Orioles land new infielder in trade with Reds
The 2026 MLB season is not even one month old, but the Baltimore Orioles are adding a new face to the roster.
On Monday, the Orioles acquired infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for cash considerations.
The Reds had DFA’d Encarnacion-Strand on April 8, and the Orioles are now taking a flier on him.
The #Reds today traded IF Christian Encarnacion-Strand to the Orioles in exchange for cash considerations.
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) April 13, 2026
Encarnacion-Strand was selected in the fourth round by the Minnesota Twins in the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft. He was then part of a package that was sent to the Reds in exchange for pitcher Tyler Mahle in 2022.
Encarnacion-Strand made his MLB debut in 2023 with the Reds, and he played in 63 games with 13 home runs and 37 RBI.
In 2024, he played in just 29 games before missing the rest of the season due to a wrist injury, and he played in 36 games with six home runs in 2025.
The signing of Eugenio Suarez in free agency and the strong play of Sal Stewart, who is batting .309 with four home runs this season, made Encarnacion-Strand an easy choice for the Reds to DFA, and now he finds a new home with the Orioles.
Astros’ free agency splash already dealing with an injury
The Houston Astros won the sweepstakes for Tatsuya Imai, signing the Japanese pitcher to a three-year deal that could be worth as much as $63 million.
However, after just three starts, Imai is now headed to the IL. Jeremy Pena is also going to the IL, so the Astros are already dealing with unfortunate injuries early on.
We have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/K1BdoGSUUX
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 13, 2026
Imai signed with the Astros in the offseason, and his contract is for three years and $54 million, but it includes $3 million in incentives each season.
Imai’s MLB debut came on March 29 against the Los Angeles Angels, and he went just 2.2 innings, giving up four runs on three hits with four walks. He then threw 5.2 scoreless innings on April 4 against the Athletics, but he recorded just one out and gave up three runs with four walks on April 10 against the Seattle Mariners.
Imai flew back to Houston after his most recent start in Seattle. The Astros also saw starting pitcher Cody Bolton leave Sunday’s game in the second inning due to an injury.
And, Houston has placed Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier on the IL, so the pitching depth is getting hit hard early on.
Imai, who was expected to be a major contributor, has thrown just 8.2 innings with a 7.27 ERA and 11 walks this season.
Kalen DeBoer reveals injury update for key Alabama player
Kalen DeBoer and the Alabama Crimson Tide are fresh off a College Football Playoff trip in DeBoer’s second season as head coach.
Entering Year 3, there are high hopes, even with quarterback Ty Simpson leaving for the NFL Draft. On Saturday, Alabama held its A-Day scrimmage at Bryant-Denny Stadium, but the Crimson Tide saw an injury to transfer wide receiver Noah Rogers.
On Monday, DeBoer announced that Rogers will most likely be out when the season begins.
“Unfortunately, he suffered an injury that’s going to take a little while to recover,” DeBoer said on The Game with Ryan Fowler.
Kalen DeBoer to @TheGAMEon1009 on Noah Rogers: "Unfortunately he suffered an injury that's gonna take a little while to recover. It will bleed into the season here a little bit — I'm not gonna give a timeline exactly. He won't be ready to go right when the season starts. We…
— Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) April 13, 2026
Rogers was carted off the field during the scrimmage on Saturday in a worrisome sight at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Rogers began his career at Ohio State before playing the past two seasons at NC State. In his two seasons with the Wolfpack, he combined for 68 receptions for 993 yards and three scores.
Alabama defeated Oklahoma in the first round of the College Football Playoff before suffering an ugly 38-3 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers on New Year’s Day at the Rose Bowl.
Still, there are high expectations for Alabama entering the 2026 season, but starting off the year without Rogers is not what the program expected.
Jimmy Butler announces his own injury status ahead of Warriors’ play-in game
The Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers face off in the NBA play-in round on Wednesday night at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, Calif.
The Warriors finished as the No. 10 seed and the Clippers as the No. 9, which means the loser is knocked out of the playoff picture.
On Monday afternoon, Warriors star Jimmy Butler, who suffered a torn ACL in January, made a surprising and interesting injury announcement on his Instagram page.
“I am doubtful for wednesday’s game against clippers. stay tuned for more updates,” Butler wrote. The caption of the post said, @shams, report this.”
Butler suffered a torn ACL and underwent season-ending surgery in January, so there seems to be zero chance that Butler is actually ready to play for Wednesday’s game.
Butler drew attention when he was seen warming up on Sunday in the regular-season finale for the Warriors, and Butler was even seen without crutches.
Jimmy Butler is with the Warriors in Los Angeles. Just popped out during Steph Curry’s warmup. Moving gingerly but he’s off crutches. pic.twitter.com/LfhGGOj4VL
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 12, 2026
Still, typical ACL recovery is a 9-to-12 month timeline, which puts Butler on track to return sometime during the 2026-27 NBA season.
The Warriors and Clippers face off on Wednesday, with the winner taking on the loser of the game between the Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers.
Steelers hosting SEC QB while waiting for Aaron Rodgers decision
The Pittsburgh Steelers are still waiting to see whether or not Aaron Rodgers will be the starting quarterback in 2026.
In the meantime, the Steelers are exploring options at the QB position ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, and they hosted Arkansas QB Taylen Green on a visit on Monday.
Former Arkansas QB Taylen Green is visiting the Steelers today, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 13, 2026
One of the top testers at the combine, Green previously visited the Ravens and the Cowboys, who were also among several teams to work him out privately. pic.twitter.com/iRJNfU4MWx
The expectation for some time has been that Rodgers would make his decision prior to the NFL Draft, so the clock is ticking.
The Steelers have also been linked to Alabama’s Ty Simpson, although they would likely need to select him at No. 21 overall.
Green, on the other hand, is listed as QB7 in the rankings by ESPN expert Mel Kiper Jr., so he projects to be a Day 2 or Day 3 pick.
Green began his career at Boise State before playing the final two seasons at Arkansas, and he is a dual-threat quarterback who could be an intriguing option in this draft class.
The only other QBs currently on the roster in Pittsburgh are Mason Rudolph and Will Howard, so it figures that selecting a signal-caller at some point in the draft is a realistic scenario, even if Rodgers returns to the team in 2026.
Michael Malone adds recently-fired head coach to North Carolina staff
New North Carolina Tar Heels men’s basketball coach Michael Malone is not wasting time adding coaches to his staff.
On Monday, Malone added a big name: Former Providence head coach Kim English. ESPN’s Pete Thamel first reported that English was “expected” to join, and Inside Carolina added later that English had agreed to come to Chapel Hill.
Source: UNC is expected to hire Kim English as an assistant coach under Michael Malone. English is the former head coach at George Mason and Providence and will give Malone an experienced college assistant. pic.twitter.com/700k02nB0z
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 13, 2026
English spent the past three seasons as the Providence head coach, but he was fired at the end of the 2025-26 season after a 42-50 mark in his time with the Friars.
North Carolina moved on from Hubert Davis, and despite the Tar Heels being linked to big names such as Dusty May and Tommy Lloyd, they surprised everybody by hiring Malone.
North Carolina is also paying Malone a lot of money by giving him a six-year deal worth $50 million, putting him north of $8 million per season.
Malone has never been a college head coach, and adding experienced coaches to the staff seems like a smart decision in the long run.
English was an assistant coach at Tulsa, Colorado and Tennessee before becoming the George Mason head coach in 2021, so he brings much-needed experience to the staff in Chapel Hill.
This Bobby Witt Jr. stat is hard to believe
Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is coming off back-to-back All-Star seasons, and he is hoping to make it three straight this year.
Through 16 games, Witt is hitting .271 with 7 RBIs and 8 stolen bases. However, Witt has scored just once all season long despite reaching base 30 times.
That means Witt has been left stranded on base 97% of the time this season, which is hard to believe.
This is one of the wildest MLB stats I have seen in a very long time…
— Dan Clark (@DanClarkSports) April 13, 2026
Bobby Witt Jr. has reached base 30 times this season, and been left stranded 29 times (97%). pic.twitter.com/X078TfRKNw
The only time Witt scored a run this season came on March 29 against the Atlanta Braves when Carter Jensen hit a sacrifice fly.
The Royals as a team have struggled to generate offense. As of Monday, they have scored just 54 runs, good for 26th in MLB, and they are 27th in slugging percentage.
Vinne Pasquantino and Salvador Perez, who regularly are right behind Witt in the lineup, both have a .153 batting average as of Monday.
The Royals are coming off two losses in four games to the Chicago White Sox, and Witt said after the game that they “just have to. “The reality is we got to play better,” via Harold R. Kuntz of Fox 4 Kansas City.
Hopefully, the Royals can generate some offense and not leave Witt stranded on base.
Ja Morant makes exit interview decision after regular season
The Memphis Grizzlies finished the season at 25-57 after a 132-101 loss to the Houston Rockets on Sunday at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
On Monday, the Grizzlies held exit interviews, but one notable name was missing: point guard Ja Morant. Kennvaious Caldwell-Pope and Brandon Clarke were also absent.
No Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Ja Morant or Brandon Clarke at exit interviews today.
— Damichael Cole (@DamichaelC) April 13, 2026
Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman was asked about Morant’s future, but he didn’t give a straight answer on what will happen this offseason.
Zach Kleiman on Ja Morant:
— Damichael Cole (@DamichaelC) April 13, 2026
“I think everyone is on the same page as much as they can be. I’m not going to speculate on potential transactions.”
Morant’s name popped up in trade rumors this season, although the Grizzlies guard talked about loyalty and said he would want to stay in Memphis.
Morant played just 20 games this season, although the last game he played was on January 21. The Grizzlies made the decision to sideline Morant for the rest of the year as he worked his way back from a UCL injury.
In January, it was reported that the Grizzlies were open to trading Ja Morant, and that continues to be the expectation going into the offseason.
So, all signs point to Morant’s time with Memphis coming to an end.
Stephen A. Smith makes brutal prediction about Lakers’ playoff chances
The NBA playoffs field is set, and LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers will face Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets in the first round. Unfortunately for LA, Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic are out with injuries, making the playoff path even more difficult.
On Monday, ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith had a brutal prediction, even saying there is a chance the Lakers get swept in the first round.
“Lakers going home very early. At the most, five, and I anticipate they might get swept,” Smith said.
"Lakers going home very early. … I anticipate they might get swept."
— First Take (@FirstTake) April 13, 2026
—@stephenasmith on the Lakers' playoff chances without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves 😳 pic.twitter.com/l9NfDbqzAL
The Lakers are the No. 4 seed and the Rockets are the No. 5 seed, but Smith is hesitant to say that LA will win even one game during this series.
James has had three straight games with at least 25 points, and he scored 18 in the season finale against the Utah Jazz despite playing just under 17 minutes, so he has been playing well. However, Smith doesn’t think the Lakers have enough, even if James puts up big numbers in the series.
Doncic was diagnosed with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, and Reaves suffered an oblique injury with a four-to-six week timeline as of April 4.
If the Lakers advance and defeat the Rockets, there is a scenario where Reaves and Doncic return, but things aren’t looking very promising right now in LA.
Giants add veteran QB set to play for his 7th different NFL team
The New York Giants quarterback room currently consists of Jaxson Dart and Jameis Winston.
However, the Giants have decided to add a third signal-caller to the fold for some added insurance. On Monday, the team signed veteran Brandon Allen, who will now join his seventh team in his NFL career.
We have signed QB Brandon Allen
— New York Giants (@Giants) April 13, 2026
Details: https://t.co/xH4tqKG28X pic.twitter.com/sbytEv99Gb
Allen, who was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2016 NFL Draft, has bounced around quite a bit, and here’s what his career has consisted of in the league.
- 2016: Jaguars
- 2017-2018: Los Angeles Rams
- 2019: Denver Broncos
- 2020-2022: Cincinnati Bengals
- 2023-2024: San Francisco 49ers
- 2025: Tennessee Titans
During the 2020 season, Allen started five games after Joe Burrow’s injury. In his career, he has 10 starts, with the most recent one coming in 2024 with the 49ers. Allen has a total of 1,882 yards with 11 touchdown passes across his NFL career.
Dart is the unquestioned starter for the Giants, and Winston is a solid backup, but Allen should be able to compete for the QB3 role and could see a lot of time on the practice squad.
The Giants hired John Harbaugh as the new coach after he moved on from the Baltimore Ravens, so a new chapter of football is kicking off after a disappointing run with Brian Daboll.
Shaq puts viral Pacers fans in an awkward situation with a wild offer
Shaquille O’Neal just made the viral Indiana Pacers fans even more famous.
During the final day of the 2025-26 NBA regular season, Shaq and the “Inside the NBA” crew talked to Michael and Grace, who are getting their 15 minutes following a hilarious conversation caught on camera by the Pacers’ FanDuel Sports Network broadcast during last Thursday’s game between the Pacers and the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. You can watch that moment here.
Michael revealed that he was discussing “the academic rigor of a liberal arts education” in the viral video.
O’Neal, however, was more interested in playing a big role in taking Michael’s relationship with Grace to the next level.
The former Los Angeles Lakers superstar big man offered to buy the engagement ring if Michael proposed to Grace during the show.
“I’ll tell you what, if you ask her to marry you right now, I’ll buy the engagement ring,” the Basketball Hall of Famer said. “Do it right now, (and) I’ll buy the ring.”
"If you ask her to marry you right now, I'll buy the engagement ring." 😂
— ESPN (@espn) April 13, 2026
Shaq put the viral Pacers couple on the spot 😭 pic.twitter.com/ycn4jVQllf
Michael did not take up the offer but said he’d do it if O’Neal and the Inside the NBA crew gave him their word that they would be at the wedding.
Never change, Inside the NBA.
Fans had harsh reactions to Tyrese Haliburton’s appearance during the Pacers’ season finale
The Indiana Pacers’ brutal 2025–26 NBA season finally came to a merciful end on Sunday.
But before the Pacers’ final game of the campaign against the Detroit Pistons at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., Tyrese Haliburton issued a hopeful message to Indiana fans.
Addressing the crowd while wearing sunglasses and an Indiana jacket, Haliburton told Pacers supporters to be ready for better basketball in the near future.
“Don’t get used to the Pacers not playing in April, May and June,” Haliburton said. “Go Pacers.”
However, several fans online focused more on Haliburton’s physical appearance than his message.
he looks like tyrese haliburton if he ate tyrese haliburton 🤣🤣
— Fitzy (@FitzyBF) April 13, 2026
Long time no see Mr.Halifat
— Ariguun D (@AriguunD) April 13, 2026
Tyrese haliburgers pic.twitter.com/LTbCklBrrj
— ferchzz (@jseeeg_) April 13, 2026
Haliburton, please put down the cheesecakes..
— Luka (@ukiyocarter) April 12, 2026
Haliburton been having some haliburgers
— Cortney (@No_Chainz) April 13, 2026
Haliburton missed the entire 2025-26 campaign to recover from a devastating Achilles injury that he suffered in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. That prevented him from practicing with the Pacers for a long time, let alone from playing a regular-season game.
The former Iowa Cyclones star averaged 19.4 points, 10.0 assists and shot 47.5% from the field in the previous two seasons.
With a healthy Haliburton in the 2026-27 season, the Pacers hope to become a force in the Eastern Conference again. They reached the conference finals in 2024 before appearing in the NBA Finals the following year, their first trip to the NBA championship series since the Larry Bird-coached 1999-00 team.
Dick Vitale got duped by an absurd fake post about a March Madness hero
The mean streets of social media can be tough to navigate. Sorting what’s real and what’s fake, especially on X, is tricky business, as even college basketball sage Dick Vitale fell for a satirical fake post on Sunday.
Vitale’s attention was completely captured by a satirical X account that posted false news about UConn Huskies star Braylon Mullins holding an “NIL auction” to determine which school he would transfer to following a memorable 2026 NCAA Tournament.
The 86-year-old Dick Vitale apparently did not check the X account’s bio, which explicitly says “Everything I do is Satire,” as he shared a strong opinion on the current landscape of college basketball in the NIL era, albeit one based on a made-up story.
“This is college – sickening @NCAA must do something about the CHAOS GOING ON – how in the world can they write all about student – athletes in their NCAA manual – that is JOKE – put some rules together to end this wild Wild West,” Vitale wrote.
For the record, Mullins has not declared anything about leaving UConn, but the temptation to transfer to another program — or even turn pro — is always a possibility.
Mullins was among the major figures of the 2026 edition of March Madness, particularly for his game-winning shot in the Elite 8 against the Duke Blue Devils.
Angel Reese reacts with an emotional message after her brother’s first NBA season
New Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese is one proud sister.
On Sunday, Reese sent out a heartfelt message for his brother, Washington Wizards forward Julian Reese, who just completed his rookie season in the NBA.
Angel made sure to let Julian feel that his effort to get to where he is today is acknowledged and appreciated.
“Proud of you, brother! Your journey hasn’t been easy at all – 4 years in college, going undrafted, playing in the G League, and now finishing your season on a two-way,” Angel wrote in an Instagram Story post.
Angel believes brighter days are ahead for Julian, who went undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft after playing four seasons with the Maryland Terrapins in college.
“We both know the bigger picture and what’s already on the way – it’s only a matter of time. But I just want to give you your flowers for how you started. You’ve made a name for yourself, and you’re only scratching the surface. Big sis always rocking with you, no matter what. TIME FOR MORE,” Angel added.
Angel Reese's message for Julian Reese.
— Don March (@ItsAlwaysMarch) April 13, 2026
[Via Angel Reese's IG] pic.twitter.com/DFvxPqx3zQ
Julian started his NBA journey by joining the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2025 NBA Summer League before inking an Exhibit 10 contract with the Toronto Raptors.
He also had stints in the G League with the Raptors 905 and Capital City Go-Go before finally getting the call from the Washington Wizards for his NBA debut in a late-February game against the Houston Rockets.
Like her sister, Julian was a rebounding machine for the Wizard, averaging 10.5 boards to go with 11.8 points in 13 games.
Tarik Skubal had an unexpected reaction to his gem against the Marlins
Tarik Skubal twirled another excellent outing on the mound on Sunday, but it was a bit hard to tell based on how the Detroit Tigers star pitcher assessed his performance against the Miami Marlins at Comerica Park in Detroit, Mich.
In his fourth start of the 2026 MLB season, the reigning two-time American League Cy Young Award winner held the Marlins to just a run on 2 hits, while issuing a pair of walks and striking out 7 hitters in 6 2/3 innings of an 8-2 Detroit victory.
“My stuff wasn’t good today,” Skubal said after his start, via Jason Beck of MLB.com. “My changeup needs to be better, and it will be better. That’s something that needs to get better. But my heater was good today in terms of execution. My spin was good enough. But my changeup needed to be better.
Skubal knows he can’t be at his best all the time, but many other pitchers would take his performance on Sunday at any given time.
“But those types of things that happen in baseball. It’s not always when you have your best stuff. If that was the case, it would be easy to predict our game. It’s just not like that,” added the 29-year-old Skubal, who improved to 2-2 with a 2.22 ERA.
The Tigers swept Miami in the three-game series and will next host the Kansas City Royals for a series that begins Tuesday.
Clint Capela had a great story about a career first against the Grizzlies
Clint Capela has been in the NBA since 2014, but it wasn’t until Sunday that he finally made a shot from behind the arc.
With the Rockets resting Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr., Capela got a lot of playing time against the Memphis Grizzlies at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
He took advantage of the opportunity to achieve a minor NBA goal, as he sank his first-ever 3-pointer in the Association early in the fourth quarter of the game.
You can watch Capela’s triple here.
CLINT CAPELA HITS HIS FIRST-CAREER 3 🎯
— NBA (@NBA) April 13, 2026
739 GAMES.
1 3PM. pic.twitter.com/DnR1E0ZUVQ
Capela air-balled his first 3-point attempt in the contest, and thought that he would be pulled after that. But the Rockets drew a play for him to get another 3-point shot, which he delivered on “just like in the dream,” Capela told reporters following the game, via Michael Shapiro of the Houston Chronicle.
The opportunity was simply there for Capela to experiment a bit with his shot selection against the Grizzlies, as the Rockets had already locked up the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference regardless of the game’s outcome.
Despite the proliferation of outside-shooting bigs in the league, Capela remains among the few centers who haven’t really added a 3-pointer to his arsenal.
He finished the meeting with Memphis with 23 points on 9/11 shooting with 13 boards, 3 blocks and 1 assist in 23 minutes of a 132-101 Houston win.
Mets make interesting roster move amid brutal slide
The New York Mets need a spark, and they’re hoping that the spark’s name is Tommy Pham.
The Mets are reportedly calling up veteran Tommy Pham. According to The Athletic’s Will Sammon, the journeyman outfielder is expected to join the team for its upcoming three-game road series against the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
Pham signed a minor league deal with the Mets on Opening Day and started the season with the team’s single-A affiliate. He is slated to receive $2.25 in base salary for getting promoted to the Mets’ major-league roster.
The Mets have looked out of sorts over the past week. The boys from Queens have lost five straight games, including three in a row against the Athletics. New York was outscored 30-9 during the rough five-game stretch, including two shutouts.
Beyond the numbers on the scoreboard, the Mets have looked lethargic of late. That may be why the team felt the need to bring Pham to the clubhouse.
While Pham has pretty much been a replacement-level player over the past few seasons, what he does have is a competitive fire — something the Mets already seem to be lacking just weeks into the 2026 season.
Pham batted .245 with 10 home runs, 52 RBIs, and an OPS of .700 across 120 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates last season.
Bucks linked to former Coach of the Year finalist as Doc Rivers’ replacement
The Milwaukee Bucks reportedly have their eyes on one candidate as a potential replacement for Doc Rivers.
Several reporters confirmed Sunday that the Bucks are moving on from Rivers as the team’s head coach. One name that could reportedly take Rivers’ post is former Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins.
According to Hoops Wire’s Sam Amico, Jenkins is “expected to be among the candidates” in the Bucks’ search for their next head coach. There were already rumors linking Jenkins to Milwaukee even before Rivers was officially relieved of his duties.
While Rivers will no longer stand on the sidelines for the Bucks, he is reportedly expected to transition into a “front office or consultant-type role.”
Jenkins served as the Grizzlies’ head coach from 2019 to 2025. He led the Western Conference squad to a 250-214 record with four playoff appearances across six seasons.
Jenkins was an NBA Coach of the Year finalist in 2022 after guiding the Grizzlies to a 56-win season and a top-2 seed in the West.
Memphis made the surprising decision to fire Jenkins 73 games into last season. While Grizzlies star Ja Morant reportedly had a good personal relationship with Jenkins, the team felt the coach wasn’t getting enough out of the high-flying guard.
Mike Breen slams NBA’s ‘poor decision’ for first round of playoffs
Mike Breen is not a fan of one of the NBA’s subtle changes for this coming postseason.
The veteran announcer was on the call for the New York Knicks’ final regular-season finale Sunday against the Charlotte Hornets at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, N.Y. Breen, the primary play-by-play man of the Knicks’ MSG Network, spoke candidly about the NBA’s decision to disallow local broadcasts of the first round of the playoffs.
National TV partners were granted exclusive rights to cover the entire postseason beginning just this year. That means that each playoff team’s local TV voices were going to be silent when they had been allowed to call games through the first round in previous years.
Breen slammed the decision during a play stoppage in the third quarter of the Knicks-Hornets game.
“This is the first time ever that no longer can the home team announcers and broadcasters televise the first round. The entire playoffs exclusive to the national TV partners. … I personally think it’s a poor decision,” Breen ranted.
“Fans want to hear their team’s announce team, at least 1st round, because for so many of us, … the home team announcers become part of the family. … I get it. The networks pay a fortune for exclusivity … But I just think the fans deserve to be thrown a bone once in a while. This is our final telecast of the season.”
Mike Breen: "1st time ever…entire playoffs exclusive to national TV…poor decision…fans want to hear their home team announcers, at least 1st round…part of the family. I get networks pay a fortune…but fans deserve to be thrown a bone…This is our final telecast of the season" pic.twitter.com/knsUysK261
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) April 12, 2026
Breen arguably has the most standing to make such a case, given that he’ll be on the call for ESPN all the way through the NBA Finals. He’s not losing out on a gig as a bitter regional broadcaster. He’s the NBA’s premier play-by-play announcer who also happens to call local games for his hometown Knicks.
Breen may side with the little guy and the local fans for this one, but money from the major networks will probably drown out any complaints that may reach Adam Silver’s ears.
CBS is getting flamed for botching final shot of Rory McIlroy winning Masters
Rory McIlroy was filled with unbridled emotion as he sank the winning putt Sunday for back-to-back Masters glory. It’s a shame fans tuning into the CBS broadcast couldn’t see it.
McIlroy converted on a short putt from just inches away from the par-4 18th hole to win his second green jacket at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. The CBS broadcast made the questionable decision to show the moment from an angle wherein McIlroy’s legs were blocking the view between the ball and the hole.
The obstructed view made it unclear whether McIlroy’s ball went in. It took the context clues from the crowd cheering to confirm he had bagged his second Masters win.
Holywood has its sequel. #themasters pic.twitter.com/L7N9el2aC3
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 12, 2026
Fans were understandably upset about the odd camerawork. Many spectators online roasted CBS for dropping the ball on locating McIlroy’s ball during what was meant to be the culmination of four days of play at Augusta.
seriously this is the shot you go with???
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) April 12, 2026
can’t even see the ball go in pic.twitter.com/FYxs30c5N2
Terrible camera shot. Barely got it. Camera shots for the whole back nine were ordinary. Could barely find the ball on 15 or 18. Then nearly missed the winning putt.
— Brad Price (@BigBomber) April 12, 2026
Rory wins again…I think. CBS missed the last 4 shots. I guess that's what happens when you have one camera covering the course and the rest pointing at teenagers watching the broadcast in Ireland.
— Cousin Sal (@TheCousinSal) April 12, 2026
Getting texts about this – How was CBS Masters production so perfect all weekend then on the 18th they messed up like three things, including losing Rory’s ball on the crucial shot?
— Ryan Glasspiegel (@sportsrapport) April 12, 2026
Still laughing about CBS having a billion cameras on the 18th hole at the Masters and somehow still missed having any idea where both guys approach shots on 18 went and had a camera shot where you couldn’t see the hole for Rory’s winning putt.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) April 13, 2026
One could argue that the chaotic final shot was a fitting way to capture what was also a tumultuous tournament run from McIlroy.
The Northern Irishman dominated with a Masters record 6-shot lead through the first two days before seemingly unraveling past the midway point of the tournament. McIlroy was far from perfect over his last 36 holes, and even got into some trouble with a shaky tee shot on the decisive 18th.
All that mattered in the end was that McIlroy finished atop the Masters leaderboard, with his -12 total besting Scottie Scheffler by a single stroke.
