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Flyers Will Have Quick Turnaround; Hurricanes Series Start Time Set

(Photo: Kyle Ross, Imagn Images)
(Photo: Kyle Ross, Imagn Images)

The Philadelphia Flyers are going to have to prepare for a very quick turnaround for their upcoming series against the Metropolitan Division rival Carolina Hurricanes in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

On Thursday night, it was announced that Game 1 between the Flyers and Hurricanes will be set for 8 p.m. on Saturday night, with the Flyers having to travel down to Raleigh, North Carolina, for the first two games.

Thursday was a scheduled, and well-deserved, day off for the team after a teeth-gritting 1-0 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 6 on Wednesday night.

Notably, both the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins, and Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning, still have their Round 1 matchups ongoing.

Their respective Game 6s will take place on Sunday, though, at the time of this writing, a time has not been specified for either game.

As for the Flyers and Hurricanes, Carolina took the season series by a decisive 3-1 margin, and it could very well have been a 4-0 sweep if not for some late-season heroics from the Flyers.

NHL Star Admiring Flyers' Porter Martone From AfarNHL Star Admiring Flyers' Porter Martone From AfarTop <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> prospect Porter Martone has impressed his teammates, the organization, and fans with how well he's played so far, but he's quickly earning the respect of his peers, too.

Back on April 13, with the Hurricanes resting a number of key players, including Sebastian Aho, Jaccob Slavin, Seth Jarvis, captain Jordan Staal, and Andrei Svechnikov, the Flyers stole a 3-2 decision in a a lengthy shootout to book their trip to the playoffs.

A significantly weakened Hurricanes team still jumped out to a 2-0 lead, though Matvei Michkov, Trevor Zegras, and Porter Martone all delivered in the clutch to knot things up at 2-2.

Dan Vladar was his usual reliable self, making 24 saves on 26 shots and stopping all four Hurricanes attempts he faced in the shootout that night.

Vladar is coming off a monster 42-save shutout of the Penguins in Game 6, so the Czech netminder is white-hot heading into this bloodbath with Carolina.

The Flyers' offense has struggled so far in the playoffs, as Rasmus Ristolainen leads the team with five points, and Travis Sanheim and Martone are the only two Flyers with multiple goals (two apiece).

They'll need to ramp it up to have any chance of beating the vaunted Hurricanes, especially having to start fast on the road beginning Saturday night.

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Joel Quenneville, Ex-Blackhawks Players Continue To Impact Stanley Cup Playoffs

On Wednesday night, the Montreal Canadiens went up 3-2 in their series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Former Chicago Blackhawks third overall pick Kirby Dach scored one of Montreal’s 3 goals in the victory. 

Earlier in the series, Marty St. Louis kept Dach in the lineup after a horrific game that included a bad turnover that led to a Lightning overtime winner. Since then, he’s been one of the Canadiens’ most impactful forwards. 

On the other side is Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel, who is also a former Chicago Blackhawks forward. Although he didn’t impact the scoresheet in Game 5, he’s been their best player, drawing a lot of attention to the fact that the Blackhawks traded him away. 

On Thursday, all four prominent players the Blackhawks traded at the deadline were on the ice for their new teams. One of them had a good night, and the other three went out with a whimper. 

First, Nick Foligno and the Minnesota Wild defeated the Dallas Stars 5-2, earning a first-round victory in Game 6 at home. Foligno didn’t have any points while playing on a line with his brother, Marcus, but he was a physical specimen all over the ice for the entire game. 

Foligno is more of a depth piece to the Wild than he was as the captain of the Blackhawks. He throws his weight around, brings a sense of urgency on every shift, and provides a steady game in all three zones. 

The nightcap was Game 6 between the Anaheim Ducks and the Edmonton Oilers. With a 3-2 series lead, the Ducks had a chance to eliminate Jason Dickinson, Connor Murphy, Colton Dach, and the Oilers. 

From the puck drop on, the Ducks were the better team. Eventually, they skated their way to a 5-2 win of their own and will move on to the second round for the first time since 2017. 

Connor Murphy scored a goal for the Oilers in Game 6, and it was assisted by Colton Dach. Dickinson almost single-handedly won Game 1 with two goals of his own. The Blackhawks, who moved on to the Oilers, did their job, but it wasn’t enough. 

Anaheim’s head coach is former Blackhawks head coach and three-time Stanley Cup champion Joel Quenneville. There are a lot of parallels between what Quenneville has now and what he had when he first got the Blackhawks into the playoffs. He seems to be saying the right things and putting the right systems into place once again. 

Even when Quenneville was in Florida, he had the team on the rise. When he left, they kept it going and have been to three straight finals and won two. Now, the Ducks are trying to do something similar. 

Stan Bowman, who was Quenneville’s GM for part of his tenure in Chicago, is the GM of the Oilers. Some of his moves have been questionable, and there is now a lot of pressure to make Connor McDavid happy before he packs his bags. 

Up next are three Game 6’s on Friday, including the big Canadiens (Kirby Dach) vs Lightning (Brandon Hagel) matchup. Foligno and the Wild will face the Colorado Avalanche in Round 2. 

Blackhawks Are Far Away From True Contention In Central DivisionBlackhawks Are Far Away From True Contention In Central DivisionThe Chicago Blackhawks are far away from contention in the Central Division.
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DitD & Open Post – 5/1/26: New Contracts Edition

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - APRIL 02: Simon Nemec #17 of the New Jersey Devils reacts during the third period against the Washington Capitals at Prudential Center on April 02, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. The New Jersey Devils defeated the Washington Capitals 7-3. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

“Hischier has made it known his goal is to win a Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils, and he’s certainly a player they need to keep around if they’re serious about doing so. He has averaged 32.4 goals and 72.6 points per 82 games over the last three seasons. That production alone makes him irreplaceable, let alone all that gets put on his plate defensively and in the faceoff dot. It’s rare to find players who can not only hold their own, but excel, with the kind of usage Hischier draws.” [Infernal Access ($)]

“Despite the disappointing season, the New Jersey Devils still had a few players who exceeded expectations.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]

What might new contracts look like for Nico Hischier, Simon Nemec and Arseny Gritsyuk? Some projections: [New Jersey Hockey Now]

Hockey Links

The Flyers, Wild and Ducks advance, and the Penguins, Stars and Oilers are done:

Lady Byng finalists:

“The on-ice officials not only missed Greig uppercutting a defenseless Hurricanes defenseman, but they also put Brind’Amour’s team on the PK afterward, something the Canes coach said shouldn’t be acceptable given how many people in the building saw the incident take place. But after years of watching mistakes such as this, Brind’Amour didn’t place blame on the two refs and two linesmen on the ice. Instead, he went back to an argument he has been making since he stepped behind the bench: the NHL’s officials need more help to get things right.” [The Athletic ($)]

“Jessica Campbell will not return to the Seattle Kraken bench next season, the team announced Thursday. Campbell’s contract is expiring this summer, and sources told ESPN that she has received interest across the league.” [ESPN]

A cool moment before Tuesday’s Bruins-Sabres game in Buffalo: “Seconds into ‘O Canada,’ national anthem singer Cami Clune’s microphone malfunctioned. A dutiful crowd of 19,070 — Shane and Andrea Doan included — rushed to her aid with a full-throated, word-for-word reinforcement.” [The Athletic ($)]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

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2026 early off-season checklist for the Penguins

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 27: Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins takes the ice against the Philadelphia Flyers in Game Five of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 27, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

The offseason is here a little earlier than the Penguins wanted it to be. As they shift into that mode, here’s what to watch for in the upcoming weeks for the early portion of decisions that will need to be made and events to unfold prior to the busy period around the draft and free agency.

Step 1: The Wilkes-Barre playoff run

Pittsburgh’s season is over but there’s still important information to glean for the organization within their AHL team. There are several players in Wilkes-Barre now, from Sergei Murashov to Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen, Avery Hayes and Harrison Brunicke that will have very good chances to graduate to the NHL as soon as the start of next season. The organization would love to see a deep run by WBS to see which young players rise to the occasion and pique their interest when it comes to sorting out their squad for next season and which holes they might still want to fill via trades and free agents over the summer. The Pens probably wouldn’t have traded for Arturs Silovs without his 2025 Calder Cup run, this year their targets could well be internal for projecting to the NHL club.

Step 2: Find out draft position

Pittsburgh’s draft spot is currently 22nd, with draft position being set by regular season performance and not playoff results (until Conference Finals and Stanley Cup teams getting bumped to the end of the order, anyways). The Pens’ slot could move up to 20th if both the Flyers beat Carolina next round AND Vegas doesn’t advance to the Western Conference Final. If one of those items occur then the Pittsburgh pick moves to 21st. If neither of them happen, the pick remains 22nd. Vegas is up 3-2 in their series on Utah to move onto the next round and Carolina is a heavy favorite, so for draft positioning there might not be a move up from 22nd, but it’s one of those things to sit back and wait and see how it goes.

Step 3: Sort out Evgeni Malkin

This could take hours, days, weeks or even months to reach a conclusion. Malkin has made no secret his desire to return in 2026-27 with the Penguins. Kyle Dubas, on the other hand, has been in no rush to extend the star forward. Malkin will turn 40 this summer and the Penguins want to get younger, but he did produce 61 points in 56 games this season. Objectively, there shouldn’t be much to think about here to give the franchise icon a one-year extension. He’s still a productive player that could and should help the team next season and likely even come at a discounted rate. (It also doesn’t hurt that Malkin will help sell tickets and merch while keeping Sidney Crosby happier).

Step 4: Ownership transition

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman recently said the sale of the Penguins from FSG to the Hoffmann announced in December is ‘on track’ but didn’t give a timetable of when it would be completed. That requires Board of Governors approval and they haven’t had a meeting recently to get to that business. Immediate reactions might be for some sort of drastic change or shifts but it usually doesn’t pan out like that from the very start. It’s still an important item to check off the list, even if it likely won’t alter the offseason or team direction.

Step 5: Other free agents

The unrestricted free agents on the NHL roster, along with Malkin, are Kevin Hayes, Anthony Mantha, Noel Acciari, Connor Dewar, Connor Clifton, Ryan Shea, Ilya Solovyov and Stuart Skinner. In an effort to get younger, most of these names have likely played their final game as a Penguin. To varying levels, a few (most likely Dewar, Shea and Solovyov) will at least be approached for a possible return, if not get outright efforts to keep for next season. Maybe that applies to some of Acciari, Mantha and Skinner too, though I’d personally put those three names in a much less likely to return category at this point.

For restricted free agents, the Pens have Egor Chinakhov and Arturs Silovs to deal with (plus Koivunen and Joel Blomqvist down in the AHL). In this day and age it’s not uncommon to not tender an RFA and try to get a better deal for the team – that happened with Dewar and Phil Tomasino last year, but it’s a no-brainer that everyone mentioned in this category will get a qualifying offer and have their rights retained by the Pens.

—

There are certainly other items to consider and items to get to as well, depending on how aggressive the team might feel about what to do with someone like Ryan Graves or whatever might happen with the Kris Letang situation, whose no movement contract turns to a 10-team no trade on July 1st. Items like that are not as pressing or immediate for this early look at the offseason items and decisions that will unfold first.

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MLB Lineup Report: Fernando Tatís Jr. at second base, Michael Harris II moving up

And just like that, April is behind us. The season is flying, and the lineup picture is finally starting to settle in some places while staying murky in others. Here's where every team stands heading into the weekend.

MLB: Game One-Chicago Cubs at Cleveland Guardians
Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Daniel Palencia nearing a return, Mason Miller snaps scoreless inning streak
Jorge Montanez breaks down the last week in saves from around the league with updated closer rankings.

⚾️ Baseball is back! MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Ildemaro Vargas has started 15 straight and 19 of 20. He's typically at 1B but plays 2B when Ketel Marte is at designated hitter. There was some overlap, but Adrian Del Castillo and Gabriel Moreno essentially flipped being on the IL and batting cleanup. Jose Fernandez is getting starts at 1B and DH while filling in at SS when Geraldo Perdomo sits.

Athletics

Brent Rooker surprisingly returned on Sunday and served as the DH in three straight before being given a day off Thursday. Tyler Soderstrom (shoulder/head) is banged up, which could lead to more middle-of-the-lineup chances against righties for Carlos Cortes. Darell Hernaiz has started four straight at 3B since Max Muncy was diagnosed with a fractured hand.

Atlanta Braves

Ronald Acuña Jr. and Drake Baldwin have hit 1-2 in all 31 games for the Braves this year. Michael Harris II (who is raking) began the year in the bottom-third but has worked his way up to fifth vs. RHP. Austin Riley is down to sixth against righties. Mauricio Dubon has been in the lineup for all but two games this season, mostly at SS but with some LF mixed in.

Baltimore Orioles

Gunnar Henderson, Taylor Ward, and Pete Alonso have played every game so far, including Thursday's doubleheader. Adley Rutschman has started six of eight since returning from the IL, including his first appearance as a DH. Jeremiah Jackson has started 19 straight at 2B. Colton Cowser has started against just one of the past four right-handers Baltimore has faced.

Boston Red Sox

There's a new manager in town, but no major lineup changes yet. The difficulty with this roster continues to be who serves as the DH between Roman Anthony and Jarren Duran each day, and that doesn't even factor in playing time for Masataka Yoshida. Since Chad Tracy took over, the 1-4 against righties has been Duran/Contreras/Anthony/Abreu. Marcelo Mayer still hasn't started against a lefty.

Chicago Cubs

Moisés Ballesteros has hit second against the past two right-handers they've faced, and he got his first start at catcher this week. Note that those two-hole starts coincided with off-days for Alex Bregman and Seiya Suzuki. Pete Crow-Armstrong still hasn't hit higher than 8th since April 12. Matt Shaw has started 8 of 19 games since Suzuki returned from the IL, with starts mixed in at 1B, 2B, 3B, CF, and RF.

Chicago White Sox

Sam Antonacci has started 11 of 14 since he was called up, including two of five vs. lefties. He's made starts at 2B and LF. The leadoff plan is Chase Meidroth against lefties and Andrew Benintendi vs. right-handers. Everson Pereira is on the IL with a strained pec, opening up some middle-of-the-order opportunities.

Cincinnati Reds

Sal Stewart has two starts at second base and one at third base. Otherwise, he's the everyday cleanup-hitting first baseman. Nathaniel Lowe has started seven straight as the team's DH, which coincides with Eugenio Suarez (oblique) landing on the IL. JJ Bleday is up from Triple-A and playing left field against righties, which cuts into Rece Hinds' PT.

Cleveland Guardians

Travis Bazzana has played second base and hit seventh in his first two MLB games. Juan Brito was optioned as the corresponding move, so there should be everyday ABs against righties at minimum. We'll see what happens when they start facing lefties with Bazzana up.

Colorado Rockies

Edouard Julien remains the leadoff hitter against righties, while Jordan Beck has taken the role against lefties. Jake McCarthy and Brenton Doyle are splitting center field against righties, while Doyle gets the position versus lefties.

Detroit Tigers

Kevin McGonigle leads off against righties and bats third against lefties. Colt Keith hits third against righties and sits against lefties. Matt Vierling and Wenceel Perez are in line for more outfield playing time with Parker Meadows (arm) and Javier Baez (ankle) both sidelined.

Houston Astros

Yordan Alvarez has played every game this year. Carlos Correa had led off in nine straight before resting the second leg of Thursday's doubleheader. Jose Altuve has dropped to fifth against righties while Isaac Paredes has moved up to third. Dustin Harris is getting left field starts against RHPs with Joey Loperfido sidelined.

Kansas City Royals

Jac Caglianone is 2-for-9 in starts against southpaws. Michael Massey has plenty of runway at second base with Jonathan India (shoulder) out for the year.

Los Angeles Angels

Yoan Moncada has hit third against the past three right-handers, with Nolan Schanuel dropping to fifth. Moncada is in a 3B platoon with Oswald Peraza. He, Josh Lowe, and Adam Frazier all sat in four straight when the Angels had a run of lefties recently. Travis d'Arnaud should be the regular catcher with Logan O'Hoppe (wrist) on the IL.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Shohei Ohtani was out of the lineup in two of his five starts on the mound. Otherwise, he's played every game. Kyle Tucker began the year hitting second with Freddie Freeman at cleanup, but that has recently flipped. Hyeseong Kim has started 17 of 22 at SS, including nine straight, since Mookie Betts (oblique) went on the IL.

MLB: Philadelphia Phillies at San Francisco Giants
Fantasy Baseball Steals Report: Luis Arraez runs now? And the Cubs’ running game woes
Who is stealing bases, who isn’t, why, and how?

Miami Marlins

They've kept things pretty steady. Owen Caissie and Graham Pauley are in platoons. Kyle Stowers has started against the only lefty he's had a chance to face since returning from the IL, and he got a start at 1B this past Sunday. That'll be interesting to track.

Milwaukee Brewers

Jackson Chourio (hand) could return early next week. Garrett Mitchell has led off against the past two righties. Gary Sánchez was getting regular run as the team's DH once Christian Yelich (groin) went on the IL, but Tyler Black has started four of six as the DH since being recalled from Triple-A.

Minnesota Twins

Luke Keaschall and Royce Lewis continue to bat in the bottom half of the lineup for now. Austin Martin is still getting two-hole reps against lefties while Trevor Larnach gets them vs. righties.

New York Mets

Juan Soto has been the DH in eight straight since returning from his calf injury. Ronny Mauricio has started six of seven at shortstop since Francisco Lindor (calf) went down. Brett Baty is a regular against righties at either 1B or RF. Bo Bichette and Marcus Semien have played every game.

New York Yankees

Jasson Domínguez has played in three straight since being recalled from Triple-A, and Randal Grichuk was just designated for assignment. Assuming everything checks out with his elbow, Domínguez should get everyday at-bats until Giancarlo Stanton (calf) returns. All eyes on when Anthony Volpe (shoulder) returns and how that affects José Caballero, who has sat just once this year.

Philadelphia Phillies

Trea Turner,Kyle Schwarber, and Bryce Harper have started every game. Adolis Garcia is hitting cleanup against righties and fifth vs. lefties. Felix Reyes is fourth against lefties. No meaningful changes yet following Rob Thomson's firing. JT Realmuto (back) could return this weekend.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Still waiting to see if and when Konnor Griffin makes a meaningful move up the order. Marcell Ozuna has sat three of six as his struggles persist.

San Diego Padres

Fernando Tatis Jr. is already up to five starts at second base. Ty France has started five of six at first base, which is helping him catch up in starts among the four 1B/DH types San Diego is rotating through.

  • Gavin Sheets (22 total starts)
  • Miguel Andújar (18)
  • Nick Castellanos (14)
  • Ty France (13)

San Francisco Giants

Willy Adames was removed from the leadoff role this week in favor of Jung Hoo Lee and Heliot Ramos, who are splitting it. Casey Schmitt is hitting cleanup with Rafael Devers dropped to fifth.

Seattle Mariners

Cole Young has still yet to miss a game, playing against all lefties despite consistently batting in the bottom third of the order. Leo Rivas is filling in at 3B for Brendan Donovan (groin). JP Crawford leads off against righties while Rob Refsnyder does so against lefties.

St. Louis Cardinals

Ivan Herrera has started every game and hit second. Pretty consistent usage overall for the Cardinals, who haven't dealt with many offensive injuries.

Tampa Bay Rays

Chandler Simpson has started all but two games this season, and he's led off against 14 consecutive right-handers. Jonathan Aranda is 6-for-6 in starts against southpaws after not being a regular vs. them last season. Jake Fraley, Cedric Mullins, and Richie Palacios predictably remain in platoon roles.

Texas Rangers

Brandon Nimmo has started and led off in every game. Josh Jung has been in the two-hole for three straight. Evan Carter is 2-for-2 in starts against lefties while Wyatt Langford (forearm) is out. He was 0-for-5 in starts against them previously..

Toronto Blue Jays

George Springer is back, so the regular leadoff role should be his again. Jesús Sanchez hits second or fourth against right-handers.

Washington Nationals

Luis Garcia Jr. is batting second against RHP while playing sporadically against southpaws. Brady House gets to bat third or fourth when he starts, which is most games but not all of them.

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Can The Canadiens Succeed Where The Maple Leafs Failed?

On Friday night, the Montreal Canadiens will have a golden opportunity to qualify for the second round of the playoffs by beating the Tampa Bay Lightning for a fourth time. If they do manage it, it will only have taken four years for the Kent Hughes/Jeff Gorton/Martin St-Louis regime to win a playoff round. That would be remarkable.

If you compare them with the Canadiens’ long-time rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs, they hired Brendan Shanahan and Kyle Dubas to mould their rebuild in 2014. They missed the playoffs in their first two seasons, just like the Canadiens did in their first two seasons with the new administration at the helm.

Canadiens’ Hutson Made History (Again)
Canadiens Steal Home-Ice Back And Push Tampa To The Brink Of Elimination
This Great Canadiens Move Is Paying Off Big Time

Both franchises made the playoffs in their front office’s third season at the helm. That was in 2017 for the Leafs, when they lost in the first round to the Washington Capitals in six games. For Montreal, that was in 2025, when they too lost to the Caps in the first round, but in five games.

Then, for the next two seasons, Toronto lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games. The following year, they lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the qualifying round. In 2021, they lost to Montreal in seven games after leading the series 3-1. In 2022, they lost to the Lightning in seven games. It took the Shanahan/Dubas duo nine years to finally win a round in the playoffs.

The Canadiens could potentially do it in four and a half years, half the time. Why? Because the Habs have been built the right way. They did not focus solely on the big names and handcuff themselves with big contracts and no movement clauses. The Leafs had Morgan Reilly, William Nylander, Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews and John Tavares from 2018 onwards. There was a lot of star power that faded when it really counted, and Toronto couldn’t overcome it.

This year in the playoffs, Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky have been struggling to put up points at even strength. Suzuki has five points, four of which have come on the man-advantage; Caufield has four points, all on the power play, just like Slafkovsky’s three points.

Still, the Canadiens lead the series. Why? Because of their depth, which they have because Hughes was able to sign his top guns to reasonable contracts with team-friendly cap hits. The way he handled the negotiations for Caufield, Slafkovsky, Guhle and Hutson has been exemplary, and he’s been able to add good complementary pieces along the way like Mike Matheson, Zach Bolduc, Noah Dobson, Alexandre Texier, Alexandre Carrier, Alex Newhook and even Kirby Dach of late has stepped up.

Of course, you can’t call a rebuild an unmitigated success until a Stanley Cup has been won, but if the Canadiens manage to reach the second round in such a short time, it will be further evidence that they are doing things the right way.

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Top 3 takeaways after the Pirates vs Cardinals series

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 2: Dennis Santana #60 of the Pittsburgh Pirates in action during the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park on July 2, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates just got swept by the St. Louis Cardinals and have dropped to 16-16 on the season. What looked like a great start to the season has quickly gone sour, so here are my top 3 concerns/takeaways from the four game series. 

1. The pitching struggles

The season started with the pitching looking really good but the last four games they have struggled. In the first game Dennis Santana blew a save and allowed 4 runs in the ninth inning. While in two other games the pitching staff allowed 10 and 11 runs. The pitching used to be the reason why the Bucs would win games but in this series it seemed like they were the reason they lost. Even former Cy young winner Paul Skenes struggled today allowing eight hits and four earned runs.

2. The offensive slow starts

The final three games of the series was a rough watch for the offense and when they did get going it was too little too late. Tuesday’s game Pittsburgh lost 11-7 but in that game they got down 6-0 and didn’t score till the sixth inning. Then in Wednesday’s game they didn’t score till the fifth inning when they were already down by three runs. Then in Thursday’s game they got down by four runs until they scored. The offense has not been strong enough in the early innings and if the Pirates want to get back in the win column they can’t start putting up runs while already down by multiple runs. Game one was the only game this series that the Bucs scored first and it was in the first two innings. Pittsburgh failed to score the rest of the game and left multiple base runners stranded.

3. The rise and dominanc of JJ Wetherholt

 The Cardinals young star player and Mars Area High School graduate JJ Wetherholt had a monster series. It was quite the showing for the seventh pick of the 2024 draft. Wetherholt, who received audible cheers from friends and family in attendance when he came through, combined to go 6 for 16 with three doubles, two home runs, three RBI, six runs and two walks. It is tough watching a hometown kid come in and smash the ball like he was doing. He was honestly the best player in the series and the Cardinals as a team just simply outplayed the Pirates.

The Pirates are now on a 5 game losing streak and if the pitching struggles and slow offensive starts continue this is going to be a long season for the fans in black and gold.

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The world’s most expensive losers: the New York Mets are very rich … and very, very bad

The Mets have the worst record in baseball this season. Photograph: Angelina Katsanis/AP

A franchise once known as baseball’s lovable losers are, for the moment, merely baseball’s most expensive losers.

The New York Mets wrapped a shocking April by losing 5-4 to the Washington Nationals on Thursday, dropping to a major league-worst 10-21 and burrowing even deeper into last place in the National League East – making them somehow even worse than their old rivals the Philadelphia Phillies, another wealthy-yet-terrible team. The Mets will (probably) not play at their current 52-win pace all year but their sordid first month has done immense damage to their postseason hopes. Their chances at October baseball were 87% on Opening Day, according to the analytics site FanGraphs. They are now less than three-in-10 to make the playoffs, and that projection seems pretty generous for a team who have lost 17 of their last 20 games.

“Not good enough,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said after Thursday’s loss. “Obviously not a secret. That’s not going to do it. We got to start winning series. Period.”

Related: Slumping Phillies fire manager Rob Thomson after losing 11 of last 12 games

Zoom out, and the picture gets worse. Last season on 2 August, the Mets led the East by half a game and had a 62-47 record. They finished on a 21-32 run to miss the postseason and are now an extraordinary 31-53 over their last 84 games. That’s more than half a season’s worth of games at a 102-loss clip. This would be bad if the Mets were a spendthrift team composed of journeymen and rookies, but under multibillionaire owner Steve Cohen – who fans hoped would turn the team into serial winners when he bought the club in 2020 – they have the second-highest payroll in baseball, at around $380m.

These Mets raise interesting questions about baseball economics. For everyone who claims the also-wealthy Los Angeles Dodgers are “ruining baseball” with their high payrolls and back-to-back World Series, the Mets are proof that hefty roster expenditure will not do the job on its own. Why not? And what will become of the Mets over the next few years if the club doesn’t quickly right the ship?

As when any team starts this miserably, there is no single cause for the Mets’ horrendous April. Quiet bats are at the front of the line, though. Aside from a few moments of inept defense, the Mets are boring as well as bad. They have the league’s worst offense by weighted on-base average and a host of other team statistics. The great Juan Soto – seen as symbolic of the kind of superstar the Mets could attract in the Cohen era – has hit well but has only recently returned from injury.

No other Met has hit seriously in any significant sample size. Outfield prospect Carson Benge has been a little better in recent weeks but is yet to figure out big league pitching. Catcher Francisco Alvarez is the least of the team’s problems but has slumped hard after a scorching start. A wide variety of pricey veteran acquisitions have so far failed to launch: Third baseman Bo Bichette, second baseman Marcus Semien, and injured first baseman Jorge Polanco are earning a combined $85m. Not one of them has an on-base percentage north of .275. Franchise shortstop Francisco Lindor had started to heat up after a mediocre start before he went down with injury.

Every one of these hitters should improve, but they also show the limits of a “throw money at it” strategy of roster-building. That approach can work – just look at the baseball god Soto, who is still only 27 and playing on the largest contract ever signed – but most elite talents don’t reach free agency or get traded away until they’re exiting their prime. Semien is 35 and Polanco is about to turn 33 – ages at which players decline rather than get better. Bichette is 28 but with a lot of recent injury history. The Mets will not get the best versions of most of these hitters. The younger bats they expected to be good – in particular Benge, Mark Vientos and Brett Baty, all in their early to mid-20s – have not picked up the slack. Hence, the Mets have scored MLB’s second-fewest runs.

Mets fans have given the franchise a lot of grace over many decades of Metsiness, some even saw their failing as part of their charm. But the team cannot be an affable second fiddle to the cross-city Yankees when they are a financial heavyweight that enters spring training each year gunning for a pennant with a roster that, on paper, could do it.

At some point, though who could guess when, accountability would fall to general manager David Stearns, who put together the plan for this season that is already on the verge of doom. Stearns, the type of Ivy-educated geek-genius who has become prized in baseball front offices, was welcomed by fans when he joined the team from the Milwaukee Brewers, who he had made a serial contender on a small budget. But some have wondered if his approach works at a franchise with larger resources, and more pressure. Many of his signings – many of them former Brewers – have wilted in the crucible of New York. Some of the start is bad luck, but some of it is a calculated plan going poorly in ways that lots of people could have predicted: For example, center fielder Luis Robert, who has hit and fielded his position decently, just hit the injured list for the 10th time in seven big league seasons. That’s less misfortune for the Mets than what you’d expect if you sign an injury-prone player.

Not everything is a disaster. The Mets’ farm system is well-regarded, Soto is still Soto, and rookie pitcher Nolan McLean is a genuine revelation who looks primed to win a Cy Young Award in his career. (He could even be in the mix this season, if the Mets don’t severely tamp down his innings count.) Benge is a smooth outfielder who will eventually be able to hit his way out of a paper bag. Almost nobody who’s struggled in this lineup will stay this bad for another month, let alone another five. But the losses the Mets have already banked have moved them from a 90-win team to one that will scrap to finish .500 and would need a real surge to reach October. It’s all compounded by the fact that being a losing team in the snakepit of New York sports is the opposite of fun. And they no longer have the shield of claiming poverty compared to the Yankees.

No team in baseball is delivering a lesser return on investment. Cohen won’t tolerate that for long. He could fire Mendoza, who has made some poor decisions but isn’t responsible for the players he’s given. He could fire Stearns, but that would mean disrupting the long-term plan the two have in place as they attempt to build a talent pipeline to produce young talent that can complement highly paid superstars, a method the Dodgers have perfected. Cohen needs to think of something different though because he’s learned the hard way that throwing money at a problem doesn’t always work.

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Pens Points: Turning the page

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 29: Trevor Zegras #46 of the Philadelphia Flyers shakes hands with Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at the conclusion of Game Six of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 29, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. With tonight's 1-0 overtime win, the Flyers have advanced to the second round of the NHL Playoffs (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

Here are your Pens Points for this Friday morning…

As the Pittsburgh Penguins shift their attention toward the off-season, we can look back at the overall picture of their playoff run and the season as a whole. The team was largely undone by their disastrous start, falling into a 3–0 series hole, in addition to the power play that never came around, and underperforming top players such as Anthony Mantha. Still, the season exceeded expectations for a team in transition, with promising young talent on the horizon as this transition between eras continues. [PensBurgh]

Sidney Crosby reflected on the uncertain future of longtime teammates Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang after Game 6, calling them “like family” and expressing hope they can continue playing as a trio. [Trib Live]

News and notes from around the NHL…

Seattle Kraken assistant coach Jessica Campbell will not return to the team next season, as her contract expires and she explores other opportunities across the leaguge. [ESPN]

The Vancouver Canucks have interviewed Florida Panthers assistant GM Brett Peterson as part of their search for a new general manager, according to reports. [Sportsnet]

Anze Kopitar, Cole Caufield, and Jake Sanderson have been named finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy. [Sportsnet]

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Today on Pinstripe Alley – 5/1/26

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 19: José Caballero #72 of the New York Yankees prepares to catch a ball during the game against the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium on April 19, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images

You never want to lose heading into an off-day, but something tells me the Yankees didn’t have too bad of a flight back home. Though a shutout loss to the Rangers left a sour final note as the Bombers headed to New York, the setback still left them with a stellar 7-2 record on a long road trip through Boston and Texas. Now, the Yankees can settle back and look to protect home turf, as they start off a four-game set with the Orioles in the Bronx tonight.

On the site this morning, Sam gets you caught up with today’s Rivalry Roundup, while Jeff takes a look ahead at the weekend’s series with Baltimore. In the afternoon, Michael and John start off our monthly divisional review series, as Michael discusses the AL West and John analyzes the AL Central. Meanwhile, Nick profiles a high-profile prospect from a couple decades ago, Brandon Claussen, and Madison delivers the answers to this week’s mailbag.

Today’s Matchup

New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles

Time: 7:05 p.m. EST

Video: YES Network, MASN

Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

Questions/Prompts:

1. Who do you think will lead the Yankees’ pitching staff in WAR this year?

2. For the NBA fans around here, can you think of any baseball analogues to what the Knicks did last night, rolling up a 50-point lead in the first half of a close-out game against the Hawks?

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Yankees news: Max Fried, pickoff master

ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 27: New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried attempts a pitch during the game between the New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers on April 27, 2026 at Globe Life Field in Arlington,Texas. (Photo by Steve Nurenberg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Andy Pettitte, you’ve got company; Max Fried is making a case for himself as the Yankees pitcher with the best pickoff move. Fried’s skills were on display when he picked off Josh Jung in the fourth inning of Monday’s 4-2 win against the Rangers with a delayed motion (video in article). Pettitte, who was present in the Yankees’ clubhouse and coaches’ room during their series in Arlington, praised Fried’s pickoff move effusively, claiming that Fried’s is better than his was. Whether or not you agree with his appraisal, this is one to read if you’re a fan of pickoffs.

SI.com | Joseph Randazzo: Camilo Doval has struggled thus far in his second year with the Yankees. Particularly worrying is his case of acute gopheritis; his 2026 HR/9 of 2.61 is more than triple his career rate. Randazzo notes that Doval’s lackluster performance has resulted in a marked decrease in his usage, and has put added pressure on the rest of the bullpen.

The Athletic | Keith Law: ($) Keith Law took a trip to see the Yankees’ Double-A Somerset squad’s doubleheader with the Portland Sea Dogs, and he’s provided notes on Gerrit Cole’s rehab start as well as former top prospect Marco Luciano. For those anxious about Cole’s rehab progression, Law’s words should offer some reassurance. And while Luciano’s prospect shine has definitely dimmed, Law doesn’t rule out a big-league role for him entirely.

MLB.com | Jonathan Mayo: The MLB Draft is fast approaching, so MLB.com has offered their top 150 Draft prospect list as a snapshot of the current general consensus of the scouting industry. The Yankees won’t be picking particularly high due to their draft penalty incurred from surpassing the second CBT threshold; their first pick is at No.35, followed by 63, 99, and 127. Hopefully they can make the most of these, as it’s no secret that their farm could use some added depth.

MLB.com | Jared Greenspan: Finally, the latest edition of MLB’s Hitter Power Rankings are here, and while Yordan Alvarez takes the top spot, Yankee fans will be pleased to note that the dynamic duo of Aaron Judge and Ben Rice occupy the second and third spots. After a somewhat underwhelming (for his standards) start, Judge has been turning it up as of late, truly a welcome sight. Meanwhile, Rice stormed out of the gate and hasn’t looked back. I look forward to watching these beefy boys hit the snot out of the ball all summer long.

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Timberwolves eliminate Nuggets to set up Spurs tie

Nikola Jokic looks disappointed during Denver Nuggets' defeat by Minnesota Timberwolves
Nikola Jokic is has been named the NBA's MVP three times [Getty Images]

The Minnesota Timberwolves will face the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semi-finals of the NBA play-offs after eliminating the Denver Nuggets.

The Timberwolves won game six 110-98 to win the best-of-seven series 4-2

In a tight contest, the Timberwolves led 57-50 before Denver's Nikola Jokic scored 14 points in the third quarter to set up a close finish.

Jokic, voted the NBA's Most Valuable Player on three occasions, ended the game with 28 points and 10 assists, but his performance was overshadowed by his involvement in an altercation with Timberwolves' Jaylen Clark.

The pair pushed one another with just under 10 minutes to play, which resulted in a technical foul for both players alongside Timberwolves' Naz Reid, who also became involved in the incident.

This comes after Jokic was ejected for instigating a scuffle at the end of game four. After the defeat, the Serbian said: "I needed to play better. I must play better."

Jaden McDaniels starred for the Timberwolves with a career-high 32 points, and they could be boosted by the return of Anthony Edwards from injury for Monday's opener against the Spurs.

In the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks set new records as they thrashedthe Atlanta Hawks 140-89 to win their series 4-2.

The 51-point margin of victory was a franchise record in the play-offs, while their 47-point half-time lead was the biggest in NBA post-season history.

Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a triple-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists while OG Anunoby top-scored with 29 points.

It is the Knicks' fourth consecutive year of reaching the semi-finals and they will face either the Boston Celtics or the Philadelphia 76ers.

Tyrese Maxey scored 30 points and Paul George added 23 as the 76ers won game six 106-93 to set up a decisive game seven in Boston on Saturday.

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Connor McDavid calls Oilers 'average team' after season-ending loss to Ducks

The Edmonton Oilers took a step back this season.

After back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Final, including a Game 7 loss in 2024, the Oilers are out in the first round, falling to an Anaheim Ducks team that just ended a seven-year playoff drought.

"We were an average team all year," Oilers captain Connor McDavid told reporters after the Game 6 loss in Anaheim. "When you're an average team with high expectations, you're going to be disappointed. We just never found it."

McDavid, who signed a team-friendly, two-year extension to allow the team to build a stronger contender, still drives the team. So does Leon Draisaitl, but both of them were dealing with injuries. Even though the goaltending was changed to Connor Ingram and Tristan Jarry, it didn't get them as far. The penalty kill was the worst in the league in the playoffs.

"We expected to have a longer run than we did. It is what it is," McDavid said.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Connor McDavid after Oilers loss to Ducks: 'We were an average team'