Detroit Tigers center fielder Matt Vierling (8) walks off the filed after struck out against Cleveland Guardians during the ninth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Thursday, May 21, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 20: Gabriel Landeskog #92 of the Colorado Avalanche faces off against Jack Eichel #9 of the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period in Game One of the Western Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena on May 20, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
After a frustrating Game 1 loss against the Vegas Golden Knights, the Colorado Avalanche are back in action again tonight, as they look to bounce back and even this series up in Game 2.
Colorado Avalanche
Game 1 was, in a word, frustrating for Colorado. Yes, Vegas is a good hockey team and they were incredibly opportunistic with their goals, but the Avs made it super easy for them to actually benefit from those opportunities, as they made a lot of mistakes defensively in that game, giving the Golden Knights maybe a bit of an easier time than they would’ve had otherwise. Tonight, they’ll have to clean up those defensive mistakes to even this series.
There’s no greater storyline for Colorado than what’s the status of Cale Makar. He was a participant at morning skate, which is fostering some optimism that he can return to the lineup tonight. In net it still looks to be Scott Wedgewood despite the loss.
Projected Lineup
Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Gabriel Landeskog Valeri Nichushkin – Brock Nelson – Martin Necas Ross Colton – Nazem Kadri – Nic Roy Parker Kelly – Jack Drury – Logan O’Connor
Devon Toews – Sam Malinski Brett Kulak – Brent Burns Jack Achan – Josh Manson
Scott Wedgewood Mackenzie Blackwood
Vegas Golden Knights
As previously mentioned, the Golden Knights were very opportunistic in Game 1, and capitalized on the opportunities they got throughout the game. They were as advertised in this game, being strong defensively and overall frustrating to play against. Colorado did make a late push in Game 1 and showed that they’re capable of hanging with this team, they’ll just need to capitalize the way Vegas did to even this series.
No lineup changes are expected for Vegas, though Mark Stone did make the trip to Colorado but he’s still out indefinitely.
Projected Lineup
Ivan Barbashev – Jack Eichel – Pavel Dorofeyev Brett Howden – William Karlsson – Mitch Marner Brandon Saad – Tomas Hertl – Colton Sissons Cole Smith – Nic Dowd – Keegan Kolessar
ATLANTA, GA - MAY 16: Bryce Elder #55 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Truist Park on May 16, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals are facing on in a battle of MLB’s top two scoring offenses. It is highly likely that no one truly predicted that these two teams would have scored the most runs this far into the season.
The biggest difference between these two teams is that the Braves have also had excellent pitching, whereas the Nationals have been terrible. Bryce Elder is set to take the mound with a top ten ERA of 2.01 and his opponent today, Miles Mikolas has a bottom four ERA of pitchers with at least 40.0 innings pitched with an ERA of 6.91.
On paper, the Braves have the clear advantage in this game, but nothing is ever guaranteed in MLB.
Nov 1, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A detailed view of a Toronto Blue Jays hat in the sixth inning for game seven of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
The first of three with the Pirates, and I got back from my massage just in time to get the thread up.
50 games in we are much the same as we were a year ago. But that doesn’t mean the rest of the season will go the same.
The Blue Jays performance through 50 games is similar to last season.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 19: Tobias Myers #32 of the New York Mets delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on April 19, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Sage Zipeto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mets Lineup
Carson Benge – RF
Bo Bichette – SS
Juan Soto – DH
Mark Vientos – 1B
Brett Baty – 3B
Marcus Semien – 2B
A.J. Ewing – CF
Nick Morabito – LF
Luis Torrens – C
SP: Tobias Myers (RHP)
Marlins Lineup
Xavier Edwards – 2B
Liam Hicks – 1B
Connor Norby – 3B
Kyle Stowers – DH
Jakob Marsee – CF
Esteury Ruiz – LF
Owen Caissie – RF
Joe Mack – C
Javier Sanoja – SS
SP: Eury Pérez (RHP)
Broadcast Info
First pitch: 7:10 PM EDT TV: WPIX Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 20: José Caballero #72 of the New York Yankees warms up prior to the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, May 20, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Urakami/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 20: CJ Abrams #5 of the Washington Nationals catches sunflower seeds in his mouth as he celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a three-run home run against the New York Mets during the first inning at Nationals Park on May 20, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Nats offense just could not get going yesterday, which was a rare occurrence. That led to a 2-1 loss against the Mets, with the Nats settling for a split of the four game series. Now the boys head to Atlanta to face a Braves team that has been baseball’s best this season.
The Nats are making some adjustments with a righty on the mound. Luis Garcia Jr. will return to first base. One adjustment they won’t make is at third base. Despite a righty being on the mound, Curtis Mead will get the start at third base. Drew Millas will get the nod behind the plate in this one. James Wood will DH and Daylen Lile will return to right field. Richard Lovelady will open for Miles Mikolas.
Other than the Nats, the Braves have scored the most runs in baseball. While Drake Baldwin is out, Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris are big threats in the middle of the lineup. Dominic Smith will start at DH, and he has been great for the Braves this season. Former Nat Sandy Leon will start behind the plate with the Braves top 2 catchers both being hurt. The resurgent Bryce Elder will be on the hill.
Some bad weather will be looming this weekend in Atlanta, but hopefully it can hold up long enough for these teams to play. The Braves and Nats are two of the most explosive offenses in the league, so this should be a fun matchup. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats.
Apr 11, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Chris Bassitt (40) throws during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
It’s been pouring all day in the greater Baltimore area, but it appears we’re going to attempt to play baseball tonight, because the public won’t rest until they get to see two teams that are a combined 20 games under .500 do battle. People all around the country are hosting their Orioles/Tigers watch parties, and we wouldn’t want to disappoint them.
Tonight’s game is airing exclusively on Apple TV+, with no local MASN broadcast. So if you don’t have Apple TV+, you have a convenient excuse to not watch the Orioles play. And even if you do have Apple TV+, you should probably just check out some of their original programming instead of watching this awful team. May I recommend Loot? Maya Rudolph is a delight.
But if you’re a glutton for punishment who insists on tuning in tonight, you’ll see the O’s take on a team that’s doing even worse than them. The Tigers, who have been in the playoffs the past two seasons, have collapsed to a 20-31 record and are currently sitting in last place in the AL Central. Their offense has disappointed and their pitching staff has been beset by injuries. Sound familiar? Check out Mark Brown’s series preview to learn more about this weekend’s Orioles opponent.
This is a series that the O’s absolutely need to win if they’re going to start climbing out of the massive hole they’ve dug themselves. Of course, no Orioles fan should feel at all confident that they’ll actually do so. The O’s are facing former Orioles bust Jack Flaherty, who is currently 0-5 with a 5.77 ERA. So of course he’s going to deliver a quality start against the O’s. You can pretty much etch it in stone.
The Birds will use Keegan Akin as an opener for the second time this year, letting him face the Tigers’ top lefty hitters — Kevin McGonigle and Riley Greene — before Chris Bassitt comes in as the bulk reliever. That combination worked excellently on Mother’s Day, when Akin tossed a perfect first inning against the Athletics before Bassitt went six strong frames and allowed just one run. It’s worth doing again, and hopefully the results will be much the same.
Orioles lineup:
LF Taylor Ward SS Gunnar Henderson C Adley Rutschman 1B Pete Alonso DH Samuel Basallo CF Leody Taveras RF Colton Cowser 3B Coby Mayo 2B Jackson Holliday
LHP Keegan Akin
Tigers lineup:
SS Kevin McGonigle C Dillon Dingler DH Jahmai Jones LF Riley Greene 1B Spencer Torkelson CF Wenceel Pérez RF Zach McKinstry 3B Gage Workman 2B Hao-Yu Lee
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 13: David Fry #6 of the Cleveland Guardians hits the ball in the third inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Progressive Field on May 13, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Russell Lee Verlinger/Cleveland Guardians/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 30: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees warms up prior to Game 5 of the 2024 World Series presented by Capital One between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, October 30, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The New York Yankees are 4.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the best record in both the AL East and the American League writ large. This weekend, they have a golden chance to cut down that deficit, facing them in a three-game series in the Bronx. New York split a four-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays, losing the last two and scoring the grand total of one run between the two games. If the Yanks are going to get closer to the Rays, they are going to need their offense to step up.
Gerrit Cole will be making his 2026 debut tonight, after wrapping up his rehab from Tommy John surgery performed last spring. He completed a long rehab assignment that included six starts across High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A, posting a 4.66 ERA in 29 innings. His most recent outing came in Scranton and included 5.1 strong frames in which he conceded a single run on six hits and a walk, with six punchouts. Cole threw 86 pitches in his most recent rehab outing, hitting 99.6 mph on the radar gun.
Cole will be facing Nick Martinez, a newcomer to the Rays who has put up a brilliant 1.51 ERA in nine starts and 53.2 innings. He has been pitching to contact, but things have gotten a bit extreme as he has just 35 strikeouts this year. If the Yankees can work some deep counts, they might be able to force some mistakes. They will need to be patient, though.
It’s also a perfect opportunity for team captain and three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge to show some signs of life. He has only one hit, a single, in his last five games, covering 21 plate appearances. More concerning is Austin Wells, who has had a nightmare 2026 to date. His middling-at-best .688 OPS from the end of April is almost a dream compared to the .111/.184/.111 showing he’s had thus far in May, walking just four times and delivering zero extra-base hits. Since fellow backstop J.C. Escarra isn’t hitting either, the Yankees just have to roll the dice with one of them on a given night and hope for the best. Wells has just 3 hits in his last 37 at-bats, with 18 strikeouts.
Prior to the game, the Yanks reinstated José Caballero from the injured list in addition to Cole. He is in the lineup for Friday’s opener, batting seventh and playing shortstop with Anthony Volpe on the bench. Trent Grisham is leading off after his knee injury scare, followed by Judge, Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Caballero, Ryan McMahon, and Wells.
I could just post this here and end this recap and every single one of you would understand exactly what the problem is with the Chicago Cubs.
But you come here for a game recap and you shall have one, even though you probably won’t like it.
The Cubs lost to the Astros 4-2 and honestly, with that many runners on base and that many chances to score with runners in scoring position, they really should have scored six or seven runs and won easily.
Not on this day, though.
The Cubs, in fact, had RISP in the very first inning, when Alex Bregman singled with two out and Ian Happ doubled him to third. But nope, Seiya Suzuki grounded out. The Cubs didn’t have another hit until the fifth, though they loaded the bases with nobody out on a walk by Nico Hoerner followed by two hit batters (Michael Busch and Bregman).
Nope again, Happ struck out, Suzuki popped up and Michael Conforto grounded out.
The Astros, then, had a 4-0 lead on Jameson Taillon by the fifth and it wasn’t all his fault. I want to call particular attention to this sequence in Houston’s two-run fourth. They’ve got runners on first and second with one out and Cam Smith hit a ground ball to Dansby Swanson:
The ball bounced high in the air and as you can see, Swanson tried for a force at second, but was way too late. Then he couldn’t get Smith at first so both runners are safe. Had he just thrown to first, he would have retired Smith and, presuming the next play goes as it did (not guaranteed, of course), that was another ground ball that would have ended the inning. Instead, that force play scored a run and then Christian Vázquez singled in the second run of the inning.
Little stuff like that drives me crazy.
The Cubs again had two runners on in the fifth, nothing doing.
They finally broke through in the sixth after Houston starter Spencer Arrighetti was lifted, Miguel Amaya was sent up to bat for Conforto and singled.
PCA had himself a good day at the plate, good to see after his, uh, eventful week. He also walked twice and went to third on a missed pickoff throw — only to be, as you could have figured, stranded.
The home run also broke a 1-for-15 streak for PCA.
Cubs relievers did a nice job in this one. Hoby Milner did give up a single that scored a run charged to Taillon, but after that Ethan Roberts, Jacob Webb and Phil Maton threw four scoreless innings, allowing one hit and two walks and striking out five. Roberts, in particular, has thrown really well since returning from the injured list and I think he’s rapidly moving up on Craig Counsell’s circle of trust list.
The Cubs had another good chance in the eighth. With two out, Carson Kelly was hit by a pitch and PCA drew his second walk. Swanson hit a ground ball to short that was thrown wide by Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña and was safe, loading the bases.
Sigh. Nico hit into an inning-ending fielder’s choice.
Granted, there’s a catcher running but he’s probably 15 feet into left field and made a perfect, accurate throw to first and got Vázquez by a full step. Great defense from Swanson.
The Cubs went down 1-2-3 in the ninth, sparing us more RISP failure. Gallows humor there, a bit, but seriously, the Cubs had tons of chances in this game and cashed in on exactly zero of them. That will have to change to break this losing streak, which has now reached six games.
A couple of game notes from BCB’s JohnW53:
The Cubs had not lost a sixth consecutive game since July 13, 2022, when they were beaten at home by the Orioles, 7-1, after having dropped four in a row on the road to the Dodgers, then the opener to the Orioles, 4-2.
They lost their next three as well, at home to the Mets, before snapping a nine-game skid with a 3-2 win on July 17. ….. The Cubs are hitless in their last 11 at bats with a runner in scoring position, since Seiya Suzuki’s infield single in the eighth inning Tuesday.
They are 2 for 27 since Monday, 4 for 42 since Sunday and 7 for 78 in their last 10 games, beginning May 9.
The last part of that sums up the issues with this team’s offense. They’re getting plenty of runners on base and into scoring position and just… failing.
The Cubs will try to break the losing streak Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field. Colin Rea will start for the Cubs and Kai-Wei Teng starts for Houston. Game time is again 1:20 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
The Red Sox have not had the start they hoped for, at 22-27. Why? Is God finally sick of Red Sox fans?
No ruling that out, but Keagan Stiefel at OTM has a more prosaic answer; the Sox just aren’t hitting. As of Monday they were 27th in total bases, and 29th in both OPS and homers. That’s partially some unfortunate roster moves, that’s partially some guys being less effective than usual. But the team still has a decent pitching staff, so maybe they just need the bats to “come around.” Facing three pitchers not named Joe Ryan this weekend is a good opportunity to do just that. And, BTW, as of Monday, BRef still had the team at a 36.7% chance to make the postseason; they had the Twins at 8.0%.
Their starter today is 6’6” Payton Tolle, still considered a rookie after appearing in a few games late last season. He throws upwards of 96 MPH with a hard sinker, cutter, curve and change; right now his speedy stuff is his best. His profile pic looks freakishly like Nick Offerman.
After last week I highlighted a The Guardian story about a Wisconsin man who Got Bit By Thousands Of Snakes On Purpose, here’s a The Guardian story about a Wisconsin man who’s trying to do something less wacky. Journalist/comedian Charlie Berens is trying to organize communities to push back against massive government giveaways to AI datacenter projects.
The story’s well worth reading, even if it should be three times longer with a ton more detail. (It should be a ProPublica story, in other words.) Do you know what TIF (tax-increment financing) is? I do, but only because I’ve been following Neil deMause’s reporting on stadium subsidies for years; this article is not clear about it. (TIF is, essentially, a scheme where companies are given huge subsidies on the expected economic growth their projects will deliver to a community. Most of the time, they don’t deliver as hoped, or anywhere even close.)
In any case, I wish Mr. Berens and the people trying to resist this stuff the best of luck. I hate many, many things about our world, but if you forced me to narrow it to a top four or five, AI would be right up there. I hate it with pure fury. I hate it all the more because many people love it. Why? Because they are stupid morons. Seriously, if anybody you know likes AI, don’t trust that person to feed your fish when you’re on vacation, much less watch your dog. They are dangerously dumb.
To wit, deMause sharedthis horrible website with hideous AI-generated images of what every MLB team’s stadium should look like if it represented the TEAM’S SOUL. Here’s their ideal Twins stadium:
I guess I’m stealing this image without our site paying that site anything to use it. Oh No! Except that all of AI steals the work of artists and writers and doesn’t pay them anything.
Forget how all the relative sizes of humans are deeply wrong, the bridge is angled backwards (and there aren’t any other bridges), there’s no bullpens, the trees are massively f***ed up, etc. Ignore these things. (It’s what deMause calls “vaportecture.”) Just pay attention to how stupidly ugly this is.
I guarantee you more than 50% of sports team owners think images like this are nifty and wonder “how can I get public financing for an awesome stadium like that!”
And a non-zero percentage of them will get public money for this bullhonky, too. Sigh.
In unrelated news, I was recently trying to look up an old tawnyfroggy post about Big Ed Delahanty recently, for another conversation I was having with another person, not baseball-related. I found the post, here it is. If you don’t know who Big Ed Delahanty was, he was a old-timey (pre-Ruth) baseball slugger who also drank too much, and at one point fell (jumped?) off a train bridge into the middle of the Niagara River about two minutes upstream from the falls. It didn’t end well for Big Ed.
(When I have conversations with friends & associates, I randomly refer to Weird Internet S**t I remember about dead baseball players or 1930s movies nobody has seen, alright? It’s how I do.)
Anyhoo, the thing that struck me about tawny’s post is it’s still on this site… but the byline is gone. It’s by “blank.”
I suppose that’s the fate of all of us who write on the InterWebs, in the end, isn’t it? To be a “by: blank.”
But maybe a phrase or two we use will be recycled in AI! Immortality right there, baby.
And if you clicked on this post wanting Nick Punto content because of the homepage image, here ya go.
May 16, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle (70) celebrates after a victory over the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
These teams honestly could be twins this seasons…almost identical records, not great offenses, stuck in weird places. Still, these Minnesota Twins shouldn’t be taken lightly, as the funniest man on the team takes the mound for the Sox tonight! Welcome to the long weekend for Memorial Day!
Kimbrel did not make the Opening Day roster, but the right-hander had been with the team for more than a month since he got called up on April 11.
In 14 appearances for New York, Kimbrel pitched to a 6.00 ERA (1.47 WHIP), but aside from two poor outings against the Minnesota Twins and Colorado Rockies in which he allowed three runs and four runs, respectively, Kimbrel pitched well for the Mets. In fact, the 37-year-old didn't allow an earned run in 10 of his 14 appearances, often pitching in the middle to later innings of close games.
Kimbrel's last outing on Wednesday against the Washington Nationals was the longest of his Hall of Fame career when he pitched 2.2 innings to help save New York's overworked bullpen. Unfortunately for Kimbrel, he faltered in that final inning and gave up a two-run home run that put Washington out of reach for good in that game.
Still, manager Carlos Mendoza has nothing but respect for the former closer for his willingness to pitch in any role that was asked of him this season.
"Super tough," Mendoza said when asked how hard it was to break the news to Kimbrel. "But that’s what makes him who he is. Not only what he’s been able to do on the field, but off the field – the person, the human. He understood, he was very professional, but it wasn’t an easy one for me and David [Stearns] when we talked to him last night.
"But again, such a pro. We appreciate [him], nothing but respect, wishing him the best. [We'll] see what happens here as he goes through waivers and we’ll go from there, but it wasn’t an easy one there."
Mendoza didn't close the door on the possibility of Kimbrel coming back to New York and is even hoping he clears waivers so he can maintain in the organization. However, the skipper is aware of the very real possibility that that may not happen, given Kimbrel's experience and track record.
"We like being selfish here, we like to keep him around, but also understanding that there might be some options for him out there, especially with the way he’s been throwing the ball as of late," Mendoza said. "What he was able to do for us the other day, going three ups -- something that he’s never done throughout his career -- and he felt good, bounced back well."
Once an elite closer for the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox, with spurts for the San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Baltimore Orioles and Houston Astros, Kimbrel has been in the league for 17 seasons and owns a 2.65 ERA with 440 saves.
He was able to impart his knowledge and wisdom to his teammates in New York, starting all the way in the spring when the Mets signed him to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training.
"Just how he goes about his business, understanding situations, his ability to pose just that mentality overall," Mendoza said. "From the very first day in spring training, he had a huge impact on the guys here."
Burst into Tong
Now that Tong is back in the majors, the question is how the Mets will utilize their young pitcher.
The answer, at least for now, appears to be out of the bullpen.
"He’s, as of right now, part of the bullpen," Mendoza said. "Could be a long reliever, depends on how the game goes, but yeah, for today, tomorrow he’s part of the bullpen."
Tong will likely see game action on Friday when New York begins a three-game series with the Miami Marlins because Tobias Myers is getting the start (in what was normally Clay Holmes' spot in the rotation), but is capped at around 35-40 pitches.
Speaking of Myers, who has been excellent for the Mets (3.41 ERA) in various roles out of the bullpen this season, the right-hander will not be stretched out into a full-time starter -- something he has experience doing in his career.
"I don’t think this is gonna be one where we try to stretch him out," Mendoza said. "He’s been huge for us in the bullpen and he’ll continue to be a big part back there. So just happen to be today that we’re giving him the start, but I don’t anticipate trying to stretch him out."
PITTSBURGH, PA - MAY 16: Bubba Chandler (36) of the Pittsburgh Pirates delivers a pitch during an MLB game against the Philadelphia Phillies on May 16, 2026 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Pitching Matchup: Bubba Chandler (1-5, 5.14 ERA) vs. Kevin Gausman (3-3, 3.45 ERA)
The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the road today against the Toronto Blue Jays looking to grab a win.
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