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Giants, Cardinals start two rookie hurlers in season finale

MLB: San Francisco Giants at Arizona DiamondbacksSep 23, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Hayden Birdsong (60) throws in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants are hoping just to break even when they face the visiting St. Louis Cardinals in the regular-season finale Sunday afternoon.

Two teams that have hovered around .500 all season have split the first two games of the series. The Cardinals won 6-3 on Friday before the Giants rebounded for a 6-5 triumph Saturday.

The victory moved San Francisco (80-81) within one win of a .500 season. The club finished 81-81 in 2022 before losing four of its final five games to land at 79-83 last season.

Cardinals scheduled starter Michael McGreevy (2-0, 2.40 ERA) has performed well in his three career outings. St. Louis (82-79) has won all three games, two of which the right-hander started.

McGreevy has never faced the Giants, who are expected to counter with fellow rookie Hayden Birdsong (5-5, 4.66). He has gone 2-0 in his past three starts while allowing just five runs in 15 2/3 innings.

Birdsong, who grew up about 125 miles northeast of St. Louis, will be pitching against the Cardinals for the first time.

Several individual distinctions and team honors will be on the line on the final day of the season.

Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley, who broke the club’s single-season save record with his 49th during the club’s win on Friday, will attempt to become just the 18th in major league history to reach 50 on Sunday. He did not pitch Saturday.

“When I came back (from a forearm injury last) September and I was only the closer and got seven saves,” he said, “I was like, ‘If I get seven a month times six, then that’s 42, and that’s a pretty good year.’ Obviously, I’ve eclipsed that, and it’s been fun.”

Brendan Donovan took advantage of Nolan Arenado’s day off Saturday to move four points ahead for the Cardinals’ batting average crown. Donovan went 3-for-5 with a double and two singles, raising his average to .276. Arenado is batting .272.

The Cardinals’ home run title is also up for grabs. Paul Goldschmidt has hit 22 homers this season while Alec Burleson is right behind him with 21.

Matt Chapman has all but secured the Giants’ lead in home runs and RBIs this season. He has 27 homers and has driven in 78 runs, leading Heliot Ramos, who has 22 homers and 72 RBIs, in both categories. Chapman needs two runs to reach 100 for the third time in his career.

The veteran is enjoying quite a finish to his first season with the Giants. He learned Friday that he had won the team’s Willie Mac Award for most inspirational player.

“It’s just been a cherry on top of a great month,” he said. “Obviously, it’d be better if we were going to the playoffs. That’s my goal. I’m going to work this offseason to make that possible next year.”

In his first full season in the major leagues, Ramos has all but wrapped up the batting title for San Francisco. The 25-year-old is hitting .269 in 475 at-bats.

–Field Level Media

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Ty France hits 2 homers as Padres rally past D-backs in Mexico City

MLB: Colorado Rockies at San Diego PadresApr 12, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres first baseman Ty France (25) hits a solo home run during the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Ty France hit two bases-empty homers, Mason Miller recorded his major league-leading 10th save, and the San Diego Padres beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-4 in the Mexico City Series at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu in Mexico City on Saturday.

Miller has not allowed a run in 14 1/3 innings this season, and he extended his scoreless streak to a franchise-record 34 2/3 innings.

France hit his second and third homers of the season and Gavin Sheets had a two-run single in a four-run seventh for the Padres, who overcame an early 4-0 deficit. They have won 13 of 15.

Alec Thomas homered in a four-run second, his second homer in three games, and Nolan Arenado and Jose Fernandez had two hits for the D-Backs, who are the designated home team in the two-game series. They have lost three of four.

Arizona infielder Ildemaro Vargas extended his season-opening hitting streak to 19 games, the longest active streak in the majors and the second-longest since Pablo Sandoval’s 20-gamer in 2012. Vargas has a 22-game hitting streak dating to 2025.

Padres right-hander German Marquez (3-1) gave up four runs on six hits in six innings, with two strikeouts and one walk.

Jackson Merrill and Xander Bogaerts walked around a single by Manny Machado to open the Padres’ seventh before Taylor Clarke entered to replace Brandon Pfaadt.

Sheets hit a two-run single and shortstop Gerardo Perdomo’s fielding error re-loaded the bases. Freddy Fermin and Ramon Laureano followed with sacrifice flies for a 5-4 lead. Perdomo suffered a left ankle sprain on his error and left the game.

Pfaadt replaced Arizona starter Zac Gallen in the fourth inning. Gallen suffered a right shoulder contusion when was struck by a Fermin’s 92 mph line drive with one out in the third inning. Fermin reached on a single and Gallen got the final two outs of the inning before leaving.

Clarke (1-1) allowed all three inherited runners to score and they were charged to Pfaadt, who allowed four runs on two hits and three walks, while fanning five in three innings. The run charged to Clarke was unearned.

Vargas and Arenado singled with two outs in the second inning before Fernandez lined a double to left-center to drive in two. Thomas followed with his 400-foot homer to right, extending his hitting streak to six games.

France hit his first homer of the game in the fifth to put Arizona on the board.

–Field Level Media

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Jayson Tatum's improvement bodes well for Celtics in Game 4 vs. 76ers

NBA: Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ersApr 24, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) celebrates his three point basket against the Philadelphia 76ers late in the fourth quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Jayson Tatum has only been back on the court for seven-plus weeks but the Boston Celtics star is making a stellar impact.

While putting last May’s devastating ruptured right Achilles tendon further in the rearview mirror, Tatum’s comeback story is reading superbly. He will look to help Boston take a 3-1 series lead when it visits the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night in Eastern Conference first-round play.

Tatum drained five 3-pointers and recorded 25 points, seven assists and five rebounds as the Celtics notched a 108-100 road win on Friday. It was his second 25-point outing of the series.

Tatum didn’t make his season debut until March 6 but quickly displayed he would be an asset in the playoffs.

He finished the regular season with seven straight appearances of 23 or more points. He delivered one triple-double and four other double-doubles during the stretch to establish he would be a difference-maker in the postseason.

Also Friday, Tatum became the fourth player in Celtics history to top 3,000 career postseason points. Tatum (3,005) trails three legends — Kevin McHale (3,182), John Havlicek (3,776) and leader Larry Bird (3,897).

“I can’t stress it enough that the fact that I get to put my uniform on and run out with the team, it’s a win for me,” Tatum said. “Obviously, I’m not 100% yet and will not be, but expectations of what people want me to do is the last thing that has crossed my mind.

“The amount of joy I have been able to find just being back out there and being out there with my teammates is all I could think about.”

Co-star Jaylen Brown, who carried the team while Tatum was sidelined, is impressed with Tatum’s progress.

“He’s been incrementally getting better and stronger and getting more physical,” said Brown, who also scored 25 points in Game 3. “You can see he’s getting downhill at a higher level than he did when he started. But we do it as a team. We win as a team and lose as a team. So in those moments, I got nothing but trust for Jayson Tatum.”

Sunday’s contest is a big one for the 76ers as a split through four games would be significantly better than facing a possible Game 5 elimination game in Boston.

What would really help is if star center Joel Embiid is available, but the team listed the former MVP as doubtful on their Saturday injury report.

Embiid underwent an appendectomy on April 9. He was also listed as doubtful for Friday’s game before being ruled out.

Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse said that Embiid did on-court work Saturday and will be evaluated after Sunday’s shootaround.

Forward Kelly Oubre Jr. (right adductor) is questionable.

Philadelphia star guard Tyrese Maxey scored 31 points in the Game 3 setback and made five 3-pointers for the second straight game. He felt the game got away from his squad.

“We always focus on what you could do better,” Maxey said. “… Got to get one (Sunday), got to protect home court and even the series.”

Maxey is averaging 27.0 points and 7.7 assists in the series.

The 76ers allowed more 3-pointers (20) than 2-point baskets (16) in Game 3, and Nurse said his team needs to make things tougher for Boston from outside the arc.

“They had five made off offensive rebounds and that’s not good, right?” Nurse said. “They made a lot of tough ones. … We’re going to have to be a lot better. It has to start with pressure.”

–Field Level Media

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Donte DiVincenzo (leg) ruled out for T-Wolves after non-contact injury

NBA: Playoffs-Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver NuggetsApr 18, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) celebrates after a three-pointer during the second 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

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo was ruled out after injuring his lower right leg in the first quarter of Saturday’s game against the Denver Nuggets.

DiVincenzo sustained the injury on a non-contact play. He planted his foot to go toward a loose ball, and he quickly went down as he grabbed toward the back of his right leg.

The team ruled out DiVincenzo before the end of the first quarter.

DiVincenzo averaged 12.2 points per game and shot 37.9% from 3-point range during the regular season. He averaged 14.3 points in the first three games of the playoff series against the Nuggets.

-Field Level Media

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