Feb 28, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats center Malachi Moreno (24) celebrates from the bench during the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
Good morning, BBN!
Kentucky Basketball center Malachi Moreno continues to weigh whether he will return to Kentucky for his sophomore season or remain in the 2026 NBA Draft.
When Moreno first announced he would test the NBA Draft waters, many believed the Georgetown, Kentucky native was almost certainly going to return to Lexington. Moreno reportedly even took a pay cut to return to Kentucky instead of entering the transfer portal.
However, after a breakout freshman season and increasing NBA interest, that decision is no longer viewed as a guarantee.
Coming into last season, Moreno was expected to be Kentucky’s third center behind Jayden Quaintance and Brandon Garrison. Instead, Quaintance played only four games all season, while Moreno stepped into a major role and became one of Kentucky’s biggest surprises.
Moreno averaged 7.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 58.2% from the field. He played in all 36 games and started 30 while averaging 22.6 minutes per contest.
“This is my dream, to be in the NBA, so I am looking at it with my best foot forward,” Moreno tells Isaac Trotter of CBS Sports. “Obviously, I left the option on the table to go back to college if I could. Right now, all this leading into the decision is just how these next couple of weeks go. I know I have until the 27th to make that decision, and I will just have a lot of talks with my brother because he is probably going to be the most important factor in this decision, talks with my family, talks with my inner circle, and seeing what is the best decision for me at the time.”
Good stuff from Kentucky big man Malachi Moreno on what’s next for him in the decision-making process.
He chose not to participate in today’s scrimmage because his agent relayed that “he thought I was in a pretty good spot.” pic.twitter.com/xtTSdYBOsT
Moreno also explained why he decided not to participate in scrimmages at the NBA Draft Combine.
“After talks with my brother, like I said, my agent, they kind of just said that they thought that I was in a pretty good spot,” Moreno said. “I’ve got Pro Day coming up after this, after the week is over in L.A., and they want me to be full strength for that. Then I’ve got a couple more workouts after that that are getting set up.”
When discussing whether he would need first-round draft status to remain in the draft, Moreno said he is still evaluating everything.
“Obviously, I would love to be a first-round pick. That would be great,” Moreno said. “I’ve got two weeks before I’ve got to make any kind of decision, so I am kind of talking with my inner circle and seeing what the best decision is.”
Kentucky fans will be anxiously awaiting to hear if he’ll spend one more year in Lexington.
Tweet of the Day
Louisville must be operating with an absolutely absurd war chest this offseason. Keep hearing the Cards are a serious threat to land Momcilovic if he returns to college.
That would be a game-changer for Pat Kelsey. And pointedly, Mark Pope cannot let it happen. https://t.co/AJkTh7bC1U
On the 552nd Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including the financial impact of this New York Knicks playoff run and World Cup tickets.
The Knicks are a rare major U.S. sports team owned by a publicly-traded company, which means there’s more public data on the team’s economics than with most other NBA franchises. With the Knicks now eight wins away from their first NBA title since 1973, analysts and investors are starting to take stock of what this playoff run might be worth.
The hosts talk about why a trip to the NBA finals might be worth $140 million in added revenue for the Knicks. They also discuss why the NBA is uniquely structured to give playoff teams a larger piece of the money they generate from postseason ticket sales. They also debate the hierarchy of Madison Square Garden’s limited celebrity courtside seats, whose regulars include director Spike Lee, comedian Tracy Morgan, actor Timothée Chalamet and model Kendall Jenner.
Next they talk about the World Cup ticketing controversy. The price for tickets has become the enduring story of the World Cup so far, but the market is more complex than many fans realize. They talk about how FIFA appears to have approached the event in the U.S., what’s made people so angry, and what might happen next. Will the governing body lower prices, will fans eventually buy the remaining seats at current levels, or will FIFA find a subtle way to move tickets into the secondary market?
They close by talking about the Boston Red Sox and their upcoming promo night centered around the hit HBO show Heated Rivalry. A team exec told Sportico recently that the event, which includes themed merch, was “our largest promotion ever.”
(You can subscribe to Sporticast through Apple, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts.)
BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 13: Max Fried #54 of the New York Yankees pitches during the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 13, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
SNY | Alex Smith: The Yankees lost for the sixth time in their last eight games on Wednesday, and that’s not even the worst news: left-hander Max Fried had to leave the game after three innings with left elbow posterior soreness. The pitcher himself told Bryan Hoch of MLB.com that it felt like a hyperextension and revealed that the injury made it difficult to warm up before each inning. Despite vowing to make his next scheduled start, this looks like an injured list situation. Stay tuned.
ESPN | Jorge Castillo: Aaron Judge is once again putting up numbers that would appear incredible for others, but seem pedestrian to him. But having recently celebrated his 34th birthday a few weeks ago, the amount of times he’ll be able to lead the charge in a championship run is dwindling. He’s aware of this, but even as the team outwardly displays more urgency than they have in years with their aggressive roster decisions, Judge insists that the level of urgency is the same as its ever been, and will be so long as he plays.
CBS Sports | Rotowire: Giancarlo Stanton, currently out with a calf strain, hasn’t been cleared to start running as the MRI he recently underwent didn’t show enough healing in the area. The slugger has been swinging the bat, but he won’t be able to return unless he can run, and he’s not there yet. He was replaced by Jasson Domínguez on the roster, but since the ‘Martian’ also went down, Spencer Jones has been playing in their place and figures to continue to do so until Stanton regains full health.
NJ.com | Randy Miller ($): Speaking of Domínguez, his return isn’t imminent, but there is some good news to report. He received a PRP shot in his ailing left shoulder, which he hurt last week while crashing against the wall while making a catch, and has shown no concussion-like symptoms whatsoever. He’s still a few weeks away, though.
In generating a constant stream of outrage, debate and engagement, much-reviled tech has become its own spectacle
“Just keep delaying,” Darren England tells the referee, Chris Kavanagh, at West Ham on Sunday afternoon. The title is on the line, possibly relegation too, and as replay after replay queues up on the tape machine, who could blame a humble video assistant for wanting to savour the moment?
To survey it from all the relevant angles, consider all contingencies. To feel the sensation of all that awesome power at his fingertips. They’re calling it the most important VAR review in Premier League history. Stuart Attwell, you’ll never sing that.
The light-heavyweight is a substitute teacher by day but on Saturday delivered a blistering lesson to Cuba’s David Morrell
Last Saturday night in Manchester, Zak Chelli, a 28-year-old supply teacher from Fulham, produced one of the sporting upsets of the year when he knocked out Cuba’s esteemed David Morrell in a stoppage as shocking as it was compelling. Chelli had been offered the fight two weeks earlier and despite the limited preparation he proved himself a formidable late replacement.
Morrell was ahead on the scorecards, but he was hurt badly in the ninth round. In the 10th and last, Mr Chelli – as he is known to his pupils – delivered a blistering lesson before Morrell was rescued by the referee.
Los Angeles, CA - May 13: Luis Arraez #1 of the San Francisco Giants moved to second on a balk by starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani (not pictured) as second baseman Miguel Rojas #72 of the Los Angeles DodgersLooks on in the third inning of a baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
The Giants beat the Dodgers 29-2 on Wednesday, with their two best players combining to hit 8-8 with a home run, four doubles, four walks, and a stolen base.
Unfortunately, that was in the Arizona Complex League. In the slightly more competitive, and slightly more meaningful Major League Baseball game, the Giants lost to the Dodgers 4-0.
It was a game where San Francisco got up to all their old tricks: feckless at-bats, wasted opportunities, heaps of strikeouts, and, of course, amateur hour blunders.
They wasted no time putting on that ugly show that we’ve seen so many times this year. In the first inning, Heliot Ramos drew a two-out walk against Shohei Ohtani (who is apparently the best pitcher in the world now), and Rafael Devers smacked a single to put runners at the corners.
But Bryce Eldridge, with the unenviable task of playing sporadically and seemingly only against aces, struck out on three pitches. It was the first out made with runners in scoring position for the Giants, and they would repeat that feat six more times. They would not get any hits.
From there, Ohtani mostly dominated the Giants. He retired the side in order in the second, and again in the fourth, and again in the fifth. The second of those two occurrences featured three strikeouts and just 12 pitches.
But the authentic sign that this was the Real Giants, and not those pesky imposters who somehow entered the day with four wins in five attempts against the defending champs, came in the seventh inning. The Giants already trailed 4-0, so they weren’t looking to erase the lead so much as get back into the game, so they’d have a chance against whatever non-Ohtani pitchers awaited them.
They gave themselves a chance, when Willy Adames smacked a one-out single, and Matt Chapman followed with one of his own, putting runners at first and second with just one out. Ohtani’s pitch count had crested triple digits, and the Giants were knocking on the door.
But they wouldn’t be the Giants if they didn’t do something silly, and not just in the outfield celebration way. Today’s brand of silliness? Adames forgetting how many outs there were, and taking off with reckless abandon when Drew Gilbert toasted a ball to Andy Pages, who could have jogged the ball back to the infield and still turned the double play.
Adames did not shy away from blunder, telling reporters after the game that, “That obviously is a mistake that can’t happen. That mistake is probably the most ashamed that I would feel in a game. I know that that can’t happen. It was my fault. That’s on me.”
Mistakes happen, but it’s hard not to read too much into it when the mistake is one of that level, from a player of that stature. It feels a touch emblematic for a season that has spent more time going off the rails than coming back on them. And given everything else that has happened this season — and what we know of the ship Buster Posey likes to run — it’s hard not to notice the optics here.
Just saying, Willy Adames had his back turned, yapping it up with Mookie Betts for pretty much the entirety of Drew Gilbert's at-bat before he apparently forgot the number of outs and was doubled up at second base.
Meanwhile, Robbie Ray’s meatballs proved a tonic for LA’s struggling offense. Namely, for the players who have been struggling the most. The scoring began in the third inning when, a day after Giants ninth-spot hitter Eric Haase hit a pair of dingers, Dodgers ninth-spot hitter Santiago Espinal went deep, on a 2-1 fastball that could not have caught more of the heart of the plate if it’s name was “tee.” And with that, Espinal rounded the bases in a slow trot for the first time in 21 months.
Four pitches later, in the exact same count, Ray threw the exact same pitch, this time to Mookie Betts. The future Hall of Famer has, shockingly, been one of baseball’s worst hitters this year, and if he breaks out in the coming weeks, we’ll be able to look back at this moment as why. It was a home run derby pitch, and a home run derby outcome.
Los Angeles would score their other two runs just an inning later, when Kyle Tucker led off with a double and scored on a single by Teoscar Hernández who, in keeping with the theme, is having a career-worst year at the plate. In doubling down with the theme, Hernández moved into scoring position on a passed ball by not-Patrick Bailey, and took third when Miguel Rojas hit a single, his first hit since April 26. Hernández would then score on an Alex Call sacrifice fly.
In all, Ray would make it through just 4.2 innings on the night, ceding seven hits and two walks, while only striking out two. He simply wasn’t fooling anyone, and the lone bright spot of the game was how strong the pitching was once Ray left the mound, as Joel Peguero and Tristan Beck handled the rest of the game with ease.
But other than that, it was as ugly as ugly can be. And the way the season has gone, it just might stay that ugly until Josuar González and Luis Hernández save them in a handful of years…
Until then, though, there’s a series to win tomorrow. And that would be a nice thing.
CHICAGO — St. John’s Zuby Ejiofor is about to realize his dream of making the NBA.
He’s almost certain to become the Red Storm’s first draft pick in a decade — maybe even a first-rounder after a solid performance in the NBA Draft Combine.
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“It’s been a great experience,” Ejiofor said. “Having this opportunity is something I dreamed of for a long time and it’s literally right in front of my face.”
St. John’s hasn’t had a first-round pick since Maurice Harkless in 2012, or any draft pick since Sir’Dominic Pointer three years later. But Ejiofor has a shot — because he’s showing that he can shoot.
The defensive-minded bruiser measured 6-foot-7 ½ barefoot and 245 pounds with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, long and bulky but short enough that he’s going to have to develop a jumper.
Apparently he’s been in Las Vegas since St. John’s season ended working on just that, and it’s paying off at the combine.
“I mean, a lot [of practice shots],” Ejiofor said of his daily Las Vegas regimen. “It was like hundreds, thousands even: shots, 3-point shots, midrange, you name it, just trying to showcase a little bit more than I did in college.”
The result was clear.
Ejiofor shot 17-for-30 off the dribble and 12-for-25 in the 3-point star drill. He was 16-for-28 in a side-middle-side drill and 13-for-25 in spot-up shooting.
“I feel like it’s something I could’ve shown a little bit more in college. And then I had the opportunity to just come out here and just prove, not only to myself, but to everybody around that I could do it,” Ejiofor said. “And I had decent numbers. And I was pretty proud of it.”
Zuby Ejiofor participates in a pro lane drill at the NBA Draft Combine on May 11, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. NBAE via Getty Images
The numbers will buoy his stock.
Ejiofor said he met with six teams Wednesday, including the Cavaliers, Hornets, Mavericks, Nuggets and Thunder.
He will meet with the hometown Knicks and Nets Thursday.
Zuby Ejiofor takes part in a shooting drill at the NBA Draft Combine on May 11. David Banks-Imagn Images
The St. John’s senior isn’t participating in the 5-on-5 scrimmages at the combine, with his agent feeling he’s slated to go between Nos. 25 and 35 in next month’s draft.
Ejiofor was mocked to go 43rd to the Nets by Yahoo Sports and 31st to the Knicks by Tankathon.
“New York, obviously it’s a special place. I’ve got to grow a whole lot in the city of New York. And obviously I have a lot of love over there. So, obviously it’d be pretty special to be in a familiar area,” Ejiofor said. “If the opportunity happens, I’m more than excited to be there.
“It’d be a great experience. I spent my last three years in New York. I have a lot of love there in New York City. I’ve been away for a while, but I’m going back to New York on the 17th to walk for graduation. But, yeah, it will be a great experience if it happens. I’m going to be excited and my family is as well.”
Detroit Pistons (60-22, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30, fourth in the Eastern Conference)
Cleveland; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT
LINE: Cavaliers -3.5; over/under is 209.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Cavaliers lead series 3-2
BOTTOM LINE: The Cleveland Cavaliers look to clinch the Eastern Conference second round over the Detroit Pistons in game six. The Cavaliers defeated the Pistons 117-113 in overtime in the last meeting on Thursday. James Harden led the Cavaliers with 30 points, and Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 39.
The Cavaliers are 11-5 against the rest of their division. Cleveland ranks seventh in the Eastern Conference in team defense, giving up only 115.4 points while holding opponents to 46.4% shooting.
The Pistons are 12-4 against the rest of their division. Detroit is fourth in the league scoring 18.0 fast break points per game led by Cunningham averaging 3.8.
The 119.5 points per game the Cavaliers average are 9.9 more points than the Pistons give up (109.6). The Pistons average 117.8 points per game, 2.4 more than the 115.4 the Cavaliers allow to opponents.
TOP PERFORMERS: Evan Mobley is scoring 18.2 points per game and averaging 9.0 rebounds for the Cavaliers. Donovan Mitchell is averaging 25.3 points and 5.3 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Jalen Duren is averaging 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds for the Pistons. Cunningham is averaging 29.4 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Cavaliers: 5-5, averaging 108.5 points, 43.2 rebounds, 21.7 assists, 7.0 steals and 6.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.6 points per game.
Pistons: 5-5, averaging 106.1 points, 43.5 rebounds, 22.6 assists, 8.8 steals and 7.4 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 103.2 points.
INJURIES: Cavaliers: None listed.
Pistons: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
In this week's Closer Report, Raisel Iglesias extends his scoreless streak with a dominant start to the season. Devin Williams is turning the page on a terrible April. And a Ryan Walker demotion opens the door for Caleb Kilian in San Francisco. All that and more as we break down the last week in saves.
⚾️ 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.
Mason Miller - San Diego Padres
Cade Smith - Cleveland Guardians
Jhoan Duran - Philadelphia Phillies
Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners
Raisel Iglesias- Atlanta Braves
Miller recorded a four-out save against the Cardinals on Saturday, working around two walks and striking out four batters. He then struck out two for his 13th save on Wednesday against the Brewers. The 27-year-old right-hander sports a 0.92 ERA, 0.66 WHIP, and 40 strikeouts over 19 2/3 innings.
Smith is making fantasy managers forget about his slow start. He locked down four more saves this week, giving him 13 with a 3.05 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 29 strikeouts over 20 2/3 innings. He should continue to work down those ratios and be one of the league's top closers with a 4.8% walk rate and 34.9% strikeout rate.
Duran had a good week on the mound after giving up a run in his first game back from injury. He made three scoreless appearances, striking out two batters in each, and picked up his sixth save against the Red Sox on Tuesday.
Chapman made two appearances this week. He struck out two in a clean inning against the Rays on Friday for a save, then worked around two walks and struck out the side against the Phillies on Wednesday for his ninth save. The 38-year-old left-hander has picked up where he left off last year, posting a 0.66 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and 19 strikeouts over 13 2/3 innings.
Muñoz picked up his eighth save of the season with a scoreless inning against the Astros on Monday. It hasn't been the best start to the season, with a 5.29 ERA and 1.35 WHIP over 17 innings, but his top-notch skills should overcome some bad luck (23.1% HR/FB, .371 BABIP).
There's no reason to keep Iglesias from the top tier. The 36-year-old right-hander has been dominant, tossing 12 2/3 scoreless innings with a 15/2 K/BB ratio. He's made four scoreless appearances since coming off the injured list, including three this week, with his eighth save against the Cubs on Wednesday.
▶ Tier 2
Riley O'Brien - St. Louis Cardinals
Bryan Baker - Tampa Bay Rays
David Bednar - New York Yankees
Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs
Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers
Devin Williams - New York Mets
O'Brien went 2-for-3 in save chances this week. He worked a clean inning against the Padres on Thursday, surrendered two runs to blow a save on Sunday, then bounced back with a scoreless frame against the Athletics on Tuesday. The 31-year-old right-hander has been one of the best overall values among relievers, posting a 2.70 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 23 strikeouts over 20 innings.
Baker has been another incredible value, emerging as the Rays' top closing option with a 2.60 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 20 strikeouts over 17 1/3 innings. He's converted 11 of the team's 17 saves, with no other reliever converting more than two.
Bednar worked three appearances in non-save situations this week. After tossing a clean inning against the Brewers on Saturday, he gave up one run to take the loss on Sunday before bouncing back with a scoreless frame against the Orioles on Tuesday.
Palencia recorded the final out against the Reds on Thursday to pick up just his second save of the season. He then gave up two runs in a non-save situation against the Rangers on Sunday. Between his two-week absence with an oblique strain and the Cubs not producing many save chances, it's been a slow start for the 26-year-old right-hander.
Scott converted a save with a clean inning against the Braves on Friday, striking out one batter for his third save of the season. With a 1.56 ERA, 0.63 WHIP, and a 16/2 K/BB ratio across 17 1/3 innings, this is the Scott the Dodgers believed they were getting when they made him one of the highest-paid relievers before the 2025 season.
Williams made his fourth straight clean outing on Friday, picking up a win against the Diamondbacks. He then tossed a scoreless frame in a tie game against the Tigers on Wednesday. With strong underlying skills, he continues to work down his ratios and could reward patient fantasy managers.
▶ Tier 3
Paul Sewald - Arizona Diamondbacks
Pete Fairbanks - Miami Marlins
Louis Varland - Toronto Blue Jays
Seranthony Domínguez - Chicago White Sox
Kenley Jansen - Detroit Tigers
Abner Uribe - Milwaukee Brewers
Lucas Erceg - Kansas City Royals
Jacob Latz - Texas Rangers
Gregory Soto - Pittsburgh Pirates
Sewald locked down two more saves this week before blowing a two-run lead against the Rangers on Wednesday. The three-run outing raised his ERA from 3.07 to 4.70. He's been prone to these occasional blowups, with all of his earned runs coming in three of his 18 outings. Both A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez are aiming for mid-season returns. Still, Sewald has likely earned the chance to operate as the closer as long as he's effective.
Fairbanks was reinstated from the 15-day injured list on Wednesday after a bout of nerve irritation in his right hand. He steps right back into the closer role. Meanwhile, Varland has held the job in Toronto. He made four appearances this week, picking up a save against the Angels on Friday. Jeff Hoffman has continued to get his work in the seventh and eighth innings. It doesn't seem like the team will be turning back to him in the ninth anytime soon.
Domíguez was on a solid run, stringing together six straight scoreless appearances before giving up two against the Royals on Wednesday. He held on for his tenth save to go with a 4.08 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 21 strikeouts over 17 2/3 innings.
In Detroit, Jansen made two appearances. He struck out two in a clean outing against the Royals on Sunday for his seventh save, then struck out the side in a tie game against the Mets on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Uribe added a win and a save this week before blowing the save chance against the Padres on Wednesday. He's up to four saves since taking over the ninth inning in Milwaukee. Trevor Megill had made seven straight scoreless appearances, but has allowed a run in two of his last three. It remains a situation that feels like it can flip at a moment's notice.
Erceg made his eighth straight scoreless appearance, picking up a win against the Tigers on Friday. While he figures to get extra leash on the closer role with Carlos Estévez shut down with shoulder discomfort, a 14/12 K/BB ratio across 16 1/3 innings fortells some regression coming for Erceg, and not the good kind. Should he stumble at any point, Daniel Lynch IV could be a name to watch. He's posted a 2.08 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, and 23 strikeouts over 17 1/3 innings.
Latz seems to be settling in as the team's closer. He collected two more saves this week to give him five on the season. He had a rare bad outing on Wednesday, giving up three runs to blow the save against the Diamondbacks without recording an out. Still, the 30-year-old left-hander has undoubtedly been their best option, posting a 2.08 ERA, 0.60 WHIP, and a 17/5 K/BB ratio across 21 2/3 innings.
In Pittsburgh, Soto picked up two saves for the Pirates. He's been dominant, recording a 1.69 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts over 21 1/3 frames. He's been exceptionally better than Dennis Santana, more than doubling his strikeout rate.
▶ Tier 4
Rico Garcia/Anthony Nunez - Baltimore Orioles
Kaleb Killian - San Francisco Giants
Gus Varland - Washington Nationals
Graham Ashcraft - Cincinnati Reds
Garcia and Nunez alternated save chances this week, with Garcia locking down a save against the Athletics on Sunday before Nunez closed it out on Monday against the Yankees. Ryan Helsley has yet to resume throwing, but still hopes to return in late May after landing on the injured list with right elbow inflammation.
Kilian picked up the lone save for the Giants this week, recording four outs against the Dodgers on Tuesday. Manager Tony Vitello will likely play the matchups, but could lean on Kilian for the majority of save chances, especially since the team optioned Ryan Walker to Triple-A.
Varland converted a four-out save against the Twins on Thursday, then took a loss against the Marlins on Sunday before bouncing back with a scoreless ninth on Wednesday against the Reds to fall in line for a win.
It's been tough to read the situation in Cincinnati since Emilio Pagán landed on the injured list with a hamstring injury. Pierce Johnson had picked up a save on Sunday, then pitched the ninth with the team down by six runs on Tuesday. Ashcraft took the ninth in a tie game against the Nationals on Wednesday. He seems to be the favorite at the moment, with a 1.66 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 25 strikeouts over 21 2/3 innings.
▶ Tier 5
Bryan King - Houston Astros
Jack Perkins - Athletics
Victor Vodnik - Colorado Rockies
Eric Orze/Justin Topa - Minnesota Twins
Sam Bachman/Ryan Zeferjahn - Los Angeles Angels
During their weeks-long slump as an offense, the Dodgers’ primary problems were simple.
They weren’t slugging the ball, and they weren’t capitalizing on situational opportunities.
In a 4-0 win over the Giants on Wednesday, they finally found a way to do both.
Shohei Ohtani, who threw seven scoreless innings, delivers a pitch during the Dodgers’ 4-0 win over the Giants on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles. Wally Skalij for the California Post
On a night Shohei Ohtani continued his dominant start to the season as a pitcher –– spinning seven scoreless innings with eight strikeouts to lower his ERA to 0.82 –– the Dodgers’ Ohtani-less lineup found a way to supply him with plenty of support.
In the third inning, Santiago Espinal and Mookie Betts hit back-to-back home runs, marking just the second time this year the Dodgers had gone deep in consecutive at-bats.
Then, in the fourth, they doubled the lead with a couple of manufactured runs, getting an RBI single from Teoscar Hernández and a sacrifice fly from Alex Call.
It wasn’t exactly a breakout performance from the Dodgers’ offense, which was the primary culprit behind the team’s 9-14 skid entering Wednesday.
But it didn’t need to be given the way Ohtani pitched, with the two-way star turning in his best performance on the mound in a season that has included nothing but gems (he has gone at least six innings, and given up no more than two earned runs in all seven outings this year).
What it means
At a bare minimum, the Dodgers (25-18) avoided what would have been a season-long five-game losing streak, snapping their second four-game skid in the last two weeks with the kind of solid all-around performance that has evaded them too often lately.
The team is still in second place in the National League West, a half-game behind the San Diego Padres.
Mookie Betts belts a solo homer in the third inning of the Dodgers win over the Giants. Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
They are still nowhere near playing the kind of baseball they expect, either, as they failed to score in their final four trips to the plate Wednesday.
But, Wednesday could nonetheless be a start, preserving their chance to salvage a four-game series split against the Giants (18-25) this week while dialing down some of the simmering frustration that had accompanied their recent skid.
Who’s hot
Since dropping him out of the two-spot in the batting order, the Dodgers are finally starting to see the version of Kyle Tucker they expected when they signed him to a $240 million contract this offseason.
On Wednesday, Tucker doubled in each of his first two at-bats, the latter helping spark the club’s two-run rally in the fourth.
Over his last 19 games (coinciding with his move down to the middle of the order), he is now batting .297 with 10 doubles and a .910 OPS.
Who’s not
Any lineup that has to face Ohtani right now.
The Giants became the latest victims, struggling to even put the right-hander under stress during his season-high 105-pitch, four-hit outing.
Instead, Ohtani attacked them with triple-digit heaters (topping out at 100.6 mph). He put them away with a flurry of wicked sweepers (they went 1-for-11 against the pitch with four strikeouts).
Shohei Ohtani celebrates after recording a strikeout in the sixth inning of the Dodgers’ win over the Giants. Getty Images
And then, as if he needed any help, they even gifted him the final out of his night, when Willy Adames (apparently forgetting how many outs there were in the seventh) got doubled off at second base on a routine fly ball for an inning-ending double-play.
Ohtani’s 0.82 ERA remains the best in the majors, and is the second-lowest by a Dodgers pitcher seven starts into a season; trailing only Fernando Valenzuela’s 0.29 mark to begin his historic 1981 campaign.
Up next
The Dodgers will try to keep the momentum going in Thursday’s series finale, when Emmet Sheehan (2-1, 4.79 ERA) squares off against San Francisco right-hander Landen Roupp (5-3, 3.09 ERA).
DETROIT, MI - MAY 13: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during the game against the Detroit Pistons during Round Two Game Five of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 13, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
DETROIT — After the game, Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson was asked what it took for this team to overcome a nine-point deficit in the final three minutes to complete the comeback.
James Harden, who was waiting in the back of the press-conference room for his coach to finish up, thought he would just answer it himself.
“Balls,” Harden said.
While crass, it’s the truth.
The Cavaliers have been called soft for years, and understandably so. They’ve folded in the biggest moments too often in the previous three years not to be called that.
However, this isn’t that team. At least it wasn’t in Game 5.
The Cavs were down nine against the Detroit Pistons with three minutes left in the fourth quarter. The building was on fire. The hometown fans were celebrating what they assumed would be a win. Any momentum that the Cavs had from a strong second half was completely gone.
But then they did something that they hadn’t previously done. They got off the mat.
The Cavs counterpunched with a Donovan Mitchell layup and seven-straight points from Evan Mobley. This was coupled with stifling defense on the other end, as they didn’t give Cade Cunningham anything easy going to the basket.
Cleveland needed overtime to get this game over the line, but they got the job done 117-113.
It wasn’t pretty, but a win is a win. And probably the best victory this group has had since LeBron James was last in town.
Now, they just need one more win to go to the Eastern Conference Finals.
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This game was why you grabbed James Harden at the deadline. President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman’s reasoning at the time was simple.
“[We’re] really excited about when it gets to a chaotic time in the playoffs and we’re on the road, and there’s a fever pitch, being able to throw the ball to him and calm this thing down,” Altman said back in February.
Those words proved to be prophetic. Time and time again, it was Harden who came through. He settled the team down and ensured that they got good offense time and time again in a game they weren’t getting much from Mitchell.
Harden continually got to his spots possession after possession, as if it were 2018 again. And even when you let an older version of Harden get to his spots, he’s going to make you pay.
All of the shanagans that drew the ire of NBA fans for a decade and a half were on full display. Harden baited fouls with the rip through, his endless pump fakes, and his ability to get to the rim and have guys bounce off him.
So much so that he had an entire arena chanting “f*** James Harden” throughout overtime when he was continually parading to the charity stripe.
Aging stars can turn back the clock. The issue is that the consistency may not be there from night to night like it was in their prime. We’ve seen that at times throughout this series, when Harden has had issues with turnovers, which partially led to their collapse in Games 1 and 2. But when the Cavs have needed him this series, he’s more than answered the bell.
In Game 3, he closed the Pistons out with clutch shots. In Game 4, he kept the offense going and took care of the ball, playing a supporting role alongside Mitchell, and in Game 5, he dropped 30 points.
“He really understands the moment,” Atkinson said. “When to get a guy the ball, when to try to get a free-throw. All of it. [This was] the big reason we got him.”
Moving to a role like this has been an adjustment for Harden, and one that he’s not fully used to yet.
“I’ve only been here two and a half months,” Harden said. “The things that we’re going through is all new. Learning how to be a second option and feed and play off Donovan.”
Nights like this show that he does still have it when the team needs something.
Before the game, Kenny Atkinson said they needed a role player to step up to help them reverse their fortunes on the road.
“I just think we need someone to step up,” Atkinson said before the game. “It’s going to be someone you don’t expect.”
That someone was Max Strus.
Strus kept a somewhat lifeless offense alive at the beginning of the game. His four triples in the first half accounted for a majority of the team’s threes (6-14).
In the second half, he was seemingly everywhere on the court, coming up with every loose ball and playing great defense on Cade Cunningham.
“The things that he’s doing don’t necessarily show up on a stat sheet,” Harden said.
What did show up on the stat sheet was a much-needed 20-point performance off the bench.
“He’s got a nasty character, and I love it,” Atkinson said. “We need that.”
Donovan Mitchell simply didn’t have it in Game 5.
The Cavs have gone as Mitchell has this entire season. When he’s getting downhill and getting into the basket, Cleveland’s offense looks good. When he isn’t, things can look stagnant as they did at times in Game 5.
Detroit made shrinking the floor a priority. They walled off the paint by shifting help defense into driving lanes whenever he got the ball on the perimeter. This resulted in Mitchell attempting just two of his 18 shots at the rim.
When he’s not getting to the rim, he isn’t getting to the free-throw line either. Mitchell took just six free throws after getting 15 in the game before.
But the Cavs were able to overcome it still. That shows in part how this group is different, and not the same one we’ve seen in years past.
Additionally, the Cavs lost the possession game. They were outscored 27-16 in points off turnovers and 15-14 in second-chance points.
This wasn’t a pretty game, but again, that doesn’t matter on days like this.
Cade Cunningham was the star the Pistons needed him to be, until he wasn’t.
Cleveland’s defenders were already trapping him throughout Game 4 due to how few of Detroit’s role players were stepping up. That ramped up in Game 5 with sharpshooter Duncan Robinson missing this game with a lower back injury.
The extra attention didn’t matter.
Cunningham did a good job of moving off-ball to create advantages, and then when he got the ball, he made his move to the basket quickly before the help defense could arrive.
And when he was the primary ball handler, he accepted the trap and trusted his teammates to find the advantage out of the odd-man situation. More often than not, they did. This led to Cunningham scoring 20 points on 7-14 shooting in the first half.
Then things changed.
The Cavs found success in the second half by just switching these ball screens. They trusted the defenders to stay with him in isolation. Cunningham sought out the mismatches, but doing so tired him out. That showed through down the stretch, particularly in overtime, where he registered just two points and a turnover.
Cleveland simply wore Cunningham down. This is where Detroit’s lack of depth — especially with Jalen Duren struggling as he has — showed through most and cost them the game.
Mobley came through in the biggest moment.
He didn’t register a single point in the fourth quarter until the final three minutes. He scored Cleveland’s last seven points, which included making two free throws to send the game to overtime. That was impactful for someone who seemingly forgot how to make foul shots in the middle of the season.
Mobley did this while being by far the best player on the floor. He shut off drives to the basket by merely rotating over. His impact on that end — maybe even more than the offense — is what allowed Cleveland to climb out of the hole late.
On top of that, he was excellent as a playmaker in the short roll with a team-best eight assists.
The series isn’t over yet.
Despite how this game ended, Detroit has proven to be an incredibly resilient group. That makes Game 6 at home so much more important.
“I’ve been in this position before, and have lost this next Game 6, then that puts a lot of pressure on you in Game 7, especially if you have to go on the road,” Atkinson said. “It’s a must-win game for us in terms of if we want to move forward.”
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - MAY 13: Danny Jansen #9 of the Texas Rangers celebrates with teammates following a run scoring single against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the ninth inning at Globe Life Field on May 13, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the second night in a row, the D-Backs turned to a starting pitcher looking to return to form. Last night, that strategy worked out poorly and introduced more questions than answers. Tonight, it went substantially better as Ryne Nelson worked seven strong innings of three-run ball on just four hits. Nelson was inarguably the team’s ace last season, compiling 3.4 bWAR in 23 starts with a 3.39 ERA and 1.071 WHIP. There was probably a little regression/good luck hidden inside those top line numbers as evidenced by a 3.71 FIP and 3.93 expected ERA, but I’d defy anyone to prove to me that they expected the kind of nightmarish start Nelson has turned in so far. Entering play tonight, he had compiled -0.7 bWAR in 8 starts with an unsightly 5.68 ERA and 1.263 WHIP. There’s a worthwhile deep dive to be done on what’s causing his struggles, but that can be saved for another time. Tonight, he looked like the pitcher from last year, managing not to walk a single batter in his outing – a major issue for him so far this year. His other bugaboo emerged though – allowing home runs – as all three of his runs came on one swing from Jake Burger who just snuck a ball on the right side of the right field foul pole to open the game’s scoring in the fifth.
The bigger struggle continues to be the sputtering Arizona offense. They had absolutely no trouble in creating traffic on the basepaths with 10 hits and 8 walks. There were just two innings when the D-Backs’ offense was retired in order in the entire game. The trouble came when they tried to convert those baserunners into runs as the offense was a woeful 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position and stranded an astounding 13 baserunners for the game. That dynamic was the dominant storyline heading into the top of the ninth inning as Arizona was 1-for-11 entering the inning while trailing by a single run. But the offense finally found their swing at the end of the game with Carroll immediately putting himself into scoring position with a leadoff double and then taking third on a passed ball by Danny Jansen. Geraldo Perdomo earned a walk and Nolan Arenado worked one of the at-bats of the year by seeing eight pitche before punching the ninth into the left-center gap to score Carroll and put both Perdomo and himself into scoring position. Ildemaro Vargas then broke up his 0-for-4 day by dunking a ball into shallow left field to plate both runners and give the D-Backs their first lead of the game.
This whole night felt like it had the makings for a season-altering momentum shift. Nelson had his best outing of the year, the offense finally found some late-inning magic with runners in scoring position, and there were plenty of positive signs for individual players like Marte. And then the bottom of the ninth inning happened. Paul Sewald, who I’m contractually obligated to mention was a perfect 9-for-9 in save opportunities so far this season, entered and quickly retired both Seager and Carter, sandwiched around a Jung single to put him and the team on the precipice of a series win. Sadly, the game and inning quickly unraveled as Sewald hung a sweeper in the middle of the plate to Duran that plated Jung, walked Osuna on five pitches, and then left a sweeper over the heart of the plate for Burger to deliver the final nail in the blown save by scoring Duran. That was evidently enough torture for Torey Lovullo who opted to bring in Juan Morillo to try and force extra innings, but Jansen, the backup catcher hitting just above his weight rocketed the first ball he saw past the dive of Arenado to walk it off for the Rangers.
So, instead of a much-needed series win that might act as a successful blueprint moving forward, the team is left with even more questions than answers. It seems as if no amount of lineup tinkering or prospect call-ups has been able to shake the Arizona offense out of its malaise and the team’s pitching (both in the bullpen and in the rotation) have significant question marks themselves. It’s difficult not to be disappointed in the team’s record to this point. There have been some imminently winnable games that have escaped them that could really come back to haunt them by the end of the season as we saw last year. There will be plenty of time to think on all of those questions on the long plane ride to Colorado and tomorrow’s off day. Here’s hoping they’re able to find some answers at altitude this weekend.
The past 24 hours have delivered the full Shohei Ohtani experience: a home run at the plate on Tuesday followed by dominance on the mound on Wednesday.
The back-to-back National League MVP took advantage of having the next two days off from hitting, throwing a season-high 105 pitches over seven scoreless innings in which he allowed just four hits with eight strikeouts, giving the Dodgers bullpen a much-needed reprieve in their 4-0 win over the San Francisco Giants. The victory snapped a four-game losing streak for the Dodgers.
Ohtani's ERA is now 0.82 — the best in the big leagues — through his seven starts this season.
Ohtani's sweeper was particularly effective throughout the outing as he used it for half of his strikeouts on the night and drew 17 total strikes on it for a called strike + whiff rate of 41%.
"The sweeper felt pretty good," Ohtani told reporters postgame through interpreter Will Ireton. "Even if the hitter is sitting on it, it's not necessarily something that I don't throw. But overall, just the quality of it was pretty good."
The Dodgers offense also broke out of its recent woes to give Ohtani some run support. It started in the third inning with Mookie Betts launching a 414-foot moonshot that landed halfway up the left field pavilion seats off of a fastball down the middle from Giants starter Robbie Ray. It was Betts' first home run since returning from the IL on Monday. That homer was a follow-up to Santiago Espinal's solo shot, his first of the year.
Kyle Tucker later scored on an RBI single from Teoscar Hernández, who then came home himself on a sac fly by Alex Call in the bottom of the fourth.
Here's Ohtani's final line from Wednesday's 4-0 win over the Giants:
May 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) reacts after home plate umpire Roberto Ortiz suffers an apparent injury during the sixth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
The Mariners got one key player back from injury, but perhaps lost another.
Bryce Miller returned from the injured list Wednesday with his best-ever velocity and posted a solid outing overall. But the Mariners lineup struggled to get him much support and eventually lost in extras 4-3 in a long, bizarre, often frustrating game. The biggest news of the day was Cal Raleigh exiting in the ninth inning after a few awkward plays left him grabbing at his hip. The Mariners win streak against the Astros was snapped at nine games, but they will go for a series victory in game four on Thursday.
Miller was activated from the injured list earlier in the day, having missed the first quarter of the season with a sore oblique. Miller hasn’t pitched much over the last year-plus, spending most of 2025 on the IL with bone spurs in his elbow. There was some question before the game about what his velocity would like on return, as that was the key sign of his poor health last year.
He answered that question early and often on Wednesday. Miller had never thrown a pitch harder than 98.0 mph in a major league game, and in the first inning he touched pretty much every decimal between 98.1 mph and 99.1 mph. He didn’t quite maintain that velocity throughout, but he did average at least 97.0 mph in each of the six innings he worked, ultimately finishing at 97.6 mph on his fastball — by far his hardest throwing day as a major leaguer.
Maintaining that velocity is an encouraging sign. I wrote in his 40 in 40 that he had one of the 10 largest drops in velocity in the majors last year, and it kept him from working deep into games with much effect.
The velocity didn’t quite translate to total dominance, but Miller was still good overall. He worked 5 1/3 innings, walked one, and got three strikeouts on eight whiffs. I don’t think the lack of swing-and-miss was too concerning, as he relied exclusively on the fastball on the the first turn through the order, before mixing it up on each successive turn. Once he got to those secondaries, especially the slider and sweeper, the whiffs trickled in. Like this one:
Regardless, most of the contact Miller allowed was soft and non-threatening, and he did well to keep the Astros off balance. The only real trouble he ran into was in the fifth inning. He gave up a pair of leadoff singles and, after a sac bunt, faced runners on second and third with one out. He got Jose Altuve to strikeout, intentionally walked Yordan Alvarez to load the bases, and got Isaac Paredes to pop out, escaping the jam.
That’s when things got strange. At just 68 pitches, Miller returned to work the sixth with a 2-0 lead. He gave up a leadoff home run to Christian Walker. It was actually a pretty good pitch — an upper 90s fastball on the black up and away — but Walker got just enough of it to avoid Luke Raley’s awkward leap. Miller then got a groundout and worked the next batter, Braden Shewmake, to a 1-2 count. Shewmake chased a fastball way inside but was able to get a piece of it, fouling it back straight into the face of home plate umpire, Roberto Ortiz.
Ortiz had to leave the game, starting a 15-minute delay while an emergency umpire got ready. When the game resumed, Shewmake poked a single and Brice Matthews followed with another. Dan Wilson turned to his bullpen and Miller’s day was done. Cooper Criswell entered and gave up another single to load the bases. He then walked Alutve to tie the game at 2-2.
The game progressed to Eduard Bazardo in the eighth, still tied at 2-2. Shewmake leadoff with a single. Matthews tried to bunt him over, but sent it right back to Bazardo, who scooped and fired into center field. Julio Rodríguez scrambled for the ball and fired right back toward home plate. No runner advanced, so Josh Naylor cut the throw. But while getting in position to field the throw, Raleigh made an awkward shuffle, appearing to tweak the “general soreness” he’s been battling in his side and winced in considerable pain. He stayed in the game for the moment.
Bazardo then hit Zach Cole to load the bases with nobody out. Christian Vázquez followed with a hard chopper to J.P. Crawford at short, who looked to start a double play with a strong throw home. But while attempting to make the turn, Raleigh’s leg gave out from underneath him, stumbling to the ground with the ball still in hand. Raleigh would exit after the inning.
Altuve followed with a sacrifice fly to give the Astros a 3-2 lead.
The Mariners offense didn’t quite struggle in this one, but they couldn’t seem to string their hits together. Crawford leadoff the game with a solo homer, and Luke Raley added another solo homer in the sixth. There were plenty of walks and singles and doubles throughout, but never that big, bases clearing knock.
They did fight back in the ninth. Rob Refsnyder came off the bench and walked. Mitch Garver came off the bench and walked (Garver replaced Leo Rivas and later stayed in the game to catch with Raleigh removed). Crawford chopped a single that died in the infield grass to load the bases with two outs. Julio then walked to plate a run and tie the game at three. Josh Naylor nearly the gave the Mariners a lead with another chopper and a bang-bang play at first, but replay showed he was out by a lace.
Andrés Muñoz looked terrific in the bottom of the ninth, with three strikeouts and eight whiffs on 10 swings. He was simply brilliant, throwing almost exclusively sliders while avoiding his slumping fastball. If there is a highlight from this game, it was Muñoz in perhaps his best outing of the season.
Alex Hoppe would eventually allow the Manfred Man to score on a single in the 10th to win 4-3.
Raleigh’s health status is unclear at the moment. Wilson told The Seattle Times, “He’s fine… It was just, again, kind of precautionary at this point, and we’ll know more tomorrow.” Raleigh recently sat for several days while dealing with “general soreness” in his side and has struggled mightily since returning. He snapped an 0-for-38 streak with a pair of singles in last night’s game, but he’s clearly been off with his timing and swing. Jhonny Pereda was removed from the game in Tacoma and will presumably be in Houston ahead of Thursday’s game, if Raleigh should need a trip to the injured list.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 12: AJ Dybantsa looks on during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 12, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Melissa Tamez/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
According to Adam Finkelstein, the intel floating around Chicago during the combine was that AJ Dybantsa was hoping to stay in Utah.
That comment by Dybantsa was also consistent with one of the most repeated pieces of intel floating around Chicago this week: that Dybantsa was reportedly hoping to stay in Utah.
He’s been in Utah now for two years (one season at Utah Prep and one season in Provo at BYU). His family is now with him in Utah, and they’ve grown to like the state and were hoping to stay.
The question for the Jazz is, if Dybantsa goes #1, then who do they end up picking? It sounds like the Jazz are fine with Darryn Peterson as that pick.
So what will the Jazz do at No. 2, especially considering Cameron Boozer’s dad, Carlos Boozer, currently works for the organization in a scouting role? Most expect Kansas guard Darryn Peterson to be the Jazz’s pick here. While there’s more public speculation about other options, sources around the combine speak with almost the same level of confidence that Peterson goes No. 2 as they do Washington taking Dybantsa at No. 1.
Peterson is not only a good fit for Utah’s current roster, but some people, including myself, wonder if some inside the Jazz front office might consider him to be a superior talent. The Ainges, Danny and Austin, have long been known to follow the top prospects in high school basketball, and so they are undoubtedly aware of what Peterson’s game and reputation were before this year’s availability issues.
The more information we get, the more it seems like the Jazz are going to be in great shape regardless of what the Wizards do. If Utah prefers Peterson and he falls to them at #2, they should be ecstatic. If the Wizards don’t pick Dybantsa and take Peterson, then Utah gets the local favorite in Dybantsa with the insane physical tools that has incredible upside. It’s a win-win for the Jazz either way.
It’s really hard to overstate how big this is for the Utah Jazz. They are getting a #1 caliber player, no matter what the Wizards do. What an incredible beginning to this new era of Jazz basketball.