SAN DIEGO -- The MLB season began while the NBA regular season came to an end.
In the MLB, infielder Ty France (2013-15) will look to build off last season's breakout year in Seattle. France started at first base in each of Seattle's first four games. He is batting .267 with a .389 on-base percentage, a run scored, and a pair of RBIs. France was instrumental in Seattle's 4-3 victory over Minnesota on Saturday. He drove in Tom Murphy with a double in the third to tie the game at 1-1 before singling in Adam Frazier to give the Mariners a 4-3 lead in the ninth. Pitcher Stephen Strasburg (2007-09) begins the season on the 10-Day IL for Washington. Infielder Alan Trejo (2015-17) remains on Colorado this season, but has yet to appear in a game. Outfielder Greg Allen (2012-14) is on the Pittsburgh Pirates, but will spend at least the first two months of the season on the 60-Day IL.
In the NBA, forward Jalen McDaniels (2018-19) played in four games for Charlotte including three wins and three games in double figures. This week, he averaged 11.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block. This season, he is averaging 6.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.4 blocks per game in 55 games. Charlotte made the Play-In. If Charlotte beats Atlanta on Wednesday, it would face the loser of Brooklyn and Cleveland for the opportunity to play Miami in the first round. Toronto guard Malachi Flynn (2020) closed out the regular season by playing in all four of Toronto's games. He averaged 4.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 0.5 steals on the week. On the season, he averaged 4.3 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.1 blocks across 44 games. Toronto will take on Philadelphia in the first round in a series starting on Saturday afternoon. Guard Jordan Schakel (2017-20) is on a two-way contract with Washington, and played in a pair of games this week. Schakel made a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws to go with four rebounds and a steal on Friday night against the Knicks, and grabbed another board on Sunday. As a whole, he appeared in four games in his rookie season, totaling five points, eight rebounds and a steal. Forward Kawhi Leonard (2010-11) and the Los Angeles Clippers made the Play-In in the Western Conference and are up against Minnesota on Tuesday. They would face Memphis in the first round with a win or play the winner of New Orleans and San Antonio for the right to face Phoenix in the first round with a loss. Leonard has yet to return from his torn ACL he suffered during last year's playoffs.
On the PGA Tour, J.J. Spaun (2009-12) tied for 23rd in The Masters at 3-over-par, while Xander Schauffele (2013-15) did not make the cut. Schauffele is ranked 10th in the world and Spaun is ranked 10th in the FedEx Cup standings. Spaun and Scott Piercy (2009-12) will compete in the RBC Heritage in Hilton Head, South Carolina, this weekend.