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Five things to know Wednesday
- Venezuela stands atop the baseball world. Venezuela became the first South American country to win the World Baseball Classic with its thrilling 3-2 victory over Team USA. One inning after the Americans erased a 2-0 deficit, Eugenio Suárez drove in the game-winning run with an RBI double, stunning the host nation. This is the United States’ second consecutive WBC without a title, which will seek a return to glory at the 2028 Olympics and in the next WBC, set for 2030.
- Broncos, Dolphins agree to a trade sending Jaylen Waddle to Denver. Waddle and a fourth-round pick are headed to the Broncos in exchange for a first-, third- and fourth-round picks. It’s a move that seems to benefit both teams. On one hand, the Broncos made a splash after opening free agency as the only squad not to sign an outside player. On the other hand, the Dolphins appear fully committed to a rebuild, which could set them up for the No. 1 pick in next year’s quarterback-loaded draft. For those reasons, I gave both teams high marks for their transaction. Our fantasy football analysts also weighed in and explained how this boosts Bo Nix’s value as well as that of every other wide receiver on the two rosters.
- Texas and Howard are through to the NCAA Tournament’s first round. Update your brackets, because No. 16 Howard and No. 11 Texas are moving on to face No. 1 Michigan and No. 6 BYU, respectively. The Bison tipped off the tournament with a First Four game against UMBC and narrowly avoided an early dose of madness when a potential game-tying buzzer-beater from the Retrievers went awry, sealing an 86-83 victory. Meanwhile, the Longhorns survived 68-66 over NC State in the nightcap.
- Half of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals are set. Second-leg matches in the Round of 16 saw Real Madrid, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and Sporting Club punch their tickets to the final eight. They will learn their opponents today when the other half of the bracket concludes the first round of the knockout stage. Arsenal’s 3-1 win on aggregate over Bayer Leverkusen means we’ll get to see more of Eberechi Eze, who delivered an absolute strike to put the Gunners ahead in one of the best moments of his young Arsenal career. This is the end of the road, though, for Bodø/Glimt. Their magical run came to an end in a 5-0 defeat to Sporting Club, but it serves as the blueprint for future underdog stories.
- Leon Draisaitl is out for the rest of the regular season. Less than a week after the Maple Leafs ruled out Auston Matthews for the year, the Oilers also declared a star done for the regular season. Draisaitl, who ranks second on the team in goals and assists, sustained a lower-body injury in Sunday’s win over the Predators on a hit from Ozzy Wiesblatt and did not return. The Oilers did not reveal Draisaitl’s diagnosis nor his potential status for the playoffs.
Do not miss this: Even more March Madness bracket analysis!
We’ve given you tools to build your Men’s NCAA Tournament bracket each of the last two days, and we’re not done yet. Just over 24 hours remain until brackets lock. Don’t forget to fill out your Women’s NCAA Tournament bracket, too, though that does not lock until Friday afternoon.
Clock is ticking for Brackets! Get back in your pools and enter our Bracket Challenge for your chance to win a dream trip to the 2027 Final FourⓇ.
If you haven’t gotten to work yet, it’s time to get started. We’re here to help:
Post-free agency NFL mock draft
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The months of March and April in the NFL are like a game of Whac-A-Mole. Teams fill needs through free agency, watch new needs develop as their own free agents depart for other opportunities and attempt to fill those new gaps in the draft. The first wave of free agency is complete, so teams are beginning to shift their primary focus to that last step.
Last week’s free agent moves led Mike Renner to make some adjustments to his projections, and he unveiled them in his mock draft 8.0. Here are his top five picks:
- Raiders: QB Fernando Mendoza
- Jets: EDGE Arvell Reese
- Cardinals: OT Spencer Fano
- Titans: EDGE Rueben Bain Jr.
- Giants: LB Sonny Styles
A few spots further down the board, Renner still foresees the Bengals taking a safety despite having already made a highly regarded addition to their much-maligned defense.
- Renner: “Even after adding Bryan Cook in free agency, Caleb Downs would still be a welcome addition for Bengals fans. His ability to play in the slot or deep would give Al Golden more flexibility with his coverages.”
The best (and not-so-best) of the rest
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What we’re watching Wednesday
Spring training: Red Sox at Yankees, 1:05 p.m. on MLB Network
UEFA Champions League, Round of 16: Newcastle United at Barcelona, 1:45 p.m. on Paramount+
UEFA Champions League, Round of 16: Atalanta at Bayern Munich, 4 p.m. on CBS Sports Network/Paramount+
UEFA Champions League, Round of 16: Galatasaray at Liverpool, 4 p.m. on Paramount+
UEFA Champions League, Round of 16: Atletico Madrid at Tottenham Hotspur, 4 p.m. on Paramount+
Spring training: Giants at Dodgers, 4:05 p.m. on MLB Network
Men’s NCAA Tournament, First Four: No. 16 Prairie View A&M vs. No. 16 Lehigh, 6:40 p.m. on truTV
Women’s NCAA Tournament, First Four: No. 11 Richmond vs. No. 11 Nebraska, 7 p.m. on ESPN2
Warriors at Celtics, 7 p.m. on ESPN
Devils at Rangers, 7 p.m. on TNT
Women’s NCAA Tournament, First Four: No. 16 Stephen F. Austin vs. No. 16 Missouri State, 9 p.m. on ESPN2
Men’s NCAA Tournament, First Four: No. 11 Miami (Ohio) vs. No. 11 SMU, 9:15 p.m. on truTV
Lakers at Rockets, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN
Stars at Avalanche, 9:30 p.m. on TNT
