BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 11: Coby Mayo #16 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates after hitting a three run home run against the New York Yankees during the seventh inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 11, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tonight’s game was filled with “here we go again” moments. The Orioles scratched an injured player from the lineup before the first pitch, the opponent took an early lead on a home run, and the offense absolutely refused to produce against a left-handed pitcher. Baltimore appeared well on its way to a fifth consecutive loss against the Yankees, but finally some Orioles Magic intervened.
Adley Rutschman broke up a no-hit bid in the bottom of the seventh, and Coby Mayo launched a go-ahead three-run homer. Rico Garcia shutdown the heart of the Yankees order in the eighth, and the Orioles used a successful challenge to secure a 3-2 win at Camden Yards.
Before the fireworks, Brandon Young did his part to keep the Orioles in the game. The 27-year-old held the best offense in the American League to two runs over 5.1 innings. Young retired Jazz Chisholm Jr to dance out of trouble in the first, and he struck out Ryan McMahon and Spencer Jones during a clean second.
The damage came in the third after a one-out walk to Trent Grisham. Young fell behind in the count 3-1 before catching a little too much of the zone with a sinker. Ben Rice took the ball the other way and sent it over the Budweiser advertisement on the left-field wall.
Things could have spiraled after the big blast, but the Orioles buckled down. Tyler O’Neill robbed Aaron Judge with a diving catch in left field, and Young overcame a two-out walk by retiring Chisholm for the second time. Young proceeded to retire the side in order during the fourth and fifth innings
Judge snapped Young’s modest streak by ripping a leadoff double down the left field line. Judge advanced to third on a grounder by Bellinger, and Craig Albernaz went to get his starter with one out in the sixth. Enns struck out Chisholm for a big second out before generating a slow grounder by McMahon. Enns raced to cover first and caught the ball with his bare hand to secure the final out of the inning. Enns returned and worked around a one-out double by Max Schuemann to keep the score at 2-0 after six.
The Orioles finally broke through in the seventh inning. Adley Rutschman went down and punched a changeup the other way for the Orioles first hit of the game. Weathers appeared visibly frustrated after losing his no-hit bid on a pitcher’s pitch, and the Yankee dugout quickly responded by sending out the pitching coach for a quick chat.
Weathers remained in the game to face Tyler O’Neill, and the right fielder turned in a quality at bat. O’Neill nearly evened the score at two by pulling a change up down the left field line, but the ball soared just foul. At that point, with the way the season has gone, a strikeout felt like a sure thing. Instead, O’Neill locked in and took the ninth pitch of the at bat low for ball four.
The free pass brought the go-ahead run to the plate. The Orioles did not have Coby Mayo in the original starting lineup, but Albernaz inserted Mayo as the DH when Samuel Basallo was scratched with left-knee soreness. Basallo injured his knee during a collision at the plate in Sunday’s 2-1 win over the Athletics. Basallo held the ball when Leody Taveras threw out the potential tying run at the plate, but somehow even a strong defensive play had come back to bite the Orioles.
Or so we thought. Instead, the chain reaction led to a strong dose of Orioles Magic. The Yankees went to the bullpen, and reliever Brent Headrick threw a hanging slider over the heart of the plate. Mayo smashed a ball 389 feet over the left field fence, and suddenly the Orioles held a 3-2 lead.
Held is the key word, because the Yankees sent up Rice, Judge and Bellinger in the top of the eighth. Rico Garcia has emerged as the leader of the bullpen with Ryan Helsley on the IL. The Orioles deployed Garcia in the eighth to face the heart of the order, and the Honolulu native continued his dream season. Garcia struck out Rice, generated a harmless fly out from Judge, and struck out Bellinger for a shutdown eighth inning.
Anthony Nunez replaced Garcia and provided one more “here we go again” scare. Nunez struck out Chisholm for the first out, but McMahon pulled a towering fly ball to right field. The ball hung in the air for an eternity before O’Neill made a jumping catch at the wall for the second out. Paul Goldschmidt kept the game alive with a single to right, and the Yankees sent José Caballero to pinch run.
Nunez tried and failed to pickoff Caballero, and the speedster broke toward second on an 0-1 fastball. Adley Rutschman threw a dart to second, and Blaze Alexander managed to tag Caballero despite an impressive swim-move slide. The second base umpire initially botched the call, but replay confirmed that Alexander made the game-sealing tag for a 3-2 win.
Young kept the Orioles in it, and Garcia delivered a massive shutdown inning, but Mayo’s big blast stole the show. Give us your pick for the Most Birdland Player of the Day in the comments below!
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 10: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers warms up prior to the game against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on May 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Yoshinobu Yamamoto takes the mound on Tuesday night for the Dodgers against the Giants, looking to avenge one of his two losses this season.
Yamamoto pitched seven innings on April 21 in San Francisco but took the loss after allowing three runs, all of them in the first inning. The opening frame is the worst one for the Dodgers right-hander this season, with six runs allowed in his seven first innings.
Adrian Houser starts for San Francisco, coming off his best start of the season, allowing only two runs (one earned) in six innings last Wednesday against the San Diego Padres. Houser has a 6.19 ERA and 5.56 xERA, and the Giants have lost six of his seven starts.
Houser has also had rough first innings, allowing eight runs and five home runs in the opening frame.
Looking for a spark, the Mets are calling up top prospect A.J. Ewing, SNY MLB Insider Chelsea Janes confirmed.
Ewing, who is SNY's No. 3 Mets prospect, was recently promoted from Double-A to Triple-A at the end of April.
The 21-year-old hit .349 over 18 games in Binghamton and didn't miss a beat in Syracuse, hitting .326 through 12 games.
New York currently owns the worst record in the majors at 15-25 and is 12.5 games back of the Atlanta Braves in the NL East. Injuries have also been a challenge for the club with Juan Soto missing 15 games in April and Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, and Luis Robert Jr. all on the IL.
The hope will be that Ewing comes in and provides energy before it's too late for the Mets to turn their season around.
Overall across 30 games between Double-A and Triple-A, Ewing slashed .339/.447/.514 (.961 OPS) with nine doubles, two triples, two home runs and 17 stolen bases. He's also shown great plate discipline with 22 walks and only 20 strikeouts.
Defensively, Ewing has played mostly center field in the minors (18 games in 2026, 150 for his career). He'll likely slide into that role in Queens with Carson Benge in right field and Soto in left field or DH. The former fourth-round pick has also logged 53 games at second base (four in 2026), 21 in LF, and 20 in RF.
When asked in a recent interview what fans can expect from him, Ewing expressed tons of confidence and highlighted his ability at the plate.
"I spray the ball to all fields," Ewing said. "I think I'm a tough out. I think I grind at-bats really well and I see a lot of pitches and I make pitchers work hard."
The Mets begin a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m., ahead of their weekend Subway Series against the Yankees.
Mar 27, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Ryan Borucki (47) throws a pitch against the New York Yankees during the eighth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
If Ryan Borucki strikes out Shohei Ohtani at any point in this upcoming Giants-Dodgers series, I’ll email “Ryan Borucki is as cold as the Bo-Rockies” with zero explanation to the department head at the middle school I work at.
If Ryan Borucki strikes out Shohei Ohtani at any point in this upcoming Giants-Dodgers series to strand a runner, or runner(s) on base, I’ll slap a “Ryan Borucki brings the Bo-Ruckus” bumper sticker onto my 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan and ride it ‘til it rusts.
If Ryan Borucki strikes out Shohei Ohtani at any point in this upcoming Giants-Dodgers series to strand a runner, or runner(s) on base in a game the Giants win, I’ll upgrade the aforementioned “Ryan Borucki brings the Bo-Ruckus” sticker to a t-shirt that I’ll wear every time I go grocery shopping and offer an unsolicited explanation to at least one person I encounter, ending said explanation with “Basically, Ryan Borucki is one badass mutha-rucka.”
If Ryan Borucki strikes out Shohei Ohtani twice in this upcoming Giants-Dodgers series — which is the amount of times Trey Yesavage struck out Shohei Ohtani in the 2025 World Series, which is relevant because to make room on their roster for Yesavage last September, Toronto DFA’d Borucki — I’ll wear a backpack over my head at a Giants home game this summer with “Ryan Borucksack” stitched across it. Look for me.
If Ryan Borucki strikes out Shohei Ohtani three or more times in this upcoming Giants-Dodgers series, I might just have to do all four of those things, and then Lord knows what else…
And if Ryan Borucki gives up a game-altering homer to Shohei Ohtani in this upcoming Giants-Dodgers series…well, what’d ya expect?
The Los Angeles Dodgers are hoping to get a much-needed spark back in the lineup.
Mookie Betts, who has been out since April 4 with a right oblique strain, has been activated from the 10-day injured list and will start at shortstop and bat second in the order in the series opener against the San Francisco Giants on Monday, May 11, the Dodgers announced.
"I don't know if there's gonna be a jolt of energy or not," Betts told reporters in the dugout pregame. "I just know that I'm here, I wanna play and I wanna win. Hopefully that gets the guys going as far as focusing on the game and taking care of wining ball games, but we'll see. Only time will tell when it comes to that."
Rookie infielder Alex Freeland was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City in a corresponding move.
The four-time World Series champion went on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City over the weekend in which he went 2-for-5 with a walk and played 11 innings in the field over two games. Entering May 8, manager Dave Roberts told reporters that Betts could come back as early as May 11 if he came away from both rehab games feeling well.
The current plan, according to Roberts is to ease Betts back into action. There isn't much opportunity built into the schedule to get Betts rested and recovered with the Dodgers playing 10 games in the next 10 days through May 20, so expect Roberts to give him some days off over that stretch. Right now, the current plan is for Betts to play two in a row before a planned off day on May 13.
"I think he's going to want to be in there regularly, but we'll kind of see," Roberts told reporters. "But this is more just based on the front-end progression."
The Dodgers are hoping that getting Betts back into the lineup will provide some production that has been missing as their offense has stalled to a collective .204 batting average over the last five days with a .658 OPS in that span.
"I think that we certainly have enough talent to be better than we have," Roberts told reporters on Sunday. "But adding Mookie’s at-bat quality, I think, will certainly help. We just haven’t been as consistent as a group as we should be, even without Mookie. But yeah, he certainly raises the floor."
Betts himself struggled to start the season, slashing .179/.281/.429 through eight games, but had finally broken through for his first multi-hit game of 2026 with a home run and two RBI on April 3, one day before he injured his oblique on a check swing.
But in his first game back in five weeks, the Gold Glove finalist isn't worried about trying to overcompensate or do too much.
"It's gonna take us all. It is what it is," Betts told reporters. "We're gonna go through our ups and our downs but it's important for everyone to know that it's gonna take all of us, and not just one guy getting through our struggles."
"I just want to go out and help the team win, whatever it takes... I'm in a really good spot, everything's pretty normal now."
After missing the last 32 games (oblique strain), Mookie Betts speaks to the media after getting activated off the injured list for the series opener… pic.twitter.com/8kx8n46RoL
Ryan Weathers throws a pitch during his May 11 start for the Yankees.
BALTIMORE — In his first start since “[throwing] my guts up for several hours” nine days ago, Ryan Weathers took a hurl at history.
The Yankees left-hander took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning before allowing a leadoff single to Adley Rutschman Monday night at Camden Yards, dominating the Orioles while allowing only two walks and striking out nine through the first six frames.
Ryan Weathers throws a pitch during his May 11 start for the Yankees. Getty Images
Weathers last started on May 2 against these same Orioles, after which he returned home and got sick, resulting in losing nine pounds and being scratched from his scheduled start on Thursday.
After recovering, he threw a bullpen session on Friday in Milwaukee, clearing the way for him to start on Monday.
The 26-year-old, whose career-high in innings pitched before Monday was eight, entered this start with a 3.03 ERA on the year.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 10: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs goes up for the rebound during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round Two Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 10, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There’s this great trick that Francis Ford Coppolla pulls at the beginning of The Godfather, where he opts to forgo having a narrator and/or title cards to explain the story.
It’s a very purposeful move, motivated partly (I suspect) by the popularity of Mario Puzo’s novel. The original novel was quite the financial success it its own right, sitting on the bestseller list for well over a year, and selling over nine million copies in that time.
But the book features an omniscient narrator, and Coppola didn’t want that degree of separation to come between his film and his audience.
Foreknowledge can inform us, but it rarely moves us. I know this, because no matter how many times I watch the Spurs old championship games, I just cannot fully recapture the feeling.
There’s still joy, but the joy has turned nostalgic. I cannot craft anticipation from a place of perfect knowledge.
That’s what’s so thrilling about the postseason. The Spurs won at a 50-game pace for most of my life, and still, *only* came home with five titles. Only 6 championship berths.
That irregularity, that unpredictability, is where the adrenaline and the exhilaration live.
And that’s why, when Coppolla drops us right into the film, in medias res, mid-conversation with the kingpin of the title, we’re immediately locked in. It’s a perfect opening, with almost no hint of the frivolity of the occasion outside filtering though, so intimate and hushed that it almost feels like we’re eavesdropping, or part of the room.
And that is, I think, the whole point. The film encourages you, from the very beginning, to play witness to the intimacies of a crime family. The voices are warm and domestic. Even the directions and doings of the gathered mafioso are delivered with decorum and a certain air of courtliness.
It wants you to like them. It wants you to get swept up in the affection and the domesticity that’s masking the violence. It does its level best to make you a fan of the Corleones.
Why? Because fandom has a way of thwarting objectivity. I’ve always found the shortening of the word ‘fanatic’ to ‘fan’ to be fascinating.
It’s almost as if those engaged in fandom are incapable of considering that it is a form of fanaticism. As if fanaticism is something that only exists within the context of politics or religion. As if abbreviating the word will somehow change the nature of truth itself.
The truth is that last night Victor Wembanyama elbowed Naz Reid right in the face.
The truth is also that it was absolutely premeditated.
There are in fact a whole list of truths that I could rattle off, such as:
How the officials have allowed Minnesota to more-or-less play prison ball for most of the series.
How Victor was fouled multiple times right before the elbow, in a clear sight-line, with nary a call made to protect him.
How it’s easier on twitter to find stills of all the ways in which Victor has been pushed, pulled, and clawed at, than it is to find videos of him doing cool stuff with the basketball, and there are a lot of those!
How the way this series has been officiated on the side of physicality was just asking for an outburst from somebody, eventually.
How that one elbow from Wemby hardly compares to the whole pantheon of flagrant fouls that it’s currently being compared to by fans of both franchises, and NBA twitter at large.
How it was still the wrong thing to do and ultimately cost the Spurs the game.
How it might have been necessary, for Wemby to send a message about his physical boundaries, and what he is capable/willing to do to protect them past a certain point.
The elbow is an incredibly personal part of the body. We don’t think about that because of how little we see our own, but virtually all of our upper body movements hinge on the engineering marvel that is the Articulatio Cubiti.
Almost every sporting movement is dependent on it, from the very obvious varieties of throwing to even the act of running itself, when we depend on our elbows to assist in the repetition of form and balance.
Or even more intimately, in the act of feeding ourselves and cleaning ourselves (I sincerely hope that I never learn what it’s like to try to use toilet paper without the aid of an elbow), or embracing our loved ones.
All of mythology surrounding the elbow appears to function in extremes, whether it’s the indigenous legends of the Ojibwe talking about the terrifying cannibalistic “elbow witches” of the great lakes and northern plains, who murder their victims with the knives embedded in their olecranons (elbow-tips), or vodoo folklore claiming the act of rubbing elbows with another person can swap the destinies and/or energies of the individuals involved.
Or old urban legends suggesting that children can change gender by kissing their own elbow. Or The Book of Ecclesiastes claiming that “stretching your elbow at dinner” (reaching across the table) is as shameful a thing as the breaking of a vow.
Taoism even goes as far as to assign specific traits to each elbow, with the right elbow serving as a conduit to the power, action, movement, and choices of the individual, and the left to receptivity, emotions, and the receiving of love or support. I guess in that context, throwing the right elbow really was a choice.
And yet, all levity aside, I can’t really convince myself that it was a ‘good’ choice.
For fans in my age group and older, I suspect an elbow to the head is still a pretty sore spot for those of us who can vividly recall the viciously premeditated elbow that Malone delivered with such force that it knocked David Robinson unconscious for the better part of two minutes.
And while it was quickly obvious that Reid hadn’t received a blow on par with that one, it wasn’t an enjoyable flashback to the anxiety of those two minutes of April 8th, 1998, when no one knew what the overall state of the Admiral was/would be yet.
Those are not two minutes that I would wish on any fan-base.
But to that end, I think there’s something we have to acknowledge about this Spurs team, and about Victor, when it comes to the legends of the past: they’re different.
Maybe (probably) because they’re so young, these players carry themselves differently. That “we don’t care”mantra is a markedly different banner to unite under, after years of Spurs teams that (while also probably not caring), did their best to never give the opposition bulletin board material.
They talk trash, even going as far as to (per Express News scribe Jeff McDonald) tell Kevin Durant that they were doubling and tripling him not because he’s good, but because his teammates suck.
Relevant a commentary as it may have been, it takes a special level of audacity to tell a legend of the game that right to his face, in the middle of the game, within earshot of his comrades/co-workers/scapegoats.
Just how hated are these Spurs going to be? And how deserving of that hatred?
There’s a certain blindness that affects a fan. Thunder fans are incapable of seeing their team as a cadre of floppers extraordinaire. Golden State fans were largely incapable of admitting their dynasty hinged on an unprecedented MVP-level addition to a team that had won 73 games. Heat fans were unwilling to admit that the unholy alliance that benefited them forever warped the concept of competitive balance within the league, to the point of the NBA enforcing the most restrictive CBA since the dawn of free-agency.
And these are just a few examples. Fandom bewitches us all. And sometimes it implicates us too.
That’s why Coppola wanted us to feel close to the Corleones. Why Scorsese wanted us caught up in the awe emanating from Henry Hill in Goodfellas. It’s the same trick that David Chase later pulled with Tony Soprano’s therapy sessions and that Vince Gilligan pulled in drawing us into the humble beginnings of a cancer-stricken meth-lord in Breaking Bad.
Everyone is a villain in someone else’s story. That elbow earned permanent (and perhaps justifiable) hatred from someone, in the same way that I’ll probably never stop wishing ill on the Utah Jazz.
And part of that is just in the nature of being a fan — the thrill of us versus them that plays out in virtually every arena. But the contrast is becoming more and more apparent, justifiable reasons or not.
In the context of film, I’m starting to see Tim Duncan as Obi Wan Kenobi, and Victor Wembanyama as Anakin Skywalker.
Duncan, like Kenobi, almost unassumingly defeated the majority of his most impressive foes, and Wemby, like Anakin, came into the fold as the chosen one, and has suffered an emotional outburst.
Will he bring balance to the force? I can’t say that I’d include that elbow under the category of ‘ethical hoops’.
Maybe it was necessary. Maybe it’ll lead to better basketball and better officiating. Maybe players will think twice before messing with Wemby. Maybe it was a one time thing that we’ll largely have forgotten years from now.
Or maybe this Spurs team is shaping itself into a different kind of Silver and Black villain.
I think maybe I’m so deep inside it now, that I have to withdraw, because I cannot be impartial
At this point I’m just hoping that Wemby takes the high ground first. The Imperial March is actually a really beautiful piece of music if you really think about it.
Takeways
Look, I am very notably not a De’Aaron Fox hater. I think he’s taken on the Tony Parker role of blame within the context of losses and is largely undeserving, and I don’t think this loss was on him. However, I did not love that Dylan Harper, who was hotter than the Devil’s hooves, did not get more than 27 minutes, when Fox was clearly in a bit of funk and being targeted by the Wolves in Wemby’s absence. I understand that Harper is a rookie, and that Fox is just as capable of exploding for points, but I’d like to see a little more alternation when someone is pretty clearly the hot hand of the three guards.
It also didn’t help that Keldon was having one of his worst games of the postseason after two games of his very best (on the defensive end), and if that was Mitch’s reasoning for trying to keep Harper playing with the bench, I at least understand that. It wasn’t that they all played badly. Kornet and Bryant specifically did yeoman’s work. But boy was the scoring rough in the second unit, and that may have been the difference since the Wolves (wisely) went with an eight-man rotation.
It was also a rare off night for Julian Champagnie, who couldn’t seem to find his shot and fell victim to being picked on a bit on the defensive end. I think we can forgive him based on his body of work so far, but while he’s a plus defender by most metrics, when Victor is off the court he’s easier to exploit. Fond of him as I am, a lot of his positive effect in the starting unit depends on Victor’s presence. Which, I mean, is hardly a criticism considering Wemby’s effect on the whole team on both ends, but you get what I’m saying.
Also, I just have to rave about his rebounding. He’s been great at grabbing boards all season, but I expected that to take a hit against bigger teams in the postseason. In fact, that was one of my greatest concerns for this team as a whole. But Champagnie is second on the team in rebounding (Kornet is almost matching him in less minutes), which has allowed the Spurs to play small against teams like the Wolves without giving up too much on the boards. It has been pure comedy when someone like Julius Randle has been stuck trying to keep up with Julian’s off-ball movement, to the point that I firmly believe that ‘Yakey Sax’ should be playing in the background whenever it happens. Do yourself a favor and keep an eye out for it.
May 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) takes batting practice prior to the game against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
“I didn’t realize how long it takes to really heal. I felt pretty good pretty fast, actually. But some of the movements I just couldn’t do, lingered for a long time,” Betts said Monday at Dodger Stadium. “I was trying to hurry, but the docs were like, ‘It takes a month for it to just heal.’ Then you have to do all your prep to get back to playing. So you can’t really rush time.”
“Two games of rehab, taking batting practice, a day of live at-bats is not ideal, but I think with Mookie, you just don’t know,” manager Dave Roberts said. “The hope is that he can hit the ground running.”
Betts is keeping things simple.
“Things feel pretty close to the same. I remember all the drills that I did, but the more I focused on my swing, the worse it got. I think hit, take care of myself, and just play the games,” Betts said. “Whatever the game gives you is what it gives you. I’m not trying to focus on how my swing feels.”
The Dodgers plan to give Betts days off this week on Wednesday and Saturday, to ease him back into the lineup. Miguel Rojas will likely start at shortstop against Robbie Ray of the Giants on Wednesday.
“It’s more on the front end, just kind of how it’s been a while since he played. So the two-on, one-off, two-on, one-off, then after six days I think he’s going to want to be in there regularly,” Roberts said. “We’ll kind of see, but this is more about the front-end progression.”
But they will read and react depending on how Betts is feeling, and at least on Monday he says he feels pretty good.
“I’m fine. I expect I’ll just keep playing,” Betts said. “Everything is pretty normal.”
Chief selector George Bailey has kept the door ajar for veteran all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell despite their shock omission from Australia’s T20 squad.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 05: Orbit of the Houston Astros performs prior to the first inning of the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Daikin Park on May 05, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After laying an egg the size of The Bean in Chicago (sorry, Cloud Gate, one day Anish Kapoor will be called to account for that particular boondoggle), the Mariners limp into Houston for an important AL West showdown. Today I learned Kapoor also has a related work in Houston, Cloud Column, which is basically Cloud Gate but standing up, known by some Houstonians as “El Frijole”, and if it wasn’t for amount I enjoy Claes Oldenburg I’d say maybe public art was a mistake.
(Look at the lone picture I could find of Cloud Column and tell me this isn’t the most Houston take on art. The photograph is itself better art.)
Lineups:
Houston is wearing their city connects on a Monday. Who wants to connect with their city on a Monday?
News:
The Mariners will have to get along without Jose A. Ferrer for at least a couple of games, as he’s on the paternity list. Domingo Gonzalez is up from Tacoma, and you can read about him here.
Also, everyone send your best thoughts and beliefs, Tinkerbell-style, to the corner of Edgar and Dave:
Matt Brash, on the IL with right lat inflammation is scheduled to throw a bullpen today in Seattle. He is eligible to return to the #Mariners May 15.
Although the Lakers held a slim one-point lead at halftime, the Thunder’s offense exploded in the second half, outscoring Los Angeles by 24 points over the final two quarters for a final score of 131-108.
Ajay Mitchell was the breakout star of the night, with a career-high 24 points and 10 assists, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren each contributed 23 points to help Oklahoma City improve to 7–0 in the postseason.
Thunder vs. Lakers: what to know
What: NBA Playoffs Second Round, Game 4
When: May 11, 10:30 p.m. ET
Where: Crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles, California)
Channel: Streaming exclusive
Streaming: Prime Video (try it free)
If the Lakers win, the series will move back to Oklahoma City for a Wednesday night Game 5. If the Thunder win, they’ll advance into a second consecutive Western Conference Final against either Minnesota or San Antonio.
Thunder vs. Lakers start time:
The Los Angeles Lakers and OKC Thunder game is scheduled to tip off at 10:30 p.m. ET tonight, May 11.
How to watch Thunder vs. Lakers for free:
Tonight’s Lakers game is one of the NBA Playoffs games streaming exclusively on Prime Video, so you’ll need an Amazon Prime subscription to watch.
If you aren’t a Prime Video subscriber yet, you can get started with a 30-day Amazon Prime free trial, including Prime perks like the Prime Video streaming service, free two-day shipping, exclusive deals, and more. After the free trial, Amazon Prime costs $14.99/month or $139/year.
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All 18- to 24-year-olds, regardless of student status, are eligible for a discounted Prime for Young Adults membership as well, with age verification. After a six-month free trial, you’ll pay 50% off the standard Prime monthly price of $14.99/month — just $7.49/month — for up to six yearswith all the perks.
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - MARCH 26: Manager Oliver Marmol #37 of the St. Louis Cardinals chats with St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom prior to a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Tampa Bay Rays on Opening Day at Busch Stadium on March 26, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I made myself wait 24 hours to write this so I’m not sharing something that’s a result of the disappointment of Sunday’s heartbreaking loss in San Diego. I’m satisfied that it’s the perfect time to get myself mentally prepared for what the rest of this St. Louis Cardinals season will likely become. Is this team really gonna be a contender or pretenders? I think it’s time to refocus on what this season really needs to be.
First, a quick refresher on something I shared right before the season started. It was February 11, 2026 when I shared the reasons why I was unrealistically optimistic about the 2026 St. Louis Cardinals season. I stand by my predictions then that this year’s Cardinals team would be better than most of the preseason predictors said they would be. One and a half months into the campaign, this team has overachieved and has proven my faith in them warranted. However, I have been watching the first 40 games with my heart more than I have with my head and the latter is tapping me on the shoulder about the big picture of what this season needs to be and what it likely won’t be. I asked this question in The Feed and it seems like a majority are of the same opinion as I am. This is a team of happy pretenders.
I want to be clear that I’m not waiving the white flag of surrender or conceding anything. I still think it’s within the realm of possibility that the 2026 St. Louis Cardinals team massively overachieves and makes the playoffs. However, it’s time that I whoa myself up and stop focusing on that chance. My instinct watching the first couple months of the season is to scream “go get some bullpen help, Chaim!”. That might still happen to some degree, but I think there is zero chance that the Cardinals front office suddenly goes all in to get the pieces we need to be a serious competitor, nor should they.
Here’s what I’m telling myself. The St. Louis Cardinals bullpen is simply not within striking distance of being fixed this year. Last time I looked at the numbers, the Cardinals arms strikeout rates and pitch-to-contact rates are near the cellar among all Major League teams. Riley O’Brien has been a big bright spot (not including what happened Sunday afternoon), but the rest of the bullpen has been inconsistent and I hold my breath anytime we’re entering the final 3 innings of the game with a small lead. We’re not one or two arms away from having a playoff-worthy bullpen.
I will add that I do think and hope that President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom will trade from our incredible minor league catching depth to improve our roster, but I highly doubt you’re going to see him do something that is designed for 2026 and not future seasons.
The Cardinals starting staff is also full of bright spots and disappointments. Michael McGreevy is starting to look like the ace of the staff while Matthew Liberatore has been disappointing. Dustin May got off to a rough start, but has become more like the Dustin May when he was a Dodger. Kyle Leahy has shown promise pitching above league average and Andre Pallante has had his typical high groundball rate, but low strikeout rate results.
There’s nothing negative that I can say about the St. Louis Cardinals offense other than I question if the current pace is sustainable. I said before the season that the Cardinals would be a much more dangerous team than expected if Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman performed up to potential. We’ve seen Jordan break out, but Gorman remains a low .200’s hitter that isn’t that different than the Nolan Gorman of previous years other than he is making more contact. JJ Wetherholt has been a stellar leadoff hitter with excellent on-base results with some power, but his average is sub-par, too. Overall, the St. Louis Cardinals bats are to be applauded so far. Top 10 in MLB in runs scored. Tied for 6th in home runs hit. Ranked 8th in OPS among all teams. What’s not to love? A little pessimistic voice inside me is whispering that it will be hard to expect them to remain on the current pace.
I have been reminded by many that last year’s disappointing St. Louis Cardinals team was 8 games above .500 going into the all-star break and that’s a valid point to remember. History tells us that team faded massively, but this year’s Cardinals club has a much better personality than that one. They’re young, aggressive and relentless and I fully expect they will continue to play better-than-average baseball. I predicted a winning record just above .500 before the season started and I stand by that prediction. However, I don’t see how we suddenly obtain enough pitching (starting and relief help are needed) to be a real playoff contender. I’m telling myself to reel in my expectations and enjoy the positive stuff we’ve seen happen during this rebuilding season. JJ Wetherholt is having a great rookie season. Jordan Walker has become the Jordan Walker we always hoped he could be. Michael McGreevy has gone next level. If the St. Louis Cardinals shock the baseball world and become a real playoff contender, I’ll be thrilled to be wrong. I just think it’s best to get ready for what the 2026 season will most likely become which is a Cardinals team winning more than expected, but still with eyes toward building a perennial contender for the future and not necessarily this season.
May 9, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris (12) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during the second half of game three in the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The Detroit Pistons had a chance to steal a win on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday. They couldn’t pull it off. Instead of having a historically insurmountable 3-0 lead, now the Pistons are staring down the chance of an even series if they can’t pull off a win tonight. There was a lot that went wrong for Detroit in Game 3, and a lot that went right for the Cavs. But both sides of that equation also feel entirely repeatable. The Pistons are prone to error-laden balls, they struggle without Cade Cunningham on the floor, and the Cavs have premier talent in Donovan Mitchell. Every game has felt closer than it should have been, and it feels like any night could tip into blowout territory. Is tonight that night? Which side will that favor?
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 09: Dennis Schroder #8 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates after a basket against the Detroit Pistons during the first quarter in Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Rocket Arena on May 09, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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TODAY’S GAME: The Houston Astros (16-25) and Seattle Mariners (19-22) play the first game of a four-game series this evening at Daikan Park with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m. CT.
RHP Peter Lambert (2-2, 2.42 ERA) will be on the mound for the Astros, opposite LHP George Kirby (4-2, 2.94 ERA) and the Mariners.
ABOUT TENG: RHP Peter Lambert tries to continue a string of strong starts that have seen him arguably be the Astros second best pitcher since he was called up..
Last App: Lambert spearheaded the only win against the Dodgers in the three game series as he outdueled Shohei Ohtani over seven sparkling shutout innings.
VS. THE MARINERS: The Astros have faced the Mariners 233 times in their history going 132—101 in the all-time series. They are 0-4 against the Mariners this season
The Astros went 5-8 against the Mariners last season including being on the business end of a three game sweep in September that helped the Mariners clinch the AL West.
REMEMBERING RENÉ: The Astros will hold a moment of silence tonight for Hall of Fame broadcaster René Cárdenas, who sadly passed away yesterday…Cárdenas was a true pioneer in broadcasting as the original Spanish-language broadcaster for the Colt .45s when the franchise was born in 1962…Cárdenas called Astros games for 14 seasons (1962-75) and after a long stint with the Dodgers, returned to the Astros Spanish broadcast in 2007…he called select Astros games since that year, while also covering the team for La Prensa, a Nicaraguan newspaper…Cárdenas was inducted into the Astros Hall of Fame in 2024.
TODAY’S AVAILABILITIES: The Astros clubhouse will be open to approved media at Daikin Park from 3-3:50 p.m. CT…Astros Manager Joe Espada will be made available in the Astros dugout at approx. 3:50 p.m.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Sunday, May 10, 12:40 p.m. CT
Location: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, OH
TV: Space City Home Network
Streaming: SCHN+
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
