Winnipeg Jets - Feb. 27 2026 - Vol. 79 Issue 8 - Jared Clinton
C+ | RANK: 19TH
THE JETS’ SUCCESS in Winnipeg has been built on a draft-and-development foundation. For instance, of the 25 players on the team’s 2018 Western Conference-finalist roster, a dozen came up through the organization. But while homegrown roster players still number in the double digits, consistent playoff appearances have masked the fact that Winnipeg is in a development drought. Only one Jets draft choice from the past eight years – Cole Perfetti, 10th overall in 2020 – has played a regular role in the NHL lineup. Entering 2026, no Jets pick since Perfetti has played more than 13 NHL games in Winnipeg.
5-YEAR TREND
1 SASCHA BOUMEDIENNE
D, 19, 6-2, 183
Boston University (HE)
30–2–8–10–12
2025 draft, 28th overall
OVERALL54
Boumedienne thrived while playing major WJC minutes for Sweden. And he found pay dirt when it mattered, notching the gold medal-winning goal. His maturity is what catches the eye. He makes smart reads and gets pucks through to the net, and director of player development Jimmy Roy said Boumedienne’s puck retrievals are “elite already.” He’s just a minor contributor on the scoresheet at BU, but his performance for Sweden provided evidence there’s potential for more.
FW25 | new NHL | 2028-29
2 BRAYDEN YAGER
C, 21, 6-0, 170
Manitoba (AHL)
43–6–11–17–8
Trade (Pit), Aug. 22, 2024
OVERALL57
A wicked shot makes Yager lethal in the offensive zone, and he also has the ability to wheel with the puck. Now, the challenge is learning to capitalize on fewer opportunities and do the dirty work that separates talented junior players from those who make the NHL. Essential to Yager’s development is learning to have patience with the puck, create separation and win battles. “He’s getting the puck to the middle and getting shots off quicker,” said Roy. “He’s learning the pro game.”
FW25 | No. 1 NHL | 2026-27
3 BRAD LAMBERT
C, 22, 6-2, 180
Manitoba (AHL)
29–6–7–13–18
2022 draft, 30th overall
OVERALL93
A precipitous drop in Lambert’s AHL production last season didn’t worry the Jets, and he began the season pencilled in for middle-six NHL duty. Often, though, Lambert was the odd man out, and he wound up back in the AHL – and his output is again stagnating. There are attributes to love – skating, puckhandling and playmaking ability chief among them – but Lambert’s hurdle is discovering ways to become effective and impact games when he’s not finding his way onto the scoresheet.
FW25 | No. 2 NHL | 2026-27
4 ELIAS SALOMONSSON
D, 21, 6-2, 189
Manitoba (AHL)
29–1–9–10–10
2022 draft, 55th overall
Salomonsson can motor and change directions on a dime. But spending last season in the AHL paid dividends, as the Swedish product – neither big nor stout – learned to handle the physicality inherent to the smaller-ice North American game. He also exhibits the beauty of simplicity. “He keeps the game simple, keeps the puck going forward and doesn’t overcomplicate it,” Roy said. “He’s learning a bit on the speed of the game and strength of the players at the NHL level, but I see why people are excited about him.”
FW25 | No. 5 NHL | 2027-28
5 NIKITA CHIBRIKOV
LW, 23, 5-11, 193
Manitoba (AHL)
28–2–4–6–10
2021 draft, 50th overall
Chibrikov looked set to take a step forward as a bottom-six NHL buzz saw, but a stumble out of the gates will inevitably lead to concerns. It is important to keep in mind, however, that Chibrikov missed the majority of the back half of 2024-25 with an injury. The long rehabilitation and recovery process surely contributed to the slow start. He’s come into his own in the AHL as the season continued, and the Jets believe in his abilities – as evidenced by the fact they inked Chibrikov to a two-year extension.
FW25 | No. 3 NHL | 2026-27
6 COLBY BARLOW
RW, 21, 6-1, 194
Manitoba (AHL)
40–3–5–8–14
2023 draft, 18th overall
Pure shooter with a lethal release. Working hard to improve explosiveness.
7 ALFONS FREIJ
D, 20, 6-1, 198
Timra (SHL)
33–1–2–3–6
2024 draft, 37th overall
Smooth skater got stronger on his feet. Learning to move the puck quicker.
8 KEVIN HE
LW, 19, 6-0, 182
Flint (OHL)
48–33–30–63–18
2024 draft, 109th overall
Workmanlike attitude aids skill. Will benefit from high-stakes environment in Flint.
9 ZACH NEHRING
RW, 20, 6-5, 201
Western Michigan (NCHC)
28–5–12–17–8
2023 draft, 82nd overall
Understands how to optimize massive frame to win battles and create offense.
10 KIERON WALTON
LW, 19, 6-6, 227
Peterborough (OHL)
48–34–37–71–18
2024 draft, 187th overall
Power-forward size with playmaker’s toolbox. Got taste of AHL last season.
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Detroit Red Wings - Feb. 27 2026 - Vol. 79 Issue 8 - Bob Duff
B+ | RANK: 7TH
DURING HIS SEVEN years as Detroit GM, Steve Yzerman has preached patience. Now, there is clear evidence that patience is paying dividends. With the Wings challenging for top spot in the Atlantic, much of Yzerman’s draft pool is showing the way. Moritz Seider (sixth overall in 2019) looks like Norris Trophy material. He skates on the top defense pairing with fellow first-rounder Simon Edvinsson (sixth in ’21). Left winger Lucas Raymond (fourth in ’20) leads the team in scoring. Rookies Axel Sandin-Pellikka (17th in ’23) and Emmitt Finnie (201st in ’23) have fit in seamlessly.
5-YEAR TREND
1 NATE DANIELSON
C, 21, 6-2, 197
Grand Rapids (AHL)
17–3–11–14–4
2023 draft, 9th overall
OVERALL 13
In a 28-game NHL taste, Danielson displayed that his 200-foot player description was applicable. But he also looked overmatched at times against some NHL centers. The Wings believe he has more offensive upside. “We’ve given him a good run here where he’s had some good nights,” Detroit coach Todd McLellan said. “We want him to continue the offensive trajectory we think is in him. And we couldn’t put him in spots right now on our team where he could really push for that.”
FW25 | No. 2 NHL | 2026-27
2 MICHAEL BRANDSEGG-NYGARD
RW, 20, 6-1, 210
Grand Rapids (AHL)
42–8–18–26–24
2024 draft, 15th overall
OVERALL 33
The big winger earned an NHL spot out of camp, and he showed qualities that will make him valuable. He averaged a team-leading 14.99 hits per 60 during his nine-game stint. At the same time, his offensive output was just one assist. Not wanting his confidence to waver, the Wings sent ‘MBN’ to the AHL to help his offensive game evolve. “He was doing a good job in a lot of areas,” McLellan said. “He was good in the tight game, tight quarters, and very physical. His shot is really good.”
FW25 | No. 4 NHL | 2026-27
3 TREY AUGUSTINE
G, 21, 6-1, 194
Michigan State (Big Ten)
20–6–0, 1.96, .932
2023 draft, 41st overall
OVERALL 37
Augustine’s a two-time WJC champion and a 2026 nominee for the Richter and Hobey Baker Awards. At 19, he played in the World Championship. He plays a controlled game with calmness and wisdom beyond his years. While there are concerns about his size, the Wings love his competitiveness. “He’s got a great demeanor,” assistant director of player development Dan Cleary said. “He’s got a calm, cool demeanor, but he’s competitive. That fire burns inside him.”
FW25 | No. 3 NHL | 2028-29
4 CARTER BEAR
LW, 19, 6-0, 177
Everett (WHL)
40–27–29–56–40
2025 draft, 13th overall
OVERALL 41
The Wings rolled the dice a bit on Bear, who entered the NHL draft coming off a season-ending Achilles injury. He’s at 100 percent now. After returning to Everett following the WJC, he scored five goals in six games. He has a knack for getting his shot off and does exemplary work with the puck in tight quarters. “He’s an outstanding player but still a bit of a boy,” McLellan said. Once he grows into his body and adapts to the pace of the NHL, the Wings envision him in a power-forward-style role.
FW25 | new NHL | 2028-29
5 SEBASTIAN COSSA
G, 23, 6-7, 220
Grand Rapids (AHL)
21–4–2, 1.92, .930
2021 draft, 15th overall
OVERALL 87
Cossa is the epitome of the patient ‘Yzerplan’ paying off. The Wings are allowing him to overripen in the AHL, where he’s been one of the league’s best for the past two seasons. This year, he’s the No. 1 on a team that’s threatening to break AHL points records. The consistency is now there. “I’ve learned some things the past year by myself, experience-wise, talking to mental coaches and just trying to find ways to bounce back when you do go in those slumps,” Cossa said.
Relentlessly competitive with offensive touch. Plays like a bulldozer on skates.
7 DMITRI BUCHELNIKOV
LW, 22, 5-10, 170
CSKA Moscow (KHL)
32–11–10–21–6
2022 draft, 52nd overall
A gifted combination of finisher and playmaker. Had shoulder surgery in November.
8 MAX PLANTE
C, 20, 5-11, 180
Minnesota-Duluth (NCHC)
30–20–21–41–17
2024 draft, 47th overall
Elite playmaker with exceptional passing touch. Son of former NHLer Derek Plante.
9 ANTON JOHANSSON
D, 21, 6-4, 196
Leksand (SHL)
35–2–9–11–39
2022 draft, 105th overall
Passionate, driven, competitive defender with a physical edge to his game.
10 WILLIAM WALLINDER
D, 23, 6-5, 210
Grand Rapids (AHL)
46–1–13–14–19
2020 draft, 32nd overall
Mobile, puck-moving D-man lacks physical element. Projects as third-pair option.
21-AND-UNDER NHLERS | MARCO KASPER, C, 21; AXEL SANDIN-PELLIKKA, D, 20; EMMITT FINNIE, C, 20
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May 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) reacts after striking out during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
At the conclusion of play on April 28th, the day of the follow-up question, the Dodgers dropped to 20-10 over their first 30 games, representing a 108-win pace that exceeded the most optimistic projections from the entire staff.
However, in our staff prediction article, I said 92 wins, which was by far the most conservative prediction.
Truthfully, my final answer was a bit different from what I was originally thinking. When mapping out the year, I was originally thinking 90 wins and potentially finishing second in the division, but didn’t think that amount would be good enough for the 2-seed, hence the slight bump.
At no point did I consider a “I’m going to eat duck mea culpa,” because I saw this team at the conclusion of last year, what it had done during the offseason, and what it was doing to start the year. Long offseasons to old clubs eventually write a check that eventually comes due.
This team could go 116-46 and romp to 11-0 in the postseason as the top seed. But that outcome would require both everything going right and the naysayers being right about the competitive balance of the sport. When this team coasted last year, it was rough to watch – until October. Assuming good health, I expect more of the same. The Dodgers will romp in October beating the Seattle Mariners in five largely uncompetitive games to the enraged howls of the league. (Emphasis added.)
Therefore, I figured there would be a correction in the overall record at some point. At the conclusion of play on May 10, the Dodgers are now 24-16 and are now on a 97.2-win pace. Ouch.
After all, losing two of three to the lowly San Francisco Giants, who are now slinking back to town for the last games until September 18th, was as giant (ha!) a red flag as one would wave this season. The Rockies and Cardinals have pluck. The Giants are turning into a soap opera, which would be funny under different circumstances.
In 2025, I thought there was virtually no reason apart from being lost on a three-hour tour or everyone ending up in a hospital after an ill-fated caper that the Dodgers would win fewer than 100 games in the regular season. And lo and behold, they did with aplomb. It ultimately worked out in the end, by the skin of everyone’s teeth, a bunch of overmanaging by the Blue Jays (Game 3), and a bunch of baserunning blunders by the Blue Jays (Games 3, 6, 7), but a win is a win. But fool me twice? Never.
“Anytime you can add a guy to your lineup that is arguably better against same-side pitching — there’s really no holes in what he does offensively. Really balanced splits, versus right, versus left, incredible decision making, really good bat-to-ball skills,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Wednesday. “Just the way that will kind of complement and help further round out our offense, something we thought that would be significant in terms of the odds increasing on our championship quest.”
I keep waiting for the person described to show up, because I am getting the oddest and most ironic sense of deja vu so far in 2026. Eric Stephen added that “[s]ince the start of 2021, Tucker is one of only four major league hitters with an isolated power — slugging percentage minus batting average — .200 or above combined with a strikeout rate of 16 percent or lower, along with fellow star players Mookie Betts, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and José Ramírez.“
Tucker has not come close to his statistical pedigree in his first 40 games with the team. In fact, Tucker was essentially signed to replace Michael Conforto, who has since signed as a fourth outfielder with the Chicago Cubs. Those with weak constitutions should look away from the following comparison:
Tucker (39 games) .6 WAR, 36 for 145, 4 HR, 20 RBI, 3 SB, .248/.343/.393
Michael Conforto (23 games) .6 WAR, 16 for 55, 2 HR, 8 RBI, .364/.473/.659
Yes, the Dodgers were pigs, but the team seemed to forget that pigs are usually the first things slaughtered when winter comes. Ask the Phillies and the Mets about what happens when one does not plan for winter. But it’s not time to panic yet.
We don’t have a time machine (and if we did, unlimited rice pudding, among other things, would be the order of the day), so one can just look over the archives for the source of the Dodgers’ current woes.
“Play like the back of your baseball card.”
At times, the current Dodgers look less like a team and more like a collection of geriatric mercenaries, riding high on their own success. I remember the dark days of September 2025, and I am seeing some awful similarities. I am unsure how a team can look this gassed in May, but age catches up with everyone, and this topic will likely be revisited in the coming months.
Perhaps I’m being too subtle. So let’s rip the bandage off using one of my favorite films of the past fifteen years: 2013’s Rush with Daniel Brühl as the late racing legend Niki Lauda. Replace the word “Ferrari” with “Dodgers offense,” and I think you get 99% of the way there.
The Dodgers’ 2026 offense was sold as an offensive juggernaut. The rotation has been dynamite so far in 2026, but like the 2024 NLDS San Diego Padres, if you don’t score, you cannot win.
Unlike the Mets, who seem hellbent on proving that money does not buy victory, and the Phillies, who somehow ran it back after trying not to, failing to the point their most recent manager was fired, only for Don Mattingly to somehow be put in charge, and time is a flat circle, I can understand why everyone was hyping the Dodgers to romp in 2026 based on the names assembled.
Admittedly, some days, yes, the offense lives up to the hype. However, lately, the offense has been more fickle than an Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifogli — spends more time in the shop than on the road. But the time for roster construction is long past.
To paraphrase Dodgers’ color man Orel Hershiser, a majority of the Dodgers are not hitting like the back of their baseball cards either due to injury or ineffectiveness, using stats as current as of the start of play on May 10th to demonstrate the point:
Miguel Rojas: .2 WAR, 24 games, 15 for 58, 5 R, 3 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 4 BB, 8 K, .259/.302/.362, 89 OPS+
Alex Call: .7 WAR, 18 games, 12 for 39, 8 R, 4 2B, 4 RBI, 8 BB, 6 K, .308/.438/.410, 145 OPS+
Santiago Espinal: -.3 WAR, 20 games, 3 R, 6 for 32, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 5 K, .188/.188/.250, 24 OPS+
So far, Ohtani (181 OPS+ in 2025), Freeman (143 OPS+), Smith (153 OPS+), Tucker (144 OPS+), Rojas (101 OPS+), and T. Hernandez (104 OPS+) have not matched their production from last year. Expecting the superhuman from Ohtani and Freeman may be unfair, but remember that 100 OPS+ is average, and the 2026 Dodgers were not built to be average.
To play Devil’s Advocate for a moment, Mookie Betts has only played in eight games so far in 2026. Also, Tommy Edman and Kiké Hernández have yet to play in 2026. Maybe the time has come to find more at-bats for Alex Call and Dalton Rushing and maybe give Ohtani more rest, which is a subject for another day. Now that Freeland has been optioned, Kim will need to continue to produce.
When your offensive attack is being led by Andy Pages and a soon-to-be-36-year-old Max Muncy, either the pair is playing out of their minds (admittedly, Pages is), some of the usual suspects need to step it up, or maybe the orthodoxy of the lineup needs to be tossed aside in lieu of the available personnel.
If the team is not striking out as much, why is the offense misfiring as much as it is? In part, too many double plays.
Watching the Dodgers in St. Louis gave me a sobering thought: how is a team that is trying to hit the ball into the air hitting so many weak ground balls? In the two games I was present for, the Dodgers hit into eight mind-numbing double plays over 18 innings. While it might not be time to call for the culling of the hitting coaches, it does beg the question of what is going on.
The Dodgers hit into only 108 double plays in 2025 (slightly worse than the league average of 104), slightly up from the 99 double plays they hit into in 2024 (slightly better than the league average of 108).
So far, the Dodgers’ offense in 2026 might as well be sponsored by Doublemint Gum, because they are hitting into twin killings at an alarming rate. Only the Anaheim Angels, Texas Rangers, and Pittsburgh Pirates have hit into more double plays than the Dodgers in 2026.
In 40 games so far, the Dodgers have hit into 34 double plays, in 40 games with Freeman (6) and Teoscar (5) leading the way. If trends hold, the 2026 Dodgers are on pace to hit into 138 double plays (rounded up from 137.7), which would easily be the worst mark of the championship run.
The Dodgers now face a floundering opponent, without their best starter, at home, while in another stretch of consecutive games without a day off until a week from Thursday. In theory, the Dodgers should romp, but theory only gets you so far.
The Philadelphia Flyers may be picking later in the NHL draft than we've become accustomed to over the last few years, but that doesn't mean they can't still select an impact player.
Of course, the Flyers' draft strategy has come under fire in recent years, mostly due to high-profile choices like selecting Oliver Bonk, Jett Luchanko, and Jack Nesbitt with first-round picks over the last three drafts.
The common argument with those players is that the Flyers drafted for need and specific traits, rather than the best or most talented player available to them.
Size is one of the most frequent traits we see this Flyers regime draft for; Nesbitt, Jack Berglund, Spencer Gill, Carter Amico, Porter Martone, Austin Moline, and Shane Vansaghi are all good examples.
So, now that the Flyers will be picking 21st this year, the pool of talent in the draft is considerably less voluminous than it would be in, say, the top 10.
They have no dynamic centers or defensemen coming up through the prospect pipeline, so they have to nail this pick.
Unfortunately, an early NHL mock draft from Corey Pronman of The Athletic goes in the opposite direction.
At 21, Pronman has the Flyers going with Casey Mutryn, whose profile won't move the needle for Philadelphia. Here's why:
"Philadelphia loves hard-nosed, competitive players, making Mutryn a very natural fit for their organizational identity," Pronman says of Mutryn.
"He’s a hardworking, physical 6-foot-3 winger who plays at an NHL tempo and has some offensive touch, too. He complements the skill the Flyers have in their forward group."
So, yes, another winger is not going to cut it for the Flyers, and Mutryn is certainly not the most talented one available at this point in Pronman's mock.
Adam Novotny and Nikita Klepov are well ahead in that aspect, and defensemen like Ryan Lin, Juho Piiparinen, and Xavier Villeneuve would all be superior choices on the back end.
Centers like Ilia Morozov and Brooks Rogowski would make more sense, too.
The Flyers have already done plenty well drafting for size up front. Martone is already an NHL contributor, and Berglund, Nesbitt, and Vansaghi will be soon, too.
They also still have 23-year-old Nikita Grebenkin, so four of these five forwards are bottom-six contributors at the NHL level, with Martone the obvious exclusion.
Nick Seeler isn't getting any younger and Emil Andrae looks to be on his way out, so the Flyers need to reinforce the left side of their defense at some point.
They also aren't getting much offense from two of their smaller defenders in Cam York and Jamie Drysdale, so that's another problem that needs solving at some point.
David Jiricek and Oliver Bonk could be solutions, but that's an added responsibility on top of simply developing into reliable NHL defensemen.
If the Flyers were wise, they would leave Pronman's thinking in the past and grab the most dynamic talent available to them in 2026.
The 2026 NBA Draft lottery has come and gone, so that means now comes the fun part: mock drafts.
The Kings, who finished the 2025-26 NBA season with a 22-60 record, lost a tie-breaking coin flip that would have given them the No. 4 slot in the lottery — which ultimately turned into the No. 2 pick for the Utah Jazz — and dropped two spots to the No. 7 selection.
As for the Warriors, they were projected to get the No. 11 pick and that’s exactly what the team received after a 37-45 campaign. With Steve Kerr returning to lead the charge, it’ll be interesting to see what the team whether the team uses the pick as trade-bait or not, but for now, here are some of the projected picks if the team keeps the selection.
“Flemings’ explosive speed and winning intangibles swayed NBA executives this season, and he projects as a lead playmaker who puts downhill pressure on defenses and should also add value as a defender. The continued progression of his jump shot is key for him and something he’ll need to demonstrate effectively in team workouts, but he got positive results at Houston (38.7% from 3, 84.5% from the line) and has shown growth already in that area.”
Warriors (No. 11): Karim Lopez (Mexico), SF/PF, New Zealand Breakers
“The top player in a thin international prospect class, Lopez has a chance to help himself in pre-draft workouts, where teams will gain a better sense of his physical traits and skill level coming off a positive year in the NBL. Showing progress as a perimeter shooter in those settings would help his case to sneak into the top 10.”
“Flemings is an elite athlete who can get a piece of the paint on demand, rise up explosively at the rim, get to his pull-up at virtually any time, and be solid on the defensive end. His swing skill is his shooting, and if it holds up, then he too has legit star-type outcomes. In Sacramento, Flemings will have an opportunity to earn the starting point guard job from day one.”
Warriors (No. 11): Aday Mara, C, Michigan
“Mara kept getting better as the college season went on and ultimately led Michigan to a national championship. At 7-foot-3, he’s a giant, even by NBA standards, and a tremendous rim protector. He’s also got sneaky mobility, good hands, real passing ability, and provides vertical spacing. With Steve Kerr returning next season, the Warriors’ style of play will be staying largely the same, and Mara’s facilitating ability fits that.”
“The Kings need a potential star like Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. in this class. …He led freshmen for field goals made in transition (72) and field goals made from both the left and right side of the court. He was among the freshmen leaders in alley-oop assists (17) as well. He has significant defensive deficiencies but is one of the most exciting offensive prospects in recent memory.”
Warriors (No. 11): Karim Lopez (Mexico), SF/PF, New Zealand Breakers
“Lopez had a low usage rate and played few minutes than other players in this range while playing against pros but was still very productive for the NBL Next Stars program in Australia. The Mexican-born forward is physically gifted, athletic, and universally seen as the top prospect from this class currently playing overseas.”
“Flemings has potential to use his speed and athleticism on offense and defense to make an impact — which is how Fox was described as a young player. The Kings need to find a young player with All-Star potential, and Flemings might be that player as he joins some young players who showed potential to be rotational pieces in the NBA.”
— Jason Jones
Warriors (No. 11):Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan
“The big man fills a lot of gaps for the Warriors. He can shoot from the outside, he has length and he comes from a Michigan team that just won a national title. He averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 37.2 percent from beyond the arc. He should be able to play well off the space Stephen Curry creates (shouldn’t everybody?) while providing a stabilizing presence on both ends.”
“Acuff is a wiry scorer who can get a bucket from anywhere on the floor with a quick trigger, slippery handle, and a feel for manipulating defenses. He has a knack for clutch moments too. He is not the biggest guard or the most explosive athlete, but he reads defenses like someone who’s been in the league for a decade. He emerged as a freshman as a skilled, low-turnover playmaker. The question that follows every undersized guard into the draft is whether the brilliance survives contact with bigger, longer, faster defenders.”
Warriors (No. 11): Karim Lopez (Mexico), SF/PF, New Zealand Breakers
“Lopez is the best basketball prospect Mexico has ever produced. He left Hermosillo at 14 to play professionally in Barcelona, then at 17 moved to Auckland, New Zealand, where he shined for two years in the NBL Next Stars program. He checks a lot of boxes with his excellent physical tools, a hardnosed approach, and a well-rounded ability to defend multiple positions, handle the ball, and a blossoming shot.”
“Acuff was a revelation for the Razorbacks this season, thriving despite his being smaller with 23.5 points and 6.4 assists on 48% shooting. The league is seemingly moving away from small-ish guards, but Acuff might just have the poise and pace to blow away expectations anyways.”
“Flemings is the quintessential Houston guard and was consistent throughout conference play in the Big 12. In the month of January he averaged 19.8 points, and 6.3 assists and had a 42-point game against Texas Tech. He’s a tough two-way player who gets to his spots and shoots well off the dribble.”
Warriors (No. 11):Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan
“Lendeborg was a buzzy name coming out of last year’s draft combine and his decision to return to school paid off in a big way while helping Michigan win a national title. He has great size as an interior player and moves well for his size.”
‘It’s going to be really hard … but how fun would that be?’
Bradley is in field for this week’s PGA Championship
Keegan Bradley still reflects on the pain of captaining the United States to a home Ryder Cup defeat last year but says he would love to make the 2027 team as a player.
Bradley took full responsibility as his USA side endured a chastening first two days at Bethpage Black last September, slipping to a record 11.5-4.5 deficit, before a valiant fightback fell short.
Feb 19, 2026; Peoria, AZ, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher Domingo Gonzalez (46) during spring training photo day. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Over the weekend in Chicago, Ryan Divish reported that Domingo González was present in the visiting clubhouse in case José A. Ferrer’s wife went into delivery. Ferrer stuck around, working out of a bases loaded jam on Sunday unscathed, but he did not end up making the trip to Houston with the rest of the squad.
Should González appear in a game the next few days, he will be making his Major League debut, and would be the third Mariner to do so after fellow righties Alex Hoppe and Nick Davila. The 26-year-old was claimed off waivers from Atlanta last August, and survived the offseason roster churn before being optioned to Triple-A Tacoma. He’s been off to a strong start in his first Pacific Coast League action, tossing 15 innings of 1.80/2.60 ERA/FIP ball, and has issued just two walks alongside a tidy 50% ground ball rate. Seattle is González’s third org, having played in affiliated ball since 2018 when he was signed by the Pirates out of the Dominican Republic, and as you may have heard, we love a debut at Lookout Landing.
As for Ferrer, the M’s will have their workhorse reliever sidelined for most, if not all of the upcoming series. Acquired in December for catcher Harry Ford in a much-discoursed-about trade, he’s led the Mariners’ bullpen corps in appearances and innings pitched at 21 and 20, respectively. Despite falling victim to some tough BABIP luck early on, his 1.80/2.42 FIP have proven to be quite dependable. He’s also worn quite a few hats in the first six weeks of the season – especially with Andrés Muñoz scuffling and Matt Brash and Gabe Speier down – whether that’s filling in at closer, getting that third out against a tough lefty hitter, or covering multiple innings. We at LL congratulate Ferrer and his family on the arrival of their child.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 10: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers adjusts his batting helmet during the eighth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on May 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants took two out of three from their longtime rivals just about three weeks ago and it was one of those things where the team, having embarrassed itself across multiple games and a couple weeks, walked away from the wins as a sign that they’d turned a corner. We’ve all been so desperate to believe that the team isn’t as bad as it has been through 40 games this season that any positive is turning point and every negative is “small sample size.” Well, the Dodgers didn’t have Mookie Betts in San Francisco for that series loss and here in LA this week, they’ll have Mookie Betts back for all four games. Does that mean the Giants are doomed?
I certainly thought this season series and rivalry was fait accompli and we were destined to watch the Dodgers perform every Mortal Kombat finisher on our favorite team for the rest of our lives and when that didn’t happen I thought, “Hey, maybe the Giants aren’t as bad as they’ve looked.“ And maybe, given the Dodgers performance in and since that series, the Giants had wounded them in a meaningful way. LA was 16-6 before the series, averaging 6 runs per game. They’re 8-10 since and averaging around 4. So, does the baseball world owe the Giants thanks for disrupting the team everybody hates?
Nah. Unfortunately, that credit should go to the Rockies — and the injury bug that infected Mookie Betts with a strained oblique. Just before venturing to San Francisco, the Dodgers split 4 games in Coors Field. The Dodgers are built to beat anybody anywhere, and when they couldn’t best one last place team, it’s interesting to see them struggle with another in the series immediately after. Small sample size shenanigans here, too? Yeah, probably.
The Dodgers are 10th in offense since April 17th (the start of the Rockies series) with a team wRC+ of 103. If you adjust for just after the Giants’ series, they’re 16th (98 wRC+). I won’t disgust you with the Giants standings in either split. Their pitching has been better than that in every split.
Now, Mookie Betts had the worst offensive season of his career in 2025 and is unlikely to bounce back much more than around league average, given his age (33). Still, dropping into a lineup with all the familiar names and faces doesn’t make the Dodgers worse and getting him back just in time for a rivalry series is meaningful.
We thought the last Giants-Dodgers meeting was a beatdown in waiting or a temperature check of either franchise, but all it really did was serve as a speed bump to the Dodgers running away with the best record in the sport. Shohei Ohtanit’s 89 wRC+ over the past few weeks is maybe a bit of a story, but it’s drowned out by the emergence of Alex Freeland, the reliability of Max Muncy, and Kyle Tucker getting hot. Meanwhile, the Giants are really only making the kind of headlines that an ailing franchise generates. Trading a Gold Glover, demoting former veterans they had planned all offseason long to count on throughout the year, their manager not being clear about pitching changes… it’s a team covered in flop sweat — and it’s only May 11th!
That means this series has the chance to be a staggering embarrassment yet again for… the Dodgers! That’s right. If a global superpower can’t win a series against Buster Posey’s Baseball Mogul 2014 sim, then it deserves all the derision that can be mustered. Dave Roberts was on a Hall of Fame trajectory as manager, but dude lost a series to the 2026 San Francisco Giants, trending to be one of the worst teams in franchise history. I’m sorry, but he simply oughtn’t be taken seriously anymore. Embarrassing! Disgraceful! But also, laugh out loud, especially if the Giants are actually competitive in this series after ditching Patrick Bailey and putting Logan Webb on the IL.
Series overview
Who: San Francisco Giants (16-24) at Los Angeles Dodgers (24-16) Where: Dodger Stadium | Los Angeles, California When: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 7:10pm PT National broadcasts: MLB Network simulcast (Thursday)
Projected starters Monday: Trevor McDonald (RHP 1-0, 1.29 ERA) vs. Roki Sasaki (RHP 1-3, 5.97 ERA) Tuesday: Adrian Houser (RHP 0-4, 6.19 ERA) vs. Yoshinobu Yamamato (RHP 3-2, 3.09 ERA) Wednesday: Robbie Ray (LHP 3-4, 2.76 ERA) vs. Shohei Ohtani (RHP 2-2, 0.97 ERA) Thursday: Landen Roupp (RHP 5-3, 3,09 ERA) vs. Emmet Sheehan (RHP 2-1, 4.79 ERA)
Players to watch
Dodgers
Mookie Betts: He’s consistently able to draw walks and hit doubles against the Giants, and even though his injury has held him back from doing any of that this year, it’ll be worth watching to see if he can come back and do it to the Giants at will.
Max Muncy: No ocean for him to hit dingers into, but he went homerless against the Giants in that series loss and so I’d expect him to not have zero homers in these next four games.
The Dodgers’ bullpen:Four game series really do allow teams to take the full tour of their opponent, and while the Dodgers’ lineup is impressive and scary and their rotation is very good on paper, it’s their bullpen that usually offers more growl than bite. That feels especially true with Edwin Diaz hitting the IL with loose bodies in his pitching elbow. That means the Dodgers have been injury bitten to the point that last year’s big free agent closer acquisition, Tanner Scott, is back in that role.
Giants
Willy Adames: In the last series preview I wrote,
This series will be the definitive test to determine whether or not Willy Adames passed away at some point this season and what we’re seeing haunt the Giants lineup right now is, in fact, a g-g-g-ghost.
He went 5-for-14 against Pittsburgh so, we must consider the possibility that he is not a ghost and is still alive to the point of finally starting to look like a major leaguer again. Great timing?
Bryce Eldridge / Rafael Devers: Great to see Eldridge get his first homer and see Devers sock two last week, but the Giants will need both to put up big performances if they’re going to compete in the next four games. Devers is 10-for-30 with 4 doubles and a pair of homers here in the month of May.
Tony Vitello watch
Did Buster Posey visit Tony Vitello’s house during the hiring process? If so, I wonder what that was like. If not, why not?
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 24: The sneakers worn by Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 24, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
If Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson didn’t make any friends in the second-round series that’s pitting Buffalo against the Montreal Canadiens, the same can be said about Zachary Bolduc. The 23-year-old winger struggled to find a role with the Habs during the regular season, but since the start of the playoffs, he has been very noticeable, and he’s shown that he enjoys poking the bear.
In Friday night’s game, Bolduc was on hand to come to goaltender Jakub Dobes’ rescue after Beck Malenstyn ran into him. The Trois-Rivieres native wasted no time in jumping on the Sabres forward, who was hanging on the net’s crossbar. He sent him down on the ice and threw a few punches, making it clear that such shenanigans would not be tolerated.
Beck Malenstyn with what seems like an attempt to injure Jakub Dobes, runs him at full speed.
It seemed like Bolduc was involved in every scrum on Sunday night. He got himself a roughing double-minor after an altercation with both Connor Timmins and Malenstyn in Alex Lyon’s crease. He’s quickly becoming for the Sabres what Zach Benson has become for the Habs, public enemy number one.
Late in the third, as he was tangled up with Logan Stanley and a lineman, Josh Norris took advantage and dishes him out a right-hand jab. Stanley and Bolduc bot got a minor for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct, while Norris escaped punishment.
On top of getting under the Sabres’ skin, Bolduc has also been getting on the scoreboard. On Sunday night, he completed the play so well orchestrated by Alexandre Carrier and Joe Veleno to score what would turn out to be the game-winning goal. Despite only spending 10:43 on the ice, he found a way to make an impact on the proceedings and has shown his teammates that he’s ready to go to battle for them.
That’s quite a change from the Bolduc who played in QMJHL a few years ago and who was known for shying away from physical battles. Watching him play these days, it’s obvious that he has understood what he needs to know to keep his seat at the table. Speaking to the media after the game on Sunday night, he was asked how he ended up being a part of all the battles, and he explained:
I don’t know, it’s just the way the game presents itself. I think it’s something that I can and want to bring to the Canadiens. Of course, there are times when you're toeing the line without crossing it. I take a lot of pride in that. No one thing explains why I’m always there for those moments.
-
Later on, he added:
As you said, I might have struggled a bit to find my identity in the regular season, but the playoffs are another season, and that’s how I approached it. I want to bring my strengths as much as possible, and if I’m a thorn in their sides, it’s for the best.
-
In 10 games so far this postseason, Bolduc has two goals and four assists for 10 points, 18 penalty minutes, and a plus-six rating, showing just how well he plays on both sides of the puck. Chances are, we’ll see Bolduc mix things up even more before this second-round series comes to a close.
The Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers are set to square off in a pivotal Game 4 tonight, and we have a plethora of NBA player prop projections to go over — includingfour five-star plays.
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Pistons Game 4 computer picks
Jalen Duren Over 13.5 points (-112)
Projection: 16.25 points
Our model shows a 24.55% EV edge for this play!
Jalen Duren has had a quiet series, but he's too good to be held quiet for long. He'll get plenty of run as the Detroit Pistons try to keep up with the size of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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Duncan Robinson Over 11.5 points (-112)
Projection: 13.81 points
Our model shows a 23.93% EV edge for this play!
Duncan Robinson has been spectacular for the Pistons this series, going Over this total in all three matchups. His sharpshooting will help him clear it again.
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Tobias Harris Over 1.5 threes (+115)
Projection: 1.80 threes
Tobias Harris has stepped up big for Detroit in this playoff run, and his shooting is a big part why. He's banged two threes in back-to-back outings, and our projections predict he'll do it again.
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Cavaliers Game 4 computer picks
James Harden Over 18.5 points (-125)
Projection: 22.63 points
This play has a 26.01% EV edge according to our model!
James Harden isn't known for his playoff heroics, but 18.5 points is a very obtainable goal. He's cleared this line in two of three against the Pistons, and he's projected for 20+ tonight.
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Dean Wade Over 3.5 points (-112)
Projection: 5.44 points
This is the fourth and final five-star play, showing a 25.63% EV edge.
Dean Wade provides Cleveland with key minutes off the bench, and he normally takes two to four shots per game. He's consistent enough to hit this number with similar volume.
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Jarrett Allen Over 1.5 assists (+135)
Projection: 1.82 assists
Jarrett Allen had three assists in Game 2 and finished with one in the two other games of this series. If he starts to feel the pressure from Duren, he has plenty of capable shooters to pass to.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet allen Now at bet365!/span
How to watch Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 4
Location
Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH
Date
Monday, May 11, 2026
Tip-off
8 p.m. ET
TV
NBC/Peacock
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.
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 29: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball during the game against the Houston Rockets during Round One Game Five on April 29, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. 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 (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The one thing you can’t question about Austin Reaves is his desire to play.
He played in all 82 games during the 2023-24 NBA season, and last year, he was still competing against the Wolves in the playoffs despite a big toe sprain.
On Monday morning, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN published an article revealing that the Lakers didn’t expect Reaves to return so quickly, and that it was only possible because of his around-the-clock efforts.
The Lakers initially assumed he would be out until the conference finals, team sources told ESPN, but Reaves was determined to get back for at least some of the Lakers’ playoff run.
“I left my house every day around 7:30 in the morning to get treatment and didn’t come home until about 8 at night,” Reaves told ESPN. “I was going crazy trying to get back. … I was in that hyperbaric chamber all the time.”
Kudos to Reaves for doing everything possible to play in the postseason. Given the severity of his injury, no one was ever going to question how long he took to return, so his putting in 12-hour days to get back is impressive and admirable.
Thanks to his efforts, he started in Game 5 against the Rockets and helped the Lakers advance to the second round, a feat that not many experts thought possible.
Against the Thunder, he’s continued playing a high number of minutes and has done everything possible to help the Lakers win. In Game 2, he scored a playoff career-high 31 points.
Even the Lakers didn’t think Reaves would return so quickly, but that’s the thing about Austin: just when you think he can’t impress you more, he finds a way to exceed your expectations.
Reaves is a franchise player for the Lakers, and his recovery work is another example of why. He does everything possible to be a top performer and will set a standard of effort that the rest of the team will have to try to match.
Mikal Bridges and Joel Embiid wrestle for a loose ball during the Knicks’ sweep of the 76ers.Photograph: Emilee Chinn/Getty Images
“You guys wanna see a dead body?”
Old heads remember that scene in Stand By Me, four boys hike through the Oregon wilderness to find the body of a dead boy. They walk for miles for the morbid prize of seeing something that can’t be unseen. When they finally arrive and stand over the body, nobody says a word. There’s nothing left to say.
That is what it feels like to be a Philadelphia 76ers fan.
You guys wanna see a dead body?
Here it is. Right here on the hardwood of the Xfinity Mobile Arena, swept in four games by the New York Knicks, getting beaten by 30 points in the finale, in an arena colonized by enemy fans. “The Process” – capital T, capital P, the grand basketball philosophy that was supposed to redeem a franchise and a generation of suffering fans – is dead. It has been dead for a while, actually. We’ve just been too stubborn and too sentimental to admit it.
When The Process’s architect, Sam Hinkie, took over as 76ers general manager in May 2013, the 76ers were in purgatory. Hinkie’s diagnosis was correct: the middle of the standings is the worst place to rot. His prescription was ruthless tanking, draft capital accumulation, asset hoarding. All analytically sound and, in a narrow sense, successful. He delivered Joel Embiid. He delivered the framework that would eventually produce Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
But broaden it out and Hinkie’s vision failed. In the 13 years since he rolled up in Philly, the team have failed to reach the Conference finals, let alone win a title. The corpse of The Process was wheeled out to face the Knicks in the second round of the playoffs, Weekend at Bernie’s style.
The modern NBA title contender needs athleticism, perimeter versatility, switchable defenders who can guard one through five, and above all, youth.
Current Sixers general manager Daryl Morey has built the opposite. He stockpiled aging, injury-prone max-contract stars and surrounded them with buyout-bin veterans, undrafted role players, and whatever Quentin Grimes is. In 2024, he signed Paul George – then 34 and with a well-documented history of struggling to stay fit – to a four-year maximum contract. He kept Embiid, another player with an injury history – on an extension that will pay him $60m a year until 2029.
This is a roster built for 2006, not 2026. Iso-heavy, big-man-centric, predicated on one dominant center, Embiid, taking over games through sheer will and free-throw volume. The league has moved past this. The Knicks – deep, switchy, young, relentless – looked like they were playing a different sport as they swept the Sixers.
And there is no way to write honestly about the 2026 76ers without confronting what Embiid has become, and it’s uncomfortable as hell.
He was, for a few seasons, one of the best basketball players alive. The footwork, the face-up game, the passing out of the post, the three-point shooting – at his peak, Embiid was a legitimate case for best offensive center since Shaquille O’Neal. His MVP season in 2022-23 was a masterpiece. His ability to carry a structurally compromised roster to the second round of the playoffs, year after year, while fighting through injuries that would have ended other careers, deserves respect.
That Embiid is gone. What remains is far inferior.
Embiid hasn’t played more than 40 games in a regular season since his MVP campaign. He was injured in Game 1 against the Knicks, missed a game, came back limping, and was reduced to holding his hip, his back and his ankle. There was no better encapsulation of this version of the Sixers than the sight of Embiid’s teammates attempting to pick him up from the floor and failing.
But the decline in his body isn’t even the most troubling part. It’s the decline in his conduct.
Embiid has spent recent seasons cultivating one of the dirtiest reputations in the NBA. The sweep-through moves designed to draw fouls that don’t exist. Flops so theatrical Buster Keaton would blush. The crystallizing incident came in the 2024 playoffs, when Embiid fell to the floor and grabbed the Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson by the foot, dragging him to the floor and injuring him in the process. Yes, pun intended.
The 76ers fans who spent 13 years trusting a process deserve better.
But here’s the strange, almost perverse mercy for the Sixers: despite everything, they have something most failing contenders don’t. They have two young cornerstones.
Maxey is 25 years old. He’s fast, creative, a legitimate offensive engine who was systematically double-teamed into submission by the Knicks because his supporting cast was demonstrably non-threatening. Maxey operating in an offense with shooters, athletes and a coach who actually designs plays rather than letting it free-flow into George post-ups is a 25- to 28-point scorer who can lead a team deep into May.
Edgecombe is 20. He had 34 points in his NBA debut. He had a 30-point game in the Boston series. This is a young, explosive wing with Dwyane Wade-level upside.
Those two players are a gift. Most rebuilding teams don’t get one player like that coming out of a failed era. Philadelphia have two.
The draft capital situation, while complicated by the obligations owed to Oklahoma City and Brooklyn, is far from hopeless. The Sixers own their own picks in 2027, 2029, 2030, 2031, and 2032. They hold the Clippers’ 2028 first-round pick – potentially a high one, depending on how Los Angeles continues their rebuild. They have swap rights with the Clippers in 2029. There are second-round picks scattered across multiple teams through the decade, several of them from contending or mid-tier franchises that could carry real value.
A new front office, with a mandate to rebuild fast and modern, has modern ammunition.
The path forward requires doing things the current regime has shown little appetite for: acquiring speed, athleticism, perimeter shooting, and youth. Players who can switch defensively, run in transition, and make open threes at a league-average clip. Fix the roster around the edges first. Then find your third piece. Do not – under any circumstances – sign a 34-year-old maximum contract player to anchor the next era. Focus instead on unloading the albatross contracts of George and Embiid.
But unfortunately still in the present. Philly just got swept. Left with a dead man walking for $60m a year.
It is time to end this. Blow it up. Fire the coach. Fire the general manager. Hire a developmental coach who knows how to build young players, someone who can turn Edgecombe and Maxey into the most dynamic backcourt in the league.
The body has been lying in the road long enough. It’s time to bury it, and finally, actually, start over.
While the Cubs dropped two of three to the Rangers, it’s hard to be too terribly upset with their performance recently. After all, they are 20-5 over their last 25 games, including two 10-game winning streaks and an active 15-game winning streak at Wrigley Field. All of these streaks are historic. The last time the Cubs had multiple ten-game winning streaks in a season or a home winning streak longer than 15 was 1935, a season where they went 100-54 before losing the World Series 4-2 to the Detroit Tigers.
Starting a new winning streak won’t be easy, however. The Cubs will take their 27-14 record into Truist Park in Atlanta for a three-game set that begins on Tuesday where they’ll take on the only team in the National League with a better record. The Braves have opened the 2026 season with a 28-13 record.
A quick look at the team hitting leaderboards at Fangraphs shows that the Cubs and Braves have both gotten off to hot starts offensively this season:
Team
TG
PA
HR
R
RBI
SB
BB%
K%
ISO
BABIP
AVG
OBP
SLG
wOBA
xwOBA
wRC+
WAR
CHC
41
1621
51
215
198
27
11.78%
20.23%
.165
.292
.252
.347
.417
.341
.335
119
9.8
LAD
40
1535
53
203
191
20
10.23%
20.85%
.169
.308
.265
.344
.434
.345
.353
120
9.2
NYY
41
1552
63
215
204
40
11.98%
23.39%
.203
.278
.239
.333
.442
.342
.350
117
9.2
ATL
41
1574
57
228
223
21
8.20%
20.52%
.179
.310
.270
.334
.450
.346
.341
120
9.0
HOU
41
1573
52
196
186
15
9.22%
20.34%
.172
.297
.258
.333
.429
.337
.337
113
7.1
PIT
41
1632
44
206
199
38
10.54%
23.22%
.142
.307
.249
.337
.391
.327
.328
105
6.2
STL
40
1535
46
186
180
30
9.25%
21.95%
.152
.277
.235
.318
.388
.316
.325
102
5.8
KCR
41
1533
41
169
162
29
9.52%
22.18%
.150
.288
.241
.319
.391
.317
.316
96
5.2
ATH
40
1545
44
176
173
24
9.71%
22.78%
.151
.302
.249
.326
.400
.324
.322
100
5.1
WSN
41
1586
44
217
203
41
9.46%
21.94%
.157
.290
.242
.323
.399
.322
.327
104
5.1
MIA
41
1537
32
176
166
48
9.24%
21.73%
.131
.303
.248
.327
.378
.318
.309
100
4.9
CHW
40
1527
51
171
161
28
10.09%
24.49%
.160
.280
.231
.322
.391
.319
.329
100
4.7
MIN
41
1575
45
194
184
32
10.03%
22.73%
.146
.286
.237
.325
.383
.319
.315
100
4.6
SEA
41
1545
46
167
162
30
10.23%
24.53%
.148
.282
.229
.319
.378
.315
.326
104
4.5
TOR
40
1498
37
164
158
14
7.61%
17.96%
.130
.285
.251
.313
.381
.310
.311
94
4.4
CLE
42
1584
40
173
165
41
10.98%
20.14%
.138
.269
.230
.321
.368
.311
.315
96
4.3
BAL
41
1545
42
181
178
19
10.81%
24.47%
.151
.290
.232
.319
.383
.317
.320
100
4.2
BOS
40
1508
29
156
149
32
8.75%
22.41%
.119
.291
.235
.314
.353
.303
.310
85
4.1
SDP
40
1470
39
170
163
40
8.91%
22.65%
.147
.266
.223
.297
.370
.298
.320
92
3.9
MIL
38
1479
26
195
187
40
11.70%
20.42%
.114
.293
.240
.333
.353
.311
.315
97
3.8
LAA
41
1561
50
177
170
24
9.87%
25.43%
.156
.288
.233
.321
.389
.319
.318
99
3.7
DET
41
1544
37
175
166
17
10.17%
22.09%
.148
.295
.242
.325
.391
.322
.339
102
3.6
ARI
39
1424
36
169
163
18
7.72%
21.77%
.155
.282
.236
.299
.392
.308
.305
93
3.5
TEX
40
1495
37
149
142
19
9.90%
23.41%
.136
.288
.234
.316
.370
.309
.316
95
3.4
PHI
41
1551
49
170
167
23
7.87%
20.95%
.160
.272
.237
.303
.396
.312
.316
95
3.3
TBR
39
1473
32
171
160
40
8.62%
18.60%
.118
.298
.254
.327
.373
.315
.305
97
3.2
CIN
41
1542
53
164
153
34
10.38%
24.51%
.162
.262
.219
.305
.381
.309
.333
90
2.6
COL
41
1554
41
175
170
35
8.04%
25.80%
.148
.321
.250
.320
.399
.322
.307
90
2.4
SFG
40
1455
26
130
125
10
5.50%
21.51%
.120
.295
.242
.287
.362
.289
.291
84
1.2
NYM
40
1474
31
139
132
19
8.01%
20.96%
.119
.264
.222
.287
.341
.283
.311
81
0.5
Select stats
I sorted this table by fWAR which shows the Cubs leading all of MLB heading into this week’s series with the Braves. However, if you sort by different categories the Cubs generally rank between first and fifth with the Braves right in the same mix. For example, by wRC+ the top three teams are the Dodgers, Braves and Cubs. By OBP the top teams are the Cubs, Dodgers, Pirates and Braves. This should be a great matchup.
While season-long numbers are preferable for larger sample sizes and and stability, who’s hot at a given moment could impact a specific series outcome more. To that end, I’ve run tables for each teams batters over the last two weeks. I’ve limited it to players with at least 20 plate appearances during that time. First up, the Cubs:
Name
G
PA
HR
R
RBI
SB
BB%
K%
ISO
BABIP
AVG
OBP
SLG
wOBA
xwOBA
wRC+
Michael Conforto
8
23
2
6
3
0
13.04%
13.04%
.500
.400
.400
.478
.900
.575
.506
278
Michael Busch
13
58
1
4
12
1
20.69%
22.41%
.205
.387
.295
.448
.500
.420
.386
172
Seiya Suzuki
11
49
3
8
8
0
16.33%
22.45%
.275
.296
.275
.388
.550
.393
.369
154
Pete Crow-Armstrong
13
52
3
8
10
4
9.62%
15.38%
.283
.257
.261
.346
.543
.387
.404
150
Ian Happ
13
57
2
13
4
1
21.05%
31.58%
.227
.333
.227
.404
.455
.381
.411
146
Matt Shaw
10
22
1
3
1
0
0.00%
13.64%
.182
.222
.227
.227
.409
.276
.214
74
Nico Hoerner
12
54
0
4
5
1
7.41%
3.70%
.104
.213
.208
.278
.313
.268
.330
69
Dansby Swanson
12
43
0
4
4
2
6.98%
9.30%
.050
.250
.225
.279
.275
.255
.316
60
Alex Bregman
12
52
0
8
3
0
15.38%
21.15%
.045
.242
.182
.308
.227
.253
.327
59
Carson Kelly
8
31
0
3
3
0
6.45%
16.13%
.000
.250
.207
.258
.207
.220
.209
36
Moisés Ballesteros
12
45
2
3
7
0
8.89%
17.78%
.150
.032
.075
.156
.225
.176
.282
6
Minimum 20 plate appearances, sorted by wRC+
A few things jump out immediately. First of all, Michael Conforto is on quite the hot streak, and I imagine Craig Counsell will try to ride that hot streak as long as he can, especially given the struggles of his other designated hitter against righties, Moisés Ballesteros. However, looking more closely at Ballesteros’ numbers, he really looks like he’s gotten unlucky during this two-week stretch. He’s still striking out less than 18 percent of the time and walking at a decent clip. An .032 BABIP might be the worst BABIP I’ve ever seen in a stretch of 45 plate appearances. Combine it with the fact that he’s had a 33.3 percent hard hit rate during that stretch with a healthy 15.2 percent barrel rate, and that seems like a slump Ballesteros should break out of any moment.
Additionally, both Seiya Suzuki and Michael Busch seem to have broken out of their early season slumps and have been on a a bit of a tear. Busch is slashing .295/.448/.500 with a wRC+ of 172 and a home run over his last 58 plate appearances. Seiya is slashing .275/.388/.550 with a wRC+ of 154 with three home runs over his last 49 plate appearances. The good news is that aside from a .400 BABIP and .500 ISO from Conforto and a slightly overheated .387 BABIP from Busch, the only thing that looks unsustainable in this table is the bad luck some hitters have been experiencing.
Turning to the Braves offense:
Name
G
PA
HR
R
RBI
SB
BB%
K%
ISO
BABIP
AVG
OBP
SLG
wOBA
xwOBA
wRC+
Matt Olson
12
52
6
11
11
1
13.46%
25.00%
.477
.269
.295
.385
.773
.475
.461
207
Ronald Acuña Jr.
5
20
0
3
1
1
10.00%
30.00%
.167
.500
.333
.400
.500
.398
.338
155
Ozzie Albies
12
53
3
11
9
0
11.32%
13.21%
.261
.270
.283
.358
.543
.390
.328
149
Drake Baldwin
12
54
3
6
7
0
12.96%
24.07%
.217
.300
.261
.370
.478
.372
.374
138
Jorge Mateo
11
28
1
6
3
2
3.57%
25.00%
.148
.421
.333
.357
.481
.371
.323
137
Eli White
10
24
0
3
4
1
4.17%
25.00%
.087
.412
.304
.333
.391
.322
.293
104
Mauricio Dubón
12
51
0
4
9
0
9.80%
13.73%
.111
.289
.244
.333
.356
.314
.333
98
Michael Harris II
11
35
1
4
3
0
0.00%
22.86%
.114
.346
.286
.286
.400
.302
.298
90
Austin Riley
12
48
2
6
7
1
4.17%
43.75%
.156
.348
.222
.250
.378
.275
.250
71
Mike Yastrzemski
12
31
0
4
1
0
0.00%
19.35%
.033
.292
.233
.258
.267
.240
.295
47
Minimum 20 plate appearances, sorted by wRC+
A big note at the top, the Braves’ best player, outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. is currently on the injured list with a strained hamstring, so the Cubs won’t have to deal with Acuña at the top of the lineup. They will have to deal with a red-hot Matt Olson and Cubs killer extraordinaire Ozzie Albies, however. Olson has six home runs in his last 52 plate appearances and is slashing .295/.385/.773 during that stretch. Albies has three home runs and a .283/.358/.543 slashline over the last two weeks. Finally, keep an eye on last year’s Rookie of the Year, Drake Baldwin. He’s also got three home runs to go with a .261/.370/.478 slashline in his last 54 plate appearances.
At the bottom of this chart, Mike Yastrzemski, Austin Riley and Michael Harris II are having the opposite experience of Ballesteros, riding relatively hot BABIPs for each of them to lackluster production. Yastrzemski is on the strong side of a platoon and unlikely to play when Shōta Imanaga takes the mound on Wednesday, however, Riley and Harris II are regulars who should be in the lineup for all three games against the Cubs.
This battle of offensive titans in the National League will be one to keep an eye on early this week. Here’s hoping the Cubs bats can stay hot in Atlanta
Sep 2, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; General view of a bark at the park event before the game between the San Francisco Giants against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
After today’s day off, the Rockies have a busy May with 16 games in a row and 19 in the next 20 days to close out the month.
Here are five things to look out for as Colorado heads into the stretch.
More NL West games
After only 11 games against NL West teams (just the Dodgers and Padres), the Rockies will play 13 of their next 19 games against the Diamonbacks (7), Dodgers (3) and Giants (3). Considering the Padres and Dodgers are the best teams in the division — currently battling for first place — the Rockies have a chance to improve on their 3-8 record in the division.
More interleague play
Colorado is off to an impressive 6-3 record against the American League this season. With a series sweep over the Astros and a series win against the Blue Jays, interleague play has treated the Rockies well. The Rockies will host the Texas Rangers (May 18-20) and try to continue their winning ways against the AL.
Another Skenes showdown
The Rockies will conclude their six-game Pennsylvania road trip with a three-game series beginning Tuesday in Pittsburgh. The series will start with the Rockies facing Paul Skenes for the third time in his career. In two appearances, both in 2025, he’s 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in 12 innings with 15 strikeouts and two walks.
In their only faceoff at PNC Park, Skenes threw seven scoreless innings in a 4-0 win over Colorado. At Coors Field, Jordan Beck hit a three-run homer in a sixth-run sixth inning that chased Skenes from the game after giving up four runs on five hits with two walks and eight strikeouts.
When the Rockies traded for Jake McCarthy on Jan. 10, it looked like they added speed and depth to their outfield roster. When the season started, McCarthy struggled with a .184 batting average and .279 on-base percentage through his first 14 games in purple. Then came April 19. McCarthy has been on a tear since, including hitting Colorado’s only grand slam of the season. You can see the remarkable difference in his play.
Dates
Rslt
G
PA
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
SB
CS
BB
SO
BA
OBP
SLG
OPS ▼
April 19-May 10
6-8
14
43
38
8
15
4
1
2
12
2
1
4
5
.395
.442
.711
1.152
March 27-April 17
6-11
17
46
38
1
7
2
1
0
3
5
1
4
10
.184
.279
.289
.569
2026 Season
12-19
31
89
76
9
22
6
2
2
15
7
2
8
15
.289
.360
.500
.860
It will not only be interesting to see if McCarthy can sustain these numbers and force the Rockies to put him in the lineup, but also how he performs when he faces the Diamondbacks. The reunion vs. his former team will start in Denver with a three-game set this weekend before McCarthy returns to his former home for a four-game series at Chase Field next weekend.
Bark at the Park
Get ready to hoist your dogs for the Simba Cam; Bark at the Park is taking over Coors Field on May 18-19 against Texas. While dog owners and their canines usually sit in the Rockpile, it’s fun to visit dogs walking on the left field concourse if you go to either game. Both ticket packages for bringing dogs to the game have sold out.
The other noteworthy promotion the Rockies have on tap is Military Appreciation Day on May 16 against Arizona. Festivities include a pregame parade around the warning track for all active duty or military veterans and their immediate families, a pregame salute from multiple military branches, a large flag on-field presentation, a Hunter Goodman T-shirt giveaway for the first 15,000 fans and more.
Conclusion
After going 13-14 in April, the Rockies haven’t fared as well in May. Through the first nine games, Colorado is 2-7. How the rest of the month goes could really determine if the Rockies can get back on track and seize some momentum.
What are you most excited about or worried about as the Rockies tackle the remainder of the May schedule?
Are you going to Bark at the Park or Military Appreciation Day?
Pistons
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