Cam Schlittler had his worst start of the season and the bullpen was not much better in the Yankees' 9-4 loss to the Guardians on Tuesday night.
Here are the takeaways...
-WithoutAaron Judge in the lineup due to rib/shoulder soreness, others in the lineup had to step up and Paul Goldschmidt did his part. The former MVP went 3-for-4 as the DH on Tuesday with a double and a two-run shot in the third inning to give the Yankees a 2-1 lead.
In the fourth, with the Yankees down 3-2, Goldschmidt came through again with a two-out, two-run single to put New York ahead again. He accounted for all four Yankees runs.
-The rest of the Yankees lineup was not consistent enough. Aside from Cody Bellinger, who got two hits, and Goldschmidt, the rest of the Yankees lineup had just three hits. They also couldn't come up in the clutch as they went 1-for-8 with RISP and left eight runners on base.
In contrast, the Guardians were 7-for-16 with RISP and left just five runners on base.
-The Guardians bats were all over Schlittler's pitches in the first inning, as it took two great catches by Trent Grisham to get through the inning 1-2-3. However, the Guardians would scratch out a run in the third and Kyle Manzardo launched a two-run shot in the fourth.
Given the lead again, Schlittler could not hold it. In the fifth, Schlittler allowed a single before Amed Rosario booted a grounder at third. Schlittler hit a batter to load the bases and Travis Bazzana tied the game with a sac fly. Jose Ramirez doubled to push across another run and knock Schlittler out of the game. Brent Headrick picked up the final two outs of the inning to close the book on Schlittler.
Schlittler allowed a career-high five runs (four earned), on five hits while striking out three batters across 4.1 innings (76 pitches/50 strikes). His ERA rose to 1.89 after the loss.
-The Yankees bullpen could not keep the deficit close. After Headrick, Tim Hill allowed a run on three hits in his inning of play. Hill has now allowed five runs in his last two appearances.
Camilo Doval came in for the eighth and after some tough luck grounders loaded the bases with no outs, the right-hander struck out the next two batters. He was ahead of Bazzana in the count, 1-2, before the rookie dropped a double down the right field line to clear the bases.
Game MVP: Jose Ramirez
The longstanding Guardian had three doubles and drove in two runs.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 23: Blake Dunn #59 of the Cincinnati Reds watches his single during game one of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals at Great American Ball Park on May 23, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s difficult to truly justify a game as a ‘must-win’ just 60 games into a 162 game MLB season, but Tuesday evening in Great American Ball Park began to feel like one shortly after its start.
The Cincinnati Reds, losers of 4 of their last 5 games, were sitting perilously close to being just .500 on the season despite their roaring start in April. They’d lost star Elly De La Cruz to the injured list with a hamstring injury that will sideline him for perhaps a month, and that’s on top of them losing half their rotation options and three of their back-of-the-bullpen stalwarts.
Things, for the Reds, had not been looking up. So when Kansas City Royals starter Noah Cameron began flirting with a perfect game through the first third of the game, the rest of the 2026 season sure felt like a bag of cold mush. Fortunately for the Reds, Spencer Steer swooped in from the rafters and put a hurtin’ on a pair of balls, chased Cameron, and helped pick the Reds up off the mat for at least one night.
Steer homered twice, Will Benson stepped in with the game-tying homer in the Bottom of the 9th, and the Reds managed to make it to extra innings in a 3-3 game despite their only three hits of the game (to that point) having come as solo dingers. And after Brock Burke managed to keep the Royals off the board in the Top of the 10th, it was Blake Dunn’s single into CF who scored – who else? – Steer to give the Reds an emotional 4-3 walk-off victory to level the series.
These Reds are an imperfect team. They were imperfect before the spate of injuries that has forced the re-shape of their entire roster. Still, they are a team with some latent talent, and it’s on Terry Francona to pull the strings at the right times in the right moments to make sure they maximize what it is they do have. On Tuesday night in GABP, that happened – albeit late – and the Reds walked away with a 4-3 win in a game that, for the longest time, they had zero business winning.
The Stanley Cup Final is underway and if it's like last year, there will be some overtimes.
The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers went to overtime three times in the first four games. The Oilers won Games 1 and 4 while the Panthers won Game 2 in double overtime. Games 5 and 6 were settled in regulation as the Panthers beat the Oilers for the second year in a row.
There won't be any more 3-on-3 play. It is 5-on-5 instead, just like in regulation play. There won't be any more shootouts. There is sudden death, and it could last a very long time.
Here's what to know about playoff hockey overtime, including the format, longest games and 2026 results.
How does OT work in NHL playoffs?
If the score is tied after three periods, the teams go to the dressing rooms for 15 minutes while the ice is resurfaced. Overtime periods last 20 minutes or until someone scores. It's 5-on-5 play (barring penalties). If no one scores in the first overtime, the process repeats and continues until someone scores. The teams change sides for each overtime period. The first overtime is the long change to get back to the bench.
The NHL Situation Room reviews all goals to make sure they are legally scored, such as the goal that ended Game 4 of the Anaheim-Edmonton series or the overturned goal in Game 4 of the Vegas-Utah series.
May 12:Golden Knights 3, Ducks 2. Pavel Dorofeyev scored the winning goal just over four minutes into the first overtime period to give Vegas a 3-2 series lead over Anaheim.
April 28:Bruins 2, Sabres 1. David Pastrnak scored at 9:14 of the first overtime to cut the Bruins' series deficit to 3-2.
April 27:Golden Knights 5, Mammoth 4. Shea Theodore scored at 19:08 of the first overtime to tie the series at two games apiece.
April 26:Ducks 4, Oilers 3. Ryan Poehling scored 2:29 into the first overtime to give Anaheim a 3-1 series lead.
April 25:Wild 3, Stars 2. Matt Boldy scored at 19:31 of the first overtime as the Wild tied the series 2-2.
April 24:Canadiens 3, Lightning 2. Lane Hutson scored at 2:09 of the first overtime, giving Montreal a 2-1 series lead.
April 22:Stars 4, Wild 3. Wyatt Johnston scored at 12:10 of the second overtime, giving Dallas a 2-1 series lead.
April 21:Avalanche 2, Kings 1. Nicolas Roy scored the winning goal at the 12:16 mark of the first overtime, giving Colorado a 2-0 series lead.
April 21:Lightning 3, Canadiens 2. J.J. Moser scored at 7:12 in the first overtime to tie up the series at a game apiece. It was Moser's first career NHL playoff goal.
April 20:Hurricanes 3, Senators 2. Jordan Martinook scored at 13:53 of the second overtime. He was stopped on a penalty shot in the first overtime.
April 19:Canadiens 4, Lightning 3. Juraj Slafkovsky scored at 1:22 of the first overtime, completing a hat trick.
Longest Stanley Cup Final games
Eight Stanley Cup Final games have gone to the third overtime. The Edmonton Oilers were part of the longest game when Petr Klima scored at 15:13 of the third overtime for a 3-2 win against the Boston Bruins in the 1990 Final.
What are the longest NHL playoff overtime games?
1 - Six overtimes (116 minutes, 30 seconds of overtime) in the 1936 semifinals. March 24, 1935. Detroit 1, Montreal Maroons 0. Mud Bruneteau scored the winner.
2 - Six overtimes (104 minutes, 46 seconds of overtime) in the 1933 semifinals. April 3, 1933. Toronto 1, Boston 0. Ken Doraty scored the winner.
3 - Five overtimes (92 minutes, 1 second of overtime) in the 2000 conference semifinals. May 4, 2000. Philadelphia 2, Pittsburgh 1. Keith Primeau scored the winner.
4 - Five overtimes (90 minutes, 27 seconds of overtime) in the 2020 first round. Aug. 11, 2020. Tampa Bay 3, Columbus 2. Brayden Point scored the winner.
5 - Five overtimes (80 minutes, 48 seconds of overtime) in the 2003 conference semifinals. April 24, 2003. Anaheim 4, Dallas 3. Petr Sykora scored the winner.
6 - Four overtimes (79 minutes, 47 seconds of overtime) in the 2023 conference finals. May 18, 2023. Florida 3, Carolina 2. Matthew Tkachuk scored the winner.
The Golden Knights overcame a first-period 2-0 deficit, including a goal 25 seconds in, and stole the home-ice advantage by winning Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday, 5-4, over the Carolina Hurricanes.
Tomas Hertl scored his fourth goal of the postseason with 3:24 left in the game to break a 4-4 tie and move the Knights closer to their second Stanley Cup title since 2023.
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 3, 2026
"We didn't have our greatest start, but it's kind of our story all season," Hertl said during the postseason television broadcast. "But we never give up, you know. We just a team. It doesn't matter if we up or down, we just keep playing."
Hertl took Colton Sissons' backhanded pass to the slot and sniped Carolina goalie Frederik Andersen to put Vegas ahead.
It marked just the second time Andersen allowed more than two goals in game, as he allowed five to Montreal in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final. The 6-2 setback was the Hurricanes' only postseason loss before Tuesday night.
Shea Theodore, Ivan Barbashev, William Karlsson and Brett Howden also scored for Vegas, while netminder Carter Hart stopped 23 shots.
Nikolaj Ehlers gave the Hurricanes an early 2-0 lead before Theodore fanned Carolina's flames, cutting the lead in half to 2-1, where the score stood as the teams went into the locker room after the first period.
Just after the opening puck drop, Ehlers poked the puck off the boards in the defensive zone, gathered it and raced down the left side past Theodore.
Ehlers, who came into the Cup final with a team fourth highest nine points in the postseason, fired far side past Vegas goalie Carter Hart to give Carolina a 1-0 lead just 25 seconds in.
"Yeah, I mean, you don't know exactly what to expect, it's the first game, the building was already buzzing," Ehlers said in between periods on the television broadcast. "But that for sure, that was pretty cool. That was special. That definitely gave the arena a little more juice."
Ehlers got his second goal when he grabbed a cross-ice pass from Jalen Chatfield, who intercepted Jack Eichel's pass, raced in untouched and once again beat Hart.
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 3, 2026
"They are a really good team," Ehlers added. "They play hard, they play fast, they got a lot of skill players."
Ehlers' words rang true in the second period, as the Golden Knights scored 30 seconds in when Barbashev took a pass from Eichel and beat Andersen from a soft spot in the top of the left circle.
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 3, 2026
The stunned crowd came back to life when Carolina's Jordan Staal when the Knights failed to clear the zone and took advantage of a giveaway by Noah Hanifin. Staal's shot went high over Hart's blocker to tie the game at 3-all.
"For us, it's pretty simple, we got to get punch deep and play in their zone and create stuff from there that kills their offense," Ehlers said.
Howden scored his 11th goal of the postseason - his eighth on the road - just 1:21 into the third period, but the Hurricanes would tie game midway through the stanza when Shayne Gostisbehere sniped Hart from the left circle.
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 3, 2026
Both teams were unsuccessful with their power plays, with Carolina finishing 0 for 2 and Vegas missing three times.
PHOTO CAPTION
Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) celebrates scoring during the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes in game one of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center.
LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 16: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs defends Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during the game during the NBA Emirates Cup Final on December 16, 2025 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Spurs and Knicks will clash in the NBA Finals for the second time in NBA history, with New York looking to avenge the loss they suffered in 1999. The two teams had different paths to the ultimate destination, as San Antonio faced tougher competition, but it’s clear they are the class of their respective conferences. It’s set to be a heavyweight bout that could go either way.
Before the playoffs started, the general sentiment was that whoever came out of the West would be the champion, but it’s hard to count the Knicks out, considering how dominant they have looked and the success they had against the Spurs in the regular season and the Emirates NBA Cup. San Antonio is still the favorite according to FanDuel’s odds, but the gap has been closing leading up to the series to show that New York is not an ordinary underdog. The Silver and Black will have to be at their best to raise another banner.
The Spurs need to push the pace and hunt matchups on offense
For a team that features Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Knicks are a surprisingly good defensive squad. They have their identity, familiarity, and a group of versatile, long wings to thank for that. Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges can guard multiple positions and provide enough help when needed without surrendering too many open looks. Their turnover-averse offense allows them to force teams to play against a set defense that has flaws but also has the tools to hide them, and their elite rebounding doesn’t allow for many redos. It’s why pace will be so important in this series.
The Spurs are at their best when they attack early. Everybody knows that by now, but it can be hard to stop them because they have quick, aggressive guards who will push the pace given the opportunity. Against the Knicks, they will need to be even more assertive than ever to hunt those buckets in the first few seconds of the possession or to simply use pace to create mismatches when they are forced to slow down. Making New York uncomfortable is hard because of their ability to switch and adjust along the wing, but the best chance to do it is by catching them off guard and relentlessly targeting favorable matchups.
Defensive rebounding will be key to kick-starting transition opportunities, because the Knicks won’t cough the ball up often. New York has a size advantage at several positions and one of their keys to success against San Antonio will be to weaponize it on the glass. It’s not just about stopping them from getting the extra possessions but also about cleanly grabbing the board and passing ahead to start the attack. The more contested rebounds they have to fight for on their own end, the more the Silver and Black will be forced to play in the half-court on offense. Boxing out is not optional and gang rebounding is a must.
If the game does become a slow-paced affair, the Spurs will need to make the Knicks’ defense move while searching for the right matchup. Jalen Brunson will likely try to hide on Julian Champagnie, so getting Champagnie or whoever else Brunson is on involved in plays will be hugely important not only to tire out the engine of their offense but also to force New York to help, unlocking the three-point line for San Antonio’s shooters. Stephon Castle tends to initiate slowly on offense, which helps keep his turnovers in check, but in this series, pace in the half-court will be as important as pace on the open floor.
It will be interesting to see how the Knicks deal with Wembanyama, because it could determine how the series goes. Do they put bigs on him, play drop, and try to contain the pick and roll without sending help, risking buckets close to the rim? Do they stick Anunoby or Hart on him and switch or swarm, hoping that Wemby will be forced to take jumpers? There’s no perfect answer when it comes to stopping The Alien, but how the defense treats his matchups will determine whether Wemby can be helpful as a decoy, allowing him to save energy on the offensive end by just drawing attention as a dive man or as a floor-spacer.
As the series progresses, both coaches will make adjustments, but at first glance and at this point in the postseason, the offensive battle seems to be more about who gets to set the terms of engagement than about Xs and Os. If the Spurs can get points early in the offense after misses, figure out how to hunt matchups, and use Wembanyaama creatively, they should be able to keep up. If instead they play slow and try to grind possessions out with little movement, they could be in trouble.
On defense, it’s all about the possession game and the lessons from the Thunder series
The Spurs are coming off a series in which they faced an opponent who had an elite primary creator and a bunch of role players who weren’t great at manufacturing their own shots but fantastic at finishing the looks their superstar got for them directly or with his gravity. The Knicks are similar in that, outside of Jalen Brunson, they don’t have anyone who is a top-end bucket getter, but plenty of players who know what to do when they are open. One of the lessons from the Conference Finals is that sometimes it’s better to let a superstar get his points if it means others don’t contribute much.
The matchup-specific advantage of that strategy is that it could help the Spurs negate the massive size advantage New York has on the wing. Mitch Johnson could simply slot De’Aaron Fox on Brunson and live with the results, which would allow him to put Stephon Castle on Towns in a similar way in which he had him guarding Julius Randle. Now, the potential pitfalls of the strategy are clear and dangerous. A fully healthy Fox struggled against Brunson in the regular season. Once the Knicks superstar gets going, it’s almost impossible to stop him. If Wembanyama has to overhelp to prevent him from going off for 60, the glass will be open. But with no good way to hide Fox, it might just be worth putting him in the spotlight and luring the Knicks into having Brunson attack him while everyone else watches.
While it should be an option, the above might be too daring an approach to start the series. It’s more likely Mitch Johnson keeps it simple, at least early on. The best point of attack defender, Castle, will probably be on the opponent’s best creator. The Spurs can’t afford to have Wembanyama on Karl-Anthony Towns full-time, but they can have him start some possessions on him and use their unique one-man zone in which Wemby is always in help position. Towns could shoot over smaller defenders, and Josh Hart, the guy who Wemby would, on paper, guard, might get hot from outside, but San Antonio could live with that if the paint is protected. New York has two counters to that strategy, as they can go five out by taking Hart out, or they could use two bigs if Mitchell Robinson is available, to force Wemby to commit to guarding someone instead of roaming. But if they are forced to change their approach, it means the Spurs’ familiar strategies are working.
Whatever the Spurs decide to do on defense, they need to make sure it doesn’t leave them exposed in the glass. If Hart is left open, he can not only make San Antonio pay by hitting shots but also by crashing the boards from the corner, so someone needs to always be aware of where he is. If a smaller player guards Towns, they’ll need to put a body on him before he can get position inside once a shot goes up. Robinson will get his offensive boards because he’s elite at it and neither Wembanyama nor Luke Kornet, who was helpless against him in his time in Boston, should be able to keep him from recovering misses, but if he’s the only one doing the damage, the Silver and Black should be fine. After all, Wembanyama might be able to get points back on the other end if Robinson guards him.
If there was a recipe for guarding Brunson, the Knicks wouldn’t be in the Finals. He’ll get his points. The key for the Spurs will be to win the possession battle by not turning the ball over, limiting the amount of second-chance opportunities New York gets, and trying to keep anyone else from catching fire. Mike Brown’s team is great at grinding out games when they have to, and Brunson is an elite closer, so it won’t be easy to win even if the defense does its job. The key will be to not panic if things go awry but also not be scared to mix things up and make daring adjustments, as the Thunder series showed.
Prediction: Spurs in six
The Knicks are a machine. They carried over the successful identity they built under Tom Thibodeau and added depth and some more spice to their offense. They have been as impressive as any team in the postseason, even accounting for the lesser competition they faced compared to the Spurs. They are a horrible matchup for a San Antonio team that will be in a consistent size disadvantage, and for Victor Wembanyama, who might be forced to venture to the perimeter when Towns is out there and could exhaust himself trying to keep Robinson off the glass. And it might still not matter.
The Spurs, at their best, can steamroll opponents in different ways. If the transition buckets aren’t there, they have the creators and the finishers to use simple actions to get open looks. If the open looks aren’t there, they have shot-makers and guards that will relentlessly test the defense with drives, brute-forcing their way to the line. And they have Victor Wembanyama, the most impactful two-way force in the league, locked in and ready for the challenge.
Both teams have advantages that they should be able to exploit, but if the Spurs’ young talent plays to its full potential, with Wemby leading the way, San Antonio could come out on top in what will surely be a close series.
PHOENIX –– It was a reunion of sorts for the Dodgers on Tuesday.
With the club in town to face the Arizona Diamondbacks, a group of injured pitchers currently rehabbing at the team’s Camelback Ranch spring training facility were in the visiting clubhouse at Chase Field to visit with teammates, check in with coaches, and get at least one day back around the big leagues while they work towards their return to action.
“It’s good seeing those guys,” manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s a nice kind of reprieve or break for them while we’re in town to pop over.”
The most notable familiar face: Starting pitcher Gavin Stone, who remains sidelined with shoulder problems that date back to a season-ending surgery he had at the end of his breakout 2024 rookie campaign.
The most notable familiar face: Starting pitcher Gavin Stone, who remains sidelined with shoulder problems that date back to a season-ending surgery he had at the end of his breakout 2024 rookie campaign. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
Entering this year, the Dodgers were hoping to have Stone at full health. Through the early weeks of spring training, he was one of the standout performers in camp, recapturing the form he showed while going 11-5 with a 3.53 ERA in that 2024 season.
Alas, his surgically repaired shoulder flared up on him after his first Cactus League start. And since then, attempts to ramp him back up have been scuttled by more setbacks in what has now become a year-and-a-half-long injury saga.
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“He’s one that I’m really bummed out about,” Roberts said. “I think his makeup is off the charts, good, compete. Right now, his body’s just letting him down a little bit. There’s nothing else he can do. When he … ramps it up, it sort of shows itself again. So right now, I’m not sure exactly where he’s at in this progression. But I’m looking forward to seeing him, though.”
The other injured pitchers around the team Tuesday included Ben Casparius (who started the year in the Dodgers’ bullpen before going down with a shoulder injury that has since landed him on the 60-day injured list) as well as Bobby Miller and Landon Knack (who have both been sidelined since the start of the season).
Entering this year, the Dodgers were hoping to have Stone at full health. Through the early weeks of spring training, he was one of the standout performers in camp, recapturing the form he showed while going 11-5 with a 3.53 ERA in that 2024 season. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Miller spoke to reporters in the clubhouse Tuesday, and revealed that in addition to the shoulder injury that initially landed him on the IL to begin the season, he also had a back issue that forced him to slow-play his throwing progression in the early weeks of the season.
“It was shoulder at first. I had some injections right before spring training. It was pretty good. Then I had a setback with a back injury,” Miller said. “But it’s all great right now. I haven’t had any setbacks since that. I’ve been getting stronger and stronger.”
Like Stone, Miller was once a breakout rookie star for the Dodgers, going 11-4 with a 3.76 ERA in 2023.
Since then, however, injuries and underperformance (he had an 8.65 ERA in 15 MLB outings the last two years) have put his role with the organization in flux.
Miller spoke to reporters in the clubhouse Tuesday, and revealed that in addition to the shoulder injury that initially landed him on the IL to begin the season, he also had a back issue that forced him to slow-play his throwing progression in the early weeks of the season. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
While Miller –– who said he is scheduled to begin throwing off a mound again this week –– still believes he can be a starting pitcher, he is also open to relief duties, something the Dodgers had him try in triple-A at the end of last season.
“There’s a lot to learn from the struggles that I had,” he said. “I think I ended the season very well last year in the role that I was in. But I also know I can be a starter, as well. Like I said, I’m not going to hold myself to any role with this team. I’ll take any role I can get, just to contribute.”
As for what life is like these days at Camelback Ranch, where the Dodgers have their pitchers facing long-term injuries go for their recovery work, Miller described the vibe as upbeat.
“We’re grinding,” he said. “It’s a tough grind, but it’s a good group of guys.”
On Tuesday, at least, they got to be back around their big-league teammates again –– representing a light at the end of the elongated tunnel each of them are facing to return to full health.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 2: Bryce Elder #55 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Truist Park on June 2, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With a pitching matchup that favors the Blue Jays on paper, even with Bryce Elder’s solid performance this season, the Braves got off to a dream start in the first, with a Ronald Acuna turning into a run with a Michael Harris double.
Harris came around on a groundout and a sac fly for a 2-0 lead going into the second. They needed those runs, as the Blue Jays came right back with a two run homer in the second, evening things back up. The Atlanta offense managed a Yaztrzemski gapped double, but the back of the order couldn’t bring him around in the second, though they did turn the lineup over for the third inning. Bryce worked a clean inning and a Matt Olson two-out double converted, as an Ozzie single brought him home for a 3-2 lead.
After a couple clean frames, the Blue Jays came back in the fifth with a single, double, and a sac fly to bring the game level at 3. That didn’t last for long, as Matt Olson got under one for a 109.8 MPH fly ball at 49 degrees that was carried into the Chop House by wind for a go-ahead solo home run. 4-3 Braves.
Bryce Elder carried the game into the seventh and recorded two outs before being replaced by Robert Suarez, with Walt Weiss clearly hoping to make that one run lead stick. Suarez did his job, recording a strikeout to end the seventh, and another to end the eighth, after a quiet seventh from the Atlanta offense.
Raisel made things a bit hairy in the ninth, as he allowed two singles, but a strikeout and two pop-ups closed out his 29th straight save and another win for the Braves. That puts Atlanta at 41-20 on the year and in a great position to take another series win at home, having beaten Gausman, facing Patrick Corbin tomorrow, and with Chris Sale on the mound Thursday. This was a coin-flip game, but Bryce Elder, Robert Suarez, and Raisel Iglesias were able to stop the coin with the Braves’ side up once Matt Olson hit that homer.
Join us tomorrow as Grant Holmes takes the mound with a relatively fresh bullpen against Patrick Corbin for Toronto.
Jun 2, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) and relief pitcher Rico Garcia (50) celebrate beating the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
The Orioles picked up a tidy win tonight against the Red Sox, 4-2. They used a few long balls, a little small ball, and one very good starting pitching performance to prevail over the last-place team in the AL East. If you fancy yourself a good team, these are the teams you have to beat. And tonight, the Orioles did just that.
The first inning of this game did not feel like a good omen, but thankfully, it was not indicative of how things turned out. Taylor Ward started with an eight-pitch walk, then Gunnar Henderson doubled down the left field line. Ward landed at third and the Orioles had two runners in scoring position with no outs.
They blew it. The big trio of Adley Rutschman, Pete Alonso, and Samuel Basallo was unable to bring even one runner home. It felt bad in the moment, and worse when Jarren Duran led off the bottom of the first with a triple. He hit the ball to left field and it kicked off the wall and bounced away from Ward. Two batters later, Wilyer Abreu did what the Orioles could not and hit a long fly ball to score a run. Baz also walked a batter in the inning, but got out with a 1-0 deficit.
But it was only one run, and after that, the Orioles stepped up on both sides of the ball. Baz continued his string of strong starts. After the Duran double, he did not allow another hit until the fifth inning. That’s also when he allowed his next run. In that stretch, Baz retired the side in order in the second, third, and fourth. And he did it with a manageable pitch count.
Mickey Gasper started the bottom of the fifth with a single, then moved around the bases on a wild pitch, a fly ball out, and another sac fly to give the Red Sox their second run in the game. It was good work manufacturing the run by Boston, but that was all they got. Caleb Durbin followed the sac fly with a double, but was stranded on a Duran strikeout.
Baz had an easy sixth inning and started the seventh with a walk to Gasper, which I admit had me worried. When the lead is only two runs, every baserunner is dangerous. But Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit into a double play, turned very nicely by Coby Mayo and Blaze Alexander. Then Marcelo Mayer flew out to end the inning and Baz’s night.
And what a nice night it was. His fastball was sitting at 96-98 mph throughout, but what he really relied on was his knuckle curve. He threw it 39 times out of 94 pitches and got either a whiff or a called strike a third of the time. Five of his six strikeouts came on the knuckle curve. Baz’s final pitching line was 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K. Over his last four starts, Baz has pitched seven innings three times. The fourth time he pitched six. He’s allowed seven runs in those four starts, which comes out to a 2.33 ERA. He has dropped his overall ERA from 5.48 to 4.29.
With starts like that, you don’t need too many runs. But they got to the Red Sox starting lefty, Connelly Early, for four runs in 5.1 innings. You love to see them hit a lefty.
After flubbing up the top of the first, the Orioles got right back to business in the second inning. After the broadcast posted an adorable pic of Coby Mayo proposing to his girlfriend on the off day yesterday, Mayo celebrated with a ball over the Green Monster. It actually hit off the top of the wall and bounced back into play, needing a crew chief review to confirm it as a dinger. But confirmed it was, and Mayo rounded the bases to tie the game at one.
They untied it in the very next inning. Rutschman lined a single back up the middle and Alonso absolutely smoked a ball to left field. Unlike Mayo’s Monster scraper, this one was a bullet that landed several rows back. It was measured at 400 feet and gave the Orioles a 3-1 lead.
The Orioles had one more run in them, and this time, Tyler O’Neill got involved. I know! I was surprised too. O’Neill, who probably has very fond memories of his hitting at Fenway Park back in 2024, singled on a line drive and then stole second base. Yes, he did! Leody Taveras bunted him over to third, and Alexander brought him home with a sac fly. After the two home runs, the Orioles wanted to give some love to the small-ball aficionados.
It’s a good thing they didn’t need any more runs, because they didn’t get any. The bats quieted down after the fourth inning. Early pitched into the sixth, and relief pitcher Greg Weissert was very tough. He retired all five batters he faced, and struck out three.
The Orioles tried to make some noise in the eighth inning, but were thwarted by a bad call and some bad luck. Gunnar Henderson appeared to beat out a ground ball, but it was called out on the field. The call stood on challenge, even though replays seemed to favor Gunnar. Rutschman walked and Alonso singled after the play, but then Alonso was hit by a Samuel Basallo ball and called out. He just couldn’t get out of the way of it. Mayo popped out to end the inning.
The bullpen was outstanding tonight, although I admit to being a little nervous to see Andrew Kittredge with just a two-run lead. But Kittredge allowed just a two-out single and has now had five straight scoreless appearances. The magnificent Rico Garcia came in for the save in the ninth and, as expected, got three quick outs to end the game. I love an easy wrap up!
Orioles win, 4-2, and kicked off June in a good way. Since being swept by the Rays in mid-May, they have gone 8-3. They are now three games shy of .500. They are back in action tomorrow at 6:45 with Chris Bassitt on the mound.
It was always expected that 20-year-old Anton Silayev would transistion his game to North America for the 2026-27 season, and on Monday morning, New Jersey Devils general manager Sunny Mehta made it a reality by announcing the club signed the towering defenseman to a three-year, entry-level contract.
After he put pen to paper, Silayev and some of his family members celebrated the youngster’s latest achievement by taking a boat out and spending time on the water.
BIG deal? Yeah, we'd say so.
We've signed Anton Silayev to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing in at 210 pounds, Silayev completed the 2025-26 season with Nizhny Novgorod of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He appeared in 61 regular-season games, collecting three points (one goal, two assists). Playing in a limited role under head coach Alexei Isakov, the defenseman gained experience and understanding that his future self will be grateful for.
Under his former head coach, Igor Larionov, Silayev played around 18 minutes per game. This past season, under new head coach Alexei Isakov, his ice time dropped, sometimes dipping below 10 minutes. Understandably, the decreased role and limited opportunities influenced the defenseman’s confidence.
It also provided a valuable lesson.
It is not the amount of ice time given, but how impactful a player can prove to be within the minutes provided. By the time the playoffs began, Silayev’s ice time did improve, and he collected two assists in 10 playoff games. He ended the season playing for Nizhny Novgorod’s junior team in the MHL playoffs, picking up two assists in four games.
Drafted 10th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, the youngster has always been compared to Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman.
“He is 6-7, great size, but you quickly see his agility and footwork for that size, among the best you see at that age,” said Devils chief scout Mark Dennehy to NJD.TV after selecting Silayev. “He is mobile for his size with great defensive range. He is a pest to play against. He plays with a mean streak. Good shot, good hands.”
But direct comparissons aren’t always fair, are they? Especially given the amount of work in front of Silayev as he begins this chapter of his professional career.
There are two major components that Silayev will need to work on upon his arrival this summer. The first is the game itself. He needs to understand the mentality of a North American coach compared to that of a KHL head coach. His agent believes that Silayev, having played under Larionov, a former Devils player and Hockey Hall of Famer, will be an advantage in this regard, as he shared that North American mentality. In that same vein, the left-shot defenseman will need to learn the mindset and perspective of the rest of the coaching staff, management, trainers, and his new teammates.
Learning and improving his English remains a priority, and there is a belief he will pick it up quickly. Thankfully, there is a support team in place to help make the rookie’s transistion as smooth as possible. While his agent is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, his business partner, Peter Wallen, is within driving distance of New Jersey.
In addition to learning the dynamics of the people within the Devils organization, there is also the expanded 84-game NHL schedule.
“It is 84 games that you have to play 100% every night, every period, every shift,” Silayev’s agent shared. “I would say the first 10 games, you play on your emotions because you are in a new league, and everything is different and new.
“After those 10 games, it becomes routine, and you have to have the desire to come to the hockey rink and be ready for practice and for the game. It is very important,” he continued. “This is the stuff we explain to him, and he knows. There is a bunch of work to do.”
When he arrives, and training camp begins, one of the biggest questions is if he will start the season in New Jersey or with the Utica Comets, the organization’s American Hockey League (AHL) team. With an influx of defensemen at both levels, it seems Mehta and Comets’ general manager Braden Birch will have work to do to make everyone fit.
As it currently stands, New Jersey’s blue line includes Dennis Cholowski, Brenden Dillon, Dougie Hamilton, Luke Hughes, Johnathan Kovacevic, Simon Nemec, Brett Pesce, and Jonas Siegenthaler. In Utica, several defensemen are already under contract for 2026-27, including Seamus Casey, Mikaël Diotte, Ethan Edwards, and Jeremy Hanzel. It is worth noting that the latter spent last season in the ECHL with the Adirondack Thunder. Additionally, Topias Vilén and Calen Addison are restricted free agents, while Colton White is an unrestricted free agent.
Similar to last season, when winger Arseny Gritsyuk transitioned his game here, the Devils organization doesn’t quite know what they have with Silayev until they see him here in North America, and then they can understand exactly where he is at relative to NHL hockey.
Silayev is currently working on his work permit and will aim to arrive well before training camp begins to get acquainted with the city and what life away from the rink looks like, so that his focus will be 100 percent on hockey and the Devils when the 2026-26 season gets underway.
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PHOENIX, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 23: Starter Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning at Chase Field on September 23, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks defeated the Dodgers 5-4. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Shohei Ohtani makes his 10th pitching start of the season for the Dodgers on Wednesday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix.
Ohtani started once at Chase Field last year with the Dodgers, tossing six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts last September 23. Beginning with that start, Ohtani has pitched at least six innings in 12 of his last 13 starts on regular rest (excluding Game 7 of the World Series, on three days rest). He started once more in Phoenix with the Angels, allowing two runs in five innings with eight strikeouts on June 11, 2021.
Zac Gallen, the opening day starter for the D-backs, starts for Arizona on Wednesday. He lost on March 26 on Dodger Stadium, allowing four runs in four innings. He followed that up with a 2.19 ERA and 4.14 xERA in April, then a 7.04 ERA and 5.40 xERA in May. This will be his first start of June.
Jun 2, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) celebrates his two-run home run with left fielder Brandon Marsh (16) against the San Diego Padres during the fourth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Less than a week after they swept them on their home turf, the Philadelphia Phillies (31-29) played host to the San Diego Padres (32-27) and took game one of the midweek series 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Aaron Nola made his second consecutive start against the Padres and went five innings striking out eight and allowing just two runs on a home run by Gavin Sheets in the third inning.
Bryce Harper leveled the score in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run blast of his own, his 14th of the season, after a Trea Turner single.
The Phillies scored the go-ahead run on an Alec Bohm double play, his first of two in the game.
Jose Alvarado picked up the win and led the way for Nola’s relief corps, followed by Orion Kerkering, Brad Keller and Jhoan Duran, who combined for four scoreless innings.
Keller allowed a lead-off single to Fernando Tatis, Jr., his third of the night, and allowed another hit to Miguel Andujar but got out of the jam after a rundown blunder by Tatis between second and third.
Duran struck out the side in the top of the ninth for his 13th save in as many tries.
25-year-old outfielder, Jase Bowen, made his MLB debut for the Pads in left field and got his first big league hit in his third at bat in the seventh inning off Kerkering, but was meekly dispatched by Duran for the game’s final out on three swings on balls outside the zone.
Brandon Marsh went four for four, all singles, to raise his average to .332, second in the NL behind Miami’s Otto Lopez.
Cristopher Sanchez will look to extend his franchise best scoreless innings streak tomorrow night against Walker Buehler.
The Carolina Hurricanes couldn't have asked for a better start to the Stanley Cup Final.
Just 25 seconds into the game, Hurricanes forward Nikolaj Ehlers kicked off the scoring, taking a puck from the defensive blueline all the way up and finishing past Vegas netminder Carter Hart.
Ehlers' tally was the third fastest Stanley Cup Final opening goal in NHL history and he didn't stop there.
Just over 12 minutes later, Ehlers would get sprung on another breakaway, this time deking out Hart and sliding one through the five-hole to double up the home team's lead.
Ehlers became the first player to score twice in the opening period of a Stanley Cup Final since Al MacInnis in 1989.
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SAN ANTONIO — A season ago, Mikal Bridges led the league in total minutes played. Josh Hart was second. OG Anunoby was in the top 10. The three of them, as well as Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, all averaged at least 35 minutes a game.
When the Knicks lost to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, part of the reason was that then-coach Tom Thibodeau had worn out their legs getting to that point, and he was slow to trust Landry Shamet and other players off the bench with serious minutes.
This season, Thibodeau was out, and Mike Brown was in and among his mandates was the need to grow and develop the Knicks' bench.
"It's a philosophy I had. One of the many things I learned from Pop [Gregg Popovich] and Steve [Kerr]," Brown said, referring to legends he was an assistant coach under. "Steve was really good at trying to play a lot of different guys...
"Then at the end of the day, I'm not a medical person, but just from what medical people say, if you can kind of control the minutes during the regular season, it helps them during the postseason. From people telling me that, I believe it. That's what I tried to do."
It worked. The Knicks bench — primarily Shamet, Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson, but others in spots — have been a key part of why New York is not only back in the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years. If there is a parade in Manhattan celebrating the team's first title in 53 years, that bench will play a huge role.
Not easy getting there
It does not mean it was all smooth sailing to get to this point.
Did Josh Hart see that bigger picture Brown was looking at when Hart sat glued to the bench for some clutch fourth quarters during the regular season?
"No, I definitely didn't see the bigger picture in those moments," Hart said. "There was moments I went home and I'm like, damn, am I ass? Do I suck as a basketball player? There was a lot of those moments. Whenever your minutes go down or you get benched, you have that thought process. But for me, it was, okay, how can I build off of it?"
Hart eventually came around.
"Now I'm cool with it, sometimes," he said. "Game 1 [of the Eastern Conference Finals] I got benched because Landry was out there hooping, and I was happy about it. But that took a little bit of time and self-reflection to get to that point."
The Knicks have developed a unity and a willingness to put ego and personal production aside for the greater good of the team. They support their teammates in a way not always seen around the league.
"Truthfully, with this team — I've said it a number of times — we've got a group that truly roots for each other, wants each other to succeed..." Landry Shamet said. "Look at our bench, different guys throughout the playoffs that have been inserted, have had to step up, play bigger roles in certain situations. There's a lot of reasons on paper where it would look like you could get a little bitter about so-and-so is taking so-and-so's minutes, whatever the case may be. Truthfully, this team, we have a special group where we all root for each other, know that job and role could look different for anybody any night... That's really cool and really unique to be a part of with this team."
Spurs bring same selflessness
Shamet recognizes that same selflessness in the Spurs, something their young, tight-knit core has talked about.
"They're obviously a very talented group, a deep group," Shamet said. "A lot of the same things I'm saying, can rely on a different guy every night off the bench to be a spark. We have to be ready for that, take our individual matchups seriously."
Maybe the best example in San Antonio is Keldon Johnson. Just three seasons ago, he was averaging 22 points a game and was the face of the franchise. But as the team drafted its young stars like Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper (and went out and got De'Aaron Fox in a trade), Johnson knew he had a choice to make.
"There's a point where you look in the mirror and ask, 'Do you want to be a part of something special, or do you want to chase personal goals?'" Johnson said. "Being here throughout this season and winning has been the ultimate reward. It just shows that everything was worth it.
"Obviously, I went from being 'the guy' to coming off the bench and being sixth man [he won Sixth Man of the Year this season]. I feel like winning is the most addictive thing in this league. This year is a testament to that, being able to win and contribute to us winning means more than anything that I've done in the past."
Whichever bench contributes more to winning in this series will have a big say in which team will hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy when it's all over.
PHOENIX, AZ - JUNE 01: Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers bats during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Monday, June 1, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Julia Jacome/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Home teams are 4-0 thus far in the 2026 Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks battle.
Francisco Alvarezwasted no time making an impact in his first rehab game with Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday night.
After Jorge Polanco popped out in the first inning, the Mets catcher doubled off the wall in right field in his first at-bat against former teammate Dom Hamel,now with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
Alvarez doubled to right field again in the third inning, driving in Matt Rudick from first base to tie the game at 1-1. He popped out to first in his third at-bat, finishing the day 2-for-3 with the two doubles and an RBI.
Defensively, Alvarez caught six innings, including four for LHP Zach Thornton, and caughtJonathan Ornelas stealing second in the sixth inning. He was replaced by Kevin Parada in the top of the seventh inning.
The 24-year-old has progressed impressively fast after undergoing meniscus surgery on May 14 and ramped up his baseball activities in recent days before getting cleared to play in the game. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said prior to the team's game that the goal for Alvarez will be to play back-to-back games before they activate him.
"Yeah, I was watching it. 2-for-2 with two bullets. I mean, it's crazy that this guy is already playing in games and looking the way he's looking right now," Mendoza said. "I think he's scheduled for five innings today, off tomorrow. I think the goal is to, not only get him to catch a full seven, eight or complete game, but maybe the back-to-backs. That's the decision here.
"Whether it's to catch a full nine and then DH or is it better for him to go back-to-back as a catcher before we make that decision to activate him here. We'll see how he responds after today's game and then we'll go from there."
Over 37 games in the 2026 season, Alvarez was hitting .241 with four home runs, five doubles, and 10 RBI prior to his injury.
Polanco, serving as DH and playing in his fourth game with Syracuse, went 0-for-3 with a walk. It was previously reported that he could be activated for this weekend's series in San Diego, but Mendoza said that is still to be determined based on how he's feeling.
"Yeah, we don't know yet," Mendoza said. "He's playing tonight, he's going to play tomorrow, and then we'll have a decision there. So we got to talk to the player, how he's feeling, and all that. And he's got to get cleared from the medical staff as well."
He added: "It could be in play that he's active on Friday. But again, if he needs more at-bats, and it's not so much like how he's feeling physically, I think there's a combination of a lot of things there."
When Polanco does return, it's expected for him to mostly play DH and be available for first base duties. Mendoza added that he's no longer dealing with a wrist issue, so it's just the Achilles bursitis he has to manage and "play through," noting that "he's not getting any worse."
"Not necessarily, we’re looking more DH. But he has to be available to play first base," Mendoza said. "He’s scheduled to play first base tomorrow, but the way we see it, he’s more of a DH."
In his first at-bat, Francisco Alvarez makes his presence known with an opposite field double! pic.twitter.com/lGkTJ5Fkgd
