Goodell said. “We are very judicious with it and are very careful with it and we look at all of the impacts to that. Before those decisions are made I think we average, in the years we’ve done it, about a flex-and-a-half a year. It can vary any particular year. It’s a very important thing for us to balance with the season-ticket holders and in-stadium audience. We have millions of fans who also watch on television. Reaching them is a balance.”
Goodell later added that he does not see this decision going against player interests.
“We’ve always been (looking) at data with respect to injuries,” he said. “That is what drove our decisions throughout the first 12 or so years of Thursday Night Football and how it’s evolved. I think the data was very clear: it doesn’t show a higher injury rate. But we recognize shorter weeks. We went through this with COVID too.”
Mara told reporters on Tuesday he was “adamantly opposed” to the TNF flexing proposal.
Iowa State commit Omaha Biliew participates in the Powerade Jamfest as part of McDonald's All-American week on March 27, 2023 in Houston. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
HOUSTON —The McDonald's All-American Game is one of the highest honors in high school basketball. Each year, 24 boys basketball players are selected from around the country to compete in three days of practice, a scrimmage and an all-star game in front of several NBA scouts.
"This is a great benchmark on where players are and a chance to see the growth in their game," one NBA scout told Yahoo Sports.
There are several players representing blue-blood programs, but it was a couple players outside of the top-ranked prospects who impressed scouts the most. Yahoo Sports takes a look at eight players who showed out during the McDonald's All-American week.
Ron Holland, Texas
There's a small separation gap between the top players in the senior class, and Holland stepped on the court with something to prove in the first two days of practices in front of NBA scouts and executives. He has great length at 6-foot-8 and was consistently knocking down tough shots during drills and scrimmage play. Holland has a lot of upside as an NBA wing and made a strong first impression. His ballhandling and decisions when getting downhill are still areas of improvement, after being a little turnover-prone during his senior season at Duncanville High School (Texas).
“I’m really excited about that," Holland said during media day. "Just knowing how hard he had those guys playing, he really deserves that job and just to see him reach that goal and for them to give him the chance to coach that team. I get to stay committed to that team, me and A.J. Johnson get to go and try to get us a national championship next year.”
Texas commit Ron Holland came into McDonald's All-American week with something to prove. (Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)
D.J. Wagner, Kentucky
Wagner has been considered one of the top guards in his class from the moment he was a high school freshman. No moment is too big for Wagner, and he continues to deliver time after time against tough competition. Instead of forcing shots and trying to draw contact at the rim, he's developed a bit of patience and is doing a better job of creating separation when trying to facilitate in the lane.
Wagner looks visibly stronger from the start of his senior season and his shot selection has improved. Wagner is coming in alongside a ton of young talent, giving Kentucky the No. 1 recruiting class in the country. He'll be sharing the backcourt with five-stars Rob Dillingham and Justin Edwards, and playing alongside sharpshooter Reed Shepard and 7-foot center Aaron Bradshaw.
Isaiah Collier, USC
Collier is a consensus top-three player in the class and is one of the best passing guards in the country. He already has great size at 6-5, 210 pounds and is so strong with the ball when turning the corner off a screen. Collier is teammates with Bronny James on the West Team and the pair have been talking about possibly teaming up at USC next season.
“I’m looking forward to [playing with him] and I’m definitely trying to recruit him," Collier said. “He’s a great shooter. I feel like he’s one of the best all-around players in the country. So, he’s a great player and knows how to play the game and he’s not going to overdo anything. I’m just telling him he can stay home, that’s all I’ve got say.”
Since head coach Andy Enfield took over in 2013, USC has now secured five commitments from five-star recruits and this is the second top-three recruit since landing Evan Mobley in 2020.
Omaha Biliew, Iowa State
Biliew's defensive presence and versatility have been the most impressive during McDonald's All-American week. NBA scouts are always looking for young players with 3-and-D upside and Biliew has shown strides in his development this season. He's not a consistent outside shooter yet, but makes good reads off high ball screens and can make passes over the defense at 6-9.
Biliew chose Iowa State over Kansas and Oregon and will be a player NBA scouts will watch closely next year, particularly his impact defensively while playing in the Big 12.
Justin Edwards, Kentucky
Some recruiting experts regard Edwards as the No. 1 overall prospect in the class and as far as NBA potential and upside, he passes the eye test and then some. Edwards is a 6-7 athletic guard who is a three-level scorer and loves to push the ball up the court. The game comes so easy to him and sometimes it comes off to scouts as being a little complacent or going through the motions, but when Edwards wants to turn it on, he's the best player on the court.
He's a great complementary piece on the wing to both Wagner and Dillingham and has already started building chemistry on the East Team alongside Wagner and Bradshaw.
"We've definitely started to build that team chemistry, for sure," Edwards said. "Just the way we're starting to find each other on the court. I'm figuring out where Aaron [Bradshaw] wants the ball and D.J.'s finding me off different cuts."
Jared McCain, Duke
McCain might not be the biggest or flashiest guard in the senior class, but he's a winner and finds different ways each night to positively impact the game for his team. McCain has won three California state championships and is coming in with a loaded Duke recruiting class next year. He shoots the ball extremely well at the point guard position (even taking home the top honor in the 3-point contest) and isn't afraid to make big plays down the stretch.
The NBA tends to value longer point guards but there is an avenue for McCain, particularly with how well he shoots the ball from 3-point range. He's a hard worker who plays the right way. If he's successful as a first-year guard acting as the floor general for a Duke team that is seemingly always under the microscope, NBA scouts will have no choice but to take a closer look.
Matas Buzelis, G League Ignite
Buzelis chose the G League Ignite over blue-blood programs North Carolina and Kentucky. What immediately stands out are his length at the guard position and how bouncy he is when playing above the rim. He'll need to add some muscle to his 6-9 frame, especially going up against stronger, older guards in the G League. But NBA scouts who value youth and potential can mold in their system over older, established players in the draft. Buzelis has a lot of positive traits NBA scouts are looking for in young guards.
Stephon Castle, Connecticut
Castle has great pace and has made huge strides in improving his overall game this season. He's a bigger guard at 6-7 and has solid body control around the rim. He plays with confidence and has a consistent midrange game when pulling up off the pick-and-roll option. He's not as much of a high-volume shooter as Villanova's Cam Whitmore, but both guards are have similar size and tendencies when the ball is in their hands.
The 2023 boys McDonald’s All-American Game has some obvious points of intrigue as the top high school basketball players in the country come to Houston for the annual All-Star showcase. This has long been considered a star-making event as the last chance for players to make impressions before the final recruiting rankings are locked in. Having NBA scouts in the gym only raises the stakes and the level of play during practice sessions, which can be more meaningful than the game itself.
Beyond that, everyone else is wondering what’s next for Bronny James. James was selected for the McDonald’s Game and still hasn’t made his decision on where he’ll play next, though most expect he’ll go the college route.
Here’s an introduction to the 2023 boys McDonald’s All-Americans.
Who’s No. 1?
Here’s a look at five front-runners to be the No. 1 player in the class (and potentially the first pick in the 2024 NBA Draft). Each player has their college or pro commitment next to their name.
Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images
Matas Buzelis, G/F, G League Ignite: At 6’9 or 6’10, Buzelis is a big forward who can handle the ball like a guard and make plays as both a scorer and passer. He has advanced ball handling ability for his size, and will earn the ‘point-forward’ label as he makes some flashy passes, especially in the open floor. Buzelis’s shooting is a question mark at this point: he has a long, slow release, and his high school percentages have been mediocre at times. Scouts will get a good look at if he can compete physically next season when he becomes the new star of the G League Ignite after bypassing offers from college basketball’s heavy hitters.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Ron Holland, F, Texas: Holland has the positional size, athleticism, winning pedigree, and two-way proficiency to matchup with anyone in this class. A 6’8 wing, Holland has tremendous speed, quickness, and leaping ability that he leverages to score at the rim on offense and lock down a variety of assignments defensively. He’s had a winning impact at every stop, helping lead Duncanville High School in Texas to multiple state championships while also winning two gold medals with USA Basketball over the summers. Scouts will wonder if he has the takeover scoring ability typically associated with a No. 1 overall player, but Holland’s high-motor and well-rounded skill set at both ends of the floor makes him an intriguing bet at the top of the class.
Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
D.J. Wagner, G, Kentucky: Wagner has long been considered at or near the top of this class for his scoring ability and famous bloodlines. A third-generation McDonald’s All-American as the son of Dajuan Wagner and grandson of Milt Wagner, D.J. is a 6’3 combo guard who has impressive burst as a driver and tough shot-making ability. The hope is that John Calipari will put the ball in his hands at Kentucky, and pro scouts will be able to see how he balances a high-usage blend of scoring and playmaking. Wagner needs to prove he has the decision-making skills to be a primary option. Where his jump shot is at — both off the dribble and on spot-ups — will also be fascinating to monitor. Wagner is probably the biggest name in this class and should have every opportunity to prove he’s still its best player.
Isaiah Collier, G, USC: Collier is a big guard with an advanced feel for the game who can make every pass in the book. At 6’3 with broad shoulders and a solid build, Collier uses his size and strength to run pick-and-roll, keep defenders “in jail,” and pressure the defense with his passing ability. While he lacks elite athleticism, he can often bully smaller guards to the basket and continues to refine his finishing craft. The big question is his jump shot: Collier seems solid on his mid-range pull-up, but he’ll have to prove he has range beyond the three-point line to be the first pick. For now, there’s no better facilitator in the class and that makes him easy to project at both the college and NBA levels.
Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
Justin Edwards, F, Kentucky: A 6’7 wing out of Philly, Edwards feels like he should be an instant-impact producer at Kentucky, in part because he’s older than most of his peers (he’ll turn 20 in Dec. of his freshman year). The lefty has a smooth mid-range pull-up game that has won him plenty of fans, and he has the size and burst to get downhill, too. If he shoots a good ball from three, it’s easy to see him as a top-10 or even top-5 pick in 2024 despite his age a la Brandon Miller.
Where does Bronny James fall in?
Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images
James finally stepped into a primary option role as a senior at Sierra Canyon this season, and minted himself as a worthy McDonald’s All-American and borderline five-star recruit. You would never know the 6’3 guard is the son of an all-time great from watching him play: James plays a truly egoless game where he’s happy to take on tough defensive assignments, fight for 50/50 balls, space the floor, and attack the hoop in transition. He’s rarely put up spectacular scoring numbers or operated at ultra-high usage during his high school career, but that’s okay: James profiles as the sort of winning role player any superstar would want to play with for his ability to do the dirty work out on the perimeter. Check out our deep dive into James’ game following his junior season.
No one is sure of what James will do after high school, but most indications are he wants to play college basketball rather than pursuing pro options. USC and UCLA have been mentioned as hometown schools, while Oregon makes sense for the Nike connections with his father. Wherever Bronny goes, he should make a winning impact as an athletic two-way guard even if he isn’t putting up big scoring nights every game.
Cody Williams is the fastest-riser because of his NBA brother
Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
Jalen Williams has been one of the best rookies in the NBA this season after the Oklahoma City Thunder selected him at No. 12 overall following a standout three-year college career at Santa Clara. College evaluators who let Williams slip to the mid-major level were determined not to do the same thing with his younger brother Cody Williams. Jalen’s rise into a lottery pick and stud rookie sure seems to have helped his brother, who is suddenly the fastest-rising prospect in his high school class.
Williams has a great frame for a wing at 6’8 with long arms (his brother measured at 6’6 with a 7’2 wingspan). He’s comfortable handling and passing the ball on the perimeter, and has shown improved finishing craft near the basket. His three-point shot has been streaky to this point, and will certainly be a big factor in his long-term evaluation. It’s tough to know what to make of such a fast riser so late in the process, but Williams certainly won’t be flying under the radar like his big brother did.
Who else stands out in this class?
Jared McCain, G, Duke: After a standout high school career at Los Angeles’ Centennial High, McCain feels ready to be an instant-impact freshman at Duke. The 6’2 guard isn’t an elite athlete or the flashiest passer, but he’s a well-rounded guard who can take care of the ball while also flashing connective passing traits and knockdown shooting ability. McCain felt like the best three-point shooter in the class even before he won the McDonald’s three-point contest.
Omaha Biliew, F,Iowa State: The highest ranked recruit from the state of Iowa since Harrison Barnes, Biliew is a high-motor 6’8 wing who projects as one of the most versatile defenders in the class. He has a great frame to make a defensive impact with long arms, a strong base, and some perimeter quickness. SB Nation evaluated Biliew up close during a game at Waukee High School, and his three-point shot looked better than advertised. While he may not have a super deep scoring bag yet, Biliew fits into almost any lineup with his size, effort, and defensive ability as long as his spot-up jumpers are falling.
Aaron Bradshaw, C, Kentucky: Super tantalizing 7-footer with flashes of perimeter skill who needs to be more physically imposing on a consistent basis. Bradshaw looks the part defensively with good athletic fluidity on the perimeter while also showing rim protection skills. Offensively, he shoots a good ball with impressive range, but may settle for jumpers a little too much. This is a new-school big man who is just scratching the surface of his long-term potential.
Stephon Castle, G,UConn: Castle is huge for a guard at 6’6 and maybe even bigger. He’s more comfortable playing on the ball than off it at this point, both because he can overwhelm traditional point guards with his size and because he still struggles to shoot from the outside. He’s shown an impressive ability to score in the paint and set up teammates so far, and he should be a plus defender with his tools. UConn is adding another high impact piece to an already loaded team.
Mackenzie Mgbako, F, Duke: Mgbako is a 6’8 forward from New Jersey with tough shot-making ability and a solid if not elite blend of size and athleticism for combo forward. He has a soft jumper from mid-range and at times can get hot from three. While he’s not a quick-twitch athlete, he can take on a variety of matchups defensively and also contribute on the glass.
2023 boys McDonald’s All-American Game roster
How to watch the 2023 McDonald’s All-American Game
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