Saturday Watchlist: 4-5-25
So much sports and so little time, especially on Saturday.
The first Saturday of April has arrived, and with it comes hours upon hours of sports that will entertain the masses.
I know I’ve been doing these for a while now, but just in case you’ve missed any of the previous editions, here’s what the watchlist promises to provide:
Every Saturday morning, I, Seth Dowdle, the authoritative source for all things Saturday, give you, the wonderful reader, the best games to watch on this wonderful day. It could be baseball, basketball, hockey, or anything in between.
For each window, I’ll give you one, potentially two, contests that I’m interested in watching for the day, followed by a couple of paragraphs on why that’s the case. I think it’s better this way. If you don’t, all complaints can be emailed to my assistant, Toby1.
As I’ve said in pretty much every single one of my Saturday Watchlists, this day is hallowed ground when it comes to athletic entertainment. While it doesn’t always deliver, it at least always promises a lot of fun.
Today is no different. From baseball to men’s college basketball, we have it all from morning to midnight. It’s going to be a blast, so let’s find out what we’re all watching!
Early Window
Arsenal @ Everton (6:30 AM CDT - USA Network)
Nottingham Forest @ Aston Villa (11:30 AM CDT - USA Network)
Take your pick of some semi-intriguing Premier League soccer this morning. I know one of them is very early, and the chances that I’m even up watching it myself are fairly slim if I’m being honest, but still, if you’re awake, give it a shot. Arsenal, while likely out of reach of first place in England’s top flight, is still a club that has a lot of pieces worth tuning in for. The team is still competing in the UEFA Champions League — it plays against Real Madrid on Tuesday in leg one of the quarterfinals — and still has an (extremely) outside shot of overtaking Liverpool for first place in the Premier League.
Several hours later, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa will play in a match between clubs that are unexpectedly pretty good, especially in the case of the former. Nottingham Forest wasn’t even in the Premier League three seasons ago and placed 16th and 17th the last two years. Now it’s situated in third place and is poised to make the Champions League for the first time since 1981.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa has steadily improved since finishing in 14th place during the 2021-22 season to now find itself in seventh place, with a real shot of leapfrogging sixth-place Newcastle United and potentially even fifth-place Manchester City should things break Villa’s way. Birmingham’s club is definitely one to keep an eye on moving forward, especially if it continues improving at the rate it has over the past several seasons.
Afternoon Window
San Diego Padres @ Chicago Cubs (1:20 PM CDT - MLB.tv)
Pittsburgh Penguins @ Dallas Stars (2:00 PM CDT - Victory+)
Los Angeles Dodgers @ Philadelphia Phillies (3:05 PM CDT - FS1)
Baltimore Orioles @ Kansas City Royals (3:10 PM CDT - MLB.tv)
Baseball, baby! (And some hockey!)
Now that baseball is back in our lives, this segment of the Saturday Watchlist will consistently be populated by America’s pastime.
Today, that includes three games, two of which will get some runtime here.
The first is perhaps one of the most interesting games of the young season so far. The Dodgers, featuring their potent lineup of expensive talent, are in Philadelphia to face the Phillies in a matchup between two teams that believe they have what it takes to win the World Series.
Rōki Sasaki will make his third start of his big-league career for Los Angeles and is looking to find himself a bit. After coming over from Japan as one of the most sought-after international players ever, Sasaki struggled in his first two outings in the majors. While the stuff is certainly there, the command is all over the place, especially with his fastball. There are moments where nobody, not even Sasaki, seems to know where it’s going once it comes out of his hand. That needs to change against Philadelphia, and if it doesn’t, the crowd in the City of Brotherly Love is guaranteed to let him hear it, which is something I don’t think he needs, given that his confidence is clearly already pretty shaken.
If that isn’t good enough for you, try tuning in to watch the San Diego Padres face the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Any game at Wrigley is a spectacle. The crowd is always energized (even when the Cubs are bad), and the historic scenery is enough to entertain the viewer all on its own. I went there last September and was blown away by just how magical the experience was.
San Diego started the season 7-0 before faltering yesterday afternoon in game one of the series. The Cubs, meanwhile, started off shaky with two losses in Tokyo to the Dodgers but have bounced back nicely since returning stateside and have rattled off four consecutive victories. It should be a good time at the ballpark even with the forecasted chilly weather.
Evening Window
Florida vs. Auburn (5:09 PM CDT - CBS)
Houston vs. Duke (7:49 PM CDT - CBS)
Tampa Bay Rays at Texas Rangers (6:05 PM CDT - Rangers Sports Network)
For the first time since 2008, all four of the number one seeds in March Madness have made the Final Four.
This tournament has produced an unprecedented amount of chalk, which, in my humble opinion, has made for quite a mundane viewing experience. That might be a hot take, but with a sport like college basketball where I’m already not that interested, it takes a little pizzazz to win me over. And without the crazy upsets and buzzer-beaters, this tournament hasn’t really hit the spot with me. As such, I enter the Final Four as disinterested as I’ve ever been with March Madness.
That being said, watching these two games is a necessity for anybody who calls themselves a sports fan. And even though I might not have been interested in how we got here, I’m certainly intrigued by what’s going to happen now that we’ve arrived at the end. Auburn, Duke, Houston, and Florida were the best teams in the regular season and have proved that thus far. Rarely does that happen in March Madness, but 2025 has been the year for radical change, so here we are.
Oh, and by the way, I will be watching the Texas Rangers too. As I mentioned last week, if the Rangers are on, they take number one priority with no exceptions. And hey, if you haven’t read the latest Rangers Roundup, give it a try! I’m certain you’ll enjoy it. (Or maybe not. If that’s the case, please keep it to yourself; there’s no need to be a negative Nellie.)
Late Evening Window
Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Clippers (9:30 PM CDT - Mavs TV)
Apparently, the Mavericks play tomorrow night. I had no idea. I thought the franchise stopped existing on February 1, but I was wrong, I guess. Oh well. Watch them if you still care. I certainly don’t.
Toby may or may not be available today. As the veterinarian said yesterday, he’s “stressed,” so he might need some time to himself. Oh, just in case you weren’t aware, he’s a cat.