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Arizona Diamondbacks News 5/19: Blowouts can be fun!

PHOENIX, AZ - MAY 18: Members of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrate a win after the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Monday, May 18, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Brendon Baranov/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Game Recaps

Diamondbacks get production from entire lineup in win over Giants by Alex Weiner [Arizona Sports]

Not to be lost on Monday was a solid performance from D-backs starter Zac Gallen, who delivered his first quality start (six-plus innings, three earned runs or fewer) since April 1. That was the game when he blanked the Detroit Tigers for six innings, outdueling Tarik Skubal.

Gallen allowed two runs in the first three innings but settled down, retiring the final seven batters he faced. He only threw 81 pitches in the blowout.

Arenado’s 1st inning slam sets the tone in D-backs 10-run win by Steve Gilbert [DBacks.com]

Everyone got into the act with each member of the starting lineup collecting at least one hit, as the Diamondbacks won for the fourth time in their last five games.

Nolan Arenado set the tone with a grand slam as the fourth batter in the first inning, and Gabriel Moreno added a two-run shot in the fifth.

Diamondbacks News

Diamondbacks’ A.J. Puk to start facing live hitters in big step toward return by Alex Weiner [Arizona Sports]

Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher A.J. Puk is scheduled to face live hitters at Salt River Fields on Tuesday, the first time he will do so since undergoing elbow surgery last summer, manager Torey Lovullo said on Monday.

Puk entered 2025 as a co-closer with Justin Martinez, and they along with starter Corbin Burnes made up the big three, so-to-speak, of key pitchers who needed season-ending elbow surgeries. Puk is ahead of Martinez (potentially August) and Burnes (July target) on their respective return timelines.

If all goes well on Tuesday, Puk could return to game action this weekend in the Arizona Complex League.

Examining five struggling D-backs: Reasons for optimism and concern by Brent Maguire [DBacks.com]

Zac Gallen, RHP

Reasons for optimism: Gallen has a 5.65 ERA in nine starts but he still has plenty of time to turn it around. The velocity and pitch movement are largely in line with his career norms and he’s still only 30, so there aren’t many physical reasons to fret too much. Even with the decline he’s shown in recent years, he’s never been this bad, and some ERA indicators (4.69 FIP, 4.51 xFIP) suggest he should be a bit better.

Reasons for concern: That aforementioned decline is hard to ignore at this point. His ERA and overall production has consistently regressed each season since his peak from 2022-23 and there are even more worrying trends this year. His strikeout rate is at a career-low 15 percent (he’s never been below 21.5 percent in a season) as is his 18.5 percent whiff rate. Until the whiffs come back, Gallen will likely continue to struggle.

D-backs, Mike Hazen Make 6-Figure Donation to Ivy Brain Tumor Center by Alex D’Agostino [SI]

Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen, in partnership with the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation and the Barrow Women’s Board, will present a sizable donation to the Ivy Brain Tumor Center and Dr. Nader Sanai during Monday night’s pre-game festivities, the team announced in a press release.

Mike Hazen, alongside his sons John and Sam Hazen, will take the opportunity to honor late wife and mother Nicole Hazen, who tragically passed away from a brain tumor in 2022. The donation will be worth $200,000, as part of Brain Tumor Awareness night at Chase Field.

Around the League

How the Hall of Pretty Good became your favorite players’ favorite account by Michael Clair [MLB]

Like a modern Mount Olympus, the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s doors open only to the greatest of the greats, those remarkable ballplayers who stood out from their big league brethren the way the Greek gods towered over us mere mortals.

But for those players who didn’t put together the numbers necessary to reach Cooperstown, they no longer need worry about being forgotten by time’s cruel march forward. Enter: The Hall of Pretty Good.

Yes, in a world where social media seems hellbent on division and discord, there is one place on the internet that is a bastion of baseball positivity. It’s a place where fans and their ballplaying heroes can unite, sharing memories together in the Hall of Pretty Good’s comment section — a space traditionally reserved for only the foulest of trolls.

Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong regrets words in heated exchange with fan by Jesse Rogers [ESPN]

The incident occurred in the fifth inning after Crow-Armstrong crashed into the wall attempting to catch a fly ball off the bat of White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas. As Crow-Armstrong sat on the ground — in front of fans seated below the bleachers and near the visitors bullpen — a woman heckled him, leading to a vulgar response from the Cubs’ third-year player.

The interaction was captured by camera phones and went viral.

“I saw the cameras in my face, it’s not like I didn’t,” Crow-Armstrong said. “I’m definitely aware of the fact that it has blown up. … I am intense on the field. In a moment like that, I think I let it get away from me a little bit.”

Everybody Who’s Anybody is Getting Loose Bodies, and Now It’s Blake Snell’s Turn by Jay Jaffe [FanGraphs]

It would be inaccurate to say that that Blake Snell saw what teammate Edwin Díaz and fellow two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal both had and decided he wanted in. Clusters of injuries, such as the wave of broken hamate bones from this spring or the more recent outbreak of loose bodies in pitchers’ elbows, are just coincidences instead of sudden fads or outbreaks. Nonetheless, like Díaz and Skubal before him, Snell will undergo surgery on Tuesday, with the expectation that he’ll return this season.

Rangers Place Corey Seager on Injury List by Darragh McDonald [MLB Trade Rumors]

The Rangers announced that shortstop Corey Seager has been placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to May 15th, due to lower back inflammation. Infielder/outfielder Michael Helman has been recalled as the corresponding move. Prior to the official announcement, president of baseball operations Chris Young revealed the Seager news on 105.3 The Fan, per Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News and Kennedi Landry of MLB.com noted that Helman was with the club in Colorado.

It’s been a rough campaign for Seager so far. He currently has a batting line of .179/.286/.353. His defensive metrics are also notably worse than last year. He last played on Wednesday, with the back issue keeping him sidelined since then. It was reported yesterday that he had undergone an MRI and would be visiting a specialist. It appears the Rangers decided that he could use a bit more time off. Due to the backdating, he could be back in a week, though it’s unclear if that’s a realistic expectation.

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Shaikin: Pitching injuries are piling up again for Dodgers. Can the starting rotation hold up?

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws to a San Diego Padres batter in the third inning of a baseball game, Monday, May 18, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Tony Ding)
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who made 30 starts last year and has not missed a start this season, is the only Dodgers starting pitcher who has taken regular turns recently. (Tony Ding / Associated Press)

Andrew Friedman got the last laugh last year, and another ring. At the trade deadline, you screamed he had to do SOMETHING BIG to get a left fielder and a closer. He did neither. The Dodgers rode a parade of starters to win Game 7 in Toronto, before they rode in a parade in L.A.

There are few things Friedman despises more than a deadline trade. The price in prospects is too high, the guarantees are too few.

Friedman might well face that same dilemma this year. We are two months from the trade deadline, and he just might need to trade for a starting pitcher by then.

Blake Snell undergoes elbow surgery Tuesday. Tyler Glasnow is back to square one in his recovery from back spasms. The Dodgers believe both will be back by the trade deadline, but you never really know for sure when an injured pitcher will return, and whether he will need some time thereafter to regain his sharpness.

Read more:Dodgers offense falls quiet in loss to Padres: 'Just couldn't get it done'

There is something else Friedman despises: finishing second. It is not just about getting into the playoffs. It is about winning the National League West, with one of the two best records in the league, thus ensuring a first-round bye.

However, in a division race that was projected to be a runaway, the Dodgers find themselves in second place. With a 1-0 loss in San Diego Monday, the Padres leapfrogged the Dodgers for the lead in the NL West.

The Dodgers also figure to have a short time frame to determine whether they might need bullpen help at the trade deadline. The Dodgers have said closer Edwin Díaz is expected to return from elbow surgery sometime after the All-Star break, which would confine that time frame to two weeks, if that.

On Monday, Friedman said he was confident that the three key pitching injuries would not push him toward the July trade market.

“It’s more that the timing of the injuries would be way easier if they were spaced out,” Friedman said in a text message. “Obviously, injuries are part of the game and we can’t be shocked when it happens.

“It’s the overlapping nature that is tough in the moment, but that doesn’t really change July thoughts (at this point) or October outlook.”

In the third week of May, nothing is urgent.

The Dodgers are supplementing where they can, picking up three pitchers cut by their former clubs. The only one with name recognition: Eric Lauer, who posted a 6.69 earned-run average for the Toronto Blue Jays and complained about the team using an opener ahead of him.

The Dodgers can mix and match for awhile, but a team that prides itself on positioning its starters best for October success finds itself in an awkward position.

With Snell and Glasnow out, the Dodgers have little choice but to ask Shohei Ohtani, Justin Wrobleski, Emmet Sheehan and Roki Sasaki to take regular turns. No one but Yoshinobu Yamamoto has done that recently.

“You have to deal with the circumstances that are presented to you,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “We’re not pushing any of these guys right now. It could be a different conversation in September.

“Right now, they’ve got to take the baseball. In May, I don’t think it’s much cause for concern.”

Before the season, Fangraphs projected the Dodgers to win the NL West by 15 games, and to finish 17 games ahead of the fourth-place Padres. However, if what we see in the NL West right now is close to what we get all summer, that “different conversation in September” could involve not how to put a starter on a glide path toward October but whether that starter has exhausted himself to the point where he could not be counted on in an unexpected pennant race.

Ohtani is on pace to pitch 149 innings, a figure he last reached in 2022. He pitched 47 last year, none the year before.

Wrobleski is on pace to pitch 171 innings, 39 more than the professional high he set last season. He pitched 117 innings last year.

Read more:Dodgers give injury updates on Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Brusdar Graterol

Sheehan is on pace to pitch 141 innings, 18 more than his professional high. He pitched 93 innings last season, none the year before.

Sasaki is on pace to pitch 137 innings, eight more than his professional high. He pitched 57 innings last season.

Maybe Lauer turns from a Dodger killer into a Dodger asset. Perhaps prospect River Ryan gets promoted into the starting rotation next month and sticks.

But July trades for starting pitchers need not be such a scary proposition. Friedman acquired Yu Darvish at the trade deadline in 2017 and Jack Flaherty at the trade deadline in 2024, and no one in Dodger Land is bemoaning the loss of Willie Calhoun, Trey Sweeney and Thayron Liranzo.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Knicks vs. Cavaliers: Scout weighs in on 2026 Eastern Conference Finals

With Game 1 of the Knicks-Cavaliers Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday night, an Eastern Conference scout shares what to watch during the series:

HARDER FOR HARDEN?

The scout notes that the Cavs will play their 15th game in 32 days on Tuesday night. 

"And you play every other day in this series. Harden is in Year 17. You have to make him work." 

The scout suggests the Knicks should try picking Harden up full court with Miles McBride or Jose Alvarado. "Pressure him, don’t make it easy."

On the other side of the floor, the Knicks will certainly use screens in an effort to force Harden to defend Jalen Brunson and others.

"That one is obvious. But the Cavs should be ready for that," the scout says. "What about transition? Push the ball up the floor, make him run or beat him down the floor. He’ll get tired."

GO TO THE MAT TO STOP KAT

The scout credits Mike Brown and the Knicks for adjusting their offense to use Karl-Anthony Townsas more of a passing hub.

"Look at how Mike used Domantas Sabonis in Sacramento. He was in Golden State for Draymond Green." The scout says Towns' role in the new offense is not a facsimile of Sabonis or Green, but there are similarities. 

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) controls the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first quarter during game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) controls the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first quarter during game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena / Kyle Ross - Imagn Images

"He gave Karl the chance to be a passer and they’ve taken off," the scout says. He also credits Brown and the Knicks for using Brunson off-ball and as a screener in the new approach. "Take him off the ball like (Steve Kerr did) with Steph Curry," the scout said. This approach obviously worked well against Atlanta and Philadelphia. The Knicks are 7-0 since they made the change on offense. But the scout notes that the Cavs have different personnel and can challenge Towns in different ways.

"I just think they can pressure him with (Evan) Mobley. It won’t be as easy for him to find (open teammates). I’m not saying they should change anything. I just think the Cavs will make it tougher because they have seen it on tape and because Mobley is better than anyone they saw in the first two series."

PREDICTION

The scout thinks the Knicks should go to the double-big lineup featuring Towns and Mitchell Robinson often in Game 1 to test the Cavs. He points out that Cleveland is not a great rebounding team and the Knicks can exploit them on the offensive glass.

But on the other side of the floor, the scout says the Cavs will make life difficult for Brunson.

"The Knicks will switch some pick and roll, and Brunson will be left in a tough spot." The scout notes Sam Merrill or Max Strus should be able to get open looks via pick and roll action that involves Brunson.

"This is going to be tough for Jalen," he says. "I know the Knicks have been defending (well), but they haven’t seen an offense like this."

The scout thinks the Knicks should start with Mikal Bridges on Harden to disrupt Harden’s passing and start with Josh Hart defending Donovan Mitchell.

"You can put OG on (Jarrett Allen) and then you can switch pick-and-rolls," the scout says. "I just think (the Cavs) have so many more weapons than the Hawks or Sixers. This is going to be much tougher for (the Knicks’ defense)," the scout predicts.

"If you want me to make a pick I’ll take Knicks in seven. Tough series, but the Knicks should be able to get through. I have to think the Cavs will slow down; they’ve played a million games. So they will be a tough out, but I’m taking the Knicks."

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A’s J.T. Ginn lost a no-hitter, and the game, in the ninth

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MAY 18: J.T. Ginn #35 of the Athletics reacts after an out at first base during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 18, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images

On Monday night, Athletics starting pitcher J.T. Ginn was cruising. He reached the bottom of the ninth against the Los Angeles Angels without allowing a hit, and had ten strikeouts to his credit as he took the bump to close out the contest.

Six pitches later he had lost the no-hitter, and the game.

Ginn was masterful through the first eight innings, allowing just two batters to reach base, one via a walk and another via a hit-by-pitch. He was also perfect through the first 4.1 innings of the game, the Angels failed to even put a runner on base. As the ninth inning began the Athletics held a slim 1-0 lead, but with Ginn on just 99 pitches and yet to allow a hit, he took the mound hoping to close out his third win of the season, and a no-hitter.

But the tide turned, and rather quickly.

Infielder Adam Frazier, the number nine hitter in the Angels’ lineup, led off the inning and laced an 0-2 pitch low and away over the shortstop’s head for a single, breaking up Ginn’s bid for a no-hitter:

That brought Zach Neto to the plate, the batter that Ginn had plunked in the sixth inning.

Neto got his revenge:

Ginn fell behind in the count 2-0, and Neto drilled a 93-mph sinker low in the zone to deep center field, giving the Angels a 2-1 win.

Had he completed the no-hitter, Ginn would have thrown the first no-no since Shota Imanaga combined with Chicago Cubs relievers Nate Pearson and Porter Hodge for a 12-0 win over Pittsburgh on Sept. 4, 2024.

Instead, he fell to 2-2 on the season with a loss.

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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes Deserves Massive Praise For Game 7 Bounce-Back

The Montreal Canadiens have made it to the Eastern Conference Final after defeating the Buffalo Sabres in Game 7. Alex Newhook scored the overtime winner for the Habs, and they will be facing off against the Carolina Hurricanes because of it.

Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes is a major reason for the Original Six club advancing to the Eastern Conference Final. This is because the 24-year-old goaltender had an excellent Game 7 for Montreal. 

Dobes stepped up in a major way against Buffalo in Game 7, as he stopped 37 out of 39 Sabres shots he faced. The Sabres may have generated more chances than the Canadiens in Game 7, but Dobes shut the door for Montreal. 

Dobes putting together a great Game 7 like this came after he struggled in Game 6. The 2020 fifth-round pick allowed six goals on 33 shots against the Sabres in Game 6 before being pulled. With this, the Canadiens needed a bounce-back game from Dobes, and he provided them with just that.

Dobes ability to bounce back after a loss has been a constant theme this post-season, and he is becoming a clutch goaltender because of it. In 14 games now this post-season, he has an 8-6 record, a 2.52 goals-against average, and a .910 save percentage. 

Dobes will now be looking to keep this kind of play up against a very good Hurricanes team. While the undefeated Hurricanes will be a tough challenge for the Canadiens, the Habs have already beaten two very good teams in the Tampa Bay Lightning and Sabres this post-season. 

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Good Morning San Diego: Michael King outduels Yoshinobu Yamamoto, leads Padres to win over Dodgers

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 18: Michael King #34 of the San Diego Padres pitches during the second inning of a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park on May 18, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Miguel Andujar hit a one out, solo homerun in the bottom of the first inning and Michael King outdueled Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto to lead the San Diego Padres to a 1-0 win at Petco Park on Sunday night. Andujar stepped to the plate with one out in the bottom of the second inning and connected on a 2-2 pitch that landed beyond the wall in left-center field to give the Padres an early 1-0 lead. There was no way to know at the time that would be the only run scored in the game.

King had his most impressive start of the season. He pitched seven innings without allowing a run. King scattered four hits, walked two and struck out nine batters. He turned the game over to the bullpen in the top of the eighth inning and Jason Adam pitched one inning, allowing one hit and one walk and Mason Miller closed out the game in the ninth inning after allowing two walks and recording one strikeout.

Rodolfo Duran, who recorded his first hit on a two-run homerun against Seattle over the weekend, did not record a hit in the win over the Dodgers. However, he did contribute on defense with successful ABS challenges and by throwing out two baserunners at second base.

The Padres will have their first chance to win the series when they take on the Dodgers today at 6:40 p.m. in Game 2 of the three-game set.

Padres News:

  • Lucas Giolito was impressive in his first start as a member of the San Diego rotation. Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ball was impressed by the performance and expects Giolito to get even better with more starts.
  • The Padres had a winning week on the road with a 4-2 record, but they did suffer their first series loss of the season, falling to the Milwaukee Brewers two games to one. Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball provides highlights from the week.
  • Gavin Sheets has been insanely hot at the plate in recent weeks and should remain a constant in the lineup until he cools off. Fernando Tatis Jr. will also remain in the lineup, despite his offensive struggles this season, but he will be moved around the order to try to find a place to get him going.

Baseball News:

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Nationals Send Brady House To Rochester As Dylan Crews Makes Return To Big Leagues

MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 8: Brady House #12 of the Washington Nationals bats during the fifth inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on May 8, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

When it was reported during last night’s game that Dylan Crews was making his way back to the big league club, most assumed the corresponding move would either be an injured list stint for Jacob Young, who wore 93 to the ribs from former Florida Gator teammate Christian Scott, or a DFA’ing of Joey Wiemer, who had performed about as could be expected of a 4th outfielder ever since his absurd start to the year, and also wore a pitch off the wrist in the late innings. As it turns out, the answer was neither, as Brady House was optioned to Triple-A Rochester postgame, and Jacob Young and Joey Wiemer both had negative X-rays and are listed as day to day.

House made improvements with his bat from 2025 to 2026, raising his wRC+ from 56 to 88 while lifting the ball more and chasing a little less, but he was also whiffing more than ever, and his defense went from above average to nearly the worst in baseball, with his 8 errors being tied for the worst in the National League with CJ Abrams. He’ll now join a Rochester lineup which features a red-hot Yohandy Morales, a rebounding Harry Ford, and latest call up Seaver King, among others.

Still just 22 years old, the move to Rochester is a chance for a mental reset and to figure out the holes in his game, much like what Dylan Crews did in the first month and a half of the year. House has the raw power to be at least an average big league hitter one day, but he won’t be able to tap into it consistently enough while he has a 1st percentile zone-contact rate. He also needs to get back to the basics on defense and find whatever worked for him in 2025, as his sluggish bat is an easier pill to swallow when he is a wall at third base.

A multitude of young Nats hitters, such as Dylan Crews and Seaver King, have benefitted from swinging much less in 2026 than ever, and a similar change for Brady House could be beneficial. A more patient approach could help House cut down his chase rate even more and even eliminate some in-zone swing and miss by having House keyhole for pitches he wants early in counts. It’s not an easy fix, as House has spent his entire professional career with a swing-happy approach, but if done right, it could help House drive the ball with authority while also taking more free passes.

For Crews, this big league stint is a massive one for him, as he hasn’t shown much in his first 2 big league seasons to suggest he’s a building block of the Nationals rebuild. His plate approach has looked much improved over the last 2 weeks at Rochester, combining high-end exit velocities with less chase and more in-zone contact, and the result has been some of the best expected numbers in the minors. Hopefully, these changes stick in his transition back to the bigs, and he can show why he was such a hyped prospect coming out of college and into the big leagues in 2024.

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The Thunder and Spurs Are Built to Battle for the Next Decade

Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs dunks the ball against Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second quarter in Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference Finals on Monday. (Joshua Gateley / Getty Images)
The Spurs and Thunder aren’t just battling for a trip to the NBA Finals; they’re launching what could become the league’s defining rivalry of the next decade.

Monday night in Oklahoma City, the two best teams in the NBA played until the building ran out of clock ... twice. Victor Wembanyama dropped 41 points and 24 rebounds. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander answered with 24 points and 12 assists, willing the defending champions to stay in it. They traded punches through regulation. Then through a first overtime. Then a second. When it was finally over, the San Antonio Spurs walked out of Paycom Center with a 122-115 win and a 1-0 series lead.

The place was stunned. The league was locked in. And that was only Game 1.

Three years ago, the Spurs were a punchline. A franchise in full rebuild mode, tanking its way to Wembanyama while the rest of the league watched and waited to see if the hype was real. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder were doing what they always do: quietly assembling pieces, drafting well, and letting Gilgeous-Alexander drag them into relevance while the big-market teams looked the other way.

Fast-forward to May 2026, and the two best teams in the NBA are staring each other down in the Western Conference Finals. SGA just won his second consecutive MVP award. Wembanyama, who publicly pleaded his case for why HE was this season's MVP and may have felt motivated after his counterpart hoist the trophy in his face ahead of Game 1, won the Defensive Player of the Year award unanimously. The conversation isn't whether this series matters; it's whether the rest of the league even has a prayer of stopping what's coming.

Because here's the thing: Monday night wasn't just a playoff game. It was the opening act.

How We Got Here

The Thunder went 64-18 this season. The Spurs went 62-20. That's the first time two 62-win teams have met in the playoffs since the 1998 NBA Finals, when Michael Jordan dropped the most famous shot in basketball history over Bryon Russell. The company this series keeps tells you everything you need to know about what we're watching.

Oklahoma City has been the alpha of the West for two years now. They won the championship in 2025, and rather than take a step back the way most repeat contenders do, they got better. SGA is operating at a different altitude these days -- he won this year's NBA MVP by 73 first-place votes over Nikola Jokić. Let that sink in for a second. In a league with Jokić, Giannis, and a 22-year-old alien in San Antonio, SGA lapped the field.

But the Spurs spent this regular season doing something nobody saw coming: They owned the Thunder. San Antonio went 4-1 against OKC in 2025-26, including a stretch in December where they beat them three times in a matter of weeks. They had the Thunder figured out before the Thunder had time to adjust. That doesn't happen to Mark Daigneault's team. It just doesn't. And yet, here we are.

Game 1 felt like a continuation of exactly that. The Spurs dominated the paint — 52 points inside to OKC's 38 — crashed the offensive glass relentlessly, and converted 15 offensive rebounds into 13 second-chance points. OKC kept punching back, and Caruso's ridiculous performance kept it close, but San Antonio had an answer every time the Thunder threatened to pull away.

The Matchups That Change Everything

The easy headline is SGA vs. Wembanyama. And yes, that matchup is everything. Two of the three best players on the planet, operating on opposite ends of what basketball can look like at its highest level. SGA is artistry and efficiency at guard. Wembanyama is a 7-foot-4 science experiment who blocks shots from angles that shouldn't be physically possible and then steps back and drains a 3 on the other end.

But the reason this rivalry has legs isn't just the two stars. It's the rosters around them.

Look at OKC. Chet Holmgren. Jalen Williams. Ajay Mitchell, who emerged as a legitimate weapon while Williams was out with a hamstring injury. Cason Wallace. Lu Dort. And then there's Alex Caruso, who on Monday reminded everyone that he can completely take over a game off the bench by scoring 31 points, 8-of-14 from deep. This team doesn't have a weak link, and they play with a level of trust and cohesion that takes years to build. They are a machine.

Now look at San Antonio. Stephon Castle and Dylan Harperare 21 and 20, respectively, and already making cases for why they should start in a playoff series. Harper, in particular, was extraordinary Monday night — 24 points, 11 rebounds, and seven steals in double overtime on the road. That's not a kid finding his footing. That's a star announcing himself. De'Aaron Fox, who sat Game 1 with right ankle soreness, is the savvy NBA veteran who steadies the whole thing. And surrounding all of them is Wembanyama, who isn't just the best player on the floor most nights; he's the reason every offensive possession looks a little different, every shot chart skews a little weird, and every defensive scheme requires a new answer.

The Spurs became the first team in NBA history to win a playoff series with three different players aged 22 or younger, each leading them in scoring at least once. Think about that. They eliminated the Timberwolves with Castle, Harper, and Wemby all having their moments, each stepping up when it mattered. That's not luck. That's something.

What the Regular Season Told Us

Oklahoma City's Achilles' heel this season, to the extent they had one, was the Spurs. San Antonio figured out how to push pace against a Thunder defense that doesn't allow it. Fox, Castle, and Harper were consistently beating OKC into the paint in transition, something essentially nobody else was doing against the best transition defense in the league. The Spurs were also limiting Wembanyama's 3-point attempts against OKC (13% of his attempts against them, versus 32% against the rest of the league), forcing the Thunder to make different calculations on every possession.

That's not an accident. That's scouting. That's a coaching staff in Mitch Johnson — himself a Coach of the Year finalist — that had a plan and executed it. The flip side is that OKC is 8-0 in these playoffs and counting. They swept the Suns. They swept the Lakers. They're not exactly bleeding right now. Oh, and they added Jalen Williams back in Game 1 to the rotation after sitting out the last six games with a hamstring injury.

That matters enormously. Williams put up 26 on Monday night and gives the Thunder another high-level shot creator and a switchable defender capable of going body-to-body with Castle, Harper, and Fox. OKC's already terrifying lineup just got more dangerous. And yet, even with Williams, even with Caruso going nuclear from three, even with SGA running the show, San Antonio still found a way to win on the road in double overtime.

How Daigneault adjusts, and whether the Spurs' defensive game plan holds up for a full series, is the central question going forward.

Why This Is Just Getting Started

Both rosters are young. Both stars are in their primes or barely approaching them. SGA is 27. Wembanyama is 22. Castle, Harper, Williams, Mitchell, Holmgren — almost all of them are under 25. There is no natural expiration date here. No aging superstar is being squeezed for one last run. This is a rivalry that will be going strong in 2030 and probably beyond.

And the front offices running these things? They may be the two best in the league.

Sam Presti has quietly assembled one of the most ridiculous collections of draft capital in NBA history. Even after spending picks to acquire Jared McCain at the trade deadline, OKC still holds first-round picks in 2026, 2028, 2029, 2030, and 2031, along with a mountain of second-rounders stretching all the way to 2032. They have the 12th and 17th picks in this year's draft alone, and who's to stop Presti from packaging them to move up rather than sit put? The guy turned a 2021 draft night into Holmgren, Jalen Williams, and Jaylin Williams. He traded up in 2023 and landed Cason Wallace, who is now the sixth man on a championship team.

Brian Wright in San Antonio has been quietly just as impressive, and his fingerprints are all over what the Spurs are building. He went out and got Fox without giving up Castle, Wembanyama, or even Devin Vassell, a trade that had the rest of the NBA rubbing its eyes. The Spurs came out of that deal still sitting on 36 future draft picks over the next seven seasons, the most of any team in the league. That's more ammunition than OKC. They have unprotected Hawks picks, swap rights with Sacramento, swap rights tied to Boston, and second-round picks coming from seemingly everywhere. San Antonio's cap situation stays manageable through 2029, even if Castle and Harper both get max extensions. Wright has built this team with room to grow, room to maneuver, and room to make a run at a player if the right deal ever presents itself.

Two small-market teams with generational stars and front offices that never stop working. That's not a recipe for one good run; that's a recipe for a decade of this.

The Western Conference hasn't had a true defining rivalry since the Warriors ran roughshod over everyone. Before that, it was the Spurs themselves putting together a dynasty that lasted two decades, with different looks and rosters but the same foundation. The league craves this. A legitimate, high-level, evenly-matched rivalry with generational talent on both sides.

The Thunder and the Spurs are delivering it right now, in real time -- one double OT instant classic at a time. Whoever wins this series will be favored to cut down the nets in June. And whoever loses will spend the summer sharpening their swords for the next one.

Because if Game 1 told us anything, this rivalry isn’t going anywhere, and the next chapter is already inevitable.

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MLB Home Run Predictions Today: Best HR Prop Bets, Picks, Parlay & Odds for Tuesday, May 19

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This week carries extra weight for me with more on the line, as these home run picks will also go head-to-head with Covers’ Jon Metler in our weekly betting challenge on the Pickoff. There are some strong spots on the board today for both home runs and MLB player props.

For this slate, I’m locking in Christian Walker to do damage in Minneapolis against Zebby Matthews and a vulnerable Twins bullpen. I’m pairing him with earlier plays on Jo Adell and Kody Clemens as part of the card.

These are my favorite MLB home run predictions for Tuesday, May 19. 

  • UPDATE: Added another HR pick + parlay.

Best MLB home run props today

Player to hit a HROdds
Angels Jo Adell+350
Twins Kody Clemens+499
Astros Christian Walker+445
💲Today's HR parlay+13343

Home run pick: Jo Adell (+350)

If you're betting home runs today, the Los Angeles Angels should be on your card.

A's lefty Jacob Lopez ranks as one of the worst starters on the board with a bottom-50 HR/FB rate and the sixth-worst xFIP among MLB starters. He has allowed multiple home runs in three straight games, right-handed hitters own eight of the 10 homers he has surrendered this year, and he’s backed by a bullpen that gives up home runs at a Bottom-7 rate.

There were a few names worth considering, but I’m landing on Jo Adell, who should hit higher in the order today against the lefty. All six of his home runs this season have come against southpaws, along with a .993 OPS.

Mike Trout(+360) and Zach Neto (+460) were two other names I looked at in a great matchup with 75-degree temperatures and winds blowing out at Angel Stadium.

  • Time: 9:38 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: ABTV, NBCS-California

Home run pick: Kody Clemens (+499)

With the absences of Byron Buxton and now Ryan Jeffers, Kody Clemens becomes the target for the Minnesota Twins in arguably the best home run matchup on the board today against Lance McCullers Jr., who I have ranked as the worst starter on the slate. He has been giving up long balls, struggling with command, and his BlastContact numbers, along with his HR/FB rate, suggest more damage is on the way.

Clemens hasn’t been putting up Buxtonian numbers, but nobody has. He does have five extra-base hits over his last five games, including a homer, and profiles as the left-handed bat to target against McCullers, who has been giving up home runs to lefties along with a .876 OPS.

The bonus is a Houston Astros bullpen that sits dead last in ERA on the season and has thrown the fourth-most innings. It could also be without two right-handed relievers in A.J. Blubaugh and Jayden Murray.

If McCullers can’t get deep, Jason Alexander and his 14.21 ERA may be forced to eat innings. Finally, 14-mph winds blowing out to center should help both sides in a game that could easily feature four-plus home runs.

  • Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: Twins.TV, Space City Home Network

Home run pick: Christian Walker (+445)

I need to stay in Minnesota and get some Houston HR shares. Zebby Matthews is a prime candidate for regression after getting promoted off shaky Triple-A numbers and then getting a bit of luck in his season debut last week.

He profiles as a home-run-prone arm in a spot with double-digit winds blowing out, and he’s backed by a bullpen that has already thrown nine innings using eight different arms over the last two days and could be without three or four key relievers today. The Twins' bullpen sits near the bottom of the league in ERA on the season.

Christian Walker already has nearly a dozen home runs on the year and is tracking toward a 30-HR season. His BlastContact metrics over the last two weeks are comparable to Yordan Alvarez, and this is the kind of price I want in a game that could give pitchers whiplash from start to finish.

  • Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: Twins.TV, Space City Home Network
Josh Inglis' 2026 Transparency Record
  • HR picks: 13-77, -9.94 units

Today’s HR parlay

Angels Jo Adell Bet Now
+13343
Twins Kody Clemens
Astros Christian Walker

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

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Alex Caruso shoves camera out of his face during tense Thunder moment in crushing Game 1 loss to Spurs

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Alex Caruso pushing a camera away from a basketball huddle, Image 2 shows Caruso shoves a camera away from the huddle during a basketball game
Alex Caruso camera

Next time Alex Caruso is on the bench, please no photos.

During a tense moment in a thrilling Game 1 that featured a career-best game from Caruso — but an even better one from Victor Wembanyama as the Spurs won 122-115 to take a 1-0 series lead in the Wester Conference finals — the veteran Thunder guard bizarrely shoved away a cameraman.

At the end of regulation with the teams tied at 101-101, Wembanyama had a chance to win the game with a layup when Chet Holmgren came flying in for a block to extend the game.

Alex Caruso shoves away the camera at the end of regulation.

As a camera person came over to the Thunder bench to capture the team as it readied for overtime, Caruso aggressively pushed the camera away.

A second hand — belonging to someone wearing something blue — also blocked the camera moments later before the shot shifted to Wembanyama.

It is unclear why Caruso reacted the way he did.

Caruso had a monster Game 1, tallying 31 points on 11-of-19 shooting, including 8-of-14 from 3-point range.

He was also tasked with guarding Wembanyama for most of the game despite being a foot shorter than the Spurs’ 7-foot-4 center.

Wembanyama put up one of the best performances in basketball history Monday night, playing 49 minutes and going 14-for-25 from the field with 41 points, 24 rebounds and three blocks.

He also drilled a 3-pointer from 30 feet at the end of the first overtime to tie the game at 108-108, just as it looked like Oklahoma City had finally put San Antonio away.

Chet Holmgren made a critical block to send the game to overtime.

“Wemby played 48 minutes, had 41 points, 24 rebounds and 3 blocks, changed 20 other shots and made a must-make 30 footer from the Curry spot, and by the end of the game the OKC fans looked like they’d just been strip-searched — anyway he’s our player of the game,” Ringer founder Bill Simmons posted on X after the shocking Game 1.

Game 2 on Wednesday will be nearly must-win for the Thunder as they attempt to slow down Wembanyama, who looked unstoppable Monday night.

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Texas baseball pledge Brody Bumila fans 14 batters in Bishop Feehan’s latest win

Bishop Feehan's Brody Bumila, a Raynham resident, tosses a pitch during a non-league game against Taunton on April 23, 2026.

The Attleboro (MA) Bishop Feehan High School baseball team is nearing the end of the regular season and has already qualified for the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) postseason behind the left arm of Texas commit Brody Bumila.

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Up against Westwood (Mass.) Xaverian Brothers on Monday night, the Shamrocks’ ace pitcher had another masterpiece before the game went to extra innings. Bumila went nearly seven innings, allowing just one mere hit and struck out 14 batters during his time on the mound. Bishop Feehan ended up winning the contest 5-4 over Xaverian Brothers in 11 innings.

About a week and a half ago, Bumila had his best game of the 2026 Massachusetts high school baseball season, pitching a complete game no hitter and struck out a program-best 20 batters in a 5-1 win over Moses Brown.

The left-handed pitcher committed to the University of Texas baseball back in October of 2024 and is widely expected to be a potential first round draft selection in this summer’s 2026 MLB Draft. Last season Bumila appeared in eight games for Bishop Feehan, batting .296 at the plate, driving in eight runs and two doubles.

There’s been several impressive performances on the mound this season by Bumila for Bishop Feehan. Back in early April in a 6-5 loss to Hopkinton, Bumila returned to the mound for two innings of work and struck out all six batters he faced on 20 pitches. Per reporters on hand for the contest, Bumila reached up to 100 miles per hour on his pitches.

Later on in mid-April, Bumila pitched four perfect innings in a 3-0 win over St. John’s. The victory is the first earned for Bumila on the season after the pitcher went four innings, allowed no hits, runs or walks, striking out nine on 54 pitches, with 35 going for strikes.

Bishop Feehan improved to 14-8 on the season and has two remaining regular season games left versus Attleboro and Taunton, respectively.

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Box Grades: San Antonio strikes first in dramatic OT win

May 18, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) blocks a shot by Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) in double overtime during game one of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

WOW. What an incredible way to start this series, and what a statement game from Wemby. Furthermore, even though this game was close, it was actually characterized by some HUGE box score differentials for each team. In other words, this wasn’t a game in which the Spurs collected the win by registering lots of tiny margins; rather, San Antonio won because their big box scores wins slightly outshined OKC’s. Let’s dig into the details:

Note: Now that we’ve moved into the postseason, the reference period used for grading changes from the set of regular season games since 2012-2013 to the set of postseason games since 2012-2013. Unless otherwise noted below, this set DOES include play-in games. As of the end of May 18, 2026, this group include 1,191 games.

Factors that decided the game

  • The battle for offensive opportunity in this game was characterized by big rebounding and turnover differentials. On the one hand, the Spurs enjoyed excellent DRB and ORB margins of +15 and +6, respectively. However, OKC had eight fewer turnovers, which played a big role in mitigating the advantage in offensive opportunity that San Antonio might otherwise have gained.
  • The Thunder actually outscored the Spurs from the field; both teams made exactly 41 shots, but OKC logged four more made threes, resulting in a point differential from the field of -4 for San Antonio.
  • Ultimately, the free throw line played a massive role in this game. The Thunder committed seven more fouls than San Antonio, which gave the Spurs an excellent FTA margin of +10. Furthermore, the Spurs were a fantastic 27-of-29 in their attempts, and consequently outscored OKC by 11 from the charity stripe.

Rare Box Score Stats

  • As you can imagine, Wemby’s stat line from last night doesn’t grow on trees. Let’s go over some of the most notable elements:
    • First of of all, since the 1996-1997 postseason, no other player has recorded 41+ points and 24+ rebounds in a true playoff game.
    • Over the same period, Victor’s performance last night was the just the 11th time that a player logged 24+ rebounds in a game, and only the third time that a player has done so with 15+ defensive rebounds and 9+ offensive boards.
    • Finally, only one other player has recorded 40+ points, 20+ rebounds, and 3+ blocks in a true playoff game since the 1996-1997 postseason. That player is Shaquille O’Neal, and he did it three times.
  • Now let’s turn to the team box score. For all stats below, the reference period is all postseason games since the start of the 2012-2013 postseason (1,191 games in total):
    • San Antonio logged just the second team performance by a winner or loser that included 27+ made free throws on no more than 29 attempts. Interestingly, the only other time during this period was a 99-111 Dallas loss to Houston on April 21, 2015.
    • Steals and blocks were a dime a dozen in this game. In fact, only 7 other games during the period have included at least 40 stocks (steals + blocks).
    • On the theme of stocks, there have been only five other contests during the period in which a winner had 18+ stocks and a negative stock differential.
    • Only 21 other winners have logged FGM and 3PM differentials no better than +0 and -4, respectively.
    • This is just the 33rd time that a winning team has recorded a TRB margin of +21, and just the 7th time that a winner combined such a good TRB margin with a FGA differential of -5 or worse.
    • Only 12 other winners have had 23+ turnovers.
    • This contest marked the 47th time that a winner has had at least eight more turnovers than its opponent, and just the second time that a winner has had such a bad TOV margin when their opponent had at least 15 turnovers.
    • Somewhat frustratingly, the Spurs have now logged 8+ more turnovers than their opponent THREE times during this playoff run; however, they have won each of those games, so maybe this just works for them!

What are Team Graded Box Scores?

Very briefly, these box scores grade winner-loser differentials for basic box score statistics, with the grade being based on the winning team’s differential relative to other NBA winners during a defined reference period. Think of it like a report card for understanding how a given winner performed relative to other winners. The reference period used runs from the start of the 2012-2013 season to the latest date of play, including only games in the same season category (i.e., regular season and playoff games are not compared to each other).

Data Source: The underlying data used to create these box scores was collected from Basketball Reference. In all cases, the data are collected the morning after the game is played. Although rare, postgame statistical revisions after data collection do occur and may affect the results after the fact.

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Thoughts on a 7-6 Rangers loss

DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 18: Ezequiel Duran #20 of the Texas Rangers hits a 2 RBI single against the Colorado Rockies during the eighth inning at Coors Field on May 18, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Rockies 7, Rangers 6

  • Sometimes, you gotta mix it up a little, just to keep people on their toes.
  • Take the Rangers, for example.
  • The Rangers have gotten us used to close losses where the Ranger pitchers do their job, but the offense lets them down.
  • You do that often enough, though, and it becomes rote. Routine. Unremarkable.
  • So sometimes, you want to have a game where the offense does good things, but the Rangers still lose by one due to lousy pitching, with some crappy defense mixed in.
  • And thus we have this display.
  • Texas was down 6-1 after four, with MacKenzie Gore allowing two runs in the first (and being lucky it was only two), then being replaced by Peyton Gray for the second due to left lat tightness.
  • It was like 40 degrees in Denver and rainy, so if you’ve got a pitch with tightness or whatever, get him out of the game. It just would’ve been nice if Gore hadn’t been bad in his limited amount of work.
  • Gray ended up allowing four runs in his 2.2 innings, with two of those being directly attributable to the defense, with an Ezequiel Duran throwing error and a Josh Jung booted ball leading to two unearned runs.
  • Gavin Collyer ended up allowing the final Rockies run in the sixth, which made it what was then a 7-3 game. That run, as it turned out, was kind of important.
  • If Corey Seager is going to be on the injured list, its at least helpful for Justin Foscue to hit like Seager.
  • In what we could have called the Justin Foscue Game, had the Rangers pulled off the comeback, the forgotten 2020 first rounder went 3 for 3, drew a walk, and was a triple shy of a cycle.
  • Ezequiel Duran, who is technically filling in for Seager at shortstop, while Foscue fills in for Duran at second, where Duran has been filling in for Josh Smith, also had three hits. The two combined for six of the ten hits the Rangers had on the day.
  • A big, come-from-behind win was in the Rangers’ grasp on Monday. With three runs already in in the inning, Texas had runners on second and third with two outs, but Kyle Higashioka fouled out to end the inning. Jake Burger singled to bring the go-ahead run to the plate in the ninth, but Danny Jansen popped out to end the inning.
  • I think I’d rather have the hope of a comeback falling short, rather than never come back at all.
  • Others may differ.
  • Sometimes I will wake up in the morning after a Rangers loss, pull up B-R, look at the standings, and think to myself, hey, the Rangers’ record is a little better than I was thinking it was.
  • And then I will realize that B-R just hasn’t updated the standings page yet.
  • The Rangers are three games under .500, though they are still just a game back in the American League West, because the American League West is ass.
  • The Athletics of Sacramento are still in first place, and still just a game up on the Rangers, because they also lost on Monday.
  • Their loss was in a fashion that would be horrific if it happened to us, but which we can laugh at because it happened to a rival.
  • The A’s, playing at Anaheim, went into the 9th with the score tied 0-0, and with J.T. Ginn throwing a no-hitter. The A’s scored a run in the top of the ninth, finally giving them the lead, and Ginn, at 99 pitches, was going to get the chance to close it out.
  • Adam Frazier led off the bottom of the ninth with a single, busting up the no-hitter.
  • Zach Neto then hit a walk off homer.
  • Game over, Athletics.
  • Like I said, the American League West is ass.
  • MacKenzie Gore topped out at 95 mph with his fastball, averaging 94.1 mph, which is 1.3 mph below his average for the season. Peyton Gray’s fastball touched 92.3 mph. Jalen Beeks hit 93.2 mph with his fastball. Gavin Collyer’s sinker maxed out at 96.6 mph. Cole Winn’s fastball hit 95.9 mph. Jakob Junis reached 94.3 mph with his sinker.
  • Justin Foscue had a 105.3 mph double, a 103.9 mph home run, and a 102.5 mph double. Ezequiel Duran has a 102.1 mph single. Josh Jung had a 100.7 mph double and a 100.3 mph ground out.
  • Its bounceback time, baby. Rangers gonna win on Tuesday.
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Best NRFI Bets Today: No Run First Inning Predictions for MLB May 19

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The Baltimore Orioles visit the Tampa Bay Rays again tonight, and that matchup will headline my favorite MLB picks today for the "no run first inning" and "yes run first inning" markets.

Here are my best NRFI and YRFI picks for Tuesday, May 19. 

Best NRFI/YRFI bets today

PickOdds
Orioles/Rays - NRFI-122
Guardians/Tigers - NRFI-122
Brewers/Cubs - NRFI-127

Orioles at Rays: NRFI (-122)

The Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays continue a three-game set tonight after a massive 16-6 blowout for the Rays on Monday. While Tampa has scored in the first inning in two straight contests, they're up against Kyle Bradish here, who owns a perfect 9-0 NRFI/YRFI record this year. His 4.60 ERA doesn't jump off the page, but Bradish seldom gets into trouble in the opening frame. 

As for the Rays, they send Griffin Jax to the mound. He has a respectable 3.91 ERA, and the right-hander hasn't given up a single run in the first inning across four 2026 outings. The Orioles have also come across the plate in the first just eight times in 48 games. 

  • Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: MASN, Rays.TV

Guardians at Tigers: NRFI (-122)

It's a solid pitching matchup on the mound tonight when the Cleveland Guardians take on the Detroit Tigers. Parker Messick has compiled a 2.35 ERA, and he has a perfect 9-0 NRFI/YRFI record.Keider Montero, meanwhile, sports a 3.65 ERA, and he hasn't surrendered a run in the opening inning of any of his eight starts. 

The Guards have been held scoreless in the first inning in three of their last four contests, while Detroit has also failed to score a run in the first inning in three of their last four. The Tigers are also hitting just .217 against left-handed pitchers. 

  • Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: Detroit SportsNet, Guardians.TV

Brewers at Cubs: NRFI (-127)

The Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs meet tonight, and it's another intriguing encounter on the hill. Jacob Misiorowski has been lights out with a 2.12 ERA, and he's tossed four straight scoreless first innings. The righty has also only allowed a run in the opening frame twice this season.

As for the Cubbies, they hand the ball to Ben Brown, who has looked impressive since stepping into the rotation, keeping opponents at bay in the first inning in both of his starts.

The Brew Crew is hitting just .214 in the first inning, and they've failed to score in three straight first innings. The Cubbies have been held scoreless in 39 of their 48 games this season, and they're also batting a pedestrian .219 in the first. 

  • Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: Marquee Sports Network, Brewers.TV
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
  • NRFI/YRFI picks: 8-15, -1.90 units

What is a NRFI bet?

NRFI (No Run First Inning) and YRFI (Yes Run First Inning) bets add a thrilling twist to the start of an MLB game. A NRFI bet is a wager that no runs will be scored in the first inning. You're betting that the starting pitchers for both teams will get through the first inning without allowing any runs, whether by striking out batters, inducing ground balls, or through solid defensive play.

A YRFI bet is the exact opposite. You're betting that at least one run will be scored in the first inning. In this case, you’re hoping for an early offensive burst such as a leadoff walk, a timely hit, or even a home run.

NRFI and YRFI bets add excitement to the early part of a game and offer immediate gratification for bettors looking for a quick resolution.

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

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The Sixers have their issues, but the 2025-26 group was resilient

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 10: Joel Embiid #21, Dalen Terry #14 and Trendon Watford #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers talk during the fourth quarter in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena on May 10, 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 Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Undoing the goodwill of a 3-1 series comeback to beat your biggest rival in a playoff series for the first time in nearly 45 years is hard to do, yet it feels like the Sixers did so in the span of a week.

Getting thoroughly trounced in the second round by the New York Knicks — setting a record for most 30+ point losses in a playoff run in the process — made the fanbase lose the “house money” mentality they were treating the postseason with during the Boston series.

The result of this season was just another in what’s become a long line of second-round exits, but the 2025-26 Sixers showed more fight, heart and camaraderie than any team of the Joel Embiid era. To some extent, their efforts should be celebrated.

With ownership feeling the need for a front office change after the season, it just shows how hard this group had to fight to accomplish what they did. They had to deal with Embiid again being available for less than half the games, a Paul George suspension just as they were gaining momentum, and a front office that not only ignored the team’s plea to improve at the trade deadline, but shipped off a popular young player in the locker room for no player in return.

Through it all, the Sixers were able to win 45 games, make the playoffs and beat a team that won over 50 games in a series for the first time in Embiid’s career.

Every step of the way, the players would cite the resiliency of the group — a cliche that gets thrown around a lot, but not a quality many Embiid-led Sixers teams have had after years of constant roster turnover. Ironically, it was during the disastrous 24-win season where it felt like that element was there for the Sixers. It just took an extra year and retaining 11 players from that team for it to translate to wins.

“You know what’s funny? Our chemistry off the court last year wasn’t bad, like we like each other,” Tyrese Maxey said after a win in January. “I think the biggest thing is we’re healthy. I think we got to the space where it doesn’t matter who’s on the court.”

That chemistry made a noticeable difference in what they were able to accomplish. They became the first group in franchise history to come back from a 3-1 deficit in a playoff series. While they were doing so, guys like Maxey made sure to shoutout the guys who weren’t getting playing time in that series, but were being a great support system on the bench.

When he went on the radio to discuss his report that Daryl Morey and Nick Nurse’s jobs may be in jeopardy, Tony Jones of the Athletic said, “… if you knew some of the stuff they went through internally, I honestly thought it was amazing they won 45 games. This wasn’t a smooth year, but I also think it definitely shows how much this group likes each other.”

The conclusive defeat to New York showed how far this current Sixers roster is from truly competing for a title. Now that the offseason is here, there’s plenty of time to debate the best way to try to get back to that, but it’s important to remember no one had expectations in that ballpark before the start of the season. No one, this blog included, knew what to make of their preseason over/under win total.

At the beginning of the year, any fan would have signed up for a season that both netted a record over .500 and Embiid feeling like he has his left knee situation figured out. They would have been over the moon at the prospect of a VJ Edgecombe rookie season so promising he started every game he appeared in and was a major contributor in wins — and one that culminated in a 23-point performance in Game 7 against the Celtics.

The existential threats of Embiid and George’s contracts make it harder to get excited about a Maxey-Edgecombe led future. The fact that those two guards aren’t exactly on the same timeline makes it tricky as well. The next president of basketball operations the team brings in will have their work cut out for them, but this year’s team showed how much easier it is to watch a team that both fights and cares.