“We need to get more production out of that position, there’s no question,” Posey told Brian Murphy and Markus Boucher. “LaMonte [Wade Jr.], I think, you know it was nice he got a big hit yesterday in the game and we’re hopeful he can get that going but at this point we are going to need some more production and I think that’s the way that we’re kind of looking at this right now is some sort of time share.”
Wade went 2 for 3 in Wednesday’s loss to the Detroit Tigers, however, and has boosted his average from .133 to where it currently stands since the start of May while hitting .233 on the month.
Posey said the team will be looking at three players to potentially shore up the position.
“With [Jerar] Encarnacion coming back, he’ll mix in some, [Wilmer Flores] might mix in some, [Casey] Schmitt might mix in some,” Posey said.
Additionally, Posey didn’t indicate the Giants have any plans to rush top prospect Bryce Eldridge to the big leagues. The 20-year-old, who just so happens to play first base, is slashing .294/.361/.532 with the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels.
“We’re really happy with the way he’s progressing,” Posey said. “He’s hitting in a tough league. Still has a lot of work to do defensively. He’s making strides, he’s putting in the work and that’s all you can ask for.”
For now, the Giants will have to find a first-base solution with the guys who have big-league experience.
Not much has gone right for the Boston Red Sox since the calendar flipped to May. They’ve gone 10-16 this month to fall to 27-31, 9.5 games behind the first-place New York Yankees in the American League East.
The blame pie can be sliced several ways. The offense has been inconsistent, the rotation has struggled behind ace Garrett Crochet, and the team is 6-15 in one-run games. Several key players are in the middle of brutal month-long slumps.
So, who needs to turn it around for the Red Sox to get back above .500? Which players have been bright spots during the disappointing stretch?
Here’s our updated “Stock Up, Stock Down” with June looming.
Stock Up
Carlos Narvaez, C
The Red Sox acquired Narvaez in an under-the-radar offseason trade with the New York Yankees. The assumption was that he would serve as Connor Wong’s backup throughout the 2025 season, but he already has a firm grip on the starting catcher role amid a shockingly impressive start to the campaign.
In addition to being one of the game’s best defensive backstops, Narvaez has been one of Boston’s most consistent hitters. The 26-year-old rookie entered Thursday slashing .289/.357/.465 with five homers and 17 RBI. He ranks fourth on the team with a 1.8 fWAR, trailing only Alex Bregman, Garrett Crochet, and Rafael Devers.
Devers refusing to play first base wasn’t the best look, but it’s easy to look past when he’s in the midst of a career year at the plate.
The three-time All-Star is hitting .287/.409/.523 with 12 homers and an American League-leading 50 RBI. He recorded the first walk-off homer of his career on May 17 against Atlanta and a grand slam on May 23 against Baltimore.
Since starting the season 0-for-19 with 15 strikeouts, Devers has hit .315 with a 1.005 OPS.
The way Devers has raked as the designated hitter, it’s easy to see why the Red Sox have refrained from asking him to move back to third base in the wake of Bregman’s injury.
Jarren Duran, OF
Duran is heating up after a subpar start to the season. The 2024 All-Star Game MVP has hit .377 with two homers and 11 RBI in 13 games since May 16. He leads the majors with six triples.
Duran took his game to another level in June of last year and finished eighth in AL MVP voting. While it’s unfair to expect him to duplicate that success, it’s encouraging that he appears to be on the same trajectory as his All-Star season.
Brennan Bernardino, RHP
Bernardino has been the Red Sox bullpen’s unsung hero. The 33-year-old righty is tied for the MLB lead with 14 appearances in May. In those appearances, he has amassed an 0.75 ERA and 0.91 WHIP over 12 innings.
He has been a bright spot throughout Boston’s abysmal stretch.
The 22-year-old is hitting .120 with a .335 OPS through 20 games in May, and he was partly responsible for Boston’s demise in Wednesday’s series finale vs. Milwaukee with a brutal defensive miscue in the 10th inning:
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 28, 2025
Credit where it’s due: Campbell has willingly taken practice reps at first base despite never playing the position in his professional career. But at this stage, it’s fair to wonder whether the best course of action is to let him figure things out at Triple-A rather than throw him into the fire at a new position during a brutal slump.
Campbell ascended quickly through the minor-league ranks, cracking Boston’s Opening Day roster one year after playing at High-A. The raw talent is undeniable, but he hasn’t looked like a big-league player for the last month.
Story is slashing .218/.263/.318 in 54 games this season. Since May 6, he’s hitting .132 (10-for-76) with a .369 OPS. His fielding hasn’t made up for those offensive struggles as he’s in the midst of arguably the worst defensive season of his career.
Wong has never shined behind the plate, but he had some solid offensive stretches as the Red Sox’ starting catcher in 2024. That has not been the case this season.
The 29-year-old, who will forever be remembered as one of the key pieces in the infamous Mookie Betts trade, is hitting .157 with no homers and a .402 OPS in 22 games. It didn’t take long for him to lose the starting catching gig to Narvaez.
While the Red Sox aren’t regretting their offseason deal for Garrett Crochet, they may be kicking themselves for parting ways with top catching prospect Kyle Teel. It’s been a disastrous year for Wong, even by a backup’s standards.
Tanner Houck was placed on the injured list after a nightmare start to the season, Walker Buehler has been up-and-down and also spent time on the IL, Brayan Bello hasn’t looked the part, and Lucas Giolito isn’t anything close to his 2021 self. Hunter Dobbins looked sharp to start his rookie campaign but has come crashing back down to earth over his last few appearances.
The Red Sox rotation was expected to take a significant step forward in 2025. Instead, it has remained one of the club’s biggest weaknesses.
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)
Based on the conversation in an "Inside Coverage" podcast episode, Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson and Frank Schwab have mixed views about how the Tennessee Titans are handling rookie quarterback Cam Ward.
Schwab is baffled by the Titans’ approach to splitting reps between Ward and Will Levis.
“Why? What’s the point in all this? ... We all know Cam Ward’s starting Week 1," Schwab said. "I find this stupid.”
Schwab suggests the Titans are playing games and should focus on getting their No. 1 overall draft pick ready to be the starter.
His main argument: It’s pointless and disingenuous for head coach Brian Callahan to be splitting first-team reps or framing the starting QB job as something Ward has to "earn," especially since everyone knows Ward is the starter from Day 1 unless he gets hurt or something very unexpected happens. These types of mind games are “stupid," so why are the Titans even bothering with this charade?
This is reminiscent of the Urban Meyer/Trevor Lawrence situation in Jacksonville, a QB competition that wasn't real.
Does anyone — inside or outside the Titans — really believe there’s a QB battle happening? The pretense in Nashville is unnecessary.
The Titans selected Cam Ward to be their franchise quarterback. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
There's value in making Cam Ward 'earn' the job to lead the Titans
Robinson disagrees and feels there’s real value in letting Ward “earn” the starting job, even if the competition isn’t entirely authentic. He compares it to his own (albeit high school) experience of being announced as a starter and how meaningful that was for his growth and confidence. It's beneficial for a young player to have a sense of accomplishment and momentum by going out and winning the job in camp, even if it’s a bit of theater. He argues that being “given” the starting job outright, simply because of draft status, takes away that motivational aspect. Some level of competition is a longstanding football tradition and a useful bit of preseason theater.
There's recent NFL history to back up the approach. Robinson references head coach Sean Payton running a similar “open competition” with Bo Nix and Jarrett Stidham in Denver, which everyone knew wasn’t true, but he insists there’s still some intangible value to being publicly anointed as the starter at the end of a process, even if the process is a bit of a facade. The “theater” is part and parcel of football culture.
Even a staged competition can help a young QB’s mentality and buy-in, allowing Ward to feel like he’s achieved something, which has value for the player and locker room.
Even though all signs thus far indicate Jonathan Kuminga likely will leave the Warriors this summer, the finances could make that tricky.
The Athletic’s Anthony Slater noted a few interesting wrinkles to the situation and why he believes the best possible outcome for all parties would be for Kuminga to remain in the Bay.
First, with Kuminga expected to earn at least a 20 percent raise as a restricted free agent, a new deal would put Golden State over the cap. But the incoming salary would only count as half of Kuminga’s outgoing salary, as noted by the “base year compensation” rule in the CBA.
So, as Slater notes, if Kuminga’s new deal starts at $30 million, which is what his next team would absorb it as, the Warriors would look at a $15 million incoming match.
As a restricted free agent, Kuminga could sign with Golden State or sign an offer sheet with a team with cap space. The Warriors would have the right to match.
A sign-and-trade is also a possibility. But as Slater pointed out, the base-year rule in addition to the first-apron cap “significantly limits” the number of realistic sign-and-trade opportunities for the Warriors.
“The Warriors’ front office, Kuminga’s representatives and the league are expected to explore all options into July,” Slater wrote. “But team sources have been hinting that, because of these market and financial restrictions, there’s a likely world where the most obvious and prudent path is for them to bring Kuminga back and figure the rest out later.”
After numerous DNPs-CD (Did Not Play, Coach’s Decision) to begin Golden State’s postseason run, Kuminga re-emerged into Steve Kerr’s rotation when Steph Curry went down with an injury and reminded the Warriors and the rest of the league of his talent and athleticism.
And that talent and athleticism might be on a one-way trip back to the Warriors.
Its Friday, May 30 and the Giants (31-25) are in Miami to take on the Marlins (22-32).
Kyle Harrison is slated to take the mound for San Francisco against Cal Quantrill for Miami.
San Francisco had yesterday off following a three-game sweep at the hands of the Detroit Tigers. The Giants' offense failed them scoring just five runs over the course of the three games.
Miami's offense was far better in the Marlins' series against the Padres. San Diego won two of the three games, but Miami did plate 19 runs in the series.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Giants at Marlins
Date: Friday, May 30, 2025
Time: 7:10PM EST
Site: loanDepot Park
City: Miami, FL
Network/Streaming: NBCSBA, FDSNFL, MLBN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Giants at the Marlins
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Giants (-181), Marlins (+151)
Spread: Giants -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Giants at Marlins
Pitching matchup for May 30, 2025: Kyle Harrison vs. Cal Quantrill
Giants: Kyle Harrison (0-1, 3.86 ERA) Last outing: 5/24 at Washington - 4IP, 2ER, 5H, 0BB, 4Ks
Marlins: Cal Quantrill (3-4, 6.09 ERA) Last outing: 5/24 at Angels - 3.1IP, 1ER, 3H, 0BB, 2Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Giants at Marlins
The Giants have won 4 of their last 5 at National League teams
10 of the Giants' last 11 games (91%) have stayed under the Total
The Marlins have covered in 4 of their last 5 games for a profit of 1.58 units
Wilmer Flores has at least 1 hit in 8 of his last 9 games (9-35)
Kyle Stowers is 1-18 (.056) over his last 4 games
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Giants and the Marlins
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Giants and the Marlins:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the San Francisco Giants on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Miami Marlins at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
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The New York Islanders recently announced Mathieu Darche as their new GM. It will be interesting to see what he has in store for his new club this off-season.
With core players like Bo Horvat, Mathew Barzal and Ilya Sorokin under long-term contracts, Darche could attempt to retool around those players rather than stage a full roster rebuild. He could also lock up RFA defenseman Noah Dobson to a lengthy new deal.
Some observers wonder if Horvat might be available because this summer's free-agent market is thin on quality centers. The 30-year-old Horvat could fetch a good return if Darche wants to shake things up.
Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli thinks Darche could be patient and see what offers he gets for Horvat. However, he also believes the Isles need his skills and experience if they intend to stage a quick turnaround next season.
Horvat is signed through 2030-31 with an average annual value of $8.5 million. He also carries a full no-trade clause through 2026-27.
Meanwhile, Kyle Palmieri faces uncertainty over his future with the Islanders.
Russ Macias of NYI Hockey Now indicated former GM Lou Lamoriello opened contract extension talks with the 34-year-old left winger. However, those discussions were put on hold when Lamoriello was fired in April.
Palmieri's future now becomes among the key issues for Darche to address. Macias believes Darche should retain Palmieri on a short-term contract unless his asking price is absurd, speculating he might accept a pay cut from his $5 million average annual value to stay on Long Island. The Hockey News' Adam Proteau, meanwhile, thinks Palmieri averaging 51 points over the past two seasons could help his case for getting more on his next contract than expected.
The Hockey News’ Michael Ostrower also mentioned Darche’s experience with the Tampa Bay Lightning as their assistant GM. The Lightning haven’t signed Hobey Baker winner Isaac Howard to an entry-level contract. While there’s only speculation about whether the Lightning will trade him or not, Darche’s Islanders could provide Howard with a better opportunity to play in the NHL sooner and climb the lineup.
In Winnipeg, Nikolaj Ehlers' future with the Jets remains among the hot topics of interest in the rumor mill. The 29-year-old right winger is UFA-eligible after completing a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $6 million.
Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff indicated that he intends to pitch an offer that would make Ehlers a “Jet for life.” The Athletic's Murat Ates reported earlier this week that Cheveldayoff spent two hours talking with Ehlers' agent on May 19.
Ates believes that discussion is a positive sign. Nevertheless, he also felt that Jets management is preparing for life without Ehlers.
Proteau believes they shouldn't get into a bidding war for Ehlers, partly because of his subpar post-season stats. He suggested Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks might be a better option.
On Friday, May 30, the Rockies (9-47) are in Queens to take on the Mets (34-22). Kyle Freeland is slated to take the mound for Colorado against David Peterson for New York.
The Rockies are coming off another tough loss to the Cubs. It was the second time in as many days that the Rockies fell short by just one run. That loss marked their fifth consecutive loss.
The Mets wrapped up their series with the White Sox on Wednesday in a 9-4 defeat. Despite the loss, the Mets won the series 2-1.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Rockies at Mets
Date: Friday, May 30, 2025
Time: 7:10PM EST
Site: Citi Field
City: Queens, NY
Network/Streaming: SNY, Rockies.TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Rockies at the Mets
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline:
Spread:
Total:
Probable starting pitchers for Rockies at Mets
Pitching matchup for May 30, 2025: Kyle Freeland vs. David Peterson
Rockies: Kyle Freeland, (0-7, 5.86 ERA) Last outing (New York Yankees, 5/24): 4.2 Innings Pitched, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 9 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts
Mets: David Peterson, (3-2, 2.79 ERA) Last outing (Los Angeles Dodgers, 5/24): 7.2 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 7 Strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Rockies at Mets
The Rockies have lost 9 of their last 10 games
Each of the last 3 matchups between the Mets and the Rockies have stayed under the Total
The Rockies have covered in 4 of their last 5 on the road, profiting 4.30 units
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Rockies and the Mets
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Rockies and the Mets:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the New York Mets at .
Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of .
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The Florida Panthers secured a third straight Stanley Cup Final appearance on Wednesday night at Lenovo Center with a 5-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5.
As hats were distributed to players and the Prince of Wales Trophy made its way to the ice, five former New Jersey Devils players celebrated on the ice.
Jesper Boqvist, AJ Greer, Dmitry Kulikov, Tomas Nosek, and Vitek Vanecek are all members of the Panthers and will face either the Edmonton Oilers or Dallas Stars in the Final.
— x - Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) May 29, 2025
BOQVIST: The 26-year-old was selected by the Devils in the second round of the 2017 NHL Draft and played the first 189 games of his professional career in New Jersey.
After the 2022-23 season, Boqvist was not tendered a qualifying offer to remain in New Jersey, and as a free agent, signed a one-year contract with the Boston Bruins. After spending time in both the AHL and NHL, the Swede was once again not given a qualifying offer. As a free agent, he signed a one-year contract with the Panthers.
Boqvist appeared in 78 regular-season games in Florida and 11 playoff games.
GREER: The 6′3″, 209-pound winger spent the majority of time with the Devils organization in the American Hockey League (AHL). He appeared in 69 games for the Binghamton Devils and Utica Comets and only 10 games for the Devils.
As a free agent, he left the Devils and signed with the Bruins. After a year in Boston, he was claimed off waivers in October 2023 by the Calgary Flames. He left the Stampede City as a free agent and signed with the Panthers on July 1, 2024.
Since leaving New Jersey, Greer has been able to carve out a role for himself in the NHL, as his final AHL game was with the Comets in May 2022.
KULIKOV: New Jersey was a quick stop for the defenseman, as he played 38 games with the Devils before he was traded to the Oilers during the 2020-21 season.
Kulikov won the Stanley Cup with the Panthers last season.
NOSEK: The veteran signed a one-year contract with the Devils on July 19, 2023. Due to injuries, the 32-year-old was limited to 36 games. As a free agent, he left New Jersey and signed with the Panthers.
VANECEK: The goaltender was traded to New Jersey in 2022 and traded out of New Jersey in 2024.
Vanecek started 77 games for the Devils over two seasons. New Jersey eventually traded him to the San Jose Sharks. He was ultimately traded to Florida for Patrick Giles on March 5, 2025. The 29-year-old appeared in seven games for the Panthers and is serving as Sergei Bobrovsky's backup.
The Panthers will now wait to see if they will face the Stars or the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final. Connor McDavid and the Oilers currently have a 3-1 lead over the Stars.
Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
In his second season playing shortstop, Mookie Betts currently ranks seventh among qualified MLB shortstops in fielding percentage. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Before the start of the season, Dodgers first base and infield coach Chris Woodward pulled Mookie Betts aside one day, and had him envision the ultimate end result.
“You’re gonna be standing at shortstop when we win the World Series,” Woodward told Betts, the former Gold Glove right fielder in the midst of an almost unprecedented mid-career position switch. “That’s what the goal is.”
Two months into the campaign, the Dodgers believe he’s checking the requisite boxes on the path toward getting there.
“I would say, right now he's playing above-average shortstop, Major League shortstop,” manager Dave Roberts said this week. “Which is amazing, considering he just took this position up.”
Betts has not only returned to shortstop this season after his unconvincing three-month stint at the position last year; but he has progressed so much that, unlike when he was moved back to right field for the stretch run of last fall’s championship march, the Dodgers have no plans for a similar late-season switch this time around.
“I don't see us making a change [like] we did last year. I don't see that happening,” Roberts said. “He's a major league shortstop, on a championship club.”
“And,” the manager also added, “he's only getting better.”
It means that now, Betts’ challenge has gone from proving he belongs at shortstop to proving he can master it by the end of the season. The goal Woodward laid out at the beginning of the year has suddenly become much more realistic now. And over the next four months, Betts’ ability to polish his shortstop play looms as one of the Dodgers’ biggest X-factors.
“Getting to that, even when he’s as good as he is now, there’s still a lot to learn,” Woodward said. “He’s done good up to this point. So how do we maintain that [progress]?”
In Year 1 of playing shortstop on a full-time basis last season, Betts’ initial experience was marked by trial and (mostly) error. He struggled to make accurate throws across the diamond. He lacked the instincts and confidence to cleanly field even many routine grounders. In his three-month cameo in the role — one cut short by a midseason broken hand — he committed nine errors and ranked below-league-average in several advanced metrics.
“Last year,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said when reflecting on Betts’ initial foray to the shortstop position, “it was like a crash course.”
In Year 2, on the other hand, Betts has graduated to something of a finishing school.
Unlike last year, when the former MVP slugger switched positions just weeks before opening day, Betts had the entire offseason to prepare his game. Over the winter, he improved the technique of his glovework while fielding balls. He trained on how to throw from lower arm slots than he had in the outfield. He focused on keeping a wider and more athletic base in order to adapt to funny hops and unexpected spins. He established a base of fundamentals that, last year, he simply didn’t have; providing renewed confidence and consistency he’s been able to lean on all season.
“Preparation,” Betts said recently about the biggest difference in his shortstop play this year. “[I have been able] to prepare, have an idea of what I’m doing, instead of just hoping that athleticism wins. At this level, it doesn't work like that. So you have to have an idea of what you’re doing. And I work hard every day. I’m out there every day early. Doing what I can to be successful.”
Such strides have been illustrated in Betts’ defensive numbers. He currently ranks seventh among qualified MLB shortstops in fielding percentage, his three errors to this point tied for the fewest among those who have made at least 50 starts. His advanced metrics are equally encouraging, ranking top-five in outs above average and defensive runs saved.
“He looks like a major league shortstop right now,” Roberts said, “where last year there were many times I didn't feel that way.”
A finished product, however, Betts is still not.
There are subtle intricacies he has yet to fully grasp, such as where to position on relay throws from the outfield. There are infrequent, higher-difficulty plays he’s yet to learn how to handle.
One important teaching moment came early in the season, when Betts' inability to corral a hard hooking one-hopper in a game against the Washington Nationals led to him and the coaching staff adding more unpredictable fungo-bat fielding drills into his daily pregame routine.
“It just kind of prompted a conversation of, ‘You’re gonna get different types of balls, and those are pretty rare. But what’s the process of catching that ball? And what do we need to practice?’” Woodward recalled, leading to changes that were enacted the very next day.
“The drills we do now, I don’t know if anybody else can make them look as easy as he now does,” Woodward added. “When he first started, you could tell, ‘Oh man, it’s uncomfortable.’ But now, I smoke balls at him … and he’s just so under control.”
Another moment of frustration came last Sunday in New York, when Betts athletically snared a bouncing ball on his forehand up the middle … but then airmailed a backhanded, off-balance flip throw to second base while trying to turn a potential double play.
Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts throws to first base during Monday's game against the Cleveland Guardians. (David Dermer / Associated Press)
“That was the first time ever in my life I’ve had to do that,” Betts said days later, prompting him to seek out more advice from Woodward and veteran shortstop teammate Miguel Rojas. “Miggy was telling me I can’t stress about it, because he got to mess that play up in high-A [when he was first learning the position]. Woody told me he got to mess that play up in double-A. I’m messing this play up for the first time ever in my life — in the big leagues.”
For Betts, it can be a frustrating dynamic, having to endorse inevitable such struggles as he seeks his desired defensive progress.
“I definitely feel I’ve grown a lot, just from the routine perspective,” he said. “But I don’t want to hurt the team, man.”
Which is why, in the days immediately afterward, he then incorporated underhand flip drills into his pregame work as well.
“You’re going to have to go through those moments to learn, to understand,” said Rojas, who has been a sounding board for Betts ever since last year’s initial position switch. “I don’t consider that an error. I consider it a mistake that you’re gonna learn from. Because that play is gonna happen again.”
“It’s like life in general. It’s about learning from your mistakes,” Freeman echoed. “And not that that [flip play] was a mistake. But it’s like, ‘Now I know how to adjust off of that.’ If he was not even trying to attempt things, then you’ll never know what you can really achieve out there. I think he’s learning his limits of what he can do. And I think that’s the key to it.”
Such moments, of course, also underscore the inherent risk of entrusting Betts (who still has a grand total of only 132 career MLB games at shortstop) with perhaps the sport’s most challenging position.
It’s one thing for such a blunder to happen in a forgettable late May contest. It’d be far less forgiving if they were to continue popping up in important games down the stretch.
There’s also a question about whether Betts’ focus on shortstop has started to have an impact on his bat, with the 32-year-old currently hitting just .254 on the season while suffering incremental dips in his underlying contact metrics.
The root of those struggles, Betts believes, stems more from bad habits he developed while recovering from a stomach virus at the start of the season that saw him lose almost 20 pounds. Then again, even though he has been able to better moderate his daily pregame workload compared with the hours he’d spend every day fielding grounders last season, he is still “learning a whole new position at the big-league level,” Freeman noted, “and all his focus has been on that.”
It all creates a relatively tight needle for Betts and the Dodgers to thread the rest of the year. Betts not only has to make continued strides on defense (and prove, at a bare minimum, he won’t be a downgrade from the team’s other in-house options, such as Rojas or Tommy Edman), but, he also needs to get his swing back in a place to be an impact presence at the top of the lineup.
“It’s a lot to take on, to be a shortstop in the big leagues,” Freeman said. “But once he gets everything under control, I think that’s when the hitting will pick right back up.”
It figures to be an ongoing process, one that could have season-defining implications for the Dodgers’ World Series title defense.
Still, in the span of two months, Betts has shown enough with his glove for the Dodgers not to move him — making what started as a seemingly dubious experiment into a potentially permanent solution.
“People around baseball should be paying a little more attention to the way he’s been playing short,” Rojas said.
“He's had a lot of different plays that he's been able to kind of see in games,” added Roberts. “He's a guy that loves a challenge, and he's really realized that challenge and keeps getting better each night."
Neemias Queta has been a good find for the Boston Celtics as an effective center off the bench.
After putting in the time to improve his skill set in the G League over the first three years of his career (51 total games in that span), he was a full-time NBA player during the 2024-25 season.
Even though Queta played more games and minutes this season than at any point in his pro career, he still was the third or fourth center on the roster most nights. A lot of that was due to the Celtics’ depth. On most other teams, Queta could have been a No. 2 big man.
Luckily for Queta, the upcoming season could see him take on the largest and most important role of his Celtics tenure.
Queta brings great energy and hustle to the second unit. After playing in 28 games for the Celtics during the 2023-24 campaign, Queta saw action in a career-high 62 games and made six starts (zero in his first four seasons). He also appeared in four of Boston’s 11 playoff games.
He averaged 5.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game, while shooting 65 percent from the floor in an average of 13.9 minutes per game. He tallied seven or more rebounds in 17 games.
Queta does not stretch the floor as an outside shooter, but he does have a soft touch around the rim and enough size/length (7-foot, 250 pounds) to provide good interior defense.
Scenario 1: If Luke Kornet signs elsewhere, Queta could step into his role
Veteran centers Luke Kornet and Al Horford are both unrestricted free agents this summer. Queta is more similar to Kornet than Horford because he’s more of a low-post scorer and can finish on lobs at the basket. Neither Queta nor Kornet shoot 3-pointers like Horford.
Kornet had a really good season, and it’s possible that he could receive a better contract offer from another team, especially given the Celtics’ second apron difficulties. If Kornet were to depart, Queta could step into that role and see his minutes increase to 18-20 per game.
One area where Kornet shined was on the offensive glass. His 2.6 offensive rebounds per game were at least one more than any other player on Boston’s roster this past season. If Queta did step into Kornet’s role, he would have to be active on the offensive glass and help give the Celtics more second-chance opportunities.
Scenario 2: Lack of frontcourt depth gives Queta more opportunities
If Kornet and/or Horford don’t return, and if Kristaps Porzingis misses more time due to injury next season, it’s possible that Queta could see a fairly significant increase in his role.
Frontcourt depth could be one of the Celtics’ biggest weak points next season. Not only could they lose one or more of their centers in the offseason, their No. 1 rebounder — Jayson Tatum — could miss most or all of next season as he recovers from Achilles surgery. Porzingis has played in 99 of a possible 164 regular season games since joining the C’s.
Queta should see an uptick in minutes in 2025-26 regardless of which offseason moves are made in the next few months.
Final thoughts
Queta is signed for two more seasons with a salary cap hit of less than $3 million per year. He has a very team-friendly contract, so it would benefit the Celtics tremendously if he could make a larger impact in a more important role next season.
He doesn’t have to score 10-plus points to be effective. Making his presence felt as a rebounder and a reliable interior defender would likely be good enough.
NIL has changed the dynamic for players declaring for the NBA Draft.
Nothing changed for the guys projected to go in the lottery. Players such as Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper and V.J. Edgecombe are going to keep their names in the draft and move on to their NBA careers. However, for underclassmen expected to be taken late in the first round or early in the second, the calculus changes: Players taken 20th or below make less than $3 million in their rookie season, and second-round picks do not automatically receive guaranteed NBA contracts. For those players, staying in college for another year may be the most sensible option. That is why there are fewer sophomores and juniors in recent drafts than years past.
Which name players withdrew from the 2025 NBA Draft? Here are some of the biggest names.
Alex Condon, Florida
A big win for the national champions, they get back the 6’11” playmaking big who averaged 10.6 points and 7.5 rebounds a game last season. More than the counting stats, it was his passing that made him critical to the Gators’ offense.
Bittle’s decision was probably made the second he didn’t get an invite to the NBA Draft Combine. There are few better stretch fives in the college game than Bittle, who averaged 14.2 points and 7.6 rebounds a game for the Ducks, shooting 33.6% from beyond the arc.
Milos Uzan, Houston
He was projected as a second-round pick before the NBA Draft Combine, but guards who shot 44% on 3-pointers tend to get drafted. However, Uzan struggled in the Cougars' final games leading up to the national title game, and then struggled at the combine. After all that, he decided to return to Houston, which should be in title contention again next season.
A huge win for the Wolverines that Lendenborg withdrew his name from the draft, he played well at the combine but apparently could not get a guarantee to be taken in the top 20. Last season at UAB, he averaged 17.7 points and 11.4 rebounds a game.
Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn
The sixth man on a Final Four team who averaged 11.6 points a game last season is returning to coach Bruce Pearl. While there is NBA interest in him, the fact that he is 6’1” (in shoes) and has struggled defensively has teams thinking of Pettiford more as a second-round pick at this point. So he is returning to Auburn.
Labaron Philon, Alabama
Philon is another perfect example of a quality freshman who was a bubble first/early second-round pick who likely would have come out a few years ago, but thanks to NIL, will choose to stay in Tuscaloosa another year. He averaged 10.6 points a game last year and showed real creativity in getting to the rim and finishing in the paint, showed he could work on or off the ball, and had an excellent feel for the game. Big win for Alabama to get him back.
Fland averaged 13.5 points and 5.1 assists a game for Arkansas last season, but projected as a second-round pick he has decided to return to college. Just not to Arkansas. He has committed to Florida, teaming up with Condon to chase back-to-back titles.
Karter Knox, Arkansas
The brother of another Jon Calipari player, Kevin Knox II (at Kentucky), he averaged 8.3 points a game last season but is expected to have a larger role this season. That likely helps his draft stock in the future.
PJ Haggerty, Kansas State
It’s not a huge surprise that he's returning to college, and what will be his fourth team in four years. Last season in Memphis, the guard averaged 21.7 points and 5.6 rebounds a game, but questions about his turnovers and ability to finish at the rim have NBA teams hesitant.
Otega Oweh, Kentucky
The 6’5” guard who averaged 16.2 points a game last season shooting 35.5% from 3 has chosen to return to the Wildcats for what will be his senior season. His quote about that to ESPN sums up the situation for a lot of players: “I got great feedback from NBA teams, but the consensus was to come back to school and have a great year.”
Mackenzie Mgbako, Texas A&M
New A&M coach Bucky McMillan thought he was going to lose his first splashy new transfer after Mgbako had a stellar workout at the NBA Draft Combine, but instead he is returning to college for his junior year. He played for Indiana last season and averaged 12.2 points a game.
Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Yankees continue their West Coast road trip by taking on the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-game series starting on Friday...
Preview
World Series rematch
A lot of baseball fans had this series circled on their calendars. It’s a rematch of the 2024 World Series, which the Dodgers won in five games. Of course, it’s how they won that made the series a classic for Dodgers fans and a nightmare for the Yankees faithful.
While this isn’t the World Series, this weekend will be a good barometer of where both teams are at this point in the season. For the Yanks, it’s a very different team. It’ll be intriguing to see how this new-look Yankees team plays against a Dodgers team that has been a bit of a disappointment, considering their high spending this offseason.
The Yanks also have a chance to stick it to the Dodgers, who criticized New York's World Series team.
Can Aaron Judge leave error in the past?
Speaking of last year’s World Series, Judge had one to forget.
Although he was just 4-for-18, Game 5 saw him smash a home run that was going to cap off a great win. Unfortunately, Judge’s error in center field sparked the Dodgers’ comeback and helped cause the Yankees' elimination.
How will Judge play against the Dodgers? Could he leave that error in the past? The fans will surely get on the reigning AL MVP, and the best way to silence them is with his bat.
Can Yankees get to Yoshinobu Yamamoto?
The Yankees were in hot pursuit of Yamamoto during the 2023 offseason, but the right-hander chose the Dodgers. Now, in his second season, the 26-year-old has dominated the league, with a 1.97 ERA.
In his rookie campaign, he owned the Yankees. In his one regular season start, he allowed just two hits in seven scoreless innings. In his start against the Yanks in the World Series, he allowed only one run on one hit in 6.1 innings pitched.
The Yankees will see Yamamoto this weekend, and New York will want to get to him in this matchup. If for nothing else, to prove they can if they were to meet again in October.
May 13, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried (54) pitches to the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at T-Mobile Park. / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
Max Fried's biggest test yet
Fried continues to be near perfect with the Yankees. He’s 7-0 and has a minuscule 1.29 ERA entering Friday’s start, but the series opener against the Dodgers will be a test for Fried.
Fried has 10 career starts against the Dodgers and has a 3.18 ERA, which includes a 3.21 ERA at Dodger Stadium. Last season as a member of the Braves, Fried allowed seven runs in 13 innings against the Dodgers, so the reigning champs know the southpaw very well. The Yankees need their ace to pitch well to have a chance to win this series.
Ryan Yarbrough or Carlos Rodon?
For the series finale, the Yankees have yet to announce their starter.Yarbrough pitched on Monday while Rodon pitched Tuesday, which means either starter could start on Sunday.
Manager Aaron Boone has a decision to make, but both have been excellent of late. Yarbrough has allowed just five runs in his four starts (20 innings) since moving into the rotation from the bullpen. Rodon has dominated, allowing five runs over his last four starts (24 innings) and striking out 33 batters over that span.
The Yanks have a great chance to win with either one on the mound.
Predictions
Who will the MVP of the series be?
Aaron Judge
The Yankees captain usually steps up when the team needs him, and they'll need him this weekend.
Which Yankees pitcher will have the best start?
Max Fried
Until proven otherwise, Fried is the safest bet.
Which Dodgers player will be a thorn in the Yankees' side?
Freddie Freeman
The World Series MVP burned the Yanks last October and he can do so again. The 35-year-old is having an amazing season, batting .359 with a 1.044 OPS, nine home runs, and 36 RBI
The Florida Panthers are the first team to advance to the fourth round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, doing so by way of a 5-3, come-from-behind victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 of the third round on Wednesday evening.
Falling behind 2-0 through the first 20 minutes, the Panthers fought back with two goals in half a a minute, knotting the game at twos in the middle stanza. Their well-balanced, gritty attack wore down the Hurricanes as the game progressed, helping Florida to its third-straight Stanley Cup Final appearance.
The Panthers will face either the Edmonton Oilers or Dallas Stars in the best-of-seven series set to get underway in mid-June. The Oilers, which hold a 3-1 series lead, are hoping to close out their third round matchup on Thursday night in Dallas.
Should Edmonton take care of business against the Stars in any of the next three games, the last two clubs standing would face a rematch of the 2024 final, to which Florida beat Edmonton in seven games to win hockey's greatest prize.
Leading the charge on bench is head coach Paul Maurice and assistant Jamie Kompon, who served long stretches in Winnipeg with the Jets.
Having left Winnipeg abruptly in December of 2021, Maurice took the rest of the season off from coaching before agreeing to become the head honcho in Florida in June.
His time with the Panthers has been nothing short of spectacular. In his first season, Maurice guided the team to the Western Conference championship, ultimately losing the Stanley Cup to Vegas. He brought the team right back last season, beating Edmonton for his first taste out of the mug. And once again this year, Maurice is back in the fold, where he will look to repeat as the NHL's best following the final game of the year.
He's of course doing so beside longtime friend Kompon, as well as former Jets defenders Nate Schmidt and Dmitry Kulikov - the latter of which won the Cup last season.
Having spent nine years with the Jets, Maurice managed just one visit to the Western Conference Final (2018) before deciding to take his talents to South Beach in 2022. He currently ranks No. 2 all-time in games coached and career wins, while owning the NHL record for most losses recorded behind the bench.
Maurice has amassed a 998 career regulation and postseason wins, two shy of 1,000 - a number that just two individuals have ever hit (Scotty Bowman - 1,467 and Joel Quenneville, 1,090). The 58-year-old will look to hit the 1,000-win mark next week in the Stanley Cup Final.
On the latest episode of “The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis,” the two discussed the origin of the “four-ring” handshake that TNT’s Shaquille O’Neal and Green do on “Inside the NBA.”
“It was always to pick on Charles [Barkley]… it’s so fun picking on Charles,” Green said. “And Chuck’s such a good sport about everything and funny as hell.”
It all started around the time Green made his “Inside the NBA” debut during the 2021-22 NBA season and O’Neal went around asking the analysts how many rings they had.
O’Neal, who won four rings — three with the Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Miami Heat — asked Kenny Smith, who earned two of his own with the Houston Rockets and then Green.
Green noted that the bit began when he had three rings but then earned the fourth title a few months later when the Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics in six games, which led to the current handshake.
“That’s just kind of how it came about,” Green said. “Me and Shaq throwing up our fours… so that’s our thing, you know. Four rings, baby.”
Green’s co-host Davis came to Chuck’s defense, calling him a legend and saying the analysts needed to leave Barkley, who is famously ring-less, alone.
Green went on to give Barkley and the rest of the TNT squad their flowers.
“Chuck’s one of the best, though, man,” Green said. “I’ve been so fortunate to be around those guys, talk basketball with those guys. I’m extremely grateful.”
PHOENIX — The Pittsburgh Pirates are about to reach a crisis point when it comes to the future of the franchise.
Do they sign stellar starting pitcher Paul Skenes, the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year, for at least five seasons to cover his pre-arbitration and arbitration years, or do they trade him before he even gets to that point?
If they don’t trade or sign him, his price in each of his three arbitration years could prove to be very prohibitive for a franchise that has a $114.2 million payroll for tax purposes this season per Spotrac, which is 26th in Major League Baseball. That’s the second-lowest payroll in the National League to Miami’s $85.2 million.
Skenes, who is earning a second-year minimum salary of $875,000 this season, has not yet held contract talks with the Pirates, the right-hander said after earning the win in a 10-1 drubbing of the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday at Chase Field.
“That hasn’t happened,” Skenes, the No. 1 draft pick from 2023 out of LSU, said. “This is about the here and now. I’m not in any rush for a decision to be made like that. I don’t think they are, either.”
Skenes is this decade’s Gerrit Cole, as far as the Pirates are concerned. Cole was picked first overall by the Pirates in the 2011 draft and was ultimately traded to the Houston Astros in 2018 before he could reach free agency—something that still irks Cole. The right-handed pitcher went on to sign a nine-year, $324 million contract with the Yankees in 2019; he is out this season and into next after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. That deal was way too rich for Pittsburgh’s blood then, and it certainly would be even at half that amount now.
Skenes, turning 23 on Thursday, is constrained by the early restrictions the collective bargaining agreement places on young players. Even Detroit’s Tarik Skubal, who won the American League Cy Young Award last year, is a little more advanced, making $10.15 million this year after signing a one-year contract to avoid arbitration. He has one more year of arbitration before heading into free agency in 2027.
Skenes? “I’m tied up until 2030, I think,” the Pirates ace said.
And already the trade rumors are rolling. Does he pay any attention to all that?
“What trade rumors?” he said. “I don’t think any of that is for real.”
But unless the Pirates make a contractual overture, the rumors will persist.
One would think it would be in the Pirates’ best interest to do something long-term at what might now be a discount price. For example, the Diamondbacks signed outfielder and speedster Corbin Carroll in 2023 at age 22 for eight years, $111 million, wiping out his arbitration years and early free agency, which doesn’t begin by rule until a player has finished his sixth season. That gives the club more control and the player some much-needed security. MLB contracts are guaranteed if a player is hurt.
In Skenes’ case, he was the NL All-Star starter last year at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas and a player the Pirates would want to build around, you’d think.
“No doubt,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “A [player like] Paul Skenes doesn’t come around very often, maybe ever. There are few pitchers like that. When I was younger I got to play with [Justin] Verlander and [Max] Scherzer. You see the same thing in Paul. He’s definitely the kind of guy you want to build around.”
But that depends upon the Pirates and their thrifty ways. The club’s assistant general manager Bryan Stroh was on the road trip but declined to make himself available to answer questions about the subject.
In essence, the Pirates don’t get much of an attendance bump when Skenes is starting at PNC Park as opposed to the rest of their home schedule. They average 17,120 fans a game at PNC Park, 26th in MLB, and 18,937 in the five starts thus far this season that Skenes has made—and that includes the 37,713 who showed up on April 19 in a loss to Cleveland when the team gave away a Skenes bobblehead.
Demand was so high for the bobblehead that fans lined up early across the Roberto Clemente Bridge into downtown Pittsburgh. Initially, only the first 20,000 through the gates were to obtain the prized possession. But when owner Bob Nutting saw the commotion, he guaranteed a bobblehead to all fans in attendance handing out a voucher when fans scanned their tickets. It was such a great promotion that the Pirates are planning to give away a Paul Skenes Superman bobblehead for their game against the Texas Rangers at PNC Park on June 22.
Perhaps that’s to avoid these kind of attendance results: 8,291 to see Skenes pitch in an April 8 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals and 13,633 to see Skenes lose to the Chicago Cubs on May 1.
The largest crowd to see Skenes pitch this season was 53,055 at Dodger Stadium on April 25. The right-hander excelled that night by pitching into the seventh inning in a win, holding the Dodgers to no runs, five hits while striking out nine on 108 pitches.
Similarly, on Wednesday he allowed no runs on four hits while whiffing seven on 96 pitches before Kelly plucked him with two out in the seventh in front of another strong road crowd of 25,202.
If he’s more popular on the road and less of a payday at home, the Pirate might as well trade him than extend. But that all remains to be seen.
“It’s all probably a long way away,” Skenes said. “We have a good core and good opportunity to do so something significant in Pittsburgh.”
