You all know that the Cubs struggled for the first 16 games of 2026, going 7-9.
Since then it’s been almost all winning — 10 straight, then three losses, and now entering Wednesday night’s game against the Reds on a seven-game winning streak (and also 13 consecutive wins at Wrigley Field).
I decided to see how this year’s 24-12 start ranked in franchise history.
Just four teams in Cubs franchise history had more wins over their first 36 games than the 2026 edition. You’ll be pleased to know that three of those four Cubs clubs made the World Series and two of those were World Series champions:
As you can see, the one team among the four that was better than 24-12 that didn’t win the NL pennant was the 1903 team, who dropped out of first place in early June and finished third at 82-56, eight games out of first place. It was the team’s best finish since 1891 and kind of a precursor to the dominance the franchise had over the rest of that decade.
Three other Cubs teams matched this year’s 24-12 start. Two of them (1910 and 1918) won NL pennants but lost the World Series. The other is the star-crossed 1969 team. This year’s club is far better stocked to avoid what happened in 1969, plus they have a better, more engaged manager.
Four of the seven Cubs teams that have previously gone at least 24-12 over their first 36 games won 100 games or more, including, of course, the 2016 Cubs. That’s four of the six teams in Cubs history that have won 100 games or more (the others: 1909 and 1935).
All of this is to say that with the exception of 2016, it’s been a very long time since any Cubs team has done what the 2026 version has accomplished over the season’s first six weeks.
In addition, the Cubs now have five walk-off wins this year, which is two more than anyone else. The franchise record for walk-off wins in a season is 14, set in 1930. The 2015 Cubs had 13 walk-off wins. The MLB record for walk-off wins in a season is 17, set by the Pirates in 1959 and matched by them in 1977.
The Cubs have a chance at those marks.
And all of this has been accomplished with:
One starting pitcher (Matthew Boyd) missing three weeks with a bicep issue
One starting pitcher (Cade Horton) making two starts and then going out for the season with Tommy John surgery
Several relief pitchers hitting the IL, with nine (!) relievers who started the year at Triple-A Iowa pitching for the Cubs
And a couple of key hitters (Pete Crow-Armstrong, Michael Busch) getting off to slow starts. Busch has come on of late, batting .300/.400/.500 (24-for-80) over his last 21 games, with five doubles, a triple, three home runs and 17 RBI.
Just imagine how good this team could be if everyone gets healthy and productive.
I see echoes of 2016 in this year’s Cubs. It’s not the same sort of club; no team can replicate past successes exactly. One thing the 2026 Cubs do is epitomize the idea of “next man up.” Every day seems to bring a new hero, the team’s getting production out of pretty much every single player on the 26-man roster (and those added due to injury). That’s definitely a recipe for success.
With 126 games remaining, of course, anything can happen. But the 2026 Cubs appear to be on a journey to a deep October run.
GLENDALE, AZ - NOVEMBER 02: Jim Jarvis #2 of the Glendale Desert Dogs bats during the game between the Surprise Saguaros and the Glendale Desert Dogs at Camelback Ranch - Glendale on Sunday, November 2, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Today, the Atlanta Braves made the move to call up utility infielder Jim Jarvis from Triple-A Gwinnett. Here is a look at what you can reasonably expect from the newest Brave, as well as a little more background.
Jarvis is a 25-year-old who was drafted by Detroit in the 11th round in 2023, and given a slightly overslot bonus of $175k, after a four year career at Alabama. The California native came over to the Braves last year at the trade deadline in one of the few moves the team made, for Rafael Montero. At the time he was hitting .242/.316/.336 in the Tigers Double-A affiliate.
Jarvis went right to Columbus and hit .265/.344/.361 in 21 games, then went three for nine in a short stint in Gwinnett. After the season he went to the Arizona Fall League and slashed .259/.394/.426 with three doubles and two homers in 16 games.
He came into this season off of the strong AFL performance, and got a decent amount of playing time in spring training, getting 18 plate appearances with the big league club and a spot on the Spring Breakout Game roster before being sent to Triple-A. He then started to breakout with Gwinnett, as he has slashed .305/.418/.445 with six doubles, four homers, 15 steals in 17 attempts, and 23 walks to 27 strikeouts.
Jarvis has played almost exclusively at short this season, with 32 starts there and one at second. However in the minors he has played 42 games at second and 53 at third, with 178 at short. In terms of the defense we’ve seen this year, there have been some great plays mixed with some errors/lapses in concentration, which gives the feel of a guy who can fill in at short in the bigs, rather than a guy you’d want out there every day.
Jarvis projects as a utility infielder off the bench, a player whose versatility, speed, and solid contact/on base skills will give him a chance to stick around in the big leagues. However he has shown more power since coming to the Braves organization, as his four homers this year are only one off his career high of five back in 2024 – though doubles power is more the expectation from him.
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 05: Mark Teixeira #25 of the New York Yankees fights back tears as he announces his retirement at the end of the season during a press conference prior to the Yankees playing against the Cleveland Indians at Yankee Stadium on August 5, 2016 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you had told me before the season started that one Yankees batter would have a wRC+ starting with 2 at the beginning of May, I would have immediately guessed Aaron Judge, since, you know, that’s what he did the past two years. Failing that, my next guess would have been Ryan McMahon, with the caveat that his would be in the 20s rather than the 200s. There’s a chance that Ben Rice wouldn’t have even been my third guess. But here we are on May 5, and lo and behold: through Sunday’s action, Rice leads the team with a 211 wRC+.
Rice probably isn’t going to maintain this level of production for the entire year. However, he doesn’t need to for him to be a godsend for the Yankees. In fact, even if Rice only managed to replicate his 2025 stats – a 133 wRC+ and 3.0 WAR – I would have been ecstatic. Are my expectations too low? Maybe. But after a decade-plus of lackluster production from first base, even 2025 Ben Rice was like a desert oasis.
To wit: that 133 wRC+ that Rice posted in 2025? The last Yankees first baseman to post a higher mark over a full season (excluding 2020) was…Mark Teixeira, all the way back in 2009. Indeed, Tex really was the last stable presence at first base before the rise of Rice; the intervening years saw many first basemen try to hold the position down, but none could. That’s not to say that the position was a black hole for 15 years – there were some bright points from time to time. Ultimately, though, even the players who enjoyed success could not sustain it. In order to fully appreciate the Ben Rice experience, let’s take a small trip down memory lane to recall what it was like before our boyish-faced king came around.
2013-2016: Mark Teixeira’s fall and Greg Bird’s emergence
After the Yankees signed him to an eight-year, $180 million contract in the 2008-9 offseason, Mark Teixeira certainly lived up to it during the first half of the pact. After a spectacular 2009 season which saw him win a ring and place 2nd in MVP voting, Teixeira hit 96 home runs and was worth 10.4 WAR from 2010-12. However, things went south quickly for the switch-hitting slugger thereafter. He missed nearly the entire 2013 season due to wrist issues and subsequent surgery, forcing the Yankees to make do with a truly uninspiring list of replacements – Lyle Overbay, Mark Reynolds, Kevin Youkilis, and a bunch of dudes that sucked even worse. I was there to witness it – on the game threads, at least. It was bad.
2014 saw Teixeira return to the field at least, but the results were meh at best – a .216/.313/.398 line, good for only a 102 wRC+, over 123 games. It was better than 2013 in the sense that in-flight meals are better than eating nothing at all. Given his age – this was Tex’s age-34 season – the consensus among Yankees fans was that we had seen the last of him as a productive major leaguer.
So, imagine our shock when Teixeira found the fountain of youth in 2015, hitting 31 home runs in just 462 plate appearances and posting a 143 wRC+. It was glorious, it was stupendous, and it was marvelous – before it came to an abrupt halt. In mid-August, Tex fouled a ball off his foot and left the game. Just like that, his season was over – though initial tests came back negative, a mid-September MRI revealed that he had suffered a fractured shin. However, a rising star within the Yankees’ system softened the blow. It was none other than the original Baby Bomber, Greg Bird.
Having been called up on August 13, Bird assumed starting duties at first base immediately following Tex’s injury, and spent the rest of 2015 looking like the Yankees’ first baseman of the future. He hit 10 home runs and garnered 1.1 WAR in just 178 plate appearances, and was one of only three Yankees to record a hit in the 2015 Wild Card game loss against the Astros. Every fan in Yankeedom was hoping that Bird would wrest the position from Tex for good in 2016.
Alas, it was not to be. Bird tore his labrum in the offseason and missed the entire 2016 season. Forced into a starting role, Teixeira posted a 76 wRC+ and -0.7 WAR over 116 games before retiring at season’s end. Thus ended Tex’s reign, with a whimper, an injured heir, and a cloudy future.
2017-2018: Greg Bird’s failed liftoff and Luke Voit’s magical run
There were many questions surrounding Greg Bird prior to the 2017 season. How did missing all of 2016 affect his development? Would he be able to hit like he did in 2015? Would his body hold up over a full season?
Then spring training started, and Bird absolutely raked. He hit eight homers, tied with Bryce Harper for the MLB lead, and had an OPS of 1.654. It was more than enough to turn the conversation surrounding him from “Is he good?” to “How many MVP votes will he get?” Every Yankees fan – at least those who frequented this site – could not wait for the season to start so that Bird could wreak havoc on the league.
If there is an omnipotent being, they must have it in for Bird for some reason. On March 30, less than 48 hours until Opening Day, Bird fouled a ball off his ankle. That was all it took to sap all of his offensive production. Over the first month of the season, Bird hit a paltry .100/.250/.200 across 19 games before being placed on the IL with a bruised right ankle. In July, he underwent surgery to remove a bone from his ailing foot. He would not return until August 26.
Luckily for the Yankees, they had acquired veteran slugger Chris Carter in the offseason for exactly this sort of situation. Unfortunately for the Yankees, Carter was utterly washed. He hit just .201 with eight homers with -0.3 WAR in 62 games. It was so bad that the Yankees had to turn to literally Chase Headley at first base. To his credit, Headley hit well, posting a 114 wRC+ in his 39 games played at first. That was good enough to hold down the fort until Bird’s return – and return he did, hitting eight home runs with a .575 slugging percentage in 98 PAs to close out the year.
Bird hit well during the Yankees’ 2017 postseason run as well, with a .244/.426/.512 line across 54 PAs. Who could forget his signature moment, a 7th inning solo shot against prime Andrew Miller in a do-or-die ALDS Game 3 against the Guardians which proved to be the margin of victory?
That postseason performance, coupled with a strong finish to the year, was more than enough to rekindle hope for Bird in even the most cold-hearted fans. But the universe is cruel and indifferent to our wishes. On March 26, 2018, it was announced that Bird would undergo ankle surgery, sidelining him for six to eight weeks. Two months later, he returned to the starting lineup, but his mojo was gone. Bird struggled to the tune of a .672 OPS in 82 games before losing his starting gig in late August. He played in just 10 games the following year, before yet another foot injury sidelined him for the entire year, and was designated for assignment in November. Just like that, the Yankees’ once first baseman of the future was gone.
However, as the saying goes, when one door closes, another one opens. The man who replaced Bird at first base in August 2018 was none other than Luke Voit. Acquired from the Cardinals at the trade deadline, Voit took the job and never looked back. In 39 games with the Yankees, he hit 14 homers with a .335/.405/.689 line, good for a 195 wRC+. Outside of Aaron Judge, I don’t really think I’ve ever seen a Yankee run this hot for this long; it really felt like he was homering every game. He was so good that even Ken Singleton was flustered.
Although the 2018 season ended in a painful fashion, there was a feeling among Yankees fans that they had finally found the answer at first base in Luke Voit. But as a wise man often said, you can’t predict baseball. Tune in on Friday for another look back at the Yankees’ first base situation from 2019-2024.
But Wembanyama left disappointed by his offensive output and then Minnesota's coach and players added some salt to the wound by clapping back at the legitimacy of some of Wembanyama's blocks. Coach Chris Finch argued in the aftermath of Game 1 that at least four of Wembanyama's swats should have been called goaltending. Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, who is considered Wembanyama's mentor, agreed.
"To me, it's a little alarming they weren't called," Finch told reporters ahead of Game 2.
So are the Timberwolves right? Were all of Wembanyama's 12 blocks in Game 1 legitimate?
USA TODAY Sports went back and watched the film of every block Wembanyama was credited with to see if Finch has a point. The answer was somewhere in between, with an awesome display of shot-blocking, one blatant missed goaltending and a few borderline calls that are now being used to stoke a postseason narrative.
Were all of Victor Wembanyama blocks vs. Timberwolves legitimate?
Note: USA TODAY Sports watched replays of all 12 blocks Wembanyama was credited with during Game 1 against the Timberwolves to judge whether the block was legal or should have been called a goaltend, as well as if there was potential for a foul to be called on the play.
Victor Wembanyama's first block
Time: 11:38 left in 1st quarter
What happened: Timberwolves guard Terrance Shannon Jr. drove to the basket on the first possession of Game 1 and Wembanyama slid over to block his layup attempt against the backboard.
Was it a block: Yes, this appears to have been correctly called a block. Wembanyama's hand tapped the ball before it reached the backboard. Watch here to judge for yourself.
Victor Wembanyama's second block
Time: 11:20 left in 1st quarter
What happened: Shannon dribbled past Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox in transition on Minnesota's second possession of Game 1 and attempted a layup. Wembanyama swooped in from behind for a block.
Was it a block: No, this block seems to have been called incorrectly after several viewings of the replay. The ball appears to reach the backboard before Wembanyama blocks the layup attempt. Watch here to judge for yourself.
What happened: Rudy Gobert caught a pocket pass from Mike Conley rolling to the basket and attempted a running left-handed layup near the rim that Wembanyama blocked.
Was it a block: Yes, but it's debatable. There's an argument based on multiple angles of the replay that Wembanyama also fouled Gobert on the play. However, Wembanyama's hand hit Gobert's arm after he blocked his shot. Watch here to judge for yourself.
This is why you shouldn’t believe everything you see.
The below tweet/photo is one of many that claims Wemby’s 3rd block was actually a foul.
If you watch the replay and slow it down you can see Wemby blocks Gobert’s shot first.
What happened: Timberwolves forward Naz Reid had the ball in the low block while being defended by Spurs guard Dylan Harper. Reid spins towards the middle of the paint, then pivots back toward the low block and attempted a running bank shot. Wembanyama came from the other side of the paint to swat the shot against the backboard with the ball nearly on its way down.
Was it a block: Yes, because it was called that way on the floor and no replay angle has definitively shown the ball was on its way down. But this was close to a goaltend. Watch it here to judge for yourself.
Victor Wembanyama's fifth block
Time: 8:02 left in 2nd quarter
What happened: Timberwolves forward Julius Randle rebounded his own miss, pump-faked twice and then attempted a left-handed putback layup near the basket only to have the shot blocked by Wembanyama to force a shot clock violation.
Was it a block: Yes. Though there might have been some contact on the play, Wembanyama appeared to maintain his verticality because he hardly jumped off the floor. Watch it here to judge for yourself.
Victor Wembanyama's sixth block
Time: 1:30 left in 2nd quarter
What happened: Gobert received a pass from Timberwolves teammate Jaylen Clark in the lane, dribbled once to his left to initially evade Wembanyama and then came to a jump stop. But as Gobert rose for a shot attempt near the rim, Wembanyama came in from behind to block the ball out of bounds.
Was it a block: Yes, but there does appear to be some contact made with Gobert by either Wembanyama or Spurs teammate Julian Champagnie. Watch it here to judge for yourself.
Victor Wembanyama's seventh block
Time: 23 seconds left in 2nd quarter
What happened: Wembanyama's final block of the first half occurred when Reid drove into the paint while being defended by Spurs guard Julian Champagnie. Wembanyama came from the weak side to swat Reid's shot attempt.
Was it a block: Yes, this was a clean block and there doesn't seem to be any doubt Wembanyama blocked the ball on its way up. Watch it here to judge for yourself.
Victor Wembanyama's eighth block
Time: 8 minutes left in 3rd quarter
What happened: Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels spun past Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox after posting him up in the paint and getting him in the air with a pump fake. But Wembanyama's first block of the third quarter occurred when he came to help and swatted a left-handed layup attempt by McDaniels.
Was it a block: Yes. This appeared to be a clean block in which Wembanyama did not make contact with McDaniels and blocked the ball on its way up before it reached the backboard. Watch it here to judge for yourself.
Victor Wembanyama's ninth block
Time: 3:22 left in 3rd quarter
What happened: Anthony Edwards got Wembanyama off his feet with a pump fake in the corner, but missed his driving layup attempt along the baseline. Randle got the offensive rebound, but Wembanyama came in from Randle's right and blocked his putback attempt.
What happened: Timberwolves guard Bones Hyland drove past Spurs guard Devin Vassell and Wembanyama came in from his help defense position on Reid in the corner to block Hyland's layup attempt.
Was it a block: Yes, although the Timberwolves could argue Vassell might have made slight contact with Hyland's body. Wembanyama actually might have blocked the same shot with both hands. Watch it here to judge for yourself.
What happened: Wembanyama officially set the new NBA playoff record for blocks when Edwards knifed through Champagnie and Spurs guard Stephon Castle for a driving finger roll attempt. Wembanyama came from the weak side to block the shot off the backboard and ignite the San Antonio fastbreak
Was it a block: Yes, probably. But this is a really close call based on the available replay angles. It's hard to tell if Wembanyama blocked Edwards' shot attempt before it reached the backboard. Watch it here to judge for yourself.
Victor Wembanyama blocks Anthony Edwards for his 11th block of the night, and Fox with the layup at the other end. Wolves timeout. With replays.
What happened: Shannon drove past Vassell into the lane and attempted a running left-handed floater. Wembanyama came over from the weak side to block the shot against the backboard.
Was it a block: Yes, but Minnesota might argue for goaltending. Wembanyama clearly blocks the ball before it reaches the backboard, but there is a chance Shannon's shot had reached its apex. But it's awfully close even in slow motion and hard to fault the call on the floor. Watch it here to judge for yourself.
When speaking with media on Wednesday morning, Lakers star Luka Doncic confirmed that he plans to return for the NBA playoffs. Getty Images
Doncic told reporters the update on Wednesday during a media availability in between Tuesday’s Game 1 loss to the Thunder and Thursday’s Game 2 of the best-of-seven second-round playoff series.
“Obviously, this is a different injury than I ever had,” said Doncic, who was sidelined for four games in February because of a mild left hamstring injury. “It’s been [the] second time I [injured the hamstring this season]. So recovery has been a little longer. But I’m feeling good. Working every day, so I’m trying to come back.”
Originally, the injury was expected to have a recovery timeline of four to six weeks, but Doncic said he was told eight weeks.
Thursday marks five weeks since the injury happened. Eight weeks from Doncic’s injury is May 28 — which is 10 days after a potential Game 7 of a Lakers-Thunder series.
Doncic started running on the injured hamstring, the next step in his return-to-play protocol.
“It’s very frustrating,” Doncic said. “I don’t think people understand how frustrating it is. All I wanna do is play basketball, especially this time. It’s the best time to play basketball. It’s very frustrating seeing what my team is doing. I’m very proud of them. It’s been very tough, too, just to sit and watch them play.”
Right after the injury happened, Doncic traveled to Spain for advanced treatment aimed at accelerating recovery. He received four PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injections.
“Everybody knows that Spain, they’re just one of the best countries to do that,” Doncic said. “And obviously, I talked with the Lakers’ doctors, so everybody agreed for me to go there. Obviously, I know and trust lots of people from Spain that I used to work before. But why I was in Spain so long is because I needed four days in between every shot. So I did it four times. So that’s why I stayed longer.”
Luka Doncic: "I went to Spain to do PRP. Everybody knows that Spain, they're just one of the best countries to do that…I know and trust lots of people from Spain. Why I was in Spain so long is because I needed four days in between every shot. So I did it four times. So that's… pic.twitter.com/16xtKAuMhp
When asked about the PRP injections potentially expediting his recovery, Doncic responded: “I’m just in the process, I’m working every day. I feel better every day. Like I said, in the beginning they say eight weeks. So we just go from there.”
Game 3 and Game 4 of the Lakers-Thunder series are scheduled Saturday and Monday at Crypto.com Arena.
Doncic didn’t have a concrete answer when asked if he’d try to ramp things up when the series shifts to Los Angeles.
“I’m just doing everything I can,” he said. “Every day I’m doing stuff I’m supposed to do. Obviously recovery, now I’m working. But like I said, doctor said eight weeks at the beginning of the first MRI. Just going day by day, and I feel better every day.”
Luka Doncic's response when asked whether he'll try to ramp up his return-to-play process for when Lakers-Thunder shifts back to L.A.: "I'm just doing everything I can, like I said, every day I'm doing stuff I'm supposed to do. The doctors said 8 weeks at the beginning of the 1st… pic.twitter.com/ab2kaCQavE
Doncic had an incredible season before suffering the hamstring strain April 2. He became the second player in NBA history to score 600-plus points in March, alongside Michael Jordan. Over that period, he led the Lakers on a 16-2 run.
“We had an amazing month of March,” Doncic said. “The injury came in the worst moment probably for me. But I think other guys just stepped up really good. But it was very frustrating for me.”
Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.AP Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.AP Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.NBAE via Getty Images Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.NBAE via Getty Images Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.Getty Images Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.NBAE via Getty Images Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.NBAE via Getty Images Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.NBAE via Getty Images Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.Getty Images Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.Getty Images
Yet he wasn’t even an MVP finalist this season despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6).
It’s a tough break for Doncic, who came into training camp in arguably the best shape of his career. Motivated by the shocking trade that sent him to Hollywood from Dallas, he carried the Lakers to fourth place in the West after playing in 64 games and averaging 35.8 minutes per game.
Without Doncic, the Lakers shocked the Rockets in six games to advance to the Western Conference semifinals against the defending champions.
“Everybody had us out; everybody had us [losing in] five, six games, and we proved it,” Doncic said. “We can play. The way everybody stepped up is truly amazing to see. So hopefully they continue that.”
Despite limiting reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to 18 points and getting an incredible game from LeBron James, the Lakers suffered a 108-90 loss in Game 1.
“When you play against the world champions and [miss] having a guy that averages 34 [points] and eight [rebounds] and nine [assists] and is that special, that’s [tough],” James said regarding the Lakers missing Doncic.
With Doncic on his way back, the Lakers could return to full strength with James and Austin Reaves and have a legitimate chance at pulling off one of the biggest postseason upsets of the decade.
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“Obviously, we always want to have Luka out there,” Reaves said Sunday. “He’s one of the best players in the league, if not the best player. It’s definitely a different task. Everyone has to play differently to create and fill the void of the things he does for us.”
Luka Doncic: "This is a different injury than I've ever had…the recovery's been a little bit longer. Working every day, trying to come back."
Fifa confirmed a global ban Wednesday for Gianluca Prestianni that will rule the Benfica winger out of two World Cup games in the United States if he is selected in Argentina’s squad.
Uefa imposed a six-game ban – with three games deferred on probation – on Prestianni two weeks ago for his verbal abuse of Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward Vinícius Júnior in the Champions League. Prestianni covered his mouth with his jersey while using the insult.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 01: Bo Naylor #23 of the Cleveland Guardians stands on second base after hitting an rbi double against the Athletics in the top of the seventh inning of a major league baseball game at Sutter Health Park on May 01, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Chances are if you are reading this article, you’re close to done with Bo Naylor. If you’re ok waiting longer and seeing if he can figure things out, welcome to the ranks of the few, the proud, the patient to a fault.
Here we are on May 6th and Bo Naylor has a 6 wRC+ and a 23.5/7.1 K/BB%. Among MLB players with 80 or more plate appearances this season, Bo and Ke’Bryan Hayes are the worst hitters so far. Interestingly, both Naylor and Hayes have expected weighted on-base averages of around .300 and actual weighted on-base averages of .180-.190. Hayes has a batting-average on balls in play of .123 and Bo is at .155. A wOBA of around .300 would be around 90 wRC+, which would be more than acceptable for a catcher in MLB (and for Hayes with his excellent defense, but this article isn’t about Ke’Bryan Hayes).
So, is Bo simply unlucky? Well… pretty much. Naylor has the lowest swinging-strike rate of his career, he is not going outside the zone more than his career norms, he has career highs in zone-contact rate and overall contact rate, and he’s running a career high barrel rate. His batted-ball date for groundballs, fly balls and line drives looks solid, also. I really hate to tell you this, guys, but Bo Naylor seems to be simply having one of the most unlucky starts to a season we’ve ever seen.
It’s obviously notable that pitchers on the Guardians do not seem to throw as well with Bo behind the plate. Guardians’ pitchers have an ERA of right around 4 with Bo and a 3.34 ERA with Austin Hedges. How much of that is Bo’s fault is virtually impossible to say. Bo is around average in blocking and pop-time, and in the 72nd percentile for framing. He’s not been good with catching would-be basestealers, but neither has Austin Hedges, so I’d tend to blame this on the pitchers and those coaching them on how to hold runners. Overall, Bo still looks like an average defender by the numbers, and, if the team has issues with his pitch-calling and/or receiving, it’ll be up to them to come to grips with that. They could always call pitches from the dugout as needed.
Of course, as luck would have it, the Guardians do have two catchers absolutely lighting up the statsheets as hitters in Triple-A Columbus. Kody Huff has a 140 wRC+ and an 18.9/11.1 K/BB% with a .333 BABIP. Cooper Ingle has a 246 wRC+ with a 19/33 K/BB% with a .480 BABIP. Recently, Guardians executive James Harris made it clear the team does not believe Ingle is not ready to play catcher at the major league level. When will that change – who can say? As for Huff, of course, there is no way to know that 140 wRC+ would translate at all to the majors. But, in general, Huff has a great defensive reputation. Does there a come a point where the Guardians just acknowledge that Bo is immensely snake-bit as a hitter and admit some frustrations with his pitch-calling and handling?
To be honest, I find that unlikely. I think until the time would come where Bo’s underlying metrics come more in line with his actual production, we are going to see him continue to get the lionshare of plate appearances to try to figure things out. And, while I am not opposed to getting a look at any player who is dominating in Triple-A, I think that patience is probably the right decision here.
Throw your tomatoes, folks. We are going to get more Bo for a while. Let’s all just hope he can start to right the ship – and hope the same for Steven Kwan, Jose Ramirez and Kyle Manzardo while we’re at it.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 18: Shay Whitcomb #14 of the Houston Astros rounds the bases after hitting a three run home run in the ninth inning during a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Daikin Park on April 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Astros Curse has now taken Carlos Correa for the season, further testing the depth of the organization.
TULSA, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 19: Kade Anderson #32 of the Arkansas Travelers sits in the dugout during a game against the Tulsa Drillers at ONEOK Field on April 19, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the latest Baseball America Top 100 prospect rankings dropping this morning, the Mariner farmhands were well represented up and down the list. Featuring five of the M’s top prospects, both Colt Emerson and Kade Anderson found themselves inside the top ten of all minor leaguers, with Emerson appearing at #4 and Anderson at #9. In fact, if prospects who have already made their major league debuts are removed from the list, those numbers improve to #3 and #6 respectively, with Konnor Griffin, Trey Yesavage, and Payton Tolle all on the cusp of graduation. It’s clear the industry is bullish on the 1-2 punch atop this system, and with their combination of talent and youth, it’s easy to see why.
Kade Anderson great again. Final line: 5.2IP, 4H, 0R, 0BB, 8K, 16 whiffs, 74 pitches, 56 strikes.
Ryan Sloan, the Mariners #3 prospect by most outlets, appears on the list at #20, though his non-debuted rank would push him all the way up #12 overall. Sloan was challenged with an aggressive promotion to Double-A this season and has looked more human than many expected him to after a dominant spring, but still just 20 years old, his package of physicality, command, and stuff makes him one of the best pitching prospects in the game.
Ryan Sloan threw it very well today. One mistake on a 2-run HR. Final line: 4.2IP, 3H, 2R, 2BB, 7K, 74 pitches, 49 strikes, 14 whiffs. pic.twitter.com/OLZN8iI1XH
The final two M’s to make the list, both Lazaro Montes (#60) and Michael Arroyo (#87) are excelling in Double-A Arkansas and have looked good to begin this 2026 season. Montes, who’s off to an exceptionally hot start, is flaunting his tremendous power seemingly every game, and Arroyo, whose numbers aren’t entirely reflective of how he’s played thus far, is still commanding the strike zone well and is incredibly polished at the plate. Both are in line to compete for a big league promotion some time in the next calendar year.
— Mariners Player Development (@MsPlayerDev) May 4, 2026
All five prospects featured in the rankings play at the Double-A level or higher, a fantastic indicator for the overall health of this system. All of these players are well below the average age of their competitors, and they’ve been capable of holding their own despite their youth. There is a promising young core of Mariner talent biding their time in the minor leagues, and fans should be ecstatic about the future prospects of this ballclub.
Carlos Correa was scratched from last night’s game following an injury to his ankle in batting practice. As it turns out, that will be the last time that Correa is seen on the field this season in an Astros uniform. Correa suffered ligament damage in his ankle and will have surgery. According to reports, he will be out six to eight months following the surgery.
Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa will miss the remainder of the 2026 season after tearing a tendon in his ankle, he told reporters in Houston. He will soon undergo surgery and be out six to eight months.
The Astros have called up Shay Whitcomb to take his place on the active roster. Presumably, this means that Isaac Paredes will become the everyday third baseman and Jeremy Pena will slot into the shortstop position when he returns from the injured list. The injury is another crushing blow in a season that has seen a number of things go wrong for the Astros.
In particular, this is a devasting injury for Correa as he had a good road trip and seemed to be settling in as the new leadoff hitter and team leader. Nick Allen took his place at shortstop last night and will continue to play there until Pena returns from the injured list. Reportedly, Pena is ready to begin a minor league rehab assignment this weekend.
As for the Astros, this takes a bit of wind out of their sails even though they are 4-4 in their last eight games. They will finish off with the Dodgers this evening and then begin a seven day road trip against the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers. Those seven games will go a long way in determining whether the Astros will remain in the hunt or fall further behind in the standings.
The NHL has revealed the finalists for the Frank J. Selke Trophy, and, alongside Anthony Cirelli (Lightning) and Nick Suzuki (Canadiens), Colorado Avalanche center Brock Nelson has been named the third finalist.
Presenting the finalists for the Frank J. Selke Trophy! 🏆 #NHLAwards
The trophy is presented annually to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game. pic.twitter.com/5pftUkfZLL
The Selke trophy is awarded “to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game." Like many other awards, this trophy is also voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The award has been in a carousel of amazing centers these past couple of seasons, from Aleksander Barkov to Patrice Bergeron and Anze Kopitar.
He helped lead the Avalanche penalty kill and defensive stats to some of the best stats the franchise has ever seen. League-low 197 goals against, penalty kill finishing at a league high 84.6% while only allowing 36 goals in 234 times short. The most penalty minutes played in his career on the penalty kill at 150:18, which is almost double his previous high during the 2019-20 season, which saw him log 107:17 minutes.
The advanced stats that really stood out the most are: the highest percentage of shifts started in the defensive zone at 16.4%, a career high in blocks with 65, the second-lowest amount of defensive zone giveaways at 15, the highest on-ice goal differential at 39, and the same with expected on-ice goal differential at 42.5.
Nelson has been involved in every aspect of the game this season with the Avalanche. Power play, penalty kill, 6-on-4 situations, you name it. No other player in Avalanche history has won the Selke trophy; the last to be a finalist was Joe Sakic back in 2000-01, when he finished second behind John Madden.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - MAY 01: Shane McClanahan #18 of the Tampa Bay Rays looks on during a game against the San Francisco Giants at Tropicana Field on May 01, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mar 31, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Andre Pallante (53) pitches against the New York Mets during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals will try to wrap up their 3-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers Wednesday afternoon at Busch Stadium after game 2 was postponed due to weather. The Cardinals will send Andre Pallante to the mound while the Brewers starter looks to be Brandon Sproat who was scheduled to be the starter Tuesday night before the weather postponement. First pitch is scheduled for 12:15pm at Busch Stadium and the game will be broadcast on Cardinals.tv.
Apr 6, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; a general view of the stadium before a game between the Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Last of three in Tampa. If they light a match on the way out, I will not shed a tear.
I hate afternoon weekday games, it messes up the day.
There are some updates:
Addison will be addisoned to the roster Friday. They haven’t said who is going to leave the roster. I’m think Sosa but I don’t know.
The team got a new MRI on José Berríos and are ‘still thinking things through’.
Max Scherzer’s forearm ‘isn’t responding the way he hoped’. That’s age Max, nothing responds the way you hope.
The NHL announced this afternoon that Montreal Canadiens’ captain Nick Suzuki was one of the three finalists for the Frank J. Selke Trophy, awarded “to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game”. The other two finalists are also centermen: Tampa Bay Lightning’s Anthony Cirelli and Colorado Avalanche’s Brock Nelson.
The nomination should come as no surprise to Canadiens’ fans, as Martin St-Louis regularly entrusts Suzuki and his line to face the opponent’s most productive forward and for key faceoffs. He was sixth in the NHL for faceoffs taken with 1,449, meaning he took 32.2% of all Canadiens’ draws. Only two players in the league took an equal or bigger percentage of their team’s faceoffs: Dylan Larkin ( 32.2%) and Nico Hischier (39.9%). On top of producing 106 points this past season, the 26-year-old, London, Ontario native, finished the season with a plus-37 rating.
Averaging 20:49 of ice time, he played very little on the penalty kill this season, but that was due to St-Louis wanting to specialize his players, so to speak. The coach used Suzuki on his first power-play unit and, at times, on the second as well.
Cirelli, who the Canadiens faced in the first round of the playoffs, recorded a career-high in plus-minus rating at +38, took 1,075 faceoffs for the Bolts, and led all Lightning forwards in shorthanded ice time (186:51) on the third-best penalty kill in the league. This is his second consecutive season as a Selke finalist; he finished third last season behind Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart.
As for Nelson, it’s his first nomination, and he helped the Avalanche bring its goals-against total to just 197 goals, a reduction of 34 compared to the previous season. He logged 150:18 of shorthanded ice time, on the league’s best penalty killing unit with a 84.6% success rate. He took a team-leading total of 1,459 faceoffs and also led the Avalanche in faceoff wins with a 50.4% success rate.
All three candidates are deserving of the award, and it will be interesting to see who wins the Professional Hockey Writers Association’s poll. Suzuki is the third Canadiens player to be dominated for a Trophy this season after Cole Caufield for the Lady Bing and Ivan Demidov for the Calder.
