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Jimmy Butler leaves game after hard fall, Warriors offense struggles in loss to Rockets

NBA: Playoffs-Golden State Warriors at Houston Rockets

Apr 23, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) suffers an apparent injury during the first quarter during game two of the first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Jalen Green stepped up — eight 3-pointers on his way to 38 points. He was not alone, Houston's Alperen Sengun had 17 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists. Dillon Brooks and Tari Eason made plays. Houston can rightfully say this was a team win.

However, Game 2 between the Warriors and Rockets turned in the first quarter when Amen Thompson took out the legs of an airborne Jimmy Butler and sent him to the ground with a nasty fall.

Butler left after taking his free throws but did not return due to a pelvic contusion. He will have an MRI on Thursday and his status for Game 3 is unknown, Golden State coach Steve Kerr said.

"Hopefully Jimmy will be able to play, but if not we have to go through our options and put together a plan," Kerr said.

Houston came out with the desperation of a team that had lost at home. Without Butler much of the night, Stephen Curry faced the full force of a physical, aggressive Rockets defense and could not recreate the magic of Game 1. Curry scored 20 points on 6-of-15 shooting (4-of-9) from 3. He also didn't get enough help, with starters Draymond Green, Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody together just equaling Curry's 20 points.

The result was a 109-94 Houston win that evened the series 1-1.

Houston might well have won the game even if Butler had not been injured, considering how well Jalen Green played — he was the best player on the floor.

" From the beginning, my whole mindset from today was to go in and be aggressive and get back to being myself," Green said, via the Associated Press.

There are questions about strategy for the rest of this series, as well as questions about the Warriors' depth and the Rockets' youth.

But all of that pales in comparison to the question about Jimmy Butler's status going forward. The Warriors are not the same without him.

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Artyom Levshunov Lifts IceHogs Over Wolves In Game One

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The Rockford IceHogs have a plethora of players who are in the plans of the Chicago Blackhawks. Whether they make it to the NHL on a full-time basis one day remains to be seen for a few of them. 

The AHL's Calder Cup Playoffs are their chance to shine when the stakes are high. Not all of their great young players cracked the lineup for their first game of the postseason, but most should get their chance if the team goes on a run. 

Game One took place at Allstate Arena on Wednesday night against their biggest rival, the Chicago Wolves. It was a physical affair that had good pace to it throughout. 

The first period was scoreless, but there were plenty of disagreements and animosity. That led to a high-octane second period that had a touch more offense. 

First, the Wolves took a 1-0 lead thanks to a power-play goal scored by Juha Jaaska. He redirected a shot on the power play taken by Ty Smith. 

Before the period was over, the Hogs tied the game as Kevin Korchinski threw one off the back boards that went into the net off the paraphernalia of Wolves goaltender Spencer Martin. 

Despite a ferocious effort by the Wolves to win the game in the final minute of regulation, the IceHogs hung on and made sure that the game reached sudden-death overtime. 

In the extra frame, while on a power play that they earned, Artyom Levshunov scored the game-winning goal. The second overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft played the role of hero in his first AHL playoff game. 

With GM Kyle Davidson in the building, Levshunov got the job done. Davidson must be content with his decision to select him at this stage. After the game, there was some high praise for Levshunov's game. 

"I liked his intensity level," interim head coach Mark Eaton said about Levshunov following the win. "All the things that made him successful at the NHL level, our expectations [are] that he brings that down here, [and] relishes this playoff opportunity that he's getting. I think he was able to do that." 

When Levshunov made his NHL debut and finished the rest of the season, there were a few rookie mistakes here and there, but he always looked like he belonged. Now that he's down in the AHL for the Calder Cup Playoffs, he has a chance to excel. 

"He's been great," IceHogs captain Brett Seney said of Levshunov. "Since coming down from Chicago, you can tell he's got the confidence. A couple of plays up top, he danced a couple of their forwards; he's just playing confident. He knows he's got the talent to do it at this level. I think there's probably a couple of plays earlier in the game when they blocked some shots he wanted to get through, but you give a player like that enough opportunities, eventually it's going to go in for him."

Seney has been around pro hockey for a long time and that includes playing with some good players. He thinks the world of Levshunov and the kind of talent that he brings to the table. 

Levshunov's overtime winner is the highlight, but it isn't the only impressive part of his evening. He cleared a puck from the blue paint defensively, was a physical presence in tense moments, and never wavered from the big moment. He seems to be a high-character player, which is an asset when you have that much skill. 

The IceHogs now have a 1-0 lead in the series as it shifts back to Rockford for Game 2 on Friday night. If they win, they will move on to face the Milwaukee Admirals in round two. If they lose, a decisive game three will take place on Sunday.  

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Mason Miller overpowering the competition, injury concerns for Emmanuel Clase

In this week's Closer Report, Mason Miller is mowing batters down in his dominant start to the season. The gamble on Jeff Hoffman is working out for the Blue Jays. Injury news raises the level of concern around Emmanuel Clase. That and more as we break down the last week in saves.

Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings

Tier 1: At the Top

Mason Miller - Athletics
Josh Hader - Houston Astros
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners

Miller worked a perfect ninth inning against the Brewers on Saturday for a save, then struck out the side Wednesday against the Rangers for his seventh save. The 26-year-old right-hander has not allowed a run over eight innings and holds a ridiculous 17/1 K/BB ratio. There's no one in baseball pitching better.

Hader is a close second. He secured back-to-back saves against the Padres, then stranded two base runners against the Blue Jays on Wednesday for his eighth save. The 31-year-old left-hander has allowed one run with a 17/3 K/BB ratio across 13 innings of work.

Muñoz took the mound with a three-run lead in the ninth against the Red Sox on Wednesday and pitched a clean inning with one strikeout for his eighth save. The 26-year-old right-hander has posted a 15/5 K/BB ratio across 12 scoreless innings.

Tier 2: The Elite

Robert Suarez - San Diego Padres
Jeff Hoffman - Toronto Blue Jays
Edwin Díaz - New York Mets
Devin Williams - New York Yankees
Ryan Helsley - St. Louis Cardinals

Suarez keeps rolling in his dominant start to the season. He locked up two more saves for a league-leading ten on the year. The 34-year-old right-hander's 34.2% strikeout rate over 11 games is his best stretch since 2023.

Hoffman displayed top closer skills over the last two seasons and is pitching even better in the role with Toronto. The 32-year-old right-hander picked up his fifth save Friday against the Mariners and owns an 18/1 K/BB ratio across 12 1/3 innings with two runs allowed.

Díaz looked to be getting on track, rattling off three saves this week and striking out two batters in each of his last five outings. He had an injury scare on Wednesday as he was removed from the game with what the team called a left hip cramp. The issue was downplayed later in the day, but it's going to be something to monitor.

Williams had been pitching better of late with four straight scoreless appearances, including three saves. He then gave up four runs to blow the lead in a non-save situation against the Rays on Saturday. It was the second such outing for the 30-year-old right-hander. Williams just seems to be off as he hasn't gotten the swing-and-miss he's accustomed to. Still, we'll trust the track record here and hope he overcomes this slow start.

Helsley didn't see any save chances this week. He worked around a pair of walks in a scoreless inning of work against the Braves on Tuesday. The walks need to be corrected as he's issued eight free passes over his last four outings.

Tier 3: The Solid Options

Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers
Jose Alvarado - Philadelphia Phillies
Ryan Walker - San Francisco Giants
Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves
Jhoan Duran - Minnesota Twins
Emmanuel Clase - Cleveland Guardians
Félix Bautista - Baltimore Orioles

Scott was on a roll going into Tuesday with eight consecutive scoreless outings before giving up a solo homer to blow the save against the Cubs. He's been otherwise excellent, posting a 2.77 ERA with an 11/0 K/BB ratio while converting eight saves over 13 innings.

Alvarado is a big riser this week as the Phillies don't seem to have any other choice than to save him for the ninth inning most days. The 29-year-old left-hander is far and away their best option to close out games as the team's top right-handed options Orion Kerkering and Jordan Romano struggle. Alvarado picked up two saves this week and is up to five on the season with a 2.13 ERA and a 17/2 K/BB ratio across 10 2/3 innings.

Walker worked around a hit to record his fifth save Saturday, then took the loss with four runs allowed against the Angels on Sunday. With Walker getting the day off, Camilo Doval stepped in to convert Monday's save chance against the Brewers. The 29-year-old right-hander nearly imploded again Wednesday, giving up two runs with a four-run lead before Doval relieved him to close it out for another save. Walker has been much more hittable this season while failing to generate enough whiffs to sustain success late in games. It could cost him the closer role sooner or later.

Iglesias recorded two saves with a pair of clean outings before giving up three runs in a non-save situation against the Cardinals on Monday. Home runs have been a problem for the 35-year-old right-hander as he's given up four in nine innings.

It was shaky for Duran, but he converted his second save on Tuesday against the White Sox despite giving up a run on two walks and a hit. The walk rate is currently bloated, but the skills otherwise match last season so far for the 27-year-old right-hander. Meanwhile, top setup man Griffin Jax has struggled, giving up ten runs in ten innings.

It's tough to know where to place Clase, but it's time for concern given his recent health news. The 27-year-old right-hander surrendered three runs and blew the save Sunday against the Pirates. Manager Stephen Vogt stated Wednesday that Clase was dealing with some right shoulder discomfort following his most recent outing. Cade Smith stepped in to convert two saves against the Yankees and could be next in line should Clase require some time off.

Bautista had one of his best outings of the season, striking out one batter in a perfect inning against the Reds on Saturday to record his second save of the season. The Orioles haven't seen many save chances so far, but it's nice to see Bautista improving with each outing as the whiffs have been up in his last two appearances.

Tier 4: Here for the Saves

Kenley Jansen - Los Angeles Angels
Pete Fairbanks - Tampa Bay Rays
Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers
Justin Martinez - Arizona Diamondbacks
Aroldis Chapman/Justin Slaten - Boston Red Sox
Luke Jackson - Texas Rangers
Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals
Carlos Estévez - Kansas City Royals
Emilio Pagan - Cincinnati Reds
Ryan Pressly - Chicago Cubs

So far so good for Jansen. The 37-year-old right-hander locked down his fifth save of the season with a clean frame against the Giants on Friday. He's yet to allow a run over seven innings.

No save chances for the Rays this week. Fairbanks gave up two runs in a non-save situation against the Yankees on Saturday. Edwin Uceta fell in line for the win in that game, striking out three batters. Fairbanks then recorded two outs in extra innings against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday to earn a win.

In Milwaukee, Megill recorded a two-out save on five pitches Friday against the Athletics. He's made two scoreless appearances since getting evaluated for a knee issue but has not recorded a strikeout in his last three outings.

The Diamondbacks bullpen is a bit in flux as A.J. Puk was placed on the 15-day injured list with left elbow inflammation. Meanwhile, Martinez was held out for a couple of days with right shoulder fatigue. Shelby Miller tossed two scoreless innings against the Cubs on Sunday while Drey Jameson recorded the save in extra innings. Martinez did pitch in a tie game against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday, tossing a clean frame with one strikeout in the ninth.

Alex Cora played the matchup game in Boston this week, with Chapman getting the eighth inning against the White Sox on Monday before Slaten entered for the save in the ninth. While Chapman projects to lead the team in saves, Slaten could be rostered in deeper leagues for the occasional save chance.

Jackson worked the ninth inning to convert his seventh save Tuesday against the Athletics. While he's gotten the job done, Jackson has struck out just one batter over his last five appearances.

Finnegan converted back-to-back saves in Colorado against the Rockies, then picked up his ninth against the Orioles on Wednesday. The 33-year-old right-hander holds a 1.69 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and a 13/6 K/BB ratio across 10 2/3 innings.

The wheels fell off for Estévez against the Rockies on Tuesday. He was charged with a blown save after giving up three runs on three walks and one hit. The 32-year-old right-hander has been otherwise solid and should continue to operate as the primary closer in Kansas City.

Pagán gave up two runs to blow the save chance last Thursday against the Mariners, then bounced back with a clean frame against the Marlins on Wednesday for his fifth save. The 33-year-old right-hander should continue to run with the closer role in Cincinnati as long as he's effective.

No save chances for Pressly this week, but he did fall in line for a win Friday with a scoreless inning against the Diamondbacks. The 36-year-old right-hander has still only stuck out five batters over 11 innings but has made eight consecutive appearances without giving up an earned run. With a one-run lead against the Dodgers on Wednesday, it was Porter Hodge who was summoned to close it out for his first save despite Pressly not pitching the previous two days. After the game, manager Craig Cousell stated Pressly was dealing with a knee issue and hopes for him to be available Friday.

Tier 5: Bottom of the Barrel

Dennis Santana - Pittsburgh Pirates
Tommy Kahnle - Detroit Tigers
Jesus Tinoco/Calvin Faucher - Miami Marlins
Seth Halvorsen - Colorado Rockies
Jordan Leasure - Chicago White Sox

Santana is still operating as the Pirates closer despite the return of David Bednar. The 29-year-old right-hander picked up a save last Thursday against the Nationals, then locked down his third Wednesday against the Angels. Bednar has made three scoreless appearances since returning from his stint in Triple-A and could eventually work his way back into the closer role.

Kahnle converted back-to-back saves against the Royals, then blew a save chance on Sunday pitching for the third time in four days. Meanwhile, Will Vest got into the mix with two saves. He's pitched well and should see occasional opportunities. Vest did pitch the ninth inning with a four-run lead on Wednesday while Kahle stranded two runners in the eighth in a high-leverage spot.

More mess in Miami. Tinoco got the nod this week, converting back-to-back saves. After pitching in three of four days, Tinoco had the day off Tuesday and it was Faucher who got the save against the Reds. A 2/3 K/BB ratio over 5 2/3 innings is hard to buy into with Tinoco if chasing saves in this situation.

Halvorsen blew the save chance Tuesday against the Royals, giving up a run on two hits. If the Rockies closer can't get it done outside Coors, there's no point looking for saves here. Meanwhile, another week, another zero in the saves column for the White Sox.

Relievers On The Rise/Stash Candidates

Fernando Cruz posted impressive strikeout numbers over the last two seasons in Cincinnati that made him a trade target for the Yankees in the offseason. The 35-year-old right-hander is pitching well in New York, posting a 2.08 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and a 21/6 K/BB ratio across 13 innings. He's already collected two saves and three holds as he establishes himself as a high-leverage option behind Devin Williams and Luke Weaver. Garrett Whitlock is in a similar position in Boston. The 28-year-old right-hander has been a versatile arm out of the bullpen, collecting three holds and a win while posting a 1.84 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and a 19/5 K/BB ratio across 14 2/3 innings. Long relievers could be valuable in deeper roto formats. Giants long-man Hayden Birdsong has been excellent out of the bullpen. He struck out four batters over three scoreless innings to pick up a win against the Brewers on Monday. The 23-year-old right-hander was a rotation hopeful this spring, but the team is intent on keeping him in the bullpen.

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Panthers look to be better in Game 2, leave Tampa with commanding series lead

Apr 22, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) celebrates after he scored a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period in game one of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. (Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images)

The Florida Panthers will look to build on their series-opening victory when they hit the ice on Thursday night in Tampa.

Florida skated to an impressive 6-2 win in Game 1 against the host Tampa Bay Lightning and can return to Sunrise with a commanding 2-0 series lead if they can pull off a repeat performance in Game 2 at Amalie Arena.

Despite finishing the regular season with the third-most shots per game in the NHL at 31.6, Florida mustered only 17 shots on a paltry 35 attempts during Tuesday’s win.

Fortunately, the Cats were incredibly accurate and timely with their shots, beating world class goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy six times, including a stretch during the second period in which Florida scored on three consecutive shots.

The Panthers received a massive boost during Game 1 with the return of Matthew Tkachuk.

After suffering an apparent groin injury at the 4 Nations Face-Off, Tkachuk had gone over two months since playing in a hockey game and was chomping at the bit to get back out there.

Skating on the Sam Bennett line and receiving his usual reps on the top power play, Tkachuk provided an instant spark both physically and offensively.

He finished the game with two goals and an assist while only playing 11:43 of ice time.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Game 2 in Tampa:

Carter Verhaeghe – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart

Mackie Samoskevich – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand

Evan Rodrigues – Nico Sturm – Jesper Boqvist

Gus Forsling – Seth Jones

Niko Mikkola – Dmitry Kulikov

Uvis Balinskis – Nate Schmidt

Scratches: A.J. Greer, Jonah Gadjovich, Tomas Nosek, Jaycob Megna

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Adrian Kempe scores twice as Kings take 2-0 series lead over Edmonton

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 23, 2025: Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke (92) reacts after scoring in the first quarter during game two in the first round of the NHL Playoffs between the Los Angeles Kings and the Edmonton Oilers on April 23, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke reacts after scoring in the first period of Game 2. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

The Kings and Edmonton Oilers are old postseason foes, with this first-round matchup marking their 11th meeting in the Stanley Cup playoffs. But with Wednesday’s 6-2 win in Game 2 of the best-of-seven series, the Kings have done something they’d never accomplished.

They’ve taken a 2-0 lead.

The Kings, who have yet to trail in the series, got two goals from Adrian Kempe and scores from Brandt Clarke, Quinton Byfield, Andrei Kuzmenko and Anze Kopitar, with Clarke, Kuzmenko and Kopitar all scoring on the power play.

Leon Draisaitl and former King Viktor Arvidsson got the goals for Edmonton, which has been outscored 12-7 in the two games.

The win was the Kings’ NHL-best 33rd at home, but now they’ll go on the road, where they had a losing record this season. Edmonton will play host to Game 3 on Friday and Game 4 on Sunday. Game 5, if necessary, will be at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday.

After winning a Game 1 shootout in which the teams combined for 11 goals — seven in the final 20 minutes 6 seconds — the Kings went in front to stay in Game 2 on Clarke’s first career playoff goal 8:44 into the first period. And they got help from an unexpected source.

Winger Evander Kane, who was making his season debut for the Oilers, was on the ice just 95 seconds before drawing a cross-checking penalty, giving the Kings the man advantage. And Clarke made the Oilers pay, deflecting in a pass from former Oiler Warren Foegele for the power-play goal.

Anze Kopitar scores past Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner in the third period of Game 2.
Anze Kopitar scores past Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner in the third period of Game 2. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Byfield then doubled the margin shortly after the first intermission before Kuzmenko made it 3-0 with another power-play goal midway through the second period.

The Kings have scored five times with the man advantage in the two games while holding Edmonton’s power play scoreless in five tries. In last year’s playoff loss to the Oilers, the Kings were 0 for 12 on the power play and killed just 11 of 20 Edmonton power plays.

Draisaitl got Edmonton on the board, scoring on a deflection at 13:54 of the second. It was the second goal of the series for Draisaitl, who led the league with 52 in an injury-shortened season.

Draisaitl’s second-period goal in Game 1 helped the Oilers rally from a 4-0 deficit, only to lose 6-5. His Game 2 goal started another rally, and Arvidsson’s tip-in four minutes into the third period made it a one-goal game.

Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper stops the puck in the third period of Game 2.
Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper stops the puck in the third period of Game 2. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

But the comeback stalled there with Kempe and Kopitar answering with goals less than three minutes apart to restore order. After Kopitar’s power-play goal the Oilers pulled goaltender Stuart Skinner and replaced him with Calvin Pickard, who gave up a goal to Kempe on the first shot he faced.

Kempe had two assists to go with his two goals while Kopitar had three assists.

The Kings and Oilers, who are meeting in the first round for a fourth straight season, split the opening two games each of the last three years before Edmonton went on to win the series. The last time a team won the first two games was in 1990, when Edmonton won four straight.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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‘Rob just put it down to bad luck’: Lindsey Burrow on her husband, MND and running her own marathons

Wife of rugby league legend who spent the last five years of his life raising awareness of MND and fundraising for a cure says the game will always be a part of her family’s life

This weekend Lindsey Burrow will run the London Marathon. Two weeks later, she will run the Leeds Marathon. And she’s not even what she’d call a good runner. “I think coming from Yorkshire and having that Yorkshire grit,” she says, with a smile, “I’m just quite stubborn.”

Burrow has always found getting out for a run good for her mental state and in the nine months since she lost her husband, it has become vital. “It’s just given me that headspace to go out and focus on something positive,” she says, speaking on Zoom from her Pontefract home. “And the marathons have given me a goal.”

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Yankees vs. Blue Jays: 5 things to watch and series predictions | April 25-27

Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Yankees host the Toronto Blue Jays in a three-game series starting on Friday.

Preview

Can Aaron Judge keep this torrid pace?

Judge is having one of the best starts of his career. Entering play Wednesday, Judge was a career .291 hitter in March/April. This season? He's hitting .415 after picking up two more hits in the Yankees' win against the Guardians on Wednesday.

He'll enter the weekend series with a 21-game on-base streak, tied for the fifth-longest streak of his career. It's the third-longest active streak in the majors and has reached base in 24 of 25 games this season. He also leads the big leagues in batting average, OBP, SLUG, OPS and hits.

I can go on, but Judge is on pace to exceed what he did last season when he won the AL MVP. But can he keep that hot hitting going while at home? It's very likely the captain will be able to, and we should just sit back and enjoy what we're seeing right now.

Can Anthony Volpe break out of slump?

As hot as Judge is, Volpe is the complete opposite.

After going hitless on Wednesday, the young shortstop is hitting below the Mendoza line (.198) and has struck out seven times over his last five games. In just this Cleveland series alone, Volpe went 1-for-11 with a run, two walks while striking out five times, including four in Wednesday's series finale. It's a disturbing slump for Volpe, who has lost his ability to get on base, let alone get hits, and power -- his last homer coming back on April 2.

Perhaps manager Aaron Boone will give Volpe a day off. But even if he does, the shortstop and the team have to figure something out.

Can Devin Williams bounce back...again?

Feels like every week, Williams needs to "bounce back" or get it together after a bad outing. Last time out, Williams allowed three runs in his one inning of work against the Rays back on April 19. That outing was one reason why the Yankees failed to sweep the Rays in that four-game set, but the right-hander hasn't pitched since then.

The Yankees lost both Monday and Tuesday, and were up big when Luke Weaver came in to finish off Wednesday's win. After Thursday's off day, the earliest Williams would come in would be Friday on four days rest. The Yankees need Williams to get right, but if he can't do it at home this weekend, the noise to give Weaver the closer's job will be deafening at Yankee Stadium.

Apr 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt (36) reacts while Cleveland Guardians designated hitter Kyle Manzardo (9) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the third inning at Progressive Field
Apr 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt (36) reacts while Cleveland Guardians designated hitter Kyle Manzardo (9) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the third inning at Progressive Field / David Dermer-Imagn Images

Will Clarke Schmidt find it again?

Schmidt was supposed to be the arm that solidified the rotation that has lost so many to begin the season. However, the young right-hander has been anything but since being activated off the IL last week.

After allowing three runs in 5.2 innings in his first start, Schmidt pitched a dud on Monday against the Guardians. He allowed five earned runs on seven hits, three walks in just four innings. Schmidt is scheduled to pitch Sunday and the Yankees will need him to show that he can put that bad start behind him.

The Yankees do have Max Fried pitching this weekend, so the pressure is off a little bit but the team can't win all of the southpaw's starts this season. Carlos Carrasco, the other probable this weekend, is still unreliable, so, for now, Schmidt needs to pitch like the No. 3 guy behind Fried and Carlos Rodon.

AL East battle

This series is the first against the Blue Jays this season and the second the Yankees will face a team from their division. After taking three of four from Tampa, the Yankees are in a good spot at the top of the AL East. Entering the series, the Yankees are three games ahead of the Blue Jays, so taking care of business will go a long way toward putting distance between them and holding off the Red Sox -- who are 1.5 games behind the Yankees entering Thursday.

The Blue Jays are in the midst of a five-game losing streak, but were 7-3 in the 10 games prior to this tumble so it's a team not to be overlooked, especially with the trio of Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt on the mound.

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Paul Goldschmidt

With Aaron Judge on a tear, there will be plenty of moments that Toronto avoids the slugger and Goldschmidt -- who has been hitting cleanup of late -- will need to do damage.

Which Yankees pitcher will have the best start?

Max Fried

When your other options are Carrasco and Schmidt, it's safe to pick Fried but I see Schmidt bouncing back in his start at home.

Which Blue Jays player will be a thorn in the Yankees' side?

George Springer

Springer has had a solid start to the season, but his numbers at Yankee Stadium are pretty impressive. He's slashed .274/.345/.476 with a .821 OPS to go along with his six home runs in 31 career games (28 starts).

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Prep sports roundup: Hunter Manning strikes out 12 in West Ranch win

Hunter Manning lives so close to the West Ranch High baseball field that he can hear sounds of balls being hit in the batting cage at night.

He decided to attend Sherman Oaks Notre Dame as a freshman, requiring 6:30 a.m. wake-up calls and enduring traffic jams on the 5 Freeway. Now he sleeps until 7:45 a.m. without being late to walk to school and is playing with lifelong friends.

He's headed to UC Irvine in the fall to pitch and only wishes he could take catcher Nolan Stoll with him. Manning struck out 12 on Wednesday with Stoll calling the pitches in West Ranch's 3-1 win over Hart in a battle for first place in the Foothill League. West Ranch is 16-8 and 8-1.

It was by accident that Stoll started calling pitches for Manning earlier this season when the PitchCom communication device malfunctioned. It worked out so well that Stoll was allowed to continue to call the pitches for the rest of this season for Manning even though he still wears a wire and receives instructions from the dugout to move fielders. With Stoll in charge, Manning struck out a school-record 16 batters against Valencia and then came Wednesday's effort.

"He called an awesome game," Manning said.

Stoll is a Stanford commit with a grade-point average out of this world. Manning's 3.8 GPA probably wouldn't get him to Stanford, so he'll need to figure a plan to take Stoll with him to Irvine.

"Sadly, I can't," he said.

Omar Gutierrez had a two-run first-inning single for West Ranch. Hart (11-9, 6-2) got two hits and an unearned run off Manning in the first inning, then saw him strike out eight consecutive batters.

The two teams meet again Friday at Hart.

St. John Bosco 2, Mater Dei 1: The Braves got a walk-off bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the eighth inning. Gavin Cervantes threw all eight innings for the Braves.

Santa Margarita 5, JSerra 1: A three-run triple by Warren Gravely IV in the top of the ninth inning keyed the Eagles' Trinity League win. Ben Finnegan finished with a double and triple.

Newport Harbor 5, Huntington Beach 2: Lucas Perez, Adam Martin and Keoni Wun each had two hits to knock off No. 1 Huntington Beach.

El Dorado 4, Cypress 0: Logan Steenburgen threw the shutout, striking out two and walking none. Diego Gonzalez hit a two-run home run.

Foothill 4, El Modena 1: Sean Green hit a three-run walk-off home run in the 10th inning.

Edison 3, Corona del Mar 1: Gavin Johnson hit a three-run home run in the sixth inning for Edison.

Etiwanda 1, Rancho Cucamonga 0: Luke Mendoza hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning for the game's only run. Michael Aleman threw eight innings with nine strikeouts for Etiwanda.

Chino Hills 1, Damien 0: Brody Buoncristiani and Matt McCliman combined on a two-hit shutout.

Los Osos 10, Upland 4: Roberto Topete finished with four hits to lead Los Osos.

Summit 5, Grand Terrace 3: Dylan Harrison and Ian Stewart each had two RBIs for Summit (20-3), which has won 17 straight games.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 4, La Salle 0: J. Beckett Berg threw a complete game, striking out eight with no walks.

Crespi 8, Saugus 2: Jackson Eisenhauer threw four scoreless innings with five strikeouts, making it 47 innings without giving up an earned run this season for Crespi (17-1). Josh Stonehouse had three hits.

Sierra Canyon 11, Kennedy 1: Freshman Kingston Monette struck out 11 in six innings. Dezi Delgado had four RBIs.

Mira Costa 5, West Torrance 1: Ace Tarango had three hits and Aiden Pinn threw four innings of scoreless relief. Mira Costa is 20-2 and 9-1 in the Bay League.

Vista Murrieta 3, Murrieta Valley 0: Jonas Jusay threw 6 2/3 innings, striking out four.

Cleveland 7, Granada Hills 3: Four Cleveland pitchers combined for a no-hitter. Joshua Pearlstein led the way with five hitless innings.

El Camino Real 10, Taft 2: Luke Howe, Troy Shaw and Adan Viner each contributed two RBIs for El Camino Real.

Birmingham 1, Chatsworth 0: The Patriots won on a walk-off from Cristian Martinez in the eighth inning. Allen Olmos threw the shutout.

Royal 9, Oak Park 0: Dustin Dunwoody threw the shutout. Brady Hewitt had three RBIs.

Warren 2, Gahr 1: Max Ruiz had the walk-off single in the seventh for Warren.

La Habra 5, Yorba Linda 0: Isaac Aguirre struck out eight, walked none and threw a four-hit shutout.

Long Beach Millikan 6, Long Beach Poly 3: Anthony Pack had two RBIs for the Rams, who are 8-1 in the Moore League.

Long Beach Wilson 7, Lakewood 0: The Bruins stayed unbeaten in the Moore League. Ben Howard threw a five-hitter.

Softball

Carson 11, Banning 3: Kiarah Chukwudi had a home run and three RBIs for Carson. Giselle Pantoja struck out six.

Granada Hills 20, Taft 4: Alana Miller had four RBIs and Zoe Justman had four hits for the Highlanders.

Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Mitchell scores 30 points, Cavaliers hold off Heat 121-112 to take 2-0 lead in NBA playoff series

CLEVELAND — Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter, and the Cleveland Cavaliers held on for a 121-112 victory over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night for a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

The top-seeded Cavaliers set an NBA playoff record with 11 3-pointers in the second quarter and had 22 for the game. However, Cleveland had to hold off a second-half charge by Miami.

Tyler Herro scored 33 points for Miami, which hosts Game 3 on Saturday afternoon.

The Cavaliers had a 19-point lead with under 3 minutes remaining in the third quarter before the Heat made their run to get within 105-103 lead with 3:11 left.

Mitchell, who also had six rebounds and six assists, then put the game on his shoulders. He scored Cleveland’s next eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers, during an 8-2 run to give them some breathing room.

Evan Mobley had 20 points and Darius Garland 19 for the Cavaliers.

Miami had a 16-7 lead before the Cavs rallied and went up 25-24 at the end of the first quarter.

Cleveland held a 33-30 lead before taking control with a 17-4 run that included five 3-pointers, with two apiece by Max Strus and Sam Merrill.

De’Andre Hunter’s dunk with 2:33 remaining in the third quarter gave the Cavaliers a 93-74 advantage before the Heat made their charge with 10 straight points. That started a 25-8 run that saw the Heat get within a basket. Davion Mitchell had 12 of his 18 points during the rally, with five points apiece by Herro and Nikola Jovic.

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Wheeling Nailers Snap Shutout Streak, But Now On Verge Of Elimination After Game 3 Loss

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The Wheeling Nailers not only came back home to WesBanco Arena trailing 2-0 in their first-round playoff series against the Norfolk Admirals, but they were starving for a goal after back-to-back shutouts.

On Wednesday, the Nailers snapped the Admirals' shutout streak, but one goal wasn't enough as Wheeling is now on the verge of being eliminated following a 5-1 loss. 

Your Guide To Ex-Penguins In The 2025 NHL PlayoffsYour Guide To Ex-Penguins In The 2025 NHL PlayoffsThe Pittsburgh Penguins may not be participating in the Stanley Cup playoffs this season.

Neither team scored in the first period before Denis Smirnov put Norfolk on the board at 8:49. Shortly after, Sean Montgomery extended the lead to 2-0 at 11:11. Finally, Nailers' Matt Koopman tallied his team's first of the series at 15:16 on a shorthanded breakaway. 

However, Ryan Chyzowski restored the Admirals' two-goal lead with a late tally at 17:37. Despite having an advantage on shots, 21-16, the Nailers gave up three second-period goals on only ten shots. 

Meanwhile, Norfolk secured their third win with two goals in the third period on just six shots. First, Colton Young scored at 7:00 before Bryce Brodzinski sealed the deal with a lamplighter at 18:57. 

Only Chyzowski (goal, two assists) and Crone (two assists) had multiple points on Wednesday, with 12 players finding their way on the scoresheet. Between the pipes, Thomas Milic earned his third win, giving up his first goal of the series to see his save percentage (SV%) drop to .989 through nine periods. He's stopped 98 out of 99 shots.

Unfortunately, Sergei Murashov has continued his struggles in the net for the Nailers, making 17 saves on 21 shots for a .809 save percentage. Overall, in the series, he has surrendered 11 goals and made only 66 saves on 77 shots, resulting in a save percentage of .857.

Wheeling will look to avoid elimination in Game 4, which takes place Friday night with puck drop scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET. 

NHL Coaching Carousel Continues To Bypass Penguins' SullivanNHL Coaching Carousel Continues To Bypass Penguins' SullivanThe last time the Pittsburgh Penguins skated in a playoff game was on May 15, 2022. Currently, only five head coaches, including Mike Sullivan, are still employed with the same team in 2025.
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Jaylen Brown scores 36 as Celtics beat Magic 109-100 without Jayson Tatum

BOSTON — Jaylen Brown had 36 points and 10 rebounds, Kristaps Porzingis returned to the game after getting a bloody gash to the forehead and finished with 20 points, and the Boston Celtics beat the Orlando Magic 109-100 in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series on Wednesday night.

Boston took a 2-0 series lead while playing without All-Star Jayson Tatum, who has a bone bruise in his right wrist and missed a playoff game for the first time in his career.

Boston led by 15 points in the second half, then held off a late push by Orlando. The Celtics hit 12 3-pointers and went 25 of 33 from the free-throw line. Derrick White and Brown had 17 of Boston’s 28 points in the final period; White finished with 17.

Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 32 points and nine rebounds. Franz Wagner scored 25 points.

Game 3 is Friday night at Orlando.

Tatum had not missed a playoff game in his eight seasons with Boston. He injured his wrist in Game 1 after landing awkwardly following a flagrant foul by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

Clad in street clothes, he joined his team prior to tipoff and sat at the end of the bench.

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Comeback Complete: Avalanche's Gabriel Landeskog Hits Rantanen In First NHL Shift Since 2022

Gabriel Landeskog (Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images)

Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog took his first shift in the NHL since winning the 2022 Stanley Cup final.

He predicted before Game 3 of the Avalanche's first-round series against the Dallas Stars that his first shift would be short. It lasted 33 seconds.

During that time, the crowd not only chanted his name but cheered when he touched the puck and popped when he hit his former teammate, Mikko Rantanen, to the ice.

The many Avalanche fans who waved their rally towels during warmups chanted "Landy, Landy, Landy" while the 32-year-old prepared for his first game since June 26, 2022, 1,032 days ago.

His two children held up a sign saying, "So proud of you Daddy!" before the game. Landeskog gifted them both a puck.  

The "Landy" chants returned when Landeskog hit the ice before the American national anthem. When the P.A. announcer revealed Landeskog was in the starting lineup, the crowd roared and chanted his name again.

That shows just part of the significance of the Avalanche's captain returning to the NHL.

He had a right knee injury that involved multiple surgeries, including a cartilage transplant surgery in May 2023. He had multiple setbacks in his recovery.

"I found myself thinking about this moment a lot over the last three years, and now that it's here, it's reversed," Landeskog told Altitude Sports' Kyle Keefe before the game. "I'm thinking a lot about kind of the hard work that's gone into it. Some of the ups, a lot of the downs, the sacrifices and support I've had along the way. Thankful for everybody and all their support."

Landekog's previous game action was on April 11 and 12 with the AHL's Colorado Eagles during a conditioning loan.

"He had every right to pull the plug at any time he wanted to but wanted to see it through," Avalanche teammate Erik Johnson told NHL.com.

Added defenseman Cale Makar: "It's going to be really exciting to have him back in the room, and have the Captain back doing his thing."

Landeskog spoke about how he felt leading up to game time.

"I feel surprisingly calm and in control right now," he said. "I know the butterflies and the nerves will come, I'm sure. But, excited."

His second shift lasted 18 seconds, but his third shift lasted 1:06. The Avalanche will now try to win their second game of the series in front of the Avs and Landeskog faithful.

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On This Day In Penguins Playoff History: April 23

Bryan Rust - Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Penguins just wrapped up their 57th season, missing the Stanley Cup playoffs for the third consecutive season. Despite their lack of recent successes, the franchise has played in the playoffs 37 times and won five championships.

Our newest series will take a look back at how the Penguins performed on specific days leading up to the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. 

Your Guide To Ex-Penguins In The 2025 NHL PlayoffsYour Guide To Ex-Penguins In The 2025 NHL PlayoffsThe Pittsburgh Penguins may not be participating in the Stanley Cup playoffs this season.

Today, April 23, Pittsburgh has compiled a 6-6 record in 12 games on this date.

  • 1970: Win vs. St. Louis Blues (3-2)
  • 1989: Loss vs. Philadelphia Flyers (4-1)
  • 1991: Win vs. Washington Capitals (3-1)
  • 1992: Win vs. Washington Capitals (6-4)
  • 1994: Loss vs. Washington Capitals (4-1)
  • 1997: Win vs. Philadelphia Flyers (4-1)
  • 1998: Loss vs. Montreal Canadiens (3-2 OT)
  • 2001: Win vs. Washington Capitals (4-3)
  • 2009: Loss vs. Philadelphia Flyers (3-0)
  • 2014: Loss vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (4-3 OT)
  • 2016: Win vs. New York Rangers (6-3)

Notable Penguins Performances On This Day

April 23, 1991 - Hall of Famer Mark Recchi factored in all three Pittsburgh goals, scoring a game-tying goal in the first, and set up both goals in the third period for a 3-1 win.

April 23, 1992 - Franchise icon Mario Lemieux had six points, thanks to three goals and three assists in a 6-4 win over the Capitals. 

April 23, 1997 - Ian Moran collected his only career multi-point playoff game with a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win over the Flyers. 

April 23, 2016 - Bryan Rust recorded his first two-goal playoff game, adding an assist for three points in a 6-3 win over the Rangers. That night was only his fourth career playoff game. 

How Special Was Penguins' Rust's First 30-Goal Season?How Special Was Penguins' Rust's First 30-Goal Season?On Thursday night at PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust finished his first 30-goal season of his career. By netting his 30th and 31st goals, he becomes the 39th player in franchise history to reach 30 goals in a single season while wearing a Penguins sweater. 
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Shohei Ohtani's struggles continue as Dodgers are swept by Cubs

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) returns to the dugout after striking out during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Shohei Ohtani returns to the dugout after striking out in the ninth inning Wednesday. (Erin Hooley / Associated Press)

The stage was set for an intentional walk.

The Dodgers had the potential go-ahead runs in scoring position. First base was open with two out in the sixth. And, in his fourth at-bat of the night against Chicago Cubs starter Matthew Boyd, none other than Shohei Ohtani was at the plate.

For much of his Dodgers tenure over the last two seasons, such a situation would usually trigger an automatic “four” signal from the opposing dugout.

For much of his Dodgers tenure, after all, Ohtani has been one of the best hitters on the planet.

Lately, however, the reigning National League MVP has been slumping. Considerably.

Entering Wednesday’s sixth-inning at-bat, he was just one for 10 since returning from the paternity list this last weekend. Going back to April 5, he was batting only .232 over his last 14 games.

Read more:Dodgers blow late lead, outslugged as Cubs win in extra innings

Against that backdrop, Cubs manager Craig Counsell stood motionless in the dugout. Even with a right-hander warming and Mookie Betts on deck, he let Boyd work to the game’s biggest star.

In the Cubs’ 7-6 victory over the Dodgers, it proved to be a prescient decision. Despite working a 2-and-0 count, Ohtani chased on a fastball that was well up and well inside. His soft pop out to shortstop extinguished the Dodgers’ best chance to rally.

Unlike so many other highlight stretches since his arrival in Los Angeles, the $700-million slugger looked incapable of turning the tide.

As the Dodgers (16-9) return from their second straight losing trip to open the season — after going 2-4 in Philadelphia and Washington earlier this month, this week’s two losses at Wrigley left the club with a 2-3 record on this five-game swing through Texas and Chicago — there are plenty of names on the roster posting subpar production.

Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts are both batting in the .250s to this point (despite a three-hit night from Betts on Wednesday that snapped a one for 22 slump). Everyone at the bottom of the order is hitting .200 or worse (despite the Nos. 6-9 hitters on Wednesday combining for five hits, including a home run from Andy Pages).

Even a once-stout bullpen has started to waver, following up a late-game collapse on Tuesday with a creaky showing in Wednesday’s predetermined bullpen game (three of the runs were allowed by recently called-up depth arm Noah Davis; the other four belonged to rookie left-hander Jack Dreyer, snapping his streak of nine consecutive scoreless outings).

Read more:Dodgers Dugout: Want to go to a game? Visit a financial planner

Still, no one’s struggles have loomed larger than Ohtani’s.

And as the Dodgers try to even out the up-and-down play that has marked this opening month, there is no one more equipped to provide a steadying presence.

For all the other talent on their roster, so much of the Dodgers' success still depends on their leadoff man.

Ohtani did aid one rally Wednesday, poking a softly hit single to right field that loaded the bases in the top of the third. Two batters later, Teoscar Hernández (another recently slumping hitter who found his swing during a four-hit series at Wrigley) laced a two-run single to left.

Despite Ohtani flying out in the fifth, the Dodgers scored three more runs in that inning, with Betts lining an RBI double to left before Hernández belted a two-run home run that gave him 22 RBIs (most on the team and fourth-most in the NL).

Still, after Davis was knocked around in a three-run fourth and Dreyer was punished for walking the bases loaded in his four-run fifth, the Dodgers needed more from their offense. And even with a golden opportunity to snap out of his recent slump, neither Ohtani nor anyone else from the club’s lineup could provide it.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live: Reaction To Capitals' Game 2 Win And Landeskog's Return

Dylan Strome (Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)

Welcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming nightly during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.

After the big game of the night, our experts go live to react to the match that was, break down the key moments and storylines, provide updates on the rest of the night's NHL slate and read your opinions.

On tonight's show, Emma Lingan and Andrew McInnis react to the Washington Capitals beating the Montreal Canadiens 3-1 to take a 2-0 first-round series lead. They also take a look around the NHL, including the return of Gabriel Landeskog to the Colorado Avalanche's lineup. 

Playoff Frenzy - April 23, 2025 | The Hockey NewsPlayoff Frenzy - April 23, 2025 | The Hockey NewsWelcome to Playoff Frenzy Live by The Hockey News presented by STIX.com, where we give our live reactions and break down the latest news to all the biggest g...

Check out the show right now and share your opinions in the live chat and in our comment section.