CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MAY 13: Bobby Witt Jr. #7 and Carter Jensen #22 of the Kansas City Royals celebrate with teammates after scoring runs during the ninth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on May 13, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jayden Mack/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After the sweep at the hands of the Padres last weekend, the Mariners managed to get things back on track a bit with a series win over the White Sox. Seattle hasn’t won back-to-back series since going 5-1 on their road trip at the end of April. They’ve been mired in an unfortunate rut, unable to gain any momentum in the standings. Thankfully, they haven’t fallen too far back in the AL West race; on May 1 they were a game behind the A’s and they’ve only dropped a game and a half since then. Now, they’ll get an opportunity for a measure of revenge against the team that swept them at the start of the month.
Since sweeping the Mariners to start the month of May, the Royals have taken a nose dive in the standings. They’ve gone 5-11 since that series in Seattle and are now battling with the Tigers at the bottom of the AL Central standings. The offensive production has been particularly brutal; during this 16 game slump, they’ve scored just 3.4 runs per game and the last time they scored more than four runs in a single game was back on May 13. For a team that had designs on challenging for a division title or a Wild Card berth, they’ve been quickly pushed onto the fringe of the AL playoff picture.
Player
Position
Bats
PA
K%
BB%
ISO
wRC+
Maikel Garcia
3B
R
213
14.1%
8.9%
0.125
94
Bobby Witt Jr.
SS
R
222
17.1%
10.4%
0.183
134
Vinnie Pasquantino
1B
L
201
20.4%
10.4%
0.131
68
Salvador Perez
C
R
201
20.9%
4.5%
0.157
69
Carter Jensen
DH
L
163
30.1%
11.7%
0.170
102
Jac Caglianone
RF
L
160
30.0%
7.5%
0.178
108
Isaac Collins
LF
R
161
26.7%
12.4%
0.104
87
Michael Massey
2B
L
97
20.6%
3.1%
0.185
69
Kyle Isbel
CF
L
137
23.4%
5.1%
0.138
103
During the month of May, the Royals have had exactly two batters with a wRC+ above league average. Bobby Witt Jr. has essentially been trying to carry the entire team on his back; his 160 wRC+ is among the league leaders this month and his 3.3 fWAR on the season leads all of baseball. The other hitter who has been contributing has been Jac Caglianone. He’s managed to get his strikeout rate under control which has helped him run a 113 wRC+ this month. Unfortunately, ugly performances from guys like Maikel Garica (62 wRC+ in May), Vinnie Pasquantino (72), and Salvador Perez (92) have been the big reason why Kansas City has struggled to score runs consistently this month.
Noah Cameron enjoyed a solid debut season last year with an ERA a hair below three and a FIP a hair above four. He wound up earning fourth place in the AL Rookie of the Year voting. A college draftee back in 2021, he quickly moved through Kansas City’s farm system as a polished, low-risk starter. He’s got an excellent changeup that has standout fade for someone with such a high arm slot. His fastball gets pretty good ride thanks to his arm angle, and his two breaking balls are pretty vertically oriented. He can command his entire repertoire fairly well which helps the average-ish raw stuff play up a bit.
Pitcher
IP
K%
BB%
HR/FB%
GB%
ERA
FIP
Stephen Kolek
17
17.4%
5.8%
21.4%
50.0%
4.24
4.87
George Kirby
62.2
20.7%
6.4%
10.5%
55.2%
3.45
3.56
Once upon a time, Stephen Kolek was a Mariners farm hand who was plucked away by the Padres in the 2023 Rule 5 draft. He had a decent debut season as a long reliever in San Diego’s bullpen in 2024 and then made the jump back to the rotation last year. He was traded to the Royals at the trade deadline and made five solid starts for Kansas City down the stretch. He was pushed out off the big league roster this spring but the injury to Cole Ragans has allowed him to make a couple of spot starts while the Royals’ ace is on the mend. Kolek doesn’t get many swings and misses. Instead, he relies on generating weak groundball contact with a sinker, changeup, and sweeper that dive off the table. When those batted balls are finding gloves, he can be effective enough to work through a lineup a couple of times.
Pitcher
IP
K%
BB%
HR/FB%
GB%
ERA
FIP
Seth Lugo
58.2
20.7%
8.5%
3.0%
36.3%
3.68
2.89
Bryan Woo
59
23.6%
5.2%
7.1%
31.1%
3.51
3.28
Pitch
Usage vRHB
Usage vLHB
Velocity
Stuff+
Whiff+
BIP+
xwOBA
Four-seam
15.0%
20.1%
91.6
89
76
113
0.366
Sinker
27.7%
20.8%
91.4
80
100
108
0.399
Cutter
15.4%
16.8%
89.9
82
101
87
0.397
Changeup
2.0%
12.7%
84.8
69
Curveball
14.6%
20.0%
76.0
102
53
112
0.217
Slider
18.2%
7.4%
84.2
88
Sweeper
12.3%
8.9%
78.0
88
Slurve
7.1%
2.1%
77.2
102
From a previous series preview:
Seth Lugo throws the kitchen sink and the bathtub too for good measure. I have eight pitches listed in the table above, but I combined what Statcast calls his curveball and a “slow curve” into one line. And really, his sweeper-slurve is actually one pitch that he varies the speed and shape of based on the situation. That deep repertoire has served him well since making the transition to the starting rotation in 2023. He struggled with his normally excellent command last year, leading to a bunch of additional walks and home runs, but has seemed to have gotten over those issues to start this year. Despite mediocre raw stuff and advancing age, he’s been able to keep batters off balance because they often have no idea what pitch is coming next.
The Big Picture:
Team
W-L
W%
Games Behind
Run Diff
Recent Form
Athletics
26-24
0.520
—
-4
L-L-W-W-W
Rangers
24-25
0.490
1.5
+13
L-W-L-W-W
Mariners
24-27
0.471
2.5
+11
L-L-W-L-W
Astros
20-31
0.392
6.5
-56
W-L-L-W-L
Angels
17-34
0.333
9.5
-69
L-W-L-L-L
The Athletics managed to take three of four from the Angels this week, winning a pair of extra-innings contests on Wednesday and Thursday to secure the series win. The A’s head to San Diego this weekend to face the Padres. The Rangers managed to keep pace with the Mariners by winning their series in Colorado and have another easy opponent on the docket, the Angels. The Astros haven’t broken out of their doldrums yet, losing a series to the Twins earlier this week; they’ll head to Chicago to face the Cubs this weekend.
“Every team is going to deal with adversity. We have got to keep going.” -Carlos Mendoza [New York Post]
…this week the Mets won the Subway Series but lost Clay Holmes to injury…
“It’s really sad what happened to [Clay Holmes]. It’s part of the game. We’re going to support him. We’re going to be right there for him in any kind of way that he needs us, but it just sucks.” -Juan Soto [New York Post]
…but in happier news Luke Weaver pulled off a Houdini act when he /slowing turning my head to check the Knicks score/…
“I’m not the biggest guy in the room, but I ain’t scared of nobody.” -Luke Weaver [MLB]
…/shakes head/…umm…yeah Luke Weaver came in a bases loaded jam /pumps fist in the air reacting to a OG Anunoby dunk/…
“It’s a cool moment. That’s why you play the game.” -Luke Weaver [MLB]
…uh, where was I, oh yeah Luke Anunoby didn’t give up a run, OH COME ON THAT WASN’T A FOUL, and his teammates were like happy for him or whatever…
“[On Luke Weaver] That was sick. That was fun.” -Mark Vientos [MLB]
“That’s what great players do. Clutch stuff in a big spot. Obviously, we’re chasing some wins right now, and he’s built for that stage. [Weaver’s] got a lot of poise and control and swag, I would say. So yeah, he was ready for that moment.” -Brooks Raley [MLB]
…Brunson’s got to get it going…umm, sorry, Mendoza also was happy for Weaver and I think this was a typo where he actually said ‘unhittable’ but who knows with the way things have been going for Carlos Mendoza these days…
“Weaver was hittable there.” -Carlos Mendoza [MLB]
…but, anyways, the Knicks, sorry the Mets went 4-3 for the week…
“A lot going on, man. I’m tired.” -Luke Weaver [MLB]
…and, it’s looking bleak because the Mets are down by 22 with 8:19 in the 4th quarter…
“They were ultra aggressive, especially the first time through. You look at pretty much every batter there, they were hacking first pitch. They were looking hard, whether it was the sinker, the cutter, 1-0, they were aggressive. Balls found holes. They attacked him.” -Carlos Mendoza [Mets]
…I mean it’s maybe time to put in the bench…
“It’s always good when you show some fight back.” -Carson Benge [Mets]
…take the loss but at least you can rest the starters…
“There’s a couple of things I was feeling, but I was a little quick [in the first inning]. I just tried to kind of settle in, slow myself down and get in my motion and then continue to try to get ahead with the first pitch and go from there.” -David Peterson [New York Post]
…hey, that’s a couple buckets…
“They made some pretty good swings on some decent pitches. Obviously I didn’t have the best stuff, but that’s no excuse for not going out and competing better than I did.” -Nolan McLean [Mets]
…man, they’re kind of on a run…
“We know that we’ve got to start playing better — period. It’s been rough. It’s been … yeah. But that’s in the past. Now, all we can control is every game, every series — the mentality of winning series. We did that this homestand, and we’ve got to continue to do it.” -Carlos Mendoza [Mets]
…this is getting a little crazy…
“He hit it pretty hard. I went back and just missed it. It hit the palm of my hand. I should have had it.” -Nick Morabito [MLB]
…no WAY, NO WAY MY TEAMS DON’T DO THIS…
“Basically, it all came down to where I was starting my hands. That was the stem of the problem.” -Devin Williams [The Athletic]
…YES, LET’S GO KNICKS, I LOVE NEW YORK CITY, NUMBAH ONE CITY IN DA WORLD!
Nick Morabito will wear No. 55. "I chose 55. I was given 8."
Said he knows who Gary Carter is. "He's a legend."
To drop the Knicks bit, here are two great articles that prove, in the words of Sarah Langs, Baseball Is The Best.
“[In a year full of incomprehensible pain, Joe Raccuia said that watching Ewing makes him feel a little better.] It helps” -Joe Raccuia who was A.J. Ewing signing scout while working for the Mets [The Athletic]
“It was go and be a dad and support a young man in Zach or take care of my health. The doctors at Shirley Ryan assured me that my health was in good hands and that they felt as though I could do it. So it really made my decision very easy. To be honest, as a dad, I’m not going to miss this.” -Paul Thorton on attending his son’s big league debut [New York Post]
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 15: Rhys Hoskins #8 of the Cleveland Guardians runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Progressive Field on May 15, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There was a moment this past offseason when it seemed like the Phillies were considering a reunion with Rhys Hoskins. There was really nothing to the rumors, and it basically seemed to come about because WIP reporter Devan Kaney conflated two different discussions to make it seem like the Phillies were seriously thinking about signing Hoskins.
Sources tell me Bryce Harper has been advocating for more right handed power and someone who could give the Phillies more emotional edge/swagger. I’m told Harper suggested Dave Dombrowski look into a reunion with Rhys Hoskins who remains a free agent.
With the Phillies facing Hoskins’ Guardians team this weekend, and with the Phillies struggling against lefthanded pitching, it’s worth wondering if the Phillies made a mistake in not pursuing their old friend.
Of course, the biggest obstacle to having Hoskins on the Phillies remains: Hoskins can only play first base (and poorly at that) or designated hitter, and the Phillies’ best two offensive players are ensconced at those positions. Any talk about moving either Hoskins or Kyle Schwarber to the outfield should be immediately dismissed. You can get away with that for about seven innings once a week, but it is unfeasible on a regular basis, especially with a centerfielder going through growing pains on defense.
As for Bryce Harper moving to the outfield…he still doesn’t seem especially excited by the prospect. He might have felt some remorse over that decision if Hoskins would have been the team’s answer against lefty pitching, but based on Hoskins’ performance this season, that wouldn’t have been the case.
Hoskins’ stat line is interesting. He is batting .192 (that’s bad) but has an on-base percentage of .353 (that’s good). His overall OPS is respectable, but he’s hit just four home runs, and his slugging percentage is .375, continuing a steady career long decline (also bad). Basically, Hoskins has been elite at taking walks and not much else.
He’s also been very bad against lefthanded pitching, with a .132/.275/.360 slash line. Say what you will about Adolis Garcia, but at least his numbers against opposite-handed pitching are respectable and he plays good defense.
Hoskins is slashing .114/.277/.286 against LHP. Why is he batting 4th? I've been critical of Manzardo, but he's been turning it on lately. Does Rhys HAVE to start at 1B just because they're facing a leftie? 🤔 #Guardsball
The Phillies’ offseason moves aren’t looking spectacularly successful at the moment, but some of the moves they didn’t make (just wait until they play the Mets) have proven to be wise.
Trivia
Last week’s answer: Before last weekend, the Phillies’ franchise leader for home runs at PNC Park was Jimmy Rollins with five. However, thanks to his two home runs last Friday, Kyle Schwarber is now the leader with six.
This week’s question: Aside from Citizens Bank Park and Milwaukee’s American Family Field, what stadium has Rhys Hoskins hit the most home runs in?
Non-Phillies thought
I’m probably going to see The Mandalorian and Grogu this weekend, but I can’t help but think this movie is coming out about four years later than it should have. It pretty much should have been a two season show, and season two ended over five years ago. Since then, they had to mostly walk back season two’s finale because they didn’t think anyone was going to watch the show without “Baby Yoda.”
The more I think about it, the more I think the season two finale was so well received is because what people really want from Star Wars is more content with Luke, Leia, Han, and company. Recast those roles and give us some adventures immediately after Return of the Jedi before they become the sad sacks we saw in the sequel trilogy. (Or heck, go ahead and retcon those movies!)
You can take my opinions on Star Wars with a grain of salt though. I thought the much-praised Andor was sporadically great but was mostly a slog to get through. And I mostly enjoyed the lesser regarded The Acolyte.
Remembering some guys
The Guardians have a couple of former Phillies in their system who fall into the “that guy is still around?” category.
Connor Brogdon spent five years with the Phillies and always seemed like he was on the cusp of becoming a dominant reliever but could never quite get there. He went from a dominating performance in the 2022 World Series to a guy who was almost guaranteed to walk a couple of batters in every appearance the following season.
Connor Brogdon in his World Series debut:
🔔 Pitched in 3 of 5 games so far 🔔 4 IP, 3H, 0 ER, 7 K
It seems that a change of scenery was not all that Brogdon needed. The Phillies traded him to the Dodgers at the start of the 2024 season, but his performance got worse post trade. After another bad season with the Angels in 2025, he signed with the Guardians in the offseason, but struggled to the point where they designated him for assignment.
Kolby Allard wasn’t a Phillie for very long. At the end of the 2024 season, when the team was desperately trying to find a competent arm for their fifth starter spot, they cycled through a bunch of guys, hoping one would stick. Allard was actually one of the better performers, and considering he had a 5.00 ERA that says a lot about the other guys they used.
Allard latched on with the Guardians as a reliever in 2025 and put together a decent season as a middle reliever. But the success didn’t carry over into 2026, and like Brogdon, he was demoted to the minors.
Additional thought about the series
The Guardians don’t have a lot of household names on their roster, but they’re winning games. At 29-22, they’re in first place of the AL Central. It’s somewhat surprising considering that their biggest star, Jose Ramirez is having a down season by his standards.
What the Guardians do have is a group of young players doing well. Travis Bazzana, Brayan Rocchio, Angel Martinez, and Chase DeLauter are all in their early to mid-twenties and are having breakout seasons.
The Guardians' offense is turning heads, thanks in part to the young kids.@ZackMeisel says it's been a "breath of fresh air." pic.twitter.com/EK39oPCQma
As a Phillies fan, it seems like a foreign concept to have the team’s developmental system produce players who can step in and contribute on the major league level, but apparently it can indeed lead to winning baseball. Maybe the Phillies should try it?
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 4: Assistant Coach Sean Sweeney and Devin Vassell #24 of the San Antonio Spurs talks during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round Two Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 4, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Since the firing of Jason Kidd, Mavericks fans have been speculating on who the Mavericks could hire to replace him, and with Masai Ujiri’s track record, it could be someone unexpected.
So with this search underway, who are some likely candidates, and are there unexpected names that could surprise the NBA world, all according to the Athletics’ Christian Clark.
1. Sean Sweeney
The first name that has come up for many Mavericks fans is former Maverick assistant Sean Sweeney.
Sweeney was an assistant for the Mavericks from 2021-2024, and was Jason Kidd’s lead assistant. Sweeney was instrumental to Dallas’ 2 deep playoff runs, specifically being the mastermind behind those teams elite defenses.
According to Clark, it is a matter of “when — not if — Sweeney will land a head coaching job”, with both the Bulls and Magic expected to show interest.
Sweeney would bring an intensity, and x’s and o’s focus that hasn’t been seen since Rick Carlisle, and could hopefully instill a defensive mindset that has been sorely lacking.
2. Micah Nori
The second name mentioned by Clark is current Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori. Nori has served under Chris Finch for 5 years, and technically has head coaching experience.
This came in the series against the Mavericks in 2024 after Finch injured his knee in game 4 of their previous series.
Nori has been a prime candidate for multiple hiring cycles, and would be a prime candidate for the Mavericks job.
3. Tiago Splitter
The third NBA coach mentioned by Clark is former Portland Trailblazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter.
Splitter was heading into the 2025-2026 season as an assistant before the Chauncey Billups gambling scandal, forcing Splitter into head coaching duties, in which he performed admirably.
The Trailblazers ended up making the playoffs, but with new ownership coming aboard, Splitter may be looking for a new team.
Similar to Sweeney, Splitter has a connection to the Mavericks organization, that being newly hired GM Mike Schmitz.
4. Jon Scheyer
The first unexpected name mentioned by Clark is current Duke head coach Jon Scheyer.
Scheyer has been the head coach at Duke for the last 4 years, and has amassed a record of 125-24; although, he has been unable to win a national championship.
Scheyer’s connection is obvious, as he has coached both Dereck Lively II and Cooper Flagg, who both have expressed their admiration for the Duke coach.
While it would be a surprise for the Mavericks to hire a college coach, it would make sense if the focus was to build around Flagg, as Scheyer is the one who both recruited and developed the young star.
5. Dawn Staley
The final, and most surprising name that Clark mentioned was current South Carolina Women’s head coach Dawn Staley.
Staley has coached the Gamecocks since 2008, and has become one of the greatest coaches in women’s college basketball history.
And an NBA move doesn’t seem impossible, as Staley interviewed for the Knicks head coaching job last year, with her remarking on a podcast that she “would have had to do it,” and that “It’s the New York Knicks”.
It remains to be seen if the Mavericks would actually offer her the job, but it seems that Masai Ujiri would have some interest in the possibilty.
With the Western Conference Finals tied at 1-1 apiece, the series shifts to the Alamo City as the San Antonio Spurs look to regain the upper hand on the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
Our Thunder vs. Spurs predictions for Game 3 include no shortage of NBA player prop projections, and we have you covered for the best NBA picks on Friday, May 22.
Thunder vs Spurs computer picks for Game 3
Thunder
Spurs
Gilgeous-Alexander u7.5 assists +102
Harper o11.5 points -109
Holmgren o13.5 points -112
Champagnie u2.5 threes -105
Mitchell u14.5 points -115
Castle u7.5 assists +110
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Thunder Game 3 computer picks
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Under 7.5 assists (+102)
Projection: 6.24 assists
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has failed to clear this line in seven of his last 10 games, and given the Oklahoma City Thunder's sixth-slowest pace, expect that to continue in Game 3.
OKC also ranks as the second-worst team in offensive rebounding on the road, so Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs should limit SGA's facilitating tonight.
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Chet Holmgren Over 13.5 points (-112)
Projection: 16.02 points
Chet Holmgren has cashed this prop in seven of his last 10, and our computer projects a 18.77% EV advantage ahead of tip-off.
The Thunder have averaged 119.6 points per game away from the Paycom Center this season, and Holmgren should continue to be one of the main beneficiaries tonight.
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Ajay Mitchell Under 14.5 points (-115)
Projection: 12.98 points
Ajay Mitchell has accumulated just 14 points through the first two games of this series, attempting only 13 shots in the process.
The OKC guard has finished below this number in six of his last 10 contests, and an elite San Antonio Spurs defense (third in defensive rating) is set to keep it that way.
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Spurs Game 3 computer picks
Dylan Harper Over 11.5 points (-109)
Projection: 12.57 points
Dylan Harper has really stepped it up in the postseason, averaging 16.4 ppg over his last five matches.
If Harper suits up tonight and De'Aaron Fox remains sidelined, the rookie should continue to shine against a Thunder defense that allows starting point guards to attempt the most threes per contest.
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Julian Champagnie Under 2.5 threes (-120)
Projection: 2.28 threes
Julian Champagnie has missed the cut on 2.5 threes in five of his last 10 games.
Shooting just 4-for-18 from 3-point range in the Western Conference Finals, look for the third-year Spur to take a backseat offensively tonight.
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Stephen Castle Under 7.5 assists (+110)
Projection: 6.84 assists
Stephen Castle’s assist totals have dipped from 7.4 per game in the regular season to 6.6 in the postseason.
At plus money, it’s worth a look for the Spurs guard, who has cleared this prop in just four of his last 10 contests.
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How to watch Thunder vs Spurs Game 3
Location
Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
Date
Friday, May 22, 2026
Tip-off
8:30 p.m. ET
TV
NBC
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The AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians roll into town on a six-game win streak, but Cristopher Sanchez and the revived Philadelphia Phillies are waiting for them.
Philadelphia has won six of its last seven series to get back to .500, and my Guardians vs. Phillies predictions back the hosts when they take on Cleveland starter Gavin Williams, who’s had some wobbly moments this season.
Get the lowdown on this matchup with my free MLB picks for Friday, May 22.
Who will win Guardians vs Phillies today: Phillies (-175)
For the Philadelphia Phillies, the gloom is long gone. They’re now 16-6 since Don Mattingly took over, and I’m trusting ace Cristopher Sanchez to bring the heat in tonight’s contest.
Sanchez enters with a 1.82 ERA, and the Phillies have won each of his past four starts. In fact, the lefty hasn’t given up a run this month — and he’s only allowed more than two earned runs once this year.
COVERS INTEL: Cristopher Sanchez has logged a 29.9% strikeout rate through 10 starts this season — on pace for a career high — and he’s racked up 30 Ks across his three outings so far in May.
Guardians vs Phillies Over/Under pick: Under 6.5 (-105)
Sanchez’s red-hot form has dragged down the O/U line, but I’m still taking the Under, which is 8-2 in the Phillies’ last 10 games.
Three of Sanchez’s past four outings have delivered six total runs or fewer, and both these teams rank in the bottom third of the majors in batting average.
Though Williams is still searching for his best stuff, he only allowed two runs in six innings against Cincinnati last weekend.
Meanwhile, the Guardians’ winning run hasn’t really been fueled by offense. They’ve scored three runs or fewer in six of their last nine contests.
Tom Oldfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 3-7, -5.30 units
Over/Under bets: 8-2, +5.16 units
Guardians vs Phillies odds
Moneyline: Guardians +145 | Phillies -175
Run line: Guardians +1.5 (-150) | Phillies -1.5 (+125)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-1115) | Under 6.5 (-105)
Guardians vs Phillies trend
The Under is 6-1-1 in the last eight meetings between these teams. Find more MLB betting trends for Guardians vs. Phillies.
How to watch Guardians vs Phillies and game info
Location
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
Date
Friday, May 22, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
Guardians.TV, NBC Sports Philadelphia
Guardians starting pitcher
Gavin Williams (6-3, 3.67 ERA)
Phillies starting pitcher
Cristopher Sanchez (5-2, 1.82 ERA)
Guardians vs Phillies latest injuries
Guardians vs Phillies weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Memorial Day weekend begins with Friday afternoon baseball at Wrigley Field, as the Chicago Cubs look to snap a mini-skid against the visiting Houston Astros.
My Astros vs. Cubs predictions and MLB picks for May 22 expect the North Siders to fly the winning flag at The Friendly Confines in Game 1.
Don't miss first pitch at 2:20 p.m. ET on Apple TV.
Who will win Astros vs Cubs today: Cubs moneyline (-140)
Opposing hitters sport a well-below-average .300 wOBA to pave the way to Chicago Cubs vet Jameson Taillon spinning a tidy 3.28 ERA across an equally tidy 250 innings at Wrigley Field since signing with the franchise in 2023.
I give the North Siders a sizable edge on both sides of the dish following a day off with Houston Astros righty Spencer Arrighetti headed to the bump.
Arrighetti sports a career 5.15 ERA on the highway and faces a lineup sporting the third-lowest BABIP over the past three weeks, after all.
COVERS INTEL: The Cubs have scored just 2.8 runs per game during their active 2-9 skid after averaging 5.5 per to start the year.
Astros vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (+110)
Let’s take advantage of a low total at Wrigley. The wind is forecasted to be blowing in, but not truly gusting, and the Cubs and Astros rank ninth and 10th in wOBA against right-handed pitchers.
Arrighetti’s struggles have been highlighted, and Taillon just allowed five homers and a 41.9% squared-up contact rate in his most recent start.
While a few more fly balls might not leave the yard, these offenses can patch together enough runs to push this total Over the number Friday afternoon.
Neil Parker's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 21-12, +11.68 units
Over/Under bets: 12-9, +2.37 units
Astros vs Cubs odds
Moneyline: Houston +120 | Chicago -140
Run line: Houston +1.5 (-185) | Chicago -1.5 (+155)
Over/Under: Over 7 (-115) | Under 7 (-105)
Astros vs Cubs trend
The Cubs have won in 15 of their last 18 games at home (+11.30 Units / 43% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Astros vs. Cubs.
How to watch Astros vs Cubs and game info
Location
Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Friday, May 22, 2026
First pitch
2:20 p.m. ET
TV
Apple TV
Astros starting pitcher
Spencer Arrighetti (5-1, 1.50 ERA)
Cubs starting pitcher
Jameson Taillon (2-3, 4.97 ERA)
Astros vs Cubs latest injuries
Astros vs Cubs weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
It's a return for one of the New York Yankees stars as they welcome the Tampa Bay Rays to town for a weekend series.
Tampa has been hot, winning four straight games, while the Yankees have not. New York has scored a total of five runs over the last three games and lost two straight. I expect we will see some carryover here.
Read all about why in my Yankees vs. Rays predictions and MLB picks for Friday, May 22.
Who will win Rays vs Yankees today: Rays moneyline (+136)
Gerrit Cole returns to Yankee Stadium today after not pitching since Game 4 of the 2024 World Series, roughly 569 days ago, and I’m willing to fade him at anything up to +100.
Cole posted a 4.66 ERA across six minor league rehab starts, and this matchup sets up poorly against a Rays lineup that has the lowest whiff-rate (19%) in baseball.
Last season, Cole still relied heavily on strikeouts despite carrying a bottom 40% barrel rate. The Tampa Bay Rays enter off a sweep, while the New York Yankees have scored just five total runs across their last three games.
The driving force here is the Cole rust. I projected 8.6 runs, so I'm happy to get this number that feels a half run light. Nick Martinez plays a role here, too.
While I expect him to do enough to get Tampa across the finish line, it won't come without struggles. The xERA of 3.86 tells the true story: Martinez has been good, but he's due for regression.
His 16% strikeout rate sits in the bottom 14th percentile, and a 31% chase rate is a profile the Yankees can attack; Tampa simply outslugs them.
Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 20-18, +1.20 units
Over/Under bets: 24-14, +12.54 units
Rays vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Tampa Bay +125 | New York -155
Run line: Tampa Bay +1.5 | New York -1.5
Over/Under: Over 8 | Under 8
Rays vs Yankees trend
The Tampa Bay Rays have hit the Moneyline in 32 of their last 45 games (+19.60 Units / 37% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Rays vs. Yankees.
How to watch Rays vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Friday, May 22, 2026
First pitch
7:05 p.m. ET
TV
Rays.TV, YES
Rays starting pitcher
Nick Martinez (4-1, 1.51 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Gerrit Cole (2024: 8-5, 3.41 ERA)
Rays vs Yankees latest injuries
Rays vs Yankees weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
We have moved into DEFCON 2 after a bad dinger board last night, with 46% of all home runs hit coming in one of the seven games. Today, with the wind blowing in and lots of rain projected, I'm pushing all my chips into one indoor game that projects well for MLB player props and home runs.
The chips are going to Milwaukee, where the projections love the prices of most hitters in this game, as regression is coming sooner or later for a pair of fly-ball starters.
These are my favorite home run props for Friday, May 22.
UPDATE: Added another HR pick + parlay.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Freddie Freeman
+419
Christian Yelich
+700
Shohei Ohtani
+251
💲Today's HR parlay
+11000
Home run pick: Freddie Freeman (+419)
This is a great price on Freddie Freeman in an indoor environment where the rest of the board looks much more pitcher-friendly.
It’s buying the dip on a player who just snapped a 0-for-14 stretch, a skid that came just two games after a two-homer performance. Freeman still isn’t where he needs to be production-wise, but the good times could be on the way for arguably the most consistent hitter in baseball over the last decade.
The projections at Covers love home runs in this game, and have Freeman carrying a fair price in the +330 to +340 range.
Milwaukee starter Logan Henderson is one of the highest-frequency fly-ball pitchers in baseball, sporting just an 18% ground-ball rate this season, along with an HR/FB rate due for regression.
He has been tougher on lefties by batting average, but 80% of the home runs he has allowed in the majors have come off left-handed bats.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Brewers.TV, SportsNet LA
Home run pick: Christian Yelich (+700)
Dodger starter Justin Wrobleski has some decent regression indicators, including a .233 BABIP. He has also been fortunate keeping the ball in the yard, especially considering he has become a fly-ball pitcher this season with a ground-ball rate of just 39%.
He isn’t fooling many hitters either, carrying a 4.9 K/9 and being forced to pitch to contact.
Christian Yelich is heating up after a slow start. He settled back into the lineup last week, has already launched two home runs, and finished last season with 29 dingers in 150 games.
This is a bat with 30-HR upside sitting at +700 against a pitcher with regression flags all over him. Yelich is also the only Brewer to have taken Wrobleski deep, which never hurts.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Brewers.TV, SportsNet LA
Home run pick: Shohei Ohtani (+251)
Let’s add the best left-handed bat in baseball against a pitcher who allows plenty of fly balls and has been more vulnerable to left-handed hitters.
Shohei Ohtani started the year slowly, much like several other WBC participants, but the swing looks fully back after homering last night. He draws another strong indoor matchup today with real home-run upside against Henderson.
Ohtani is slugging .926 over his last seven games with seven extra-base hits, and if he can’t snap my HR cold stretch, nobody can.
The fair price on this, per the projections at Covers powered by THE BAT, is +210.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Brewers.TV, SportsNet LA
Josh Inglis' 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 13-86, -18.94 units
Today’s HR parlay
Freddie Freeman
Bet Now +11000
Christian Yelich
Shohei Ohtani
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
After a 109-93 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night, the Knicks are in control of the Eastern Conference Finals with a 2-0 series lead. Game 2 was a balanced offensive attack as all five New York starters scored in double figures. Josh Hart also came alive with 26 points.
Now, the Knicks will look to extend their franchise record of consecutive postseason wins to 10 games. With the series scene shifting to Cleveland, let’s dive into some keys to Game 3.
Hart beat
Game 2 was a moment of redemption for Hart. Relegated to the bench for much of New York’s Game 1 comeback in the fourth quarter and overtime, Hart recovered with 26 points, four rebounds, and seven assists on Thursday night.
The story of this series so far has been Cleveland’s defensive strategy to have center Jarrett Allen guard Hart. Allen is largely ignoring the New York wing. Hart got off to a slow start, missing five of six treys in the first half, but he went on a run, knocking down four of five trifectas in the second half.
Many of the attempts Hart took were completely open. Cleveland is defending this way to keep the rest of New York’s lineup, including stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, in check. Allen has been able to protect the rim and limit scoring opportunities in the paint by ignoring Hart.
But Hart has shown he is capable. He shot 41.3 percent from the three-point line on 242 attempts in the regular season. The Cavs probably will continue to defend Hart with a center, but after this postseason career night, they might not leave him as wide open going forward. That could open up opportunities for other Knicks on Saturday.
May 21, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) dribbles against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (2) during the second quarter of game two of the eastern conference finals of the 2026 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Working the glass
Coming into this series, the Knicks were expected to have a rebounding advantage against Cleveland. However, through the first game and a half, the Cavaliers seemed to control the boards.
In the first half of Game 2, Cleveland dominated the glass, recording nine offensive rebounds to New York’s one offensive board. The Cavaliers had just four in the second half, where the Knicks created some separation.
Towns had a solid offensive night with 18 points. But he also made an impact on defense. The center had 13 rebounds, all coming on the defensive end. Preventing offensive rebounds from Cleveland’s big man duo of Evan Mobley and Allen is crucial to picking up wins in this series. Mobley and Allen combined for just four points in the second half.
Balanced starting five
Game 2 was all about balance for New York. After Brunson took over the series opener, the Knicks got contributions from each of the club’s starting five. New York’s starters each scored at least 14 points.
Cleveland made more of an effort to prevent Brunson from isolating one-on-one against James Harden. The Cavs brought help to stop the Knicks point guard. It created opportunities for Brunson to get his teammates involved.
Brunson finished the game with 19 points and a career-high 14 assists. New York had 32 assists on 44 field goals on Thursday night. Playing together has been a regular occurrence for The Knicks, who have recorded at least 30 assists on four different occasions during this playoff run.
The pass is a larger part of New York’s offensive identity. The Knicks are sixth in assist rate during the playoffs (60.5 percent) among 16 teams during the playoffs. In last year’s playoff run, the Knicks ranked dead last.
It’s safe to say that moving the ball will be important to New York’s continued success.
After taking two of three from the Padres and enjoying an off day, the Dodgers now are in Milwaukee to start a three-game set with the Brewers.
Milwaukee leads the NL Central by 1.5 games over the Chicago Cubs. They have been winning games, but not by hitting a lot of home runs. They have the fewest homers of any team in MLB so far this season, with 33. Aside from the Tampa Bay Rays, the next three teams behind them all are at the bottoms of their divisions. They also have the fewest total extra base hits in the majors, and have the highest ground-ball rate in all of MLB.
They are doing it by getting men on base by taking their walks and putting balls in play. They have the fourth lowest strike out rate and are tied for third in on base percentage. Then once those batters are on base, they excel at steals and sacrifice bunts and have the fourth highest batting average as a team with runners in scoring position.
The Brewers are coming off a three-game sweep of their rival Chicago Cubs in Wrigley, taking the divisional lead. Their top three power hitters have missed significant time this season to injury, but all three, Christian Yelich, Jackson Churio and Andrew Vaughn, are back in the lineup.
Milwaukee also has a top-notch pitching staff, and the Dodgers are maybe lucky to be missing Jacob Misorowski in this series.
On Friday the Brewers will send Logan Henderson to the mound. Since returning from Triple-A, Henderson has allowed two or fewer runs and gone at least five innings in those three outings. Cumulatively he has struck out 20 and only walked two in those appearances also.
The Dodgers will counter with Justin Wrobleski, who has gone 4-0 on the road with a 1.50 ERA. He has gone at least six innings in his last six starts, including his last outing against the Angels in Anaheim. Wrobleski, who does not get a lot of swings as misses, is facing a team that as aforementioned, doesn’t strike out and puts a lot of ball in play.
With the off day, the Dodgers bullpen will be well rested. The Dodgers offense still isn’t putting up great offensive numbers consistently but still managed to take two of three in San Diego. The offense will have to keep battling in this series against the Brewers.
LeBron James says he is just chilling after the end of his 23rd NBA season, and he isn't spending time thinking about his future.
"I'm still in the moment of just taking my time," LeBron said on the latest episode of his "Mind the Game" podcast with Steve Nash (hat tip Dave McMenamin of ESPN). "I haven't even really thought about it too much. Obviously, I understand that I'm a free agent and I can control my own destiny... but like, I haven't even really got to that point. I haven't even taken my family vacation yet, which is going to happen after Memorial Day. That's kind of the thing at the forefront of my mind."
LeBron may not be thinking about it, but the rest of the league is.
LeBron knows this isn't 2010 anymore, when he could make "the decision" on July 8 — at least 2/3 of free agency is done in handshake deals before free agency opens on July 1, a league source told NBC Sports a couple of years ago. By the time the Summer League starts (July 9 this year), all the major dominoes will have fallen, and teams are just filling out their rosters.
LeBron, for his part, does not want to be rushed.
"I think at some point in June, late June, as July rolls around, free agency starts to get going, and as July rolls around and maybe into August, we'll start to kind of get a feel of what my future may look like," LeBron said on his podcast.
LeBron would not commit to returning to play a record 24th NBA season, he can just retire, but the expectation in league circles remains that he will play one more season.
It's also much more likely we know where he plays that season by around the NBA Draft (June 23) or by July 1 than it is under LeBron's more casual timeline. He needs to wait out the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade situation — that is the big domino that must fall first for most free agents — but after that, things will move quickly. While LeBron is a huge name and the biggest brand on the board, and he's still an All-Star-level player at age 41, if he wants to prioritize winning (as he has said), then he is going to be more like the third-best player on whatever team he chooses. He accepted that role for the Lakers' best stretch of last season (in March) and he thrived in it.
The other big question: How big a pay cut is LeBron willing to take? That may be the biggest question about where he lands.
He's definitely taking less than the $56.2 million he made last season. The problem is that a lot of the teams he is linked to — Cleveland, Golden State, New York, Denver — can offer only a veteran minimum of $3.9 million. (While those teams could, in theory, work out a sign-and-trade with the Lakers to get LeBron more money, those teams are not going to want to give up a quality player to make this work, and the Lakers are only getting involved in a sign-and-trade if they get something back they want.)
LeBron could re-sign to stay with the Lakers, and they could offer him more money ($25-$30 million) on a one-year contract. The Lakers plan to re-sign Austin Reaves and then remake the roster to better fit Luka Doncic's playing style. LeBron has to fit into that roster reshaping, not be at the heart of it. Also, if winning is the ultimate priority, he just got an up-close look at how far the Lakers are away from the Thunder, even if Doncic had played in that series. If a shot at another ring is the highest priority, are the Lakers his choice? Of course, in reality, it's more nuanced than that, and it includes factoring in being close to his family and much more.
Whatever LeBron decides, expect it to happen faster than the casual timeline he laid out on his podcast.
STREAKING THE WRONG WAY: The Cubs’ current five-game losing streak is their longest this season. Five also was their high last year, but it did not happen until Sept. 18-23. They have not lost at least six in a row since July 7-16, 2022, when they lost nine straight. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
TOO MANY RUNS ALLOWED: The Cubs have allowed at least five runs in six straight games: five, eight, nine, nine, five and five. Six games also was their longest such streak of its kind last season, June 19-24. They went 1-5 then, as they are now. Their last longest streak was eight games, May 29-June 6, 2024. They went 3-5. Their longest streak of allowing at least five runs was 13 games, May 9-23, 1930. They had an 11-game streak, Aug. 31-Sept. 11, 2000, and 10 in a row, May 6-17, 1986. This is their 16th streak of at least six games since 2000. Seven ended at six games. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
THE WALK WATCH: The Cubs’ 228 walks lead MLB. That’s an average of 4.56 walks per game. If they keep up that pace they would have 739 walks for the season, which would demolish the franchise record (656, set in 2016).
EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A GOOD HOBY: Hoby Milner, last 20 games since March 31: 1.29 ERA, 0.857 WHIP in 21 total innings.
Maybe we should just pretend Jameson Taillon’s last start didn’t happen.
Oh, you can’t do that. Right. So: Five home runs and eight runs given up to the White Sox. Don’t do that again, Jamo.
Taillon has also had some very good outings this year. So, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Last year in Houston, June 29, 2025, Taillon allowed the Astros two runs in 4.2 innings and struck out four. Which doesn’t sound too bad until I tell you that he threw 107 pitches in that game, which, yikes. Don’t do that again either.
Spencer Arrighetti made 29 starts for the Astros in 2024 (including one against the Cubs) and posted a 4.53 ERA. Then he was injured much of last year and made only seven starts for Houston with an even worse ERA (5.35).
Thus his 1.50 ERA in six starts this year has to be a bit of a surprise. He’s allowed one or no runs in five of those six starts.
No current Cub has more than four at-bats against him. Hope they have a good scouting report.
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The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
The Montreal Canadiens picked up an impressive 6-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1. While the Canadiens' offense certainly played a significant role in this victory, Jakub Dobes also stepped up for them big time.
Dobes had a strong night for the Canadiens in Game 1, as he stopped 25 out of 27 shots. With this, he finished the contest with an impressive .926 save percentage.
Now, Dobes has made more history due to his strong play.
According to Sportsnet Stats, Dobes is now just the third rookie goalie in the history of the NHL to win seven out of his first nine road decisions in the same post-season.
The other goalies who achieved this were Ron Hextall in 1987 with the Philadelphia Flyers and Jordan Binnington in 2019 with the St. Louis Blues.
This latest impressive accomplishment shows just how strong Dobes has played this post-season for the Canadiens. The 24-year-old now has a 9-6 record, a 2.48 goals-against average, and a .911 save percentage in 15 games this post-season. Let's see how he builds on it from here.
After a fourth-quarter takeover, Jalen Brunson showed love to his favorite actress.
The Knicks’ star, who hit double-figures in points again in the final quarter of the Knicks’ 109-93 Game 2 win over the Cavaliers, celebrated by running over to Mariska Hargitay, the star of “Law & Order: SVU.”
The actress, who plays Captain Olivia Benson, gave Brunson a big hug for his latest heroics, as seen in a video posted by award-winning director and actor Ben Stiller.
“Jalen, from one captain to another, congratulations on becoming a 2025 NBA All-Star,” Hargitay said. “I cannot wait to see you work your magic in San Francisco.”
“Yeah, that’s my favorite person ever,” Brunson responded. “That’s my favorite person ever.”
Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay and Jalen Brunson are good friends. NBA
Brunson’s love of Hargitay is no secret of everyone else on Celebrity Row.
“The love that Mariska Hargitay gets from you postgame is the envy of every other Knicks fan, Knicks celebrity fan. She gets a hug after a loss,” Stiller told Brunson on his “Roommates” podcast last year.
Brunson was also seen with multiple other “Law & Order” stars on different occasions, including Christopher Meloni, who sat next to Hargitay in a clip that went viral last year as Brunson hugged her.
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Also in the photo was Hargitay’s son, August, whom she had with her longtime husband, Peter Hermann, with the two tying the knot in 2004.
The stars love Brunson, as he’s been seen hugging the likes of Francisco Lindor, Jimmy Fallon and many more before and after games.
There will be many more flocking to him, too, as the Knicks are up 2-0 in the Eastern Conference finals in this dominating run.
Jalen Brunson embraces with the Law & Order: SVU star.
After going down 2-1 to the Hawks in the first round, the Knicks have won nine straight playoff games.
The Knicks have opened Game 3 as 2.5-point underdogs with the series shifting to Cleveland, as oddsmakers suspect a big boost from the Cavaliers’ home crowd.
Thunder
Spurs
COVERS INTEL: Cristopher Sanchez has logged a 
Freddie Freeman
Christian Yelich
