TORONTO, ON - APRIL 27: Ranger Suarez #55 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after pitching during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Monday, April 27, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Colton Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Happy Tuesday, Red Sox Nation! Last night, Chad Tracy sent Ranger Suarez back to the mound for the eighth inning after throwing 90 pitches through seven innings. The Alex Cora-led Red Sox likely go to the bullpen with a five-run lead in that spot. Did you like the move to send Suarez back out? On one hand, he was dealing, and he didn’t let a relief arm force Garrett Whitlock or Aroldis Chapman into the game. On the other, he’s never thrown over 160 innings in a season before, and the pitching injuries are already piling up.
Tracy has never managed in the big leagues before. He’s used to taking care of arms and dealing with throwing programs to protect his players. He also hasn’t had to endure the grind of a major league season, where your decisions today can impact tomorrow. Managing in Worcester isn’t about the wins and losses as much as it is about developing players and getting them ready for the next step. Personally, I probably would have gone to the bullpen after seven, but I can see it either way. I like talking baseball strategy more than I do talking about contracts and trades and whatnot, so let me know what you think.
Talk about whatever you want and be good to one another. Go Sox.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 25: Bryan Reynolds #10 of the Pittsburgh Pirates slides safely past the tag of William Contreras #24 of the Milwaukee Brewers in the tenth inning at American Family Field on April 25, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s time for a power rankings update. The Pittsburgh Pirates are sitting at 16-13. They’ve been a couple games over .500 for a while now, but haven’t been able to quite push it further. In addition, the hot start at the plate has cooled some, with the Bucs OPS falling significantly over the past week. But the rotation has them good enough to be essentially treading water, but they’re still in the top 10 in power rankings in most places.
MLB.com has them in seventh, which is down from five last week, saying:
Paul Skenes took a perfect game into the seventh inning on Friday, and it speaks to how incredible he has been to start his career that it’s a little surprising he doesn’t have a no-hitter yet. Actually, neither he nor Tarik Skubal, the clear best two pitchers in baseball, have a no-hitter yet … but that they both flirted with one within the past week is a good sign one is definitely pending.
It seems there’s mostly a consensus for where the Bucs are right now, and that’s right around seventh or eighth-best in the Major Leagues.
The pitching staff is cruising, as the Bucs are fourth in team ERA, fifth in WHIP and third in strikeouts. The hitting, while much improved, is still not where it needs to be. The Bucs are 13th in team batting average and in OBP, but they are 26th in slugging percentage, 22nd in OPS, and 18th in home runs. So while things have definitely improved there from last season, they’re going to need to get to above average as a team in most of those categories to have the hitting where it needs to be to truly compete.
But for as low as things have been around here for a while, I’ll take just about any level of improvement, and there’s no doubting that the Bucs have that so far this season.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 23: Willson Contreras #40 of the Boston Red Sox reaches down to tag out José Caballero #72 of the New York Yankees after getting a high throw to first during the third inning at Fenway Park on April 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
By any account, the Yankees’ superlative play as of late has made them the favorites in an AL East division that looked hyper-competitive coming into the year. The Rays are close in New York’s rearview mirror, but the heavy hitters that everyone expected to compete with the Yankees in the division this year, the Orioles, Blue Jays, and Red Sox, have all gotten off to starts that range from “sluggish” to “borderline apocalyptic”. To wit, FanGraphs’ projections put the Yankees’ median win forecast for the season a full ten wins higher than that of any of their division rivals.
But we’ve seen this movie before. The Yankees have gotten out to pretty great starts in most of their recent seasons, but they haven’t always been able to seal the deal in the division. So, even with the Yankees looking strong, which of their division rivals do you think has the best chance to re-emerge in the coming weeks?
Tampa Bay has pole position, or at least, they do among the chase pack in the division. The Rays are just two games back, staying close to the Yankees even as New York went on their eight-game win streak. I wouldn’t say the Rays have the strongest roster in this division, not by a longshot, but they’ve won games thus far and perennially find ways to wring the most out of their 26 players.
And then, there are the Sox, Jays, and O’s, all of whom have starrier rosters than Tampa but haven’t been able to get out of their own way in 2026. Per FanGraphs’ rest-of-season forecasts, the Blue Jays project to have the best roster among this group, thanks in no small part to the fact that even though they’re limping now, Toronto will at some point get some of their injured players back. Will it be too late to turn things for the defending AL champs?
The Red Sox also have a roster that looks better than their record, but they’ve plunged themselves into chaos, upending their organizational chart a month into the season. The Orioles are the most boring of these underachieving teams, not snake bitten thus far like Toronto, nor stepping on rakes like Boston. Baltimore is just a team that looked like it should be pretty decent in 2026, and so far has been a little less than decent. Perhaps that puts them in the best position to move up, as there doesn’t seem to be anything stopping them from playing better other than just, well, playing better.
What do you think? Who will prove to be the toughest rival the rest of the way out?
It’ll be a loaded day on the site today, starting off with Michael’s review of last week on the farm for the Yankees, Kevin’s recap of Monday night’s American League action, and Sam’s celebration of Tom Sturdivant as part of our Yankees Birthday series. Later, Peter’s At-bat of the Week highlights José Caballero, Andrés praises Caballero’s work filling in for Anthony Volpe, and Josh discusses who on the Yankees should have the green light to challenge balls and strikes.
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 14: Hitting coach, James Rowson talks with Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees before the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium on April 14, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MLB Trade Rumors | Anthony Franco: The Giancarlo Stanton Calf Saga is essentially at the conclusion that always seemed most likely. The Yankees had the roster flexibility to wait and see how Stanton’s tight calf responded to a couple days of rest after he was pulled from their game on Friday in Houston, but they did have him undergo an MRI. They got the results last night, and he will now hit the IL with a “low grade” strain — not dire, but enough that they knew they couldn’t keep burning a roster spot.
Following Luis Gil’s Sunday night demotion, Jasson Domínguez had just been promoted yesterday to get some reps against the Rangers with Stanton unavailable. Now, they’ll be able to call up a pitcher to take an extra bullpen spot, as they won’t need a fifth starter until May 5th. Triple-A relievers Yerry De los Santos and Kervin Castro are the most likely possible options for the ’pen since they hold 40-man roster spots, though Yovanny Cruz is also a possibility.
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: Both Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón have begun their rehab assignments, with the potential top two in the rotation due to return to the big-league roster soon enough. However, preventative care with both pitchers will be needed, and Cam Schlittler is also still in his first full MLB season. There’s therefore been some talk about how the club will manage all those concurrent needs, though it seems unlikely that a six-man rotation will be entertained. Matt Blake himself quashed speculation yesterday by pointing out that an extra man in the rotation leaves the bullpen a man short, and that seems outside the bounds of the Yankees’ risk profile.
NJ.com | Randy Miller: Once again, the Yankees boast a top-five offense in the game, and once again nobody walks more than the Bronx Strollers. A league-high 12.6 percent BB rate means there’s often a great deal of traffic for Yankee hitters, and that approach has been a hallmark of Aaron Boone’s time as manager. There have been instances this season where I feel the Yankees have been a little too passive however, and while a .197 ISO also paces the league, it’s a couple of ticks lower than last year’s mark, and might indicate that the club is leaving runs on the table by just walking.
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: After a brutal start to the season, Jazz Chisholm Jr. seems to finally be returning to his baseline. The Yankee second baseman has had back-to-back strong series against the Red Sox and Astros — ABS challenges aside but more on that later today — after getting an extra day off against the Royals two weeks ago. Jazz used that time to reset some mechanical issues and move slightly back in the box, two tweaks that he’s credited with helping him get off better swings.
New York Post | Brooke Steinberg: One of the downsides of being arguably the most famous sports team in the world is apparently that a whole lot of people express their fandom through their passwords. A recent study shows literally millions of Yankee-related passwords have been leaked online, reminding even baseball fans to come up with stronger, more creative roadblocks for their personal data.
Tigers star agrees to $1.2m-a-season tax-free deal after PNG visit
Try-scoring record-holder Alex Johnston also confirms 2028 move
Jarome Luai is expected to become the face of the Papua New Guinea Chiefs after he agreed to join the NRL’s 19th team in 2028.
The deal follows the PNG expansion side’s announcement of South Sydney try-scoring machine Alex Johnston as their historic first signing earlier on Tuesday.
After starting the 1986 world championships as a 150-1 outsider victory against Steve Davis led to watching tennis with royalty and being mobbed in Tesco
“It was like a strange dream,” Joe Johnson says as he remembers becoming the world snooker champion 40 years ago as a 150-1 outsider and former gas board and factory worker who was the father of six children. Johnson had never previously won a game at the Crucible and he had struggled for years to make a living as a pro.
It was a time when Britain was “snooker loopy” and Johnson played characters such as Bill Werbeniuk who, in 1985, beat him in the first round while drinking a staggering amount of beer.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 27: Nick Castellanos #21 of the San Diego Padres connects for a two RBI single during the fifth inning of a game against the Chicago Cubs at Petco Park on April 27, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was almost shocking to see. The most dominant closer in the MLB allowed a run. In fact, he allowed two runs. San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller worked 34 2/3 innings without allowing a runner to cross the plate. That streak came to an end in the top of the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs, but the Padres still walked off the field with a 9-7 series-opening win at Petco Park on Monday night.
Miller came into the game in a non-save situation after Gavin Sheets crushed a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give San Diego a 9-5 lead over Chicago heading into the ninth inning. Miller started warming when the Padres had an 8-5 lead and Sheets found himself in an 0-2 hole with two outs before he hit a 422-foot blast into the right field seats.
Miller no longer had an opportunity to earn his 11th save of the season, but San Diego manager Craig Stammen brought him in to get the final three outs of the game, which he eventually did, but not before he got into the first trouble, he has faced all season. Miller allowed a single to Matt Shaw on a ball down the third base line that was not hit hard enough to reach third base. Ty France, who was at third for Manny Machado after he left the game with a left leg injury, allowed the ball to roll into what appeared to be foul territory, but the home plate umpire called it fair.
Shaw was on first when Miller faced Dansby Swanson who also reached on a single to put runners at first and second with no outs. Pete Crow-Armstrong had the third consecutive single, which loaded the bases against Miller and all but assured his scoreless innings streak would come to an end. Nico Hoerner did the damage with a ground ball to second base that resulted in a forceout before Shaw scored to break the streak and make the score 9-6.
Miller still needed two outs to secure the win for the Padres, but he gifted the Cubs a second run against him with a wild pitch that allowed Swanson to score to cut the lead to two runs at 9-7. With a runner on and one out, Miller found his groove and got Michael Busch to groundout and Alex Bregman to strikeout to secure the win for San Diego.
The Padres found themselves in a fight early in the game. After scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning off Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd, they watched Chicago score five unanswered runs and jump on top 5-3. San Diego scored a run in the bottom of the third inning to cut the lead to, 5-4 to set the stage for Nick Castellanos to come through in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Manny Machado hit a double to start the bottom of the fifth inning, which was one of three hits in the game for the Padres’ captain. He was followed by Xander Bogaerts who grounded out and Miguel Andujar who popped out for the second out of the inning. After a passed ball and a Ty France walk. runners were at the corners and France stole second base. Castellanos, who had not been hitting well or playing at all, lined a ball through the middle of the infield which allowed both runners to give the Padres a 7-6 lead that put the home team up for good.
San Diego will try to continue its winning ways and Miller will look to start a new streak in the second game of the series against Chicago at Petco Park at 6:40 p.m.
Munetaka Murakami took over the MLB home-run lead tonight, with a three-run homer that held up as the game-winner. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
After a three-hour rain delay, the White Sox and Angels decided to start playing tonight’s game … at 9:40 p.m. CT. Or for this writer and editor, 10:40 p.m. The game ended 35 minutes into Tuesday in Chicago, but the Good Guys somehow pulled off a massive comeback, winning 8-7. Oh, and Mune leads the league in home runs. No big deal!
The first inning brought the pain quickly for the White Sox, as Mike Trout doubled and scored on a sac fly, putting the Angels up, 1-0. The Sox tried to answer with two singles of their own and failed. This would matter even more in the second, after starter Anthony Kay continued to struggle. With one out, Kay plunked Nolan Schanuel, gave up a single to Travis d’Arnaud, an RBI double to Bryce Teodosio and an RBI single to Zach Neto. Teodosio was caught stealing home, but Kay walked Trout to put two on with two outs. The frame ended with a force out to second, but not before Kay hit 45 pitches and the Halos tacked on two runs, making it 3-0. Brendan Hunt of Ted Lasso fame joined Connor McKnight to plug The Movement You Need and call all three pitiful outs as the Sox were retired in order to end the second.
Kay hit another batter, this time with two outs in the top of the third, but escaped further damage with a much-needed strikeout. Once more, no response from the Sox. The bases were loaded in the top of the fourth after a walk and two singles with just one out. Vaughn Grissom sent a ball to the wall, scoring a run, but Tristan Peters was able to make a leaping catch for the second out.
Osvaldo Bido, who was claimed off waivers on April 18, came in to rescue Kay in the fifth, inheriting a 4-0 ballgame, and for the first time in the entire game, there were no runs scored or hit batsmen by a Sox pitcher. Thanks to heads-up base running and a few singles, a run was scored in the bottom of the fifth, as Andrew Benintendi sent Peters home to trim the Angels lead to 4-1. Overall, Bido did a great job as a long reliever, despite giving up a solo home run to Jorge Soler in the top of the seventh.
Sam Antonacci and Chase Meidroth both made their way on base for Peters to bring in a run in the bottom of the seventh. Edgar Quero took a hit to load the bases with no outs, and Benintendi ripped one to right field for a two-run double, fully taking advantage of a dreadful Angels bullpen. Nick Sandlin, who entered halfway through the frame to replace Jack Kochanowicz, was pulled ahead of Munetaka Murakami’s at-bat.
Southpaw Drew Pomeranz stepped in to sap the slugger’s strength, but instead gave up a beautiful home run to give the Good Guys the lead. Murakami officially took over the MLB lead in home runs with 12:
Miguel Vargas kept the rally going with a solo home run right after. Now with seven runs in the seventh inning, the Sox were up, 8-5.
Per Sarah Langs, Munetaka Murakami’s first 12 MLB extra-base hits have been home runs. That extends the longest such streak to start a player’s MLB career since at least 1900 (Murakami had broken a tie with Seattle’s Dae-ho Lee with his homer run on April 22 vs. Arizona). He also tied Will Smith of the Dodgers for third-most home runs hit in a player’s first 29 career games.
The Angels still had some life left, rallying off of reliever Grant Taylor in the ninth. The righty gave up a pair of hits in the ninth, allowing a run to score and cutting the lead to 8-6. The Sox were a strike away from ending the game, but Nolan Schanuel blooped an RBI double between Vargas and Antonacci to make it 8-7, with the lead run at second base. But Bryan Hudson came to the rescue, coaxing a weak ground out from Adam Frazier for the final out, giving the Sox a huge comeback win.
Houston Rockets (52-30, fifth in the Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (53-29, fourth in the Western Conference)
Los Angeles; Wednesday, 10 p.m. EDT
LINE: Lakers -2.5; over/under is 208.5
WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Lakers lead series 3-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Lakers look to clinch the Western Conference first round over the Houston Rockets in game five. The Rockets defeated the Lakers 115-96 in the last meeting on Monday. Amen Thompson led the Rockets with 23 points, and Deandre Ayton led the Lakers with 19.
The Lakers are 33-19 against Western Conference opponents. Los Angeles averages 116.3 points while outscoring opponents by 1.7 points per game.
The Rockets are 29-23 in Western Conference play. Houston ranks second in the Western Conference scoring 53.0 points per game in the paint led by Alperen Sengun averaging 17.5.
The Lakers' 11.8 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.6 fewer made shots on average than the 12.4 per game the Rockets give up. The Rockets are shooting 47.9% from the field, 0.4% lower than the 48.3% the Lakers' opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: LeBron James is shooting 51.5% and averaging 20.9 points for the Lakers. Rui Hachimura is averaging 2.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Kevin Durant is averaging 26 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists for the Rockets. Jabari Smith Jr. is averaging 3.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Lakers: 6-4, averaging 107.8 points, 39.6 rebounds, 28.4 assists, 10.0 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 51.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.4 points per game.
Rockets: 6-4, averaging 116.8 points, 46.5 rebounds, 24.6 assists, 9.9 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.2 points.
INJURIES: Lakers: Austin Reaves: day to day (oblique), Luka Doncic: out (hamstring).
Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle), Kevin Durant: day to day (ankle).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Connor Dewar, Kris Letang and Elmer Soderblom scored and the Pittsburgh Penguins avoided elimination for the second time in 48 hours with a 3-2 win over Philadelphia in Game 5 of their first-round series on Monday night.
Sidney Crosby shook off a shot to his left knee to add two assists for the Penguins, who cut the Flyers lead in the best-of-seven series to 3-2.
Game 6 is Wednesday in Philadelphia, where the pressure will be on the Flyers to avoid putting themselves in danger of becoming just the fifth team in NHL history to blow a series after winning the first three games.
Alex Bump scored his first goal of the playoffs for Philadelphia, who rallied from a 2-0 deficit to tie it on Travis Sanheim’s second goal of the series 15:06 into the second.
Crosby, who limped to the bench and then to the training room for treatment minutes earlier after a blast from the point by teammate Ryan Shea appeared to hit the top of his left knee, helped put the Penguins back in front just over two minutes later when he fed the puck to Letang at the top of the Philadelphia zone.
Letang sent a shot toward Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar that sailed wide of the net before bouncing back toward Vladar. The puck smacked off Vladar’s left pad, then his right and across the goal line to give Pittsburgh the lead for good.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 5, MAMMOTH 4, OT
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Shea Theodore scored on a snap shot from the high slot with 51.5 seconds left in overtime as Vegas beat Utah after squandering a three-goal lead, tying the first-round playoff series at two games apiece.
Game 5 of the best-of-seven series is Wednesday night in Las Vegas.
The Golden Knights appeared to have won the game earlier in OT when Pavel Dorofeyev tapped in a loose puck with 9:41 left, but the apparent score was waved off when it was determined Vegas was offsides.
Vegas’ Brett Howden scored his second goal of the game on a tip-in with 9:35 remaining in the third period, and the goal forced overtime after Utah had stormed back with four straight goals.
The Golden Knights raced out to a 3-0 lead with two goals in the first and one early in the second by Dorofeyev, Howden, and Cole Smith.
Utah countered with four straight scores, capped by Clayton Keller’s wrist shot off a deflection for a 4-3 lead at the 5:10 mark of the third period.
Utah’s Karel Vejmelka had 31 stops. Carter Hart had 27 saves for Vegas.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The Orlando Magic are one win away from knocking off a No. 1 seed and winning their first playoff series in 16 years.
They’re not celebrating yet.
Desmond Bane scored 22 points, Franz Wagner had 19 in three quarters and the Magic beat the Detroit Pistons 94-88 Monday night to take a 3-1 series lead, putting the East’s No. 1 seed on the brink of elimination.
Game 5 is Wednesday night in Detroit.
“We put our ourselves in position to try to get four, but right now it means nothing,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. “We have the advantage and now we have to try and make sure we keep that advantage.”
Orlando, which had to win an elimination game at home in the play-in tournament, is on the verge of becoming just the seventh No. 8 seed to defeat a No. 1 in a series in league history. It’s happened only four times since the playoffs were expanded to a best-of-seven series for all rounds in 2003.
THUNDER 131, SUNS 122
PHOENIX (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points, Chet Holmgren added 24 and Oklahoma City beat Phoenix Suns, capping a four-game sweep in the first-round series.
The Thunder — who have a 12-0 record in the first round over the last three seasons — will face the winner of the Los Angeles Lakers-Houston Rockets series in the Western Conference semifinals. The Lakers have a 3-1 lead, though the Rockets won Game 4.
Phoenix has a 10-game losing streak in the playoffs, dating to 2023.
The Thunder closed the series with an overwhelming offensive performance — making 17 of 34 (50%) 3-pointers — and their big men played particularly well. The 7-foot-1 Holmgren shot 9 of 16 from the field and grabbed 12 rebounds, while the 7-foot Isaiah Hartenstein added 18 points and 12 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end.
NUGGETS 125, TIMBERWOLVES 113
DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic snapped out of his prolonged funk with a triple-double, Spencer Jones provided a key spark and Denver staved off elimination with a chippy win over injury-riddled Minnesota in Game 5 of their playoff series.
Jokic had 27 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds for Denver, which trimmed its deficit to 3-2 in the best-of-seven series. Jamal Murray scored 24 points and Jones added 20.
Jokic posted his 23rd playoff triple-double, third on the career list, as the Nuggets stopped a three-game skid and played the way they did most of the regular season in securing the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.
The Vegas Golden Knights missed out when an apparent overtime goal that was waved off for offsides.
But they pushed through and eventually scored a goal that counted to tie their first-round playoff series against the Utah Mammoth at two games apiece.
Shea Theodore got the official goal at 19:08 of the first overtime to give the Golden Knights a 5-4 victory in a game in which they blew a 3-0 lead but tied the game 4-4.
The Golden Knights took advantage of Utah goalie Karel Vejmelka losing his stick on the winning goal. Though a teammate tried to get the stick back to him, the goalie wasn't able to grab it and Theodore blasted the puck past him at 19:08 into the first overtime.
OH NO Cole knocks away Vejmelka's stick and then Theodore rips it home 😱🚨
In this week’s Injury Report, Trey Yesavage returns to the mound on Tuesday for his season debut. Spencer Strider is not far behind after a successful third rehab start. And Giancarlo Stanton hits the injured list with a minor calf strain. Let's break it all down as we run through the relevant injury news around baseball.
⚾️ 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.
Trey Yesavage (shoulder)
Yesavage is expected to make his debut on Tuesday against the Red Sox after missing the start of the season with shoulder inflammation. He’s not likely to go too deep into games right away after totalling 64 pitches in his final rehab start, in which he gave up four runs over 2 1/3 with Triple-A Buffalo. He’ll be a risky start his first time out against Boston, but the 22-year-old right-hander brings immense upside over the rest of the season. Yesavage's return coincides with Max Scherzer (ankle, forearm) landing on the injured list.
Giancarlo Stanton (calf)
Stanton was removed from Friday’s game against the Astros with right lower leg tightness. He sat out the following three games before the team decided he would require a stint on the injured list after an MRI revealed a low-grade calf strain. Stanton isn’t expected to miss much more than the minimum. Meanwhile, Jasson Domíguez was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Domínguez should start most days in Stanton’s absence at designated hitter, at least against right-handed pitching, and has some multi-category upside with three homers and eight steals in the minors so far this season.
Francisco Lindor (calf)
Lindor was pulled from last Wednesday’s game against the Twins with left calf tightness. This comes just after the team got Juan Soto back from a calf injury. This one came out worse than Soto’s and will sideline Lindor for at least the next month. He’s set to be re-evaluated in three weeks. Ronny Mauricio was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to fill in at shortstop against right-handed pitching.
George Springer (toe)
Out since April 12 with a fractured left big toe, Springer will not need a rehab assignment once he’s ready to return sometime this week. The 36-year-old outfielder will run the bases and hit on Tuesday at the Rogers Centre. Springer’s absence had opened playing time for Eloy Jiménez and Lenyn Sosa, but Springer should slot back in as the full-time designated hitter, where he started all 14 games this season.
A look at the top baseball prospects who can help fantasy teams in 2026 and beyond
Christopher Crawford
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Max Scherzer (ankle, forearm)
Scherzer will get some time off after he was hit hard on Friday, giving up seven runs to the Guardians. The 41-year-old right-hander has battled through some ailments, including a forearm issue and ankle inflammation. There’s no timeline for a return, but with Trey Yesavage back and José Berríos on a rehab assignment, it might be a while before the Blue Jays need the veteran to start a game. For now, Eric Lauer remains in the rotation.
Ha-Seong Kim (finger)
Kim has been sidelined all season with a right middle finger laceration he suffered in January that resulted in a torn tendon. The original timeline had him out for 4-5 months. He may make it back in the early part of that estimate, as he’s set to begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Columbus this week. Kim would likely need a couple of weeks' worth of at-bats to get ramped up, but appears to be in line to join the Atlanta lineup by mid-May. He’d slot into the lineup as the starting shortstop, with Mauricio Dubón playing all over the diamond in a super-utility role.
Spencer Strider (oblique)
Strider is on the verge of returning from an oblique injury that’s had him sidelined since the end of spring training. He made his third rehab start on Sunday, giving up two runs with seven strikeouts over five innings. He sat at 95 mph on the four-seam fastball throughout the game and reached 82 pitches. Through three rehab starts, he’s allowed two runs with an 18/5 K/BB ratio over 12 2/3 innings. The Braves have moved Reynaldo Lopez to the bullpen as they prepare for Strider’s return, which could come this weekend in Colorado.
Spencer Strider's latest rehab start was just peachy
Wearing specialty jerseys to celebrate the state's moniker, the @Braves righty sat 95.2 mph on his fastball and racked up 7 K's with 17 swings-and-misses in 5 IP. pic.twitter.com/wozDpg1pAQ
Snell, working his way back from a shoulder issue, will make his second rehab start with Low-A Ontario on Tuesday. He threw 32 pitches in his first outing, giving up two runs over one inning of work. Snell will likely need a few more starts before he’s an option for the Dodgers sometime in May.
Jared Jones (elbow)
Jones underwent the internal brace procedure on his right elbow last May. The 24-year-old right-hander is ready to embark on a rehab assignment at Low-A Brandenton on Wednesday. Jones was placed on the 60-day injured list at the start of the season, so the earliest he can be activated is in late May. Still, he’s worth a stash in all formats.
Logan O’Hoppe (wrist)
O’Hoppe was removed from Saturday’s game with a left wrist injury after he was hit by a foul tip. He landed on the 10-day injured list with a left wrist fracture. The 26-year-old catcher only anticipates missing a couple of weeks. Veteran Travis d’Arnaud will be tasked with filling in on most days behind the plate.
Kyle Tucker and the Dodgers defeated the Marlins on Monday.Kyle Tucker and the Dodgers defeated the Marlins on Monday.
Monday was shaping up to be a forgettable night at Dodger Stadium.
Then, the Dodgers delivered an unforgettable ending in the bottom of the ninth.
Trailing by two runs to the Miami Marlins, the team mounted a three-run rally on the back of quality at-bats, a big swing from Shohei Ohtani and a walk-off hit from Kyle Tucker, who lined a two-run, two-out single to center to lift the Dodgers to a 5-4 win.
“We just know as an offense we’re never out of it,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “We can always look over a baseball, work walks, work at-bats, and it worked tonight.”
That Tucker was the one who produced the game-winning swing made it all the more memorable.
Kyle Tucker celebrates after his walk-off hit for the Dodgers on April 27. Imagn Images
Entering Monday, Tucker was batting just .238. He was less than a week removed from being dropped from second to fourth in the team’s star-studded lineup. And he had been 0-for-4 previously on the night.
“He needed a win,” manager Dave Roberts said. “He’s been grinding and trying to find some success and some good fortune.”
But by the time he came up, the Dodgers provided the opportunity, having a built a rally against Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks.
It started with leadoff walks from Andy Pages and Dalton Rushing. It was further ignited by a run-scoring ground-rule double from Ohtani, who one-hopped a line drive over the short wall in the right-field corner. After that, Freeman received an intentional free pass while Fairbanks left the game with an injury. Thus, it all came down to Tucker, who with two outs represented the Dodgers’ last chance.
“Guys had phenomenal at-bats right there at the end,” Tucker said. “Just having the opportunity is huge.”
Two pitches later, he made sure to take advantage, connecting on a game-winning hit that prompted his teammates to mob him around first base.
“I do think that a moment like this, even for a player that’s been around a long time, can kind of inspire more confidence in him, which is good thing,” Roberts said. “I think this is the floor of what he’s going to be doing this year, and I think it’s the needle is pointing up.”
Entering the ninth, any comeback bid had felt unlikely.
The Dodgers (20-9) hadn’t scored since Teoscar Hernández’s two-run single in the first. They had squandered that lead on Liam Hicks’ three-run homer against Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the fifth. They had left the bases loaded in the seventh. They had gone 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position, slipping back into the sluggish form that dogged them for most of last week.
Kyle Tucker delivers a walk-off hit during the Dodgers’ April 27 win. Imagn Images
Alas, they quickly rallied, capping one of thier most signature wins early on this season with a first signature moment from their superstar signing.
“Kyle having this huge moment for him and us,” Freeman said with a smile. “Hopefully he can set free and be King Tuck.”
What it means
That, once again, the Dodgers are never out of a game.
Between the second and sixth innings, the team had mustered just one hit. In that time, Yamamoto stumbled in a five-inning, four-run (three-earned) outing while lacking his typical stuff or command.
However, their superstar lineup means that, as long as they’re within striking distance, they’re always capable of mounting a comeback.
That’s what happened in the ninth, with key walks and big swings giving the team its second walk-off win of the year.
Who’s hot
Hernández is not known for drawing walks. But improved plate discipline has helped him not only earn a string of free bases lately, but also snap out of what had been a couple-week-long slump.
Hernández started his night Monday with a key hit, driving in the game’s first two runs with his opposite-field single in the first inning. After that, he walked twice, marking only the second time this season he has done so.
Following a 14-game stretch from April 7-24 in which he batted .154, Hernández is now 3-for-8 the last three days with four walks and four RBIs, raising his season average to .245.
Who’s not
At the very least, Smith was back in the lineup Monday after missing a couple games with back tightness.
However, he continued a recent slump by not only going hitless in five at-bats, but twice leaving the bases loaded in the seventh (when he broke his bat on an inning-ending grounder) and the ninth (when he struck in the at-bat before Tucker’s walk-off).
That left Smith in a 1-for-18 rut in his last five games, with a three-run homer last Friday representing his only reprieve. His batting average is down to .250 and his OPS is down to .688. Among the club’s regulars, only Tucker has a lower mark in that latter category.
Up next
Ohtani (2-0, 0.38 ERA) will take the mound Tuesday opposite Marlins right-hander Janson Junk (1-2, 3.67 ERA). However, Roberts said Ohtani would only pitch in the game, and not also serve as designated hitter. That is partially because Ohtani is pitching on just five days’ rest for the first time this year, and partially because Wednesday’s series finale the following day is an afternoon start. It marks the second time in his last three pitching starts he will not hit, as well.
The Minnesota Timberwolves raced out to a 3-1 lead, but it might have cost them everything.
Yes, Game 5 on Monday, April 27, when the Denver Nuggets outpaced Minnesota, 125-113, in the first round of the NBA playoffs, was just one game. But it also served as an indicator of just how much Minnesota is missing without Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo.
Denver outscored Minnesota by a margin of 37-24 in a third quarter avalanche, as the Nuggets are trying to become just the 14th team in NBA history to win a playoff series after trailing 3-1.
All of this prompts one question: can the Timberwolves make a run without Edwards and DiVincenzo? Can they even get out of this round?
The Nuggets are now playing with significantly more confidence and momentum than they did earlier in the series. Denver’s bench had scored just 16 points in the crushing Game 4 loss; on Monday night, the reserves scored 27. Cameron Johnson and Spencer Jones, the pair of key Denver forwards, combined to drop 38 points in Game 5 just two nights after they scored just 9.
The Nuggets harassed Minnesota’s ball-handlers, forcing them into 25 turnovers Monday night, which was three more than Minnesota’s combined total in Games 3 and 4.
But, more than anything, the Timberwolves played tight and pressed, seemingly hyper-aware of the players they were missing.
“I thought we started the game wanting to make all of the home run plays, instead of wanting to make the plays that help us get into the ball game and make the rhythm plays,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said.
This is where Edwards’ absence hurts the Timberwolves. He’s a stabilizing presence and one of the dynamic scoring threats in the NBA. He averaged 28.8 points per game during the regular season, which ranked third in the league. He can handle the ball, his shooting range helps space the floor and he’s the preferred option in the clutch.
And while backup guard Ayo Dosunmu emerged as a breakout player in Game 4 with his historic 43-point masterpiece, it’s clear the Timberwolves won’t be able to count on that kind of production every night from here on out.
Dosunmu scored 18 points in a solid performance, and the Timberwolves did shrink a 27-point deficit to 10 midway through the fourth, but that run came when Denver eased its pressure and intensity.
So, what’s the path forward for Minnesota?
For one, the Timberwolves should hope that Edwards heals quickly. Because even if they get past the Nuggets, their likely opponent in the second round would be the No. 2 San Antonio Spurs, who are a legitimate threat to win the West. But, practically speaking, the Timberwolves will essentially need to play pristine defense like it did during its three-game winning streak in the series, especially in the paint.
In Games 2, 3 and 4, the Timberwolves limited Denver to an average of just 38.7 points in the paint per game. In Game 5, that figure ballooned to 62.
Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert was masterful against Nikola Jokić. Forward Jaden McDaniels irritated Jamal Murray and Denver’s other ball-handlers. More of that will be required.
Because without Edwards, the short-handed Timberwolves are not only suddenly vulnerable, they might be marching toward a historic exit.
“I think we were all just trying to press and make plays a little bit too much,” Timberwolves forward Julius Randle said after the game. “The formula was still the same, so we don’t have to change that. We’ll be better next game.”
