SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JANUARY 30: (L-R) Team Owner Ryan Smith of the Utah Jazz talks with CEO Danny Ainge and President of Basketball Operations Austin Ainge during warmups before their game against the Brooklyn Nets at the Delta Center on January 30, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It happened. The Utah Jazz moved up in the NBA Draft Lottery. After three years of soul-searching, serial-killer-esque bulletin-boarding, and mass panic flowing through the bloodstream of every resident in the greater Salt Lake City area (you remember), all of the tanking has been worth it. An empty viewing experience, hoping your team loses every one of 246 regular-season games, is not good for the spirit, nor is it healthy for a fanbase to see its star players build a white picket fence and lay brick and mortar around their designated seat on the bench.
By any measure, AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson will be the number-one pick. It’s an inevitability, like eating a second potato chip or some vaguely successful movie from the 2000s getting a sequel and/or reboot (looking at you, The Devil Wears Prada 2: It’s All Gucci, Fam, or whatever that movie is called).
This year’s number-two pick is practically as valuable as the one above it.
Though BYU’s star holds the edge, Peterson is likewise considered to be a player of number-one quality. A potential All-NBA mainstay, with an annual appearance on MVP ballots. On the SLC Dunk Draft Board, we ranked Dybantsa and Peterson 1A and 1B, respectively, for one simple reason: they’re both so darn good.
So drafting second overall is almost a blessing. You get all the excitement of picking a potential franchise cornerstone, and none of the pressure of “picking the right guy”. Whether Washington takes Dybantsa or Peterson, Utah can lean back in the tranquility of their war room and take whoever remains.
This year’s number-two pick is practically as valuable as the one above it. That’s a rare luxury.
Of course, our relaxation was rudely interrupted by rumors of a shakeup in the order, as Jake Fischer’s conversation with Michael Winger, president of the Wizards, sparked a thousand aggregations.
[Winger] insisted that this is ‘not a savior moment’ for Washington, given that the franchise just traded for two former All-Stars in Trae Young and Anthony Davis on top of the slew of recent lottery picks it already has accumulated. He added that, in accordance with Wizards general manager Will Dawkins’ prospect evaluations, Washington will not rule out a move downward if Dawkins determines there are two or three players that the Wizards are eager to come away with.”
Ryan Smith’s comments on the Pat McAfee Show only tossed lighter fluid onto the already-aflame dumpster of draft speculation.
“It would be irresponsible if everything wasn’t on the table,” Smith told McAfee on ESPN, though noting that the decision would be Austin and Danny Ainge’s to make.
"Danny Ainge and Austin have a pretty good track record with how they handle the lottery..
I’m here to plant my flag in the earth. Utah Jazz, do not trade up.
Draw the shades. Lock the doors. Disconnect the phone lines. Unplug the internet router. Sequester whoever you must to absolutely ensure that the second overall pick does not leave the premises of the Delta Center until it’s announced over the podium at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. You cannot go wrong with either Darryn Peterson or AJ Dybantsa, so don’t waste your assets when you’re already guaranteed a chance with either of them.
Peterson slots perfectly alongside Keyonte George in the starting lineup, standing at 6’6” in shoes with a scorer’s mentality and a demonic streak on the defensive end. The Kansas star could effortlessly round out Will Hardy’s starting 5, with Ace Bailey the first man off the pine.
If the Jazz want to step up, it will cost them dearly. How far would you go to jump from 2 to 1?
But if Washington goes all alt-rock on us and dodges Dybantsa, you won’t hear any teeth gnashing in the Beehive State. A player who has spent his last two years of life living in Utah, Dybantsa would be a gigantic 6’9” shooting guard, making the Jazz perhaps the tallest starting 5 in NBA history.
And both players could someday be MVPs.
Call me overzealous, but adding either player to an already dangerous core of George, Bailey, Markkanen, Jackson Jr., Kessler, Sensabaugh, and Williams makes the Jazz a top-four team in the Western Conference next season. This was the ultimate goal of the tank all along, right?
Washington’s asking price will be very high — this ain’t no Zaccharie Risacher draft pool, God rest his soul. If the Jazz want to step up, it will cost them dearly. How far would you go to jump from 2 to 1? A future first-round pick? Two? Ace Bailey? Why give Washington anything when you get an elite prospect either way?
Again, I urge you: don’t you dare trade up, Utah.
Sarah Todd stepped in to stamp down any rumors of interest on both Utah’s and Washington’s end. “When they say things like ‘yeah, we’re going to be willing to listen to offers for the pick’, they can’t say anything else, right?”
“Both AJ and Darryn Peterson look like they have the potential to be MVP-type players. […] The Wizards are not going to disappoint their fans; they’re going to pick number one. The Jazz are probably not going to disappoint their fans; they’re going to get an excellent player with the number-two pick.”
Stay out of your own way, Utah, and stay on course. Pick second overall and leave the NBA Draft as a winner.
Calvin Barrett is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. He has covered the NBA and College Sports since 2024.
Then, soon after the lefty’s no-hit bid ended in the seventh inning, the Yankees coughed up the win, too, in large part because of a lineup that has gone quiet.
Minutes after the no-hitter was wiped out, so was the Yankees lead, as Brent Headrick relieved Weathers and served up a three-run shot that lifted the Orioles to a 3-2 win Monday night at Camden Yards.
In agonizing fashion, the Yankees (26-16) suffered their fourth straight loss — a stretch in which they have scored just eight runs, with their lineup held in check once again Monday after a quiet weekend in which they were swept by the Brewers.
Ryan Weathers throws a pitch during the Yankees’ May 11 game. AP
Ben Rice was responsible for the only runs against the Orioles (19-23), crushing a two-run shot in the third inning.
The Yankees had outscored the Orioles 39-10 in a four-game sweep in The Bronx earlier this month but could not pick up where they left off, mustering only five hits against Brandon Young and three relievers.
“We’ve got to get some guys unlocked,” manager Aaron Boone said. “We’ve got a handful of guys that are scuffling, and we’ve got to get a little more competitive up and down the lineup as we hit this little rough patch during this week.”
The game ended with José Caballero — who will undergo an MRI on Tuesday morning on an injured right middle finger but was cleared to enter the game as a pinch runner — getting thrown out trying to steal second base.
The Yankees went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, with Jazz Chisholm Jr. responsible for half of those empty at-bats on a night when he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
The second baseman, who entered his contract year with lofty expectations for himself, is now batting just .201 with a .603 OPS through 41 games.
Coby Mayo connects on a home run during the Orioles’ May 11 game against the Yankees. Imagn Images
The typically accessible Chisholm declined to speak with reporters after Monday’s game but is expected to do so Tuesday.
“You sense guys feeling it when you’re a month-plus in and you’re not doing what the back of your baseball card is,” Boone said. “So it’s part of it. Probably feeling that a little bit, probably pressing a little too much, trying to do a little too much. He’s going to get it going. I have no doubt about that. But sometimes you’ve got to slow things down first and have some small successes to get you going again.”
Coby Mayo rounds the bases after homering during the Orioles’ May 11 game against the Yankees. Imagn Images
The lack of offense ensured that Weathers had little margin for error, spoiling another strong pitching performance in which he struck out nine and walked three across 6 ¹/₃ innings.
Adley Rutschman broke up the no-hit bid with a single to lead off the seventh, and one out later, Weathers walked another batter on his 101st and final pitch of the night.
On a night when he was without Fernando Cruz or Tim Hill because of recent workloads, Boone had the lefty Headrick and righty Jake Bird warming but called on Headrick to face the right-handed hitting Coby Mayo, who had been struggling.
Boone said it was a better matchup than if he used Bird because he knew the Orioles would pinch hit a lefty.
Headrick has been one of the most dependable Yankees relievers this season and had stranded all 14 runners he inherited before Monday.
But that changed when he hung a slider to Mayo, who crushed it for a three-run shot — the second straight appearance in which Headrick allowed a homer after not giving up any through his first 20 appearances.
Weathers, who is battling with Will Warren to keep his rotation spot once Gerrit Cole returns from the injured list (likely by the end of this month), was left to pick up the pieces.
“It was cool, but I wish we would have been able to pull out a win,” Weathers said of the no-hit bid that he did not know about until he came out of the game. “We got a good ballclub, so we’re going to get some more wins.”
The Mets are calling up top A.J. Ewing, their most exciting prospect right now, per a report by Will Sammon. The 21-year-old was drafted by the Mets in the fourth round in 2023, and he’s been even better this season than he was in his breakout year in the minors last year.
After finishing the 2025 season in Double-A Binghamton following two promotions earlier in that season, Ewing started this season back in Binghamton. But after hitting an outstanding .349/.481/.571 with two home runs and twelve stolen bases, he was promoted to Triple-A Syracuse.
Since that promotion, Ewing has appeared in twelve games at the highest level of the minors, and he’s hit .326/.392/.435 despite not hitting a home run yet at the level. He’s stolen five more bases since that promotion, too, giving him a total of 17 steals in a season that’s only seen him be caught stealing once.
There’s no word yet on who the Mets will cut to make room for Ewing on the active roster, but given the putrid state of the major league lineup, there are plenty of options. He’s played center field the overwhelming majority of the time this season, but he has played a good amount of second base in his professional career. He’s logged innings in both outfield corners, as well.
Spanish-language play-by-play announcer Rene Cardenas (left), of the radio station KWKW, listens as baseball player Don Drysdale, of the Los Angeles Dodgers, talks about pitching strategy, Los Angeles, California, 1959. (Photo by PhotoQuest/Getty Images) | Getty Images
René Cárdenas, the Dodgers first Spanish-language play-by-play broadcaster when they moved to Los Angeles, died on Sunday at age 96.
Cárdenas started with the Dodgers in 1958, and helped train Jaime Jarrín, who joined him in the booth one year later. After four years in Los Angeles, Cárdenas moved to the expansion Houston Colt .45s, and also called one year of games for the Texas Rangers before returning to call Dodgers games from 1982-1998.
We mourn the passing of René Cárdenas, who in 1958 with the Dodgers became the first full-time Spanish-language broadcaster in MLB history and would ultimately spend 21 years behind the mic for Los Angeles. We send our condolences to his loved ones.
“Rene was a true pioneer in our industry,” said Hall of Famer Jaime Jarrin, the legendary former Spanish voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers. “He played a predominant role in my start as a baseball broadcaster.
“I learned a lot from him and from Jose el Fat Garcia, both of the land of Ruben Dario. Rest in peace, my maestro and friend Chelito Cardenas.”
After the initial run with the Dodgers, Cárdenas called games for the Astros from 1962-75 and again in 2007-2008, including some television broadcasts in 2008. In 2024, he was inducted into the Astros Hall of Fame.
Per his profile in the Astros Hall of Fame: “During his illustrious career, Cardenas also called high-profile events in other sports, including the famous Muhammad Ali-Jimmy Ellis heavyweight boxing match that took place in the Astrodome in 1971.”
“It was an honor just to be nominated,” Cardenas says of his consideration for a place in baseball’s shrine. “There are a lot of people who would like to be in. It’s a very exclusive club.
“[But] I’d love to be elected while I’m alive, not after I’m dead. That’s no fun.”
Cárdenas was inducted into the broadcasters wing of the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame in 2002 and is also in the Nicaragua Baseball Hall of Fame.
The Yankees wasted away a great start from Ryan Weathers, falling to the Baltimore Orioles, 3-2.
It's New York's fourth straight loss after getting swept by the Milwaukee Brewers over the weekend.
Here are the takeaways...
-- Ben Rice recorded New York's first two hits of the game, and the second got the team on the board. After Trent Grisham walked with one out in the third inning, the growing star smacked a two-run homer to left-center field, putting the Yanks up 2-0.
It was Rice's 13th home run of the season.
-- Weathers had arguably the best start of his Yankees career, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning.
Weathers dazzled after issuing a leadoff walk to start the game, retiring 13 straight Orioles into the fifth inning, including five straight strikeouts in the second and third innings. The left-hander walked his second batter with one out in the fifth, but locked back in to get the next two outs.
He tossed another 1-2-3 inning in the sixth but lost the no-no bid to Adley Rustchman in the bottom of the seventh inning. Weathers stayed in the game and got Pete Alonso to groundout before walking Tyler O'Neill to end his night. He finished after 101 pitches in 6.1 innings, allowing two runs on only one hit with three walks and nine strikeouts.
-- Aaron Boone's choice to hand the ball to Brent Headrick out of the bullpen backfired, as the lefty allowed a three-run home run to the first batter he faced, Coby Mayo. Baltimore took a 3-2 lead on just their second hit of the night, tacking two runs onto Weathers' line.
-- The Yanks wasted two opportunities to add on to their 2-0 lead. Aaron Judge ripped a leadoff double in top of sixth inning and advanced to third on Cody Bellinger's groundout, but was left stranded after Jazz Chisholm Jr. struck out and Ryan McMahon grounded out (despite a bad toss from Alonso at first base).
The seventh inning was nearly identical as Max Schuemann (getting the start at SS with Jose Cabellaro out) was also left stranded at third base after a one-out double in the seventh inning. Austin Wells and Trent Grisham both grounded out to end the frame. New York ended the game 0-for-6 with RISP and left five on base.
-- McMahon got fans on their feet in the top of the ninth inning with a deep drive to right field, but it was caught at the wall by O'Neill. Caballero came in to pinch run for Paul Goldschmidt with two outs and tried to steal second base, however, Baltimore challenged the ruling on the field and the call was overturn to end the game.
Game MVP: Brandon Young
The Orioles' right-hander allowed the two-run homer to Rice, but that was his only mistake. Young allowed the two runs on just three hits over 5.1 innings with five strikeouts and three walks.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 11: Coby Mayo #16 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates after hitting a three run home run against the New York Yankees during the seventh inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 11, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tonight’s game was filled with “here we go again” moments. The Orioles scratched an injured player from the lineup before the first pitch, the opponent took an early lead on a home run, and the offense absolutely refused to produce against a left-handed pitcher. Baltimore appeared well on its way to a fifth consecutive loss against the Yankees, but finally some Orioles Magic intervened.
Adley Rutschman broke up a no-hit bid in the bottom of the seventh, and Coby Mayo launched a go-ahead three-run homer. Rico Garcia shutdown the heart of the Yankees order in the eighth, and the Orioles used a successful challenge to secure a 3-2 win at Camden Yards.
Before the fireworks, Brandon Young did his part to keep the Orioles in the game. The 27-year-old held the best offense in the American League to two runs over 5.1 innings. Young retired Jazz Chisholm Jr to dance out of trouble in the first, and he struck out Ryan McMahon and Spencer Jones during a clean second.
The damage came in the third after a one-out walk to Trent Grisham. Young fell behind in the count 3-1 before catching a little too much of the zone with a sinker. Ben Rice took the ball the other way and sent it over the Budweiser advertisement on the left-field wall.
Things could have spiraled after the big blast, but the Orioles buckled down. Tyler O’Neill robbed Aaron Judge with a diving catch in left field, and Young overcame a two-out walk by retiring Chisholm for the second time. Young proceeded to retire the side in order during the fourth and fifth innings
Judge snapped Young’s modest streak by ripping a leadoff double down the left field line. Judge advanced to third on a grounder by Bellinger, and Craig Albernaz went to get his starter with one out in the sixth. Enns struck out Chisholm for a big second out before generating a slow grounder by McMahon. Enns raced to cover first and caught the ball with his bare hand to secure the final out of the inning. Enns returned and worked around a one-out double by Max Schuemann to keep the score at 2-0 after six.
The Orioles finally broke through in the seventh inning. Adley Rutschman went down and punched a changeup the other way for the Orioles first hit of the game. Weathers appeared visibly frustrated after losing his no-hit bid on a pitcher’s pitch, and the Yankee dugout quickly responded by sending out the pitching coach for a quick chat.
Weathers remained in the game to face Tyler O’Neill, and the right fielder turned in a quality at bat. O’Neill nearly evened the score at two by pulling a change up down the left field line, but the ball soared just foul. At that point, with the way the season has gone, a strikeout felt like a sure thing. Instead, O’Neill locked in and took the ninth pitch of the at bat low for ball four.
The free pass brought the go-ahead run to the plate. The Orioles did not have Coby Mayo in the original starting lineup, but Albernaz inserted Mayo as the DH when Samuel Basallo was scratched with left-knee soreness. Basallo injured his knee during a collision at the plate in Sunday’s 2-1 win over the Athletics. Basallo held the ball when Leody Taveras threw out the potential tying run at the plate, but somehow even a strong defensive play had come back to bite the Orioles.
Or so we thought. Instead, the chain reaction led to a strong dose of Orioles Magic. The Yankees went to the bullpen, and reliever Brent Headrick threw a hanging slider over the heart of the plate. Mayo smashed a ball 389 feet over the left field fence, and suddenly the Orioles held a 3-2 lead.
Held is the key word, because the Yankees sent up Rice, Judge and Bellinger in the top of the eighth. Rico Garcia has emerged as the leader of the bullpen with Ryan Helsley on the IL. The Orioles deployed Garcia in the eighth to face the heart of the order, and the Honolulu native continued his dream season. Garcia struck out Rice, generated a harmless fly out from Judge, and struck out Bellinger for a shutdown eighth inning.
Anthony Nunez replaced Garcia and provided one more “here we go again” scare. Nunez struck out Chisholm for the first out, but McMahon pulled a towering fly ball to right field. The ball hung in the air for an eternity before O’Neill made a jumping catch at the wall for the second out. Paul Goldschmidt kept the game alive with a single to right, and the Yankees sent José Caballero to pinch run.
Nunez tried and failed to pickoff Caballero, and the speedster broke toward second on an 0-1 fastball. Adley Rutschman threw a dart to second, and Blaze Alexander managed to tag Caballero despite an impressive swim-move slide. The second base umpire initially botched the call, but replay confirmed that Alexander made the game-sealing tag for a 3-2 win.
Young kept the Orioles in it, and Garcia delivered a massive shutdown inning, but Mayo’s big blast stole the show. Give us your pick for the Most Birdland Player of the Day in the comments below!
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 10: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers warms up prior to the game against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on May 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Yoshinobu Yamamoto takes the mound on Tuesday night for the Dodgers against the Giants, looking to avenge one of his two losses this season.
Yamamoto pitched seven innings on April 21 in San Francisco but took the loss after allowing three runs, all of them in the first inning. The opening frame is the worst one for the Dodgers right-hander this season, with six runs allowed in his seven first innings.
Adrian Houser starts for San Francisco, coming off his best start of the season, allowing only two runs (one earned) in six innings last Wednesday against the San Diego Padres. Houser has a 6.19 ERA and 5.56 xERA, and the Giants have lost six of his seven starts.
Houser has also had rough first innings, allowing eight runs and five home runs in the opening frame.
Looking for a spark, the Mets are calling up top prospect A.J. Ewing, SNY MLB Insider Chelsea Janes confirmed.
Ewing, who is SNY's No. 3 Mets prospect, was recently promoted from Double-A to Triple-A at the end of April.
The 21-year-old hit .349 over 18 games in Binghamton and didn't miss a beat in Syracuse, hitting .326 through 12 games.
In a corresponding move, the Mets designated infielder Andy Ibáñez for assignment.
Ibáñez struggled during his brief tenure in New York, going hitless in eight plate appearances. He also committed two costly errors during their loss to the Diamondbacks on Sunday.
New York currently owns the worst record in the majors at 15-25 and is 12.5 games back of the Atlanta Braves in the NL East. Injuries have also been a challenge for the club with Juan Soto missing 15 games in April and Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, and Luis Robert Jr. all on the IL.
The hope will be that Ewing comes in and provides energy before it's too late for the Mets to turn their season around.
Overall across 30 games between Double-A and Triple-A, Ewing slashed .339/.447/.514 (.961 OPS) with nine doubles, two triples, two home runs and 17 stolen bases. He's also shown great plate discipline with 22 walks and only 20 strikeouts.
Defensively, Ewing has played mostly center field in the minors (18 games in 2026, 150 for his career). He'll likely slide into that role in Queens with Carson Benge in right field and Soto in left field or DH. The former fourth-round pick has also logged 53 games at second base (four in 2026), 21 in LF, and 20 in RF.
When asked in a recent interview what fans can expect from him, Ewing expressed tons of confidence and highlighted his ability at the plate.
"I spray the ball to all fields," Ewing said. "I think I'm a tough out. I think I grind at-bats really well and I see a lot of pitches and I make pitchers work hard."
The Mets begin a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m., ahead of their weekend Subway Series against the Yankees.
And with the Mets in disarray as they open a homestand Tuesday with the worst record in the majors, they are calling on A.J. Ewing to try to help right their season.
The move, first reported by The Athletic and confirmed by The Post’s Jon Heyman, means Ewing will make his major league debut Tuesday against the Tigers at Citi Field after just a dozen games at Triple-A.
It comes after another top prospect, Carson Benge, made the Opening Day roster and looked better at the plate recently following a poor start.
The 21-year-old Ewing figures to face a learning curve as well.
The Mets’ A.J. Ewing bats during Spring Training at Clover Field. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
He opened eyes throughout last season as well as during spring training.
He was at Low-A St. Lucie just over a year ago and sped through the minor league system to Double-A Binghamton before the season ended.
And after just 18 games at Double-A this year, Ewing was bumped to Triple-A Syracuse, where he continued to produce.
Ewing has played all three outfield positions as well as second base, although he has mostly played the outfield this season and is considered an excellent defensive outfielder.
The promotion comes with the Mets at the bottom of the National League and trying to save their season.
Ewing will be tasked with trying to spark the weakest lineup in the majors.
Asked about his goals heading into the season, Ewing said, “Dominate the level where I’m at.”
Little did anyone know that, just about two months later, the Mets would be flailing at the bottom of the standings, unable to score runs or basically do anything well.
Even without much expectation that Ewing would have an impact in Queens this season, manager Carlos Mendoza paid attention to the 5-foot-10, 2023 fourth-round pick out of Springboro High School in Springboro, Ohio.
A.J. Ewing throws during the Mets’ Feb. 19 workout at spring training. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
“He’s a baseball player,’’ Mendoza said in March. “There’s a lot of different ways he can help a team win a baseball game: whether it’s the way he plays defense, the way he runs the bases [or his] good at-bats. He puts the ball in play and drives the ball. He’s another kid. I don’t think people talk much about him. He’s a good one there.”
If nothing else, Ewing should provide some entertainment on what’s been a deathly boring team.
He swiped 70 bases across the three levels last season, and after putting up an OPS of 1.053 in 18 games with Binghamton this season, Ewing hit well at Syracuse, with an .827 OPS.
Ewing, Ryan Clifford and Nick Morabito were all considered potential additions this season.
Clifford has split time at first base and the corner outfield spots and hit with power from the left side, and Morabito — like Ewing, a speedy outfielder — has been on a hot streak at Syracuse.
But scouts warned against counting on too much, too soon from Ewing or anyone else from the minors.
“They have potential, and maybe one of them could give them something, but none of them are banging on the door to get [to the majors], and they’d be better off with more experience down there,’’ an American League scout said.
With a huge payroll and little to show for it, though, the Mets have opted for a different path and will wait for Ewing’s potential to pay off.
Mar 27, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Ryan Borucki (47) throws a pitch against the New York Yankees during the eighth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
If Ryan Borucki strikes out Shohei Ohtani at any point in this upcoming Giants-Dodgers series, I’ll email “Ryan Borucki is as cold as the Bo-Rockies” with zero explanation to the department head at the middle school I work at.
If Ryan Borucki strikes out Shohei Ohtani at any point in this upcoming Giants-Dodgers series to strand a runner, or runner(s) on base, I’ll slap a “Ryan Borucki brings the Bo-Ruckus” bumper sticker onto my 2002 Volkswagen Eurovan and ride it ‘til it rusts.
If Ryan Borucki strikes out Shohei Ohtani at any point in this upcoming Giants-Dodgers series to strand a runner, or runner(s) on base in a game the Giants win, I’ll upgrade the aforementioned “Ryan Borucki brings the Bo-Ruckus” sticker to a t-shirt that I’ll wear every time I go grocery shopping and offer an unsolicited explanation to at least one person I encounter, ending said explanation with “Basically, Ryan Borucki is one badass mutha-rucka.”
If Ryan Borucki strikes out Shohei Ohtani twice in this upcoming Giants-Dodgers series — which is the amount of times Trey Yesavage struck out Shohei Ohtani in the 2025 World Series, which is relevant because to make room on their roster for Yesavage last September, Toronto DFA’d Borucki — I’ll wear a backpack over my head at a Giants home game this summer with “Ryan Borucksack” stitched across it. Look for me.
If Ryan Borucki strikes out Shohei Ohtani three or more times in this upcoming Giants-Dodgers series, I might just have to do all four of those things, and then Lord knows what else…
And if Ryan Borucki gives up a game-altering homer to Shohei Ohtani in this upcoming Giants-Dodgers series…well, what’d ya expect?
The Los Angeles Dodgers are hoping to get a much-needed spark back in the lineup.
Mookie Betts, who has been out since April 4 with a right oblique strain, has been activated from the 10-day injured list and will start at shortstop and bat second in the order in the series opener against the San Francisco Giants on Monday, May 11, the Dodgers announced.
"I don't know if there's gonna be a jolt of energy or not," Betts told reporters in the dugout pregame. "I just know that I'm here, I wanna play and I wanna win. Hopefully that gets the guys going as far as focusing on the game and taking care of wining ball games, but we'll see. Only time will tell when it comes to that."
Rookie infielder Alex Freeland was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City in a corresponding move.
The four-time World Series champion went on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City over the weekend in which he went 2-for-5 with a walk and played 11 innings in the field over two games. Entering May 8, manager Dave Roberts told reporters that Betts could come back as early as May 11 if he came away from both rehab games feeling well.
The current plan, according to Roberts is to ease Betts back into action. There isn't much opportunity built into the schedule to get Betts rested and recovered with the Dodgers playing 10 games in the next 10 days through May 20, so expect Roberts to give him some days off over that stretch. Right now, the current plan is for Betts to play two in a row before a planned off day on May 13.
"I think he's going to want to be in there regularly, but we'll kind of see," Roberts told reporters. "But this is more just based on the front-end progression."
The Dodgers are hoping that getting Betts back into the lineup will provide some production that has been missing as their offense has stalled to a collective .204 batting average over the last five days with a .658 OPS in that span.
"I think that we certainly have enough talent to be better than we have," Roberts told reporters on Sunday. "But adding Mookie’s at-bat quality, I think, will certainly help. We just haven’t been as consistent as a group as we should be, even without Mookie. But yeah, he certainly raises the floor."
Betts himself struggled to start the season, slashing .179/.281/.429 through eight games, but had finally broken through for his first multi-hit game of 2026 with a home run and two RBI on April 3, one day before he injured his oblique on a check swing.
But in his first game back in five weeks, the Gold Glove finalist isn't worried about trying to overcompensate or do too much.
"It's gonna take us all. It is what it is," Betts told reporters. "We're gonna go through our ups and our downs but it's important for everyone to know that it's gonna take all of us, and not just one guy getting through our struggles."
"I just want to go out and help the team win, whatever it takes... I'm in a really good spot, everything's pretty normal now."
After missing the last 32 games (oblique strain), Mookie Betts speaks to the media after getting activated off the injured list for the series opener… pic.twitter.com/8kx8n46RoL
Ryan Weathers throws a pitch during his May 11 start for the Yankees.
BALTIMORE — In his first start since “[throwing] my guts up for several hours” nine days ago, Ryan Weathers took a hurl at history.
The Yankees left-hander took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning before allowing a leadoff single to Adley Rutschman Monday night at Camden Yards, dominating the Orioles while allowing only two walks and striking out nine through the first six frames.
Ryan Weathers throws a pitch during his May 11 start for the Yankees. Getty Images
Weathers last started on May 2 against these same Orioles, after which he returned home and got sick, resulting in losing nine pounds and being scratched from his scheduled start on Thursday.
After recovering, he threw a bullpen session on Friday in Milwaukee, clearing the way for him to start on Monday.
The 26-year-old, whose career-high in innings pitched before Monday was eight, entered this start with a 3.03 ERA on the year.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 10: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs goes up for the rebound during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round Two Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 10, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There’s this great trick that Francis Ford Coppolla pulls at the beginning of The Godfather, where he opts to forgo having a narrator and/or title cards to explain the story.
It’s a very purposeful move, motivated partly (I suspect) by the popularity of Mario Puzo’s novel. The original novel was quite the financial success it its own right, sitting on the bestseller list for well over a year, and selling over nine million copies in that time.
But the book features an omniscient narrator, and Coppola didn’t want that degree of separation to come between his film and his audience.
Foreknowledge can inform us, but it rarely moves us. I know this, because no matter how many times I watch the Spurs old championship games, I just cannot fully recapture the feeling.
There’s still joy, but the joy has turned nostalgic. I cannot craft anticipation from a place of perfect knowledge.
That’s what’s so thrilling about the postseason. The Spurs won at a 50-game pace for most of my life, and still, *only* came home with five titles. Only 6 championship berths.
That irregularity, that unpredictability, is where the adrenaline and the exhilaration live.
And that’s why, when Coppolla drops us right into the film, in medias res, mid-conversation with the kingpin of the title, we’re immediately locked in. It’s a perfect opening, with almost no hint of the frivolity of the occasion outside filtering though, so intimate and hushed that it almost feels like we’re eavesdropping, or part of the room.
And that is, I think, the whole point. The film encourages you, from the very beginning, to play witness to the intimacies of a crime family. The voices are warm and domestic. Even the directions and doings of the gathered mafioso are delivered with decorum and a certain air of courtliness.
It wants you to like them. It wants you to get swept up in the affection and the domesticity that’s masking the violence. It does its level best to make you a fan of the Corleones.
Why? Because fandom has a way of thwarting objectivity. I’ve always found the shortening of the word ‘fanatic’ to ‘fan’ to be fascinating.
It’s almost as if those engaged in fandom are incapable of considering that it is a form of fanaticism. As if fanaticism is something that only exists within the context of politics or religion. As if abbreviating the word will somehow change the nature of truth itself.
The truth is that last night Victor Wembanyama elbowed Naz Reid right in the face.
The truth is also that it was absolutely premeditated.
There are in fact a whole list of truths that I could rattle off, such as:
How the officials have allowed Minnesota to more-or-less play prison ball for most of the series.
How Victor was fouled multiple times right before the elbow, in a clear sight-line, with nary a call made to protect him.
How it’s easier on twitter to find stills of all the ways in which Victor has been pushed, pulled, and clawed at, than it is to find videos of him doing cool stuff with the basketball, and there are a lot of those!
How the way this series has been officiated on the side of physicality was just asking for an outburst from somebody, eventually.
How that one elbow from Wemby hardly compares to the whole pantheon of flagrant fouls that it’s currently being compared to by fans of both franchises, and NBA twitter at large.
How it was still the wrong thing to do and ultimately cost the Spurs the game.
How it might have been necessary, for Wemby to send a message about his physical boundaries, and what he is capable/willing to do to protect them past a certain point.
The elbow is an incredibly personal part of the body. We don’t think about that because of how little we see our own, but virtually all of our upper body movements hinge on the engineering marvel that is the Articulatio Cubiti.
Almost every sporting movement is dependent on it, from the very obvious varieties of throwing to even the act of running itself, when we depend on our elbows to assist in the repetition of form and balance.
Or even more intimately, in the act of feeding ourselves and cleaning ourselves (I sincerely hope that I never learn what it’s like to try to use toilet paper without the aid of an elbow), or embracing our loved ones.
All of mythology surrounding the elbow appears to function in extremes, whether it’s the indigenous legends of the Ojibwe talking about the terrifying cannibalistic “elbow witches” of the great lakes and northern plains, who murder their victims with the knives embedded in their olecranons (elbow-tips), or vodoo folklore claiming the act of rubbing elbows with another person can swap the destinies and/or energies of the individuals involved.
Or old urban legends suggesting that children can change gender by kissing their own elbow. Or The Book of Ecclesiastes claiming that “stretching your elbow at dinner” (reaching across the table) is as shameful a thing as the breaking of a vow.
Taoism even goes as far as to assign specific traits to each elbow, with the right elbow serving as a conduit to the power, action, movement, and choices of the individual, and the left to receptivity, emotions, and the receiving of love or support. I guess in that context, throwing the right elbow really was a choice.
And yet, all levity aside, I can’t really convince myself that it was a ‘good’ choice.
For fans in my age group and older, I suspect an elbow to the head is still a pretty sore spot for those of us who can vividly recall the viciously premeditated elbow that Malone delivered with such force that it knocked David Robinson unconscious for the better part of two minutes.
And while it was quickly obvious that Reid hadn’t received a blow on par with that one, it wasn’t an enjoyable flashback to the anxiety of those two minutes of April 8th, 1998, when no one knew what the overall state of the Admiral was/would be yet.
Those are not two minutes that I would wish on any fan-base.
But to that end, I think there’s something we have to acknowledge about this Spurs team, and about Victor, when it comes to the legends of the past: they’re different.
Maybe (probably) because they’re so young, these players carry themselves differently. That “we don’t care”mantra is a markedly different banner to unite under, after years of Spurs teams that (while also probably not caring), did their best to never give the opposition bulletin board material.
They talk trash, even going as far as to (per Express News scribe Jeff McDonald) tell Kevin Durant that they were doubling and tripling him not because he’s good, but because his teammates suck.
Relevant a commentary as it may have been, it takes a special level of audacity to tell a legend of the game that right to his face, in the middle of the game, within earshot of his comrades/co-workers/scapegoats.
Just how hated are these Spurs going to be? And how deserving of that hatred?
There’s a certain blindness that affects a fan. Thunder fans are incapable of seeing their team as a cadre of floppers extraordinaire. Golden State fans were largely incapable of admitting their dynasty hinged on an unprecedented MVP-level addition to a team that had won 73 games. Heat fans were unwilling to admit that the unholy alliance that benefited them forever warped the concept of competitive balance within the league, to the point of the NBA enforcing the most restrictive CBA since the dawn of free-agency.
And these are just a few examples. Fandom bewitches us all. And sometimes it implicates us too.
That’s why Coppola wanted us to feel close to the Corleones. Why Scorsese wanted us caught up in the awe emanating from Henry Hill in Goodfellas. It’s the same trick that David Chase later pulled with Tony Soprano’s therapy sessions and that Vince Gilligan pulled in drawing us into the humble beginnings of a cancer-stricken meth-lord in Breaking Bad.
Everyone is a villain in someone else’s story. That elbow earned permanent (and perhaps justifiable) hatred from someone, in the same way that I’ll probably never stop wishing ill on the Utah Jazz.
And part of that is just in the nature of being a fan — the thrill of us versus them that plays out in virtually every arena. But the contrast is becoming more and more apparent, justifiable reasons or not.
In the context of film, I’m starting to see Tim Duncan as Obi Wan Kenobi, and Victor Wembanyama as Anakin Skywalker.
Duncan, like Kenobi, almost unassumingly defeated the majority of his most impressive foes, and Wemby, like Anakin, came into the fold as the chosen one, and has suffered an emotional outburst.
Will he bring balance to the force? I can’t say that I’d include that elbow under the category of ‘ethical hoops’.
Maybe it was necessary. Maybe it’ll lead to better basketball and better officiating. Maybe players will think twice before messing with Wemby. Maybe it was a one time thing that we’ll largely have forgotten years from now.
Or maybe this Spurs team is shaping itself into a different kind of Silver and Black villain.
I think maybe I’m so deep inside it now, that I have to withdraw, because I cannot be impartial
At this point I’m just hoping that Wemby takes the high ground first. The Imperial March is actually a really beautiful piece of music if you really think about it.
Takeways
Look, I am very notably not a De’Aaron Fox hater. I think he’s taken on the Tony Parker role of blame within the context of losses and is largely undeserving, and I don’t think this loss was on him. However, I did not love that Dylan Harper, who was hotter than the Devil’s hooves, did not get more than 27 minutes, when Fox was clearly in a bit of funk and being targeted by the Wolves in Wemby’s absence. I understand that Harper is a rookie, and that Fox is just as capable of exploding for points, but I’d like to see a little more alternation when someone is pretty clearly the hot hand of the three guards.
It also didn’t help that Keldon was having one of his worst games of the postseason after two games of his very best (on the defensive end), and if that was Mitch’s reasoning for trying to keep Harper playing with the bench, I at least understand that. It wasn’t that they all played badly. Kornet and Bryant specifically did yeoman’s work. But boy was the scoring rough in the second unit, and that may have been the difference since the Wolves (wisely) went with an eight-man rotation.
It was also a rare off night for Julian Champagnie, who couldn’t seem to find his shot and fell victim to being picked on a bit on the defensive end. I think we can forgive him based on his body of work so far, but while he’s a plus defender by most metrics, when Victor is off the court he’s easier to exploit. Fond of him as I am, a lot of his positive effect in the starting unit depends on Victor’s presence. Which, I mean, is hardly a criticism considering Wemby’s effect on the whole team on both ends, but you get what I’m saying.
Also, I just have to rave about his rebounding. He’s been great at grabbing boards all season, but I expected that to take a hit against bigger teams in the postseason. In fact, that was one of my greatest concerns for this team as a whole. But Champagnie is second on the team in rebounding (Kornet is almost matching him in less minutes), which has allowed the Spurs to play small against teams like the Wolves without giving up too much on the boards. It has been pure comedy when someone like Julius Randle has been stuck trying to keep up with Julian’s off-ball movement, to the point that I firmly believe that ‘Yakey Sax’ should be playing in the background whenever it happens. Do yourself a favor and keep an eye out for it.
May 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) takes batting practice prior to the game against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
“I didn’t realize how long it takes to really heal. I felt pretty good pretty fast, actually. But some of the movements I just couldn’t do, lingered for a long time,” Betts said Monday at Dodger Stadium. “I was trying to hurry, but the docs were like, ‘It takes a month for it to just heal.’ Then you have to do all your prep to get back to playing. So you can’t really rush time.”
“Two games of rehab, taking batting practice, a day of live at-bats is not ideal, but I think with Mookie, you just don’t know,” manager Dave Roberts said. “The hope is that he can hit the ground running.”
Betts is keeping things simple.
“Things feel pretty close to the same. I remember all the drills that I did, but the more I focused on my swing, the worse it got. I think hit, take care of myself, and just play the games,” Betts said. “Whatever the game gives you is what it gives you. I’m not trying to focus on how my swing feels.”
The Dodgers plan to give Betts days off this week on Wednesday and Saturday, to ease him back into the lineup. Miguel Rojas will likely start at shortstop against Robbie Ray of the Giants on Wednesday.
“It’s more on the front end, just kind of how it’s been a while since he played. So the two-on, one-off, two-on, one-off, then after six days I think he’s going to want to be in there regularly,” Roberts said. “We’ll kind of see, but this is more about the front-end progression.”
But they will read and react depending on how Betts is feeling, and at least on Monday he says he feels pretty good.
“I’m fine. I expect I’ll just keep playing,” Betts said. “Everything is pretty normal.”
Chief selector George Bailey has kept the door ajar for veteran all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell despite their shock omission from Australia’s T20 squad.
