The Yankees have recalled right-hander Elmer Rodriguez from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the team announced on Saturday.
The move came as the corresponding move as left-hander Max Fried officially landed on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to Thursday) with a left elbow bone bruise.
This will be Rodriguez's second stint with the big league club after making two starts earlier this year. The 22-year-old allowed two runs on four hits and four walks (plus a hit batter) over 4.0 innings in his MLB debut in an April 29 loss at Texas.
A few days later, against the Rangers at Yankee Stadium, he allowed three runs on three hits and four walks (plus a hit batter) in 4.2 innings in a win on May 5. The hard-thrower, who leans on a four-seam fastball that averages 95.4 mph and a sinker that averages 95 mph to complement a 79.8 mph slider, had five strikeouts in his first taste of big league action before he was optioned as Carlos Rodon returned from the IL.
"Better than what I expected. It was always a dream of mine pitching here," Rodriguez said after his start in The Bronx. "I was excited and it was a blast... Ever since I was a little kid, I was dreaming of playing in the big and hopefully play for the Yankees, extremely blessed and thankful for the opportunity to be here and wear pinstripes."
He won’t have to wait very long for his next chance, as the righty told reporters on Saturday that he would start the series finale against the Mets on Sunday. RyanWeathers, who was in line for the start, will be pushed back to Tuesday against Toronto, with Will Warren making his start on normal rest to open the series against the Blue Jays in The Bronx.
Rodriguez made one start while back with the RailRiders on May 10, allowing one run on six hits and two walks (plus a hit batter) while striking out six over 4.2 innings. In 26 innings at Triple-A, Rodriguez has pitched to a 1.38 ERA and 1.038 WHIP with 26 strikeouts to nine walks.
Manager Aaron Boone said he is looking for the youngster to "get settled" at the big league level. "I don't think he's commanded the ball like he will," the skipper said. "But I have a lot of confidence that he's handled things well, he's handled adversity early in outings well, and kinda held his own.
"I have high expectations when he walks out there. It won't surprise me if he goes out there and pitches well."
Boone said there wasn't any thought to having Rodriguez avoid the Subway Series to pitch at home. "No, I mean, we're going home to play division rivals," he said. "We considered it both ways, but we're comfortable with him. We think he'll be fine."
Fried left Wednesday’s outing in Baltimore due to elbow soreness after allowing three runs on five hits and a walk while throwing just 61 pitches (34 strikes) across 3.0 innings of work.
Boone said MRI and CT scans were "in some ways good news" because of a lack of any ligament issues and that "long-term, feel like we're in an ok spot, so we'll just kinda listen to the body here over the next days and weeks and see what ultimately that timeline leads to."
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 10: Tomoyuki Sugano #11 of the Colorado Rockies during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on May 10, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies won 6-0. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There’s an alternate universe in which the Colorado Rockies had a very different Friday evening.
The first inning cost the Rockies the game last night. They almost escaped a tumultuous start, but instead the Arizona Diamondbacks successfully challenged the potential third out, loaded the bases, and piled six runs on Kyle Freeland to take the lead and never look back. The Rockies mustered a single run on a Hunter Goodman solo shot, but never threatened.
The Rockies will look to Tomoyuki Sugano 菅野 智之 in their effort to bounce back and even the series. Sugano enters the Saturday afternoon showdown with a 3-3 record across eight starts, with a 4.07 ERA and 1.190 WHIP. Sugano got rocked in his last start, giving up five runs on seven hits and three homers in five innings of work. He’s had some good stretches of games throughout the season and will look to return to form.
For the other side, Arizona will counter with Eduardo Rodriguez. Rodriguez hasn’t taken a loss, bringing a 4-0 record over eight starts into the game, with a 2.25 ERA and a 1.208 WHIP. Rodriguez has performed better at Chase Field than on the road, with a 1.65 ERA at home in four starts compared to a 3.05 ERA in the same number of games away.
Rodriguez has settled in as the season has gone on, giving up just one run in 8.1 innings pitched in his last start against the New York Mets, as well as a scoreless 7.0 innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates before that. Another stat in Rodriguez’s favor: Colorado is 2-7 against left handed pitchers this season.
The Rockies will try to get more out of their offense after being outhit 13-4 on Friday. The Rox left just three runners on base, but only because they couldn’t get them there in the first place. The majority of the lineup went 0-fer as the team struggled to find any rhythm at the plate. Prospect Sterlin Thompson (No. 13 PuRP) subbed in late to make his MLB debut, but couldn’t give the club a jump-start, grounding out on his first pitch faced in the majors. He’ll get his first big league start this afternoon.
The Rockies and Diamondbacks have both struggled against the NL West this year, with 3-9 and 2-4 records, respectively. The Saturday afternoon showdown represents a chance for both clubs to get right in their division matchups.
After the home team ran through the first four games of this series, the visitors picked up wins in Games 5 and 6.
I’m backing the pendulum to swing back — with the Detroit Pistons, led by a motivated Jalen Duren, to eliminate the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight.
My Cavaliers vs. Pistons predictions andNBA picks go deeper below for this win-or-go-home showdown on Sunday, May 17.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win.
Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 7 prediction today
Who will win Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 7?
Pistons: After a series-changing rally in Game 5, I picked the Cleveland Cavaliers to win Game 6 and close out the series. Instead, the home team shot 39% from the floor, committed 20 turnovers, and lost the game by 21 points.
Momentum is back on the Detroit Pistons' side after Cleveland’s monumental stumble, and the Pistons have a clear home-court advantage. Home teams are 115-40 straight up in Game 7s all-time, and with a perfect 5-0 record, the Pistons have never lost a Game 7 at home.
Cavaliers vs Pistons best bet: Jalen Duren Over 21.5 points + rebounds + assists (-115)
Who doesn’t love a good redemption story?
After getting benched for the entire fourth quarter and overtime of the Detroit Pistons narrow Game 5 loss, Jalen Duren responded with 15 points and 11 rebounds in Game 6.
The Cleveland Cavaliers' interior defense has been exploitable on the road in these playoffs, sporting the second-lowest defensive rebound percentage (63.5).
Among players with at least 30 minutes per game this postseason, Duren ranks fourth in offensive rebounds (3.7) and second in offensive rebound percentage (12.4).
COVERS INTEL:Jalen Duren has averaged 4.7 free throws at home compared to just 1.8 on the road this postseason. The Pistons are 6-2 in the postseason when he’s attempted at least four free throws.
Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 7 same-game parlay
Cade Cunningham has dished 9+ dimes in four of seven home games, and the Pistons are 3-1 in those contests.
Cunningham ranks third in potential assists (15) this postseason. His team has also shot more efficiently at home, which should lead to a bump in helpers.
The Pistons nearly won Game 5 before dominating in Game 6, and they’ve got momentum on their side. Detroit is 5-2 straight up at home this postseason with an 8.1 Net Rating, and Cleveland is just 1-5 on the road with a -8.2 Net Rating.
Cavaliers vs Pistons SGP
Jalen Duren Over 21.5 points + rebounds + assists
Cade Cunningham Over 8.5 assists
Pistons moneyline
Our "from downtown" SGP: Roll Players Role
Detroit’s role players stepped up in Games 5 and 6. The Pistons have been more efficient from downtown (37.4%) at home than on the road, and the team has piled up more rebounds and steals there.
“B-ball” Paul Reed has gone Over his number in four straight. Duncan Robinson has hit multiple triples in 10 of 12 games this postseason and all six home appearances, and Daniss Jenkins has done the same in three of his last four at Little Caesars Arena.
Ausar Thompson has racked up four blocks and steals per game this postseason, reaching 3+ nine times.
Over/Under: Over 205.5 (-110) | Under 205.5 (-110)
Cavaliers vs Pistons betting trend to know
Detroit has hit the 2H moneyline in 32 of its last 45 games (+12.22 Units / 14% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Pistons.
How to watch Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 7
Location
Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Date
Sunday, May 17, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Cavaliers vs Pistons latest injuries
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The Philadelphia Flyers were one of the NHL's biggest surprises this season. This is because they not only made it into the playoffs, but they also advanced to the second round.
While the Flyers were swept by the Carolina Hurricanes, it is clear that they are heading in the right direction, and this year was a real success. Now, the Flyers should be looking to make some upgrades to their roster this summer.
Due to this, the Flyers have urged to try to land one of the NHL's best pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) if they hit the market on July 1.
In a recent article for The Athletic, Kevin Kurz argued that the Flyers should make a push for defenseman Darren Raddysh if he does not re-sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
"The Flyers’ power play has been awful for five years running, including a last-place finish during this past regular season. Raddysh had 10 goals and 26 points on the power play this season, and would give the Flyers the big, booming shot that Rick Tocchet is seeking," Kurz wrote.
With the Flyers' power play needing help and their blueline lacking a high-impact offensive defenseman, Raddysh does stand out as an interesting potential target for the Flyers to consider. This is especially so when noting that Raddysh just had a monster year for the Bolts, posting 22 goals, 48 assists, and 70 points in 73 games.
If Raddysh could replicate his career year as a member of the Flyers, he would be a massive addition to their group. Yet, it is certainly hard to say with full certainty that he will, as he his previous career high in points was 37 during the 2024-25 season.
However, with the year that Raddysh just had, he would have the potential to give the Flyers' blueline more offense if signed. It will be interesting to see if the Flyers try to land him this summer because of it, but the Lightning are likely going to work hard to keep him in Tampa.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 20: Andre Drummond #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half against the Phoenix Suns at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 20, 2026 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. (Photo by Arwen Clemans/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’ve arrived at the final stop on our tour through the unrestricted free agent market this offseason. There are plenty of names available, still, not every positional need has to be addressed by the Phoenix Suns. You could argue the primary focus should be power forward and center if Phoenix decides to use unrestricted free agency to supplement the roster.
It’s an interesting spot the Suns find themselves in. Over the past few years, unrestricted free agency has been one of the primary ways they’ve filled out the roster. With the current emphasis on continuity and development, that approach might shift a bit this summer.
Major roster decisions are looming, and one of the biggest centers on fifth-year center Mark Williams. His restricted free agency situation could end up being one of the defining decisions of the offseason, as his qualifying offer is $9.6 million. It’s a great deal for the Suns, but it does come with repercussions in the larger picture of cap gynastics and tax implications.
If Phoenix prioritizes bringing Williams back alongside guards Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin, that money starts pushing the Suns back into luxury tax territory. More importantly, repeater tax territory. You become a repeater tax team once you’re over the tax in three out of four seasons. Even though Phoenix dipped below it this past year, when you’ve carried the highest payroll in NBA history across multiple seasons, you’re operating in dangerous financial territory regardless.
That’s the balancing act facing this front office. Do you go back into the luxury tax knowing the repeater penalties become even harsher, or do you start reshaping parts of the roster in an effort to avoid it?
As John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports recently noted, there are really three paths the Phoenix Suns can take with Mark Williams.
3 options for Mark. 1. They do like him and if they can get him on a good contract (which is what we have always said) they will have him back. 2. If his price is too high then sign and trade is an option. 3. Can just let him walk and rely more on Maluach next season. Those are… https://t.co/D1lSyALdC5
Option one: bring him back on something around that $9.6 million qualifying offer, depending on where the market settles. Option two: execute a sign and trade if another team values him higher than Phoenix does. Option three: simply let him walk.
That third option is what makes this conversation interesting.
If the Suns decide to move on from Williams, and the organizational focus shifts toward accelerating the development timeline of second-year lottery pick Khaman Maluach, there are veteran names available in unrestricted free agency that could probably be added on minimum deals to provide depth at center.
And those names are?
Player
Age
YOE
Prev Team
Prev AAV
Type
Nikola Vucevic
35.5
14
BOS
$20,000,000
UFA / Bird
Jusuf Nurkic
31.7
11
UTA
$17,500,000
UFA / Bird
Zach Collins
28.4
8
CHI
$17,410,848
UFA / Bird
Mitchell Robinson
28.1
7
NYK
$15,000,000
UFA / Bird
Robert Williams III
28.5
7
POR
$12,000,000
UFA / Bird
Moritz Wagner
29
7
ORL
$11,000,000
UFA / Bird
Andre Drummond
32.8
13
PHI
$5,000,000
UFA / Early Bird
Nick Richards
28.4
5
CHI
$5,000,000
UFA / Bird
Kevin Love
37.7
17
UTA
$4,000,000
UFA / Bird
Dwight Powell
34.8
11
DAL
$4,000,000
UFA / Bird
Bismack Biyombo
33.7
14
SAS
$3,634,153
UFA / Early Bird
DeAndre Jordan
37.8
17
NOP
$3,571,495
UFA / Non-Bird
Jaxson Hayes
25.9
6
LAL
$3,449,323
UFA / Bird
Thomas Bryant
28.8
8
CLE
$3,287,409
UFA / Non-Bird
Drew Eubanks
29.2
7
SAC
$3,080,921
UFA / Non-Bird
Jock Landale
30.5
4
ATL
$2,461,463
UFA / Non-Bird
Xavier Tillman
27.3
5
CHA
$2,392,183
UFA / Bird
Mason Plumlee
36.2
12
SAS
$939,867
UFA / Non-Bird
Tony Bradley
28.3
7
ATL
$17,706
UFA / Non-Bird
Charles Bassey
25.5
4
GSW
$14,146
UFA / Non-Bird
Again, if the Phoenix Suns bring back Mark Williams, then none of these names really matter. If Phoenix lets him walk in unrestricted free agency, or signs and trades him in an effort to recoup draft capital or another player on a cheaper contract who fills a positional need, then this list becomes more interesting. At that point, you’re looking for depth behind Khaman Maluach.
The name that jumps off the page for me is Andre Drummond. Yes, the Philadelphia 76ers hold Early Bird rights on him, still, we saw flashes this postseason of what he can still provide. He’ll be 33 when next season starts. He’s not someone I’d want starting 82 games. As a depth piece though, I’ve always found Drummond intriguing.
Another option would be Thomas Bryant, who has barely seen the floor during the postseason for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Again, strictly through the lens of depth, he’s not a terrible backup center option. Then, of course, there is always Nick Richards…
And don’t hate me for this one, I wouldn’t mind seeing Jock Landale back in Phoenix. Yes, he’s undersized for the position. If he’s your backup center, you know exactly what you’re getting. Energy. Physicality. Chaos in the best possible way. But you are also undersized, which is practically the franchise’s tagline for its puny history.
So let’s play the hypothetical out. The Suns decide they want to avoid becoming a repeater tax team next season, which leads to them moving on from Mark Williams. Looking at this list, who interests you? Is there someone you’d want as a starter? Or are you fully committed to giving Maluach the runway and simply looking for depth behind him?
That’s the 18th time this year, in 45 games (or 40 percent of games) that the Cubs have drawn at least six walks. The season high is 10, in a 7-4 win over the Phillies April 21.
If you’re thinking that’s a lot of walks, you’re right. The Cubs have 210 walks so far this year, which is the most in MLB. Only one other team (Yankees, 204) has 200 or more bases on balls.
That’s 4.67 walks per game. If the Cubs could keep up that pace all season, that would make 756 walks for the year, which would demolish the franchise record. That’s exactly 100 fewer, 656 walks taken by the Cubs in 2016. You remember something else important that happened that year, I’m sure.
In fact, that would set a National League record, currently held by the 1947 Dodgers, who had 732 walks. The MLB record is an astonishing 835, set by the Red Sox in 1949. That Red Sox team had Ted Williams in his prime, with 162 walks, and two others (Johnny Pesky and Vern Stephens) who walked 100 times.
The Cubs haven’t had anyone walk 100 times in a season since Carlos Peña had 101 in 2011. And that was just the fourth 100-walk season by any Cub since 1960 (also Gary Matthews, 103 in 1984 and Sammy Sosa, 116 in 2001 and 103 in 2002).
Ian Happ currently leads the team with 34 walks, which is tied for sixth in MLB with Aaron Judge and Bryan Reynolds. If Happ keeps up that walk pace, he’ll have 122, which would be tied for second-most in team history, with Jimmy Sheckard, who did that in 1912.
Why am I writing about this and why is it important?
Well, for one thing, I hear a lot of criticism of Happ because his batting average is relatively low. For his career, Happ has a .247 BA and right now it’s at .241, right in that range.
But his .381 OBP ranks eighth in the National League and yes, that matters, because that has helped Happ score 35 runs so far this year, and that ranks tied for fourth in the league (with Oneil Cruz). And in the end, runs are what matter most in baseball. Score more runs than the other guy on a consistent basis and you will win a lot of games, which the Cubs are doing this year, as you have likely noticed. The Cubs have scored 230 runs, which ranks third in MLB (Braves, 240 and Nationals, 239). That’s 5.11 runs per game, which extrapolated to 162 games gives a possible 828 runs scored by the 2026 Cubs. The Cubs just missed scoring 800 runs last year (793) and 828 would be their third-most since 1935 (831 in 1998 and 855 in 2008 are the others).
Other current Cubs good at drawing walks are Michael Busch (24 walks, .352 OBP), Nico Hoerner (29 walks, .340 OBP) and Seiya Suzuki (19 walks in 31 games, .382 OBP). The Cubs have six bases-loaded walks this year, including one Friday by Matt Shaw. Only two teams (Rays, Angels) have more as of today.
Sometimes I think people turn their noses up at the humble walk. The old saying “a walk’s as good as a hit” is, in general, true — it’s got pretty much the same predictive run value as a single, if you’re leading off the inning. (Yes, I am aware that walks later in innings don’t have quite the same predictive run value as hits, though they are still valuable.)
So keep up the walks, Cubs. They’re producing value, even if the batting averages don’t seem that good, and they are producing runs — lots of them.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 10: Bryce Elder #55 of the Atlanta Braves delivers to the plate against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on May 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Bryce Elder saga continues. At least it’s a happier one than in years past… though what about the MLB-best Braves isn’t, at this point?
Elder got things started on the right foot this year with an altered pitch mix and augmented slider, with three good outings in his first four tries. His collective line in that span (ERA-/FIP-/xFIP-) was 19/68/84. He then kinda-sorta regressed back to what he was before this season — not awful or anything, but this was the downside of the mechanical inconsistency that’s plagued him for two-and-a-half seasons now. In his next three outings, his line was 79/88/111, with his proverbial bacon getting saved by a low HR/FB rate. His last two starts, though, have been the positive end of being inconsistent: 38/78/76, with no HR/FB bacon-saving needed.
In those most recent two outings, Elder morphed into more of a three-true-outcomes guy; his combined strikeout and walk tally in each went into double digits, the first times that’s happened this season, and something that only happened twice last season. Elder is no longer a groundball guy, not really, as his grounder rate has dipped below league average at this point. That’s not surprising given that his four-seamer has actually jumped ahead of his sinker in usage at this point. Meanwhile, his slider’s now-exaggerated downward break has made it a more effective swing-and-miss pitch while shaving off some of the “just rolled over it” contact he used to get.
All in all, Elder’s line on the season is 44/78/92, which is certainly better than his career 101/103/100 line, but you can see that HR/FB is having a much bigger impact on his season than his improvements in and of themselves. He leads the Braves’ staff in fWAR (1.3, to Chris Sale’s 1.2). Among the 147 starters with the most innings in MLB this season, his fWAR ranks 20th, his ERA- ranks eighth, his FIP- ranks 29th, and his xFIP- ranks 50th. Quite a turnaround from his past performance in many ways.
The Atlanta attack in the midst of a brief lull, having scored just seven runs in their last three games, and things won’t necessarily get easier for them as they’ll face Payton Tolle today. (The lull is largely just an artifact of Matt Olson having three hits, all singles, and no walks in his last four games, and Ozzie Albies reaching base just five times in his past nine games, with no extra-base hits, and two of those five instances coming in the same game.) The 50th overall pick in the 2024th MLB draft, Tolle had an okay debut season marred by some terribly poor fortune (142/150/92) across three starts and four relief appearances, and then started 2026 dominating Triple-A hitters before getting the call-up. Since then, he’s dominated major league hitters too, with a 65/67/77 line in four outings. He was dominant in his season debut (11/1 K/BB ratio) but the Red Sox somehow lost the game; he then had a not-so-good outing in Toronto, bushwhacked the Tigers in Detroit, and then had an okay start against the Rays. Basically, he’s got the potential to dominate, but it’s not a fait accompli or anything.
Tolle is an odd duck pitch-wise, as he’s broadly four-seamer, sinker, cutter, curve, in that order. He throws hard (96 mph), gets basically best-in-class extension, and has enough fastball command that he hasn’t needed to sweat much else. His three fastballs (including his cutter) all vary enough in shape and velocity that his hard curve is largely an afterthought… and really, his four-seamer is scary enough that he might do okay by just throwing it and not much else. Hope the Braves bring their hitting shoes and their fastball timing to the park tonight!
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Saturday, May 16, 7:15 p.m. EDT
Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
TV: BravesVision, Gray TV
Streaming: MLB.tv — it’s a free weekend, even if you don’t subscribe (though of course you’ll need to be out-of-market to benefit)
In 2021, the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox played the MLB’s first Field of Dreams Game at the infamous movie site in Dyersville, Iowa.
This summer, the Philadelphia Phillies and Minnesota Twins will take the stage for the third rendition of the Field of Dreams Game. They won’t be the only teams playing on the renovated field, either.
On Saturday, Joe Doyle of Over-Slot Baseball reported that the MLB High School All-American Game will be played on Wednesday, Aug. 12 at the Field of Dreams.
The prestigious event has previously rotated between MLB ballparks, but with an iconic venue available, some of the nation’s top high school baseball prospects in the 2027 class will get a chance to play in an unforgettable environment.
Last summer’s game featured a slew of prospects that are projected to be taken early in the upcoming 2026 MLB Draft. Shortstop Grady Emerson, SS Jacob Lombard, left-handed pitcher Gio Rojas, LHP Carson Boleman, SS Tyler Spangler, LHP Logan Schmidt and SS Aiden Ruiz are all top-40 overall prospects — per MLB.com — that played in the game last year.
Field of Dreams Game returns this summer
The Field of Dreams Game returns as a part of the MLB’s new partnership with Netflix. The Phillies and Twins will play on Aug. 13, one day after the High School All-American Game.
“Major League Baseball is excited to return to Iowa in 2026 and to deliver a unique experience to the Twins, the Phillies, their players, our two Minor League teams, and fans across the game. We look forward to working with Netflix and creating an event that all sports fans can enjoy,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in the November press release announcing the return of the beloved event.
About the MLB All-American Game
More on the vaunted prospect showcase via MLB.com:
“Showcasing the best high school prospects in the 2026 Draft class to the professional scouting community, the 2025 MLB All-American Game served as the premier kickoff event to the summer scouting season.
The inaugural MLB All-American Game took place in 2019 at Progressive Field in Cleveland. Due to COVID-19, the 2020 event, along with all other All-Star Game events, was canceled. The event returned in 2021, hosted at Coors Field in Denver, in 2022 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, in 2023 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle and in 2024 at Petco Park in San Diego.”
Mar 30, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Kyle Leahy (62) pitches against the New York Mets during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The I-70 series continues Saturday as it’s game 2 of the St. Louis Cardinals playing host for the Kansas City Royals. Kyle Leahy (4-3, 4.31 PCL, 32 SO) will start the Saturday afternoon affair for the Cardinals while Noah Cameron (2-2, 5.55 PCL, 32 SO) will begin the game for the Royals. First pitch is scheduled for 1:15pm at Busch Stadium, but note that the team says the start will be delayed due to weather. The broadcast will be handled by Cardinals.tv. Notice that JJ Wetherholt is not in the lineup today.
UPDATE: Cardinals say expected start time is 2pm central time.
Noah Cameron has done a lot of looking for answers this year | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The Royals are now in the midst of their second losing streak of at least five games. They only have a single five-game winning streak to counter them. They could start another one of those today, but it’s hard to believe it while they’re losing.
Noah Cameron was surprisingly good for the Royals last year. While some thought there was room for him to be a worse pitcher in 2026, no one expected him to become this bad. Unfortunately, it appears he dropped his arm angle considerably in search of a better fastball shape that has wrecked his control and effectiveness with his other pitches. It’s led to Noah only making it as far as six innings once and giving up 3+ runs in each of his last five starts.
The Cardinals will send Kyle Leahy to the mound. He’s spent his entire four-year career in St. Louis, and he’s been kind of an unremarkable reliever. With the Cardinals leaning into their rebuild over the offseason, they moved him to the rotation, where he has been kind of an unremarkable starter. He throws six pitches at least 10% of the time. None of them grades poorly, but only the sweeper is remarkable. None of them are thrown in the zone particularly often, get very much chase, or generate whiffs. His season xWOBACon – a measure of how well he’s hit when batters do make contact – is also poor. In a way, it’s kind of remarkable that he’s been so unremarkable when he’s not able to do any of the things that generally make a pitcher good.
Lineups
The Royals’ lineup has done a lot of getting on base, but then not really getting guys home on this road trip. They loaded the bases with one out on two different occasions last night and only got one runner home each time. Bases-loaded situations have actually been awful for the team all year, with them slashing .220/.288/.317/.606 in such situations. During the hot stretch, they were getting hits with runners in scoring position, but those problems have reared their heads again on this trip. Hopefully, they can figure it out soon.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 15: Brandon Lowe #5 of the Pittsburgh Pirates rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at PNC Park on May 15, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are 24-21 to start the season and everyone thought the pitching would be the true calling card for the Buccos, but it has been the offense stealing the show.
The Pirates offense is averaging five runs per game so far. That would be their highest runs per game since 1936 where they averaged 5.15 runs.
The Bucs have four players who have 25 plus RBIs Oneil Cruz, Ryan O’hearn, Brandon Lowe, and Bryan Reynolds. The only other team in the league with more is the Atlanta Braves with five. As a team, the Bucs have 220 RBIs, which is third behind the Braves and the Washington Nationals.
They have a team batting average of .251, which is sixth in the league and the highest average in the NL Central. Pittsburgh has 393 hits, which is good for fourth in majors behind the Braves, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros. The Pirates are also tied for fifth in the stolen bases with 44.
The offense has been a huge surprise to start the season. There was hope with the new additions like Lowe, O’Hearn and Marcell Ozuna that the power would be better, but I don’t think anyone was expecting this.
The Pirates are only tied for 14th in the league in home runs, but they make up for it with small ball and taking advantage of runners in scoring position.
Despite the 11-9 Friday night loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, the offense still showed out. Marcell Ozuna hit a monster 438ft 2 run home run. While Brandon Lowe had another multiple home run game, hitting one in the third inning then again in the fifth inning. Lowes 12 home runs leads the team with Oneil Cruz is second with 10 home runs.
The Pirates have been really fun to watch on the offensive side so far, but if they want to keep pace with the Cubs and the brewers in the division and make the playoffs the offense needs to be consistent for the whole season.
NHL 26 has been undefeated so far in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The simulation predicted both a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Kings and a five-game defeat of the Minnesota Wild in round two for the Colorado Avalanche.
Now the Avalanche are four wins away from a berth in the Stanley Cup Final. What’s going to happen next? Let’s find out.
Game 1 — Golden Knights 5, Avalanche 2
The Vegas Golden Knights controlled Game 1 from the opening minutes and never fully let Colorado back into the matchup, riding a fast start and steady finishing touch to a 5–2 win in the Western Conference Final simulation.
William Karlsson opened the scoring at 4:52 of the first period, slipping a backhander through Scott Wedgewood’s five-hole to make it 1–0. Keegan Kolesar doubled the lead just minutes later, redirecting a Rasmus Andersson shot to push it to 2–0.
Colorado generated pressure midway through the period, with Martin Necas setting up Nathan MacKinnon for a clean look, but Carter Hart denied the attempt. Vegas kept pushing, and Noah Hanifin extended the lead to 3–0 late in the frame with a wrist shot over Wedgewood’s glove.
The Avalanche answered late in the period when Nazem Kadri finished a feed from Brett Kulak, beating Hart with a wrist shot to cut it to 3–1.
Colorado carried that momentum into the second period and closed the gap further when Gabe Landeskog spun and buried a backhand past Hart to make it 3–2.
Scott Wedgewood kept the Avalanche within reach with key saves, but Vegas regained control in the third. Tomas Hertl finished a rebound at the back door to make it 4–2, and Shea Theodore sealed the game with an empty-net goal late.
Final Stats — Game 1
Final Score: Golden Knights 5, Avalanche 2
Scoring (VGK): William Karlsson, Keegan Kolesar, Noah Hanifin, Tomas Hertl, Shea Theodore
Scoring (COL): Nazem Kadri, Gabe Landeskog
Shots on Goal: Golden Knights 33 — Avalanche 28
Goaltenders:
Scott Wedgewood (COL): 29 saves
Carter Hart (VGK): 26 saves
Multi-point players: Tomas Hertl (1G, 1A), Shea Theodore (1G, 1A)
Game 2 — Golden Knights 3, Avalanche 1
The Vegas Golden Knights stayed in full control of the series with another disciplined road win, defeating the Colorado Avalanche 3–1 behind an early strike, strong defensive structure, and a standout performance from Carter Hart to take a 2–0 series lead.
Jack Eichel opened the scoring early, finishing a Brett Howden feed on a one-timer to give Vegas a 1–0 advantage and set the tone for the night.
Colorado responded with pressure and possession, outshooting Vegas 10–6 in the first period, but Hart kept the Avalanche off the board with several key stops, including a glove save on a Josh Manson point shot, as the Golden Knights carried the lead into intermission.
The Avalanche continued to press in the second, nearly tying the game on multiple chances—most notably a rebound scramble where Devon Toews cleared Brett Howden from danger, and later a Toews rush opportunity that Hart again turned aside.
Vegas eventually doubled the lead midway through the period when Cole Smith scored through traffic after a defensive breakdown in front of Scott Wedgewood, despite Colorado continuing to control shot volume.
In the third, Colorado’s frustration grew as Josh Manson hit the post and additional chances from Valeri Nichushkin and Gabe Landeskog were denied by Hart, who stayed locked in down the stretch.
Late pressure came with Cale Makar generating a rebound look from the point, but Hart smothered the chance before Colorado could capitalize. Jack Eichel then sealed the game with an empty-net goal, with Nicolas Roy adding a late consolation marker for the Avalanche in the final seconds.
Final Stats — Game 2
Score: Golden Knights 3, Avalanche 1
VGK Goals: Jack Eichel (2), Cole Smith
COL Goal: Nicolas Roy
Shots On Goal: Avalanche 28 — Golden Knights 17
Assists (COL): Cale Makar, Ross Colton
Goaltending:
Carter Hart — 27 saves
Scott Wedgewood — 15 saves
Series: Golden Knights lead 2–0
Game 3 — Avalanche 1, Golden Knights 0
The Colorado Avalanche finally broke through in the Western Conference Final simulation, grinding out a tight defensive battle and getting just enough offense to edge the Vegas Golden Knights 1–0 in Game 3.
After nearly two scoreless periods defined by structure, saves, and limited space, the breakthrough finally arrived late in the second. With 4:03 remaining in the frame, Valeri Nichushkin and Gabe Landeskog drove hard to the net, creating chaos in front of Carter Hart. Amid the traffic, Nichushkin found a window and slipped a wrister through the five-hole to give Colorado the only goal it would need.
From there, the Avalanche leaned into a disciplined defensive effort, protecting the lead through a tense third period where space continued to shrink and every chance carried weight.
Scott Wedgewood stood tall throughout the night, turning aside Vegas pressure with 33 saves to secure the shutout bid, while Hart finished with 25 stops at the other end in a low-event, tightly controlled game.
Final Stats — Game 3
Score: Avalanche 1, Golden Knights 0
Scorer (COL): Valeri Nichushkin
Shots on Goal: Golden Knights 33 — Avalanche 26
Goaltending:
Scott Wedgewood — 33 saves (Shutout)
Carter Hart — 25 saves
Series: Golden Knights lead 2–1
Game 4 — Avalanche 3, Golden Knights 2 (3OT)
The Colorado Avalanche clawed their way back into the Western Conference Final simulation in dramatic fashion, outlasting the Vegas Golden Knights 3–2 in triple overtime to even the series at two games apiece in a marathon Game 4.
Colorado struck first at 4:08 of the opening period when Brock Nelson jumped on a Gabe Landeskog rebound and snapped it past Carter Hart to give the Avalanche an early 1–0 lead.
Vegas answered on the power play at 8:16 of the second period in a chaotic sequence. Mitch Marner created space with a slick deke through coverage, lost control of the puck in traffic, but it deflected off Valeri Nichushkin’s skate and trickled into the net to tie the game 1–1.
The Avalanche regained the lead early in the third. At 3:40, Martin Necas found Landeskog in the slot, and the captain blasted a one-timer past an outstretched Hart to make it 2–1.
Vegas responded late, tying the game with 8:36 remaining when Nic Dowd pounced on a loose puck at the doorstep and slid it under Scott Wedgewood’s pad to force overtime.
What followed turned into a war of attrition—three full overtime periods of grinding, chances, and survival on both ends.
Vegas controlled the shot volume throughout the night, but Wedgewood repeatedly kept Colorado alive, while Hart also stood tall to push the game deep into marathon territory.
Finally, the breakthrough came in triple overtime. After Nathan MacKinnon won a crucial offensive-zone draw, Sam Malinski fired a point shot that created a rebound in front. Martin Necas reacted quickest, snapping it over Hart’s glove to seal a 3–2 Avalanche victory and level the series.
Final Stats — Game 4
Score: Avalanche 3, Golden Knights 2 (3OT)
Shots on Goal: Golden Knights 60, Avalanche 42
COL Goals: Brock Nelson, Gabe Landeskog, Martin Necas (OT winner)
VGK Goals: Mitch Marner, Nic Dowd
Goaltending:
Scott Wedgewood — 58 saves
Carter Hart — 39 saves
Series: Tied 2–2
Game 5 — Avalanche 2, Golden Knights 0
The Colorado Avalanche carried their momentum from a triple-overtime classic into Game 5 and delivered a disciplined, defensive road win, shutting out the Vegas Golden Knights 2–0 to take a 3–2 series lead in the Western Conference Final simulation.
With both Scott Wedgewood and Carter Hart given the night off after the exhausting Game 4 marathon, Mackenzie Blackwood and Adin Hill stepped into the spotlight and delivered strong performances on both ends of the ice.
Colorado struck early once again, with Martin Necas opening the scoring to give the Avalanche a 1–0 lead and immediately tilt the pace in their favor.
From there, the game settled into a tight, low-scoring grind, with both goaltenders holding firm as chances came at a premium. Blackwood, however, was perfect when it mattered most, turning aside everything Vegas threw at him to keep Colorado in front.
The Avalanche finally added insurance in the closing seconds. With nine seconds remaining, Necas struck again, finishing into an empty net to seal the 2–0 victory and extend Colorado’s winning streak to three straight games.
Final Stats — Game 5
Score: Avalanche 2, Golden Knights 0
COL Goals: Martin Necas (2)
Shots on Goal: Avalanche 33 — Golden Knights 21
Goaltending:
Mackenzie Blackwood — 21 saves (Shutout)
Adin Hill — 32 saves
Series: Avalanche lead 3–2
Game 6 — Avalanche 3, Golden Knights 1
Desperation defined Game 6 from the opening puck drop, with the Vegas Golden Knights fighting to extend the series and the Colorado Avalanche trying to punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final in a tense, tightly played elimination game.
Neither side found the breakthrough through two periods, despite Colorado holding a 21–14 edge in shots on goal and controlling long stretches of possession. Both goaltenders stood firm, turning away chance after chance to keep the game scoreless heading into the third.
Vegas finally broke through at 2:26 of the final frame. Ivan Barbashev drove hard to the net, saw his initial attempt partially deflected, and stayed with the play to poke home the rebound past Mackenzie Blackwood, giving the Golden Knights a 1–0 lead.
Colorado answered quickly on the power play. Just over three minutes later, Ross Colton buried a one-timer off a Nic Roy feed, tying the game 1–1 while William Karlsson served a tripping penalty on Cale Makar.
With the game hanging in the balance late, the Avalanche struck again in familiar fashion. At 2:21 remaining in regulation, Artturi Lehkonen finished a feed from Logan O’Connor, snapping a shot from the left circle past Carter Hart to give Colorado its first lead of the night.
O’Connor then sealed the result with an empty-net goal, lifting the Avalanche to a 3–1 victory and sending them on to the Stanley Cup Final after winning four of the final five games in the series.
Final Stats — Game 6
Score: Avalanche 3, Golden Knights 1
COL Goals: Ross Colton, Artturi Lehkonen, Logan O’Connor (EN)
VGK Goal: Ivan Barbashev
Shots on Goal: Avalanche 34, Golden Knights 22
Goaltending: Mackenzie Blackwood — 21 saves
Carter Hart — 32 saves
Series Result: Avalanche win series 4–2, advance to Stanley Cup Final
What do you guys think will happen in round three? Let us know.
Mar 27, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Will Klein (61) waves during the World Series ring ceremony before the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
With the Dodgers on a three-city road trip to Anaheim, San Diego, and Milwaukee, here are a few leftover tidbits from the last homestand at Dodger Stadium.
Toast of the town
First, I spoke with reliever Will Klein, who has kept his late-season surge and World Series heroics going in the early part of the season, with a 2.45 ERA and 2.83 xERA with 19 strikeouts and four unintentional walks in 18 1/3 innings.
After last season’s championship parade, Klein was in a scrum with media on the field at Dodger Stadium. I was off to the side talking to another reporter about the right-hander, and said reporter noted Klein’s four-inning effort in Game 3 of the World Series and said he should never have to pay for a drink in this town again. Klein’s wife Carson happened to be standing near us and quipped something like, “You would think, and yet!”
That was only a week after Klein’s gem, so this week I asked him if in fact he has encountered such generosity from fans in the time since.
“It happened to me the first time ever a couple off days ago [in late April]. My wife and I were out eating dinner, after a day game before an off day,” Klein said. “I just had a glass of wine, and then I was going to the bathroom and some guy comes up and goes, ‘Hey Will,’ and that doesn’t happen often. Someone noticed who I am, that’s cool. Then we were getting the bill and they said the table over there got your drinks.”
“That’s the first time I’ve experienced that,” Klein added. “I think people overestimate their ability to spot us.”
Long road back
Another Dodgers reliever is relatively new to the squad, as Wyatt Mills was called up last Sunday, when he pitched his first major league game since 2022 while with the Kansas City Royals. Tommy John surgery wiped out his 2023 and 2024 seasons, and after signing a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox in 2025 never got called up.
He signed with the Dodgers last August and spent the rest of the season at Camelback Ranch, and was a non-roster invitee in big league camp this spring. After a 3.26 ERA and 36.4-percent strikeout rate for Triple-A Oklahoma City, the 31-year-old Mills got the call back to the majors. His wife and two-year-old daughter were living with him in Oklahoma City, so they packed up and arrived in Los Angeles as a family last Sunday.
I talked with Mills about his return to the majors.
“I’ve been up, and those crazy jitters and nerves weren’t there, like it was in ’21. It was more of like a gratitude. A long road, it’s never a guarantee that you get fully healthy after that. So it was more like a deep breath, kind of peaceful. I felt calm. I put in a lot of work, and my confidence came from that,” Mills said. “Then to get out there, remind myself that I belong here, now we can move forward, rather than sit there for, sometimes five, six, seven days and you don’t play until that specific situation comes up where they need you.”
“It’s not fun. But when you’re in the stretch of 13 in a row, when you know the game is not essentially in the balance or I feel that I’m trying to win the war, not the battle, that’s just kind of the role of certain guys,” manager Dave Roberts said last Monday. “Instead of chasing a loss, because regardless of the score, it’s still just one loss in the loss column. It’s never good to have a guy wear it, and I just want to make sure I’m taking care of their health. But as long as that’s not a compromise, that’s part of it.”
COVERS INTEL:
