Scot battles back to 4-4 from 3-1 in opening session
Mark Allen facing Wu Yize in the second semi-final
Shaun Murphy was reminded his mission of ending a 21-year wait for a second world crown will not be straightforward as he was pegged back by the four-time champion John Higgins in their semi-final.
The 2005 champion has moved through the gears since squeaking out a 10-9 first-round win over Fan Zhengyi, easing past Xiao Guodong in round two before conquering the reigning world champion Zhao Xintong in the quarter-finals to set up a last-four showdown with Higgins and a repeat of the 2009 final.
Apr 29, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; The Philadelphia Flyers celebrate after game six of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Kyle Ross/Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
PHILADELPHIA — Cam York flicked a wrist shot for an overtime winner that ignited a Flyers’ celebration 14 years — through retread coaches, insignificant hockey, and old front office failings — in the making when he slithered free from the mob of exuberant teammates and chucked his stick deep into the stands.
York launched his stick and watched it soar like the Schwarbombs routinely hit across the street, only no one really was sure in the moment where it landed.
“I hope everyone’s OK,” York said with a laugh. “Definitely don’t want a lawsuit. Just honestly blacked out. I didn’t know what to do. I was so excited.”
How does one celebrate a Flyers’ playoff series victory?
York roared back like he was going to fling a boomerang. Flyers fans blew horns and whistles around the concourse and belted out on repeat the opening “oh oh oh” of the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.” Flyers forward Christian Dvorak’s celebration hit a little too hard — a cut busted open above his right eye during the victorious on-ice party and blood streamed down his cheek.
Like he went a few rounds in a fight.
More like six grueling games with Sidney Crosby and a Penguins team that has hoisted Stanley Cups and kicked their cross-state rival to the curb so many times over the last 15-plus years that the matchups often felt less like a heated rivalry and the Flyers treated more like a pesky speed bump in a long regular season.
Not this season. Not in Philadelphia.
Not even when the resurgent Penguins threatened to make a run at playoff history and storm back from a 3-0 series deficit and crush the spirit of a Flyers’ team that became the NHL’s first to make the playoffs after being 10 points out of contention with 22 or fewer games remaining.
York and goalie Dan Vladar and his 42 saves had other plans.
The Flyers’ 1-0 Game 6 overtime victory over the Penguins served as early validation that general manager Danny Briere was astute in orchestrating an overdue rebuild and the payoff was a first playoff series win in a full NHL season since 2012. The Flyers accelerated their postseason timeline — in large part due to the late-season arrival of teen sensation Porter Martone — and essentially are playing with house money as they gear up for a second-round series with the top-seeded Carolina Hurricanes.
“We played a great series,” Flyers forward Travis Konecny said. “Now we get a chance to play again.”
Flyers coach Rick Tocchet and the rest of the players said to a man when they held a 3-0 series lead that Crosby and the veteran Penguins were too good, too playoff-tested to go down without a fight. Crosby was everywhere in Pittsburgh’s 3-2 victory in Game 5 and had the Penguins believing that, yes, they could become just the fifth team in NHL history to win a series after trailing 3-0.
Vladar, a journeyman turned Olympian voted the team’s MVP this season, turned away everything the Penguins threw at him in much of the series. He had his first shutout of the season (with 27 saves) in Game 2, shook off an unspecified arm injury in Game 3 and put the Flyers on his back in Game 6 — getting the better of a fantastic Arturs Silovs — to steady a position long an albatross for the franchise since the Stanley Cup championship days of Bernie Parent.
All Vladar did was shut out the NHL’s third-highest scoring team during the regular season.
“There was never a doubt,” Vladar said. “Good things happen to good people, and we are good people here.”
Vladar also gave a nod to the odds the Flyers faced just to reach this point of the season and pointed out teammates wearing their good-luck gear.
The Flyers celebrated wearing T-shirts emblazoned with Parent’s 1970s mask with sleeves that had “3.8 percent” printed on them as a nod to their slim postseason chances a couple months ago.
Vladar — the fifth goalie in franchise history with a series-clinching shutout — also made the fourth-most saves in a series-clinching shutout win over the past 70 years. The only goaltenders with more are Patrick Roy (63 in Game 4 of 1996 Stanley Cup Final), Andrei Vasilevskiy and Carey Price.
“danvladar you are a BAADDDDD man!!” former Phillies World Series champion Jimmy Rollins wrote on social media.
The Flyers still were feeling sky high well after the final horn.
As for York’s stick? Well, it did stick the landing and was gleefully grabbed by a man wearing a white Flyers sweatshirt.
He high-fived fans around him and boasted one heck of a postseason souvenir.
The Flyers only can hope there’s so much more fun to come in May.
Apr 29, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights center Brett Howden (21) celebrates with Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Jeremy Lauzon (5) after scoring a game winning goal against the Utah Mammoth during the second overtime period of game five of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Stephen R. Sylvanie/Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
LAS VEGAS — Brett Howden scored a short-handed goal at 5:28 of the second overtime to give Vegas a 5-4 victory over the Utah Mammoth and put the Golden Knights one victory away from winning the first-round series.
The Golden Knights take a 3-2 lead into their best-of-seven NHL playoffs series in Salt Lake City.
Vegas’ Pavel Dorofeyev’s six-on-five goal with 52.7 seconds left in regulation forced overtime and gave him the sixth playoff hat trick in franchise history. Dorofeyev had two goals in 13 career playoff games before this one.
“That was a huge game by him,” Golden Knights center Jack Eichel said. “He’s a huge part of our team, and it was awesome to see him find the back of the net a few times. It seems like he’s been playing pretty well these last few nights and it’s great to see him get rewarded.”
Neither team scored in the first overtime, the first time this series either side failed in a period to hit the back of the net.
“I think that was a hell of a game,” Mammoth coach André Tourigny said. “I think both teams played really hard. We were really close. Unfortunately, we gave that six-on-five goal and could not get it done in overtime, but I’m really proud of the way the guys played.”
Also for the Golden Knights, Shea Theodore had a goal and assist and Eichel had two assists. Carter Hart stopped 34 shots.
John Marino, Lawson Crouse and Dylan Guenther scored for the Mammoth and Clayton Keller had two assists. Karel Vejmelka made 31 saves.
Utah rallied in the third period when Guenther tied it at 5:54 on a rush play and Michael Carcone on a two-on-one with 7:18 left.
Both teams have continued to struggle on the power play, combining to go 1 for 10. Vegas ended a scoring drought of 13 power plays when Dorofeyev scored from the right circle to make it 1-1 with 40.2 seconds left in the first period. But the Golden Knights are just 3 for 18 for the series, which is better than Utah’s 1-for-14 showing.
Vegas also has two short-handed goals this series, both from Howden that included his shot from the slot to win Game 5. The Golden Knights forced the action that resulted in a faceoff in Utah’s zone. Vegas won the faceoff, Mitch Marner dug the puck from the boards and fed Howden for the winner.
“(Marner) did a good job of getting the stick in there and interrupting play,” Howden said. “It just kind of popped out and I just tried to get a shot. After that, just kind of blacked out.”
The Golden Knights twice rallied in the first two periods, and goals 1:38 apart by Dorofeyev and Theodore late in the second put them ahead 3-2. It’s the first time Vegas took the lead into the third period in this series, but the Golden Knights were the NHL’s best third-period team in the regular season with a plus-47 goal differential.
But both teams have been resilient — and physical.
They combined for 86 hits, each side determined to assert itself. But those also sometimes resulted in unnecessary penalties, with the Mammoth taking three in the first period on an open-ice interference by Nick Schmaltz, a clothesline takedown of Ivan Barbashev by Logan Cooley officially called holding and a boarding minor on Mikhail Sergachev.
The Golden Knights hardly were blameless. Cole Smith picked up a double-minor high-sticking penalty just 11 seconds into third period, but Vegas killed off the four minutes.
At the end of the season, oftentimes players will be asked if they have been playing through any knocks or injuries in the playoffs or in the season before they get the summer to recover.
The Los Angeles Kings held their end-of-season presser on Wednesday, for the players at least. In this final media availability for the campaign, Kings center Quinton Byfield revealed that he dealt with a pair of serious injuries beyond the halfway mark of the regular season.
After the Olympic break in February, Byfield suffered a torn oblique on his right side, which is a tear in the abdominal muscles, usually caused by sudden twisting motions, among other actions.
Byfield's misfortune didn't end there because once his right-sided oblique tear healed, he received the same injury on his left side.
Multiple sources say that an oblique tear takes weeks to heal, and for athletes to return to action, it could take up to six weeks or more.
However, though Byfield's body has gone through much distress, the 23-year-old only missed three regular-season contests this past season.
In his last 16 games of the regular season, the Newmarket, Ont., native recorded 11 goals and 16 points, leading the Kings in scoring during that span.
Also, in the last 15 games of the year, Byfield had 11 goals, which had him tied for third in the NHL in that stretch. He was scoring at a similar rate to Nikita Kucherov, Macklin Celebrini, Connor McDavid and Cole Caufield at the time.
He went on to reach a new career high in goals, totalling 24 tallies, along with 25 assists for 49 points in 79 appearances. Not to mention, he set a new personal best in average ice time, logging 20:01 per game, reaching the 20-minute mark average for the first time in his young NHL career.
To go through the physical toll and strain of two oblique tears, Byfield's finish to the 2025-26 season was rather impressive.
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In the Montreal Canadiens’ 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Benchmark International Arena, sophomore defenseman Lane Hutson rewrote another page of the storied franchise history book.
With the primary assist on Alexandre Texier's game-winning goal, the 22-year-old blueliner picked up the 10th point of his career in the playoffs in just his 10th career game and became the fastest rearguard in Habs’ history to reach that milestone. The mark previously belonged to Chris Chelios.
Nikita Kucherov whiffs on the puck with a wide open net
- Lane Hutson notices a bad line change by Tampa and wires a great stretch pass
Just two full seasons into his professional career, the blueliner is turning out to be the steal of the 2022 draft. The Canadiens grabbed him with the 62nd overall pick at the tail end of the second round. So far, in the regular season, he has put up 146 points in just 166 games, which works out to 0.88 points per game.
In the Canadiens' all-important Game 5 win, he spent 23:31 on the ice and made quite a few heads-up plays. At one stage, in the first frame, his stick broke in his hands, and he had the presence of mind to change his grip to hold it together, which went unnoticed by the referees. Unfortunately for him, when he played the puck with it, he sent it into the netting and got a delay of game penalty, but he just didn’t want to be out there deep in his territory without a stick against Tampa’s powerful attack.
When he was hit with a high stick by Brayden Point during a collision and slashed for good measure afterwards, he didn’t pout, he didn’t complain, he just kept on playing. Of course, the sequence ended with the Lightning’s first goal of the game on an odd-man rush on which only Hutson was back to defend. While it ended with a goal, he defended it the right way, ensuring Dominic James couldn’t pass the puck.
The poise and the confidence with which he plays are nothing short of extraordinary at such a young age, especially on the blueline. It normally takes a long time for a defenseman to master their craft, but Hutson is already well on his way there, and sooner rather than later, he’ll be in the Norris Trophy conversation.
John Wall is taking on a college basketball front office job in addition to his gig as a studio analyst on Prime Video's NBA coverage. The former NBA All-Star is the new president of basketball operations for Howard University men's basketball team, according to an ESPN report on Thursday, April 30.
Wall, 35, is returning to Washington, D.C., where he starred with the Wizards over nine seasons after the franchise chose him with the No. 1 overall pick in 2010. The former Kentucky star previously served as a "captain of the day" for a Howard men's basketball game this past season.
Howard athletic department officials did not immediately respond to a USA TODAY Sports request seeking confirmation regarding Wall's role and how the school identified him as a candidate for its newly-created front office position.
ESPN reported that Wall has already taken on an active role within the program working alongside Blakeney and Marks, with roster management, NIL deals, revenue sharing, agent negotiations and player mentorship among the areas in which Wall is involved.
Wall officially retired from the NBA in August 2025, though his last games in the league were played during the 2022-23 season. He's part of a growing trend of current or former NBA players to join college basketball programs in roles with titles that mimic the jobs typically found in the front office of a professional sports organization. The rise is in conjunction with the explosion of money available to college athletes through the transfer portal, NIL deals and revenue sharing in recent years.
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MARCH 29 : Dennis Cholowski #44 of the New Jersey Devils warms up before the NHL regular season game against the Chicago Blackhawks at the Prudential Center on March 29, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Maclean/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The New Jersey Devils don’t have an extensive list of players set to hit free agency once the playoffs conclude, but there are some minor pieces set to enter unrestricted free agency. Today, we start looking at unrestricted free agent Devils with a pair of depth defenders. Both Dennis Cholowski and Colton White played a decent amount of games in New Jersey this past season, and they’re obviously familiar with the team and their systems. So is it worth bringing one or both of them back next season? Let’s dive in and find out.
Who is Dennis Cholowski and What Has He Done as a Devil?
Much like he was when Chris wrote about him last offseason, Cholowski remains a depth defenseman in the Devils system. He is once again an unrestricted free agent after the Devils gave him a one year league minimum deal. While he only appeared in six contests as a Devil in 2024-25, he did manage 39 NHL games overall between those and 33 with the Islanders. He scored three goals and added seven assists for te points, although none of them came in his time in New Jersey.
Thankfully in 2025-26 he only appeared in 17 games (though sadly all were for the Devils) registering a mere two assists across those appearances. Even in limited appearances and with limited minutes on an underachieving Devils team, Cholowski still managed to look as though he did not belong in the NHL on most nights. While his AHL stats were better (five assists in 13 contests), it was a really low bar to clear. His numbers still are not what one would expect from a player whose main positive attribute is supposed to be his offense. He is what he is at this point, which is an AHL caliber player who you hope doesn’t get called up into NHL duty.
What Will Cholowski Do Going Forward? What is His Value?
While Utica could certainly do worse than Cholowski, I’d stand to say they could probably do better than having him in their ranks as well. New Jersey is absolutely better off without Cholowski than they would be with him. It’s true some defenders blossom later into their careers, but we’re usually talking by their age 26-27 seasons at latest; Cholowski is heading into his age 28-29 season and I just don’t see him suddenly becoming a competent defender over the course of one summer. You’re looking at a guy who probably hangs around the AHL and as spots for veterans get more and more competitive with more players aging up, he might eventually make the leap overseas to finish his career. For now, I think he’s a known commodity and there will be at least a couple of teams who see value enough for him to want to stick around.
Unless he does decide that the grass looks greener overseas, I could see him getting another league minimum contract. I don’t think a 17 game sample size (or 30 if you want to include his AHL appearances) of mediocre to bad play earns a player anything other than the lowest amount the league contractually allows teams to pay. While I do believe he will probably get a couple of offers for league minimum or maybe SLIGHTLY above it, I don’t think a depth defender is going to wind up seeing teams engage in a bidding war over him.
Who is Colton White and What Has He Done as a Devil?
Colton White came back to the Devils in the summer of 2024 on a two year deal after spending a pair of seasons with Anaheim. Originally a 2015 fourth round draft selection of the Devils, White started off with enough promise to earn a few game stints in each of the 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21. He did not show enough promise, however to overtake any of the team’s other defenders at time, and eventually, he wound up being passed on the team’s depth chart by other defenders. That could be part of what led to him leaving for the Ducks, as upon his arrival in Anaheim, he would play 46 games, the most NHL games in one season of his career still to this day.
In his most recent stint, White has spent most of his time in Utica. He had a a great 2024-25 for a poor Utica team with 21 points in 61 appearances. He would split 2025-26 between Utica and New Jersey, making 30 appearances in the AHL and 23 in the NHL. The nicest thing I can say about White’s 23 NHL contests is that he had four assists while playing below average defense. He was last called up in mid-February and sent back down a week and a half later; even with the Devils being down Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce at the end of the season, White’s lackluster play meant he was not brought back up to the NHL.
What Will White Do Going Forward? What is His Value?
Much like Cholowski, I think White is what he is at this point which is a depth defender, especially considering he’s actually slightly older than Cholowski. I see a similar trajectory for the rest of his career: mostly minor league games, maybe a small stint here or there in the NHL as an injury fill-in, possibly finishing up his career overseas depending upon team situations, roster spots, and other unpredictable factors like injuries. As such, White is another league minimum guy.
As I said above for Cholowski, maybe, MAYBE some GM feels generous, or decides they need Colton White in their system and they offer a bit more than league minimum to entice him. I personally don’t see that being the case, and I think White’s path forward might depend upon where he sees a chance for himself to earn more minutes and NHL games. The Devils may not be stacked at left defense, but White is not better than the players they have playing regular NHL minutes. I also think the fact that the Devils seemed to prefer having Cholowski up over White at the end of the season shows where he falls on their depth chart; White’s path forward seems as if it will need another franchise if he wants NHL time.
What I Would Do With Them and What I Think the Devils Will Do
As I mentioned when talk about each player, I could see them each getting another one way deal at league minimum. I could also see them accepting a deal with a two way structure that sees them earn less in the AHL to stay in North America; at the same time, some players reject those deals if they feel they can make more overseas. If I were being asked to make the decision here, I wouldn’t be offering one of those deals to either of those players. If you forced me to choose one, I would pick White, as while I don’t think highly of his defending, I still think he’s better than Cholowski. I think if the Devils are looking for veterans to mentor their younger defenders in the AHL, they can find a player or two with a bit more ability to actually defend.
I think and hope that with new General Manager Sunny Mehta taking over, the organization will try to shed some of their underachievers and that includes at the minor league level. The fact that Utica has started off the last pair of seasons unbelievably poorly means that some of the personnel needs to be changed in order to achieve different results. I think the Devils will pass on bringing back either of these players, but the unpredictability with a new GM and of the NHL free agency period in general means you never know for sure until the contracts are signed.
Your Take
Now I’d like to hear your thoughts as to what the Devils should do with this pair of defenders. Should they offer a contract to bring both back? Just White? Just Cholowski? Do you agree that the team should look elsewhere for depth defense help/AHL defenders? Is there some part of either player’s game that makes you want the Devils to bring them back? Leave any and all comments below and thanks as always for reading!
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 26: Eli White #36 of the Atlanta Braves high fives Jorge Mateo #2 of the Atlanta Braves after hitting a two-run home run in the second inning during the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Truist Park on April 26, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Michael Harris II was seen favoring his ailing quad during last night’s win over the Tigers, and as such, it’s not surprising to see him get another breather in a short turnaround matinee game, especially given that Framber Valdez throws with his left hand. The absence of Harris is part of a wholesale rejiggering of the bottom of the order on getaway day: Kyle Farmer starts at DH and hits seventh, Jorge Mateo is in at shortstop and hitting eighth while Mauricio Dubon moves to left field, and Eli White will man center and hopefully not have another nightmarish miscue that directly leads to a loss.
The Tigers are largely starting familiar faces, though the well-hitting Dillon Dingler will get a rest as Jake Rogers takes over with the tools of ignorance. It remains a fairly terrifying top half of the lineup for Detroit that Bryce Elder will have to navigate — Martin Perez and JR Ritchie did okay-ish, so we’ll see if Elder can do his part.
There’s not very much familiarity here between Elder and the Detroit batters. Only five batters in the lineup have faced him, none have more than six PAs, and the collective line is a .224 wOBA and .297 xwOBA in a whopping 17 PAs. Ho-hum.
On the flip side, the Braves have a fair bit of familiarity with Valdez given his veteran status (plus, Mauricio Dubon was his teammate for a while). Matt Olson, White, Mateo, and Ozzie Albies all have double-digit PAs against him — Albies has crushed him with a .553 wOBA / .400 xwOBA. Really, there’s mostly good history here among everyone except Dubon and Drake Baldwin (who haven’t faced Valdez yet), with a collective .344 wOBA and .330 xwOBA in 79 PAs. Austin Riley, Albies, and Farmer have also gotten some key knocks off Valdez in their shared postseason history.
As a bit of personal amusement, this will be Kyle Farmer’s first start of the year. He has 10 PAs so far this season, with a 92 wRC+ that comes from outhitting his xwOBA a bit.
Boston, MA - October 6: Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and President/CEO Sam Kennedy listen to a question during the Red Sox end-of-season press conference with team leadership at Fenway Park on October 6, 2025. (Photo by Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Red Sox Hit Piece Week rolls on, everyone! Today it’s Alex Speier, arguably the current dean of the Red Sox beat, who has a big piece diving into the ways that the relationship between Craig Breslow and Alex Cora slowly fractured over the past few years. The juiciest nugget in this one? “Breslow contemplated significant changes to the coaching staff and especially the hitting group (including Fatse ― beloved by players: ‘Top, top hitting mind and work ethic in the hitting world,’ said one) both during and after the 2025 season… [W]hen Breslow raised the idea of staff change to Cora, the manager made his feelings clear: If Breslow wanted to do so, he’d have to fire Cora.“ (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
And it’s clear that Breslow’s desire to fire the coaching staff last season wasn’t merely a case of a CBO wanting to bring in his own guys — there were meaningful conflicts about how best to do the job: “At one point last year… Breslow asked the Red Sox coaching staff to begin documenting every pregame hitting and defensive drill done by each player, which some coaches found excessive and time consuming, further fueling a perceived lack of trust between the staff and the front office.” Moreover, one unnamed player credits Alex Bregman with, at one point, stepping in to defend the hitting coaches and protect their jobs. (Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic)
Following his dismissal, Cora was given a chance to pen a farewell email to the Red Sox staff. Here it is. (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)
Many of the players appear to still be taking the dismissals hard. And that doesn’t just apply to Alex Cora. Connor Wong spoke out about losing Jason Varitek, who he says was “like a dad” to the whole team. (Christopher Smith, MassLive)
Given the age discrepancy, it would be pretty weird if Terry Francona said Varitek or Cora were like dads to him, but he did say that Alex Cora is “one of my favorite people in the world.” (Connor Ryan, Boston.com)
We have no idea how John Henry feels about Alex Cora, because John Henry continues to refuse to acknowledge the general public that funds his baseball team. But Sam Kennedy defended his boss’s silence: “John Henry is deeply engaged with this organization… he doesn’t always do it in the most public-facing way. He’s very selective in terms of how he engages with the media, but that should not ever be confused with a lack of involvement or care.” (Scott McLaughlin, WEEI)
With all of the former Red Sox players speaking out (though anonymously in many cases), you may have thought that Mookie Betts would get involved. But, naturally, Mookie is too smart for that:
Mookie Betts said he hasn’t spoken to Alex Cora:
“That ain’t got nothing to do with me and I stay out of that.”#Dodgers#RedSox
Meanwhile, there is still baseball to be played and the Red Sox didn’t exactly cover themselves in glory up in Toronto this week. That certainly applies to Brayan Bello, who was demonstrably upset about being removed from the game by Chad Tracy yesterday. (Christopher Smith, MassLive)
Besides Tracy, here’s a look at some of the other new faces in the Red Sox dugout (Amin Touri, Boston Globe)
NEW YORK, NY - UNDATED: Mike Schmidt #20 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a home run during a game against the New York Mets at Shea Stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, New York on an unspecified date. (MLB Photos) | MLB via Getty Images
As fans continue to digest the news of Rob Thomson’s dismissal as Phillies manager, at least one legendary member of the franchise isn’t wild about the idea of firing a manager so early in the season.
Speaking to me on Monday, prior to Thomson’s firing, for my Hittin’ Season podcast, powered by WHYY, Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt said, as a player, letting go of the skipper at this juncture of the season is a bad look for the players in the clubhouse.
“I think letting the manager and coaches go is an embarrassing thing to the players,” Schmidt said. “They feel bad enough. And Rob, I think Rob is a fantastic manager.”
Thomson was let go after parts of five seasons as the Phils’ manager, coming off back-to-back NL East championships but also a string of disappointing postseasons and a 9-19 record and the worst run differential in Major League Baseball. Schmidt says the players are acutely aware of their role in this situation.
“They know what’s going on. The media doesn’t need to tell them. They feel awful.”
Schmist says the team is the victim of a small sample size.
“I looked at the box score the other day with the batting averages going up and down the box score, and they were horrendous, actually. That will all change over time. A month and a half from now, that will change. They can’t continue to lose at this rate. They just can’t. They’ll start winning 2 out of 3, 3 out of 4, and the confidence will come back, the players will start to feel it.
You’ve got to get rid of this sense of focusing on how many they’ve lost in a row and start thinking, ‘I hope we don’t lose another one’ and start thinking about having fun. When you start losing like that, it’s not necessarily fun to go out and play. It’s hard to describe. People would say, ‘Well they’re paying you $25 million a year, you ought to have fun, right?‘ It doesn’t work that way. Something will happen to change this, they’re just too good.
Before you know it you find yourself creeping back, creeping back to .500 and then boom, next thing you know you’re two or three games over, and you have a whole new lease on life.”
One thing the Phillies have in their favor is playing in an era in which getting off to a dreadfully slow start is more permissible. With three wild card teams and three division winners, teams can rally after a rough first couple months. Schmidt, who never played during a time when more than two division winners in each league made the postseason, is not a fan of a larger postseason field.
“I wouldn’t want to play the way they have it now. We had four. And we only played two rounds, the NLCS and World Series. I much prefer that, without question. But the way it is right now, the Phillies are still going to have to get to 90 wins. Maybe 88. It depends on the NL East. And they are some really good teams out west. San Diego, L.A. You get too far behind the other teams, then it’s hard to even grab one of those last playoff spots. But you can’t worry about that, you got to just go grind every day.”
Regardless of how the 2026 season ends, it appears inevitable that the sport is headed for a lockout once the final pitch of the World Series is thrown. Owners appear determined to push for a salary cap and floor to combat the disparity between ultra-spending teams like the Dodgers and Mets, and the under-spending teams like the Reds, Pirates, A’s and Rays.
“I’d assume [The Player’s Association] would hold strong [on a salary cap]. We did back in ‘76 when free agency was on the table. Players are entitled to make what they can make in a free market. I’m assuming it’ll be a rough off-season this year, as a former player.”
Schmidt is currently engaged in a campaign aimed at educating youth sports participants about the dangers of not using sunscreen while playing sports. Schmidt talked at length about his battle with melanoma as an adult, diagnosed in 2013 with Stage 3, undergoing surgery, immunotherapy and radiation to treat cancer that had spread to his lymph nodes. His desire is for parents and kids to avoid those kinds of troubles with skin cancer as an adult.
“Once it gets to the point it was with me, you can’t say that it won’t come back. Cancer is an awful thing. So I joined the Richard David Kahn Melanoma Foundation and it gives me a chance for me to tell my story. To give back and talk to kids and adults about the dangers of the sun’s rays. Try to convince kids and adults they need to wear protection. We decided to bring it up to Philadelphia, I started a 501c3, the Mike Schmidt Initiative.
So many great things are happening with us, and I’m getting an opportunity to tell my story and hopefully affect as many people as we can. Our mission is to stop skin cancer. That’s what we’re trying to do.“
If you would like to learn more about Mike Schmidt’s history with melanoma and his work with young athletes to prevent skin cancer, visit MelanomaFoundation.com.
You can watch the full interview on WHYY’s YouTube page here.
The Toronto Raptors are not only running out of time in Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs but also running short on bodies.
Toronto heads back home for Game 6 versus the Cleveland Cavaliers worse for wear and facing elimination. Forward Brandon Ingram is a question mark for Friday after reinjuring his heel and star Scottie Barnes is hobbled with a bum quads.
Those injuries are like blood in the water for Cleveland’s versatile forward Evan Mobley, who’s a tough matchup even with a healthy lineup.
Mobley was strong in the Game 5 win with a focus on getting him the ball and our Cavaliers vs. Raptors predictions really like his matchups against a crumbling Toronto frontcourt.
My NBA picks take Mobley to make us money with his points prop Friday.
Cavaliers vs Raptors prediction
Cavaliers vs Raptors best bet: Evan Mobley Over 16.5 Points (-110)
Evan Mobley had a tough time in Toronto earlier this series, shooting a combined 8 for 24 from the field for tallies of eight and 15 points in Games 3 and 4.
That output pales in comparison to his postseason work at home, averaging almost 22 points on 71% shooting. However, he catches a break with this next trip to Canada.
The Toronto Raptors’ two best solves for Mobley’s size and speed are nursing injuries heading into Game 6. Scottie Barnes is limping around with an injured quadriceps and Brandon Ingram left Game 5 after reaggravating a heel injury.
That had Toronto’s frontcourt ripe for the picking in the second half of Game 5. The Cleveland Cavaliers came out of the halftime break with a focused effort to feed their bigs and Mobley, along with center Jarrett Allen, thrived in the closing frames.
Mobley finished with 23 points on 8-for-13 shooting in Game 5, with 16 of those coming on 6-for-8 success in the second half. He also left points on the table with a 4-for-8 finish from the foul line but still cleared his points prop of 16.5 O/U with ease.
The Cavs went with a smaller rotation in Game 5, in order to spread the floor and create space. With Ingram questionable, Cleveland can take that approach again Friday. That allows Mobley to exploit bad matchups, either backing down shorter defenders or facing up bigger ones.
Game models sit between 17.0 and 18 points for the Cavs’ forward. I believe Mobley’s ceiling is much higher considering Toronto’s injuries and Cleveland’s offense now going through the big man.
Cavaliers vs Raptors same-game parlay
Cleveland has a perfect opportunity to end this series with Toronto hurting coming out of Game 5. This is a quick turnaround with the Raptors’ best player, Scottie Barnes, really limited by a quadriceps injury. The Cavs' inside-out attack drops the dinos in Game 6.
Donovan Mitchell got to put his feet up at the end of Game 5, thanks to Dennis Schroder going off for the Cavs. Mitchell still made three triples in the win and has knocked down at least three 3-pointers in four of the first five games of this series.
Cavaliers vs Raptors SGP
Cavaliers Moneyline
Evan Mobley Over 16.5 Points
Donovan Mitchell Over 2.5 Threes
Our "from downtown" SGP: Notorious B.I.G.'s
The Cavaliers came out feeding their big men in the second half of Game 5. Toronto doesn’t have the bodies to battle that halfcourt attack, which will slow the pace of this game. The Raptors offense will also be disjointed with Brandon Ingram potentially out and Scottie Barners limping around the court, unable to create his own shot.
Cavaliers vs Raptors SGP
Cavaliers -4
Under 220
Evan Mobley Over 16.5 Points
Jarrett Allen Over 10.5 Points
Cavaliers vs Raptors odds for Game 6
Spread: Cavaliers -4 | Raptors +4
Moneyline: Cavaliers -170 | Raptors +145
Over/Under: Over 220 | Under 220
Cavaliers vs Raptors betting trend to know
Totals of 220 points or higher have produced a 4-8 Over/Under record so far in the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Raptors.
How to watch Cavaliers vs Raptors Game 6
Location
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
Date
Friday, May 1, 2026
Tip-off
TBD p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Cavaliers vs Raptors latest injuries
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ST. PETERSBURG, FL - APRIL 22: Cincinnati Reds Pitcher Brandon Williamson (55) delivers a pitch to the plate during the regular season game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Tampa Bay Rays on April 22, 2026, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Cincinnati Reds lefty Brandon Williamson exited Wednesday evening’s start against the Colorado Rockies after having thrown just 58 pitches across 3.0 IP. It was the latest in a series of frustrating starts for the 28 year old, who for the season has actually walked more hitters (20) than he’s struck out (19).
After the game, it was announced that he was dealing with ‘shoulder fatigue,’ something that’s 100% within the realm of expectations at this point after he missed all of 2025 while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery (and also dealt with shoulder issues before that). The hope, of course, was that it wouldn’t be serious, though the Reds announced on Thursday that Williamson had been placed on the injured list in the wake.
The #Reds today recalled RHP Zach Maxwell from Triple-A Louisville and placed LHP Brandon Williamson (left shoulder fatigue) on the 15-day injured list.
According to AP reporter Jeff Wallner, Williamson received an MRI and the results showed ‘no structural issues,’ which is obviously a great sign.
Francona said the MRI showed no structural issues with Brandon Williamson's shoulder, which is good news. He received an injection today. Williamson was placed on the 15-day injured list. RHP Zach Maxwell was recalled from Louisville. #Reds
Reliever Zach “Big Sugar” Maxwell was recalled from AAA Louisville to take his place on the active roster, for now.
Maxwell, of course, is a reliever, and he’ll add depth to the relief corps for the next few days alongside the recently recalled Luis Mey for the time being. What the Reds do when Williamson’s spot in the rotation comes back around remains to be seen, however.
Nick Lodolo shined in his first rehab start with the Dayton Dragons in High-A Midwest League action earlier this week, but he’s slated for a second rehab start on Saturday. So, it’s likely that it won’t be him who is called upon to slide into the starting rotation. Chase Petty, however, is on the 40-man roster and already has had his first cup of coffee at the big league level, and he started last night against the Omaha Storm Chasers for AAA Louisville and would be on regular rest to take a turn in the team’s rotation.
Apr 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) reacts after popping out with the bases loaded in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
The Mets announced a flurry of roster moves ahead of their 1:10pm series finale with the Nationals this afternoon in Queens. Luis Robert Jr., who has been sidelined with back issues since Monday, was put on the 10-Day Injured List retroactive to Monday with ‘lumbar spine disc herniation.’ In a corresponding move, Eric Wagaman, who the Mets claimed off of waivers on Monday from the Twins, was recalled.
Wagaman has made 603 plate appearances in parts of two seasons with the Angels and Marlins and has appeared at the corner outfield and infield spots.
On the offensive side of the team, Robert joins Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, and Jared Young on the Injured List.
Carl Edwards Jr, who tossed six solid innings for the Mets in two appearances, was designated for assignment. Austin Warren was recalled to take his spot on the roster.
It is unfortunate to lose Edwards who has been quite good in limited time while the Mets have a number of pitchers on the roster who have not looked nearly as good as Edwards. Because he is out of minor league options, the Mets have to hope that Edwards passes through waivers and does not elect free agency if they want to keep him in the organiation.
Warren has been impressive in his brief major league playing time as well, but the bullpen churn is already becoming an issue when rostering multiple long relievers.
The New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks go to war in Game 6 tonight, with New York having a 56% chance of advancing according to prediction markets like Kalshi.
Despite being the road team, New York has a 56% chance of ending this series tonight in Atlanta.
Our prediction:Hawks to win
As Knicks fans poured out of MSG after a convincing Game 5 win, the Big Apple crowd chanted, “We want Boston”.
Ah, there’s still at least one more game, folks. New York won’t shoot 57% from the field again, and Atlanta’s outside touch should improve in the friendly confines of State Farm Arena, where it shoots nearly 38% from beyond the arc.
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More Knicks vs Hawks prediction markets
You're certainly not limited to the main game outcome for Knicks vs. Hawks at Kalshi; you also have options to trade on the spread, total, and more, among other NBA odds markets.
You can buy either side of a market — for example, "Yes" on the Knicks -2.5 spread means the Knicks will cover, while "No" means the Hawks will cover — with each side priced based on the implied probability (which can be converted to American, Decimal, or Fraction odds using theCovers odds converter).
Knicks vs Hawks spread and total at prediction markets
Outcome
Yes
No
Knicks -2.5
52¢ (-108)
49¢ (+104)
Over 213.5 points
53¢ (-112)
48¢ (+108)
Our predictions:Knicks -2.5 — No and Over 213.5 points — No
As mentioned, the New York Knicks aren't shooting as well as they did in Game 5. Elimination games are always played tight, and this series is no stranger to Unders.
Other Knicks vs Hawks prediction markets available
Jalen Brunson 30+ points (Yes: 40¢)
Jalen Johnson 6+ assists (Yes: 53¢)
OG Anunoby 8+ rebounds (Yes: 46¢)
What is Kalshi and how does it work?
Kalshi is a federally regulated U.S. exchange where you trade directly on the outcome of real-world future events. Instead of traditional bets, you trade "Event Contracts" which are simple Yes/No questions like "Will the Hawks win tonight?" These events are priced between $0.01 and $0.99, and the prices reflect the market’s estimated probability of that event occurring. For instance, $0.55 equals a 55% chance. If your prediction is correct, the contract pays out exactly $1.00; if not, it settles at $0. Kalshi is essentially a stock market for reality.
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WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 19: Houston Astros outfielder Zach Cole (16) bats during a MLB spring training game against the New York Mets at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 19, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (16-13) lost 5-2 (BOX SCORE)
Sugar Land got on the board in the 2nd inning on an Unroe RBI double. Gordon got the start and tossed 3.2 scoreless innings. The offense got another run on an Alexander walk. Mancini struggled out of the pen allowing 4 runs and the Aces picked up one more later. The offense was quiet the rest of the way as Sugar Land fell 5-2.
Colton Gordon, LHP: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Joey Mancini, RHP: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
Tom Cosgrove, LHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Sam Carlson, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Hudson Leach, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (10-13) lost 10-4 (BOX SCORE)
Pearson made a rehab start for the Hooks but struggled allowing 4 runs over 2 innings. The offense got on the board in the 4th on a Whitaker 2 run double. In the 5th they scored 2 more runs on a Sullivan single and Guillemette groundout. Mayer pitched in relief and allowed 3 runs over 4 innings, though he struck out 8 batters. The pen allowed a couple more runs and the offense was shut down the rest of the way as the Hooks lost 10-4.
A+: Asheville Tourists (5-18) lost 11-6 (BOX SCORE)
Asheville got on the board in the first inning with a run scoring on a balk. They got 2 more runs in the third on a Frey 2 run HR, his first of the year. Santos got the start and went 5.1 innings allowing 4 runs, 2 earned. Asheville got a run in the 5th on a balk, a run in the 6th on a Cruz sac fly and a run in the 7th on Batista sac fly. The pen struggled though allowing 7 runs and the offense was unable to comeback as Asheville fell 11-6.
Yeriel Santos, RHP: 5.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
Alain Pena, RHP: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
Nate Wohlgemuth, RHP: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (10-13) won 5-1 (BOX SCORE)
The Woodpeckers got on the board in the 2nd inning on a Wakefield RBI single. In the 3rd inning, Neyens added an RBI double. The offense picked up 3 more runs in the 4th on a Ramirez RBI single and Cole 2 run double. Potter got the start and pitched well striking out 3 over 3 scoreless innings. He was relieved by Oakes who allowed 1 run over 4.2 innings while striking out 6. Rosario closed it out with 1.1 scoreless innings.
