Sports
After first rest day of season, Braves set to host hard-hitting Guardians
Apr 4, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher pitcher Bryce Elder (55) on the mound in the second inning of a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss was happy his team finally got a day off on Thursday.
The Braves opened their season with 13 straight games and kick off a three-game homestand against the visiting Cleveland Guardians on Friday.
“I’ve never seen anything like 13 games in a row to start the season,” said Weiss, whose team won eight games in the season-opening gauntlet. “We talk about confronting the challenges of a major league season, and we had one right out of the gate and the guys met the challenge right on.”
Cleveland also had a day off on Thursday. Slade Cecconi (0-1, 5.23 ERA) is the expected starter against Atlanta. The 26-year-old right-hander was stellar in his last start on Sunday when he pitched six scoreless innings and gave up one hit and one walk with six strikeouts in a no-decision of a 1-0 home setback to the Chicago Cubs.
Atlanta counters with Bryce Elder (1-1, 0.00 ERA), who has covered 13 innings in his two starts without giving up an earned run. Elder is tied for the major league lead in ERA and is 11th with a 0.85 WHIP.
He was a hard-luck loser in his last start, as he pitched seven innings, allowed four hits and two unearned runs while striking out eight in a 2-1 setback to the host Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday.
After a three-game skid, the Braves took the final two games of a three-game set with the host Los Angeles Angels by winning the rubber match 8-2 on Wednesday. Because they scored 15 runs in their last two games, Weiss is optimistic the Braves’ offense has started to round into form, even as it waits for Austin Riley to heat up.
The Braves third baseman has a .200 batting average, three RBIs and has yet to homer in 13 games. Riley’s last two seasons were cut short due to injuries. He had season-ending core surgery last August and fractured wrist in 2024.
A return to the form he showed when he hit 33, 38 and 37 home runs in the three-year stretch from 2021 through 2023 would be a welcome addition to the Braves’ lineup.
“I’m not worried about Austin,” Weiss said. “He’s headed in the right direction. When you get off to a slow start to the season, it catches a lot of people’s attention. If this happens in June, no one blinks an eye. When you are coming out of the gates, the averages are skewed because you don’t have at-bats.”
Cleveland won two of three home games in its last series against the Kansas City Royals. The Guardians coasted to a 10-2 win on Wednesday as they pounded out 16 hits led by Angel Martinez’s 4-for-5 performance that featured a double, a grand slam and four RBIs.
“It’s fun for Angel,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “He has been working tremendously hard. He worked hard in the winter, and we saw it in the spring a little bit.”
Rhys Hoskins was 3-or-4 with three doubles and an RBI. Because of Hoskins’ approach at the plate, Vogt said he is an instrumental cog in the Cleveland lineup.
“Rhys is a professional hitter,” Vogt said. “The patience, the lack of chase, the ability to think along with pitchers and ability to go along with the Rolodex of what he sees. … A lot of at bats, he’s ready to go and swings at the right pitches. Having him in the middle of the order makes the lineup longer.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
NBA fines Magic $25K for violating injury reporting rules
Apr 6, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black (0) is fouled by Detroit Pistons forward Paul Reed (7) during the second half at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images The Orlando Magic were fined $25,000 by the NBA on Thursday for violating the league’s injury reporting rules.
Per the NBA, the Magic failed to disclose the game availability status of guard Anthony Black prior to Monday’s contest against the Detroit Pistons. Black was listed as “out” in the initial injury report and later played in the game.
Black, 22, scored 14 points in 15 minutes during the Magic’s 123-107 victory over the Pistons.
The third-year player is averaging 15.1 points, 3.8 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 62 games (40 starts) this season.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Sam Burns torches par 5s to grab early Masters lead
Apr 9, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Sam Burns plays his shot from the fifth tee during the first round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images AUGUSTA, Ga. — Sam Burns took advantage of Augusta National’s longest holes in posting a 5-under-par round of 67 to take the early first-round in the 90th edition of the Masters Tournament on Thursday.
Burns got his round rolling by sinking an 11-foot eagle putt on the par-5 second hole. After dropping a shot on the seventh, he immediately gained it back with a birdie on the par-5 eighth. Burns also birdied both par-5s on the back nine and added another with a birdie on the par-3 12th.
It added up to the best round of Burns’ Masters career, besting the 68 he posted in the first round in 2023. In 12 previous rounds through four previous appearances at Augusta National, that had been the lone time Burns had broken 70 until Thursday.
Patrick Reed also reached 5 under by eagling both par-5s on the front nine to make his turn in 31, but the 2018 Masters champion gave a shot back at No. 10 before putting a ball in the water on the par-5 15th for another bogey.
Kurt Kitayama finished an eventful day at 3-under 69. He reached 4 under through 10 holes before a bogey on No. 11 and a double bogey on the short par-3 12th. He was able to card birdies on two of his final holes to get to the clubhouse among the early leaders.
Bryson DeChambeau, who is seeking to build on his best Masters finish of fifth place last year, was at even par beginning hole Nos. 11-13 known as “Amen Corner.” DeChambeau put his approach shot on No. 11 into the bunker behind the green. He then failed to get out of the bunker on his first two attempts and ended up carding a triple bogey on the hole.
NOTES: The 91-player field includes 22 first-time players — six amateurs and 16 professionals. Each amateur is paired with a Masters champion for the first two rounds of the tournament.
–Derek Harper, Field Level Media
Sports
Marlins rough up Rhett Lowder to earn series split vs. Reds
Apr 9, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez (6) slides at home plate and scores against Cincinnati Reds catcher P.J. Higgins (65) during the fourth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Owen Caissie and Javier Sanoja combined for six hits and five RBIs to lead the host Miami Marlins to an 8-1 defeat of the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday afternoon, earning a split of the four-game set.
In a battle of former first-round picks, Miami’s Max Meyer (1-0) allowed four hits, three walks and one run in five innings, striking out four.
Reds starter Rhett Lowder (1-1) entered the game with the best eight-game ERA (1.30) in Reds history with a minimum of 30 innings. He had never allowed more than three runs in a game.
On Thursday, he allowed eight hits and five runs (four earned) in 5 1/3 innings, walking two and striking out a pair.
Caissie (3-for-4, three RBIs) and Sanoja (3-for-4, two RBIs) led Miami’s offense. Agustin Ramirez went 2-for-5 with two RBIs.
Miami left fielder Griffin Conine was removed from the game in the sixth inning due to left knee discomfort. Conine got hurt trying to make a diving grab on Spencer Steer’s bloop double.
Reds first baseman Sal Stewart – a Miami native – was 1-for-3 with a solo homer to cap off a brilliant series where he went 5-for-14 with two homers, one double, two steals in two tries and five RBIs.
Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (1-for-5, 3 strikeouts) had his eight-game run-scoring streak snapped.
The Marlins, who lead the league in triples, got their fifth of the season in the first on Xavier Edwards’ drive to right-center. Miami then took a 1-0 lead when Ramirez reached on a routine chopper to third baseman Eugenio Suarez, who dropped the ball for an error as he eyed a potential throw home.
Miami extended its lead to 4-0 in the fourth. Liam Hicks walked and Otto Lopez doubled on a 113-mph liner to start the rally. The Marlins cashed in with Caissie’s two-run double and Sanoja’s RBI single.
Cincinnati got on the board in the fifth as Stewart hit his fourth homer of the season, a 409-foot bomb off of Meyer.
Sanoja added another RBI single in the sixth and Caissie did the same in the seventh, giving Miami a 6-1 lead. Ramirez added a two-run single in the eighth.
Marlins reliever Tyler Phillips pitched the final three scoreless innings for his fifth career save and his first this year.
–Field Level Media
NBA fines Magic $25K for violating injury reporting rules
Sam Burns torches par 5s to grab early Masters lead
