The St. Louis Cardinals are coming off a frustrating sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers and left some of us feeling like the magic could be gone. It is a tough time to happen as the Cardinals are in the middle of a long stretch of games against the NL Central with the Chicago Cubs coming to town this evening.
Of course, the Cubs have been going through trying times of their own ever since Chicagoland MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong decided to partake in some fan banter. After having two separate winning streaks of at least 10 games, the Cubs continued their streaky season with a more fun to watch 10-game losing streak. As good as it was to see, I am personally glad they were able to take the last two games in Pittsburgh because Chicago is not a team that is bad enough to lose 14 in a row.
Since most of our focus has been on the Cardinals season and when Pete Crow-Armstrong messes up, I decided to have some Cubs content guys on the podcast to break the team down a little further. Paul “Crawly” Dzien from Fly the W podcast and Jared Wyllys from CHGO joined to talk about the roller coaster of a season that has seen the Cubs go on two separate 10-game winning streaks before just ending a 10-game losing streak. Even with the ups and downs, neither of them are overly scared about this series or the Cardinals in general.
Previewing the Cubs and Cardinals series with a rivalry flashback
Midway through the pod, I tried baiting the guys into saying they were worried about the Cardinals getting their Devil Magic back from the Brewers, but neither Jim nor I could get them to admit it. Jared and Crawly are more focused on their team and their own roster holes instead of the Cardinals or even the Brewers. Since that did not work to get their blood boiling, we wrapped up the show by sharing our favorite and most annoying moments from the best rivalry in baseball. Make sure you tune into those and drop your memories in the comments!
There may be some slight changes in the podcast posting schedule in the near future and I will update you all as those come. I appreciate all the love and support so far, please keep liking, subscribing, and sharing the show. It really does help when you guys click those buttons, so send it along to a Cubs fan in your life and lets get this rivalry heated again! Thanks as always!
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MAY 26: Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (4) celebrates with Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder Corbin Carroll (7) after hitting a 2 run home run during a MLB game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Francisco Giants on May 26, 2026 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA. (Photo by Trinity Machan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Mariners finally put together a complete series with every part of the roster firing on all cylinders. That it came against the division leading Athletics and led to a sweep, launching the M’s into first place in the AL West makes it all the sweeter. The team still isn’t above .500 yet — it’s a weird year in the West — but they’ve got momentum on their side and are staring down at all their rivals once again.
The Diamondbacks entered this season in a weird place. They haven’t been able to build off of their surprise World Series appearance back in 2023 despite investing a bunch of money into their roster the last few years. The issue is that Corbin Burnes and a bunch of their best relievers got injured and the rest of the pitching staff wasn’t deep enough to cover for those absences. That led to a pretty dramatic sell off last summer, though all of the team’s core pieces were left intact. That’s the reason why they’ve been so competitive this year — it really helps when your two superstars carry the offense through the first few months of the season. Those injured pitchers should be returning sometime around midseason which means the team is actually in a good place right now to take advantage of those reinforcements in the summer.
Player
Position
Bats
PA
K%
BB%
ISO
wRC+
Ketel Marte
2B
S
227
15.0%
7.0%
0.200
124
Corbin Carroll
RF
L
222
22.5%
13.5%
0.261
162
Geraldo Perdomo
SS
S
220
13.2%
14.5%
0.112
94
Nolan Arenado
3B
R
194
18.0%
9.3%
0.188
127
Ryan Waldschmidt
CF
R
70
30.0%
8.6%
0.111
121
Ildemaro Vargas
1B
S
199
10.6%
3.5%
0.181
126
Gabriel Moreno
C
R
121
20.7%
8.3%
0.150
100
Adrian Del Castillo
DH
L
124
30.6%
7.3%
0.140
62
Tommy Troy (MiLB)
LF
R
205
24.4%
12.7%
0.142
109
The Diamondbacks have a well-rounded lineup anchored by two superstars. Ketel Marte has been one of the hottest hitters on the planet the past few weeks; since May 9, he’s collected 29 hits in just 17 games, raising his season wRC+ up to 124. He had really struggled to start the season so this hot streak seems like his results correcting themselves to where his peripherals said he should be. Over that same period, Corbin Carroll has collected 22 hits, though that’s a pretty normal output since he’s been excellent throughout the season. Geraldo Perdomo enjoyed a huge breakout last year, though he’s struggled in his follow up season. He’s still got a fantastic approach at the plate, but the power that fueled his breakout has all but disappeared.
Arizona has also promoted their two top prospects recently; Ryan Waldschmidt has taken over in center field after the team designated Alek Thomas for assignment and Tommy Troy is covering for the injured Lourdes Gurriel Jr. On the other end of the age spectrum, Nolan Arenado has played well in his first season in Arizona, producing his best offensive output since 2022, and Ildemaro Vargas is enjoying a breakout season at the ripe age of 34.
Zac Gallen suffered through the worst season of his career last year, his final year of team control before hitting the open market as a free agent. It could not have been worse timing. With a qualifying offer attached to him, he received very little interest from other teams and wound up re-signing with Arizona in February. Things haven’t been any better this year. Even at his peak, Gallen survived not through overpowering stuff but with a deep repertoire, command, and deception. Without much margin for error to begin with, it certainly seems like all those tricks have failed him the past two years.
Pitcher
IP
K%
BB%
HR/FB%
GB%
ERA
FIP
Ryne Nelson
60
19.3%
7.5%
11.2%
30.4%
4.65
4.82
Bryan Woo
63.2
23.0%
5.5%
6.6%
33.3%
3.82
3.19
Pitch
Usage vRHB
Usage vLHB
Velocity
Stuff+
Whiff+
BIP+
xwOBA
Four-seam
56.4%
59.1%
96.3
109
97
89
0.351
Sinker
9.4%
0.9%
95.5
82
Cutter
3.0%
14.6%
92.8
92
Curveball
2.1%
15.4%
80.5
100
Slider
29.0%
10.0%
88.4
109
98
118
0.290
Ryne Nelson possesses a phenomenal fastball. He throws it with nearly perfect backspin and it has a ton of carry at the top of the zone as a result. When batters aren’t swinging underneath it, they’re popping it up or hitting lazy fly balls. Unfortunately, one plus pitch is about all he has. His secondary pitches are average at best and he relies far too heavily on his heater to get outs. His slider has shown a little bit of promise, though he just doesn’t use it enough to help him earn strikeouts. His other problem is that he doesn’t really have a pitch to keep left-handed batters at bay; he dabbled with a changeup in the past but it didn’t stick. Now he’s using a cutter to try and keep batters off his four-seamer, but they’re just crushing the cutter when they see it instead.
Pitcher
IP
K%
BB%
HR/FB%
GB%
ERA
FIP
Merrill Kelly
48
15.0%
9.7%
11.6%
32.9%
5.25
5.19
Bryce Miller
16
22.6%
3.2%
11.8%
44.4%
2.25
3.32
Pitch
Usage vRHB
Usage vLHB
Velocity
Stuff+
Whiff+
BIP+
xwOBA
Four-seam
19.1%
31.1%
91.8
88
64
65
0.462
Sinker
14.4%
4.3%
92.3
88
Cutter
15.0%
15.1%
91.0
87
73
51
0.398
Changeup
13.4%
34.9%
88.2
82
102
49
0.450
Curveball
8.1%
12.8%
82.0
89
Slider
30.0%
1.8%
86.3
97
122
154
0.256
After being traded to the Rangers at the trade deadline last summer, Merrill Kelly came right back and re-signed with the Diamondbacks this offseason. A nerve issue in his back sidelined him this spring and he was forced to ramp up on a delayed timeline. He wound up missing the first three weeks of the season. He had trouble with his command and feel once he was back on the mound, which is a big problem because his command and feel are essentially the only way he’s been able to be successful throughout his career. He doesn’t have overpowering stuff, but knows how to use his deep repertoire to keep batters off balance when he can hit his spots. His best pitch is a hard changeup that dives off the table and a slider that is getting a lot more use this year.
The Big Picture:
Team
W-L
W%
Games Behind
Run Diff
Recent Form
Mariners
28-29
0.491
+24
L-L-W-W-W
Athletics
27-29
0.482
0.5
-25
L-W-L-L-L
Astros
26-32
0.448
2.5
-37
W-W-L-W-W
Rangers
25-31
0.446
2.5
-5
L-L-W-L-L
Angels
22-35
0.386
6.0
-56
W-W-W-L-W
After failing their test against the Mariners, the Athletics now host the Yankees for three games this weekend. The Astros took three of four from the Rangers this week and swapped places with them in the standings. Despite their early season struggles, Houston is now only 2.5 games back in the division thanks to a 7-3 record over their last 10 games. The Astros host the Brewers this weekend while the Rangers host the Royals.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 22: Austin Wells #28 of the New York Yankees looks on from the dugout during the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on May 22, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Heading into the 2026 campaign, we all knew who Austin Wells was as a hitter. His wRC+ ranged between 94 and 107 every season from 2023 to 2025, and he developed 20-homer power last year with a .436 slugging percentage. He racked up 3.5 fWAR in 2024 and earned a 3.0 mark last campaign.
He has regressed offensively this year, though, struggling to the tune of a .176/.288/.275 line, just four homers in 153 plate appearances, a 62 wRC+, and 0.4 fWAR, mostly fueled by his still steady defensive contributions. Wells has been particularly bad in May, slashing an unfathomable .148/.212/.197 with an 18 (!) wRC+. He has a 7.6 percent walk rate and a horrible 37.9 percent strikeout rate this month, with a .049 isolated power and just one extra-base hit, a home run.
Of course, everything starts at the plate. That elevated strikeout rate makes it virtually impossible for a hitter to succeed, let alone someone who hasn’t really been showing home-run power. In May, Wells has a 14 percent swinging strike rate (SwStr%), higher than his 12.5 percent mark for his career. In addition to the whiffs, his contact rate has plummeted to 71.2 percent this month, down from 74.9 percent in his MLB tenure.
If we examine his season numbers as a whole, not just May, it does seem that he is being too passive at times. He is sporting a career-high 14.8 percent called strike rate, and a career-low 46.9 percent swing percentage. He is also swinging at pitches inside the zone at a 67.3 percent rate, much lower than his career mark of 72 percent and last year’s 71.5 percent.
On top of that, even though his chase percentage is actually marginally better this year than last, he has had some ugly swings out of the zone that often result in strikeouts. It’s like he gives up on at-bats at times, or is not fully focused:
As you can see in the videos above, down-and-away breaking balls are murdering Wells, who has looked helpless with two strikes on the count. This is probably why he has been so vulnerable against lefties, with a horrible -3 wRC+ this season against them as opposed to a 97 mark versus righties. Basically, if you are a southpaw, or a right-hander with a good changeup or splitter with arm-side movement, you have the upper hand against Wells.
Of course, there’s also the luck factor, which can’t be completely ignored. Wells’ .046 gap between his .259 wOBA and his .305 xwOBA is the 13th largest in the entire league among qualified hitters. This doesn’t mean he has been good, but that’s not the case, but his numbers should be a bit better based on his quality (and quantity) of contact.
It’s not like it’s all been bad with Wells. His 13.7 percent walk rate ranks in the 88th percentile among MLB hitters, and he ranks in the 90th percentile in Fielding Run Value, per Statcast. He remains a phenomenal framer and a good defensive catcher, not to mention a patient hitter willing to walk. However, he needs to hit if he’s going to remain the Yankees’ starting catcher in 2026 and beyond. It’s that simple.
The Yankees can surely tolerate a wRC+ between 85 and 95 if it means a catcher makes the difference behind the dish, which is the case with Wells. A 62 mark, however, is hard to stomach. Unless the Yankees are willing to start using Ben Rice at catcher more often, which hasn’t happened at all this year, or give more playing time to J.C. Escarra, they have no choice but to stick with Wells through his offensive struggles.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 26: James Wood #29 of the Washington Nationals watches a two-run homer during the second inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on May 26, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Nats were unable to pull off the sweep in Cleveland, dropping the game Thursday 3-2, but in 2026 Nationals fashion, they went down swinging, scoring one in the 9th and getting the tying run to second base. The club heads home now after an exciting road trip in which they went 4-2, beating two division-leading ballclubs in two series. There to greet the Nats at home is a Padres team in a playoff spot, but who have 4 games in a row.
The Padres have played good baseball this season, but if you were to just look at how their stars were playing, you probably wouldn’t believe so. The 2 best regulars in the Padres lineup this season have been Gavin Sheets and Miguel Andujar, as Jackson Merrill has regressed once again in his junior campaign, Father Time is catching up to Manny Machado, and Fernando Tatis Jr has amazingly gone 54 games into the season without homering, leaving him and Nasim Nunez as the only two qualified hitters to not have homered yet.
Pitching has kept the Padres alive while their stars falter, specifically the bullpen, as their team’s relief ERA of 3.07 ranks 2nd in baseball, behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers. Mason Miller leads the charge with his sub-1 ERA, but others such as Adrian Morejon, Jason Adam, Wandy Peralta, and more have stepped up and played their part as well.
Game One – Friday 6:45 PM EST
SDP: RHP Lucas Giolito (2-0, 2.70 ERA)
WSH: RHP Paxton Schultz (0-2, 5.30 ERA)
After going through the winter and Spring Training unsigned, Giolito finally found a home with the Padres back in April on a one-year deal. After taking a few weeks to ramp up, he’s been effective so far in his 2 starts for them, throwing 5 scoreless innings against the Athletics in his last start.
Paxton Schultz will open up tonight’s ballgame for the Nats, before handing things off to Andrew Alvarez for the bulk of the innings work. Outside of a 6-run barrage from the Mets, Schultz has been effective in May for the Nats, allowing 1 run in the other 8 1/3 innings of work, and tonight he will make his first opener appearance of the year.
Game Two- Saturday 4:05 PM EST
SDP: RHP Michael King (4-3, 2.76 ERA)
WSH: TBD (Probable: LHP Foster Griffin)
King has been the ace the Padres need this season, posting a dazzling 2.76 ERA in 11 starts. He got roughed up for 4 runs in 3 2/3 innings last time out versus the Athletics, so hopefully the Nats can do the same to him Saturday night.
The Nats have yet to announce their Saturday starter, but it will be Foster Griffin’s turn in the rotation. After back-to-back rough starts, Griffin refound his form in Atlanta, throwing 6 scoreless innings and earning the victory.
Game Three – Sunday 1:35 PM EST
SDP: RHP Griffin Canning (0-3, 7.54 ERA)
WSH: TBD (Probable: RHP Zack Littell, or an opener followed by Littell)
Griffin Canning gets the ball for the Padres on Sunday, and while the ERA may look rough, it mainly stems from 2 of his 5 starts so far this year going very poorly, allowing 6 runs in both. In his last 2 starts, Canning has allowed 3 runs each, so hopefully the Nats get to face the worse version of Canning on Sunday.
No Nats starter has been announced for Sunday’s ballgame either, but it will be Zack Littell’s turn in the rotation, meaning it will likely either be him or an opener followed by him. Littell had his best appearance of the year last time out and one of the biggest by a Nat all season, throwing 7 innings of one-run ball in Cleveland in a blowout, allowing an exhausted bullpen to take the day off.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 24: Kelly Oubre Jr. #9 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts against the Boston Celtics during game three of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 24, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 108-100. 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 Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Kelly Oubre Jr. had yet another season of showing up consistently when the Sixers’ competitiveness was often all over the place.
In 31.5 minutes per game through the regular season, he averaged 14.1 points on a career-high 58 true shooting percentage, 5.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.4 steals. Oubre’s well and truly proven his strengths over his tenure with the Sixers now. The athleticism — paired with his consistent energy — has been such a welcome addition. He can effectively defend forwards and a range of guards with his size, lateral quickness and physicality, being able to take on pretty tough assignments at either position.
And despite not always taking the best shots himself, he did improve his shot diet with a higher frequency of threes this season (up from 32.7 percent of his total field goal attempts in 2024-25 to 43.9 percent this year). He provides quality cutting, finishing, transition play, and enough downhill scoring as a driver to complement the team’s stars in a variety of ways. He just had his best three-point shooting year yet, making a career-high 36 percent of his 4.8 attempts per game. That increased three-point volume did mean his attempts at the rim dropped somewhat, yet he still made a highly accurate 68.9 percent of his attempts within three feet. With his confidence, explosiveness, size and finishing, Oubre is still a threat attacking downhill.
Shooting slumps in a small sample can obviously happen any time, and unfortunately for Oubre it struck in this year’s playoffs. Oubre had space to fire from three but only hit 25.6 percent (10-of-39) of his attempts in the postseason. That’ll always be the swing factor that turns Oubre from being a starter-level piece of this team to someone who’d you’d maybe rather play 25-30 minutes off the bench.
Now, as Oubre gets into another summer of training, he wants to continue building on the shooting work he did last offseason. The plan is to take what he believes led him to some improvement and go a step further. He wants to introduce even more game-like situations in training to polish his shooting as much as possible, and continue working on his IQ, making reads, and seeing how plays can develop before they happen.
“Every year that I’ve come into this league, I’ve learned something, and I’ve grown in some areas,” Oubre summarised when speaking to reporters after the season ended. “So I want to continue that trend.”
Beyond his training focuses, the future is uncertain right now for Oubre. He’s set to hit free agency now that his great value two-year, $16.3 million contract is up. Keeping him for something close to that would be ideal for the Sixers’ wing depth.
When speaking at the end of the season, there was plenty for Oubre to reflect on. He certainly sounded interested in staying, but he’s unsure what to expect from free agency.
“I haven’t really been able to decompress, but I would say we took a step forward from the efforts that we put out last year,” Oubre said when looking back at how the season ended. “I think that we were able to build some form of camaraderie, some form of brotherhood throughout our trials and tribulations this year. And that’s all you can kind of ask for.
“And I would say I can’t really give it a grade, but I had fun. I enjoyed all my teammates. Everybody’s an amazing human being and a brother to me. And it just stings to go out like this, but at the end of the day, man, we made sure that we kept tight huddles throughout it all, because we’re all in this together.”
“I love my guys,” Oubre said to cap off his reflection of the team.
He also expressed how much he feels he learned this season.
“The game of basketball has reinvented itself to me through different lenses and different eyes throughout my tenure here. And I’m forever appreciative for the opportunity to play for the city. And obviously I don’t like how I ended. So I always say, I like to finish what I start. And this is a bit sour for me, but at the end of the day, man, it’s already written. God already has it written up upstairs, and it’s just gonna follow through. So I hope I did myself a good service by being more efficient, slowing down, and just playing better overall basketball. And just continue to grow as a human being and as a player.”
Given Oubre’s been in the league 11 years, played on five different teams, and has already earned over $80 million in that time, it’s only fair that Oubre is thinking a lot about his family in all this as well. When asked about what he’s hoping for in a free agency situation and what his priority is, he made it clear how much his family and stability will factor into his decision.
“Somewhere where I’m loved, just somewhere where my family can be comfortable,” he said when describing what he’s after. “I have a family now. So it’s not like I’m thinking for myself and being able to do spontaneous stuff, right? So I just want my kids to have some somewhere that they can call home. I’m gonna go out there, I’m gonna grind with my hard hat on and go to work. But what I do is for my family, and I just want them to be stable somewhere and to not have to worry about anything when it comes to their lives, being uprooted and figuring out things on the fly.”
Staying in Philadelphia would certainly tick the stability box for Oubre and his family. It would give him stability from a career standpoint as well. To continue in a role where he’s finding increased success as an important factor on the team.
Even if the Sixers want to try saving a little on Oubre’s annual salary, perhaps offering him a longer term contract — let’s say three years — is the way to give him the stability he seeks and keep the team’s salary cap and possible apron issues in check.
Oubre may not be able to repeat the increased three-point success he had in 2025-26, but he has improved his composure on offense. That plus his drive game, versatile defense, work on the glass, and athletic energy all around makes him a player worth keeping. If the Sixers can sell Oubre on the value of stability, staying with a team he loves, and (potentially) a contract with more years in free agency over a shorter more expensive deal elsewhere, perhaps this partnership can continue working for both sides.
May 23, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
They don’t hand out MVP awards for the NLDS. But I believe the most valuable player in the Phillies’ playoff series against the Dodgers in 2025 was Roki Sasaki.
After dominating in the Japanese Pacific League in 2024, the Phillies pursued the young pitcher. But the appeal of playing on the west coast with countryman Shohei Ohtani was too much for Sasaki to pass up, and he joined the Dodgers. Adding insult to injury, the Phillies actually helped facilitate the signing.
Roki Sasaki will receive a $6.5M signing bonus from the Dodgers. LAD had $5.14M of bonus pool, but processed a trade with the Phillies for OF prospect Dylan Campbell to add (presumably $1.5M) enough to seal the deal. https://t.co/RiDUWN8n7Q
He was regarded as the top prospect in baseball before the season began, but injuries limited him to just eight starts. However, he rejoined the team in September, and was moved to the bullpen where he pitched two scoreless innings in relief.
Heading into the playoffs, the bullpen was regarded as the Dodgers’ only potential weakness, but the addition of a hard-throwing fresh pitcher helped cover up that flaw nicely. He closed out the first two games of the series, and then in the pivotal game four, he pitched three perfect innings, setting up the Dodgers’ 11th inning victory.
Roki Sasaki is unbelievable.
He just flew through the 8th and 9th innings against the heart of the Phillies order.
The Dodgers hoped that he would rejoin the team’s rotation in 2026 and build upon that performance, but he’s been far from dominant this season. He’s got a 4.93 ERA, mostly due to high walk totals.
He’s scheduled to face the Phillies on Saturday night. Can the Phillies get some modicum of revenge, or will he once again dominate their lineup?
Trivia
Last week’s answer: Aside from Citizens Bank Park and American Family Field, the park that Rhys Hoskins has homered in the most is New York’s Citi Field. (I’m not 100% sure, but I’m pretty sure he was the last Phillie to actually hit a home run there.) MG77 was correct!
This week’s question: Who was the only Phillie to record a hit against Roki Sasaki in the 2025 NLDS?
Additional thought about the series
It’s extremely frustrating that the Dodgers can get subpar performances from star hitters Mookie Betts and Kyle Tucker and still be comfortably in first place. Because it’s the Dodgers, they just have Andy Pages step up and lead the National League in WAR.
Andy Pages season pace:
37 home runs⁰144 RBI⁰20 stolen bases⁰329 total bases⁰34 defensive runs saved⁰10.7 bWAR | 8.1 fWAR
— Paul Hembekides (Hembo) (@PaulHembo) May 28, 2026
And then there’s Shohei Ohtani. He’s having a good season, but it’s been a drop off from his numbers the past three years. (If he was on the Phillies, his .882 OPS might make some wonder if he was no longer elite.) The Phillies have done a good job keeping him in check in past matchups, and had the NLDS gone differently, his 1-18 performance in that series would have been the big story.)
His pitching may be receiving more attention than his hitting this season, since he has a 0.82 ERA. Some have said he’s been the best pitcher in baseball this season, but let’s not get carried away. Cristopher Sanchez has pitched 44.2 consecutive scoreless innings while Ohtani has pitched just 55 innings total.
They won’t face Ohtani on the mound this weekend, but they will presumably see him at the plate. Oddly, despite the Phillies’ overall success against Ohtani, Friday night’s starter Zack Wheeler hasn’t been able to get him out. Ohtani has reached base in five out his six plate appearances against Wheeler. So maybe it’s a good thing that Wheeler missed the playoffs last year? (Narrator: It was not a good thing.)
DENVER, CO - May 1: Atlanta Braves pitcher Anthony Molina (61) pitches in the sixth inning during a game between the Atlanta Braves and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on May 1, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Despite garnering 14% of the vote in our alternative Player of the Game poll after the Braves were shut out in Boston, Carlos Carrasco has been designated for assignment for the third time this season. If the last two go-arounds are anything to go by, the minor league contract is piping-hot off the printer and his locker in Gwinnett is untouched, awaiting his return.
In all seriousness, his four innings of relief after Bryce Elder’s struggles on Wednesday were a gift that saved many of the arms in the bullpen. This is huge for our big three of Dylan Lee, Robert Suarez, and Raisel Iglesias, who will be especially well-rested ahead of this three-game set in Cincinnati since they weren’t needed in yesterday’s blowout.
In his place, the Braves have recalled a fresh arm in righty Anthony Molina, who will join the club for his second stint this season. His lone outing came in Colorado, where he pitched two perfect innings (with one walk allowed) before being optioned back down to Triple-A.
The #Braves today recalled RHP Anthony Molina to Atlanta and designated RHP Carlos Carrasco for assignment.
Head to NBC and Peacock this Saturday night to watch Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs go head-to-head with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. Live coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET on Peacock before transitioning to NBC and Peacock at 7:30 p.m. See below for additional information on how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder Game Preview:
With their backs against the wall on home court, Wembanyama and the Spurs were able to force Game 7. San Antonio never trailed in Thursday night's 118-91 win. Wembanyama had 28 points and 10 rebounds. Dylan Harper scored 18 points and 6 rebounds off the bench, and Stephon Castle finished with 17 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds.
“All of our focus and attention was on the defensive end,” Castle said. “I don't think scoring against them has been a problem for us. … So when we're focused on defense and we're getting stops and being able to get out of the run and get easy looks, it makes the game pretty simple for us.”
Gilgeous-Alexander was held to 15 points in the loss.
“Anything can happen in a Game 7,” said the two-time reigning MVP. “You have to go out there and be the better basketball team or your season is done.”
NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the First Round and 11 games in the Conference Semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock
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The England head coach has five key challenges to address in the buildup to next week’s first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s
For all that the series was obviously a failure, England were competitive for periods of most of the Ashes Tests. But McCullum has repeatedly conceded that in the key moments when matches tend to be decided his side have a habit of stumbling. The question is why, and on Friday he made the telling admission: “I thought some of our guys were more ready for the pressure that was coming in Australia than they [actually] were.” So he has had to reconsider how to best prepare for such intangibles. England were widely condemned for a lackadaisical buildup to the first Ashes Test but McCullum implied that his players’ problem was not down to poor preparation, but actually to poor, or insufficient, coaching. Given that the removal of pressure has always been at the very heart of his coaching philosophy, this is essentially an admission of failure. “That’s always been one of our things, to try and take pressure away from the guys,” he said. “[But] it’s going to land with some guys before it’s going to land with others, and our job is to make sure it lands with everyone a little quicker than maybe it has done.” McCullum is now clear that for his players to overcome pressure he does not just have to create good vibes, but also put in hard work. “It’s making sure we’re a little bit more drilled down on some of those tactics so the guys have got absolute clarity in those pressure moments, so that we can hopefully be able to handle those better than we have in the bigger series so far,” he said.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 27: Walker Buehler #10 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Petco Park on May 27, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
No team has truly had the San Diego Padres’ number this year. The Philadelphia Phillies certainly did this week, becoming the first team of 2026 to sweep the Friars. Yet again, despite multiple scoring opportunities, the Padres couldn’t capitalize and found themselves unable to back starter Walker Buehler’s gem.
And Buehler did pitch a gem. He faced the minimum amount of batters before getting into the fifth inning, looking even better than Philadelphia ace Cristopher Sánchez (though the latter eventually won the duel).
This week has continued to prove true the belief that no matter how good your pitching is, you still need at least one run to win. The Padres have barely been able to get that lately. They’ll need to in order to right the ship against the Washington Nationals.
Taking the mound
Andrew Alvarez (WAS) v. Lucas Giolito (SD)
The 26-year-old Alvarez has been used sparingly by the Nats. He made his MLB debut in 2025, starting five games for Washington and pitching to a solid 2.31 ERA.
Alvarez has pitched in four games this year, though none of them has been a start. He’s got strikeout stuff, with 16 K’s racked up in just 12 2/3 innings pitched. The Padres will need to find a way to solve the young left-hander if they hope to put a stop to their recent losing streak.
Giolito has been a rotation stabilizer since joining San Diego’s rotation. He boats a 2.70 ERA after two starts. That’s honestly higher than it should be after looking stellar in both of his appearances.
The righty was signed to a small deal with the Friars after a prolonged free agency, and has only pitched 10 innings, but the upside is tantalizing. If he can limit Washington’s hot hitters like CJ Abrams and James Wood, Giolito will be well on his way to elite status.
Batter up!
Jackson Merrill looked completely different in Wednesday’s finale compared to Tuesday’s eyesore of a performance. He went 2-for-4 with a double and zero strikeouts after going 0-for-4 with two Ks on Tuesday. If that can last, him and Tatis could finally buoy this struggling Padres offense.
Fernando Tatis Jr., 2B
Miguel Andujar, DH
Gavin Sheets, 1B
Manny Machado, 3B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Jackson Merrill, CF
Ramón Laureano, LF
Nick Castellanos, RF
Rodolfo Durán, C
Andujar and Sheets have been unproductive since posting incredible first halves in the month of May. If the two are able to turn things around, it would be a major boost for the floundering Friars.
Machado has been the same, though certainly much more pronounced. He’s batting just .169, though hit two home runs across the most recent homestand. His batting average across his last seven games is a measly .083.
Relief corps
With the game scoreless in the fifth inning and Philly threatening to score, San Diego turned to its vaunted bullpen. It did not work out. Adrian Morejon came in and allowed both of Buehler’s runners to score, gifting the Phillies a 2-0 lead that wouldn’t be relinquished.
After that, Jeremiah Estrada, Jason Adam and Ron Marinaccio pitched in relief. Though Marinaccio surrendered a homer, the bullpen was otherwise its usual sterling self.
With the off day on Thursday, all of the ‘pen will be rested and available for the first time in a while. But Yuki Matsui, Mason Miller, Wandy Peralta and Bradgley Rodriguez will be the most rested after not pitching since Tuesday.
Vingegaard stays 4min 3sec clear of Gall in the GC
Teammates Sepp Kuss and Jonas Vingegaard dominated the high mountains for Visma-Lease a Bike on Friday as the former claimed a historic solo victory on stage 19 of the Giro d’Italia, and the latter firmly defended his overall lead.
By winning the brutal mountain stage atop Piani di Pezzè in the Dolomites, Kuss became the 116th rider to complete the Grand Tour stage victory trilogy, with the American adding an Italian success to wins at the Tour de France in 2021 and the Vuelta a España in 2019 and 2023.
Four-time Stanley Cup winner Claude Lemieux's death at age 60, on Thursday, May 28, is even more shocking because he was part of a public ceremony in Montreal days beforehand.
The Montreal Canadiens have had franchise legends carry in a torch before a game to fire up the crowd during their run to the Eastern Conference finals.
It was Lemieux's turn on Monday, May 25, before Game 3 of the conference finals against the Carolina Hurricanes. He was cheered as he slowly carried the torch into the arena, raised the torch and pumped his fist.
Lemieux achieved legendary status with the Canadiens during the 1986 playoffs when the rookie scored 10 goals, including four game-winners, to help Montreal win its first Stanley Cup championship since 1979.
Claude Lemieux carried the torch for Montreal on Monday before Game 3…
The 1983 second-round pick had played only 19 NHL regular-season games to that point and only 10 that season, scoring once.
He would go on to establish himself as an NHL agitator and clutch playoff scorer, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP with the New Jersey Devils in 1995. He won two Stanley Cups with New Jersey, one with the Colorado Avalanche and one with the Canadiens.
Claude Lemieux cause of death
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said a family member found the body shortly before 3:30 a.m. in the rear warehouse of the Andros Home furniture showroom, reports the Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Network.
The sheriff's office said the man presumed to be Lemieux was found after he failed to return to his home. Sheriff's investigators secured the store as detectives from PBSO's Violent Crimes Division gathered evidence.
State business records list Lemieux as the registered agent for Andros Home, which incorporated in 2022.
The Palm Beach County Medical Examiner's Office told USA TODAY Sports in response to an open records request that "all public records you have requested for Claude Lemieux are exempt from public records as specified under SB 474 - FS 406.135. (2) (c)."
The Floridastatute cited by the medical examiner’s office was enacted in 2024 and exempts photos, videos, audio recordings and autopsy reports related to suicide victims from general public records requests.
Contributing: Jesse Yomtov, Palm Beach Post, Mark Giannotto
May 28, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots the ball over Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) in the first half during game six of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images
Coming off a tough Game 5 loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Spurs returned home down 3-2 with their backs against the wall. Game 6 got off to a blazing start for the Spurs, as they outscored OKC 35-22 in the first quarter. With a more aggressive approach, the Spurs drained eight threes in the first, which is the most they’ve scored in a playoff quarter since 1998. However, OKC responded with a 31-25 second quarter and cut the Spurs’ lead to seven. In the third, the Spurs finally were locked in on both sides of the ball, going on a 20-0 run. The Thunder went almost eight minutes without a point. The Spurs outscored OKC 32-13 in the quarter and kept their pace up in the fourth. The Spurs ultimately won 118-91.
Victor Wembanyama led the way with 28 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks, two assists, and two steals. After shooting 4 of 15 in Game 5, Wemby started Game 6 with an aggressive mindset by draining three threes in the first quarter. 22 of his 28 points came in the first half, and he shut down OKC in the paint. The 22-year-old faced a lot of scrutiny after Game 5, but he responded with a reminder that there was a reason he was voted All-NBA First Team. If Spurs fans and NBA fans thought Game 6 Wemby was great, wait till his first-ever Game 7.
1st Quarter highlight tape! Wemby drains a pair of threes alongside swatting Jared McCain’s layup attempt off the glass!
Dylan Harper dropped 18 points (6-9 FG), six rebounds, and four assists in 22 minutes off the bench. After struggling the last couple of games, Dylan dropped his best game in the series since Game 1. Granted, he has been playing with an adductor injury. In Game 6, Dylan looked like he was at least 99% healthy. He showed off that quick first step and burst to the cup like Spurs fans have seen all year, and finished at the rim with finesse. If Dylan is healthy enough to have another game like this, it bodes well for the silver and black. Just a reminder: he’s only 20 years old.
DEFENSE TO OFFENSE! First, look at the hustle and disciplined defense Devin Vassell plays on this fastbreak. Dev stays vertical on the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander layup attempt, and blocks Alex Caruso’s putback attempt! The ball lands in De’Aaron Fox’s hands, and he throws it up for an open Dylan three in transition!
Stephon Castle dropped 17 points (5-10 FG, 7-8 FT), nine assists, five rebounds, and a steal. Steph played with control and shut down his opponents on defense. Ever since Fox returned in Game 3, Steph has only turned the ball over six times and has dished out 28 assists. He continues to play without fear, and his determination to get the paint by any means necessary provides scoring with either a tough bucket or a dime. The 21-year-old’s defense and his control will help determine the outcome of Game 7.
First points on the board! Steph drives into the paint and finds a wide-open Julian Champagnie for three! Julian has been solid these last two games, including 10 points (4-8 3PT), six rebounds, two blocks, two assists, and a steal.
Devin Vassell dropped 12 points (4-7 3PT), two assists, one rebound, two blocks, and a steal. It has been said multiple times this postseason, but Dev has taken his game to another level throughout every playoff series. In this one especially, he has shown OKC that he does not fear them, and he continues to make every crucial momentum-building play for the Spurs. Besides his timely threes, he continues to be solid on defense. Whether it has been on the perimeter or in the paint, Dev has made a play. In terms of impact and efficiency, Dev is more than likely to make an impact in Game 7.
D3VIN! Dev knocks down the early three off the Steph dish!
When the Spurs were on the ropes, they simply returned a heavy blow. They were ready to respond after Game 5. They are showing the Thunder that they will not give up or waver. This was a total team effort on both sides of the ball, somehow more dominant than Game 4. This team’s confidence is through the roof heading to Game 7. Even though the odds are not in their favor with them going on the road and playing in their first Game 7 this season, lack of experience has not stopped this train. On Saturday, Spurs fans will witness if this young and resilient team can punch their ticket to the NBA Finals.
Finally, here are the full game highlights.
The best two words in sports: Game 7. This Saturday at 7:00 P.M. (CST) on NBC/Peacock, the Spurs face their toughest game of the entire postseason.
Anti-tanking passed nearly unanimously, but the Memphis Grizzlies were the lone holdouts.
The new rules are proposed to get the NBA’s teams to be more competitive – to stop sitting their top players in an attempt to have a worse record and better chances at landing a top draft pick.
The Grizzlies voted against the new “3-2-1” anti-tanking proposal due to the provision prohibiting teams from securing top-five draft picks in three straight seasons, per ESPN.
Adam Silver declared war on tanking in the NBA. Getty Images
They will receive the highest pick first-round among the Jazz, Cavaliers and Timberwolves next season, with Utah being the weakest link of the trio this past season.
Utah will No. 2 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft and also selected Ace Bailey No. 5 overall last season.
After acquiring Jackson, it’s possible the Jazz are a solid team for the first time in nearly a decade, but the Grizzlies acquired that 2027 pick with the hopes that it lands in the top five.
If Utah does have a bottom-five record, due to the new rules their pick would be executed as the sixth overall pick in the draft, despite the Grizzlies owning it.
The Grizzlies have had a tough go of it over the past few years, as Morant has dealt with off-court issues, including a suspension, and they’ve fallen apart in two of the last three seasons.
The Grizzlies voted against the NBA anti-tanking provision. NBAE via Getty Images
Memphis ended the season with a 25-57 record, though they played well the year before, finishing 48-34.
Their 2023-24 record was a disappointing 27-55.
There is also a chance that the Grizzlies opt to uproot their franchise by trading Morant and attempting to tank for a better draft pick next season, though the new lottery odds make this significantly less likely.
The worst three records in the NBA previously had a 14 percent chance of the top draft pick, which has been reduced to 5.4 percent with the new rules taking effect immediately.
The fourth- to 10th-best records will have an 8.1 percent chance to land the top pick.
The Grizzlies had even caught some strays from LeBron James, who said that his least favorite place to play was Memphis, an opinion that has been talked about around league circles for years.
Memphis had the worst attendance in the NBA last season.
The 60-year-old New Jersey Devils hockey legend and four-time Stanley Cup winner was found by one of his sons in the back of the warehouse of his family’s furniture store in Lake Park, Fla., at 3:32 a.m Thursday after he never returned home, according to a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office statement.
His daughter, Claudia, told The Post her heartbroken family had gathered in Palm Beach and was “meeting with a detective” Friday morning.
It wasn’t immediately clear which of Lemieux’s three sons, Brendan, Michael or Christopher, discovered his body at the shop, Andros Home, which sells “refined furnishings and architectural elements” in the seaside city, according to its website.
New Jersey Devils ice hockey legend Claude Lemieux died by suicide from hanging. AP Photo/Bill KostrounLemieux’s body was discovered by one of his sons at their family business in Florida. Instagram / @brendan_lemieuxThe 60-year-old four-time Stanley Cup winner was found in the warehouse of his family’s furniture store in Lake Park, Florida. Facebook/AndrosHomeDesign
The retired NHL champ won a 1995 Conn Smythe Trophy with the Devils, ranked ninth all-time with 80 postseason goals and was known for being an “enforcer” on the ice.
His suicide came just days after he carried the torch in Montreal’s Bell Centre to kick off Game 3 of the NHL’s Eastern Conference finals Monday.
Known as a ruthless “agitator,” Lemieux won the first of his four Cups with the Montreal Canadiens in 1986, then earned two more with the Devils in 1995 and 2000 and one with the Avalanche in 1996.
“A clutch player on the ice and greatly appreciated by Devils’ fans off it, Claude’s impact in bringing the first-ever Stanley Cup to New Jersey will forever be remembered as one of the paramount performances in team history,” the Devils said in a statement Thursday.
“Widely respected throughout the NHL, both as a trusted agent and a valued colleague, Claude leaves behind a lasting legacy within our game that he gave so much to.”
Off the ice, records show Lemieux was cited for driving with a suspended license in Palm Beach Gardens in April 2025 and for speeding in January 2024 and paid fines.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis, you can call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org for free and confidential crisis counseling.
Kurt Helin
