DENVER – The Cubs made a pair of corresponding roster moves to put right-hander Mark Leiter Jr. on the roster before his start against the Rockies on Saturday.

To open a spot on the active roster for Leiter, the Cubs optioned first baseman/outfielder Alfonso Rivas to Triple-A after the Cubs’ 6-5 loss at Coors Field on Friday. Rivas, who debuted last year, has recorded a hit in each of the games he’s appeared in this season, going 2-for-4.

“The first thing I say when those things happen is, ‘This sucks, for all of us,'” Cubs manager David Ross said of breaking the news to Rivas. “It’s just part of the options game, when you’ve got to make a move for a pitcher. Those things happen throughout the season, it’s never good news.

“The guy swings the bat well, he’s very professional in his work, he’s a great defensive first baseman, gives you a quality at-bat every single time. He’s a winning player. I believe in him, he believes in himself. So, it’s just one of those, ‘Hey, go get some consistent at-bats. We’ll see you soon.'”

To make room for Leiter on the 40-man roster, the Cubs designated right-hander Cory Abbott for assignment. Abbott has pitched two games in Triple-A this season, allowing a total of three runs in six innings.

In other roster news

The Cubs also acted on a clause in left-hander Locke St. John’s contract, adding him to the 40-man roster to keep him in the organization. They selected his contract from Triple-A and then optioned him to Iowa.

To make room for St. John on the roster, the Cubs designated outfielder Greg Deichmann for assignment.

Injury updates

Cubs southpaw Wade Miley (left elbow inflammation) threw off the mound on Saturday for the first time since the team shut him down in spring training. He tossed 15 pitches, and the Cubs will evaluate his recovery before determining next steps.

Right-hander Alec Mills (lower back strain) was scheduled to throw a bullpen Saturday in Arizona.

Both pitchers started the season on the 10-day IL, a blow to the Cubs’ rotation depth.

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If Saturday’s 3-2win over the Rays had come later in the year, perhaps White Sox starter Michael Kopech would’ve lasted longer than five innings. Yet two weeks into the season and still barely removed from an abbreviated spring training, Kopech was removed after throwing 75 pitches and giving up just one unearned run.

“Right now, I think we’re still in spring training mode as far as building up and not going to a certain level beyond that,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said.

In his second start of the year, the level Kopech reached Saturday looked pretty lofty.

Kopech struck out five, allowed one hit and got 13 whiffs to recover from a rocky first when he threw 25 pitches and fell behind. Jose Abreu’s two-run homer in the fourth was his first of the season, and the Sox went ahead for good in the sixth on Yasmani Grandal’s run-scoring single, leading to their sixth win in eight games to begin the season.

During the first inning, Kopech walked two and fell behind on Harold Ramirez’s sacrifice fly to left that brought in Brandon Lowe. The run was unearned because of Randy Arozarena’s infield single when he reached second on Sox third baseman Josh Harrison’s throwing error.

After Harrison’s throw was wide of first, Abreu retrieved the ball and his relay to second was well ahead of Arozarena, but the Tampa Bay left fielder fell to the dirt and avoided Tim Anderson’s tag, allowing him to advance.

The last four innings were different for Kopech, who topped out at 97.8 mph.

The 25-year-old righty retired the last 10 he faced. Four of the final six outs Kopech recorded were via strikeout, and his last pitch was a 96.2 mph fastball that Lowe swung through.

Yet because of the early-season caution, that was it for Kopech.La Russa hinted before the game he’d rather take a pitcher out too early than too late.

“The better he pitches, the longer he lasts, the better it is for us. But at some point, when a guy starts to lose it, too, bad things happen,” La Russa said. “You push him and he turns a good outing into one he has bad vibes about or he gets hurt. We can all see it; the delivery starts to fall apart, breaking ball starts hanging, loses some zip on his fastball, loses command. It isn’t that tough [to see] if you watch closely.”

Rays starter Corey Kluber, a two-time Cy Young Award winner with Cleveland, looked like his former self by retiring the first nine Sox hitters. But after Anderson’s infield single, Abreu homered to give the Sox a 2-1 lead.

Kopech didn’t get a decision after the Rays tied the game in the top of the sixth on Manuel Margot’s two-out RBI single off Sox reliever Reynaldo Lopez. The Sox regained the lead in the bottom of the inning on Grandal’s run-scoring single that brought in Luis Robert.

Even without Kendall Graveman and Aaron Bummer, the Sox bullpen was able to get the game to Liam Hendriks. Jose Ruiz threw a scoreless seventh and Bennett Sousa followed suit in the eighth before Hendriks earned the save to seal the Sox’ second win in the series. That save, however, wasn’t easy, as Hendriks loaded the bases with two outs but struck out Taylor Walls to end the game.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Blackhawks officially burned the first year of Lukas Reichel’s three-year entry-level contract Saturday.

The Hawks’ top prospect played his 10th NHL game of the season –crossing the threshold that will make him a restricted free agent in 2024 instead of 2025 — in the Hawks’ 4-3 loss to the Predators.

Fittingly, Reichel finally earned his first career NHL point in the game, tallying the secondary assist on Dominik Kubalik’s second-period goal after making a smart pass to Jake McCabe.

“I’m sure it’s a relief for him,” Hawks interim coach Derek King said. “It [was] a good heads-up play, and that’s what we expect from him. Him getting that point is going to make him feel better, get a little confidence, not squeeze his stick as much [while] thinking, ‘I’ve got to get points. I’ve got to get points.’ I was happy for the kid.”

Reichel has come close on many occasions, especially recently, to finally breaking through. He barely missed several high-grade scoring opportunities Tuesday against the Kings, in particular.

Now that the goose egg is gone, the floodgates will ideally open.

“I’ve had great chances the last few games,” Reichel said. “My first call-up, I had some chances, [too]. It makes you feel better whenyou get your first point. But obviously [in] the game, we battled to the end but we lost, so we’ve got to learn from it.”

The Hawks indeed pushed hard late, cutting a two-goal deficit to one and nearly zero, but their 15-3 edge in shot attempts over the final nine minutes couldn’t cancel out the Predators’ 56-32 advantage up to that point.

It’s rare for teams to intentionally burn a contract year when a borderline AHL-NHL prospect like Reichel is eligible for a contract slide.

The extra year with a cheap entry-level salary cap hit –in Reichel’s case, $925,000 –is valuable. This season alone, the Sharks held William Eklund, the Ducks held Mason McTavish and the Blues held Jake Neighbours at nine games each for that reason.

But Hawks general manager Kyle Davidson has previously presented the counterargument that getting Reichel to RFA status a year quicker could make his next contract more affordable, as he’ll have one fewer season of NHL production to reference in negotiations.

“I’m not too concerned with it, to be honest,” Davidson said April 1. “Once we’re looking at really…utilizing every dollar [under the cap], he’s probably going to be in a different contract anyway, out of his entry-level. [If] we burn it, we burn it.”

Now the focus turns to Reichel’s shorter-term development.

He has been competent but not especially impactful during his first 10 games; King said Friday he has “come not a long ways but…a little ways” this season. The Hawks certainly hope this is just the tip of the iceberg for their unanimous top prospect.

One area in which Reichel, like many 19-year-old forwards, absolutely needs to improve is his strength. With his bony 6-foot, 170-pound frame, he’s noticeably weaker than many of the hulking opponents he faces every game.

This offseason will be a crucial time in that regard. At the recommendation of the Hawks and his agent, Allain Roy, Reichel plans to stay in Chicago for most of the summer.

He’ll be working out with renowned Hawks strength and conditioning coach Paul Goodman, whose coaching will likely boost his confidence and mental maturation just as much as his physical growth.

“He’s going to be a good hockey player,” King said. “He just needs to mature, get some facial hair, maybe lose a tooth or so and build up some muscle up and strength, and you’ll see him — he’ll take off.”

Added Reichel: “I’ve got to get stronger. It’s my goal.”

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A fire that destroyed legendary Antioch Missionary Baptist Church on the South Side Friday was caused by a propane torch and was accidental, officials announced Saturday.

The propane torch was being used on the roof as part of work being done on the structure at 63rd and Stewart, according to Chicago Fire Department investigators.

Meanwhile, the Englewood church announced on its Facebook page that its congregation “will continue to worship” and hold Easter services at Calahan Funeral Home, 7030 S. Halsted St. on Sunday.

“This church is an anchor in this community,” Pastor Gerald Dew told reporters at the scene Friday. “If we’ve got to lose something, losing it on Good Friday is the best time to lose it, because after Good Friday comes Resurrection Sunday.”

The fire appeared to begin in the upper rear area of the church, where crews who responded at 2:15 p.m. noticed heavy smoke, CFD spokesman Larry Langford said. No one was inside the church at the time.

Around 150 fire personnel and 50 engines, trucks and ambulances went to the scene, Langford said, adding that firefighters tried to battle the flames from above, but the truss roof made those efforts dangerous.

The fire was extinguished in about two hours, but not before the roof collapsed, officials said. A church wall along Stewart Avenue was unsupported and at risk of falling.

The South Side church is well-known for its political clout and community involvement, investing in several housing projects starting in the 1960s. The church claims to be the first church to take advantage of the National Housing Act to build senior housing with special government loans.

The church building, built in the Romanesque Revival style, was constructed in the 1880s, according to records from the Chicago Historic Resources Survey.

Contributing: David Struett, Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Kirby Dach’s challenging 2021-22 season may end on a sour note.

Dach suffered a right shoulder sprain during the second period Thursday against the Sharks when he was slightly tripped up by Nicolas Meloche behind the net, then fallen on by Sam Lafferty. He took one more shift in the third period before leaving for good.

“He just came back to the bench and he was going to try it again,” interim coach Derek King said Friday. “We had a timeout, he went on the ice, and then I pulled him off and put [Dylan] Strome’s line on for the faceoff in the offensive zone. [Dach] just got up and said, ‘I can’t go.’Hopefully it’s nothing serious.”

King added he hopes the Hawks won’t have to shut down Dach for the remainder of the season, but with less than two weeks left, that seems like a real possibility.

Dach unsurprisingly missed Saturday’s game against the Predators. Results from tests on his shoulder are expected to come back Monday.

As it stands now, Dach tallied only 26 points in 70 games this season while averaging 18:03 of ice time. Offensively, it was perhaps the worst of his three years so far: his points-per-60-minutes (at even strength) rate has gone from 1.49 as a rookie to 1.77 last season to 1.09 this season.

Defensively, Dach has been solid since the day he entered the NHL, and at age 21, he still has lots of time left for development. But this latest setback certainly doesn’t help matters.

Kane won’t explain

Patrick Kane celebrated his first-period goal Saturday by staring down and yelling at a bald man in a Predators jacket seated in the first row at Bridgestone Arena.

The incident set social media afire with curiosity. After the game, Kane first insisted there was “no real reason” behind it.

“I just saw it was a Nashville fan, so I just kinda caught him on it,” he said with a laugh.

When asked if the fan had said anything to him, though, he hesitated before saying he’d “just keep it at that.” Thus, the mystery lives on.

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Give Patrick Williams the pass.

After all, the Bulls forward is just 20 years old, and had just scored a career-high 35 points in the regular-season finale.

So of course there was a little bit of chest beating when asked about the upcoming playoff meeting with the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks.

“I don’t think that we see ourselves as underdogs,” Williams said confidently. “I think this team definitely can use that as fuel like we did early in the season when guys were saying this team wouldn’t be as good.

“I don’t think we’ll need it. I think we’re all ready for this opportunity, ready for this series.”

That’s great, but the head-to-head matchups say different:

Center

Nikola Vucevic vs. Brook Lopez

The last time the two bigs had a postseason showdown was in 2020, while Vucevic was still wearing his mouseketeer ears with the Orlando Magic.

Not only did Vucevic take Lopez out to that lunch, but made Lopez buy. Yes, Lopez’s Bucks team won the series in five games, but don’t blame Vucevic. He dominated Lopez, and whoever else Milwaukee threw his way, averaging 28 points and 11 rebounds per game, while shooting 50.4% from the field and 40.5 from three. Meanwhile, Lopez wasn’t awful at 13.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, but was outplayed in every way by “The Vooch.”

That’s great for the Bulls, but was also two years ago. Vuicevic is now a third option in this offense, doesn’t get the touches that he did in Orlando, and just let Lopez go 28 and seven in an April 5 meeting.

EDGE: Even

Forwards

Patrick Williams vs. Giannis Antetokounmpo

Forget Williams winning this matchup. It’s more about can he even survive it? Because of injuries, the two have only squared off really twice, and Antetokounmpo wasn’t in playoff mode.

If Williams is dominated early on, Bulls coach Billy Donovan can throw Javonte Green, Derrick Jones Jr. or even Alex Caruso at him, but there will be no real answer for one of the more dominant two-way players the NBA has going right now.

EDGE: Milwaukee

DeMar DeRozan vs. Khris Middleton

The luxury Milwaukee has is that Middleton is a solid enough defender and long enough to irk DeRozan somewhat, but if it’s not going the Bucks’ way, either Wesley Matthews or Jrue Holiday can switch over and make life very uncomfortable for the Bulls’ leading scorer.

Meanwhile, Middleton is an underrated late-game closer and no stranger to big shots. He seems to coast through the regular season, get his 20 a night, and then flip a switch come playoff time. Look no further than the 40 points he dropped on Phoenix in the Finals last year in Game 4. That should concern the Bulls.

EDGE: Milwaukee

Guards

Alex Caruso vs. Wesley Matthews

Matthews closed the regular season in the starting lineup for Milwaukee, giving them an elite defender next to Holiday, even at the age of 35. There’s a good chance that the Bucks could cross-match and put Middleton on Caruso because the Bulls guard was not a real offensive threat, but neither is Matthews.

Both Caruso and Matthews are in there for defensive purposes, and at this point in their careers Caruso is just a bit better and slightly more versatile on who he can guard.

EDGE: BULLS

Zach LaVine vs. Jrue Holiday

LaVine can fall out of bed and score 24 in an NBA game. The problem is that Holiday has one-on-one lock-down ability to put LaVine right back to sleep.

It doesn’t mean Holiday will be guarding LaVine for 35 minutes a game, however. Like they did in the last two regular-season meetings, Milwaukee will give DeRozan and LaVine each a healthy dose of Holiday at some point.

With all things equal, Holiday has played in a Finals spotlight and knows what it takes to win playoff games. This will be LaVine’s first career playoff appearance in Year 8 of his NBA journey.

EDGE: Milwaukee

Bench

This is where the series could be lost for the Bulls, especially from an experience standpoint. While the champs can throw Grayson Allen, George Hill, Pat Connaughton, Serge Ibaka, and of course former Bull Bobby Portis out there, Donovan has a rookie in Ayo Dosunmu, a streaky shooter in Coby White, and then undersized bodies like Green and Jones.

The only bench player with championship pedigree for the Bulls is backup center Tristan Thompson.

EDGE: Milwaukee

Series Prediction: The Bulls get Game 3 at home thanks to their “Big Three” getting hot, but the hope is short-lived. Milwaukee 4-1

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It’s been the Zach LaVine mantra for a few weeks now.

The Bulls guard sounded like he had come to the end of handing out excuses at some point in March. Or simply had run out of excuses to give.

“We’ve done enough talking,” LaVine said several times, as his team was preparing for its first playoff appearance since 2017. “It’s time to get it done now. Time to stop talking.”

Because while LaVine has never played in a postseason series, he’s been around long enough to know that words mean very little in the NBA’s “second season.” It’s claw and scratch for four wins, and then move on to the next series. If not? It’s call the travel agent and plan a vacation.

There’s no middle ground. Players living on moral victories in April and May are usually doing so on the backend of a banana boat in Turks and Caicos.

So while the Bulls players have spent the week saying all the right things about the first round meeting with the defending champions, it’s time for actions, not words.

The current make-up of this roster may depend on that.

Las Vegas has the Bulls going out against the Bucks. Heck, most prognosticators have the Bulls fearing the deer the next few weeks.

But there’s a bigger picture that’s at stake.

Executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley didn’t build this roster for mediocrity. Even if the Bulls go out in the first round, how they look in doing so may carry weight as far as offseason decisions that have to be made by the front office.

What if this group – without Lonzo Ball (left knee) – upsets Milwaukee or even takes them to the brink with a Game 7? What if the series goes six hard-fought games, and the Bucks go on to repeat as champions?

Then the idea of calling “next” with the same players and running it back with a healthy Ball next season makes a bit more sense.

Some definite tweaks needed, but there’s a core intact that Karnisovas and Eversley can embrace, as well as sell to the fan base.

Then there’s the other side of what can happen.

What if this is a four-game sweep? Or what if the Bulls do grab one win at home, but are still hammered in the four other games and sent packing?

Considering this roster went 2-21 against opponents that finished the season with a winning percentage of .600 or higher, slipped from first at the All-Star Break to No. 6 in the East by the end, and then on top of all that are a punchline in the playoffs, there’s no sell-job Karnisovas can throw the way of the fans and not come off sounding like the Gar/Pax regime.

A crash ending to this season would mean everything and everyone would have to be on the table.

As it stands the Bulls have just over $100 million in guaranteed salary for next year. That does not include the big pay raise LaVine will be due in free agency.

With the supermax all but out the window, LaVine will be looking for the max – from either the Bulls or elsewhere.

With the Bulls it would be five years and $200 million, and elsewhere it would be four years and near the $160 million mark.

Do the Bulls do that knowing this roster fizzled out when it mattered most?

Then there’s Nikola Vucevic and his expiring contract after the 2022-23 season. Is he a moveable piece this summer? And don’t forget that Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu could each be extension possibilities.

So yes, this is just a first-round playoff series, but it could be much more for the outlook of this core.

Enough words, though. Actions will speak much louder.

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There is still no timetable for when third baseman Yoan Moncada will return to the White Sox lineup.

Before Saturday’s game, Sox manager Tony La Russa said Moncada is still feeling some discomfort when he makes certain moves in the field. Placed on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain, Moncada hasn’t played in a regular-season game this year.

And it’s unclear when he will, even if La Russa said Moncada is getting better.

“He’s going to have to be able to go full-bore with the swings, workouts and running before you can realistically say hey, how about X days from now,” La Russa said. “As long as he’s got discomfort, not even thinking about it.”

Without Moncada, the Sox had gone with Jake Burger (five starts) and Josh Harrison (two) at third before using Leury Garcia on Saturday. Burger, whom La Russa called “our hero” as he walked by the pregame media briefing, had a home run and run-scoring single in Friday’s 3-2 win.

Hitting sixth, Garcia entered Saturday 1 for 20, but 5 for 12 lifetime against Tampa Bay starter Corey Kluber.

“[Garcia] got off to a slow start last year, too,” La Russa said. “He’s got enough track record where you know what he’s going to do.”

Last April, Garcia hit .207 before ending the year at .267.

The best around
La Russa has only been around Tim Anderson for little over a season, but he has high praise for the Sox shortstop, whom he called a “spiritual leader” on the team.

“There is no better shortstop in baseball,” La Russa said before Friday’s game. “Not to be disrespectful. There are some you can put right next to him.”

La Russa credited the Sox organization for developing Anderson and the scouts who recognized his talent despite his somewhat limited baseball experience prior to getting drafted in 2013. La Russa also said Anderson stresses the role third base coach Joe McEwing has played in his growth.

“I walked into that situation,” La Russa said. “I appreciate it and I enjoy it. I feel very fortunate to be a teammate of his for a year and a month.”

Good first impression
The Sox gave reliever Kendall Graveman a three-year, $24 million deal. So far, they have no buyer’s remorse, as Graveman entered Saturday’s game with 5 2/3 scoreless innings and a minuscule 0.35 WHIP.

La Russa said Graveman can face both right- and left-handed hitters, has three or four ways to get outs and has great command. The veteran Graveman, La Russa said, is smart about how his delivery needs to be and the pitches he has to attack opponents.

“Just a great addition,” La Russa said.

Busy times for Pollock
Sox outfielder AJ Pollock and his wife Kate welcomed their second child, and La Russa said the birth went “really, really” well. As for his baseball prognosis, La Russa said Pollock is up to 80 or 85% and should be headed to Triple-A Charlotte on a rehab assignment to regain his timing.

Pollock (strained right hamstring) was placed on the 10-day IL on April 12, retroactive to April 10.

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