Jonah Tong bounced back in a big way on Tuesday night.
After allowing six runs in 4.2 innings in his last start (April 14), Tong dominated for Triple-A Syracuse. Pitching against the Worcester WooSox, Tong set down six of the first seven batters he faced, including striking out five.
The Mets' young right-hander would push his strikeout count to six batters through three no-hit innings -- he did allow two walks. He wouldn't allow his first hit until three batters into the fourth inning when Anthony Seigler hit an opposite-field single to left field.
Tong lost his shutout in the sixth, however. He gave up a leadoff double to Nick Sogard and two batters later, Sogard came around to score on a Mickey Gasper one-out single. Red Sox prospect Kristian Campbell followed with a single, knocking Tong out of the game.
Dan Hammer came on to get the final two outs of the sixth (strikeout, lineout) to close the book on Tong's night.
Tong threw 87 pitches (59 strikes) across 5.1 innings, allowing one run on four hits and two walks, while striking out nine batters. He lowered his ERA from 7.04 to 5.66.
On the offensive side, the Syracuse Mets smashed four home runs through the first six innings, including two from Ronny Mauricio.
Mauricio continues his impressive start to the minor league season, going 2-for-3 with a walk through Tuesday's first six innings. Mauricio now has four home runs in his last four minor league games.
In 14 games with Syracuse, Mauricio is batting .302 with five home runs, two doubles, and 11 RBI.
The other two homers came from Nick Morabito and a grand slam from first base prospect Ryan Clifford. It's the third straight game Clifford has homered.
Francisco Lindor knew that the outside noise would only continue to get louder as the Mets’ losing streak dragged on. He knew — and said as much Sunday, after their skid stretched to 11 games — that they needed to stick together. And then Lindor delivered a major swing to help start quieting the frustration himself.
Lindor crushed a pitch from the Twins’ Simeon Woods Richardson into the second deck in right field at Citi Field, giving the Mets a 3-0 lead over Minnesota in the third inning with his second home run of the season.
Everything started in the third with a single from Mark Vientos, and after Carson Benge grounded into a fielder’s choice and Marcus Semien walked. That gave Lindor a chance to produce. He entered play Tuesday with just a .205 average, a .600 OPS and just a .091 average with runners in scoring position this season, but after working a full count, Lindor connected on a four-seam fastball.
It gave the fans at a mostly empty Citi Field something to celebrate. One donned a Grimace costume — a nod to the 2024 Mets. Others erupted in cheers. And it created a different scene than what would’ve happened if Lindor made out and the Mets stranded two just one frame after they couldn’t advance Bo Bichette from first base after he led off with a single.
Lindor needed a moment like that, too. His struggles at the plate — something that’d become normal for him early in recent seasons — had been accompanied by mental lapses in the field and on the bases.
Mets’ Francisco Lindor celebrates after hitting a three-run home run during the third inning. AP
But then his swing on Tuesday took a step toward changing the trajectories for both him and the Mets.
Apr 14, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean (26) throws a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
I thought this meter would be better than the hitting meter because the offense has really been the problem. But honestly? It’s not that much better. There are more positive grades for sure, but there are almost as many pitchers mired in the poop right now as the hitters, which is almost impressive. All of the high leverage relievers that had excellent starts to their seasons have since had at least one blowup each—multiple blowups, in some cases. David Peterson has lost his rotation spot and Kodai Senga is perilously close to doing the same. Though the top three in the Mets’ rotation have been mostly solid, not all is sunshine and rainbows with the pitching staff either. Just about nothing is going right with the Mets, which is, well, how these types of losing streaks happen.
Player
Last week
This week
Huascar Brazobán, RHP
Luis García, RHP
Joey Gerber, RHP
—
Clay Holmes, RHP
Craig Kimbrel, RHP
—
Richard Lovelady, LHP
Sean Manaea, LHP
Nolan McLean, RHP
Tobias Myers, RHP
Freddy Peralta, RHP
David Peterson, RHP
Brooks Raley, LHP
Kodai Senga, RHP
Austin Warren, RHP
—
Luke Weaver, RHP
Devin Williams, RHP
Like with the hitters, there has been some roster turnover since our last meter. Richard Lovelady, who pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings across two appearances on back-to-back days, is now on the Washington Nationals. Luis García, who got lit up in the series finale against the Diamondbacks, was released and picked up by the Twins on a minor league deal. When Lovelady was designated for assignment, the Mets called up Craig Kimbrel, who has been a pleasant surprise and has yet to allow an earned run in his first four Mets appearances, despite taking the loss in Sunday’s walk-off defeat for allowing the ghost runner to score. Briefly on the roster was 28-year-old righty Joey Gerber, who pitched two scoreless innings in his debut in the series opener against the Dodgers in which the Mets were shut out. But unfortunately Gerber is now on the injured list due to a blister and the Mets called up Austin Warren to replace him on the roster. Warren gave up a solo homer on Wednesday in his 2026 debut after things had already gotten out of hand. Given that Christian Scott is set to be called up to start on Thursday and Warren is one of the only optionable arms the Mets have, he may not be long for the roster either.
Things were already out of hand by the time Warren entered the game on Wednesday because Devin Williams gave up a grand slam to Dalton Rushing that put that game out of reach. That outing marked the first runs Williams surrendered as a Met. It wasn’t a good week for Williams, who also blew his first save opportunity as a Met on Sunday by giving up the game-tying run in the ninth. He did strike out three batters in the inning to limit the damage and send the game to extra innings, but a blown save it was nonetheless.
Tobias Myers started Sunday’s game because David Peterson has been jettisoned to the bullpen. They piggybacked Sunday’s game and both pitched well. Myers gave up one hit over two scoreless innings, striking out two and walking one. Peterson followed in bulk relief and pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings. It was a bounce back outing for both of them. Peterson was coming off two poor starts in a row that lost him his rotation spot and would have earned him a poop emoji too if it wasn’t for Sunday’s strong outing. Myers’ run of brilliance to start the season ended when he gave up three runs to the A’s over three innings of long relief, but the Mets were shut out in that game too. Myers also gave up one run over two innings in Wednesday’s 8-2 loss to the Dodgers.
Clay Holmes started Wednesday’s game and took the loss, despite pitching well. He gave up two runs on four hits through five innings of work, striking out four and walking one. Holmes was the starter the day Myers got roughed up by the A’s too and also took the loss in that start despite yielding just one run in 5 1/3 innings of work because the Mets were shut out. Holmes has been one of the few consistent performers on the staff and still earns positive marks, as the two L’s on his ledger are hardly his fault.
Nolan McLean has been the Mets’ best starter though, which is not all that surprising. Both of his most recent starts were games that were blown by the bullpen. On Tuesday, McLean struck out eight over seven fantastic innings, over which he gave up just one run. But of course, the Mets lost 2-1. Against the Diamondbacks, McLean took the loss despite being brilliant through six. In the seventh, he walked the leadoff hitter, retired the next better, and then allowed a single before he was taken out of the game. Both of those runs would come around to score, charged to McLean.
It was Luke Weaver who blew up in that game, allowing both of his inherited runners from McLean to score and then two more of his own for good measure. He followed that up with a nightmarish outing against the A’s last Saturday in which he was lit up for four runs. He only avoid the poop emoji because he bounced back in Chicago with back-to-back scoreless appearances in close games over the weekend. McLean’s other start was blown by Brooks Raley and that outing represented the first blemish on his record all season. He too was scored upon in back-to-back appearances, but not knocked around to the level that Weaver was. Also like Weaver, he bounced back to earn a hold in Sunday’s game.
One of the only relievers who maintained a clean sheet over this terrible stretch is HuascarBrazobán, who is, I believe, the last member of the Opening Day bullpen remaining with a 0.00 ERA. Brazobán did mop-up duty in both of Kodai Senga’s most recent starts, which were both horrific. Senga gets slapped with the poop emoji for that, but still has his rotation spot, albeit tenuously. Brazobán pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Senga against the A’s. He had a rockier outing following Senga against the Cubs, but the Mets’ defense didn’t exactly help his cause. Brazobán issued two walks to load the bases in Sunday’s game with a skinny one-run lead to protect, but escape the jam by striking out Seiya Suzuki.
In the second of Senga’s disastrous starts, Sean Manaea pitched the bulk of long relief and the Cubs piled on against him, tagging him for five runs in four innings of work. His other outing in this twelve-game span was a positive one though; he pitched three hitless innings in a tight game in the series finale against the A’s.
That outing was in relief of Freddy Peralta, who had a very good outing that day, despite the Mets being shut out (I’m sensing a theme here). He delivered a quality start, yielding just one run on four hits through six innings of work, striking out six and walking three. Unfortunately, he took the tough luck loss. He was equally sharp through 5 2/3 in Chicago, but then unfortunately issued back-to-back walks with two outs in the sixth, which both came around to score on a home run surrendered by Brooks Raley. Overall, Peralta has been solid, but gasses quickly in the middle innings.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JULY 12: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Saturday, July 12, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Shohei Ohtani takes the ball in the middle game of the series between the Dodgers and Giants on Wednesday night at Oracle Park in San Francisco.
Ohtani has pitched exactly six innings in each of his three starts this season, with two total runs allowed, one of them earned. In three career starts against the Giants, Ohtani has allowed two runs, one earned, in 15 innings. He had two six-inning starts with the Angels in 2021 and 2023, and last July 12 in San Francisco struck out four in three scoreless innings, as Ohtani was still in the early stages of building back up in his way back from Tommy John surgery.
The Suns took a heavy loss on Sunday against a very strong Thunder team (which makes sense, they’re the champions…), and even though Phoenix got outclassed in many areas (again, nothing surprising…), I felt there were some good things throughout the game. And before that, I thought the staff actually prepared the matchup correctly, especially with the intention of limiting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s scoring impact as much as possible. So I’m proposing we analyze a few sequences together to better understand all of this.
Already, a quick statistical note: Shai finishes with a nice line: 25 points, 7 assists, and 0 turnovers. But behind that, you’ll find a rough 5-for-18 shooting night (including 0-for-4 from three) and a 96.2 PSA. Numerically, both in terms of volume and efficiency (you have to go back to Game 7 of the NBA Finals to find another SGA game under 30% shooting), this is his 5th-worst scoring performance of the season. Sure, he didn’t need to force anything, sure he got the win, but for the Suns, that’s respectable.
I think the best way to understand a tactical approach is to look at what happens during the first 4–5 minutes of a game. Before any adjustments are made or fatigue/pace come into play. And the game plan on Shai during this Game 1 was clear: the guards are placed on him one by one with the objective of being aggressive and forcing him into tough midrange shots. But they’re also asked to help and fill the paint as much as possible to contain him.
On this play, for example, Shai gets by Goodwin with his first step, but he has no driving lane because all five Suns players have a foot or more in the paint: Booker and Goodwin pressure him together, Ighodaro is in second-layer help, Brooks and Green are in the third layer. SGA is forced to pass to Lu Dort in the corner.
Unfortunately, despite a very good closeout from Brooks, the three still goes in.
Another situation, this time it’s Brooks who’s on him, very high, it almost looks like a (1-2-2) zone defense set up by the Suns. Dillon fights through the screen and you’ll notice that Oso prioritizes Shai over Hartenstein, the Thunder guard draws four Suns players: Booker is watching, waiting and ready to act (as we see at the end); Oso is still there as the low man; and Green comes to help to stop the drive, Brooks (even if a bit late) manages to bother the shot.
Basically, this same defensive pattern was repeated several times in this first quarter: high defensive activity to force him to drive left, then help to stop the drive and force a contested midrange shot. SGA goes back to the bench with 8 points on 2-for-6 shooting — the plan to limit his scoring worked, maybe even too well, because the team forgot that the Thunder are overflowing with offensive talent, starting with the lack of response to Chet Holmgren’s performance (13 points).
Then, the defensive trend was completely different in the second quarter: Jordan Ott left Ryan Dunn on him during the last four minutes of SGA’s time on the floor. And I understand it, and I found the choice interesting — Dunn is bigger, stronger, less quick than a guard, but mobile and long enough not to fall too far behind.
In reality, it’s just a variation of what was done in Q1: Dunn pressures high, Shai obviously beats him with speed, but Brooks is there to help and force him to stop his dribble, Oso is also there to provide support and contest if SGA gets through. Dunn is positioned well enough to contest this midrange shot once again.
In Q3 the team continued with the same game plan but Shai played differently, more intelligently: by forcing less on the tough midrange shots that didn’t seem to fall during this game (1-for-7), by drawing a few fouls, by playing with the aggressiveness imposed by the Suns. But also by playing more collectively — he understood it, and it was surely studied at halftime, but Shai took advantage of the excessive help to be more of a distributor (4 assists in Q3). He finishes the game with catastrophic percentages, but with offensive rhythm control worthy of a future two-time MVP.
This brings us back to what I said earlier: by focusing too much on one thing, you often end up forgetting the rest. It wasn’t the big three’s points that created the gap, but the baskets from players like Wallace (6 points), Mitchell and Joe (9 points each), or even Dort (8points). In itself, this tactical setup was good, but it was too focused on a single player. So, for the next games, why not let him finish a bit more at the rim instead of feeding his teammates? I think a middle ground can be found before the end of this series to limit the Thunder’s entire offense.
Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) warms up on the field during batting practice.
BOSTON — As a kid who grew up in nearby Walpole in the early 2000s, Cam Schlittler acknowledges that the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry is not quite what it used to be.
But …
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“I think we’re heading in the right direction,” Schlittler said with a chuckle Tuesday inside the visiting clubhouse at Fenway Park, knowing full well that he has something to do with that.
Since dominating his hometown team in the AL wild-card series last October, Schlittler has done his best to stoke the flames of the rivalry, making for what should be an entertaining first start here for him Thursday night in the series finale. Much of that has centered around the social-media harassment his family received in the lead-up to his playoff start against the Red Sox, and Schlittler using it as fuel and then responding back with both his pitching (in the series-clinching win) and postgame comments (plus a few more on social media).
And while the 25-year-old insists his goal is not just to heat the rivalry back up, it doesn’t hurt either — at least it hasn’t yet.
“I think the goal when you’re playing a division rival is you’re going to perform at the best level,” Schlittler said. “For some guys, if the rivalry feeds them a little bit, like I think it does for me, then great. If not, it doesn’t matter.”
Cam Schlittler warms up during batting practice before the Yankees-Red Sox game on April 21, 2026 at Fenway Park. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
Schlittler, who could be the human personification of the popular Michael Jordan GIF, “and I took that personally,” has long fed off of any possible slight against him during his career, using it as fodder to help him on the mound — along with the three different fastballs he now predominantly uses to attack hitters.
So far, he has been able to toe the line of using it to his advantage and not allowing it to turn into a distraction.
“That’s all I’ve seen — I mean, that’s all [ital] I’ve seen,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He handles it quite well.”
Schlittler indicated he knows how far to go with that kind of stuff.
Cam Schlittler on the field during batting practice before the Yankees-Red Sox game on April 21. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
“I think I handled it really well last year, before that game, just not letting it be a distraction,” he said. “Being able to feed off that when I needed to. Don’t need to go out there and overcompensate or try to do too much. At the end of the day, it’s just doing what I do best and that’s going out there and trying to dominate a lineup.”
Six months after his historic playoff start against the Red Sox, Schlittler and his family are still receiving death threats, he told The Post’s Joel Sherman over the weekend. But he spent two to three months in Boston over the offseason and said in general, his interactions with fans “were great.” That led him to believe that the “typical Boston fans” were not going to give him much problem in person, and that it was “really just the people online that aren’t respectful.”
Of course, that will be put to the test on Thursday when he makes his first career start at Fenway Park. He is not oblivious to how hostile it may get — particularly when he warms up in the bullpen, where fans can essentially breathe down his neck — though he expects it to be a “great atmosphere.”
“He’s a competitive guy, and obviously somebody who walks out there with a lot of confidence,” Boone said.
“Try to have him have less of a social media presence though,” Boone added with a grin.
Schlittler, who went back to his alma mater Northeastern on Monday to throw on the off-day, expects to have plenty of family and friends in attendance Thursday. It was not long ago that he was growing up dreaming of playing at Fenway Park, though until the draft process, those thoughts did not include him being in a Yankees uniform.
They also may not have included him becoming a key figure in giving the rivalry some life again.
“I was a little bit shocked [about the social media hate], that’s all,” Schlittler said. “I think just the game and whatever it was beforehand brought that out of me. Not the goal this year. The goal is to win a championship and whatever I can do to help the team win is exactly what I’m looking to do. I don’t think I’m going to get there by messing with people on social media.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers' two-way phenom singled into right field off of Colorado Rockies starter José Quintana in the third inning on Monday night at Coors Field to extend his on-base streak to 52 games. Now, Ohtani enters Tuesday's away series opener against the archrival San Francisco Giants with the opportunity to tie Shawn Green — who reached base safely in 53 consecutive games in 2000 — for second place on the Dodgers' all-time on-base streak list (since 1900).
If Ohtani ties Green with a hit, walk, or hit-by-pitch in any of his plate appearances on Tuesday, he'd be five games away from the franchise record, which belongs to Hall of Famer Duke Snider. He got on base in 58 straight games in the 1954 season.
Ohtani's streak began back on Aug. 24, 2025. In that time, he's slashed .280/.402/.590 with 56 hits, 16 home runs, 39 walks and three HBPs. He passed “Wee” Willie Keeler (1900-1901) on Sunday to move into third place in the Dodgers' record book after breaking into the top five by surpassing Ron Cey's mark of 47 consecutive games from 1975-76 earlier in the season. On April 10, Ohtani's streak reached 44 games, moving him past Ichiro Suzuki for the longest on-base streak by a Japanese-born player.
“It's a tremendous streak," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters. "It's hard to get on base, certainly when everyone's trying to target you. This streak is one of the great ones, and hopefully he can keep it going.”
If Ohtani can pass Snider's benchmark, he'd still be a ways away from Ted Williams' MLB record of 84 straight games reaching base in 1949.
The Boston Bruins bounced back in impressive fashion with a Game 2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night at KeyBank Center to even their first-round playoff series 1-1.
Just like in Game 1, the Sabres made a strong comeback in the third period. This time, they trimmed the Bruins’ lead from 4-0 to 4-2 with five minutes left in regulation. But the B’s didn’t let the momentum carry the Sabres any further.
They tightened up defensively and goaltender Jeremy Swayman rose to the occasion with a bunch of important saves.
What were the key factors in the Bruins’ win? Let’s look at four key takeaways from Game 2.
1. Second line bounces back
Game 1 was ugly for the Bruins’ second line of Viktor Arvidsson, Pavel Zacha and Casey Mittelstadt. This trio tallied zero points, four total shots, and had only 0.28 expected goals at 5-on-5. It was a rare bad outing for one of the league’s most productive lines post-Olympic break.
Bruins head coach Marco Sturm admitted the team needed more from this line after Game 1.
“I think the Zacha line, they can be better, they really can,” he told reporters Monday. They were just OK, but I know they have another gear, like they’ve been all year. So I think that’s, that’s one line that needs to get better.”
These guys bounced back in a major way in Game 2, and it was the difference in the outcome.
Viktor Arvidsson was the catalyst for Boston. After failing to score on a first-period breakaway, he cashed in on another breakaway attempt in the second period to beat Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen with a backhand shot.
Zacha also scored on a second-period power play. Mittelstadt picked up assists on both of Arvidsson’s goals. Overall, this line had three goals, two assists and nine total shots.
The Bruins need scoring depth to win this series. They can’t rely too much on the top line. The rest of the lineup stepped up to the challenge in Game 2.
2. Jeremy Swayman giving B’s clear advantage in net
Swayman played really well in Game 1 despite the loss, and he was even better in Game 2. He made 34 saves on 36 shots for a .944 save percentage. He also saved 1.67 goals saved above expected, per MoneyPuck, and he made eight saves on nine high-danger scoring chances for the Sabres.
Swayman was especially reliable late in the third period after the Sabres scored twice to cut the lead in half. He didn’t relent, tracked the puck well and prevented the score from getting too close for comfort. He made 18 saves in the third period. It was a pivotal stretch in the series.
Sturm praised Swayman’s leadership postgame.
“He’s a big part of it. If you have a goalie like that, he doesn’t have to have a ‘C’ or an ‘A’ on him,” Sturm told reporters at his press conference. “We know he’s a big part of our team, he’s a big leader. He’s been through it, those ups and downs. He’s been very quiet but when he speaks we all listen.”
Swayman has a .931 save percentage in the series, which is outstanding. As expected, he has given the B’s a huge advantage in net. Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen didn’t play great in the series opener and gave an awful performance in Game 2 with four goals against, including a shocking goal from center ice on a simple dump in by Morgan Geekie.
The Sabres now need to figure out whether to go back to Luukkonen for Game 3 or go with backup Alex Lyon. There’s no such controversy with the Bruins. Swayman is the most trustworthy player in the series right now.
Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Swayman has a .931 save percentage in two games vs. the Sabres.
3. Bruins’ penalty kill surprisingly excellent so far
The Bruins didn’t have an effective penalty kill in the regular season. This unit ranked 24th in the league with a 77 percent success rate. The B’s have shown tremendous improvement shorthanded in this series, though.
Boston went 5-for-5 on the penalty kill in Game 2 and this group is a perfect 9-for-9 in the series. Swayman is a huge part of that success. He has stopped all 18 shots the Sabres have generated on the power play.
It hasn’t all been Swayman, though. The B’s are consistently breaking up passes, winning puck battles and preventing zone entries while shorthanded.
The Sabres are in a power play slump. They’ve failed to score on 31 straight opportunities with the man advantage going back to the regular season. Will the Sabres’ power play break through in Boston?
4. David Pastrnak making strong impact offensively
Superstar players have to deliver in the playoffs, and Pastrnak has stepped up for the Bruins through two games.
After scoring one goal with two assists in Game 1, he added two more assists in Game 2, moving him into a tie with Hall of Fame defenseman Bobby Orr for eighth place on the Bruins’ all-time playoff scoring leaderboard with 92 career points.
David Pastrnak (0-2—2) recorded his 24th career multi-assist playoff game and moved into eighth place on the @NHLBruins’ all-time list. #StanleyCup
Pastrnak isn’t just making a difference at even strength. He has factored into both of Boston’s power play goals (one goal, one assist) in the series, too.
Pastrnak could maybe be a little more aggressive looking for his shot on the power play, but the numbers don’t lie: The B’s have produced 19 scoring chances and 11 high-danger chances when he’s been on the ice through two games.
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol after tumbling face-first to the court in the second quarter of Tuesday night’s playoff loss to Portland.
“He has a concussion. He’s in the protocol,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said after San Antonio fell 106-103 to even the Western Conference first-round series at one game apiece. “We’ll take the proper and appropriate steps.”
Any extended absence by Wembanyama would be a massive blow to San Antonio, which finished with the league’s second-best record behind the versatile 7-foot-4 center from France.
Under league guidelines, a player in the concussion protocol must have at least 48 hours of inactivity and recovery and then hit several benchmarks without symptoms before being cleared to play. A player must undergo neurological testing and receive a final clearance from a team doctor in consultation with the league’s concussion protocol director.
Game 3 is Friday in Portland. It seems improbable that Wembanyama would be cleared by then, but Johnson wouldn’t speculate about his status.
“The protocol is the protocol,” Johnson said. “We’ll just follow it as everyone else does and plan accordingly.”
The Spurs went 12-6 during the regular season without Wembanyama.
“We’ve all got to step up,” Spurs guard Devin Vassell said. “We know what Vic brings to the table. We’ve played without him for a couple games this year. It’s going to be next man up. Everybody’s going to have to step up. That’s a huge void to fill. We can’t get bogged down by it.”
Wembanyama was fouled by Jrue Holiday after he spun around the Trail Blazers point guard in the paint. He was not able to brace himself on the fall, and his jaw hit the court with 8:57 remaining in the second quarter.
Wembanyama remained on the court for about 30 seconds before rising to a seated position for about a minute and speaking to teammate Stephon Castle. Johnson called timeout to check on Wembanyama, who immediately ran through the tunnel after getting to his feet.
Wembanyama had five points, four rebounds, one blocked shot and one assist in 12 minutes. Veteran Luke Kornet replaced Wembanyama and started the second half at center, finishing with 10 points and nine rebounds in 28 minutes.
“It was scary. I saw the images. It was not good,” Trail Blazers coach Tiago Splitter said of the play where Wembanyama got hurt. “With him out, Kornet, I think he did a tremendous job. We still have to figure out how to play better when Kornet is on the court.”
San Antonio is in the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and beat Portland in Game 1 of the Western Conference first-round series behind 35 points from Wembanyama. Without him, the Spurs blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead in the playoffs for the first time since 2003, a span of 76 games.
On Monday, Wembanyama became the unanimous winner of the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award. He averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and a league-best 3.1 blocks this season.
Vassell said he didn’t have a chance to talk with Wembanyama immediately after the game.
“We’ll definitely check in on him. Our prayers are with him,” Vassell said. “We just want him to be good.”
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol after tumbling face-first to the court in the second quarter of Tuesday night’s playoff loss to Portland.
“He has a concussion. He’s in the protocol,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said after San Antonio fell 106-103 to even the Western Conference first-round series at one game apiece. “We’ll take the proper and appropriate steps.”
Any extended absence by Wembanyama would be a massive blow to San Antonio, which finished with the league’s second-best record behind the versatile 7-foot-4 center from France.
Under league guidelines, a player in the concussion protocol must have at least 48 hours of inactivity and recovery and then hit several benchmarks without symptoms before being cleared to play. A player must undergo neurological testing and receive a final clearance from a team doctor in consultation with the league’s concussion protocol director.
Game 3 is Friday in Portland. It seems improbable that Wembanyama would be cleared by then, but Johnson wouldn’t speculate about his status.
“The protocol is the protocol,” Johnson said. “We’ll just follow it as everyone else does and plan accordingly.”
The Spurs went 12-6 during the regular season without Wembanyama.
“We’ve all got to step up,” Spurs guard Devin Vassell said. “We know what Vic brings to the table. We’ve played without him for a couple games this year. It’s going to be next man up. Everybody’s going to have to step up. That’s a huge void to fill. We can’t get bogged down by it.”
Wembanyama was fouled by Jrue Holiday after he spun around the Trail Blazers point guard in the paint. He was not able to brace himself on the fall, and his jaw hit the court with 8:57 remaining in the second quarter.
Wembanyama remained on the court for about 30 seconds before rising to a seated position for about a minute and speaking to teammate Stephon Castle. Johnson called timeout to check on Wembanyama, who immediately ran through the tunnel after getting to his feet.
Wembanyama had five points, four rebounds, one blocked shot and one assist in 12 minutes. Veteran Luke Kornet replaced Wembanyama and started the second half at center, finishing with 10 points and nine rebounds in 28 minutes.
“It was scary. I saw the images. It was not good,” Trail Blazers coach Tiago Splitter said of the play where Wembanyama got hurt. “With him out, Kornet, I think he did a tremendous job. We still have to figure out how to play better when Kornet is on the court.”
San Antonio is in the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and beat Portland in Game 1 of the Western Conference first-round series behind 35 points from Wembanyama. Without him, the Spurs blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead in the playoffs for the first time since 2003, a span of 76 games.
On Monday, Wembanyama became the unanimous winner of the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award. He averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and a league-best 3.1 blocks this season.
Vassell said he didn’t have a chance to talk with Wembanyama immediately after the game.
“We’ll definitely check in on him. Our prayers are with him,” Vassell said. “We just want him to be good.”
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 18: Freddy Fermin #54 of the San Diego Padres is congratulated in the dugout after scoring a run on a single by Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 18, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Diego Padres (15-7) at Colorado Rockies (9-14), April 21, 2026, 5:40 p.m. PST
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SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 09: Jimmy Herget #44 of the Colorado Rockies pitches against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Petco Park on April 09, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tonight, the Colorado Rockies (9-14) welcome the San Diego Padres (15-7) to Coors Field for the first of a three-game stand.
As a reminder, the Padres swept the Rockies in four games at Petco Park just over a week ago.
Starting for the Padres is Randy Vásquez. This will be his fourth start in 2025.
The righty has a 2.49 ERA in 21.0 IP. He’s struck out 25, walked eight, and given up one home run. Vásquez has a 1.29 WHIP.
Taking the mound for the Rockies will be RHP Jimmy Herget, who will open the game and turn it over to Chase Dollander. This will be his third stint as an opener in 2026.
Currently, Herget has an ERA of 1.64 in 11.0 IP. He’s struck out eight while giving up two walks and no home runs with a 0.91 WHIP.
As for Dollander, this will be his sixth appearance of 2026. In 19.0 IP, he’s earned an ERA of 3.32, including 23 strikeouts and six walks. In addition, Dollander has allowed three home runs.
Veteran Australian bowler Peter Siddle has reportedly been banned from playing in this season’s T20 Blast due to his participation in the World Legends Pro League earlier this year.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 19: Toumani Camara #33 and Jrue Holiday #5 of the Portland Trail Blazers box out Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs during the game during Round One Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 19, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
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The Spurs are now 15 wins away from their sixth championship, and the first order of business is taking care of home court in Game 2 against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Silver and Black won the first game by double digits, but the Blazers were competitive throughout—and with two road teams taking upset victories last night, a victory for the home team is not a foregone conclusion. The Nuggets are looking at a long series against the Timberwolves, and either team could be the Spurs second round opponent if the Spurs advance. It would be optimal for Alamo City hoopers to take care of business and make it to the second round with a rest advantage, and that would start with a victory tonight.
Deni Avdija was impressive for Rip City on Sunday night, as he used his strength to get to the hoop and scored 30 taking the ball right at Wembanyama and Spurs defenders. Toumani Camara did a good job defending against Spurs drives to the hoop, at least until halfway through the third quarter, when the Spurs fought off a Blazers surge to create a comfortable margin after the lead had been cut to a single point.
Both teams were a little tentative at the beginning of Game 1, but they quickly embraced playoff intensity as the game progressed and it was a fun game to watch. Victor Wemanyama had a historic playoff debut with 35 points, with a balanced effort from the rest of the cast, with Devin Vassell making key baskets, and Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox doing work. The bench was relatively quiet, except for Luke Kornet, who scored 10 and made key defensive plays. As good as the first game was for the Spurs, you get the feeling that they could play much better, and hopefully they will tonight.
I’m looking for a good game tonight from Keldon Johnson, in his second career playoff game. The Blazers could try to play a more physical game tonight than they did in Game 1, and if the game is called fairly, that should result in foul trouble for the visitors. The Spurs need to adjust to the intensity, weather the storm, and take care of business. If they do, it’ll be another fun night for the Frost Bank Center crowd as they cheer their team to a 2-0 series lead. GO SPURS GO!
Game Prediction:
The Trail Blazers have to wear the dirty uniforms from Game 1 as the Portland owner refuses to pay for laundry services.
San Antonio Spurs vs Portland Trail Blazers, First Round, Game 2 April 21, 2026 | 7:00 PM CT Streaming: Peacock TV: Peacock, NBC Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 4: Adley Rutschman #35 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring on an RBI single by Leody Taveras #30 (not pictured) in the fourth inning during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on April 4, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Adley Rutschman is back in the Orioles lineup. His stay on the IL was the minimum of 10 days, dating back to April 10, when he began dealing with left ankle inflammation. It sounds like his recovery was quite smooth, and he stayed in shape. So no rehab games were needed, and instead he is right back in the mix.
In order to make room for Rutschman on the big league roster, Sam Huff was designated for assignment. Huff had gone 2-for-9 at the plate, with a double, one RBI, zero walks, and five strikeouts during Rutschman’s absence. One would imagine that the O’s will hope to keep Huff in the organization since they clearly preferred him over Maverick Handley in the first place. We shall see. The Orioles 40-man roster is now at 39. Mike Elias is surely scouring the waiver wire today.
Shane Baz will be on the bump. His last time out was his longest as an Oriole. He lasted six innings and allowed four runs on six hits, three walks, and six strikeouts. To this point, the righty has been…fine. But the Orioles probably expect a bit more from him. Specifically, he needs to get more whiffs. Pair that with what has been a better walk rate for him so far and he will be cooking. This Royals team, which has scored the third-fewest runs in MLB to this point, is a good opportunity to show what he can do.
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