Apr 25, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott (5) hits an RBI triple against the Atlanta Braves in the fourth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Listen, I would honestly be shocked if the Phillies actually did what many of you want them to do with the managerial position. Not just with getting rid of Rob Thomson, but also in bringing aboard Alex Cora to replace him.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 11: Starting pitcher Kodai Senga #34 of the New York Mets warms up during a rain delay against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on July 11, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This one was going swimmingly (for the most part) until the ninth. Then Tyler McLoughlin managed to cough up a run and two other baserunners without recording an out in the ninth. Both baserunners were allowed to score by Ryan Dollar, with the tying run scoring on a wild pitch. Three pitches later, Ryan Weingartner drove in the go-ahead run for the Cardinals. A walk and an error put the tying run in scoring position for the Mets in the bottom half with two outs, but Chase Meggers couldn’t get the job done. Rough way to lose. Elian Peña still looks quite good though!
Apr 25, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Trevor Rogers (28) reacts after giving up a run during the second inning against the Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
Hello, friends.
What a stinker yesterday, huh? These Orioles are just not yet prepared to let us feel good about them for too long. Every time they get what feels like a big win or maybe even two, they turn back around and do something like they did on Saturday, getting completely blasted by a last place Red Sox team, 17-1. Check out my recap of the embarrassing loss for more of the not-so-lovely totals.
For me, the takeaway from that loss is the way that it represents the continuation of two things that have been trends early in the 2026 season. One is starting pitcher Trevor Rogers having multiple poor outings in a row. I’ve written before on here that I never believed he could or would drop another 1.81 ERA this year, but you could maybe hope – and I think the Orioles did hope – that he’d settle in as a low-mid-3s ERA kind of pitcher. After yesterday, he’s sitting at a 4.75 ERA for the year. It’s only been six starts, but still. Something’s going to have to change there for this Orioles team to do what we want to see them do.
After the game, Rogers said this to Orioles reporters:
Maybe it really was that stupid. Maybe Rogers got away from his typical routine, against the advice of the pitching coach, and that cost him. It might turn out to be true. It also might… not. There is nearly always some plausible-sounding explanation for why a guy sucks that is attached to, “Well, as soon as that’s fixed, he’ll be better.” We believed it going into last season for Adley Rutschman. We believed it going into this season for Gunnar Henderson and Colton Cowser. Sometimes it all bears out that way. Other times it’s cope.
The specific problem for Rogers yesterday was an inability to put guys away after getting to two strikes on them. You can count me skeptical that this was linked in any substantial way to what he did or didn’t do in his most recent side session between starts. If the Orioles keep everyone on the same turn instead of use Monday’s off day to skip someone, then we’ll get our next look at Rogers on Friday against the Yankees. That will tell the tale of whether this was an easily-fixable short-term issue or not.
The other early trend was demonstrated by the Orioles offense having nothing going on against lefty starter Garrett Crochet. They have yet to win a game started by a left-handed pitcher this season. That’s now an 0-5 record. It is early to worry about this as well. Although Crochet entered the game with an elevated ERA, he did have a Cy Young runner-up caliber season last year and much of his inflated ERA was one bad game. It’s a concern. There’s no point in my panicking about it mostly since nothing I feel about the Orioles impacts them in any way.
Guess what awaits the Orioles today? Another lefty starting pitcher! I would like to see them do a lot better. They’ll be facing rookie starter Connelly Early today. He’s done well for himself over nine starts between last year and this year, with a 2.64 ERA through 44.1 innings. Early is issuing an excessive number of walks to begin this season, which hopefully is something the Orioles lineup can make work in their favor. If they don’t, well, we’ll be one game deeper into the narrative.
In news connected to the current Orioles opponent, the Red Sox fired their manager Alex Cora and three coaches following yesterday’s game. And that’s the team that won the 17-1 game! I am here for any and all Red Sox dysfunction. I know better than to think this will make them any more likely to lose today’s series finale to the Orioles.
Orioles stuff you might have missed
Too early to panic about Trevor Rogers? (The Baltimore Sun) There IS reason for a little optimism regarding Rogers in the advanced metrics. Some guys never quite line up with those metrics. It’s more fun when ones on the Orioles outperform the metrics rather than the other way around.
Concern may be mounting about Trevor Rogers (Steve on Baseball) Included in here is a comment from manager Craig Albernaz, who noted Rogers’s fastball shape is not where it should be, and he thinks Rogers will be able to make that adjustment.
Keegan Akin reinstated from injured list (School of Roch) Yesterday brought yet another roster move as Akin came off the injured list to make his 2026 debut. He gave up six runs in one inning plus some batters. Pretty bad! Another roster move is expected today as closer Ryan Helsley returns from the family leave/bereavement list.
Ben McDonald unwittingly mirrored a home run call from 34 years ago (The Baltimore Banner) Someone on social media remembered a home run that Ben McDonald gave up in 1992 and the reaction to that home run by John Lowenstein on the Orioles broadcast of the time. That is not the kind of thing that stores in my memory.
Scouting Joseph Dzierwa: Projectable lefty impresses in High-A (Baseball America) Subscription required to access the full article. Dzierwa – pronounced Jerva – is making an early impression on the pro scouting community with his performance this month.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
In their 27th game one year ago, the Orioles were shut out by the Tigers to seal a three-game sweep and fall to 10-17 on the season. Batters struck out 11 times in six innings facing eventual Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. Dean Kremer was no good, allowing five runs in a 5.2 inning start. For the time being, the Orioles are three wins ahead of last year’s squad.
One lone former Oriole was born on this day. That’s 1962 five-game catcher Nate Smith, who passed away in 2019 at age 84.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: ornithologist John James Audubon (1785), early blues figure Ma Rainey (1886), Maryland-born developer James Rouse (1914), architect I. M. Pei (1917), martial artist/actor Jet Li (1963), and actor Channing Tatum (1980).
On this day in history…
In 1564, William Shakespeare was baptized; his exact date of birth is unknown, with April 23 getting the informal recognition because that’s the day he died in 1616.
In 1865, John Wilkes Booth was killed by cavalry soldiers after a 12-day manhunt following his assassination of President Lincoln.
In 1937, the Spanish town of Guernica was bombed by German and Italian forces intervening in the Spanish Civil War on behalf of the future dictator Franco. Pablo Picasso shortly afterwards painted his famous work Guernica as a response to this event.
In 1986, the number 4 reactor in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in modern-day Ukraine (then the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic within the Soviet Union) exploded. This remains the worst nuclear plant-related disaster in history.
**
And that’s the way it is in Birdland on April 26. Have a safe Sunday. Go O’s!
Dom Sibley scored 101 as Surrey carved out a 63-run first-innings lead over Essex, who finished the day on 19 for no wicket
Thanks to Tim Maitland who has an eye on the Headingley stream. “Lengthy stoppage after the first ball of the day at Headingley, after Tom Price injured an ankle fielding on the boundary.”
Lawrence tucks into Simon Harmer, muscling him to the rope to reach fifty off 74 balls.
During the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ 114-98 Game 4 win over the Hawks on Saturday night at State Farm Arena, Jalen Brunson and his father, Knicks assistant Rick Brunson, were animated with each other on the sideline despite the game largely having been settled.
They yelled at each other and waved their arms a bit before the younger Brunson walked away.
Jalen Brunson got into a brief yelling match with his dad, Rick, who is a Knicks’ assistant coach, during their 114-98 Game 4 win over the Hawks on April 25, 2026 in Atlanta. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
When asked what the debate was about, Jalen Brunson said “there’s no debate there.”
So what was it about?
“That was two competitors,” he said.
Brunson struggled with his shot, as he has for most of this series.
He finished with 19 points on 7-for-18 shooting from the field and 3-for-7 shooting from 3-point range and also committed six turnovers.
He also exited and went back to the locker room during the third quarter after Dyson Daniels fell on his ankle while fighting for a loose ball.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 24: Ryan Yarbrough #33 of the New York Yankees celebrates with Ben Rice #22 after defeating the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on April 24, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees are rolling again, having won eight games in a row, and they stand in position to sweep another one of their long-term rivals from this era. The Astros may be down on their luck, having lost most of their pitching staff to injury and falling down to the bottom of the AL West, but that wouldn’t make it any sweeter to exact a portion of revenge for how thoroughly their playoff meetings went. With the offense heating up during this streak though, and the pitching still delivering, it sure feels like every day they take the field expecting to win.
While we await the finale of this series later in the afternoon, there’s a couple of things to look forward to this morning. Matt goes over the results from around the league last night, including the surprising first managerial change of the season with Alex Cora out in Boston. Then it’s a double-feature from John, first taking the time to wish the Captain a happy birthday and go over the incredible career that he’s built for himself already before launching into the weekly social media spotlight.
Today’s Matchup
New York Yankees at Houston Astros
Time: 2:10 p.m. EST
Video: YES Network, Space City Home Network
Venue: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
Questions/Prompts:
1. Are you a believer that Luis Gil has found his form, or does he need to deliver another strong outing today to prove himself?
2. Did you think Alex Cora was on the hot seat prior to his firing? What do you make of Boston’s odds now that they’ve cleaned house on the coaches bench?
Maxime Raynaud, however, experienced his “welcome to the NBA” moment against a center from the Denver Nuggets — not Nikola Jokić, but rather his backup, Jonas Valančiūnas. The Kings’ 23-year-old shared his story in the latest edition of “The Old Man and The Three” with Sacramento teammates Precious Achiuwa and Nique Clifford.
“Jonas Valančiūnas; it was so bad,” Raynaud said. “It was so bad. Before the game … one of our video guys showed me a clip and was like, ‘Look, as soon as JV comes into the game, they’re going to run this ATO play — it’s like a cross-screen, he’s going to catch the ball, he’s going to post up — like, you know it’s coming. ‘Yes.’ He comes into the game, I see the cross-screen coming, I’m like, ‘All right, I got it,’ push him out, push him out.
“He catches the ball at the 3-point break — one dribble, chest, two dribbles, chest. He took me — just pushed me — out of the way. Did not even care to dunk the ball. Just laid it up over me; I felt like a baby. I was just like, I cannot do anything against this. He genuinely just walked me to the rim, took me, pushed me and just laid it up.”
“Then, after the game, our assistant GM [B.J. Armstrong] comes up to me, he’s like, ‘Max, you got to stand your ground.’ I’m like, ‘There’s no ground to stand on … I can’t do nothing,’” Raynaud hilariously added. “I couldn’t do anything.
“And then, the craziest thing is that he didn’t even have a crazy game … those eight points (were) loud.”
Raynaud and the Kings, at least, won the game, 128-123, on Nov. 22 at Ball Arena.
But the rookie will have to live with the lighthearted nightmare forever.
“He picked you up … this man picked him up,” Clifford said. “Max was two feet in the air.”
Despite the lowlight, Raynaud did keep Valančiūnas to eight points, as he remembered. Jokić, meanwhile, finished with 44.
There is a difference, though.
“It didn’t physically hurt you as much,” Raynaud said of Jokić’s buckets. “It sucks because you look up, and he’s probably the best player in the world at that moment. But …
“[Jokić] goes about his day, goes about his business. Like, he doesn’t talk too much to you or anything. After JV did ‘that,’ he started chuckling and running back kind of sideways; that’s what upset me the most.”
Valančiūnas, a former King, gave the rookie the business. Raynaud and Sacramento, though, ultimately left the Mile High City with the aforementioned dub — and that’s all that matters.
“You should feel good,” Achiuwa said. “We won that game.”
Boston, MA - April 23: Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard holds up the Sixth Man Award before Game 2 of the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs against the Orlando Magic at TD Garden. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Annually, the International Association of Structure Movers holds a convention with an awards banquet. Some awards are based purely on the numbers (e.g. “Heaviest Structure Moved on Rubber Tires”), but others are based on the opinions of judges (e.g. “Most Innovative Move”).
I love to use these awards as an example of a typical trade association’s annual recognition banquet because these are incredibly niche undertakings. These ain’t the Oscars—or the NBA’s awards for that matter.
Yet, they kind of are.
The NBA’s regular season awards recognize an array of achievements, but in the end, this is just the league and its media associates patting itself on the back. Call the MVP award the Oscar for Best Actor, or the “Most Innovative Move” and you’ve got the general idea figured out. Of course, an added complication in the NBA is that actual money in terms of max contract values is involved in some NBA awards, but the principle is the same.
When the NBA announced finalists for various individual performance awards last week, no Celtics players were listed. Jaylen Brown was not a finalist for the MVP and Neemias Queta was not a finalist for Most Improved Player. Jayson Tatum is a finalist for Teammate of the Year, which is surprising given the amount of on-the-court time he missed, and Joe Mazzulla is a finalist for an award that he has said he doesn’t really want.
Overall, though, how have the Celtics fared when it comes to these annual awards?
Looking back at the league’s most inclusive award, the All-NBA teams, Boston has nabbed 86 of 930 possible slots since the award was first given in the good old BAA days. This is second to the Lakers, who have filled 101 slots (Kobe, Kareem, and Magic account for 36 of those slots), but well ahead of the Sixers/Nationals, who have 67 All-NBA awards to their credit.
In terms of All-Defense, the Celtics lead the league in selections, with 49 of 570 slots. The Spurs are second with 44.
MVP selections are an interesting story. The Celtics have had 10 MVP awards. This is the most in league history. However, Larry Bird was the last Celtic to win an MVP award, and that was in the ’85-86 season. It’s been 40 years since a Boston player won an MVP award. At one point in time, one out of every four MVP awards had gone to a Celtic. Nowadays, it’s down to one out of eight. The Lakers and Sixers are tied for second place with seven MVP awards apiece.
For the Defensive Player of the Year award, Boston has two winners—Kevin Garnett and Marcus Smart. They are far from the most decorated franchise in league history here. The top awarded teams are, perhaps unsurprisingly, the Detroit Pistons (Ben Wallace was a four-time winner) and the San Antonio Spurs.
Rookie recognition is, as one would suspect, pretty thin on the ground for the Celtics. A team as consistently good as they have been doesn’t tend to give rookies a lot of opportunity to shine. Thus, the C’s have only landed 19 players on the 485 slots available on the All-Rookie team (the Bulls are, somewhat surprisingly, the league leaders, with 25 All-Rookie nominees). The Celtics have had three Rookies of the Year: Tom Heinsohn, Dave Cowens and Larry Bird. The Warriors lead all teams with six winners.
Boston players have won the Sixth Man of the Year award five times, which is tied with the Clippers, surprisingly, for most in league history, and no Celtic has ever been named Most Improved Player.
Overall, the C’s position as the winningest franchise in league history both in terms of games won and in terms of championships is pretty well reflected in player honors. To be sure, there seems to have been some neglect on the All-NBA teams, but from a big picture standpoint, there’s not a whole lot to gripe about here.
This is especially the case when you consider that the league has named seven awards after Celtic figures, the most of any team (Sam Jones, Bob Cousy, Larry Bird, Chuck Cooper, Red Auerbach, John Havlicek, and Bill Russell).
Where things make no sense at all is when it comes to the Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year awards.
The Atlanta Hawks have had the league’s Coach of the Year on six different occasions.
The league began giving this award out in 1963 and Harry Gallatin won the first award as coach of the then St. Louis Hawks. Since then the Hawks have accumulated a record of 2585-2581. I mean, that’s technically a better than .500 record, but c’mon. How thin can you slice that piece of pie?
The last time a Celtic coach won the award? Bill Fitch—in Larry Bird’s rookie year. The following year, the year the C’s won the title, the award went to Jack McKinney, whose Pacer team went 44-38. The Celtics have won five championships since Fitch’s award in 1980. Mind you, as I’ve said elsewhere, I think it’s good that coaches of other teams receive a little bronze statue of Red Auerbach to remind them of the league’s pecking order. But still, there’s very little about this award that makes sense.
Even more mind boggling is the Executive of the Year award. Here, Jerry Colangelo managed to land the award four times during a period in which his Suns finished first in their division exactly twice. During the period that Colangelo was collecting all that hardware, Red Auerbach won the award in 1980, presumably in recognition of his foresight in drafting Larry Bird the year before, and that’s it. No more awards for Red.
Red got zero recognition for moves like acquiring Parish and McHale in one trade, or Dennis Johnson, or Bill Walton. These were all brilliant deals that paid dividends the year that they were made, all were moves one would expect the league’s best executive to make, but none of them were good enough to secure another Executive of the Year award. On the opposite coast, neither Bill Sharman nor Jerry West got the award for building the Showtime Lakers, but hey, Atlanta’s Stan Kasten won it in ’85-86 and ’86-87, years in which two of the greatest teams in NBA history were fielded, neither of which were the Atlanta Hawks.
But what, ultimately, do these awards say about the quality of play on the court or talent on the bench or in the front office?
Not much.
To be sure, bad players don’t make it onto the All-NBA teams, and winning the MVP is basically a guarantee that you’ll end up in Springfield, but these awards are just a side show. They’re not the main event, and they’re not the final measure of the value of players, coaches and executives.
At best, awards are the detritus of a successful season. They’re side effects, secondary symptoms that indicate you’ve done a good job.
Sure, it’s always nice to get an award, to get recognition for doing your job well, whether it’s at an annual rubber chicken dinner hosted by the International Association of Structure Movers or in an NBA press release, but those awards aren’t where it’s at.
My brother-in-law Trent has been in the structure moving business for over thirty years. Despite participating in what was, at the time, the Heaviest Rubber Tire Structure Move in history, as well as a number of other award-winning projects and transport inventions, he says, “I don’t care whether we get an award. I don’t need that kind of recognition to motivate me.”
Joe Mazzulla couldn’t have said it better himself.
ATLANTA — Mike Brown began the game the same way, keeping his starting unit intact.
But notably, he also ended the game the same way to continue the growing concern around Mikal Bridges.
After acknowledging ahead of Game 4 that the Knicks were considering shaking up the starting unit, Brown stuck with his guns and kept Bridges in the starting lineup.
Bridges recorded eight points in 19 minutes in the Knicks’ 114-98 win over the Hawks on Saturday night at State Farm Arena to even the series at 2-2.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker steals the ball from Mikal Bridgets during the Knicks’ 114-98 Game 4 win over the Hawks on April 25, 2026 in Atlanta. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“We’ve won a lot of games with the starting group,” Brown said. “I didn’t want to panic and just change anything. Obviously, we changed some stuff strategy-wise, but I didn’t want to change anything with the starting group because I didn’t feel a need to.”
If those 19 minutes seem odd for a starter, there is a reason for that. After Bridges checked out with 7:34 left in the third quarter, he was benched the rest of the way. Miles McBride was on the floor in his place.
It mirrored the end of the Knicks’ Game 3 loss, when Bridges was benched — similarly for McBride — for the vast majority of the second half.
“At the end of the day, I just felt that [McBride] had it rolling,” Brown said. “They were gonna double Jalen [Brunson]. When they did, [McBride] hit some big 3s. So if a guy has it rolling, he may have a chance to stay out on the floor, that’s all it was.”
To begin the playoffs, it seemed like Jose Alvarado was out of the playoff rotation. But he’s crept back in — and is making an impact.
Jose Alvarado is held back by Mike Brown after he got into a bit of a dustup with Mouhamed Gueye in the first quarter of the Knicks’ 114-98 Game 4 win over the Hawks, forcing the Atlanta forward into a technical foul. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
He recorded six points in 14 minutes Saturday.
He also brought a bit of his trademark snarl — soon after checking in for the first time at the end of the first quarter, he got into a bit of a dustup with Mouhamed Gueye and forced Gueye into a technical foul.
His rise has come at the expense of Landry Shamet, whose struggles at the end of the regular season bled into the beginning of the playoffs.
Shamet, who only played in garbage time Saturday, seems to now be out of the rotation.
“He was huge,” Brown said of Alvarado. “He hit two big 3s. He was a guy that they were gonna leave open. He works very hard on his 3-point shooting. He took the right shots tonight. And then defensively, he tried to be a pest. What he did out on the floor for us gave us a huge lift, especially when Jalen was out.”
Brunson surpassed John Starks for the fourth-most total points in the playoffs in franchise history.
Apr 21, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Boston Red Sox in the second inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images
NY Daily News | Gary Phillips: Giancarlo Stanton left Friday’s game in the middle of the sixth inning after feeling tightness in his right calf while running the bases, and the team had an update on his condition ahead of their Saturday victory over Houston. Manager Aaron Boone commented on Stanton’s status, noting that they were going to “try to get to 24 hours or maybe tomorrow to see where we’re at and then decide what to do.” It certainly wouldn’t be a surprise to see Stanton end up on the injured list at some point in the season, but if they could avoid a stint on the IL this early in that would be the best-case scenario. Playing it safe seems like the most likely outcome regardless, as the veteran slugger could easily end up on the shelf for way longer if they let him back in the lineup too early.
NY Post | Greg Joyce: Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s usage of ABS challenges have been, to be frank, pretty terrible thus far. The second baseman has taken some bold attempts at overturning strikes that ended up being nowhere close, and he’s got a 1-for-6 record overall with the challenges. Chisholm has taken it on the chin though, admitting that he’s started fining himself for wasting challenges, and that his ninth-inning strikeout from Friday that got confirmed by ABS was the second time he’s administered a fine for his trigger-happy challenging ways.
MLB.com | Sarah Langs: The Captain turns 34 today, and in celebration of Aaron Judge’s birthday Langs takes us on a walk through the incredible achievements that Judge has already collected at such a rapid pace. Whether its the rate at which he’s smashed a historic amount of homers, the level of dominance he’s displayed as a right-handed hitter, or just the plain hardware count he’s collected, Judge’s career is an incredible one to look back at already, and there’s still so much to look forward to.
NY Daily News | Gary Phillips: Anthony Volpe is making progress in his rehab stint in the minors, but Boone isn’t anticipating that he’ll be back during their current road trip. The skipper wants to see Volpe make it through back-to-back starts before finishing his rehab assignment, and while he was set to do that Saturday with Triple-A Scranton inclement weather ended up postponing that game and pushing that goal a bit further back. Still, Volpe should be on pace to return for the Yankees’ next homestand beginning on Friday against Baltimore, and he’s expected to slide back into the starting lineup as the team’s shortstop once he’s there.
MLB Trade Rumors | Anthony Franco: Finally, we end with a somber farewell to Ellie Rodríguez, who passed away earlier in the week at the age of 79. Rodríguez grew up in the Bronx and ended up signing with the Kansas City Athletics before getting sent over to New York in 1964. He ended up making his MLB debut in 1968 and had a nine-game stint with the Yanks before getting selected in the 1969 expansion draft becoming a part of the inaugural Royals franchise. Rodríguez wound up becoming a two-time All-Star during his nine year career in the majors that saw him spend time with the Brewers, Angels, and Dodgers. Our condolences to his family and loved ones.
HOUSTON — As someone who recently became a father for the first time himself, Austin Wells probably would have understood if Ryan Weathers was not at his sharpest Saturday night, three days after the birth of his son.
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“I had a couple months before I had to go back to playing baseball,” said Wells, who became a dad during the offseason. “I mean, he might still be blacked out from that event.”
Whatever Weathers was after a whirlwind week, he delivered what the Yankees needed.
The left-hander, who raced home from Boston on Wednesday morning to arrive just in time for the birth of Paul David Weathers and then flew to Houston on Friday, threw 5 ¹/₃ innings of two-run ball against the Astros on the way to an 8-3 win.
“It’s definitely been crazy, but it’s been great,” said Weathers, who struck out four and walked none. “Son is doing great; mom is doing great. So it was fun to just play baseball and get back out there.”
Ryan Weathers delivers a pitch during the Yankees’ 8-3 blowout win over Astros on April 25, 2026 in Houston. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Weathers’ wife, Thayer, was due to deliver Saturday, but he got a call at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday that her water broke. From Boston, where the Yankees were playing the Red Sox, he jumped in a car service back to New York and arrived home at 9:47 a.m. before his son was born at 10:04 a.m.
“So I had about 10 minutes to get in there,” Weathers said with a chuckle. “It was awesome. I made it in time; it was great. … Things happened pretty quickly.”
In the few days since, Weathers said he “actually got a lot” of sleep, with his son lying on his chest.
“Definitely priceless memories,” he said. “I want him to stay that little forever, for sure.”
As for his day job, Weathers was able to make it over to Yankee Stadium on Thursday to throw his bullpen session and again Friday to play catch.
Then he flew down to Houston on Friday and by Saturday was able to flip the switch from new dad to big league pitcher against a tough lineup.
“It’s still my job,” he said. “I still have to perform. So go out with that mindset. There’s been a lot of crazy things happening — my job is to go out there and throw up zeroes and try to help this ballclub win games.”
Karl-Anthony Towns recorded the first playoff triple-double of his career with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
He took over in the third quarter, when Jalen Brunson was in the locker room and the Knicks began to pull away.
Zero
Jalen Johnson, primarily guarded by OG Anunoby, finished with 14 points on rough 4-for-12 shooting from
OG Anunoby blocks Jalen Johnson’s shot during the third quarter of the Knicks’ 114-98 Game 4 win over the Hawks on April 25 2026 in Atlanta. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
the field. He was a game-worst minus-19.
Unsung hero
Josh Hart set the tone early, and his teammates fed off his energy as they so often do.
He finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Key stat
24.4 — The Hawks’ shooting percentage from 3-point range. They jacked up 41 of them, a plethora of low-quality looks.
Quote
“I thought we did a great job coming out with more tenacity. More desperation I think is the proper word.”
He recorded a game-high 22 points on 9-for-16 shooting from the field — and 3-for-6 shooting from 3-point range — along with 10 rebounds. He was a game-best plus-19.
OG Anunoby backs down Gabe Vincent during the Knicks 114-98 Game 4 win over the Hawks on April 25, 2026 in Atlanta. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Anunoby’s strong effort in Game 3 went a bit under the radar given the Knicks lost. But across these past two games, Anunoby shot a combined 7-for-14 from 3-point range.
“Just shooting no matter if I’m contested or not contested,” Anunoby said. “I work very hard on my game, so I always think it’s going in.”
Anunoby drilled back-to-back 3s in the second quarter Saturday as the Knicks extended their lead to double digits. His scoring was a steady presence the whole game — he scored six points in each of the first three quarters before finishing with four in the fourth quarter.
It’s been much more than just his shooting, though.
He spent the majority of Saturday matched up with Jalen Johnson and completely neutralized him. Johnson shot just 1-for-5 when Anunoby was guarding him, per the league’s official tracking stats.
In total, the Hawks on offense shot a combined 5-for-15 with Anunoby as the primary defender.
And he was key to the Knicks owning the glass. His rebounding numbers have been up the past two games — he had nine in Game 3.
Has that been a concerted effort?
“It’s a team effort, for sure,” Anunoby said. “We want to control the boards. And then just depending on who I’m guarding. When I’m on the perimeter, sometimes it’s harder to get rebounds. But making an emphasis on coming in, crashing the boards, helping the team finish possessions.”
With Jalen Brunson again not at his best, the Knicks needed others to step up and help carry the scoring load.
PORTLAND, OREGON - APRIL 24: Luke Kornet #7 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts after a dunk during the second half of Game Three of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on April 24, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Amid the uncertainty surrounding Victor Wembanyama’s return date, the Spurs headed to Portland for a crucial Game 3. A loss would have upped the pressure considerably on a young San Antonio team that still doesn’t know when it will get its superstar back. Fortunately, the Silver and Black prevailed thanks to fantastic performances from their young guards and a gutsy, physical team effort on both ends.
The urgency to get a win is now squarely on the Trail Blazers’ shoulders. Whether Wembanyama, listed as questionable, plays or not, they need to come out on top on Sunday or face elimination in San Antonio in Game 5. Desperation can be good, as the Spurs showed on Friday with a strong second half, but it can also lead to disarray. It will be on San Antonio to continue to play hard and try to get their opponent to make mistakes and exploit them.
A potential Wembanyama return could completely change the dynamic of the game, making the Spurs clear favorites. Even without him, the Silver and Black have proved they can get tough wins, so it should be a good matchup either way. Heading to San Antonio with a tied series wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, considering the circumstances, but this team clearly wants to continue exceeding expectations, even in the playoffs.
Spurs Injuries: Victor Wembanyama — Questionable (Concussion), Jordan McLaughlin – Questionable (Ankle)
Trail Blazers Injuries: Damian Lillard – Out (Achilles)
What to watch for:
Can Carter Bryant bring the energy again?
While Stephon Castle’s and Dylan Harper’s production understandably got the most attention for the win, there were plenty of others who were essential in Game 3. One of them was Carter Bryant, the rookie who was tasked with playing center in small-ball lineups. Bryant had his moments in the first half but really made his mark in the second, flying around the court on defense but also walking the ball up on offense to help avoid the full-court press the Blazers were using on the guards and keeping the offense moving when he got the ball in the half-court.
The challenge, if Wembanyama misses the game, will be to do it all again. The Blazers were leaving Bryant open, and at times, he was not even looking at the rim. In part, he was just trying to get others involved with handoffs and change the angle of attack, but if they continue to dare him, he’ll have to fire away. Bryant also defended Deni Avdija well when he got the chance, showing discipline against a tough opponent to guard. In general, his length and athleticism make him a good fit for this matchup against a Blazers team that has those traits in spades, so with or more likely without Wemby available, the Spurs could use another good Bryant game.
Gang rebounding will be key
One of the biggest concerns heading into the series was rebounding. The Trail Blazers have great offensive rebounding big men and like to attack the paint, drawing help defense. The Spurs were the best defensive rebounding team in the league, but it was still something they’d have to focus on to limit their opponent’s second-chance opportunities. They did a good job in the first two games, but going into Game 3 without Wemby, it seemed like it was going to be a problem.
Fortunately, the team found another level of energy and physicality on the boards, with the perimeter players, especially the young guys, helping out Luke Kornet, who dutifully boxed out when he was out there. In the end, offensive rebounding became a strength for the Spurs instead of the Blazers, as the visitors finished with 22 second-chance points to 12 for the home team. The Silver and Black will need that level of commitment to both clean the defensive glass and attack offensive boards in Game 4, especially if Wembanyama is out.
Can Keldon Johnson have a big game?
Keldon Johnson, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, is averaging five points on 28 percent shooting so far this series. He’s been a big help on the boards, averaging five a game, and has guarded centers at times, but he has massively struggled to provide any kind of offensive punch for the Spurs, especially inside. In Game 3, he went 1-for-7 from the floor, and his only make was a three-pointer. He’s not scored in double digits yet. The Blazers’ length at the forward spots and their interior defense have been giving Keldon fits so far.
Some of his misses, however, have been uncharacteristic, as he normally successfully uses his hook to get his shot past rim protectors, and he has good body control on drives. Johnson will need to continue being aggressive, especially when he’s guarded by Deni Avdija, to make the Blazers’ star spend energy on the defensive end. If Johnson can also do a better job when he has to guard a perimeter scorer, which he has struggled to do, it would help the Spurs massively. Portland is not a great matchup for Keldon, but he needs to find ways to contribute, and if the past is any indication, he will.
Fans of the Detroit Red Wings will have to wait another year for their beloved franchise to play beyond the 82nd game of the regular season.
Unfortunately, the Red Wings unraveled in the month of March once again, losing what was a comfortable playoff cushion and eventually being eliminated from contention in the 80th game of their centennial campaign.
Meanwhile, the Carolina Hurricanes have already punched their ticket to the second round of the postseason thanks to a clean four-game sweep of Detroit's Atlantic Division rival, the Ottawa Senators.
In doing so, they matched an impressive mark set by the Red Wings in 2009 that had not been repeated until now.
The Hurricanes became the first team since the 2009 Red Wings, who swept the Columbus Blue Jackets in the Western Conference Quarterfinal, to never trail at any point during an opening-round series.
Talk about staying ahead of the game 🏃♂️💨
The Canes are the first team to never trail in a game in the first round series since the Red Wings vs. the Blue Jackets in 2009 🙌 pic.twitter.com/YiUboBdkFN
Detroit was matched against the Blue Jackets, who were making their very first playoff appearance.
Just like the Hurricanes did to the Senators, the Red Wings proved to be simply too much for the Blue Jackets to handle.
The only competitive game of the series was Game 4 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, a wild back-and-forth affair that ultimately resulted in a 6-5 victory for Detroit.
Johan Franzen scored the game-winning goal with 46 seconds left in regulation after an ill-advised bench minor penalty assessed to the Blue Jackets for too many men on the ice.
Detroit would then go on to enjoy a thrilling seven-game series win over the Anaheim Ducks, followed by a five-game series win over the Chicago Blackhawks to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight season.
However, it would be the Pittsburgh Penguins pulling off a stunning upset, winning the series in seven games and skating the Stanley Cup on Joe Louis Arena ice.
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