Sports
Looking to tighten grip on playoff spot, Twins face Guardians
Sep 17, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Minnesota Twins left fielder Willi Castro (50) and center fielder Byron Buxton (25) celebrate a win over the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images While the Cleveland Guardians are on the verge of clinching a postseason berth, the Minnesota Twins continue their fight to remain in playoff position.
Looking to build on a needed win and attempting to level the current four-game series, the visiting Twins will try to end their season struggles against the Guardians’ Tanner Bibee on Wednesday night.
Minnesota (80-71) failed to hold a late 3-1 lead in a series-opening 4-3 loss on Monday, but the Twins added to a late 2-1 advantage on Tuesday. After Matt Wallner gave the Twins that lead with RBI singles in the third and fifth innings, Willi Castro clubbed a two-run homer in the eighth to pave the way for a 4-1 victory.
“Always go out there, trust yourself and enjoy the game,” Castro told Bally Sports North.
The Twins are 10-18 since Aug. 18, but they still hold a 1 1/2-game lead over the Detroit Tigers for the final American League wild-card spot.
“Everyone’s aware of the standings,” Minnesota pitcher Pablo Lopez said. “We can’t let that give us self-inflicted pressure.”
Cleveland (87-65), meanwhile, could be officially playoff-bound by the time the series ends Thursday.
The Guardians have won all three times that Bibee (11-8, 3.60 ERA) has started against the Twins this year. Bibee went 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA and 22 strikeouts over 18 innings of those games. The Twins’ three runs came on solo homers from Edouard Julien, Jose Miranda and Byron Buxton.
The right-hander, however, is 1-3 with a 4.88 ERA in his past five starts, having allowed six home runs and nine walks in 27 2/3 innings. On Friday against the Tampa Bay Rays, Bibee gave up three runs on two of those homers, plus six other hits, while striking out nine in six innings of Cleveland’s 3-1 loss.
“Six innings, three runs — we’ll take that 100 out of 100 times,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “He battled through it … I think that just shows again how Tanner’s progressing and the type of pitcher that he is.”
Castro, who is batting .313 (10-for-32) during an eight-game hitting streak vs. Cleveland, is 3-for-9 in his career against Bibee.
Scheduled Minnesota starter Bailey Ober (12-7, 3.90 ERA) has recorded personal bests for wins and starts (28) this year.
In his most recent outing, on Friday at home against the Cincinnati Reds, Ober allowed a run through the first six innings. Then the right-hander ran into trouble in seventh, when he was charged with four more runs scored. He was pulled with two outs in the frame, and the Twins lost 8-4.
Ober allowed five runs and eight hits over four innings of Minnesota’s 11-4 loss at Cleveland on May 18. But he yielded just two hits, two walks and struck out nine over six scoreless innings of the Twins’ 4-2 home victory against the Guardians on Aug. 9.
In seven career starts vs. Cleveland, Ober is 2-2 with a 2.13 ERA.
Cleveland star Jose Ramirez, who is batting .300 (12-for-40) during a 10-game hitting streak, has a .313 average (5-for-16) with two doubles and a homer vs. Ober.
Guardians center fielder Lane Thomas is 0-for-3 against Ober, but he is hitting .317 (19-for-60) with five home runs and 16 RBIs in 16 games this month. He hit his second homer in four games on Tuesday.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Timberwolves look to shake off rust in Game 2 vs. Nuggets
Apr 18, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) dribbles the ball up the court during the first half against the Denver Nuggets in game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images The Denver Nuggets’ halftime adjustments in Game 1 on Saturday spurred them to a 116-105 win over Minnesota. Now, it’s the visiting Timberwolves’ turn to adjust for Game 2 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series on Monday night.
Minnesota missed 14 of its first 16 shots in the third quarter, when Denver built a 15-point lead. The Timberwolves cut it to 97-95 in the fourth quarter, but two turnovers contributed to a Nuggets’ run that put it away.
It is only one game, and No. 6 Minnesota has an opportunity to steal one from No. 3 Denver before heading home for Games 3 and 4.
“No one wants to have a moral victory, but we understand we had every opportunity to win that game and down the stretch, we cut it to two,” Ayo Dosunmu said. “We just have to be better.”
Composure and the ability to defend without fouling will be vital if the Timberwolves want to even the series. Jaden McDaniels hit a turnaround jumper that ended a Minnesota drought in the third quarter, and then drew a technical for pushing Nuggets star Nikola Jokic in the back after the bucket.
The Timberwolves had 25 personal fouls that led to 33 free-throw attempts for Denver, 16 by Jamal Murray. He didn’t miss from the line, and the Nuggets missed just three overall.
Minnesota’s chances to pull off the upset in the series hinge on star guard Anthony Edwards. He missed 11 of the final 14 games of the regular season due to a balky right knee, and Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch said Edwards looked “rusty” Saturday.
Edwards acknowledged he struggled.
“I haven’t played in like a month, month and a half, so, I was a little fatigued,” he said despite tallying 22 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and three blocks.
Denver is hoping to get fully healthy for the rest of the series if forward Peyton Watson can return from a right hamstring strain. Watson has not played since aggravating the hamstring injury on April 1. He initially sustained the injury Feb. 4 and missed more than six weeks.
The Nuggets do have Jokic and Murray healthy, and they were a force in Game 1. Jokic recorded the 22nd triple-double of his playoff career, and Murray scored 30 points despite going 7-for-22 from the field. He did most of his damage from the line and disputed Minnesota’s grumblings in the disparity of foul calls.
“I thought I got fouled on every single one of them. I don’t know what everybody is talking about,” Murray said. “They were real fouls.”
Denver has been on a roll since losing to Memphis on March 18. The Nuggets won their final 12 games of the regular season to overtake the Los Angeles Lakers for the third seed and secure a third playoff meeting in four years against the Timberwolves to build on a budding rivalry.
“I think some people say it’s the same teams. I don’t think it’s the same teams,” Jokic said. “People are more experienced, different players. One player can change the whole situation, the whole rotation, the whole momentum of the team.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
East-leading Nashville might be without Sam Surridge at Atlanta
Apr 4, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Fire FC defender Jack Elliott (3), defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi (4) and Nashville SC forward Sam Surridge (9) battle for control of the ball during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Talia Sprague-Imagn Images If Nashville SC intend to extend their lead atop the MLS Eastern Conference standings with a win against host Atlanta United on Saturday night, they might have to do it without their leading scorer for a second straight match.
Sam Surridge was sidelined with a hamstring injury on Tuesday when Nashville (5-1-1, 16 points) defeated Liga MX side Club America 1-0 in the second leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal tie and secured passage to the semifinals. The Englishman, tied atop the MLS leaderboard with seven goals, is questionable for Saturday.
“He’s made some good progress … and so, right now, it’s just (him having to) clear a few hurdles with medical and performance to see if we can get him ready for (Atlanta),” Nashville head coach BJ Callaghan said.
Though Atlanta (1-5-1, 4 points) ranks near the bottom of the East, Callaghan does not take the latest chapter in the clubs’ Southeastern derby lightly.
“It doesn’t matter where anybody is on the table. The table doesn’t really matter this early in the season, anyway,” Callaghan said. “They’re going to bring out their best. We’ve had good games in the past (during) the history of both clubs, so the expectation is going to be nothing short of that.”
Atlanta United defeated Chattanooga FC 3-1 on Wednesday in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32, snapping a three-match losing streak across all competitions (0-2-1).
Atlanta has won just once in MLS play, but it can gain momentum with a positive result against Nashville in front of a home crowd.
“The poor results are something we can resolve before the World Cup break, but it’s also important to confidence and the emotional state of the team,” Atlanta head coach Tata Martino said through an interpreter. “What we also have to work on is not just trying to solve the results, but (improving the) confidence and emotional state of the team.”
The Five Stripes will be without Miguel Almiron (knee irritation) for up to two weeks after he felt leg discomfort during the match against Chattanooga. Steven Alzate (adductor) will be unavailable as well.
Nashville and Atlanta are deadlocked at 4-4-5 in their 13 previous regular-season matches.
–Field Level Media
Sports
FC Cincinnati back home, vying for turnaround vs. streaking Fire
Apr 11, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; FC Cincinnati midfielder Evander (10) chases after a loose ball against Toronto FC during the first half at BMO Field. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images A massive opportunity to right the ship awaits FC Cincinnati Saturday night when they host the Chicago Fire.
Cincinnati (2-4-1, 7 points) has struggled mightily since winning its season opener. It has been plagued by a sluggish offense and a suspect defense, with its minus-6 goal differential tied for third-worst in the Eastern Conference. To be fair, a 6-1 drubbing on March 15 at New England represents most of that goal differential.
“It’s been inconsistent,” head coach Pat Noonan said about his team’s performance. “We just need to be more consistent with our play, home and away. We just need to be better all-around in our play, wherever we’re playing.”
Kevin Denkey will not play for Cincinnati Saturday night. He is suspended after a red card in Cincinnati’s previous match, a 1-1 draw against Toronto on April 11. Denkey leads Cincinnati with two goals, but it feels far removed from when he and Evander combined for 33 MLS goals for Cincinnati in 2025.
FC Cincinnati are 2-1-0 at home in MLS regular-season competition, and this is their first home match since March 22. They will play four home matches in the next five weeks.
Chicago (4-2-1, 13 points), currently sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference, is off to a strong start in building on its long-awaited return to the MLS Cup playoffs a year ago.
“Since the beginning of the season, we have always shown that we have something to prove this year,” midfielder Mauricio Pineda said. “That’s what really keeps us driving: approaching every game with the mentality to win.”
The Fire are on a three-match winning streak, and this is their only road match in a six-match span stretching from April 4 through May 9.
Hugo Cuypers leads the Fire with four goals, with Jonathan Bamba next at two goals.
Cincinnati leads the all-time series 7-4-3 and swept the series in 2025. The teams will play their return match on May 2 in Chicago.
–Field Level Media
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