{"id":1544,"date":"2025-04-26T22:36:13","date_gmt":"2025-04-26T22:36:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/1544\/"},"modified":"2025-04-26T22:36:13","modified_gmt":"2025-04-26T22:36:13","slug":"mlbs-surprising-top-team-so-far-plus-the-nba-playoffs-begin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/1544\/","title":{"rendered":"MLB\u2019s surprising top team so far, plus the NBA playoffs begin"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Pulse Newsletter \ud83d\udce3 | This is The Athletic\u2019s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here<\/a> to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox.<\/p>\n

Good morning! Have some candy today.<\/p>\n

Spring Dreaming: Stubbornly great Padres<\/a> lead spring surprises<\/p>\n

A month ago, the Padres figured to be a fringe playoff contender that could get hot and challenge an elite team or two in October \u2014 like they did last year, when they took the eventual champion Dodgers<\/a> to a decisive fifth game in the NLDS. On Opening Day, FanGraphs gave San Diego about a\u00a0one-in-three shot<\/a>\u00a0at making a third postseason in four years.<\/p>\n

Not a bad forecast, but the Padres didn\u2019t exactly feel like an organization on the rise. A lot of things weighed down on any optimism:<\/p>\n

Late owner Peter Seidler, who\u00a0died in 2023<\/a>,\u00a0was an unusually big spender\u00a0for a \u201csmall-market\u201d owner, and his heirs,\u00a0who immediately fought over control of the team<\/a>, don\u2019t seem to have the same financial appetite.
\nThe club\u00a0cut nearly $100 million in payroll last season\u00a0and took out a $50 million loan to cover expenses. The team\u00a0has money problems<\/a>, largely stemming from the collapse of the regional TV deal the team once relied on for millions annually.
\nA year after trading Juan Soto<\/a> (albeit for a nice package of players), the Padres\u00a0let a few solid free agents walk. Outfielder Jurickson Profar<\/a> went to the Braves<\/a> (and quickly was suspended for PED use), sweet-fielding shortstop Ha-Seong Kim<\/a> to the Rays<\/a> and deadline rental reliever Tanner Scott<\/a> to the hated Dodgers.
\nInjuries were an immediate problem. Joe Musgrove<\/a> had Tommy John surgery last fall and\u00a0won\u2019t be back before October, if he\u2019s back at all this year<\/a>. Yu Darvish, thanks to a spring training case of elbow inflammation, still hasn\u2019t debuted this season. Jackson Merrill has been out the past few weeks\u00a0with a strained hamstring<\/a>.<\/p>\n

No matter. A little over 10 percent of the way into the season, the Padres are 15-6, the best record in baseball.\u00a0The team\u2019s offensive core (Fernando Tatis Jr.<\/a>, Manny Machado<\/a> and Merrill when healthy) is raking. Michael King<\/a>, part of the return from the Yankees<\/a> for Soto before last season, has pitched lights-out, as has new arrival Pivetta. Robert Suarez<\/a> has been a dominant closer.\u00a0Everything is clicking<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The club is packing Petco Park to the tune of more than 40,000 fans per game. Merrill\u00a0just signed a nine-year extension<\/a>\u00a0to solidify himself as a true franchise cornerstone. The vibes could hardly be better, no matter what is going on with the dollars and cents.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, April ball is full of surprises. The Braves started 0-7 and have had a slow dig out of that hole. The Twins<\/a> have been a disaster and ceded AL Central favorite status to the Tigers<\/a>. The big league home run leader is \u2026 Athletics<\/a> first baseman Tyler Soderstrom<\/a>? Indeed, with nine homers.<\/p>\n

We asked\u00a0The Athletic\u2019s\u00a0Eno Sarris and Derek VanRiper, hosts of \u201cRates & Barrels<\/a>,\u201d\u00a0which April developments are primed to regress to their respective means.<\/p>\n

Sarris has the Giants offense going \ud83d\udcc9:<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcac Who did you think would have a good offense to start the year? The Cubs? Yep, they led MLB in runs per game entering play on Saturday. The Diamondbacks and Yankees? Yep, second and third. But also right there are the Giants, in fourth somehow scoring more than five runs a game. They might be OK, but that seems out of whack.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, VanRiper has the Braves offense, sixth from the bottom in runs per game, going \ud83d\udcc8:<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcac Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr. is in the late stages of rehab from his second ACL tear, and better health outcomes for Austin Riley, Michael Harris and Ozzie Albies should be pushing this offense back toward its 2023 form. It\u2019s a matter of time before they are a feared lineup again.<\/p>\n

The baseball season is young. Time to check news.<\/p>\n

News to Know<\/p>\n

NBA<\/a> playoffs bring drama, dominance<\/p>\n

Yesterday\u2019s quadruple header of Game 1s delivered a good old-fashioned beatdown, plenty of late-game dramatics and a team that couldn\u2019t miss. A quick recap:<\/p>\n

Quite the start.\u00a0Get caught up with our NBA staff\u2019s\u00a0full takeaways from every game<\/a>. More playoffs:<\/p>\n

Stanley Cup favorites win Game 1s<\/p>\n

The Jets needed a Kyle Connor game-winning goal\u00a0with 1:36 left in the third period to escape with a win over the Blues. Our NHL staff has\u00a0more takeaways from a back-and-forth Game 1 in Winnipeg<\/a>. In the late game,\u00a0the current title favorite Avalanche\u00a0(+600, per BetMGM) handed the Stars their\u00a0eighth straight (!) Game 1 loss<\/a>. Their opening goal? Whatever this wizardry is:<\/p>\n

Artturi Lehkonen just FLUNG the puck off his skate and into the net without kicking it \ud83e\udd2f pic.twitter.com\/25wwwQBZMy<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 B\/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 20, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

More news:<\/p>\n

What to Watch<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcfa Formula 1: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix<\/p>\n

1 p.m. ET on ESPN2<\/p>\n

The season is shaping up like a McLaren runaway, with the biggest drama being which driver in the orange car, Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri, wins the drivers\u2019 championship. The midfield has subplots, though, like\u00a0Williams rising despite new signee and ex-Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz struggling<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcfa NBA: Magic at Celtics, Game 1<\/p>\n

3:30 p.m. ET on ABC<\/p>\n

The defending champs are second, behind the Thunder, in\u00a0The Athletic\u2019s\u00a0pre-playoff power ranking<\/a>. Boston<\/a> is the East\u2019s No. 2 seed, and Orlando the No. 7? Any shot at the 41-41 Magic pulling a series upset? Not really. We don\u2019t lie to you in The Pulse. But Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are fun to watch and good for 50 points per game between them.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcfa NHL<\/a>: Senators at Maple Leafs, Game 1\u00a0<\/p>\n

7 p.m. ET on ESPN2<\/p>\n

The Battle of Ontario hits the playoffs,\u00a0just like in the pre-2005 lockout days<\/a>. The Leafs look to avoid an early-round exit for the ninth year in a row. The Sens are an intriguing wild-card team, playing in the playoffs for the first time since 2017.\u00a0Hostilities will flair<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Pulse Picks<\/p>\n

Ticketing links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.<\/p>\n

(Top photo: Sean M. Haffey \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n