Michigan coach Dusty May revived the Wolverines in just two seasons, leading the program to the Final Four in 2026 after taking over a team that went 26-40 in the two years prior to his arrival.
May has only been a head coach for eight seasons but already has two Final Four appearances at two schools – Michigan and Florida Atlantic. A national championship is in Michigan's sights this season.
His services are also – obviously – sought after. He has been tied to the North Carolina opening after the school fired Hubert Davis, and he'll likely always be thought of as a dream candidate at Indiana, where he cut his teeth as a student manager before graduating from his hometown school.
Michigan won't let him walk easy, like any other top-tier program in college basketball.
Here's a look at May's current contract at Michigan, which could increase even more if the Wolverines add another raise after is Final Four run:
Dusty May contract
May signed a new contract with Michigan in February 2025, just under a year after he became the Wolverines' next coach. His current deal is through 2030, and offers him an increase of $250,000 each season, according to his contract obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
His base salary this season was $4.6 million and will increase to $4.85 million next season if his current deal doesn't change, which seems unlikely due to the Wolverines' dominance and other schools' interest in May. His yearly salary would peak at $5.6 million in Year 5 of the deal under the current agreement.
He also earns $150,000 on April 30, 2026, as part of his retention bonus. His retention bonus is set at $450,000 for 2027 and 2028, before going back to $150,000 for 2029 and 2030.
Dusty May bonuses
May has already made $250,000 in bonuses this season for leading Michigan to an outright Big Ten championship and at least a Final Four appearance, according to his contract. He's currently earning $200,000 for a Final Four spot, but that bonus can rise to $300,000 for a national championship berth and $400,000 if Michigan wins the title.
Dusty May buyout
May's buyout is currently set at $7 million, if he were to leave Michigan before April 30, 2026. The number decreases each year, and is set at $5 million until April 30, 2027, $3 million until April 30, 2028, $2 million on April 30, 2029, and $1 million on April 30, 2030.
Apr 2, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) drives to the basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Nothing is going to loom over the Lakers’ offseason more than LeBron James.
Will he retire? Will he want to remain with the Lakers? At what price? Under what expectations for a role?
For chunks of the season, it’s felt like the swan song for LeBron in Los Angeles. All of the mesaging from the Lakers was about moving into the Luka era and LeBron’s presence felt like a hindrance to that.
Then in March, things changed. LeBron’s role on the court shifted into one he’s never had before as he was a willing third fiddle, eager to capitalize on fastbreak opportunities and work off the ball offensively.
That shift seemed to open the door for a future with LeBron in LA. While President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka has said that the team wants LeBron to retire with the Lakers, that always felt more like saying the right thing in public. When the rubber meets the road, will they hold the same belief?
Those answers won’t come for a number of more months, but some insight indicates that the Lakers could be leading the pack for LeBron’s 2026-27 season. In a recent appearance on Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective, Dave McMenamin of ESPN shared his thoughts on LeBron’s future.
It’s a very lengthy quote with the most important parts bolded.
“If you asked me in October or December, I’d probably have put retirement as the No. 1 option here. As of today covering LeBron with the Lakers winning 15 out of 17 games and accepting this role that I didn’t know if I’d ever see him actually accept being willingly this much off the ball, why wouldn’t he stay with the Lakers. It gives him all the off-court things that he values — his business empire, his family, his son’s on the team, his other son is a short flight away in Arizona…and they’re winning.
So, I think the only part of the equation that would be less desirable than other situations would be the money because the Lakers do intend to build this time around Luka Dončić and use their cap space to get younger and get two-way type players and talent. Quite frankly, they don’t have a ton of cap space after they re-sign Austin Reaves and Jaxson Hayes and Luke Kennard and maybe Rui Hachimura. It’s not like they have all this money…If he wants to come back, you’re not talking about a lot of money. That’s the sacrifice he would make. But everything else checks the box. So, the Lakers, I think, are the No. 1 by a wide degree at this point.”
While I’d push back against the “not like they have all this money” part because, well, the Lakers are going to have a lot of money, it doesn’t change that they want to spend that money elsewhere and not on a returning LeBron.
This isn’t the first time this debate has been had this season and even with free agency approaching, it won’t be the last time either. Things clearly change throughout the season and maybe there is one more swing before free agency opens in July.
But McMenamin is right. The Lakers give him everything he wants off the court. If they can also add winning on the court to the table, it’s a compelling case. Is it a strong enough case for him to take less money to return? That might be out of his control as it’s hard to imagine him getting a ton of money from any franchise he wants to go to.
But as things play out, it certainly seems like the Lakers are the frontrunners.
Apr 4, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami (5) rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
A bullpen day this early in the season is tough, and many of the regulars are tired. But you can’t put Brandon Little into a one run game unless all of the other options are literally deceased. John Schneider did, and as a consequence the Blue Jays lost.
Of course, it isn’t all on Little. The Jays managed just two off Anthony Kay, which is its own problem. And bad base running and fielding compounded the issue. Regardless of how you attribute blame, it was a bad game to lose, and a bad way to lose it. The Jays now find themselves in the position of needing a win tomorrow to stay above .500 in the easiest stretch of the season. And they’ve suffered two major injuries in that stretch to boot. You can’t panic in a season as long as baseball’s, especially not in April, but fair to say the good vibes coming out of the gate have at least temporarily dissipated.
Grant Taylor was as untouchable as he was yesterday, opening the game by sitting the Jays down in order on 8 pitches. Mason Fluharty wasn’t as good today, giving up a one out single and a double off the left field wall to get into a jam. The lead runner came home on a sac fly, but he was able to get a pop out to stop the damage there.
Anthony Kay came on as the bulk guy for the White Sox in the second. Kazuma Okamoto worked a walk, but was traded for Ernie Clement on a fielder’s choice. Clement stole second to put a Jay in scoring position with two out. That almost paid off, as Myles Straw hit a hard liner, but it was right into third baseman Miguel Vargas’ glove. After a quiet third, Davis Schneider lead off the fourth with a ground ball single. Vlad came within about a foot of giving the Jays the lead, golfing a towering fly ball to the power alley in left that Austin Hays caught against the top of the wall. Okamoto lined a single that advanced Schneider to second. First baseman Munetaka Murakami booted a hard grounder off Daulton Varsho’s bat and all three runners advanced safely. Again they failed to capitalize, as Clement popped out and Straw flew out to left. Tyler Heineman was robbed of a hit by Vargas in the fifth on a scorched one-hopper, the only excitement in the inning.
They finally landed a punch on Kay in the sixth. Schneider worked a walk and Vlad didn’t miss on his second chance, launching a low slider 437 feet to left to put the Jays in front 2-1. Kay got Okamoto to ground out before being lifted for Chris Murphy. Murphy was able to hold it there, getting the next two batters.
Lazaro Estrada followed Fluharty for the Jays. He looked sharp in the second, setting the White Sox down in order. He got the first two batters in the third, but then walked Vargas, who was able to steal second. He escaped the jam by getting the dangerous Murekami to chase a high fastball for a strikeout. He issued his second walk, to Colson Mongomery, in the bottom of the fourth, but again got out of it with a line out and a pop out. The fifth was quieter, as he sat the White Sox down in order. In total, Estrada worked four innings, giving up two walks but no hits and striking out three. It was a clutch fill-in performance that took a load off the regular major league bullpen that it wasn’t in a good position to bear.
I guess deciding that they really didn’t need to win this afternoon after all, John Schneider called for Brandon Little to handle the bottom of the sixth. It took him five pitches to blow it, with Vargas doubling and Murakami launching a two run shot to dead centre field. A Montgomery solo shot one batter later gave Chicago an insurance run. Tommy Nance came in to mop up, preserving the deficit at 4-2.
Myles Straw bunted for a single to lead off and advanced on a Gimenez ground out. Heineman then lined a single to centre to bump Straw to third. That forced Murphy out of the game. Replacement Jordan Hicks walked George Springer to load the bases. Nathan Lukes was called on to pinch hit for Davis Schneider. He flew out to shallow right. It was just deep enough for the speedy Straw to tag and score, cutting the Sox’ lead to one, but Heineman foolishly tried to sneak into third behind him and got himself thrown out. That took the bat out of Vlad’s hands with what would have been the tieing runner in scoring position anyway. Just an unacceptable decision from a guy who should be one of their savviest players. Nance stayed in for a 1-2-3 bottom half.
Hicks got the first to Blue Jays in the eighth before giving way to Sean Newcomb, who walked Varsho but got Clement to ground out. Braydon Fisher took the home half and looked tired, missing spots and getting hit. He walked Vargas, got Murakami to line out, and gave up a hard line single to Hays. He got Montgomery swinging for the second out. Luisangel Acuna then tapped a grounder to Clement at second. Ernie didn’t have a play at first, but for some reason Vargas rounded third, and Clement was able to toss it to Okamoto to get him in a rundown. So far so good. But then Heineman sailed the second throw of that rundown into left, allowing two runs to score. Acuna tried to come to third and was tagged out, ending the inning, but the damage and embarrassment were done and the White Sox lead 6-3.
Addison Barger hit for Straw to lead off the ninth, facing Seranthony Dominguez, and worked a walk. Gimenez grounded into a fielder’s choice for the first out. Jesus Sanchez, hitting for Heineman, lined a broken bat single to left, bringing the tieing run to the plate. Springer couldn’t do anything with the opportunity, striking out swinging and neither could Nathan Lukes, who grounded out.
Jays of the Day: Estrada (0.18), Vlad (0.16),
Less So: Little (-0.44), Fisher (-0.10, but only because he eats the WPA hit for Heineman’s error), Lukes (-0.17), Clement (-0.16), Gimenez (-0.13), and Heineman (who doesn’t have the number but who richly deserves it)
One more game in the series, tomorrow at 2:10pm ET. Eric Lauer (1-0, 3.38) is set to start after being bumped back from today’s appearance due to illness. Hopefully he’ll be able to go, as the bullpen is gassed. Davis Martin (1-0, 5.40) goes for the Sox.
Today’s expected roster move, Cade Horton to the IL and Riley Martin called up, has not been officially announced yet by the Cubs. When it is, I’ll have a separate post on the front page.
Saturday notes…
STREAKING THE WRONG WAY: The Cubs have lost six straight games at Cleveland: two in 2021, three in 2024 and yesterday. That is their second-longest losing streak at any American League city. They lost eight in a row at New York in 2005-22 (12 including two each in the 1932 and 1938 World Series). They dropped five in a row at Detroit (2001-15), Minnesota (2006-12) and Toronto (2014-22). (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
THE NICO FILES: Nico Hoerner has a six-game on-base streak in which he is batting .350/.462/.550 (7-for-20) with four doubles, four stolen bases and five walks. He continues to lead MLB with the four steals.
STEALING BASES: The Cubs have eight steals, ranking fourth in MLB, and have not yet had a runner thrown out trying to stea.
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Jake Arrieta threw seven shutout innings and the Cubs won 9-0 on Opening Day in Anaheim. It happened 10 years ago today, Monday, April 4, 2016.
Shōta Imanaga’s first 2026 start wasn’t terrible… but it wasn’t all that good, either. He allowed one home run, unfortunately that came with two men on base. Hopefully he can keep the ball in the ballpark this evening. He did strike out seven Nationals in that first outing.
His outing last year against the Guardians, July 2, 2025 at Wrigley Field, was a similar game to his first start this year, except with more home runs (three solo homers). So, again, keeping the ball in the yard would be the key to his success, I’d think.
You’ll note in the graphic below that he averaged 92.1 miles per hour on his fastball in his first start this year. That’s up significantly from last year’s 90.8 miles per hour. If he can maintain that, this should be a good year for Shōta.
Slade Cecconi got torched by the Mariners in his first 2026 start last Sunday in Seattle — 4.1 innings, six runs allowed. He threw 93 pitches and, as noted, did not finish the fifth inning.
He has never faced the Cubs. Only two Cubs — Alex Bregman (0-for-4) and Michael Conforto (0-for-3) have ever faced him.
Today’s game is on Fox-TV (regional — coverage map, scroll to the bottom of that link for the map). A reminder that if you have MLB.TV or MLB Extra Innings, you can watch this game via those services even if it’s not on the Fox-TV affiliate in your market. Fox announcers: Adam Amin and John Smoltz.
Please visit our SB Nation Guardians site Covering The Corner. If you do go there to interact with Guardians fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 27: Aday Mara #15 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half of the Sweet Sixteen round game of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at the United Center on March 27, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Tyler Schank/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images
I’ll confess up front that I have no life. Which is why I spent a large part of my weekend running simulations of the 2026 NBA draft using the Fanspo site. I won’t bore you with the mathy details (yet), but I ran the draft using 9 default setting combinations (auto pick behavior standard, team needs, and chaos vs. the ESPN, Fanspo, and No Ceilings draft boards) 6 times each for a total of 54 runs.
I learned a lot of things (which will be covered in my next article), but one of the more important things I learned was that there were three players that fell to 47 that I had not expected, but that the Suns might want to consider. Thus, I’m providing 3 more scouting reports of players that might be available when the Suns pick at 47. Keep in mind, these are all long shots, but they are players that should at least be on the radar in case they do fall.
Aday Mara (Michigan, Junior, C)
Aday Mara (7’3″, ~255 pounds) is a highly skilled 2026 NBA Draft prospect and Michigan transfer known for elite passing instincts, soft touch around the rim, and significant size. While an exceptional interior scorer and rim protector, his NBA projection relies on improving lateral mobility, perimeter defense, and added physical strength.
Elite Passing & IQ: Possesses rare vision for a center, acting as a high-post playmaker with advanced reads, including flashy behind-the-back passes.
Interior Scoring: Efficient scorer with soft touch, shooting high percentages on layups and dunks, particularly as a pick-and-roll or short-roll threat.
Rim Protection: Uses his 7’3″ frame to block shots and alter attempts in the paint, showing good verticality.
Weaknesses
Shooting: Needs to develop his jump shot to expand his floor spacing, as his free-throw shooting is low.
Physicality & Mobility: Concerns exist regarding his ability to defend in space and switch onto smaller players, which could make him a drop-coverage specialist in the NBA.
Draft Range
Late first to early second round (20-40) with several mocks putting him in the 26-27 range
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
The NBA meta has taken a shift back to having room for giant centers: Zach Edey has been great in Memphis. During last year’s draft, several big men dropped into the second round (Maxime Renaud, Ryan Kalkenbrenner) and have had great rookie seasons. Mara has a 7’6.5” wingspan and grades out as a better defender than Reynaud, if a worse shooter. He averages 4.6 blocks per 36 minutes. He has a more advanced feel for the game than Maluach, and might be a good pick-up if Mark Williams’ contract demands prove exorbitant. He could also provide insurance if Maluach fails to develop.
All in all, he’s a late first round talent; you can’t teach height, and there are several scenarios that fell out where he was the best player available when the Suns drafted in the simulation. I would rank him 5th on the Suns board from my previous article, between Henri Veesaar and Rueben Chinyelu.
NBA Comparison
Maxime Reynaud, but with less jumpshot and more shot blocking.
Flory Bidunga (Kansas, Sophomore, PF/C)
Flory Bidunga is an elite, high-motor 6’10” 235 lbs. sophomore center at Kansas (2025-26) and a projected 2026 NBA Draft prospect known for explosive athleticism, premier rim protection, and efficient finishing. Named the 2025-26 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, he dominates as a lob threat and rebounder, though he is considered slightly undersized for a center and is developing his offensive game beyond the paint.
Elite Athlete & Motor: Possesses tremendous energy, speed, and agility, allowing him to play above the rim consistently.
Rim Protection: A premier shot-blocker (98th percentile block rate) with great verticality, timing, and recovery speed.
Efficient Scorer: Highly reliable in the dunker spot and as a roll man (96th percentile), featuring a soft touch and strong lefty hook.
Rebounding: High-level rebounder on both ends of the floor.
Weaknesses
Size/Position: At 6’9″ to 6’10”, he is considered a bit undersized for a traditional NBA center, leading to challenges against stronger, taller opponents.
Offensive Range: Primarily a paint scorer with limited shooting range; needs to develop a consistent jumper to floor-space, according to SI.com and Reddit users.
Defensive Discipline: Can occasionally get lost on defense or over-pursue block attempts, resulting in foul trouble
Draft Range
Early to mid-second round (35-45)
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
Bidunga has the mobility to play PF or C, making him an interesting option if the Suns want to play two bigs at a time. As noted elsewhere, re-signing Mark Williams isn’t a given, and the Suns’ depth at PF is awful. Bidunga has a 7’2” reach and an excellent vertical leap. He would add athleticism and a lob threat, while being young enough for potential growth. I like his intangibles of being high motor and high effort, which fit well with Ott’s vision for the team. My main concerns with him are his limited shooting and limited offensive game, including assists. I would put him between Alex Condon and Baba Miller on my draft board.
NBA Comparisons
Mark West (Look him up, you whippersnappers), Jarrett Allen, Clint Capela.
Ebuka Okorie (Stanford, Freshman, PG)
Ebuka Okorie is a 6’2″, 185-pound freshman guard for the Stanford Cardinal who has rapidly emerged as a top prospect for the 2026 NBA Draft. Originally an under-the-radar recruit ranked outside the top 100, he became one of the most productive freshmen in college basketball during the 2025-26 season, earning All-ACC First Team and ACC All-Rookie honors.
Elite Rim Pressure: Okorie is widely considered the best pure driver in his class. He led the country in drives, converting 71.4% of his half-court rim attempts.
Shot Creation & Ball Handling: A “jitterbug” with the ball, he uses a shifty handle and change of pace to create his own shot and get downhill.
Efficiency Under Pressure: Despite a high usage rate (30.7%), he maintains a low turnover rate, averaging only 1.7 turnovers per game.
Foul Drawing: He is highly effective at getting to the line, leading the ACC in free throws made and shooting 83.4% from the stripe.
Weaknesses
Physical Limitations: Scouts hold concerns regarding his lack of elite size and “above-the-rim” athleticism for the NBA level.
Shooting Consistency: While a capable three-point shooter, his long-range consistency is a “work in progress,” currently hitting 36.0% from deep.
Defensive Versatility: Due to his size, he can be overpowered by larger guards and lacks the versatility to switch onto multiple positions.
Draft Range
Late 1st to early 2nd Round (roughly 28th-31st).
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
Okorie fell to the Suns in one of the runs. He’s unlikely to be there when the Suns pick, just based on his raw potential, but could fall if his measurements at the combine say he’s as short as he looks in video. The good is that he is just about the craftiest scorer I’ve seen: his toolset on drives is otherworldly for a 19-year-old. Stop and pop, floaters, Eurostep, slithery-reverse layups, speed changes, shifting to his left hand, all the skills are there. His three-point shot improved dramatically as the season went by, and I think it will continue to improve at the NBA level. He also displays amazing handles and good court vision while limiting turnovers.
The downside: he’s small, slight, and his defense is abysmal. He is going to struggle mightily at the NBA level. I’m uncomfortably reminded of Damian Lillard at both ends of the court, both the good and the bad. But, if the Suns want a backup point guard behind Gillespie who will run an offense, score, push the pace, and not let the opposing team rest with Green out of the game, Okorie fits the mold.
NBA Comparisons
Damian Lillard, Brevin Knight
Final Verdict
While it’s unlikely that these three players will be on the board when the Suns draft, the simulations show it as possible once in a great while. With these three players added into the mix, here is my draft board for the Suns heading into the 2026 Draft with the 47th Pick:
Joshua Jefferson: Very unlikely to be available, but Julius Randle-level upside
JT Toppin: A borderline lottery pick if not for injury
Zuby Ejiofor: One of the best players two years running at the college level. Elite intangibles
Henri Veesaar: Sweet shooting PF/C to stretch the floor. Could form a rotation with Fleming.
Aday Mara: Best shot blocker in the NCAA this past year per 36
Rueben Chinyelu: Rebounding machine with a clear NBA role and good fit
Milan Momcilovic: 6’8” 50% three-point shooters will always have a spot in the league
Ebuka Okorie: Potential Jamal Crawford sixth-man of the year type-player
Bruce Thornton: Smart, efficient point guard with a bad rap for being one inch too short. Could easily be a steal of the second round like Gillespie
Alex Karaban: He shoots threes, meh rebounder, and can play a little 4. Nothing special
Alex Condon: We already have Oso Ighodaro at home, dear.
Flory Bidunga: projects as a solid, high-energy back-up C. Limited offensive upside.
Baba Miller: Kirkland-brand Oso Ighodaro
Pryce Sandfort: Not sure what he provides that Koby Brea doesn’t
Juke Harris: Low efficiency chucker who doesn’t play defense either. No future in the league. See also: Cam Thomas, Ricky Davis
Next Up
Taking these ratings and showing what they yield in the draft simulator to figure out who the Suns are most likely to get, given this draft big board. Stay tuned…
Veteran center Scott Laughton has only been a member of the Los Angeles Kings for 14 games, yet his former Toronto Maple Leafs teammates already miss his presence.
He was only a Maple Leaf for 76 regular-season and playoff games after joining Toronto at last season's trade deadline. However, his former teammates like the idea of Laughton returning to Toronto in free agency, as he is a pending UFA.
After the Maple Leafs' practice on Friday in preparation for Saturday's game, Toronto's Steve Lorentz was asked about the possibility of Laughton returning in free agency.
"Yeah, that'd be awesome!" Lorentz told reporters. "We would welcome him back with open arms. I know there's a lot of guys in this locker room that feel the same way."
Therefore, unless Kings GM Ken Holland pushes to sign Laughton to a contract extension between now and July 1, the Oakville, Ont., native could leave for free in the summer.
Leafs coach Craig Berube was asked if he could see a world where a Laughton return to Toronto would be a fit.
"Yeah, I could see it, for sure," Toronto's bench boss told reporters. "He really liked it in Toronto, and he's from around there, too. I think that was a… dream for him to go back home and play."
Along with fantasizing about potentially reuniting with their old teammate, they shared how much of a great teammate he was and how lucky the Kings are to have him.
"I think you win with a guy like Scott," Lorentz said of Laughton. "He's a glue guy, he plays the game the right way, he plays hard, and he's definitely got the skill offensively and defensively to be out there in all situations."
Laughton is indeed a player that can be utilized in all situations, and that's exactly how Los Angeles has been using him.
Since his Kings debut against the Montreal Canadiens on March 7, Laughton is the joint leader on the team in shorthanded time on ice per game, along with defensemen Joel Edmundson, Mikey Anderson and Cody Ceci.
He's also on Los Angeles' second power-play unit and averages 1:12 of ice time per game on the man advantage.
Furthermore, he's been so important for the Kings in the faceoff dot, to the point where he takes the opening draw in overtime to win possession in the extra frame. He has a faceoff win rate of 58.1 percent as a member of the Kings.
With all he brings on the ice and in the dressing room, it's no wonder why his former Maple Leafs teammates have raved about him so much since his departure.
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Apr 4, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers third baseman Zach McKinstry (39) receives congratulations from catcher Dillon Dingler (13) after he hits a two run home run in the fourth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
The Tigers made it 2-0 at home and 4-4 overall with a convincing show of power on Saturday. The pitching, particularly Jack Flaherty, was pretty sketchy, but four home runs from the Tigers set things right in a game that devolved into a slop fest in the bottom of the eighth and top of the ninth, inducing a lengthy delay and full shenanigans mode from the broadcasts as the tarps were pulled with one out in the final frame. After a lengthy delay, the game was finally declared official with the rain showing no sign of letting up.
A newly engaged Jack Flaherty took the mound looking to bounce back after a messy first outing of the season. Things stayed messy for a few minutes. The right-hander fired three straight balls to rookie J.J. Wetherholt, fought back in the count, and then walked him anyway. Wetherholt stole second with ease, and Flaherty nicked Ivan Herrera with a fastball to dig himself an early hole.
He did bounce back, however. A flurry of breaking balls punched out Alec Burleson and Nolan Gorman grounded out on the first pitch he saw, advancing the runners. Jordan Walker stepped in and Flaherty got ahead 1-2. A slider bounced and got away from Dingler. Wetherholt broke home but Dingler recovered and got the ball back to Flaherty at the plate. Wetherholt retreated, but there was a possibile play on Herrera retreating to second, but Flaherty decided to calm things down and focus on the batter. He dialed up 96 mph and Walker got locked up to end the inning.
Things would eventually get extremely messy for Flaherty again.
Colt Keith started things off for the Tigers and immediately did damage. That damage was in the form of a smoked ground ball off starter Dustin May’s lower leg. Keith reached with a single, and May needed a while to shake that one off. Once he did, he locked up Kevin McGonigle with a high sweeper that found the zone.
May dropped in another high sweeper to Gleyber Torres in an 0-1 count, and that pitch was something to watch out for as it’s both sneaky and crushable. May missed twice to make it 2-2. The next sweeper got inside-outed by Torres, lining a single to right that sliced away from center fielder Victor Scott II. He briefly misplayed it, Joey Cora initiated the windmill protocol, and Keith raced all the way around first to home for a 1-0 lead. Kerry Carpenter stepped in, got back to back changeups away, and flicked the second one the opposite way for a two-run shot. 3-0 Tigers.
May, perhaps shaking off the effects of Keith’s ball, walked Riley Greene, but was firing 97-98 mph in there, getting Dillon Dingler on a high fastball tipped into the glove. Zach McKinstry worked a 2-2 count, really pushing May’s early pitch count, but Riley Greene ran on a high sweeper and was thrown out by Pedro Pages to end the inning.
Flaherty punched out Thomas Saggese to open the second, but he walked Nathan Church, and then a fourseamer sailed in on Pages and nicked him for a second hit batter. The Cardinals helped him out with a Scott sacrifice bunt to advance the runners. Wetherholt fought off a couple of good breaking balls, but Flaherty reared back and blew him away with a high fastball to escape again.
McKinstry and Torkelson both struck out after somewhat lengthy at-bats to start the bottom of the second. May wasn’t getting any whiffs in the zone and was already dumping in five different pitches to keep hitters off balance as he felt for his command. He didn’t find it against Parker Meadows, issuing a two-out walk as his pitch count reached 55. That brought Keith back around, and he ripped another hard shot into right center field this time. Unfortunately, while Meadows cruised to third, Keith tried to stretch it into a double, but Jordan Walker in right cut him down at second.
Maybe stop running on Jordan Walker guys.
Herrera jumped on a get me over 91 mph heater for a double to open the third, and Burleson grounded out to first, getting Herrera to third. Flaherty punched out Gorman with the high fastball, and another pair of well located fastballs put Walker down 0-2. but he spat on a few breaking balls and eventually got the high fastball, pulling it into left field for an RBI single. Saggese grounded out to Keith at third to end it, but Flaherty’s pitch count was up to 60 and on pace to require at least four innings from the bullpen.
With Justin Verlander hitting the 15-day IL and Keider Montero not stretched out fully to start, A.J. Hinch was going to have some tricky decisions as to how to use his long relievers in this one.
While I pondered the contingencies, Kevin McGonigle led off the bottom of the third with a solid single up the middle. A wild pitchto Torres got away from Pages, and McGonigle beat feet to second. In a 2-2 count, Torres thoughtfully stayed inside a 2-2 May offering to bounce one to the right side and move McGonigle to third. Carpenter then did his job as well, lifting a fly ball out to Scott in center. McGonigle tagged and Scott’s throw was wide. 4-1 Tigers. Greene lifted a towering flyout to left to end the inning.
After some shaky command early on, Flaherty got himself pretty dialed in and that produced a quick fourth. Church popped up a first pitch slider to open the fourth, and he carved up Pages for his sixth strikeout for good measure. Scott flew out to McKinstry in right to end a pretty snappy inning. Just what the doctor ordered for Flaherty.
May clipped Dingler with a fastball that sailed inside to start the Tigers half. McKinstry fell behind 0-2, but May tried to drop in a sweeper and left it up a bit. McKinstry launched it to right for a two-run shot and a 6-1 lead. Torkelson grounded out, but Meadows hammered a drive deep to left center field and Scott and Church didn’t communicate well and it dropped in with Meadows flying around the bases to third for a triple. That was it for May, as left-hander Justin Bruihl came out of the Cards’ bullpen.
That got Hinch to pinch-hit in Matt Vierling for Keith. I get Hinch wanting to get Vierling into the game as he hasn’t had much work so far, but it’s pretty tough to put Keith’s hot bat out of the lineup. Still, moving McKinstry to third and Vierling in the game in right field improved the defense with a big lead, and so was hard to argue with. Vierling did the job, lifting a fly ball deep enough to left that Meadows tagged and scored easily. 7-1 Tigers. McGonigle grounded out to end the inning.
As good as Flaherty looked for a few innings, Tigers fans know he can completely lose the plot at times, and that quickly unfolded in the fifth. Flaherty hit his third batter to open the fifth, yanking a one-hopped changeup into Wetherholt’s leg. As hot as Wetherholt has been early on, that’s not the worst outcome, but it was another leadoff man reaching. He followed that up by walking Herrera in classic Flaherty rollercoaster fashion. Burleson got a first pitch knuckle curve down and drilled it into the left field corner, and just like that Flaherty was crumbling. 7-2 Tigers. A walk to Gorman followed, and a pretty good outing for Flaherty went completely sidewise as Drew Anderson entered with the bases loaded, no outs, and a run already in.
It’s worth noting that Drew Anderson has been in a starting role the past two years and is entirely unused to this scenario. You can’t plan for your starter melting down that quickly. Still, the job is the job, and Jordan Walker got a 1-0 fastball on the inner edge and torched it deep to left center for a grand slam. 7-6 Tigers.
Woof. Quadruple woof. Would we even drink without a bullpen to fear? We may never find out.
Anderson got two quick outs after the salami, but then sailed a breaking ball that hit Pages for the Tigers fourth hit batter. Brant Hurter was warming. Anderson punched out Scott to finally end a nightmare inning for the Tigers, but it was a whole new ballgame.
Torres struck out and Carpenter lined out to second against Bruihl, but Riley Greene drew a two-out walk. Oli Marmol turned to RHP Matt Svanson to face Dingler. The Tigers’ catcher challenged a called strike three and won, and ultimately walked as well. That brought up McKinstry, and he ripped a single through the right side to score Greene for an 8-6 lead, and he and Dingler advanced on a throw into home. Torkelson made a bid, but it fell short on the warning track in left to end the inning.
Hurter came on in the sixth, continuing the irritation by throwing six straight balls, walking Wetherholt, but getting Herrera to ground to Torres, who got the out at second on a bang-bang play. Burleson grounded to Torkelson, who fired to McGonigle at second and the Tigers’ shortstop gunned it to Hurter at first for the ol’ 3-6-1 double play.
Svanson threw a 1-1 cookie to Meadows to start the bottom of the sixth, and he lined it to left for a leadoff single. Vierling then grounded into a double play, and McGonigle popped out to send up to the seventh.
With storms working into Wayne County, holding the lead was crucial in the seventh, and Hinch went to Will Vest. He blew away Gorman for the first out and got ahead of Walker 0-2. The athletic right fielder got to 1-2, and flicked a slider down below the zone off the end of the bat for a single to center. Vest picked off Walker, but Walker just kept running, beating Torkelson’s throw to second. Maybe his cleat came off the bag, but the Tigers didn’t challenge. Vest dug in and refuted the Cardinals attempt at scoring by getting routine grounders from Saggese and Church to end the frame.
That was huge. The lead was still 8-6 as the groundscrew got the tarps prepped. Gleyber Torres helped the cause with a drive to right that just cleared the wall and Walker’s outstretched glove for his first homer of the year. Hey, the power showed up. Three homers on the day was what the doctor ordered. Home cooking, folks. 9-6 Tigers.
Carpenter made a bid to right field but came up short, and Riley Greene grounded out. The Cardinals had missed a couple of challenge opportunities in the game, but they finally used one on a two strike pitch to Dingler and won, striking him out.
Tyler Holton took over in the eighth, and Marmol pinch-hit right-hander Ramon Urias in for the catcher Pages to get the matchup. Holton somehow managed to nick Urias to give up the leadoff baserunner. That made six total hit by pitches in this game, five of them from Tigers’ pitching. Yahel Pozo pinch-hit for the center fielder Scott as the rain started falling in Comerica Park.
Holton got Pozo to ground into a double play 6-4-3, and that was well timed, as Wetherholt singled to right field. Holton and Herrera locked into a lengthy battle as fans fled the seats for the concourse. Torkelson laid out on a 2-2 foul flare beyond first base but just couldn’t make the play. The next pitch was a grounder up the middle with McGonigle playing toward third base against the right-handed hitter. Torres ranged deep beyond second base to make the play and fired a long off-balance throw to get the out at first. Nice play. 9-6 Tigers headed to the bottom of the eighth.
Right-hander Chris Roycroft took over for the Cardinals, and now it was really dumping down rain as Zach McKinstry stepped into the box. He grounded out, but Torkelson sprayed a cutter the opposite way for a single. Meadows took a called strike three on a good pitch on the inner edge. With rain falling down the brim of his helmet, it was Matt Vierling who provided the thunder, hammering an opposite field shot over the right field wall for an 11-6 lead. Four home runs for the Tigers today, and further justification for Hinch’s decision to insert Vierling.
Ok that’s great, but let’s move this along guys. Kevin McGonigle isn’t going to give up on an at-bat no matter the scenario though. He challenged a called strike and was, of course, correct, drawing a two-out walk. Roycroft walked Torres as well, and we salute all the fans who brought ponchos or simply accepted the deep, thorough soaking being delivered to stay in their seats. Carpenter struck out, moving us mercifully to the ninth with Kenley Jansen coming on as he’d been warmed up throughout the whole inning prior to Vierling’s shot.
The veteran closer took over and now it was absolutely pouring and Jansen was just trying to get a grip. He walked Burleson, but Jansen dusted Gorman with a high cutter, and that was it as conditions were downright ridiculous. Home plate umpire Nate Tomlinson called for the tarp as Jansen and Burleson laughed about the absolute downpour they were playing in.
Dirks began lecturing on proper tarp unrolling technique with Benetti, and it was time to just wait for this game to be called official. The broadcast crew took viewer questiosn, and we learned about the wonder of leeches in Michigan ponds, the cost of a tarp ($7000-$10,000), and there was brief consideration of trying to set a record for most people to macarena at once with the remaining home crowd, which Tiger would make the best world leader (Dingler, McKinstry, and Will Vest all drew consideration) and so on.
Finally the game was called with the rain showing no sign of letting up, and the Tigers moved to 4-4 on the year.
The Tigers finished with 12 hits, 4 homers, and 6 walks drawn in this one. With Justin Verlander on the IL, Keider Montero will get the start on Sunday evening as the Tigers look to get on the good side of .500 before heading to Minnesota for four starting on Monday.
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 25: Head coach Will Hardy of the Utah Jazz looks on during the first half of a game against the Washington Wizards at Delta Center on March 25, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In our most recent Utah Jazz Reacts survey, we got some interesting answers from Utah Jazz fans. Utah is nearing the end of another season where draft position was the goal. With that in mind, most of Jazz Nation is looking forward to next season and how good the team will be. One of the biggest questions these last four years under Will Hardy is, “Can Will Hardy turn them into a top-10 defense in the NBA?” Even though the team has been purposely designed to lose games, they’ve been one of the worst defenses in the league, if not dead last, each season. With an upgraded roster, that’s going to be one of the most interesting storylines next season. But how do Jazz fans feel?
From this survey, it looks like Jazz fans have a lot of faith in Will Hardy going forward. AlthoughThere may be some noise in that data. For example, maybe the roster doesn’t have enough players who are able to defend at a high enough level. We’ll see. All that said, it is interesting that Hardy has the seal of approval for the defense from the fans.
The next question I had was: who has the best chance of making the All-Star Game next season? According to Jazz fans, it looks like that is Lauri Markkanen.
That may be very likely, although I also think Keyonte George would be my own pick. The ball will be in George’s hands a lot and will be the player making everything happen. That might give him an advantage, but we’ll see.
To look at the odds for these and the upcoming playoffs, you can visit FanDuel here.
The Yankees began the season with a four-man rotation thanks to the many off days they had, but now that they're about to get back to their normal schedule, Luis Gil's return is around the corner.
Before Saturday's game between the Yankees and Marlins, manager Aaron Boone was asked about Gil's potential return to the starting rotation. The Yankees skipper said that Gil will pitch Sunday in Triple-A and then will join the team for his turn in the order.
"With the off day, we’ll take our normal turn through [the rotation]," Boone said. "He’ll be that fifth starter after [Ryan] Weathers’ next one."
Weathers is set to pitch Saturday night, and Max Fried will pitch the series finale on Sunday. The Yankees have Monday off before hosting the Athletics for three starting Tuesday. That series will see Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, and Weathers pitch before they head down to Tampa to take on the Rays. The series opener on Friday is when Gil is set to make his season debut.
Gil is coming off an injury-plagued 2025. He made 11 starts and pitched to a 3.32 ERA, but wasn't as effective as he was the previous season when he won AL Rookie of the Year.
With so many starters vying to come out of camp, Gil lost out to the current batch of arms, largely due to his subpar spring.
Gil made six spring starts and allowed 11 runs (10 earned) in 19.1 innings pitched. While he struck out plenty of batters (24), he just couldn't keep the opposing team off the board consistently enough.
It should be noted that Gil dominated his final spring start. Going up against the Orioles, Gil struck out seven batters and allowed just one hit and one walk across five scoreless innings.
Bring on postseason hockey in Buffalo. The Sabres’ playoff drought is finally over.
Following an NHL-record 14 seasons of futility, during which the team finished no better than 19th in the league standings, the Sabres clinched a berth on Saturday when the New York Rangers defeated the Detroit Red Wings in regulation. Buffalo’s playoff drought was among the four North American major sports’ longest active streaks, ranking second behind the NFL’s New York Jets, who last qualified in 2010.
The Sabres clinched with six games left in their season, before playing at Washington on Saturday night, and are in contention to earn the Eastern Conference’s top seed. At 46-22-8, Buffalo is riding a 35-8-4 surge that has vaulted the team after sitting last in the East in early December.
The turnaround has been remarkable for a franchise that through Saturday has gone 5,458 days since the Lindy Ruff-coached team lost Game 7 of a first-round series to Philadelphia on April 26, 2011.
In the ensuing years, the Sabres have finished last overall four times and are on their seventh coach, with Ruff back for a second stint, and their fourth general manager, Jarmo Kekalainen.
Buffalo’s run up the standings coincided with Kekalainen being promoted from his position as senior adviser on Dec. 15, replacing Kevyn Adams, who was fired after five-plus seasons.
The Sabres already had won three straight when the change occurred and proceeded to go on a franchise record-matching 10-0 run. They’ve not looked back since. Buffalo is 14-3-2 since returning from the Olympic break, and the team’s worst stretch since December has been a 0-1-2 skid.
Though Adams’ firing played a role in spurring the team, so did Buffalo getting healthier.
The Sabres’ top two lines were replenished with the return of Josh Norris and Jason Zucker, and their goaltending got a boost with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen shaking off an early season injury to resume sharing the starting duties with Alex Lyon. After opening the season 4-5-1, Luukkonen has gone 15-4-2 since Dec. 21.
Kekalainen also added depth at the trade deadline last month by acquiring center Sam Carrick, forward Tanner Pearson and defensemen Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn.
The team is led by two of its longest-tenured players: captain Rasmus Dahlin, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft, and forward Tage Thompson, who was acquired in a trade that sent Ryan O’Reilly to St. Louis in the summer of 2018.
Dahlin entered Saturday ranking sixth among NHL defensemen with 67 points, while Thompson was tied for 11th among all skaters with 38 goals.
The next test for Buffalo is winning a playoff series, something the team hasn’t done since beating the Rangers in six games in the second round in 2007.
The turnaround has revived a fanbase that had grown weary with losing, various rebuilding plans that failed to generate a winner and a revolving door of talent being shuffled in and out of Buffalo — from O’Reilly’s departure to Jack Eichel being dealt to Vegas in November 2021 following a lengthy standoff over how to repair a neck injury. Each went on to win the Stanley Cup with his new team.
The Sabres have not hoisted the Cup through their first 54 seasons of existence.
Buffalo has had 21 home sellouts this season, including 15 in a row, a year after selling out just five games.
This season, the Sabres have shown resolve in rallying back from deficits. Buffalo entered Saturday with 19 come-from-behind wins, tied for seventh in the NHL. That included defeating Tampa Bay 8-7 last month after trailing 7-5 with nine minutes left in regulation.
The Lightning also clinched Saturday before playing.
DALLAS — Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns became the second player in NHL history to appear in 1,000 consecutive games when Colorado faced against Central Division rival Dallas on Saturday.
The bearded 41-year-old was recognized on the video board by the Stars early in the game, and plenty of Dallas fans joined a vocal Avs contingent in cheering for Burns.
The all-time ironman streak belongs to forward Phil Kessel, who played in 1,064 consecutive regular-season games from Nov. 3, 2009, to April 13, 2023. He appeared with Toronto, Pittsburgh, Arizona and Vegas.
Burns, who appeared in his 1,500th game in October against the Stars, has been in the lineup for every game since Nov. 21, 2013, with San Jose. He also has played for Minnesota and Carolina.
Burns is in his first season with the Avalanche and has 11 goals. He and Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidstrom are the only defensemen in league history to score double-digit goals at 40 or older.
The meeting with the Stars is Burns’ 1,572nd career regular-season game. He entered the game with 941 points (272 goals, 669 assists). Burns spent 11 of his 22 seasons with the Sharks.
The Kings are still right in the middle of their playoff race as they host the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight. Unfortunately for the Kings, the Sharks play the Predators, meaning one team is guaranteed to reach 81 points tonight, and the Kings have to win to be tied for that wildcard spot. The Kings are coming off a 2-1 win over the St Louis Blues. The Leafs are coming off a 4-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks.
Projected Kings Lines
Here are the projected lines for the Kings tonight:
Artemi Panarin - Anze Kopitar - Adrian Kempe
Trevor Moore - Quinton Byfield - Alex Laferriere
Joel Armia - Scott Laughton - Jared Wright
Mathieu Joseph - Samuel Helenius - Taylor Ward
Brian Dumoulin - Drew Doughty
Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke
Mikey Anderson - Cody Ceci
Anton Forsberg
Darcy Kuemper
Projected Leafs Lines
Here are the projected lines for the Leafs tonight:
Easton Cowan - John Tavares - William Nylander
Dakota Joshua - Max Domi - Nicholas Robertson
Matthew Knies - Bo Groulx - Matias Maccelli
Michael Pezzetta - Jacob Quillan - Steven Lorentz
Morgan Rielly - Philippe Myers
Jake McCabe - Brandon Carlo
Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher
Joseph Woll
Anthony Stolarz
Line Changes and Injuries
Neither the Leafs nor the Kings held a morning skate today. The Kings did not practice on Friday following their back-to-back games against the Blues and Predators. The Kings are without Alex Turcotte due to an undisclosed injury. The Leafs are likely to miss Ekman-Larsson in tonight's game as he was injured in the 4-1 loss against the San Jose Sharks.
Key Factors
The Kings vs. Predators game was a very good one for the Kings; while they lost in a shootout, they battled back from a 4-1 deficit and walked away with a point. In that game, the Kings found scoring from all levels. Adrian Kempe had 2 goals, Joel Armia had a goal and an assist, and Scott Laughton had a goal as well. This is what the Kings need to make the playoffs. This is also the first game for Scott Laughton against his former team since being traded at the deadline.
If the Kings can get that type of depth scoring in tonight's match-up, they will walk away with a win. The Kings' depth players are fully capable of stealing wins or points for the Kings, and tonight is a perfect time for them to play like they did on Thursday.
For the goaltending matchup, it looks like Anton Forsberg vs. Joseph Woll. Forsberg has put up solid numbers in his last 3 games, with his save percentage above .930. For Woll, he is coming off a 33-save performance in which he allowed 5, but his team did not do him any favours, as they put up only 13 shots in that game.
Overall, this is once again a must-win game for the Kings, especially when the 2 teams the Kings need to lose are playing each other today. My prediction for tonight's matchup is a 4-1 Kings win.
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Ryan Hartman scored twice to lead the Minnesota Wild to a 4-1 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.
Jonas Brodin and Jake Middleton also scored for the Wild (43-21-12), and Jesper Wallstedt made 33 saves.
Linus Ullmark stopped 19 shots for the Senators (39-27-10). Drake Batherson scored for Ottawa.
Minnesota built a 3-0 lead through the first two periods and extended its advantage midway through the third on a great effort by Quinn Hughes. Hughes kept the puck in at the line, spun and found Middleton on the opposite side. Middleton fired through traffic for his second goal of the season.
Batherson spoiled Wallstedt’s shutout attempt with just over three minutes remaining in the game. Batherson then left the game, but returned after a brief absence.
The Wild capitalized on a Senators turnover late in the first that led to Hartman’s first goal of the game. Hartman scored his second of the game and 22nd of the season when Mats Zuccharello found him at the top of the slot and he beat Ullmark on the glove side at 15:31 of the second.
Jake Sanderson returned to Ottawa’s lineup after missing 13 games with an upper-body injury.
Up next
Wild: At the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday afternoon.
Liam Rosenior ‘had a really good conversation’ with Enzo Fernández
Chelsea vice-captain suspended for 7-0 FA Cup win over Port Vale
Liam Rosenior has insisted he is in a “very good place” with Enzo Fernández as he looked to move on from the controversy of the Chelsea vice-captain’s comments during the international window.
Fernández appeared to cast doubt on his Chelsea future when he talked glowingly about the former Real Madrid midfielders Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić, and mentioned Madrid as the European city in which he would most like to live.
DALLAS (AP) — Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns became the second player in NHL history to appear in 1,000 consecutive games when Colorado faced against Central Division rival Dallas on Saturday.
The bearded 41-year-old was recognized on the video board by the Stars early in the game, and plenty of Dallas fans joined a vocal Avs contingent in cheering for Burns.
The all-time ironman streak belongs to forward Phil Kessel, who played in 1,064 consecutive regular-season games from Nov. 3, 2009, to April 13, 2023. He appeared with Toronto, Pittsburgh, Arizona and Vegas.
Burns, who appeared in his 1,500th game in October against the Stars, has been in the lineup for every game since Nov. 21, 2013, with San Jose. He also has played for Minnesota and Carolina.
Burns is in his first season with the Avalanche and has 11 goals. He and Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidstrom are the only defensemen in league history to score double-digit goals at 40 or older.
The meeting with the Stars is Burns' 1,572nd career regular-season game. He entered the game with 941 points (272 goals, 669 assists). Burns spent 11 of his 22 seasons with the Sharks.
