The Buffalo Sabres will try to even their second-round playoff series with the Montreal Canadiens. Montreal won Games 2 and 3 to take a 2-1 lead in the series. The Canadiens are favored by 1.5 goals in Game 4.
How to watch Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens
The Chicago Blackhawks have the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft after falling two spots in the draft lottery.
There is hope that Ivar Stenberg, a perfect fit for the rebuilding Blackhawks, falls to them at four. Most assume that Gavin McKenna will be taken by the Toronto Maple Leafs first overall, but it is the San Jose Sharks who must comply for Stenberg to end up wearing Blackhawks red.
One of those teams is the San Jose Sharks, who jumped up from nine to claim the second overall pick via the lottery. That bit of luck gives them options for this draft. They need defense help when it comes to long-term prospects.
Given that, will they take Chase Reid, Keaton Verhoeff, or Carson Carels? If they do, and the Vancouver Canucks take Caleb Malhotra, that leaves Stenberg for Chicago. Some believe that Vancouver would pass on Stenberg in favor of Malhotra for a variety of reasons, including the fact that he's a true center, his father is their AHL affiliate's coach, and his game matches a need for them as an organization more.
Taking a defender second overall would be a reach for the Sharks. It's just a slight reach, but a reach nonetheless. They could consider moving down a handful of spots and still get one of their defensemen while adding more assets to their organization from the team trading up.
The Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, and Calgary Flames are all candidates to consider a move for San Jose's pick. If it isn't Chicago, it could throw a major curveball at Kyle Davidson.
One of New York or Calgary would almost certainly take Stenberg if Toronto takes McKenna. San Jose probably isn't dropping below six either, so they can ensure they get one of the top defenders.
If the Sharks were to move out of the top two and it wasn't Chicago moving into it, they wouldn't get any of McKenna, Stenberg, or Malhotra, the three players they could use the most. At that point, if they didn't trade down themselves, they'd be taking a defenseman as well.
Don't count out the Blackhawks being the team that moves into the second overall pick either, though. They have the assets needed to make a move up like that. Not only can they offer San Jose the chance to move back just two spots, which is the prime spot for them to take a defenseman, along with other high-level draft picks and defensive-minded prospects.
Every team ahead of Chicago is a Wild Card at this point in time, but the San Jose Sharks begin the true intrigue as the draft draws closer.
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ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 26: Manager Walt Weiss #22 of the Atlanta Braves smiles prior to the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Sunday, April 26, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Braves are back in town following a nine game swing out West and there’s no west for the weary as the Braves will now have to deal with the Cubs. It’s a showdown between the two top teams in the National League and while the Braves will be happy to get Ha-Seong Kim back just in time for this series, they’ll be missing two of their regular contributors.
Sean Murphy recently went on the IL with a fractured finger and while it’s the 10-day variety, the snakebitten catcher may be looking at another extended period of time on the IL. “It’s a broken bone so you’re probably looking at eight weeks,” stated Walt Weiss when he was asked about the situation. “Then you take into account that you gotta get back into baseball shape so it’ll be some time.”
While the Braves aren’t expecting to have Sean Murphy back any time soon, there was some anticipation that Ronald Acuña Jr. could be back in time for this series. Unfortunately, Weiss had to throw some cold water on that thought by stated that Acuña still has a bit more time left to recover before he’ll be ready to play again. “Ronnie’s doing well. He’s progressing. He’s still out. I think we’ll get through this homestand and re-evaluate again,” explained Weiss. “He’s still got some work out in front of him. He is progressing so that’s a good thing. We still got some time before we see Ronnie.”
Fortunately, the Braves are finally getting back their primary starting shortstop, as Ha-Seong Kim has been activated from the IL and is in the starting lineup. With that being said, it’s tough to expect a seamless transition and Walt Weiss is aware of the challenge at hand for Kim as he makes his return. “That’s a challenge for everybody, I don’t care who you are. I will say that I’m excited to have Kim back,” stated Weiss. “He does everything well — every aspect of the game, he does well. He’s got a really high baseball IQ, he’s a winning player. I feel like we’re playing really well and I feel like we’re a good team and we get better today with Kim.”
Weiss also talked about how he’s been able to utilize Mauricio Dubón’s versatility in the meantime in order to make it work with both Dubón and Kim. “We’re short in the outfield so Dubón continues to play in the outfield. Kim’s going to play a lot at shortstop virtually every day,” explained Weiss. “Also, I had a conversation with Kim and I’ll be in tune with his workload because it’s always different when guys haven’t had a spring training. Regardless of how long your rehab assignment is, it’s not quite the same as a spring training to prepare for a season. I’ll pick my spots with Kim and we’re going to communicate how he’s feeling and we don’t want to run him into the ground…I’m excited to have him back and excited to watch him play.”
I did get a chance to ask Weiss about Grant Holmes returning to the mound after a bit of a layoff and he took that time to explain how things are going with the entire back-end of the rotiaton. “The schedule has dictated some of this. We’ve tried to keep six guys stretched out,” revealed Weiss. “ A few of them like Martín Pérez and Grant Holmes have bounced back-and-forth between the bullpen and the rotation while we try to juggle this thing. We’ve got 13 games in a row so we’ll probably use six starters over this this 13-game stretch.”
It’s not a huge shock that the Braves have gone with a six-man rotation since they’ve usually tried to make sure that guys like Chris Sale in particular are getting plenty of rest but it’s still good information to have when it comes to their rotational decisions going forward. “We’re trying to give guys extra rest and sometimes it’s based on matchups. Trying to keep six guys stretched out is a bit of a challenge,” said Weiss. “But, they responded really well — Martín has done an unbelievable job in that role and I understand it’s not ideal. I told Martín this, too. These guys have handled it really well and we’re just trying to keep as many guys involved and keep our starting depth what it is and keep these guys stretched out all at the same time. They’ve all been really good pieces for us.”
Still, the Braves are going to be tested mightily with the situation that they’re currently in where they have to face the Cubs immediately after taking on the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. With that being said, Weiss appears to be pretty confident that his players can ace the test once again.
“No matter what part of the schedule you’re in, it’s a test,” stated Weiss. “We come back 6-3 [from the road trip] and we get ‘rewarded’ by having to play the Cubs the first series at home. It’s a tough stretch in our schedule but our guys have met all the challenges so far that the game has confronted us with — whether it’s the schedule or what have you. Our guys just continue to meet the challenges head on.”
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: A.J. Ewing #97 of the New York Mets bats during the first inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Clover Park on March 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Mets lineup
Carson Benge – RF Bo Bichette – SS Juan Soto – LF Mark Vientos – 1B MJ Melendez – DH Brett Baty – 3B Marcus Semien – 2B A.J. Ewing – CF Francisco Alvarez – C
SP: Freddy Peralta – RHP
Tigers lineup
Kevin McGonigle – SS Matt Vierling – CF Colt Keith – DH Riley Greene – LF Dillon Dingler – C Wenceel Perez – RF Gage Workman – 3B Spencer Torkelson – 1B Zach McKinstry – 2B
SP: Jack Flaherty – RHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 7:10 PM ET TV: SNY Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 10: Drew Millas #14 of the Washington Nationals speaks to Cade Cavalli #24 during the fourth inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on May 10, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Sam Navarro/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Marlins series did not go the way we wanted, but the great thing about baseball is there is always another game. The Nats remain on the road as they take on a Reds team that has been up and down. Cincinnati started the season red hot before going on a big losing streak. They have won their last two though, so maybe the Reds have gotten back on track.
The Nats are rolling out a pretty familiar lineup. James Wood will be in the leadoff spot as usual, with Luis Garcia Jr. hitting behind him. CJ Abrams will be in the cleanup spot, with Blake Butera liking to spread out his two biggest weapons. Jose Tena and Keibert Ruiz will be at the bottom of the lineup. Miles Mikolas had his best start of the season last time out and will be on the bump in this one.
The Reds hitters are either very hot or very cold. Elly De La Cruz, Sal Stewart and JJ Bleday are among the hot bats, while Ke’Bryan Hayes, TJ Friedl and Tyler Stephenson are ice cold. One hot hitter who is not in the lineup is former Nat Nathaniel Lowe who is having a bounce back year for the Reds. Veteran right hander Brady Singer will be on the mound.
With the day off, the Nats should be able to flush the bad vibes from the Marlins series. Hopefully they can play cleaner baseball and take advantage of opportunities in this one. This has been a fun start to the season, but there are plenty of things that could improve. Follow along down below in the comments, and let’s go Nats!
With the Lakers’ 2025-26 ending after their Game 4 loss to the Thunder on Monday, there will be a period of “deconstruction”, as president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka put it, to figure out how the franchise can elevate itself after a four-game sweep at the hands of the defending champions.
But there will also be a wide variety of reconstruction: Inside the team’s El Segundo practice facility; on the roster; and in the front office.
President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers speak to the media during a press conference at UCLA Health Training Center on May 12, 2026 in El Segundo. Getty Images
And there are more to come, with Pelinka saying on Tuesday during his joint end-of-season media availability with coach JJ Redick that the organization is currently in the interview process for two assistant general managers.
One assistant general manager will work in “player draft and evaluation processes”, according to Pelinka, which will include pro scouting, draft scouting and player development.
The other assistant general manager will be more on the “strategy side”, which entails cap, analytics and data.
Pelinka’s comments on Monday were aligned with what he said in February. He told reporters then that he and Jeanie Buss, the Lakers governor and former majority owner, will lead the offseason changes with Walter’s support.
“It’s not that we’ve had holes in those places,” Pelinka said of the assistant general manager hirings. “We got a great team of people that work incredibly hard. It’s just we want to add more to that and for both those [assistant general manager] positions we have started a wide search and have begun interviews, but haven’t hired out either of those.”
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves, right, pats the back of forward LeBron James in the closing minutes of Game 4. AP
The Lakers made significant changes to their basketball operations in the fall, which included firing Joe and Jesse Buss from their front-office positions in November. Joey was the organization’s vice president of research and development, while Jesse was an assistant general manager and director of scouting.
The franchise also parted ways with most of their scouting department.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, right, gestures after scoring as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso runs by during the first half of Game 4. AP
Pelinka said the Lakers have made “numerous” other hires, but said they don’t publicly announce the addition to the data, strategy, analytics, scouting and medical scouting teams.
But at the forefront of the Lakers’ front office changes will be the hiring of the assistant managers who’ll report to Pelinka, who was promoted to his current role as president along with his role as general manager as part of contract extensions he and Redick received last year.
“Those will be two key pillars that we’ll add for this offseason,” Pelinka said.
Inside of the building, there will be other changes the Lakers hope to benefit from that don’t have anything to do with roster changes.
With the Lakers’ G League team relocating to Coachella Valley, the Lakers will have more space to enhance their practice facility.
“We have a space in the back where working in collaboration with some of the Dodgers folks, we’re bringing in a biomechanics lab, new movement labs, a recovery lab, those things are super expensive to do and super thoughtful, but we’re doing the planning with Lon and his team around that and that construction is going to happen this offseason,” Pelinka said. “They’re going to be redoing aspects of the court as well. It’s a full rebuild and retool, and it’s adding to the great things that are already here, which have led to success, but elevating it and bringing it to the next level. So an ongoing process that we’ll be doing throughout the offseason. Probably, hopefully, culminating in and around the summer league in Vegas.”
The Lakers will look different next season – well beyond the expected roster changes.
And they’re hopeful those changes will provide them with the foundation of getting closer to competing for a championship, and achieving “sustained excellence”.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 24: Will Warren #29 of the New York Yankees pitches in the third inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on April 24, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I think I speak for everyone here when I hope the 2026 iteration of the Yankees does not prove to be as starkly bipolar as it has been throughout the season’s first month and a half. New York has dropped four consecutive games following a torrid stretch when they briefly had the best record in baseball—and that brief skid has allowed the Rays to not only catch up in the division, but go up by two games.
For what it’s worth, the last three Yankee defeats including last night’s 3-2 heartbreaker against the Orioles have all been one-run margins, but they have shone a spotlight on some weaknesses in this roster, one only exacerbated by a spate of recent injuries. Tonight they’ll look to avoid dropping their second straight series after winning their previous six.
Last season, the Bombers often needed to turn to Max Fried to stop a losing streak. They’re hoping they don’t have to wait an extra day for Fried’s turn in the rotation, sending Will Warren to the hill tonight. Warren has a tough act to follow: Ryan Weathers was outstanding against Baltimore, bringing a no-hitter into the seventh inning before one little hit (and later, a big one off Brent Headrick) spoiled the party. With Carlos Rodón back from the IL and Gerrit Cole continuing to ramp up for his long-awaited return, Weathers and Warren are both auditioning to stay part of the regular starting crew. Thankfully, both pitchers have impressed to start the year.
Warren’s last start was not his finest work, as the Rangers had little trouble stacking baserunners on him. He gave up seven hits, three walks, and a pair of homers in a 6-1 loss; though he still managed to squeeze in seven strikeouts amid all that hullabaloo. His previous three starts before that one were all high-quality—and hey, three good starts out of four while posting a strikeout rate over 30 percent is a body of work any team would take from their fourth or fifth starter.
Naturally, a strong outing from Warren won’t mean diddly squat if the Yankees can’t get out of their sudden funk at the plate.
I was actually in person for Trevor Rogers’ last start before he hit the IL with a nasty case of the flu. It wasn’t pretty—he got stuck in the mud in the second inning against a struggling Red Sox lineup and just couldn’t claw his way out. Once he reached over 30 pitches in the inning, Craig Albernaz sent him on his way. Boston won that game 17-1, and Alex Cora was fired later that evening. Baseball!
Rogers tore up the league last year for Baltimore, earning down-ballot Cy Young love as a result. His 2026 campaign has been uneven: his first three starts were 2025 Rogers-esque, but his next three were messy before he fell ill. Well, a recent illness didn’t stop Weathers from finding his footing on the slab—let’s see if Rogers can shake off the rust, too. (In case you’re curious, his last two starts of 2025 were both against the Yanks; one was great, the other was rough.)
In case you missed it, José Caballero officially went on the IL with a broken finger and Anthony Volpe was recalled. However, the latter won’t necessarily make his 2026 debut tonight—at least not in the starting lineup anyway. Max Schuemann gets the nod at the six after doubling in his last two starts. Paul Goldschmidt leads off against the lefty Rogers, and Amed Rosario subs in at second for the ever-slumping Jazz Chisholm Jr.
How to watch
Location: Oriole Park at Camden Yards — Baltimore, MD
First pitch: 6:35 pm ET
TV broadcast: YES, MASN
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY), 98 Rock 97.9 FM, WBAL 1090 AM (BA. L) n
Heading into Tuesday's game against the Detroit Tigers, the Mets own the worst record in the MLB at 15-25 and find themselves 12.5 games back in the NL East standings.
New York was expected to be one of the top teams in the league, but have been far from it. They dealt with a 12-game losing streak in April while Juan Soto was out with a calf injury, and now Francisco Lindor, among others, are sidelined on the injured list as well.
With things are looking like it's now-or-never for the Mets to save their 2026 season, president of baseball operations David Stearns expressed optimismthat the team can still make a run and "get this together."
"I do believe that," Stearns said. "We have not shown that yet, but I do believe that."
He added: "I think we have the talent on the roster and the character on the roster to make a run. We've got a lot of season left. I'm not going to say it's early, it's not. We're a quarter into the season, it's not early anymore, but we do have enough season left to make a run and I think we have the talent to do that."
Stearns admitted that the group has "underachieved" from what they expected the season would look like, but still believes they can turn it around.
"I think we've underachieved, there's no question," Stearns said. "Collectively as an organization, we've got to figure out a way to get better and I think we will."
Some thought making a change at manager would be the short-term solution to save the season, taking after the Red Sox and Phillies, but Stearns backed Carlos Mendoza on May 1 and doubled down on those comments Tuesday. He made it very clear the organization has no plans to move on from Mendoza any time soon.
"I'll let my words speak for themselves, I've been very clear and consistent that I think Mendy does a really good job," Stearns said. "I believe Mendy does a really good job. I like coming to work with him every day. I'm not going to address this every two weeks when I talk to you guys and I'll leave it at that."
Looking ahead, the Mets will try to become just the fifth team in MLB history to suffer a 10-game losing streak and still make the postseason. When asked what gives him confidence in the talent of the players to flip the script on the 2026 season, Stearns said he believes in the experience and background the individuals on the roster have.
"I think we have a lot of players with really good track records in this league," Stearns. "We are counting on those track records. Not only on the field, but how they prepare for games. How they go about their business, how hard they're working right now. And we believe that ultimately that's going to show."
Talking to the fans, Stearns acknowledged their frustration with how the year has gone, but again, pointed to the "talent on this team" to be able to right the ship.
"I think our message to fanbase is we recognize that the first six weeks of this season haven't been close to good enough," Stearns said. "We understand that, we're disappointed in it. We also believe we have the talent on this team to turn this around and our focus is doing everything we can every single day to get it there."
The Mets' talent will get their chance to turn things around one last time this week with six straight home games, three against the Tigers and another three in the first Subway Series of the year against the Yankees over the weekend.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 1: Trevor Rogers #28 of the Baltimore Orioles throws a pitch in the sixth inning during a game against the Texas Rangers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 1, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the first time since April 25, Trevor Rogers is back on the bump for the Orioles. The lefty hit the IL with an illness that coincided with his shortest start of the year a few weeks back (1.2 IP, four hits, three runs, two walks, two strikeouts). Hopefully he is 100% now because the O’s could use the pitching help.
More good news: Samuel Basallo is in the lineup after being scratched on Monday night due to knee discomfort. The rookie might be the team’s most important hitter, so avoiding a lengthy injury is a big boost. He will DH while Adley Rutschman handles the catching duties once again.
Coby Mayo keeps his place in the order after smacking the winning three-run homer in the series opener. Craig Albernaz is trying anything he can to find consistent offense from his lineup. Mayo going 3-for-11 over his last four games is about as good as it gets for the back half of the order, which has been scuffling.
Dylan Beavers is your centerfielder, giving Leody Taveras a breather. It’s Beavers’ first start at the position since April 26. Colton Cowser is, by far, the better glove, but his bat is unplayable at the moment, so Beavers gets the nod instead. Again, the lineup needs whatever help it can get, and Beavers has been putting together some nice at-bats lately.
The Yankees made a roster move today. They put José Caballero on the IL and brought Anthony Volpe up from Triple-A. Caballero came in as a pinch runner in the ninth inning of Monday’s game and got thrown out trying to steal second for the final out of the evening. It doesn’t seem like he was hurt on the play. Caballero had been nursing a finger injury and was likely headed for the IL today anyway, so Aaron Boone put his legs in the game. Volpe is not starting tonight but could make his return to the big league squad at any point.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MAY 10: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves drives to the basket against Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs during the second quarter in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Target Center on May 10, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First, RIP to Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke, who recently died in California. There is also one playoff game today.
Minnesota Timberwolves at San Antonio Spurs — 8:00 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)
Enjoy the basketball and the constant playing of John Tesh below.
Brandon Clarke’s Grizzlies teammates flooded social media on Tuesday after learning of the 29-year-old’s death.
The news sent shockwaves through the NBA, particularly in Memphis, where Clarke was widely viewed as one of the team’s most respected locker room presences.
“Everything he’s went through in the time I’ve been in Memphis he still came in with a smile on his face and was a light in the locker room, truly an inspiring person,” said Jaylen Wells, who has spent the last two seasons in Memphis, wrote on his Instagram Story.
“Memphis won’t be the same without you.”
Jaylen Wells shared a gut-wrenching message after Brandon Clarke’s passing.
Clarke was a key contributor for the Grizzlies for the first few seasons of his career before injuries derailed him, starting with a torn left Achilles in March 2023.
He would play just six games during the 2023-24 season and 64 games the following year before sustaining a high-grade PCL injury in his right knee.
Brandon Clarke of the Memphis Grizzlies during the game against the Sacramento Kings on March 17, 2025 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NBAE via Getty Images
Clarke then missed the start of the 2025-26 season and returned for two games in December before a right calf injury sidelined him once again.
“One of my favorite teammates and people ever. Fly high king,” Lamar Stevens, who spent two seasons from 2023-25 in Memphis, wrote on his Story.
Grizzlies star Ja Morant, who was part of the same 2019 draft class as Clarke, also spoke out on Instagram.
Ja Morant was heart broken by his Grizzlies teammate’s passing. Instagram/Ja Morant
“This hurt BC,” he wrote. “Love you broski. gone way too soon.”
Kyle Anderson, who was Clarke’s teammate in two stints with the Grizzlies, wrote that he was “so f—in hurt” by his passing. “I love u so much brother i wish i coulda been there for u im so f—in hurt man,” he added.
On April 1, Clarke was arrested in Arkansas on charges of trafficking a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, fleeing in a vehicle exceeding the speed limit and improper passing.
Mar 29, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich (22) reacts after hitting a three-run home run in the eighth inning against the Chicago White Sox at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres are getting a three game series started at American Family Field. The Brewers are coming off a sweep of the New York Yankees while the Padres just finished a four game series split with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Milwaukee is getting healthier as Christian Yelich was activated off the IL prior to tonight’s game. Tyler Black was optioned back to Triple-A Nashville as the corresponding move. Yelich is back at DH in his customary third spot in the batting order.
“It’s a sure good feeling to have Yeli back. He means so much to our team.” manager Pat Murphy said.
Murphy has the Brewers lineup loaded with six lefties to counter the right-handers the Padres will be throwing. Bradgley Rodriguez will be the opener for San Diego with the previously scheduled starter Matt Waldron expected to follow him. Waldron is a knuckleballer, which will present quite the unique look for the Brewers lineup. Waldron also has a 7.71 ERA on the season.
No Andrew Vaughn in the lineup tonight. Instead Jake Bauers will get the start at first base, batting fifth. Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick, and David Hamilton will be the lefties that follow. Joey Ortiz rounds out the lineup at shortstop, batting ninth.
Overall, this Brewers lineup looks so much deeper and stronger with Yelich back in it. A top four of Brice Turang, Jackson Chourio, Yelich, and William Contreras is a fearsome group. It allows Mitchell to be in a lower pressure spot in the order and provide some more protection up and down the lineup.
The Brewers will have Brandon Sproat on the mound. Sproat has a 5.87 ERA on the year, but had a solid outing his last time out, throwing 4 scoreless IP, allowing just one hit. His pitch count was high at 76 pitches through those four innings, but he’s taken some steps forward lately. We’ll see if he’s able to continue that tonight.
Sproat will be facing a star studded Padres lineup, including Jackson Merrill, Fernando Tatis Jr, and Manny Machado at the top. That also means we’re due some loud booing during tonight’s game from the Brewers faithful every time Machado steps to the plate.
First pitch is at 6:40 PM.
The Big Dawg returns just in time for Bark at the Park
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 10: José Ramírez #11 of the Cleveland Guardians bats against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field on May 10, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here’s the Angels lineup:
Angels 5/12
Z. Neto SS M. Trout CF N. Schanuel 1B J. Soler DH V. Grissom 2B Y. Moncada 3B J. Adell RF J. Lowe LF O. Martinez C
“The world’s game is coming to the greatest city in the world,” Johnson said Tuesday.
In Los Angeles, Johnson joined in a celebration marking one month until the World Cup arrives in town. Meanwhile, in New York, representatives of Major League Baseball and its players’ union held the first session of collective bargaining negotiations widely expected to be so contentious that the 2027 season could be in jeopardy.
The Dodgers might not be the lone reason for the dispute, but they are Exhibit A. For these negotiations, the owners have shifted their benchmark for competitive balance from making the playoffs to winning the World Series.
No small-market team has won the World Series since the Kansas City Royals in 2015, and the Dodgers last year became the first team in 25 years to win back-to-back championships.
If you’re a Dodgers fan, these are the best of times. If you own one of the other 29 teams, you can complain that you cannot sell championship hope and faith if the Dodgers are spending five times as much as the Cleveland Guardians.
On the day the negotiations started, the Guardians were in first place in the American League Central. Of the first-place teams in the six divisions, four reside in small markets: Cleveland, San Diego, Tampa Bay and Sacramento/Las Vegas. The team with the highest payroll in the majors — not the Dodgers, but the New York Mets — had the worst record in the majors.
On opening day, Dodgers chairman Mark Walter told me this: “Here’s what the problem is: Money helps us win. We can’t win all the time. We’ve got to have some parity.”
So, after the soccer talk was done Tuesday, I asked Johnson what a Dodgers fan should think when the Dodgers chairman says the team can’t win all the time.
Johnson, who is one of Walter’s ownership partners, laughed.
“We want to win all the time,” Johnson said. “But, realistically, we can’t win all the time.”
Why not?
The Dodgers just went back-to-back, and everyone at the championship rally — including Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Dave Roberts, Andrew Friedman and even Walter himself — giddily talked about a threepeat. They run L.A. — and now Japan — and their star-studded team leads baseball in road attendance, generating money for the rival owners that complain about the Dodgers.
“Nobody can win all the time,” Johnson said. “Mark made that comment, and I think he wants — everybody wants — the game to be great. It’s great when there is parity. That’s what it’s all about. That’s what you’re seeing in the NBA now. You want the same thing in Major League Baseball.
“Do I ever want to lose? No. But it’s great for the game that it can be even and everybody has a real fair chance of winning.”
In the NBA, which has the salary cap that major league owners covet as a supposed solution to competitive balance, the Oklahoma City Thunder are eight victories from winning back-to-back championships, just like the Dodgers did. The Sacramento Kings, the kind of small-market team a salary cap is intended to lift toward parity, have made the playoffs once in the past 20 seasons.
However baseball’s owners and players resolve their differences, the almost certain lockout in December is expected to be followed by a season-threatening stare down: Do the players give in on a salary cap rather than give up their salaries for part or all of the season?
Or do the owners surrender on the salary cap, well aware that a 2027 lockout could drive away fans on the eve of media rights negotiations in 2028? After the 1994-95 strike, the average attendance did not return to prestrike levels until 2006.
And how long might the unified front Walter and the other 29 owners are putting up now last, once games and the revenues that flow from them are lost?
Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob, one of the runners-up in the sale of the Padres, said at a Sportico conference last week that his group’s bid assumed the possibility of MLB not playing the 2027 season. In order for the NHL to secure a salary cap, its owners shut down the sport for an entire season.
The Dodgers sold 4 million tickets last season. If parity would make it harder for the Dodgers to win, what would Johnson tell the team’s fans?
“We’re going to try to win all the time,” he said. “That’s what we are telling our fans. But, probably, things are going to change after this season, so we’ll see what those changes are.”
If the Dodgers do not threepeat, or even if they somehow fail to make the playoffs, no matter. The bargaining battle is on.
But the baseball gods surely had a laugh about this: On the eve of the first bargaining session, and for the first time in the Walter ownership era that started in 2012, the Dodgers lost a third consecutive game by at least five runs.
Brandon Clarke #15 of the Memphis Grizzlies goes to the basket during the second half against the Utah Jazz at FedExForum on March 12, 2025 in Memphis, Tennessee.
A barber who cut Clarke’s hair on Friday in Los Angeles told TMZ that Clarke seemed perfectly content during the haircut and that they were even watching the NBA playoffs during the appointment.
Clarke was staying with a friend from college while he was in Southern California.
The barber said they were watching Spurs-Timberwolves Game 3 when Clarke was getting his haircut.
Brandon Clarke of the Memphis Grizzlies goes to the basket during the second half against the Utah Jazz at FedExForum on March 12, 2025 in Memphis, Tennessee. Getty Images
NBC Los Angeles reported that the fire department received a 911 call shortly after 5 p.m. on Monday and that the Grizzlies player was pronounced dead at the scene.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said the league was “devastated” over Clarke’s death and called the player a “beloved teammate and leader” who “played the game with enormous passion and grit.”
The Grizzlies mourned Clarke with a statement of their own.
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke,” the Grizzlies said. “Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten.
Brandon Clarke of the Memphis Grizzlies shoots a free throw during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 14, 2025. NBAE via Getty Images
“We express our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
Clarke was taken by the Grizzlies with the 21st overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft and played in 309 NBA games, averaging 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds.
He spent all seven seasons of his NBA career in Memphis and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2020.
Clarke appeared in two games this season due to a knee and calf injury.
