Jordan Spence's time in Ottawa came with humble beginnings.
After two years as a regular in the LA Kings lineup, Spence was traded at the draft to the Senators for a mere third-round draft pick.
New Kings GM Ken Holland wanted to move off Spence because, "It's just hard to play him and Brandt Clarke right now," referring to the sameness of the two players. Holland wanted a different sort of right-shot D, so he later went out and signed former Senator Cody Ceci to effectively take Spence's spot on the roster.
As Jordan Spence worked back in the fall to get into the lineup everyday, Senators GM Steve Staios spoke back then about why he acquired him.
After breaking the bad news to him and the feelings that go with that, the Kings took solace in the fact that Spence would have a better opportunity to play in Ottawa.
But a few months later, when the Senators opened their new season in Tampa Bay, Spence was a healthy scratch. Even with Tyler Kleven injured, Spence sat in the press box while Nikolas Matinpalo, Donovan Sebrango and a quick-healing Nick Jensen all suited up.
How times have changed.
By the time the season was over, Spence established himself as more than an everyday defenseman. Among Sens defensemen, he finished fourth in time on ice per game, which is the very best measurement of what your team thinks of you. He finished with a career-high 31 points, and along with being an excellent puck mover, he didn't mind finishing his checks along the boards.
One of his biggest virtues, at least on this team, was availability. While the Sens endured one injury after another on the blue line, Spence managed to dodge the injury bullet all season.
Now Spence is a restricted free agent, and the Senators find themselves considering lucrative compensation packages for Spence that they probably never would have dreamed of at the start of this season.
Naturally, a lot will depend on what Steve Staios does this summer. If he goes out and gets another top-four defenseman, ideally a physical, shutdown guy, that might knock Spence down to a bottom-six pairing, which would certainly affect what the Senators want to pay.
Spence is also two years away from unrestricted free agency.
So the Sens could sign him to a one-year deal and see if Spence can impress again, and also see what everything looks like when everyone stays healthy for a season. In particular, that's been a challenge for Thomas Chabot, who plays a similar game to Spence on the opposite side. Chabot has missed 15-30 games in four of the last five seasons.
The Sens could also buy up some of Spence's UFA years and do something longer term. He's still only 25 with just three full NHL seasons under his belt. Now he'll have a big new contract and a greater sense of belonging next season, so we're betting the best is yet to come.
With the NHL cap going bananas over the next few seasons, Spence isn't likely to re-sign for the max seven years. But barring the offseason addition of another right-shot defenseman in Ottawa, a good bet for Spence would be four years at $4.5 million AAV.
Meanwhile, back in LA, the Kings might be reconsidering Spence's value these days.
After Holland put his stamp on the team for this season, which included dealing Spence away for a third-round pick, the Kings' goal differential this season dropped 66 points, going from +44 last season to -22 this season.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 17: Brandon Nimmo #24 of the Texas Rangers catches a fly ball that was hit by Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros at the wall in the fourth inning at Daikin Park on May 17, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Season Record: 22-24
Week Record: 3-3
Series Record: 6–8, 1 split
GAME 41: 0-1 LOSS vs ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS GAME 42: 7-4 WIN vs ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS GAME 43: 6-5 WIN vs ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
GAME 44: 0-2 LOSS @ HOUSTON ASTROS GAME 45: 1-4 LOSS @ HOUSTON ASTROS GAME 46: 8-0 WIN @ HOUSTON ASTROS
Whatever Texas had on Wednesday and Sunday, they need to bottle it up, multiple it, and use it in every game going forward.
Both games proved the Rangers have it in them, but brining that out once a series, isn’t really worth anything.
Truly the win on Wednesday to end the home stand and the series, was maybe the biggest shock of the season so far. I fully expected three up three down that inning. To get their first walk off going into the 9th inning down 5-3 and scoring all three runs with two outs, that’s the determination they needed to show going into a nine game road trip against the three worst teams in MLB.
Going into Friday, Houston was the second worst team in the American League.
In Friday’s game, the Rangers got one hit.
In Saturday’s game, they stranded 13 base runners, this series was theirs to win.
Sunday had a slow start but they did a good job of stringing together hits to score runs as well as additional slugging in the form of home runs.
And what feels like the eighth time I’ve said this, maybe they can ride the momentum of Sunday’s win into the next series.
Just two weeks after being fired by the Orlando Magic, the New Orleans Pelicans have hired Mosley to be their next head coach, a story first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN and since confirmed by other sources.
This move was not a surprise, Mosley had been linked to Pelicans president Joe Dumars and the head coaching job for the Pelicans before he was let go in Orlando (Mosley had been on the hot seat all season, so his firing was expected). He beat out other favorites, including former Lakers coach Darvin Ham, Nets assistant Steve Hetzel and Bucks assistant Rajon Rondo.
Mosley takes over from James Borrego, who did a respectable job as interim head coach after Dumars fired Willie Green 12 games into the season.
Mosley lifted Orlando from a 21-win team before he took over five seasons ago to three straight 41+ win seasons and playoff appearances, and he built his team around a very good defense. However, that upward trajectory of the Magic stalled out this season: their defense fell back to average, their offense was unimaginative, and while the Magic got up 3-1 on Detroit in the first round of the playoffs, they blew that lead and were again bounced early. Mosley also clashed with Magic star Paolo Banchero, and in a star-driven NBA that rarely ends well for the coach.
Mosley takes over a roster that is expected to see changes this offseason — although not through the draft, as it traded away the rights to its first-round pick this year to Atlanta to move up and select Derik Queen at No. 13 last June (Atlanta is selecting No. 8 with that pick). Zion is under contract, although Dumars may well explore his trade market. They also have Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones, two-way wing players who drew a lot of trade interest from other teams at the deadline, but those teams would not meet the Pelicans' high asking price. New Orleans also has Queen, who had a good rookie season, and his fellow rookie Jeremiah Fears, as well as Jordan Poole and Dejonte Murray at the guard spot. Saddiq Bey also had an under-the-radar but quality season in New Orleans.
If the Pelicans can get a rim-protecting center and Mosley can improve the defense, and they get another healthy season from Zion, a path to more wins and respectability is in front of them. That said, Mosley has a lot of work in front of him.
Just two weeks after being fired by the Orlando Magic, the New Orleans Pelicans have hired Mosley to be their next head coach, a story first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN and since confirmed by the Pelicans.
“Jamahl has earned tremendous respect across the NBA for his leadership, professionalism, and the strong relationships he develops with players and staff,” said New Orleans head of basketball operations Joe Dumars. “He has consistently demonstrated an ability to develop young talent while establishing teams that compete with toughness, discipline, and togetherness. His teams reflect his coaching style through their defensive intensity, effort, preparation, and commitment to playing the right way. Those qualities reinforce the long-term stability of a winning culture.”
This move was not a surprise, Mosley had been linked to Dumars and the head coaching job for the Pelicans before he was let go in Orlando (Mosley had been on the hot seat all season, so his firing was expected). He beat out other favorites, including former Lakers coach Darvin Ham, Nets assistant Steve Hetzel and Bucks assistant Rajon Rondo.
Mosley takes over from James Borrego, who did a respectable job as interim head coach after Dumars fired Willie Green 12 games into the season.
Mosley lifted Orlando from a 21-win team before he took over five seasons ago to three straight 41+ win seasons and playoff appearances, and he built his team around a very good defense. However, that upward trajectory of the Magic stalled out this season: their defense fell back to average, their offense was unimaginative, and while the Magic got up 3-1 on Detroit in the first round of the playoffs, they blew that lead and were again bounced early. Mosley also clashed with Magic star Paolo Banchero, and in a star-driven NBA that rarely ends well for the coach.
Mosley takes over a roster that is expected to see changes this offseason — although not through the draft, as it traded away the rights to its first-round pick this year to Atlanta to move up and select Derik Queen at No. 13 last June (Atlanta is selecting No. 8 with that pick). Zion Williamson is under contract, although Dumars may well explore his trade market. They also have Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones, two-way wing players who drew a lot of trade interest from other teams at the deadline, but those teams would not meet the Pelicans' high asking price. New Orleans also has Queen, who had a good rookie season, and his fellow rookie Jeremiah Fears, as well as Jordan Poole and Dejonte Murray at the guard spot. Saddiq Bey also had an under-the-radar but quality season in New Orleans.
If the Pelicans can get a rim-protecting center and Mosley can improve the defense, and they get another healthy season from Zion, a path to more wins and respectability is in front of them. That said, Mosley has a lot of work in front of him.
The Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs open a series Monday night at Wrigley Field in the first meeting between these NL Central rivals since the Brewers won Game 5 of last October's NLDS. We like the Cubs to get revenge.
Read all about it in my Brewers vs. Cubs predictions and MLB picks for Monday, May 18, 2026.
Who will win Brewers vs Cubs today: Cubs -1.5 (+110)
His pitching run value ranks in the third percentile of baseball, with the breaking ball slightly worse than that. That’s a problem against the Cubs because it forces him to rely too much on the fastball, which is a pitch the Cubs hit as well as any team in the sport.
On the other side is Shota Imanaga. His diverse skill set, which has resulted in a chase rate in the 99th percentile, will neutralize the Brewers' bats tonight. I would play this down to -110.
COVERS INTEL: Sproat walks batters at one of the highest rates in baseball, with a BB rate in the bottom 13 percentile of the sport.
Brewers vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Under 10.5 (-105)
A very windy Wrigley Field has pushed this total up at least a full run. I get it. I still think it's a bit too much.
Imanaga has been sensational over the past month, and his 91st percentile whiff rate should grab some easy outs.
The Brewers are a disciplined lineup that chases at right around 25%, but that doesn't matter much here. Imanga generates swing-and-miss with pure stuff, which poses unique issues.
On the other hand, while I expect the Cubs to score enough to cover, it won't be enough to push this Over. I'd play to 10.
Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 18-17, +.16 units
Over/Under bets: 22-13, +11.59 units
Brewers vs Cubs odds
Moneyline: Brewers +139 | Cubs -168
Run line: Brewers +1.5 (-136) | Cubs -1.5 (+113)
Over/Under: Over 10.5 (-112) | Under 10.5 (-107)
Brewers vs Cubs trend
The Chicago Cubs have hit the Moneyline in their last 15 games at home (+15.00 Units / 66% ROI)Find more MLB betting trends for Brewers vs. Cubs.
How to watch Brewers vs Cubs and game info
Location
Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Monday, May 18, 2026
First pitch
7:40 p.m. ET
TV
Brewers.TV, Marquee
Brewers starting pitcher
Brandon Sproat (1-2, 5.75 ERA)
Cubs starting pitcher
Shota Imanaga (4-3, 2.32 ERA)
Brewers vs Cubs latest injuries
Brewers vs Cubs weather
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Less than two weeks after the Orlando Magic let him go, Mosley is heading to New Orleans. The Pelicans are hiring him as their next head coach on a five-year deal, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Monday.
League executives at last week’s combine had been whispering for days that Mosley was the reason the Pelicans kept stalling their decision. New Orleans wanted him. They just had to see if he was ready to jump back in.
Clearly, he is.
It’s the first major coaching hire for Joe Dumars, the Hall of Famer who took over the Pelicans’ front office last April after a long run in Detroit. Dumars was a legendary Pistons player and then built a championship team as an executive. He came to New Orleans to do it again.
This hiring is how Dumars begins that process.
Mosley, 47, spent five seasons in Orlando, going 189-221 with the Magic. He built them into a legitimate defensive force. They were ranked second in the NBA in defensive efficiency last season. They made three straight playoff appearances under Mosley, but also three straight first-round exits.
The last one, a blown 3-1 lead to the Detroit Pistons, cost Mosley his job.
Before Orlando, Mosley spent 15 years as an assistant with Cleveland, Denver and Dallas before getting his shot as a head coach.
He inherits a Pelicans team still looking for stability after Willie Green was fired just 12 games into last season. They finished 26-56 overall, going 24-46 under interim coach James Borrego. Zion Williamson remains the centerpiece. Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen give him young pieces to develop.
The Carolina Hurricanes have certainly had a long wait ever since their last postseason game.
The Hurricanes completed a four-game sweep over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, May 9 and since then, they've just been finding ways to fill the time.
The Canes are awaiting the winner between the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens, but that series has gone all the way to a winner-takes-all Game 7 which will take place on Monday.
The Hurricanes had a six-game wait between the first and second rounds after sweeping the Ottawa Senators and by the time they next play, they'll have been off for a modern-NHL record 11 days.
Update / confirmation: Hurricanes have the modern NHL record for longest wait for their next series. pic.twitter.com/4QO3kh32WC
While the team may not know who their opponent will be, they do at least know when they'll be playing as the Game 7 situation forced them into schedule option B.
The Hurricanes will kick off their Eastern Conference Final run on Thursday at the Lenovo Center, although puck drop has still yet to be determined.
Here is the full list of dates for the Eastern Conference Final:
Game 1: Thursday, May 21 (Lenovo Center) Game 2: Saturday, May 23 (Lenovo Center) Game 3: Monday, May 25 (Bell Centre/KeyBank Center) Game 4: Wednesday, May 27 (Bell Centre/KeyBank Center) Game 5: Friday, May 29 (Lenovo Center) Game 6: Sunday, May 31 (Bell Centre/KeyBank Center) Game 7: Tuesday, June 2 (Lenovo Center)
The games will be exclusively broadcasted by TNT (truTV, HBO MAX) in the U.S. and will be available on Sportsnet, CBC and TVAS in Canada.
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MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 10: Sandy Alcantara #22 of the Miami Marlins during the game against the Washington Nationals at loanDepot park on May 10, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Jasen Vinlove/Miami Marlins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s back to facing off against the usual suspects for the Atlanta Braves, as their 2026 train now rolls into familiar territory for the next week of baseball action. This includes four games with the Marlins in Miami and three games at home against the Nationals. This is certainly a golden chance for the Braves to continue to put some serious distance between themselves and their divisional foes but as you can imagine, these two teams aren’t going to just roll over for the Braves and get ran over.
Instead, this’ll probably be (here we go again) tricky for the Braves to navigate. The Marlins and Nationals are both going to provide a unique set of challenges that’ll be tough for the Braves to deal with but at the same time, it also helps that this Braves team has experience and knows what to expect from both Miami and Washington at this point. It’s time to take a further look into what’s in store for the Braves this week.
May 18-21: Miami Marlins
Current Record: 21-26 Projected Record (via FanGraphs): 75-87
The last time the Braves saw the Marlins was around this time last month when Miami made the trip to Cobb County. Miami actually took the first game in convincing 10-4 fashion before the Braves got it in gear and won the next two in order to clinch the series. Ever since then the Marlins have been on a bumpy road. They have series wins over the Cardinals and the Dodgers (in Dodger Stadium, no less) but ever since that run, it’s been pretty rough. They dropped three out of four against the Phillies at home and that began a 2-6 stretch that only abated once they took a series win over the Nationals. Now they’re entering this series with the Braves having dropped two straight series on the road and are essentially limping back home.
As far as their record goes, this isn’t particularly a case of a team that’s playing above or below their weight class. Their Expected W/L record and their Pythagorean W/L are an identical 22-25, which seems to suggest that this is just who the Marlins are at this point. Their pitching staff has a collective 103 ERA- with a 97 FIP-, which seem like totally middle-of-the-road numbers until you break it down by rotation and bullpen. That’s when you see that the starting pitching has actually not been great for Miami at all (118 ERA-, 104 FIP-) while the bullpen has been lights out (81 ERA-, 85 FIP-) when called upon. It’ll likely be crucial for the Braves to do their damage early because if they leave it too late, that late-game magic may be tough to conjure up against this bullpen in particular.
With that being said, it’s pretty difficult to avoid seeing the best of any given pitching staff during a four-game series and the Braves are going to have to deal with Max Meyer, Janson Junk and Sandy Alcantara, who have been Miami’s top starters so far. As far as Miami’s top three hitters go, the three guys to keep an eye on are Otto Lopez, Xavier Edwards and Liam Hicks. If the Braves can avoid getting beat by that trio while taking care of the rest of Miami’s underwhelming lineup (team wRC+ of 97) then this could be a productive four-game series for the Braves. A split is the bare minimum result, here.
Monday, May 18 at 6:40 p.m. ET (BravesVision, Gray TV) Tuesday, May 19 at 4:10 p.m. ET (BravesVision) Wednesday, May 20 at 6:40 p.m. ET (BravesVision) Thursday, May 21 at 6:40 p.m. ET (BravesVision)
May 22-24: Washington Nationals
Current Record: 23-24 Projected Record: 72-90
Well, here we are, a week before Memorial Day and the Nationals are still floating around .500. Washington is also on a bit of a NL East sojourn, themselves, as they’ll be coming to town after having hosted the Mets for four games (and the Marlins will be seeing the Mets while this series is going on, so there will be plenty of intra-NL East action this week). They’re actually having to scrape and claw for second place because the Phillies are proving that simply firing your manager apparently is the key to success and if I’m being honest, it likely won’t be long until the Nationals get left in the dust and have to fight with the Mets and Marlins for third place in the division.
That’s because not a lot has changed for the Nationals since the last time they ran into the Braves. Washington still has a top-10 offense according to team wRC+ (107) but their pitching staff is absolutely dreadful. Cade Cavalli is clearly their best starting pitcher, which is not a position you want to be in. In fact, none of their pitchers have yet to clear the 1.0 fWAR mark. For comparison’s sake, both Bryce Elder and Chris Sale have cleared that mark. Cavalli is at 0.9 fWAR and one he does clear that mark, he’ll likely be alone in that territory for a good, long while. The good news for the Braves is that they’ll likely avoid Cavalli since he’s currently slated to pitch the series finale against the Mets, so that could be good news for the Braves after dealing with Miami’s pitching staff.
Still, the Nationals have to be taken seriously because their lineup is no joke. CJ Abrams and James Wood have proved to be a fairly effective dynamic duo and Daylen Lile is also starting to establish himself as a dangerous big league hitter as well. Joey Weimer and Curtis Mead have also been very reliable for this team when called upon and then dealing with José Tena and Luis García Jr. won’t be a walk in the park either. If this goes how the first series in D.C. went then expect this to be a stressful affair where the Braves are going to have to swing the bat effectively every single night in order to come away with a series win.
Friday, May 22 at 7:15 p.m. ET (BravesVision) Saturday, May 23 at 4:10 p.m. ET (BravesVision) Sunday, May 24 at 4:10 p.m. ET (BravesVision)
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 20, 2026: Ryan Sloan #97 of the Seattle Mariners throws a pitch during the second inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Fields of Phoenix on March 20, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Tacoma Rainiers
Tacoma managed to take the series by a score of 4-2 this week, besting Houston’s lackluster affiliate in Cheney Stadium. With a healthy amount of turmoil present within the major league roster, expect several of these Rainier players to be shuttling up to Seattle sooner than later.
In case you missed the news yesterday, top prospect Colt Emerson earned his way up to the majors yesterday. Prior to his promotion, Colt was in the midst of another solid week against Sugarland, launching his sixth homer of the season down the right field line. Congrats to Colt!
Perhaps the biggest “position battle” left with some minor league implications involves two current Rainier right fielders. Both Victor Robles and Brennen Davis looked good at the plate this week, with the former delivering a walkoff knock in the series-clinching contest on Sunday afternoon. Robles (5-15, 2B, 3BB, 2SB) is currently nearing the end of his rehab stint with the Rainiers and seems likely to be joining the team relatively soon, though Davis, whose contract stipulations require him to be added to the 40 man roster in the coming weeks, may be the odd man out despite superior numbers. Davis (7-25, HR, 2 2B) has injury concerns and no big league track record to speak of, but his presence in Triple-A will certainly light a fire underneath those ahead of him on the depth chart. His performance warrants a big league promotion; how much run the Mariners want to give the veterans ahead of him will ultimately dictate his seemingly inevitable debut.
Arkansas Travelers
What a run these Travs are on! Taking five of six from their instate rivals, Arkansas took down Northwest Arkansas in convincing fashion and moved into sole possession of first place in the Texas League North. There is an unreal amount of talent up and down this roster, and should this iteration of the team be the version that makes it into postseason play, they’ll be considered heavy favorites to take home the title.
First, the bad. Michael Arroyo was pulled from Saturday’s game with an apparent lower body injury he sustained running to first base. He walked off on his own, but he wasn’t in the lineup on Sunday. Hopefully it’s simply a precautionary move, but it’s something to monitor.
A second straight very good start for Ryan Sloan. Not a lot of hard contact off him today. Final line: 4.2IP, 5H, 0R, BB, 6K, 14 whiffs, 72-47.
Ryan Sloan has looked great in his last few starts, now settled in after a rough introduction to the Double-A level. Working another 4.2 innings this week, Sloan struck out six batters and walked just one, posting a zero in the run column despite working around heavy traffic. Sloan’s advanced feel for pitching is a major reason why evaluators view him so favorably; there are plenty of young arms that have incredible stuff, but his ability to deploy it effectively puts him in rare territory for someone his age. He’s an immensely talented player who looks to be moving in the right direction.
Lazaro Montes had a stellar week at the dish, looking exactly like the fearsome slugger we’ve grown to love over the last several years. Laying claim to an 8-24 week with three homers and a double, Laz has been displaying enough plate discipline to draw a healthy number of walks while still maintaining the gaudy power he’s possessed his whole life, allowing him to flourish at the plate against good Double-A competition. The strikeouts aren’t going anywhere; his optimal approach is that of a “three true outcomer”. Making that strategy work is what’s gotten him to this point, and it’s undoubtedly what’s going to get him promoted to the big leagues. It wouldn’t be a shock to see the Cuban slugger roaming right field in Tacoma at some point this summer.
Everett AquaSox
It was a series split for the Frogs this week, unable to best the pesky Canadians despite a far superior record. The lineup was relentless this week, and though the pitching has been a bit shaky as of late, this is still a very dangerous AquaSox roster that’s primed to do damage. They’ll have to catch a truly ridiculous Eugene team (they’re 30-9, 9 games up on the Frogs), but this roster has the talent to do it.
It has been exactly one month since the last time Felnin Celesten did not get a hit. At the conclusion of that game, Celesten was slashing .167/.293/.271 and struggling mightily. In the month since, he’s become unrecognizable. Now up to a .341 average on the season, the young shortstop has slashed .449/.537/.654 in the month of his hit streak and has taken home nearly every award the Northwest League can offer him. He seems destined for Arkansas in the coming months and should have every opportunity to thrive against improved competition.
Crushed. Brandon Eike now tied for the league lead in home runs. Best sound ever. pic.twitter.com/L05jjsT2I3
For all of the flashy prospect pedigree present on this team, Brandon Eike has arguably been the best hitter in this lineup. The right-handed corner infielder has displayed tremendous pop at the plate and currently sits second in both homers and OPS in the Northwest League. He strikes out quite a bit, but that number has been steadily falling in recent weeks, and his aggressive style at the plate plays a role in inflating that number as well. Whether he gets a chance at Double-A this season or not is yet to be seen, but with his current output exceeding just about everyone at the level, it’s hard to argue he hasn’t earned it.
Inland Empire 66ers
The 66ers had their best series of the season this week, taking all but one game against the Ports in Stockton. Inland Empire has clawed their way back up to .500 and will look to build on this resounding win, ideally establishing some long-term momentum moving forward. It hasn’t been easy so far, but there’s plenty of season left to get things turned around.
Korbyn Dickerson had been in a bit of slump in recent weeks, but he looked much better at the plate this week, showing off some extra-base thump alongside a bit of his speed on the basepaths. Launching an oppo homer in Friday Night’s contest, Dickerson remains one of the more intriguing “mid-tier” prospects within this system. His tools are a true separator; whether or not he can get them to their fullest potential on the field will ultimately decide how high he’s able to ascend through the ranks of professional baseball.
Mason Peters is good. Final line: 4IP, 2H, 0R, BB, 4K, 12 whiffs, 6 groundouts, 61-37. Lowers ERA at 1.93. pic.twitter.com/l6pHQj4cjk
Mason Peters continues to dominate the California League and has looked like the best pitcher at the level thus far. The slight left hander doesn’t overwhelm with his velocity, but his capacity for spin has left opposing hitters with little chance of doing damage against him and has led to a healthy amount of whiff in the early goings. Lowering his season ERA to 1.93, Peters owns a 38.3% K% and a 6.5% BB% across his first 28 innings of professional baseball and has shown little sign of slowing down. Everett is a notoriously tough ballpark on pitchers, but considering his dominance, a midseason promotion seems more than warranted.
ACL Mariners
It was a tough week for the big names on the Baby M’s roster, but Nick Becker is starting to come alive at the plate after a funky opening week. The whiff is still very high, but he’s also walking a ton and stealing seemingly every base he’s able to. It’s hard to draw any hard conclusions about players in the ACL as the level of talent ranges incredibly widely and leads to some bizarre stat lines, but if Becker is able to dial in the whiff a bit more, expect him to take off. He’s got the tools to dominate.
The Knicks play in their second consecutive Eastern Conference Finals beginning Tuesday, when they take on a Cleveland Cavaliers team that is coming off seven-game series wins over the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons.
These two teams met, albeit under different circumstances, in the first round of the playoffs just three short years ago, and now get to reignite that rivalry with a spot in the NBA Finals on the line.
Here’s what to expect from the series and who we expect to advance...
The Cavaliers have one major question the 76ers also failed to solve against the Knicks: what do you do about Jalen Brunson? Both their starting guards are lackluster defensively, their wing options are shaky, and their bigs are better suited for the paint.
There’s a strong chance Cleveland deploys whoever out of Max Strus, Caris LeVert, or Dean Wade is on the floor on Brunson, who should be able to get to the paint with ease against these names. As far as individual matchups go, Brunson may have more pickings in this series than any of the previous ones, with almost any switch giving him a huge advantage.
Of course, he’ll need to execute and not fall too deep into the isolation hole. With how successful the motion offense and Brunson off-ball play has been, this shouldn’t be a concern.
If Cleveland decides to send extra bodies Brunson’s way, their backline defense can easily get stretched too thin between relying on their guards (who have now led their offense through two seven-gamers) and less mobile bigs to make plays three-on-four. Teams haven’t been able to employ this effectively thus far in the postseason, though Cleveland has some decent size to cause problems at least.
Speaking of wings, the Knicks have more advantages here, as OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges have been looking for their offense all postseason, and the Cavs don’t have clean matchups for them. Harden and Mitchell lack the instinct, one wing is likely on Brunson, and Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen will have to be really polished if switched on.
One measure New York will have to attack early is Cleveland putting a big on Josh Hart so they can roam the paint defensively. He’ll need to be ready to take and make threes, as well find timely cuts to punish them for this.
Karl-Anthony Towns has of course been the star of the Knicks' offense with his patience and playmaking, and will need to continue that streak against tighter passing lanes and longer arms inside. Where he and his fellow big man Mitchell Robinson can really win the series is on the glass.
May 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) controls the ball against New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during the first quarter of game one of the eastern conference semifinal round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. / Brad Penner - Imagn Images
Cleveland has been one of the worst defensive rebounding teams in the playoffs, which plagued them against New York three seasons ago. Towns and Robinson could have the chance to bully them on the offensive boards again, and we could see more double-big lineups to press upon this edge.
On the flip side, the Cavs boast a ton of raw offensive talent that will push the Knicks defense to its limits. Mitchell and Harden are each capable of turning an entire game on their own, and will be probing New York’s pick-and-roll defense for holes.
Expect the Knicks to start Hart on Mitchell, Bridges on Harden, and Anunoby on Mobley. They could also switch their bigs so Towns is on Mobley, allowing Anunoby to ghost Allen and deal with most of the pick coverage.
A key here will be not falling for Harden’s foul-baiting and forcing him into tough jumpers and floaters instead of layups and easy assists. They’re going to try and get him in empty-side situations so the Knicks have a tough time helping on the roll, don’t expect traditional drop coverage too often.
If the Cavs are getting too much leverage on their star pick-and-rolls, the Knicks have the defenders to switch everything and try and force them to win one-on-one. Expect Brunson to be a major target again in screens and set plays, especially since he’ll have to chase sharpshooters in Strus and Sam Merrill.
Mobley stepped up as a shot-maker, averaging 17 points on 55 percent shooting from the field and 36 percent from three these playoffs, including some clutch buckets against Detroit. Anunoby and Towns can’t expect an easy matchup here and will need to work to limit him.
After their first three games, the Knicks have largely moonwalked through these playoffs, while the Cavaliers have scratched and clawed their way here. Was this a sign of asymmetric preparedness, or the strength of their foes?
We’ll find out for certain in a couple weeks' time, but for now it’s hard not to be impressed with the Knicks' precision and dominance in the face of the Cavaliers' inconsistent production. While anything can happen in the playoffs, one outcome seems much more certain.
For as long as he’s had a family, LeBron James has always made it clear where they stand when it comes to life’s priorities.
As the Lakers star just wrapped up his 23rd NBA season and is contemplating retirement, he was quick to point out, “I don’t know what the future holds for me, obviously.”
If the offseason is telling us anything, LeBron James is serious about spending time with his family. Instagram/kingjames
“I’ll have a conversation with my 12-year-old daughter, that’s a big factor. And my 19-year-old son [Bryce] is entering his second year at Arizona. And my wife as well. They’re a huge factor in any decision I’ve made, so they’ll be a big part of it as well.”
If the offseason is telling us anything, James is serious about spending time with his family.
James playing along side his son Bronny James with the LA Lakers.
“Got the band back together.”
Bron, Bryce, and Bronny back home rocking the same cut
In a rare moment where James let his fans into his world, he posted a video on Instagram featuring him and his sons Bronny and Bryce relaxing at home.
“Got the band back together.”
James is coming off his record-setting 23rd NBA season where he led the Lakers to the second round of the Western Conference playoffs. In 60 games, he averaged 20.9 points. 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game — but upped those numbers in the postseason when averaged 23.2 points, 7.3 assists and 6.7 rebounds per game.
In just his second year in the league, Bronny played in 47 games, averaging 2.9 points and 1.2 assists per game, but proved that he’s capable of playing in this league and could have an expanded role next season.
Bryce is coming off his redshirt freshman season at the University of Arizona.
Teenager Bryce James is coming off his redshirt freshman season at the University of Arizona. Instagram/kingjames
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Madison Square Garden Sports (NYSE: MSGS) has filed a Form 10 Registration Statement with the SEC for the proposed spin-off of its New York Rangers business from the New York Knicks, which currently both sit under the MSGS banner. In February, the MSGS board approved a plan to explore a split to unlock shareholder value.
The confidential filing does not ensure the split is completed. “Completion of the transaction would be subject to various conditions, including effectiveness of the Form 10 Registration Statement, any required league approval, receipt of a tax opinion from counsel and Company board approval,” MSGS said in its release.
The spin-off is expected to be structured as tax-free for shareholders, but there are other tax consequences to this deal.
A new federal tax law expands a 2017 tax provision that limited the compensation public companies could deduct for tax purposes. The 2017 provision capped the deduction at $1 million each for the CEO, CFO and the next three highest-paid officers. The new law expands the number of employees to also include the next five highest-compensated ones starting with the 2027 tax year.
An independently traded Knicks team would pay its top five executives and top five players $195 million—nearly 90% of that is to players—triggering $55.4 million in taxes, per Seaport Analyst Research Partners analyst David Joyce, after excluding the $1 million per employee in maximum compensation. The Rangers would incur a post-spinoff incremental tax of $19.8 million on $76 million in salaries.
“The spin enhances the possibility of raising capital, and [it] makes minority stake sales easier, as there are two distinct teams’ business models, which makes for a clearer investment vehicle,” he wrote in an April research note.
Sportico recently spoke with multiple investors who think MSGS owner James Dolan could move beyond just an LP stake deal and sell one of the teams outright. Someone familiar with the spinoff details pushed back on the premise of a control sale of either team. Sportico most recently valued the Knicks at $9.85 billion and the Rangers at $3.65 billion.
A spokesperson for MSGS declined to comment on the possibility of a control sale of one of the teams.
MSG Sports’ plan to potentially split the teams sent shares up 16% the day it was announced in February. MSGS shares are up 79% during the past year. The stock still trades at a 29% discount to Sportico’s $13.5 billion combined valuation for the Knicks and Rangers.
On Tuesday, the Knicks kick off their Eastern Conference finals series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. A series win would likely push the Knicks’ playoff revenue to at least $140 million. The Knicks last won the NBA title in 1973, while the Rangers’ last Stanley Cup win was 1994. The Rangers missed the playoffs this season for the second straight year.
The Dodgers (29-18) and Padres (28-18) meet for a three-game series at Petco Park as both enter two of the hotter teams in the MLB. This is the first meeting of the season between the NL West opponents.
Los Angeles is on a five-game winning streak after sweeping the Angels and taking two of four against the Giants. Over the past week, the Dodgers are hitting .254 (11th), while the pitching staff ranks second in ERA (1.83) with the best OBA (.171). Yoshinobu Yamamoto takes the mound for the Dodgers tonight and Los Angeles is 5-3 in his eight starts.
San Diego is coming off a three-game sweep of Seattle and have won four of the past five games. The Padres outscored the Mariners 17-7 in the series and scored 15 combined runs in the past two games. On the mound, Michael King will start for San Diego. King is coming off two straight games of one earned run and has two or fewer in seven out of nine games, but the Padres are 4-5 in his starts.
Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Dodgers at Padres
Date: Monday, May 18, 2026
Time: 9:40 PM EST
Site: Petco Park
City: San Diego, CA
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
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Odds for the Dodgers at the Padres
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Los Angeles Dodgers (-155), San Diego Padres (+128)
Spread: Padres +1.5 (-137), Dodgers -1.5 (+114)
Total: 7.5
Probable starting pitchers for Dodgers at Padres
Monday's pitching matchup (May 18): Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. Michael King
The Padres’ Miguel Andujar is hitting .291 with 37 hits and 61 total bases over 127 at-bats
The Padres’ Jackson Merrill is hitting .206 with 35 hits and 49 strikeouts over 170 at-bats
The Dodgers’ Andy Pages is hitting .301 with 52 hits and 90 total bases over 173 at-bats
The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani is hitting .258 with 42 hits and 48 strikeouts over 163 at-bats
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Dodgers at Padres
The Padres are 20-25-1 ATS and to the Under this season
The Dodgers are 21-26 ATS and to the Under this season
The Padres are 6-4 ATS and 5-5 on the ML as a home underdog
The Dodgers are 14-8 ATS as a road favorite, ranking second-best
The Padres are 6-4 to the Over as a home underdog
The Dodgers are 11-11 as a road favorite
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Dodgers and the Padres
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Dodgers and the Giants.
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Dodgers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Dodgers at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 7.5
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JUPITER, FL - MARCH 19: Devin Fitz-Gerald #3 of the Washington Nationals bats during the game between the Washington Nationals and the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Jared Blais/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
A few days ago, MLB Pipeline updated their top 100 list, and for some reason, Devin Fitz-Gerald did not feature. They must regret that decision right now because the 20 year old Fitz-Gerald has been playing like a no doubt top 100 prospect. In his last 10 games, Fitz-Gerald has 7 home runs for the Wilmington Blue Rocks.
The craziest part is that Fitz-Gerald is not a prospect who is known as a slugger. Fitz-Gerald is known for having a highly polished hit tool as a switch hitting infielder. At 5’10 185 pounds, he does not look like a slugger, but is hitting like one. His strikeout rate is hovering around 15% and he rarely misses in the zone. Fitz-Gerald combines these skills with above average power as well.
One of my biggest risers/favorite prospects is 20 year old Devin Fitz-Gerald.
Fitz-Gerald’s home run power does not come from crazy strength or elite exit velocities. He is not like his Wilmington teammate Ethan Petry, who looks like your typical power hitter. Instead, Fitz-Gerald specializes at hitting the ball at good angles. He has mastered the art of pulling the ball in the air, which allows him to hit homers with the least amount of resistance.
His elite hit tool and ability to tap into every ounce of his raw power is why Fitz-Gerald is getting comparisons to Kevin McGonigle. That is very lofty praise, but it is something he deserves. McGonigle was one of the best pure hitters the minor leagues has seen in the last decade. We still need to see a bit more from Fitz-Gerald to throw that tag on him, but he is trending in that direction.
The numbers are absolutely insane for him. He is hitting .307 with a 1.073 OPS with 11 homers and 11 stolen bases as a 20 year old in High-A. Just as a reminder, Fitz-Gerald had only played in 10 games above rookie ball before this season. He is one of just four hitters with 10 homers and 10 steals in the minors, and the only one with a strikeout rate under 20%.
Devin Fitz-Gerald is 1 of 4 players in Minor League Baseball with at least 10 HR & 10 SB.
He's the only player on the list with a K% below 20% and he and Eric Hartman are the only two that are 20-years-old or younger.
— Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) May 16, 2026
I am not sure those stolen base numbers will translate to the big leagues, but that is not the end of the world. The one knock on Fitz-Gerald is that he is not an elite athlete with flashy physical tools. However, he makes up for that with elite baseball instincts that he learned from his father, who is the coach at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, one of the best high school baseball programs in the country.
Those instincts make me believe that Fitz-Gerald could steal 12-15 bases in the big leagues despite only having average speed. Fitz-Gerald’s polished skills are his defining trait as a player. It is why he has a chance to hit 20-25 home runs in the big leagues despite only having average raw power. While Fitz-Gerald does not have the physical tools of a Ronny Cruz, at the end of the day, the numbers do not lie.
Wilmington is usually a very difficult place for batters to hit, but not for Fitz-Gerald. He is making it look easy. Power usually suffers for hitters at Wilmington, but Fitz-Gerald hits the ball at such good angles that he can find the shorter parts of the park. He also has the ability to make a ton of contact.
Another neat thing about Fitz-Gerald is that he is a switch hitter. It seems like players who grow up with fathers that are around the game are inclined to switch hit. Both Fitz-Gerald and Eli Willits grew up around the game and are switch hitters. Fitz-Gerald has been much better from the left side of the plate this season, but he did hit a grand slam as a righty last week.
Not a typo, Devin Fitz-Gerald has homered again and this time it’s a grand slam.
— Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) May 14, 2026
He is just hitting .188 from the right side, but his OPS is still a solid .722 from that side of the plate. His numbers from the left side are totally absurd. He is hitting .343 with a 1.176 OPS as a lefty. For now, I am not too concerned with his relative struggles from the right side. He does not get as many reps as a righty, and he is still just 20 years old.
While Fitz-Gerald is a bat first prospect, he is not a bad defender either. His lack of elite athleticism or arm strength limits him, but his baseball instincts translate well to the field. He has played 15 games at second base, 9 games at shortstop and 8 games at third base. I think second base is the best fit for him, but Fitz-Gerald has the ability to play all over the infield. That versatility only adds to the Kevin McGonigle comparison.
If you do not have Devin Fitz-Gerald on your top 100 prospect list, you are just wrong. This kind of bat does not come around that often. He has a rare blend of hitting ability, power and patience. His swing is picture perfect and he is crushing baseballs in a pitcher friendly environment. For goodness sakes, he has 8 home runs since May 5th and had a run where he hit 7 in 8 games.
Devin Fitz-Gerald will be on our top 100 update. Switch hitter with such a smooth operation from both sides. Always in such great control of his timing and moves.
Entered today with a 173 wRC+. Now the third hitter in MiLB with at least 10 HR and 10 SB. pic.twitter.com/4zhr8t2EYA
With the way he is playing, Devin Fitz-Gerald is making the MacKenzie Gore trade a win just on his own. However, Fitz-Gerald was not the only exciting piece the Nats got in that deal. Gavin Fien, who was supposed to be the headlining piece, has been out for most of the season, but just returned to the lineup. He also has very exciting traits as a hitter. Fien hit his first home run as a pro the other day.
Yeremy Cabrera has also had a great start to the season. He tore up Low-A before getting promoted to Wilmington, where he is teammates with Fitz-Gerald. Abimelec Ortiz has not put up massive numbers, but his under the hood data has been quite good. Lastly, Alejandro Rosario will not pitch this season, but he did finally get his Tommy John Surgery. The last time we saw Rosario, he looked like an elite pitching prospect in 2024.
Paul Toboni has knocked that trade out of the park, and Devin Fitz-Gerald is the biggest reason why. He looks like one of the best pure hitters in the minor leagues, and was a great scouting job by the new regime. Fitz-Gerald had buzz last year, but got hurt, and only played 10 games above rookie ball. Evaluating him as a piece they needed to have was a great job. We are seeing why Paul Toboni was so high on Devin Fitz-Gerald. The sky is the limit for this kid and a promotion to Double-A feels like it is on the horizon.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 12: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after hitting a solo homerun during the third inning of a game against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on May 12, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Losses on the field mounted too, including Monday and Tuesday to the San Francisco Giants, giving the Dodgers four straight losses by at least four runs, something they hadn’t done since 90 years ago. Shohei Ohtani’s hitting slump continued, such that he was given a two-day respite at the plate. His gem on the mound started a winning streak, then his hitting helped continue it through the weekend when the Dodgers swept the Angels in Anaheim.
After getting outscored by 20 runs in their four-game skid, the Dodgers walloped the Giants and Angels 40-5 in a five-game win streak to end the week on a high note.
Batter of the week
Managing Shohei Ohtani’s workload will be a challenge this season, and this week saw him get his first actual rest day of the year. Ohtani didn’t hit when he pitched on Wednesday and didn’t hit on Thursday either. Despite being limited to five of the seven games offensively, Ohtani made his mark anyway with two doubles, a triple, and a home run, the latter snapping a string of 52 plate appearances without a long ball (directly after a 59-PA homerless skid). Ohtani this week hit .364/.462/.682 with a team-leading eight RBI.
Honorable mention goes to Teoscar Hernández, who ended a three-week drought of no extra-base hits with three doubles and a home run in his six games this week, and led the team with 11 hits.
Pitcher of the week
After a year and a half of rehab from his second Tommy John surgery followed by gradually building back up over the last few months of 2025, Shohei Ohtani has been fully unleashed on the mound from the get-go this year, with spectacular results. His latest gem was seven scoreless innings on Wednesday to beat the Giants, allowing only four singles and two walks with his eight strikeouts. That lowered Ohtani’s ERA to a major-league-best 0.82.
“He wants to be the best pitcher in baseball,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Right now, he’s doing it.”
Honorable mention goes to Roki Sasaki, who had by far his best MLB outing to date with seven strong innings to beat the Angels on Sunday. It’s the first time with the Dodgers a start lasted past six innings for Sasaki, who struck out eight and, for the first time in the majors, walked zero.
Week 8 results
5-2 record 45 runs scored (6.43 per game) 20 runs allowed (2.86 per game) .815 pythagorean win percentage
Year to date
29-18 record 248 runs scored (5.28 per game) 154 runs allowed (3.28 per game) .705 pythagorean win percentage (33-14)
Lopsided sweep: The Dodgers scored 31 runs in their weekend sweep of the Angels, while allowing just three, outscoring the Halos by 28 runs. Since moving to Los Angeles, that was their second-most lopsided run differential in a three-game sweep, behind only April 21-23 against the Reds in Cincinnati, in which the Dodgers scored 36 runs and gave up seven. Since 1958, the Dodgers have only two other three-game stretches in which they outscored an opponent by 28 runs, but they were not in the same series — July 10-16, 2021 (+30) and August 11-14, 2019 (+28).
“We have him in the organization, we’ll kind of do a deep dive on his swing to figure out of there’s some things we can unlock,” Roberts said Tuesday. “Then, if the opportunity presents itself, to get him up here.”
Sunday: For the first time as a pro Jack Dreyer is on the injured list, with left shoulder discomfort. Paul Gervase and Chayce McDermott were called up from Triple-A, and Barnes was optioned.
Sunday: With Snell and Tyler Glansnow sidelined, the Dodgers added starting depth by trading for Eric Lauer, and Brusdar Graterol was moved to the 60-day injured list after a setback in his rehab assignment.
After a pseudo-away series near enough to home over the weekend in Anaheim, the Dodgers hit the road for real this week while running the Kurt Bevacqua gauntlet, playing three games each in San Diego and Milwaukee against teams they’ve faced in the postseason once each over the last two years.
The Dodgers flipped the rotation a bit, with Shohei Ohtani bumped to Wednesday’s series finale at Petco Park, which lines him up to pitch directly before an off day (and likely two such weeks in a row). That means Emmet Sheehan on Tuesday, which will be the first start by a Dodgers pitcher on four days rest this season. The weekend rotation in Milwaukee is a guess, depending on how and when they decide to use newcomer Eric Lauer into the mix.