The SEC keeps finding new reasons to not add a ninth conference game. OK, then how about adding another good non-conference game?
Will Dodgers' pitching get healthy? Why team remains confident amid familiar uncertainties
The Dodgers’ biggest question this season is an eerily familiar one.
Will their pitching ever get back to full (or at least, significantly improved) health? And will it be as productive as expected if or when that happens?
To this point, the team remains confident on both fronts.
Injured starters Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki are all in throwing progressions. Two-way star Shohei Ohtani is continuing to build up his arm through weekly live batting practices, and Emmet Sheehan is on a rehab assignment with triple-A Oklahoma City. And a whole litany of relievers are also expected back at some point, with Kirby Yates and Michael Kopech likely to return this weekend, and Blake Treinen and Brusdar Graterol possibilities over the coming couple of months.
Read more:Hernández: Can Clayton Kershaw contribute to Dodgers' title chase? 'I'm gonna bet on him'
Still, as this last week has epitomized, there is an ever-present lack of certainty hanging over the state of the staff as well, with the recovery of any injured pitcher seemingly liable to shift at any moment.
“I’m very confident we’re going to get them all back,” manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday. “I just don’t know when.”
This week, Glasnow became the latest example of that unpredictable dynamic.
On Monday, Roberts offered a seemingly troublesome update on the oft-injured right-hander. After Glasnow had thrown one bullpen session a week and a half earlier, a bout of back tightness had kept him from throwing off a mound again since.
“There was one ‘pen and, then [his] body didn't respond,” Roberts said. “So we're trying to figure out when we can ramp him back up.”
On Tuesday, however, Glasnow presented a more optimistic version of events. Yes, his back became “a little tight” after his initial bullpen session, he said. But he described the resulting pause in his throwing progression as nothing more than a “precaution,” adding that he plans to resume throwing bullpens in the coming week.
“I feel totally fine, totally normal,” said Glasnow, who initially went on the injured list in April because of shoulder inflammation. “My shoulder’s totally fine. That issue, I haven’t felt since I started throwing. It was fine. [The back tightness] really was just, I think, a precaution. I felt totally fine. I’m good to go.”
During his time on the IL, Glasnow believes he found a middle ground between the pitching mechanics he had last year (when his season ended early with elbow tendinitis) and the changes he made over the winter (which he felt contributed to his more recent shoulder issue).
“Trying to meld a best-of-both worlds situation,” he said. “But right now, I feel really, really good mechanics-wise, to just be athletic and throw. It’s enabled me to just be myself more now.”
And though he is still weeks, if not a month or more, away from being activated, Glasnow said he’s confident about having enough time over the second half of the season to rediscover a rhythm ahead of the playoffs.
“I’m trying to get back as soon as I can,” Glasnow said. “But we’re on the same wavelength of, ‘Let’s get you back out as healthy as possible as soon as possible, in a healthy way.’”
Snell, who has also been out since early April because of shoulder trouble, has endured his own stop-and-start recovery process.
After first going on the injured list two starts into the season — because of shoulder pain that he later said had been bothering him since spring training — Snell started to ramp up a few weeks later, progressing to a bullpen session on April 19.
His shoulder, however, didn’t respond well in the days following that step. Thus, he was shut down from throwing again, and received an injection to help alleviate his lingering discomfort.
Since then, Snell has been on a more methodical throwing plan. Recently, his shoulder has finally started to feel normal. And, like Glasnow, he is hoping to begin throwing bullpens once more over the next week.
“I can’t wait [to get back],” Snell told AM 570 last weekend. “Having to wait, it sucks. It’s a long process. But I’m gonna go slow. I’m gonna make sure I’m ready. So when I start pitching, I can get going and do my thing.”
This remains the Dodgers’ company line with most of their injured arms — the team wanting to purposely take their progressions slowly in the short term, to ensure they are available in the long run later this year.
“As far as return to play, there’s certainly a cautiousness to it,” Roberts said. “Because as you start getting into the middle of the year, then any setback could be detrimental for the rest of the season.”
In the meantime, uncertainty on the mound — where the Dodgers currently rank 22nd in the majors with a 4.10 team ERA — will continue to loom.
There is always the threat of setbacks; like what happened with Evan Phillips, who underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery Wednesday for an injury that was initially expected to sideline him for only two weeks.
And even once pitchers do come back, their levels of performance are subject to variance. That’s been the case recently with Kopech, who struggled so much during a rehab stint in Oklahoma City (where he gave up 11 runs and 11 walks in 6 ⅓ innings) that the Dodgers had him throw a live batting practice session in front of their big league coaching staff Wednesday to help him work through some mechanical adjustments.
“The stuff was good,” Roberts said of Kopech, out since the start of the year because of a shoulder impingement. “Just curious to see what the pitching guys and the training staff feel, and what he thinks of how he felt today. And we’ll kind of move forward after that.”
Yates, who has not required a rehab stint recovering from a hamstring strain, also threw live BP on Wednesday.
“We’ll see how they feel tomorrow,” Roberts said. “And then I think we’ll have a much better decision on this weekend for both guys.”
The good news for the Dodgers is that they do have depth. They don’t need every one of their injured pitchers to return to health and previous form. Even if only half of the arms currently on the IL get back to where they were before, they could still have a pitching staff capable of contending for another World Series title.
Read more:Max Muncy, Tanner Scott get some redemption in Dodgers' win over Mets
Because of that, it seems unlikely they’ll make overly aggressive moves on the trade market leading up to the July 31 deadline. They could use another right-handed reliever to replace Phillips but might be wary of a high-cost splash for a front-line starter (especially after doling out more than half a billion dollars the last two winters to Glasnow, Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto).
For now, they continue to trust that pitchers such as Snell, Glasnow and Ohtani will be impact contributors for the stretch run of the season. They are confident that Sasaki (who has continued regular catch play while battling his own shoulder issue), Sheehan and Graterol will give them more pitching coverage as well.
But until then, they will nonetheless face a precariously familiar situation: hoping enough injured pitchers are able to regain health over the course of the season, and that more unforeseen setbacks won’t continue to leave them shorthanded on the mound.
“I think we’re very confident that we’re going to get the guys we’re talking about back,” Roberts said. “Then once we get them back, we got to make sure we keep them back too.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yankees Build a Better Team After Losing Out on Juan Soto
Sometimes, as the saying goes, the best deals are the ones you don’t make.
It’s a small sample size and very early in the process, but so far, the New York Yankees are fortunate to have not signed Juan Soto. Soto chose the New York Mets for a 15-year, $765 million contract, shunning an offer to return to the Yankees for 16 years, $760 million.
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No question the Yanks wanted to keep Soto. They went to the World Series last fall for the first time since 2009 with Soto hitting ahead of Aaron Judge in the lineup, but lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games. When Soto then became a free agent and signed with Mets, the Yankees pivoted and spent a portion of that money elsewhere, signing Max Fried and Paul Goldschmidt as free agents and trading for Cody Bellinger and Devin Williams for a projected outlay of $283 million.
The team they built is running away with the American League East at a fraction of the long-term cost of a deal with Soto. They lead the fourth-place Boston Red Sox by nine games already and are playing them for the first time in 2025 this weekend at Yankee Stadium.
Soto is batting .232 with 11 homers, 31 RBIs and an .802 OPS so far this season; he will get better and is doing so already with three homers in his last five games through Wednesday night. Judge, playing without him, is having another monster season as the Mets have been jockeying for first place in the National League East with the Philadelphia Phillies. Judge’s OPS: 1.237.
Thus far, advantage Yankees.
“It seems that way now,” David Cone, the former Yankees pitcher and currently ESPN and Yes Network color analyst, said in an interview this past weekend at Dodger Stadium. “Ten years from now we’ll make that judgment, but this year, the first half of the season? Absolutely.”
For the Yanks, of course, this is a very short-term snapshot. Fried is signed for eight years, $218 million. But he has his own history of left arm problems, including Tommy John ligament replacement surgery that caused him to miss 2015 as a prospect with the San Diego Padres and a forearm issue that cost a month last season with the Atlanta Braves.
Bellinger ($26.7 million), Goldschmidt ($12.5 million) and Williams ($8.6 million) can all walk away after this season. Goldschmidt and Williams are unrestricted free agents on one-year deals. Bellinger has the second of two player options his agent Scott Boras threaded into the three-year, $80 million deal he signed in 2024 with the Chicago Cubs. Bellinger is the fourth highest-paid player this season on the team behind Judge ($40 million), Fried ($27.3 million) and Carlos Rodon ($27 million).
Those potential departures give the Yankees some maneuverability next offseason in the free agent market and financial room this year to upgrade at the July 31 trade deadline.
The Yankees have the third-highest payroll in Major League Baseball for luxury tax purposes at $310.9 million, according to Spotrac, and the team is putting on a master class in short-term roster construction under today’s collectively-bargained system. The Yanks spent $74.6 million on Fried, Bellinger, Goldschmidt and Williams, while Soto is earning $61.2 million alone from the Mets for luxury tax purposes.
“They’ve done very well with the money they spent this year, no question about it,” Cone said. “The Yankees are much more well-rounded defensively. [Former Yanks, Mets and current A’s pitcher] Luis Severino said the Yankees last year were a team with only two hitters: Judge and Soto. They’ve caught up with the Dodgers offensively and depth-wise.”
Fried wouldn’t be in New York had Soto chosen the Yankees.
At the time, the contract conversations with both players were occurring on concurrent tracks. Fried was New York’s second choice. It was universally considered that Fried wanted to play where he grew up, in the Los Angeles area. But he also let it be known to the Yanks he was very much in favor of playing in the Bronx.
“Mostly I had a bunch of meetings, but before making a decision, I was just waiting for Soto to sign,” Fried said this past weekend at Dodger Stadium.
Soto announced his decision on Dec. 8 at the Winter Meetings in Dallas and two days later Fried signed with the Yankees. The dominoes then started to fall. On Dec. 13 Williams was obtained in a trade with Milwaukee and Bellinger came over from the Cubs four days later. Goldschmidt was the last to sign on Dec. 30.
With that the Yankees closed shop for the offseason.
While Williams has struggled at times in his back of the bullpen role, the other three have exceeded expectations. Fried, for one, replaced the injured Gerrit Cole and opened 7-0 with a 1.28 ERA before losing to the Dodgers this past Friday.
His experience pitching at Yankee Stadium has exceeded his expectations.
“I love it,” Fried said. “I’m very happy with where I’m at. Everything happened for a reason. I’m just happy I’m here with the Yankees.”
The Yankees are happy to have him. In this case, sometimes the best deals are the ones you make.
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A familiar face: Bruins hire ex-player Marco Sturm as new head coach
A familiar face: Bruins hire ex-player Marco Sturm as new head coach originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Bruins have completed their search and Marco Sturm is the franchise’s new head coach.
He is the third Bruins head coach hired by general manager Don Sweeney and the 30th head coach in franchise history. Sturm takes over for Joe Sacco, who was named interim head coach last November following the firing of Jim Montgomery.
Sturm has a lot of NHL experience — he played in 938 career games — but this will be his first head coaching gig at this level.
Sturm has previously held the position of head coach of the German men’s national hockey team and led them to a silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. He also was an assistant head coach for the Los Angeles Kings from 2018 to 2022. He had served as head coach of the Kings’ AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, since the 2022-23 season.
Sturm has helped develop some of the Kings’ top young players, including forward Quinton Byfield and defenseman Brandt Clarke. Player development needs to be a huge focus for the Bruins over the next few years. The franchise has struggled in that area for a while.
“Throughout this process, our goal was to identify a coach who could uphold our strong defensive foundation while helping us evolve offensively,” Sweeney said in a statement Thursday. “We were also looking for a communicator and leader — someone who connects with players, develops young talent, and earns the respect of the room.
“Marco impressed us at every step with his preparation, clarity, and passion. His path — playing for multiple NHL teams, coaching internationally, and leading at both the AHL and NHL levels — has shaped a well-rounded coach who’s earned this opportunity. As a former Bruin, he understands what this team means to the city and our fans.
“We’re embracing a new direction with Marco behind the bench and are confident his energy, standards, and commitment to a competitive, hard-nosed brand of hockey reflect exactly what Bruins hockey should be.”
Sturm played five seasons for the Bruins from 2005-06 through 2009-10. He was the hero of the 2010 Winter Classic when he scored in overtime to beat the Philadelphia Flyers at Fenway Park. Sturm began his NHL career with the San Jose Sharks in 1997-98 and retired after spending the 2011-12 campaign with the Florida Panthers.
How important is home-court advantage in the NBA Finals?
How important is home-court advantage in the NBA Finals? originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The 2025 NBA Finals will start in Oklahoma City.
The Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Indiana Pacers at Paycom Center on Thursday for Game 1 off this year’s Finals. The two franchises had different paths to the championship stage, but the Thunder’s regular season dominance earned them home-court advantage in the series.
How exactly does the NBA determine where the Finals begin? Here’s a glimpse at how home court works for the NBA Finals, as well as how important it is in determining a champion:
How is home-court advantage determined in the NBA Finals?
Unlike the first three rounds of the playoffs, where home-court advantage is granted based on seeding, the team with the better regular season record gets it in the NBA Finals.
This year, the Thunder have the advantage in both seeding and record. They earned the West’s No. 1 seed with a 68-14 regular season record, while the Pacers were the East’s No. 4 seed with their 50-32 record.
In most cases, the team with the higher seed also has the better record. Since 2008, only two teams have started the Finals on the road despite being the higher seed. In 2019, the 57-25 Golden State Warriors were the No. 1 seed in the West but had to play Game 1 of the Finals in Toronto against the 58-24 Raptors, who entered the playoffs as the East’s No. 2 seed. Three years later, the No. 3 Warriors went 53-29 during the regular season and the No. 2 Boston Celtics went 51-31, so home court was granted to Golden State.
While the method for determining home-court advantage differs in the Finals, the series layout is consistent through all four rounds of the playoffs. The team that hosts Game 1 also hosts Games 2, 5 and 7. The team that begins the series on the road hosts Games 3, 4 and 6.
How often does the team with home-court advantage win the NBA Finals?
It definitely helps to have home-court advantage in the NBA Finals.
Excluding the Orlando bubble in 2020, 56 of the 77 teams with home-court advantage in the NBA Finals went on to win the championship — including last year’s Celtics.
How often does the home team win Game 1 in the NBA Finals?
Home-court advantage plays an even bigger role at the start of the Finals.
Fifty-nine of the 77 teams that began the series at home won Game 1, good for a .766 win percentage.
How often does the home team win Game 7 in the NBA Finals?
Home court has a similar effect on Game 7s in the Finals as it does Game 1s.
Of the 19 Game 7s in Finals history, the home team came out on top 15 times (.789 win percentage). The Celtics (1969 and 1974), Washington Bullets (1978) and Cavaliers (2016) are the only teams to ever win a Finals Game 7 on the road.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article was published in June 2024.
England line up Jofra Archer return for second Test against India
Fast bowler back in second XI action for Sussex
Woakes, Carse and Overton named in first-Test squad
Jofra Archer is being primed to make a comeback in the second Test against India at Edgbaston – his first appearance in whites for four years – with England’s stable of fast bowlers under strain before the start of this summer’s marquee series.
Naming a 14-man squad for the first Test at Headingley that starts on 20 June, Luke Wright, who is part of the selection panel, confirmed Gus Atkinson is ruled out with a hamstring injury. In come Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse and Jamie Overton, likewise Jacob Bethell to offer competition among the batting spots.
Continue reading...Posey learning patience is key for Giants as he eyes trade deadline
Posey learning patience is key for Giants as he eyes trade deadline originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO — During his playing days, Buster Posey always found himself fascinated by the action leading up to the MLB trade deadline, and it’s easy to see why that was the case. Posey’s first few seasons were marked by flurries of activity at the end of July.
In 2011, his first full Giants season, Brian Sabean tried to fill the void left by Posey’s leg injury by dealing Zack Wheeler for Carlos Beltran. A year later, Posey won a title because Sabean went out and got Hunter Pence and Marco “Blockbuster” Scutaro at the deadline. The 2013 deadline might have been the most interesting of all; Sabean stubbornly stood pat, holding pending free agents Pence, Tim Lincecum and Javier Lopez because he found the offers to be insulting and thought all three could help the Giants win again in 2014. They did.
A couple years later, Posey watched the clubhouse try and make sense of the Matt Duffy-Matt Moore swap. In his final big league season, Kris Bryant arrived to try and lead an aging group to one more title.
Posey experienced just about every type of approach over his 12 big league seasons, but he’s now the man in charge, and that brings a different set of emotions. He smiled this week and said this trade deadline will be a lot more stressful, but he’s also excited to tackle it. He cannot guarantee that he’ll be able to make a splash, but that’s the goal, at least, in large part because the Giants have the type of pitching that can carry you through October.
“I think there’s pressure to put this team in a position to win ball games, because, as you mentioned, the pitching staff is really good and I believe that that’s going to continue through the year,” he said on Thursday’s “Giants Talk” podcast. “Yeah, I think there’s urgency from everybody to provide these guys with run support.”
There’s just one problem right now: It’s June 5.
In 2012, Pence arrived from Philadelphia on deadline day. Scutaro was picked up four days earlier, on July 27. The Moore trade happened just minutes before the deadline in 2016, and the Bryant deal was such a last-minute scramble that a team official raced around the ballpark at one point to try and find Joey Bart and let him know he wasn’t in it.
As he chatted with beat writers on Tuesday, a day before making three roster moves, Posey said he has found in recent weeks that “we’re at a strange point of the season as far as other teams’ willingness to make trades.”
With the addition of the third wild-card spot, executives generally aren’t ready to make moves in June. And if they do have a big piece to sell, they know they might do better by waiting until the deadline when they can get a true bidding war going.
This year’s market is complicated by the fact that the upcoming free-agent class is considered weak. In a deadline preview for ESPN, Jeff Passan wrote that there “is no obvious best player available” and executives believe there won’t be a lot of top-end talent changing teams.
The available pool always changes the closer you get to July 31. But there’s nothing Posey can do about the calendar.
“I think it’s a real thing. It’s the nature of markets, right?” he said. “There’s going to be more of an urgency the closer you get to whatever the deadline is. I was talking to the coaches today — and they’ve done such a great job with the group and just relaying the message, and it’s one that they do already, but we’ve got to go with what we’ve got here.
“There’s never any certainty. I do know this, even though this is my first year doing this, there’s never any certainty that you’re going to be able to improve even if you wanted to. We can’t sit around and wait for somebody to come in via trade. We’ve got to go out and get the job done with this group.”
Posey mixed things up Wednesday by adding Dominic Smith, Andrew Knizner and Daniel Johnson to the roster, but all three are veterans who were in Triple-A. The Giants will have to wait until much closer to the July 31 deadline to gain true traction in trade talks, but they should at least be in a good position to negotiate with any team ready to sell.
There are few things more valuable than controllable starting pitching, and the Giants have plenty of it. They have three young starters in their rotation right now, and top prospect Carson Whisenhunt leads a talented Triple-A rotation. The Giants also have more than enough bullpen depth to deal a reliever or two and not take a step backwards.
This year’s deadline is July 31, giving Posey, general manager Zack Minasian and the rest of the front office two months to keep surveying the market. It’s not even close to the time when the calls really pick up, but Posey said the front office continues to explore all options.
“I believe in consistency. I think that that’s a positive, to have a consistent roster,” he said. “But it’s almost negligence if you’re not at least looking.”
NBA finals 2025 predictions: will the Pacers shock the Thunder? Our writers share their picks
What the Thunder need to do to win
The Thunder’s path to victory is to continue to be the most fearsome defensive unit we’ve seen in recent years. They play an uber-aggressive, hyper-switchable form of defense that has suffocated opponents all year long. It means they give up a lot of fouls, but they also get away with a bunch and force turnovers more than anyone else in the league. Keep that up and, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander getting his customary 32 points a night, they won’t be stopped. Ryan Baldi
It may sound overly simplistic to say make shots, but if Oklahoma City don’t end up hoisting the trophy when all is said and done, it will be because they, quite frankly, did not. They are the better team by every metric, with the better best player, better defense, and home court advantage. But their jump shot has been their only achilles. If shots fall, so will the confetti when all is said and done. Claire de Lune
Set the tempo and harry Tyrese Haliburton. OKC thrive on dictating pace and forcing turnovers, the sort of pressure that Indiana’s disciplined offense has yet to face at this intensity in the postseason. With waves of defenders like Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace swarming the ball on the perimeter and inside, the Thunder can derail the Pacers’ rhythm, cool their three-point barrage and win the possession battle. If they do that, SGA will take care of the rest. Bryan Armen Graham
Play their game and take the Pacers out of theirs. The Thunder thrive in transition. If they can shut down Halliburton and Pascal Siakam and turn those defensive stops into easy buckets, they control the series. Their roster is so deep, so talented, so high-energy and so well-coached that you wonder if anything short of an act of god will deny them in their quest for the franchise’s second championship. Andrew Lawrence
Schedule
Best-of-seven-games series. All times US eastern time (EDT).
Thu 5 Jun Game 1: Pacers at Thunder, 8.30pm
Sun 8 Jun Game 2: Pacers at Thunder, 8pm
Wed 11 Jun Game 3: Thunder at Pacers, 8.30pm
Fri 13 Jun Game 4: Thunder at Pacers, 8.30pm
Mon 16 Jun Game 5: Pacers at Thunder, 8.30pm*
Thu 19 Jun Game 6: Thunder at Pacers, 8.30pm*
Sun 22 Jun Game 7: Pacers at Thunder, 8pm*
*-if necessary
How to watch
In the US, all games will air on ABC. Streaming options include ABC.com or the ABC app (with a participating TV provider login), as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, fuboTV, DIRECTV STREAM, and Sling TV (via ESPN3 for ABC games). NBA League Pass offers replays, but live finals games are subject to blackout restrictions in the US.
In the UK, the games will be available on TNT Sports and Discovery+. As for streaming, NBA League Pass will provide live and on-demand access to all Finals games without blackout restrictions.
In Australia, the games will broadcast live on ESPN Australia. Kayo Sports and Foxtel Now will stream the games live, while NBA League Pass will offer live and on-demand access without blackout restrictions.
What the Pacers need to do to win
They need to keep playing fast and take care of the ball. It’s something they are remarkably good at: they have the third-lowest turnover rate in the league. But they’re up against a turnover juggernaut and an outstanding transition defense. This could be an irresistible-force-v-immovable-object type of deal. RB
While they’re an indisputably great team, Pacers are, in many ways, a lesser version of their finals adversary, the Thunder. To win it all, their best players are going to have to bring it. They need sensational star performances from Siakam and Haliburton, and they need them nightly. That, and to not turn the ball over. That’s something they’re typically fantastic at, but that the Thunder are even more fantastic at disrupting. CDL
Keep the ball moving and keep their composure. Indiana lead the playoffs in three-point shooting percentage and rarely turn the ball over: two trends need to preserve under OKC’s relentless pressure. Haliburton’s turnover-averse style will be tested like never before. If the Pacers can maintain their pace and exploit mismatches when the Thunder go small, Siakam’s versatility could help tilt the series in their favor. BAG
Get boards, something they struggled to do all season and could well struggle to do again against the Thunder’s foreboding frontline. But if Siakam, Turner, and Benedict Mathurin are willing to get scrappy in the paint, they might find that they actually have a toughness advantage over Oklahoma City’s “tall” men. AL
Is having two small-market teams in the NBA finals a problem?
Give Adam Silver a dose of truth serum and I’m sure he’ll tell you he was rooting for the Knicks to get to the finals. This one probably isn’t going to break any viewership records. But it is a fascinating match-up between two unique teams with a star of the league on either side. What’s not to love? RB
There’s this weird, very online plague of the “Couch GM” that seems to be constantly preoccupied with NBA ratings, as if they directly affect their own lives in any meaningful way. The truth is, they don’t even affect the NBA itself much: a new $76bn television rights deal was just negotiated and expansion is coming. The league will be just fine, even if the casual fan doesn’t find an Indianapolis v Oklahoma City final scintillating. True basketball diehards know this should be a wildly entertaining series.CDL
Only if you think TV ratings matter more than basketball. This is a stylistic dream matchup between two fearless, homegrown teams. The NBA should celebrate franchises that built smartly and play joyfully. This series is a vindication of substance over star-chasing. BAG
Only for the small-minded. Indiana have an NBA pedigree and a state basketball lore that would make for an epic underdog story and a great redemption story for Rick Carlisle, who may well have won his lone NBA title in his first stint with the Pacers if the Malice at the Palace hadn’t happened. As for Oklahoma City, they certainly didn’t have trouble attracting a crowd when Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden were leading the championship charge. (Sure, they were facing the Heatles, but still.) Even old-timers like me, who still feel like this slickly run operation should be in Seattle, won’t be able to stay away just because we’ve been invested in this story for too long and need to see where it ends. AL
The coaching advantage goes to ...
Mark Daigneault was Coach of the Year in 2024 and probably should have won it again this year. But Rick Carlisle is a former Coach of the Year, too. And although his award came more than two decades ago, his work in Indiana has proven he remains one of the league’s best. And Carlisle has one thing that Daigneault does not: championship experience. The edge goes to the old guy. RB
This one is actually a push. Carlisle obviously has the more storied resumé and the championship pedigree, but Daigneault’s Coach of the Year win last season was well deserved: he’s done a bang-up job of getting the youngest roster in the NBA to buy into the egoless, defense-driven identity that made them a 68-win team on the doorstep of a championship. CDL
Mark Daigneault, just. Carlisle may have the best total body of work of any coach that’s not in the Hall of Fame (yet), but Daigneault’s adaptability and calm control have guided OKC’s young core beyond expectations. He’s leaned into their defensive versatility and late-game composure: two areas that could tilt the margins in a long series. BAG
Mark Daigneault. He who has the best players has the advantage. AL
Unheralded player to watch
Aaron Nesmith came into the league with a reputation as a deadly three-point shooter, only for his shooting to desert him in his first stop in Boston. With the Pacers, he’s reinvented himself as a lockdown wing defender who plays with OKC-like intensity. And he came make shots now, too. RB
Andrew Nembhard, the third year guard out of Gonzaga, is probably a name with which the average NBA fan is unfamiliar. But if the Pacers are able to pull off a shocking upset in this series, it will almost certainly be, in part, due to Nembhard’s key contributions on the defensive end. The defensive pest had Jalen Brunson in the seventh circle of hell in the Eastern Conference finals, and he’ll need to bring the same pressure against Gilgeous-Alexander for Indiana to have a chance in this series. CDL
Jalen Williams. Everyone talks about his defense and playmaking, but he’s due for a scoring breakout. With Indiana selling out on SGA, Williams will feast on open threes and scrambled closeouts. If he starts hitting at his usual clip (38.2% career from deep), OKC’s offense becomes near unguardable. BAG
Alex Caruso. Talk about a man who contains multitudes: Caruso doesn’t just keep the OKC offense on pace when SGA is out of the game while providing elite defense. (His shackling of Nikola Jokić helped the Thunder pip Denver in the West semi-finals.) He’s the veteran in the Thunder huddle with championship experience, winning his ring with LeBron’s Lakers inside the Covid bubble in 2020. If at any point the young Thunder begin to doubt themselves, the Carushow will be where they turn to for succor. AL
The finals MVP will be …
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. It’s the consistency. The foul-baiting can be grating but it’s impossible not to admire how SGA appears to have figured out the game of basketball over the last couple of seasons. He has his spots and he knows exactly how to get to them. It’s also nice to see a masterful offensive guard who isn’t a complete zero on the other side of the ball. RB
It is rare for a player to win both regular season and NBA finals MVP in the same season; it’s only happened 15 times in league history. But Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the slinky, shifty guard with shades of Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant in his deep bag, is about to do it. While Oklahoma City have a deep team, and both Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren have gotten shine this postseason, if they win it all, it will be on the back of Gilgeous-Alexander, and he’ll get rewarded accordingly. CDL
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He’s been the steadiest closer in the playoffs, turning midrange mastery and calm isolation into winning basketball. If Oklahoma City win the title, it will be because SGA took over in crunch time and made the leap from All-NBA to undeniable superstar. BAG
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He’s been dominant all season, and his playoff level has yet to drop. In his two regular-season games against Indiana, he averaged 39 points (on 56% shooting), seven boards and eight assists against one turnover – total. Put simply: this is his year, and he won’t be denied. AL
Your winner will be …
Thunder in five. They’ve been utterly dominant all season. That’s mostly been the case for the playoffs too, allowing for some Jokić magic in the second round. The Pacers have been a ton of fun to watch, have impressive depth and a rising star in Haliburton. But the Thunder are deeper, more talented and have the best player in the series – that’s a recipe for a gentleman’s sweep. RB
Thunder in five. If the Pacers had drawn literally any other Western Conference foe, I would give them a better chance in this series. But unfortunately for Indiana, they drew, in my estimation, the far better version of themselves. Indiana is great at forcing turnovers: Oklahoma City do that better. Indiana take great care of the ball: OKC even moreso. The Thunder have the MVP, the better defense, the better bench. They have been the best team in the league at home this season, and they have home-court advantage in this series. While the Pacers’ run to the finals has been impressive all the way, and I see them winning a game, I think the Thunder will make relatively quick work of them en route to a Larry O’Brien. CDL
Pacers in seven. I picked the Thunder at the start of the playoffs (flex) and my inner Dean Oliver is still inclined to think their historically good metrics will see them through. But management wants someone to make the case for Indiana so here we go. The Pacers’ blistering pace, surgical ball movement and deep rotation give them a real shot at disrupting Oklahoma City’s rhythm. Haliburton’s vision fuels an attractive, crowd-pleasing offense that doesn’t rely on isolation or volume threes. If they can turn it into a track meet while taking care of the ball like they have all year, Indiana’s chaos could outlast OKC’s control. BAG
Thunder in six. Again: they’re loaded, high-energy, extremely well-coached and hungry as hell. Denver needed the world’s best player to take OKC to seven games. While the Pacers have their virtues, and a bona fide go-to guy in Halliburton, they don’t have enough to stop a team that seems like it has been on an inexorable march toward a championship since the season tipped off in October. For me, the question isn’t if Thunder will win, but whether GM Sam Presti can keep this squad together long enough to make a dynastic run for the ages. AL
The year of Napoli and Scott McTominay: the Serie A season review
The Scottish influence inspired title winners in Naples, Inter blew up and Claudio Ranieri enjoyed his Roman return
The season has barely ended and already it is clear Serie A will look very different next term. Five of the league’s top 10 sides have parted ways with their managers and a sixth, Claudio Ranieri, is moving upstairs at Roma. More changes may soon follow, with Igor Tudor’s future at Juventus uncertain and Como’s Cesc Fàbregas drawing attention from richer clubs – including the runners-up, Inter, who need a replacement for Simone Inzaghi.
Could we equal the turnover of last summer, when 14 out of 20 teams got a new coach? It’s not impossible, especially with several lower-half teams and their tacticians still exploring the options available.
Continue reading...Mets' Pete Alonso recapturing early-season success after two-homer game vs. Dodgers
Remember when Pete Alonso had a 16-game, career-long 65 at-bat, homerless streak?
Since he recovered from his power outage in the Mets' series finale against the Dodgers at Citi Field on May 25, the slugging first baseman has hit four more bombs over his next nine games, including two in Wednesday's 6-1 win over these same Dodgers in Los Angeles.
"Two good shots. Two-run homer in the first inning to set the tone, added on late to put the game away," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said after the game. "Was good to see."
After a tough extra-inning loss on Tuesday, Alonso got things going with a 392-foot blast off of Tony Gonsolin that gave the Mets a 3-0 lead. While that was more than enough for Griffin Canning and the Mets bullpen, Alonso's 447-foot three-run shot in the eighth put away any doubts of the eventual result.
"It was a great team win," Alonso said of the win. "Griffin executed all his pitches, sequenced well, [Jose] Castillo did a great job, [Ryne Stanek] did a good job holding it down. Pitching staff was nasty tonight and gave us a chance to put up runs on the board as an offense. Big time from those guys. Glad to get this one, but we’ve got a big one tomorrow."
Alonso's two jacks put him at 240 for his career, 12 behind Darryl Strawberry's all-time Mets record. Alonso also tied Strawberry for 22 multi-homer games in his Mets career with his performance on Wednesday.
And while the slugger continues to move up Mets history books, Alonso is only worried about what it meant to the team and the win.
"Felt good, but for me, I was more excited to grab some insurance runs," Alonso said of his homers. "That’s a very high-octane offense over there. Those insurance runs are big for us, and gives our pitching staff a breather. From the circumstances of the game and the series, we’re just happy to come through as a team."
While Alonso came through for the team on Wednesday, there was that stretch where he wasn't. After getting out to a scorching start, slashing .358/.483/.684 with seven home runs in March/April, Alonso had a rough May. He hit just .234 in May and smashed just four homers but since that series against the Dodgers at the end of the month, Alonso has turned his offensive game around.
He's had just one hitless game over his last 11 games and has driven in 15 runs over that span.
“I just feel consistent. I feel like myself," Alonso said. "I've felt like myself the entire year so far. Pitch to pitch and AB to AB. That's all I'm trying to do. Trying to be the same guy every day."
Mendoza said that up-and-down output is just a part of the long baseball season but is encouraged by what he's seeing from Alonso.
"Part of the grind. When you’re playing 162 you’re going to go through stretches where they are going to make you chase and you have to make adjustment and that’s what he did," Mendoza said. "That’s what makes him a great hitter, his ability to adjust. Earlier in the season, he wasn’t missing pitches, he wasn't chasing and then he went through a stretch where they made him chase. And now he’s back to that hitter we saw in the beginning and when he’s doing that, he’s pretty dangerous."
SEE IT: Mets, Juan Soto stay loose with game of bottle flip in win over Dodgers
There was a vibe all game in the Mets' dugout on Wednesday night in Los Angeles.
Against the rival Dodgers, Mets players kept it light and loose in between innings and during at-bats, showcasing that the good times from a year ago are still here.
First, Luisangel Acuna donned some catcher’s gear to protect the dugout from any foul balls headed their way, but it was in the top of the ninth with the Mets batting when the joy of the game shone through the players.
With the Mets up 6-0 thanks to two Pete Alonso home runs, a group of players that included Jose Siri, Starling Marte, among others, began to play “bottle flip.” After the players could not get the water bottle to stand up, Juan Soto appeared and made his lone attempt.
The first-year Met flipped the bottle and it landed perfectly. The group all jumped at the feat while Soto, with a big smile, ran through the dugout.
“Was it Soto who got it?” SNY broadcaster Gary Cohen asked. “It was. Of course it was.”
Juan Soto nails the watter bottle flip! 😂 pic.twitter.com/ZjbhYsbyf8
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 5, 2025
While Soto didn’t have a great night at the plate -- he finished 0-for-1 with three walks and an RBI groundout -- Mets fans saw the return of the “Soto shuffle” earlier in the game and it seems Soto is starting to look like himself again.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was asked about the sudden return of the Soto Shuffle and the second-year skipper echoed what he's been saying about his star player all season.
"It’s Juan Soto being Juan Soto," he said. "I’ve been saying it even through the 'tough times,' he’s been the same guy. A guy that comes in, prepares, competes, and as long as we’re winning games, that’s all that matters to him. He knows he’s too good of a player, too good of a hitter and at the end of the year, the numbers will be there. We know that."
The Mets' 6-1 win on Wednesday night clinched the season series against the Dodgers, something Mendoza downplayed but when it was a great win considering they let Tuesday's loss in extra innings slip away. Mendoza was asked about how the team can play so loose even against a tough team like the Dodgers, and he
"That’s who we are," he said. "After a tough loss last night, tough game, come back the next day and we did that again today. We know we’re good. You’re going to go through times where it’s not going to be easy and just to keep it the same. Don’t get too high, don’t get too low. Understand you have a long ways to go, but also understanding we have a good team here."
The Mets may have won the season series, but they can win the four-game set when they take on the Dodgers on Thursday afternoon.
Juan Soto comes back from down 0-2 to work a walk (with a couple shuffles) pic.twitter.com/XrdlinOsFz
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) June 5, 2025
Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Luke Weaver sidelined, Devin Williams steps back in as Yankees closer
In this week's Closer Report, Devin Williams is getting another ninth-inning audition with the Yankees as Luke Weaver heads to the injured list with a left hamstring strain. And in Chicago, Daniel Palencia is making the most of his opportunity as the Cubs' closer.
Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings
Tier 1: At the Top
Josh Hader - Houston Astros
Hader locked down two more saves this week, striking out two batters in a clean frame each time out. The 31-year-old left-hander sits alone at the top of the rankings with a 1.38 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, and a 39/6 K/BB ratio across 26 innings while going a perfect 16-for-16 in save chances.
Tier 2: The Elite
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners
Robert Suarez - San Diego Padres
Edwin Díaz - New York Mets
Jhoan Duran - Minnesota Twins
Emmanuel Clase - Cleveland Guardians
Mason Miller - Athletics
Muñoz surrendered his first runs of the season, giving up three runs to blow the save chance on Friday against the Twins. He followed with another blown save on Sunday, giving up one run on a walk and a hit. Still, he struck out two batters each time out and should get back on track.
Suarez had a big week on the mound, picking up two saves and a win over four games. With the night off on Tuesday, Jeremiah Estrada stepped in to pick up his second save in extras against the Giants. Suarez is up to a league-leading 19 saves with a 1.98 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, and a 29/8 K/BB ratio across 27 1/3 innings.
Díaz added two saves against the Rockies, striking out the side in both appearances. Then, pitching for the third time in four days, he gave up a run on two hits to blow a save against the Dodgers on Monday.
Duran made two clean appearances against the Mariners, picking up a win on Friday before pitching in a non-save situation Saturday. The 27-year-old right-hander now has a 0.95 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and a 34/11 K/BB ratio across 28 1/3 innings.
Clase continues to chip away at his ratios, tossing two more scoreless innings this week for a pair of saves. The 27-year-old right-hander is up to 13 saves on the season with a 3.96 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and a 26/5 K/BB ratio across 25 innings.
Miller made just one appearance this week, striking out one batter in a clean inning against the Blue Jays. He has just three saves since the start of May as the Athletics have completely fallen apart, winning just seven games since May 1.
Tier 3: The Solid Options
Ryan Helsley - St. Louis Cardinals
Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers
Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers
Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox
Pete Fairbanks - Tampa Bay Rays
Camilo Doval - San Francisco Giants
Will Vest/Tommy Kahnle - Detroit Tigers
Jeff Hoffman - Toronto Blue Jays
Devin Williams - New York Yankees
Justin Martinez - Arizona Diamondbacks
Félix Bautista - Baltimore Orioles
Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs
Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals
Emilio Pagan - Cincinnati Reds
Carlos Estévez - Kansas City Royals
Helsley struck out two batters in a perfect inning for a save in his lone appearance this week, picking up his 13th of the season to go with a 3.00 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, and a 23/11 K/BB ratio across 21 innings. Meanwhile, Scott took a loss on Monday, giving up two runs in the tenth inning against the Mets. He then came back with a scoreless frame on Tuesday, striking out two and falling in line for a win.
Megill locked down back-to-back saves in a pair of scoreless outings against the Phillies and Reds. The 31-year-old right-hander has converted 12 saves with a 2.21 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and a 22/11 K/BB ratio across 20 1/3 innings. A couple of three-walk outings have inflated his walk rate, but Megill's skills are right in line with where he was last year when he posted a 2.72 ERA with 21 saves.
Chapman pitched three times in five days, striking out four batters over three scoreless innings while picking up one save. He's up to nine with a 1.80 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and a 33/9 K/BB ratio across 25 innings. In Tampa, Fairbanks tossed a clean inning against the Rangers in a non-save situation on Tuesday and converted his 11th save on Wednesday.
Doval had made 21 consecutive appearances without allowing a run going into Tuesday's contest against the Padres. He broke that streak, giving up two runs to blow the save chance. He had locked down two saves earlier in the week after being named the team's closer going forward. Doval should continue to operate as the primary ninth-inning reliever in San Francisco. With Doval getting the night off Wednesday, Ryan Walker stepped in for the save chance but allowed two runners on with one out before Randy Rodríguez cleaned up the inning for his first career save.
Vest converted two save chances for the Tigers in the last week. He gave up a run against the Royals on Friday before working a clean inning for his ninth save on Sunday. Vest then pitched the seventh and eighth on Wednesday against the White Sox, falling in line for a win before Kahnle recorded his eighth save.
Hoffman gave up a two-run homer against the Athletics on Saturday but held on for his 13th save before striking out two in a clean inning during a non-save situation on Sunday.
In New York, Luke Weaver was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left hamstring strain he suffered while warming up to enter a game on June 1. He's expected to miss 4-6 weeks. Devin Williams is set to step back into the closer role for the Yankees. He's struggled in save situations this year and gave up a run against the Guardians on Tuesday before recording the save.
Martinez struck out two in a perfect inning against the Nationals on Sunday for a save. He then worked a five-out save against the Braves on Wednesday, giving up one run on four walks while striking out four batters. Meanwhile, Bautista recorded saves on back-to-back days against the White Sox, then tossed a clean frame in a non-save situation against the Orioles on Tuesday.
Palencia has been impressive in his run as the Cubs' closer. He added another save this week with a clean outing against the Reds on Saturday. The 25-year-old right-hander may not give up the role even when Porter Hodge returns from the injured list. He's posted a 1.74 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, and a 22/7 K/BB ratio across 20 2/3 innings.
Finnegan gave up one run before holding on for a save on Friday against the Diamondbacks, then converted his 17th of the season Wednesday against the Cubs. Meanwhile, Pagán recorded the final two outs against the Cubs on Friday, then pitched a scoreless inning against the Brewers on Tuesday for his 15th save.
Estévez worked a pair of scoreless innings to record two more saves. He's up to 17 with a 1.71 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and a 25/11 K/BB ratio across 26 1/3 innings. The 32-year-old right-hander has allowed just one run over his last 15 1/3 innings.
Tier 4: Here for the Saves
Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves
David Bednar/Dennis Santana - Pittsburgh Pirates
Kenley Jansen - Los Angeles Angels
Jordan Romano - Philadelphia Phillies
Robert Garcia - Texas Rangers
Iglesias pitched in two non-save situations. He allowed a run against the Phillies last Thursday before pitching a clean inning against the Red Sox on Sunday. The 35-year-old right-hander has struggled to a 5.79 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and a 25/5 K/BB ratio across 23 1/3 innings.
Bednar pitched two clean innings in non-save situations against the Padres, then converted his seventh save with two strikeouts in a scoreless frame against the Astros on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Jansen gave up a run in a non-save situation against the Guardians on Friday, then pitched back-to-back days against the Red Sox for a save and a win.
In Philadelphia, Romano worked around three walks and a hit last Thursday before holding on for the save against the Braves. He then gave up one run in a non-save situation against the Brewers on Sunday and took the loss with a run allowed against the Blue Jays on Wednesday. For the Rangers, Garcia continued to be the presumptive closer despite no save chances this week.
Tier 5: Bottom of the Barrel
Calvin Faucher/Ronny Henriquez - Miami Marlins
Zach Agnos - Colorado Rockies
Jordan Leasure/Steven Wilson - Chicago White Sox
Relievers On The Rise/Stash Candidates
Bryan Baker has been excellent for the Orioles all season, posting a 2.67 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and an outstanding 35/6 K/BB ratio across 27 innings. The 30-year-old right-hander is throwing harder than he ever has and generating a career-high 14% swinging strike rate. Baker has two holds and a save in the last week as the Orioles start to string together some wins. He's likely elevated himself to the next-in-line for saves behind Félix Bautista.
While Devin Williams is in line to work most save chances for the Yankees in Luke Weaver's absence, he hasn't exactly seen the most success in that role this season. It might be a good idea to keep an eye on Mark Leiter Jr. and Fernando Cruz. Both have recorded a pair of saves this season while generating strong strikeout rates. Cruz was activated from the 15-day injured list on Tuesday after missing a couple of weeks with a shoulder issue.
If the Nationals become sellers at some time this summer, we may finally see the team move on from Kyle Finnegan. With Jorge López out of the picture, after he was released, the door would be wide open for someone to step in to close. Cole Henry could be a name to watch over the next two months. The 25-year-old right-hander has posted a 2.08 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and a 22/10 K/BB ratio across 21 2/3 innings.
After back-to-back rough showings, Mets’ Griffin Canning delivers stellar outing against Dodgers
Griffin Canning hit a bit of a rough patch his last two times out.
The right-hander was knocked around by the Dodgers in a rain-shortened outing and then suffered his third loss of the season after issuing four walks and allowing five runs to the lowly Chicago White Sox.
But facing Los Angeles again on Wednesday at Chavez Ravine, Canning delivered perhaps his most impressive outing of the season.
The Mets handed him an early three-run lead and he cruised from there -- holding the high-powered Dodgers lineup to just a walk and two singles while striking out four over the game’s first four innings.
Canning did find himself in some danger in the fifth, as Dalton Rushing lined a one-out single, but he bounced back nicely to punch out Kiké Hernández and his former teammate Shohei Ohtani to end the inning.
He returned for the sixth and finished his night with an easy 1-2-3 frame -- closing his final line with just one walk and three hits allowed while striking out six.
“He was really, really good,” Carlos Mendoza said. “The way he used all of his pitches, I thought he got ahead and executed when he needed to. The fastball was at 97 at one point, he had life on it -- the slider was sharp, the changeup had depth. Pretty impressive for him to go out and do what he did against that lineup.”
These are exactly the type of outings the Mets were hoping they’d receive from the former first-round pick when they took a chance on him on a one-year pact this offseason.
Canning has already won as many games as he did all of last season with the Angels and Braves, and he’s down to an extremely impressive 2.90 ERA on the year -- good enough for the ninth-lowest in the National League.
He’s also pieced together three quality starts and this is the seventh time he’s allowed one or fewer earned runs.
“He’s been awesome for us,” Mendoza said. “The last two outings with the rain against the Dodgers at home and then the rough one against the White Sox, but overall, we feel really good every time he takes the ball.
“You have to give him credit -- he’s been open to the new ideas and the adjustments, whether it’s gripping the baseball and a couple of other things, but it comes down to him going out there and executing the plan.”
‘A great privilege’: Mal Meninga locked in as Perth Bears’ inaugural NRL coach
Former Origin coach beats Sam Burgess and Brad Arthur to role
Kangaroos coach steps down from national team job
The Perth Bears hope the presence of Mal Meninga will give the NRL’s 18th team immediate cut-through in an AFL-dominated city after unveiling the Immortal as the head coach of the start-up franchise.
At a press conference in Sydney on Friday, Meninga was locked in as the Bears’ inaugural coach on a three-year deal. It is his first foray into club coaching in more than 25 years.
Continue reading...Pitching is the culprit again as Dodgers lose to Mets
The Dodgers made history when they opened the season with eight straight wins, something no reigning World Series champion had ever done. But they’ve been just a shade above mediocre since then.
“I wouldn't say [I’m] worried. It’s kind of where we're at right now,” manager Dave Roberts said.
“It's been hard to gain traction.”
If anything, the Dodgers have been spinning their wheels. Because with Wednesday’s 6-1 loss to the New York Mets, the team’s third loss in four games, the Dodgers fell to .500 over the last month and their lead in the National League West remained at just a game over the San Diego Padres heading into Thursday’s get-away day matinee with the Mets.
Read more:Hernández: Can Clayton Kershaw contribute to Dodgers' title chase? 'I'm gonna bet on him'
Since their historic start, the Dodgers have had just three winning streaks of more than two games, but three losing streaks of more than two games. For every three steps forward, the team has taken 2 ½ steps back.
And while the Dodgers entered Thursday with the fourth-best record in the league, over the last two months they have a lower winning percentage than the Milwaukee Brewers, the third-best team in the Central Division. The reason why, Roberts said, is pitching.
Or rather the lack of pitching.
The staff ERA in May was 4.39; only four teams in the National League were worse. The ERA is just a tick lower four games into June.
“Teams win consistently over stretches — as far as winning streaks — by preventing runs,” said Roberts, whose team had three shutouts in the first 23 games but hasn’t had one since. “It's hard to do that without it. So for us, it's just getting a quality start, then have good innings out of the pen.
“If you look at the last few weeks, we just haven't been able to do that. And that's kind of the reason we've played .500 baseball the last few weeks.”
Take Wednesday as an example. Starter Tony Gonsolin lasted just five innings, giving up three runs, all in the first inning. Two came on a Pete Alonso homer. But at least Gonsolin, who was making his seventh start since returning from Tommy John surgery, was able to take the mound. The Dodgers have 15 other pitchers on the injured list.
“Just threw a bad one to Pete, and he didn't miss it,” said Gonsolin (3-2) of the home run, Alonso’s 13th of the season and the first of two on the night. “That was my least favorite [pitch] of the outing, for sure.”
The bullpen didn’t fare much better. After a pair of hitless innings from Anthony Banda and Lou Trivino, Ryan Loutos hit the first batter he faced in the eighth, walked the next, then gave up a three-run homer to Alonso, who finished with a season-high five RBIs.
The Dodgers’ only run came on Andy Pages’ solo homer, his 12th of the season, with one out in the ninth. The hit was Pages’ third of the night — half his team’s total. He also had a second-inning infield single and a seventh-inning double, extending his hitting streak to a season-high nine games and raising his average to .290.
For the Mets, starter Griffin Canning (6-2) cruised through his six innings, facing just four batters over the minimum. The former Angel gave up three hits, walked one and struck out seven in his best outing of the season, winning for the first time in nearly a month.
Read more:Dodgers star Freddie Freeman's family appreciated kind gesture from slain Baldwin Park officer
And that left the Dodgers struck in a rut, searching for enough traction to get themselves out.
“We know we're not playing the way we started,” outfielder Michael Conforto said. “We've been a little bit banged up. A lot of the pitchers are banged up. And even a lot of our our position players are working through some stuff. So there's a bit of that.
“And then there's just the lack of coming through in big spots, myself included in that. But obviously we understand who we are and what we can do when we're clicking on all cylinders.”
Etc.
Relievers Kirby Yates (hamstring) and Michael Kopech (shoulder) both threw short simulated games Wednesday and Roberts said both are close to being activated. Kopech gave up 11 runs in 6.1 innings while on a rehab assignment in Oklahoma City. Kopech’s last big-league appearance came in the fifth and deciding game of last fall’s World Series.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.