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Golden Knights ‘Know How To Do It,’ Continue to Set Standard For Winning

RALEIGH, N.C.— With the Stanley Cup Final beginning in just over 24 hours, Raleigh, North Carolina, has become the temporary hockey mecca of the world. On Monday, hundreds of journalists, broadcasters, and other media members flocked to the Lenovo Center for the annual pre-Final media availability day.

For the players, this probably all seems like one big distraction that they’re contractually obligated to attend. But this is the third time in the past nine years that the Vegas Golden Knights have been a part of this dance, and they aren’t fazed.

“Well, most of our team is used to it,” said Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella. “A lot of our team has traveled this road and found a way to win. We know what today is. We’ve talked about it, and we’ve baked it in as far as how we handle it. This is no problem for us at all.”

It’s true– most of the team is used to it. Of the 20 players the Golden Knights made available to the media, 11 have played in a Stanley Cup Final. Nine won the Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights in 2023.

From the top to the bottom of the roster, the Golden Knights are winners. This isn’t groundbreaking news– variations of this phrase have been said thousands of times over the last nine years. 

Because of their nature, the Golden Knights have also earned the reputation of being a team in perpetual ‘win-now’ mode. They’ve demonstrated a willingness to mortgage their future for a chance to win in the present, trading countless picks and prospects for players who will aid them in their quest to capture another Stanley Cup.

“The way that our organization was founded as an expansion team, one of the most important things we did was put together our pro scouting staff,” said McCrimmon. “Our amateur staff, who have drafted a lot of good players— and sometimes we trade those players, right?— have enabled us to be able to make some deals where we include players that we’ve drafted previously… That’s been the nature of our staff. We’ve had very close to the same staff in place since day one. We’ve got some great people in our organization, and that’s how we've built our teams.”

Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella is a firm believer in the importance of having the right mindset. He’s repeatedly stated that mental toughness is crucial to winning the most important games, and right now, his team has that in spades.

“They know how to do it,” said head coach John Tortorella. “They have experience. This organization, since its inception, the amount of playoff hockey they’ve played, and the amount of people that are in that room from 2023… They know how to do it. 


“I think X’s and O’s are very important in today’s game,” Tortorella continued. “But nothing is more important than a mindset, a mental toughness, and a will that you need in certain situations and in the playoffs. Our guys get it, and I think that’s the major piece of foundation that we have in the organization.”

Over the last decade, no team has enjoyed success more consistently than the Golden Knights. Since their inception in 2017, they lead the league in both postseason wins (74) and games played (122).

“It’s exhilarating to win,” said general manager Kelly McCrimmon. “We’re super proud to be back in the finals for the third time in our nine-year existence. It’s a privilege, and we don’t take it for granted. 
We work real hard; you have to get lucky along the way at times also. That’s been our objective right from the opening season.”

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Game Thread: New Month, New Rays?

BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 26: Griffin Jax #22 of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 26, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Go Rays!

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Royals vs Reds, Game 60 Gamethread

KANSAS CITY, MO - MAY 26: Luinder Avila #58 of the Kansas City Royals during an MLB game between the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals on May 26, 2026 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The 22-37 Royals last won a game on Sunday, May 24th, against the Seattle Mariners. I attended that game and left when the score was 8-3 Royals. They tried to lose the game but failed. Since then, the Royals have been very successful at losing, as they suffered consecutive sweeps at the hands of the Yankees and Rangers.

Tonight, the Royals roll into Cincinnati riding a six-game losing streak to take on the 30-28 Reds. Despite the winning record, the Reds are in last place in the NL Central. Max has you covered on the series preview.

The Reds will start someone named Lyon Richardson, who is not a starting pitcher and has not started an MLB game since 2023. He walks a lot of guys and does not strike out many – his career K% and BB% are pretty close. Seems as though it will be a bullpen game from the Reds.

In addition, the Reds will not have star Elly De La Cruz due to a hamstring strain. The Reds have a ton of pitchers on the IL, especially in the bullpen. If there was ever a time to break a bad losing streak, tonight is it.

Salvador Perez gets a game off and Jac Caglianone will hit cleanup. 3-4 are both lefties…we will see how that pans out today. Luinder Avila will get the start.

The starts at 6:10pm US Central time and is in Cincinnati. You can watch on Royals.TV or listen on 96.5 The Fan/Royals Radio Network.

Lineups:

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GameThread: Detroit Tigers vs. Tampa Bay Rays, 6:40 p.m.

May 29, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Detroit Tigers center fielder Matt Vierling (8) celebrates with shortstop Zack Short (15) after scoring against the Chicago White Soxduring the tenth inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

Detroit Tigers (22-38) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (36-20)

Time/Place: 6:40 p.m., Tropicana Field
SB Nation Site: DRaysBay
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Pitching Matchup: RHP Ty Madden (0-0, 2.38 ERA) vs. RHP Griffin Jax (1-3, 3.60 ERA)

PlayerGIPK%BB%GB%FIPfWAR
Madden311.127.94.755.22.620.2
Jax1730.021.111.750.64.500.0

Lineups

TIGERSRAYS
Kevin McGonigle – SSYandy Diaz – DH
Dillon Dingler – CJonathan Aranda – 1B
Kerry Carpenter – LFRichie Palacios – 2B
Riley Greene – DHJunior Caminero – 3B
Spencer Torkelson – 1BChandler Simpson – LF
Colt Keith – 3BVictor Mesa – RF
Wenceel Perez – CFCedric Mullins – CF
Hao-Yu Lee – 2BHunter Feduccia – C
Zach McKinstry – RFTaylor Walls – SS

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Dodgers and One Piece strike gold again as collector hype explodes

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows The Dodgers' One Piece Night giveaways are expected to be valuable collectibles, Image 2 shows Dodgers One Piece hat promotional item

The Los Angeles Dodgers haven’t even opened the gates for “One Piece Night” yet, and fans are already preparing to cash in.

The Dodgers officially announced the return of their wildly popular One Piece collaboration with Toei Animation, scheduled for July 2 against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. The event will once again feature exclusive merchandise to be given to the first 40,000 fans in attendance.

But for many fans, the biggest attraction isn’t the game.

It’s the collectibles.

The Dodgers’ One Piece Night giveaways are expected to be valuable collectibles. Instagram/Los Angeles Dodgers

Last year’s One Piece Night became one of the most sought-after promotional events in baseball, thanks to limited-edition co-branded straw hats and an exclusive Monkey D. Luffy trading card featuring the iconic pirate captain in a Dodgers uniform.

One Piece has evolved from a bestselling manga and anime series into a global entertainment phenomenon spanning films, video games, trading cards, merchandise and live experiences.

The crossover between baseball and anime fandoms created a collector frenzy, with some cards eventually selling for thousands of dollars on the secondary market.

Now, anticipation is building that a new collectible card could debut alongside the updated 2026 straw hat giveaway.

The Dodgers have already unveiled a redesigned hat featuring a chin strap, while promotional artwork has fueled speculation that another limited-run Luffy card could be part of the event. Fans have begun discussing resale values online despite the organization not yet confirming a card giveaway.

The excitement is understandable. Previous Dodgers One Piece collectibles have become prized items among anime and sports collectors alike, with rare versions commanding premium prices on marketplaces such as eBay and StockX.

Dodgers One Piece hat promotional item. Los Angeles Dodgers

Beyond the merchandise, One Piece Night will feature Centerfield Plaza activations, a ceremonial first pitch, and a postgame drone show showcasing characters from the legendary franchise.

For some fans, July 2 is about baseball.

For others, it’s about getting through the gates before the collectibles disappear.

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Warriors’ Steph Curry signs 10-year shoe deal with Li-Ning to take Curry Brand global

Steph Curry in a white Golden State Warriors jersey gives a thumbs up.
Steph Curry announces 10-year shoe deal after leaving Under Armour.

Stephen Curry ended his sneaker free agency Monday by signing a massive new deal with Li-Ning that will expand Curry Brand on a global scale.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Golden State Warriors superstar has signed a 10-year “landmark” shoe deal with Chinese company Li-Ning, a move that officially ends his brief period on the open market and expands his Curry Brand venture on a global scale.

Steph Curry announces 10-year shoe deal after leaving Under Armour. Getty Images

Per Charania, the agreement “extends his Curry Brand venture globally and encompasses basketball products, athleisure, the ability for Curry to sign athletes under his brand, and a full golf line,” giving Curry unprecedented control and reach within the performance and lifestyle space.

Curry confirmed the partnership on social media, marking the next chapter of a signature brand that began after he parted ways with Under Armour following a 13-year run. In November, he announced he had moved on from that partnership as an opportunity for broader growth rather than a reset.

“Under Armour believed in me early in my career and gave me the space to build something much bigger and more impactful than a shoe,” Curry said in a previous statement. “I’ll always be grateful for that… I’m excited for a future that’s focused on aggressive growth.”

Charania also reported Curry chose Li-Ning over several competing offers after testing shoes tied to NBA peers, including Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade, both of whom are associated with the brand.

Li-Ning’s growing NBA footprint already includes players like CJ McCollum and D’Angelo Russell, along with Wade as a longtime ambassador, as the company continues expanding its global sports and lifestyle presence.

Curry missed about two months with a right knee injury, but returned to play for the Warriors in early April. He finished the remainder of the regular season and participated in the team’s play-in games.

Against the Clippers he logged 35 points, one rebound, and four assists. He shot an incredibly efficient 12-for-23 from the field (including 7-for-12 from 3-point range), sparking a massive fourth-quarter comeback to win 126-121, but struggled to find his usual magic in the Warriors losing effort against the Suns. He shot 4-for-16 from the field and 3-10 from beyond the arc.

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MLB players union soundly rejects league's salary cap proposal as bad in every way

Major League Baseball players would be taking a $500 million pay cut, with portions of their contracts becoming non-guaranteed if they accepted MLB’s proposal for a salary cap, Bruce Meyer, interim executive director of the MLB Players Association, said Monday, June 1.

“That's something this union has fought against for decades, based on our belief that it's bad for players at all levels," Meyer said, explaining the union’s strong opposition to the concept. "And not just monetarily, bad for freedom, bad for competition, eliminates truly guaranteed money. Bad, bad for the fans, in our view, bad for players at every level, particularly bad for the middle class. …

“Fundamentally, that system is anti-competitive. It's a form of institutionalized collusion.”

When asked how to convince MLB owners, who are beginning a quarterly meeting Tuesday in New York, that the union would never cave in to the owners’ attempt for a potential lockout and would resist a salary cap like the NFL, NBA and NHL, he reaffirmed the union’s strength.

“Our union has never been broken,’’ Meyer said. “It never will be. So, you can take away a different lesson from our history, but that would be a big mistake.

“Our players have what they have, including being the only sports that doesn’t have this ultimate restriction, a salary cap, because our players have always been the most uniformed. And that’s going to continue.”

ANALYSIS: MLB fans should brace for lockout as owners throw down the gauntlet in labor war

Meyer, speaking publicly for the first time since the union and MLB exchanged proposals last week, said that he and the players were bitterly disappointed in the MLB’s initial offer, which did not address items such as free agency, minimum salary, salary arbitration or the draft. The proposal, he said, is worse than the one MLB offered in 1994 before the sport endured the longest work stoppage in MLB history – 232 days – canceling the 1994 World Series.

“Very surprised,’’ he said. “I mean, I thought they would try harder to make it look good, and they didn’t even do that.’’

While MLB proposed a $245.3 million salary cap along with a $171.2 million payroll floor for teams, Meyer said the numbers were misleading considering it didn’t include benefits and amateur signings. While it included a promise of a 50/50 revenue sharing split, Meyer says that the players already are receiving more than 50% of the revenue now, so why would they accept a reduction that includes an escrow account, which could reduce pay if revenue doesn’t meet projections? He cited the NBA players as having to return nearly $500 million last year when the league didn’t meet their revenue projections.

Major League Baseball wasted no time disputing Meyer’s claims, issuing a release within 45 minutes of Meyer’s press briefing.

“Our salary cap and floor proposal addresses our fans’ concerns by leveling the playing field while sharing baseball revenue with the players 50/50 like the other leagues,’’ MLB spokesperson Glen Caplin said. “Under our proposal, Major League players will receive more compensation in Year 1 of the system than in 2026. We are ready to listen if the MLBPA wants to counter our proposal at the bargaining table.”

The massive disparity in MLB isn’t because of the Dodgers and Mets’ payrolls, Meyer insists, but from teams who receive monies in revenue sharing but refuse to use it for their payroll.

“Our proposals are designed to reward and incentivize competition,’’ Meyer said. “In other words, to get clubs, their owners [who] are choosing not to compete, to compete. And that will benefit players and fans. We believe that will be the single-best change that could be made to benefit fans … incentivize and reward teams that are actually using revenue sharing money and other forms of subsidies for the purposes for which it was intended, namely to put a better product on the field and not to put it in their pockets in the form of profits.

Meyer cited the Padres, who reside in one of MLB’s smallest markets, who increased their payroll to the third highest in MLB three years ago, and now have the second-largest attendance in baseball with a perennial playoff team.

“We want to encourage more San Diego’s,’’ Meyer said. “San Diego is a small-market team that went out, decided to compete, signed a lot of players. Turned around their franchise. They’ve grown attendance, they’ve grown interest, and we’ve all seen the explosion of their franchise value.”

The Padres were recently sold for $3.9 billion, the highest franchise sale in MLB history.

While a small-market team hasn't won the World Series since the Kansas City Royals in 2015, Meyer pointed out that the Milwaukee Brewers, who reside in MLB’s smallest market, won the most regular-season games in baseball last season before being swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. The small-market Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays have also ranked among the top teams in regular-season victories in the last decade.

“Every team now has the ability to put a competitive team on the field,” Meyer said. “Every single [one] has the ability to do what the Brewers are doing, what the Padres have done, or what Tampa has always done.’’

The players union and MLB have yet to schedule their next negotiating session, but both sides say they likely will meet soon to at least address non-economic issues, with flickering hopes of still reaching an agreement before their CBA expires Dec. 1 and a pending lockout.

“Hopefully everyone is thinking rationally, rationally, and at the end of the day we will make a deal,’’ Meyer said. “I don't know when, what it’s going to take, but we have to deal with each other.

“I wouldn't be optimistic expecting an early deal, but on the other hand, you never know. You never know.”

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLBPA rejects MLB's salary cap proposal for players, lockout threats

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Isaiah Hartenstein rooting for Knicks in NBA Finals after Thunder’s Game 7 elimination

Isaiah Hartenstein almost had the chance to face off with his former Knicks teammates in the NBA Finals. 

The Thunder took the Spurs down to the wire in their quest for back-to-back titles, but they were ultimately defeated in seven games in the Western Conference Finals.

So now, instead, Hartenstein will be stuck watching the action from home. 

While he’d obviously rather be going head-to-head against his good friends on the biggest stage, he’s going to be rooting for them to get the job done.

“I’m happy for them,” he said in his end of season interview. “I got there when they were kind of getting back on track and redoing everything a little bit, so what Leon Rose and all of those guys did, to now be in the Finals is cool to see.

“Yeah I’d rather be playing against them, but I’m rooting for them right now -- there’s a lot of guys that I know and I’m still pretty close with over there, so I’m happy for them.”

Hartenstein took his game to another level during his two seasons with the Knicks, and he parlayed that into a big money three-year deal upon hitting free agency. 

The big man was able to carry that success into his first two years with the Thunder, securing his first ring and averaging 10.3 points and 10.1 boards as part of their ferocious frontcourt.  

He faces a bit of an uncertain future in OKC, though, with the final year of his pact being a $28.5M team option. 

If declined, Hartenstein could find himself on the open market once again this offseason. 

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Dallas Mavericks have deal for arena site that would move club out of downtown for 1st time

DALLAS (AP) — The Dallas Mavericks have a preliminary agreement on a site for a new arena that would move the club out of downtown for the first time in 2031, a year after the franchise's 50th anniversary.

The Mavericks said Monday the agreement is for 104 acres on the former site of a mall about 10 miles north of downtown. Demolition of Valley View Mall in north Dallas was completed three years ago.

The team also was considering a downtown site at the current location of City Hall. The Dallas City Council is deep into deliberations over whether to renovate or replace that building.

Mavericks CEO Rick Welts has said the club wanted to have the potential site settled by July in order to be able to complete construction of a new arena by 2031, when the lease with American Airlines Center expires.

Welts and Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont have made it clear for nearly two years that they wanted the club to stay in Dallas, and they wanted to build a basketball-only arena.

The Mavericks and their co-tenant, the NHL's Dallas Stars, are in a legal dispute related to arena relocations for both franchises. The Stars are considering whether to remain in American Airlines Center or build their own arena in Dallas or one of the suburbs.

The Mavericks brought Welts out of retirement with the intention of putting him in charge of the arena project. Before he retired, Welts led the Golden State Warriors' move to the Chase Center in San Francisco after that franchise had spent the previous 50 years in Oakland.

“We have the opportunity to create a vibrant mixed-use destination anchored by a state-of-the-art arena, along with restaurants, entertainment options, public green spaces and family-friendly experiences,” the team said in a statement. “Done thoughtfully and with community engagement, a project of this scale will serve as a meaningful economic catalyst for Dallas and its residents.”

The Mavericks spent their first 21 years at Reunion Arena in the southwest corner of downtown before moving to the AAC a little more than a mile to the north.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

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Washington Nationals vs Miami Marlins Game Thread

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 30: Fans cheer during the game between the San Diego Padres and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Saturday, May 30, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Nats enter June riding high with a record of 31-29. However, now is when the real test starts. June was when things really unraveled for the Nats last year. I would like to think the foundation is stronger this year, but we need to see things play out some more. This series against the Marlins is a big measuring stick.

Dylan Crews is out of the lineup for a second straight game with a sore hand. However, it sounds like he will be back in there tomorrow. It is a pretty similar lineup to yesterday. One change is that Nasim Nunez will replace Jorbit Vivas at second base. Cade Cavalli pitched more like a frontline starter in May, going deep into games consistently. He will look to keep that up tonight.

The Marlins lineup has been carried by three players. Otto Lopez, Xavier Edwards and Liam Hicks have done the heavy lifting this year. Meanwhile, players like Jakob Marsee, Kyle Stowers and Owen Caissie have been underperforming. There was a time when Sandy Alcantara was a dominant ace in this league. However, he has been more of a mid rotation innings eater since his Cy Young season. He can still be brilliant at his best though, and hopefully we don’t see that version of Sandy tonight.

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Game Info:

Stadium: Nationals Park

Time: 6:45 PM EST

TV: Nationals.TV

Radio: 106.7 The Fan

The Nats are in an unfamiliar spot. They are beginning a series where the expectation is to win and take care of business. After three straight series wins over good teams, they face a 26-34 Marlins squad. They can’t let their guard down, or else the Fish will surprise them. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!

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‘Guidance Counselor’ Tortorella ‘Being Really Modest’ About Role With Golden Knights, Says McCrimmon

In a league where only the strong survive, the Vegas Golden Knights have earned the reputation of being a team willing to become stronger by any means necessary. They aren’t shy about adding to their team, whether by means of signing a prize free agent like Alex Pietrangelo or taking a swing at a top trade target as they did with Mitch Marner and Mark Stone.

“We have made a lot of big decisions over our time in the league, and very bold,” Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon acknowledged during his Stanley Cup Final media availability. “I always say, to be big or bold is one thing, but you’ve got to make good decisions. And I think that we’ve collectively, through our hockey ops, done a good job of that.”

This year, the Golden Knights’ bold decisions reached a new peak when they relieved Bruce Cassidy of his duties as head coach with just eight games remaining in the regular season. Kelly McCrimmon brought in John Tortorella to fill that void– a man he’d never even spoken to prior to the coaching change.

The gamble clearly paid off, as the Golden Knights went 7-0-1 down the stretch in the regular season to win their fifth Division Title in nine years. In the postseason, they beat the Utah Mammoth, the Anaheim Ducks, and the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche to advance to the Stanley Cup Final in just 16 games. 

But despite the optics, Tortorella claims that he had very little to do with the team’s success. He’s repeatedly referred to himself as a ‘guidance counselor,’ stating that he does little more than nudge the team back onto the path when they’ve lost their way.

“This team knows how to play,” he said during his media availability on Monday. “It’s them. It’s not me or the coaching staff; it’s them.

“They handle themselves so well,” continued Tortorella. “That room self-sustains. That’s why they’re in the finals again this year, and that’s why they won it in 23, and that’s why they’ve been so successful. It’s not coaches being in there. 
It’s a room self-sustaining, and we’ve got good people doing that.”

Kelly McCrimmon seems to feel differently.

“He’s being really modest,” McCrimmon refuted. “He’s been a really successful coach in the NHL for a long time… I think he’s done a great job of coming in, reading the room, knowing what the team needs, and coaching from that perspective.”

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Game Thread #57: Milwaukee Brewers (35-21) vs. San Francisco Giants (23-36)

Milwaukee Brewers
May 22, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Shane Drohan (55) delivers a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers and San Francisco Giants are getting set to kick off a four-game series at American Family Field. It’ll be a reunion with several former Brewers players who are on the Giants, including Willy Adames, Eric Haase, and Adrian Houser.

Prior to the game, manager Pat Murphy provided some updates on injured Brewers and the plans for this series. Currently, the Brewers have Wednesday and Thursday marked with TBA as the starters. When going over possibilities, Murphy said Chad Patrick, Brandon Sproat, and Coleman Crow are all possibilities, but that Brandon Woodruff was not. Woodruff played catch today and is scheduled for a “3-up” live BP session on Wednesday and then there’s another step after that before he could return to the rotation.

Also Logan Henderson’s back is progressing “very well” and he should be playing catch to start his return soon. In other good news, Jacob Misiorowski is taking home the NL Player of the Week award for last week following his most recent dominant outings.

For the game today, Shane Drohan is getting the start for the Brewers. It’s just his second start of the season with the other being his MLB debut. Since then Drohan has pitched in a bulk role out of the bullpen and has done incredibly well with a 2.63 ERA on the year, helping him earn this start tonight.

On the other side, the Giants will be countering with right-hander Landen Roupp, who has a 3.30 ERA on the season. The 27-year-old righty has been a regular in the Giants rotation and is having a breakout season in his third year in the bigs.

The Giants will keep four lefties in their lineup against the left-handed Drohan. Rafael Devers, Luis Arraez, and Jung-Hoo Lee will surround the right-handed hitting Willy Adames in the heart of their order. The Giants will also have their top prospect, the giant Bryce Eldridge batting seventh. Eldridge stands 6-foot-7 with plenty of pop in a dangerous bat.

The Brewers lineup has Christian Yelich leading off again, followed by Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, and William Contreras. Luis Rengifo will man third base and David Hamilton will have shortstop to round out the bottom of the order.

First pitch is at 6:40 p.m. on Brewers.TV and nationally as FS1, as well as the Brewers Radio Network.

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Ask Pinstripe Alley: Yankees mailbag questions request

Ask Pinstripe Alley

We’re entering June, and the Yankees are slightly behind in the division as we pull past the one-third mark of the season. The Rays have proven relentless, and look to contend with New York as they’ve taken a 1.5 game lead heading into the month with an 18-9 run in May. The rest of the division still is stuck in the doldrums, but they can’t be discounted as the Wild Card picture is wide enough that it has them firmly in playoff contention. This month will prove essential to shaking up the leaderboards, and with only two divisional matchups ahead of the Yankees they’ll get to face off with different competition mainly from the AL Central — a familiar stomping ground.

Outside of the unknown timetable for Max Fried, the Yankees are near full-strength and in position to make things happen if they can get the bats going. Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Trent Grisham showed major turnarounds, and Anthony Volpe hasn’t been too shabby in his return from the minors as well, but with Aaron Judge not firing on all cylinders it’d sure help if the bottom of the lineup could become a bit more respectable. Will Austin Wells finally get a foothold in the batter’s box, and can Ryan McMahon trend be the next bat to trend back to average? Will the Captain go on a tear to silence the critics, or will this slump turn out to be something more worrisome? If you have questions like these, or anything else on your mind, send ‘em in for a chance to be featured in our Yankees mailbag.

Answers will run on Friday afternoon. All questions received by the night of June 4th will be considered. You can leave your submissions in the comment section below or by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.

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Are the Houston Astros Trending in the RIGHT DIRECTION?

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MAY 22: Spencer Arrighetti #41 of the Houston Astros pitches in a game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 22, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Always look on the bright side of LIFE!

While the Astros are in the throws of another slow start, despite some recent success there aren’t many Astros fans who see any trends going in the right direction. The Clubhouse would tell you a different. Here are a few of those bright spots:

  1. We recently heard Spencer Arrighetti speak up and say that there was no quit in the clubhouse.

“I know it sounds dumb to say where we were sitting right now,” Arrighetti said, “but this is a really special group, and I really believe in every single player that’s in this locker room right now, and I think we need to take it a little more personally.

“I’m sure there’s stuff being said right now that makes it seem bleak. I don’t think it feels that way in here.”

Quote taken from Chandler Rome, The Athletic from his article written on May 29, 2026.

Spencer Arrighetti is a BIG part of the Houston Astros staff in 2026, and in the absence of Hunter Brown due to his IL stint, Arrighetti has taken the bull by the horns. You need young players to step up, especially when it’s your veterans who have been injured, or not been performing up to par.

Overall his numbers are impressive despite being considered the luckiest pitcher in 2026, sometimes its better to be lucky than good? I know even Spencer knows where he stands and the kid will, in my eyes see where the league is looking to exploit him, so he can continue his success.

2nd Bright Spot: Yordan Alvarez

Despite not having the eye popping numbers he did in the previous month he is still the only hitter to have an OPS over 1.000, tied for 2nd (at the time of this article) in Home Runs in the AL, leads in many key offensive categories, and allows other hitters in the lineup to get better pitches through out the game. Not to mention how well he does when he faces a pitcher for the 2nd time.

Numbers calculated May 28, 2026 by Locked on Astros.

3rd Bright Spot: The Astros are playing better baseball as the season progresses.

The Houston Astros record by month:

March 4-2

April 8-18

May 15-14

You may not think much about a club that is one game over .500 in a month, and probably should have at least 5 more wins in the W column. The fact that they did this, with players being out, getting players off the IL, as well back up players becoming starters, and the pitching starting to turn things around. I would say the trend is welcomed in Astros nation.

A second part to the 3rd Bright Spot is the runs given up has gone down. This is one of those good news/bad news kind of bits, just hear me out. April their totals were 129 Runs Scored and 166 Runs against, moving into May the run production slowed down, where they only had 103 runs scored, but also only gave up 110 runs against. I see this as a very positive thing, also recently the runs have started to tick up.

The fact that baseball is a 162 game season, where our favorite team is entrenched in a weak division as well sub .500 league in the A.L. should give some hope to the Astros fanbase. I would say that it does still seem very bleak when it comes to chances at a playoff run or even a deep playoff run, but we are only this far into the season, 61 games completed. with 101 games left.

Why all the fuss? Always Positive, Always Stros guy?

Well I have been with this team since I was 2 years old, no I wasn’t checking box scores then, but I have seen far more losing seasons than I have seen winning. I do believe that a healthy lineup, with a healthy starting rotation and back end bullpen, can yield solid results. I am not calling the Mayor for a parade route, I am also not willing to say they are 100% not going to make the playoffs. Here is what I am saying.

1. You’re getting Josh Hader and Hunter Brown back real soon. That is improvement.
2. You have Yordan Alvarez, Christian Walker and Jeremy Pena to anchor this offense.
3. Jose Altuve I believe will come back motivated to hit the ball, he’s inching closer to 3,000 and we all know he wants that.
4. Spencer Arrighetti, Tatsuya Imai, Kai Wei Teng, Peter Lambert and Co. are looking to continiue their improving performances on the mound.

Now with this being said, there are many things that HAVE to go right. I understand that, but to sit here and say there is no way, shows that maybe you haven’t observed enough up and down Astros baseball. So this is what I ask of you. Sit back, enjoy the wins when they come. Don’t focus on the standings, and hope that the team can find a month like June where they can capitalize on their opponents. In June the Astros face the: Pirates, Athletics, Angels, Royals, Tigers Guardians, Blue Jays, Tigers again, then the Twins.

What do you predict they will do in June. I if I am going to take the optimist and say they go 16-8, The realist approach would be more like 13-11, So tell me what will their June record be?

Posted on

Carter Hart says he has learned and grown since joining the Golden Knights after acquittal

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Speaking on the eve of the Stanley Cup Final, goaltender Carter Hart said Monday he has learned and grown a lot since signing with the Vegas Golden Knights after he and four other players were reinstated by the NHL following their acquittals in the Hockey Canada sexual assault case.

Hart is in the spotlight now in large part because he is the only one of the five players to sign a contract in the league. He addressed the situation after joining the Golden Knights in October but has spoken only about hockey since.

He was asked on Cup Final media day about comments he made in the fall and how he has learned and grown since then.

“I’ve been able to meet a lot of good people in the community,” Hart said. "I think the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation has done a really good job of making it easy for me to integrate into the community and meet a lot of cool people. Just really fortunate to be here in Vegas. It’s a great culture of people. Like I said, I’ve met a lot of cool people and just very fortunate to be here in Las Vegas and with this group.”

Hart's session was ended after his answer. General manager Kelly McCrimmon, who chose to sign Hart to a two-year, $4 million contract, was asked about the thought process and took issue with the notion that the 27-year-old goalie came with baggage.

“We went through a lengthy process of due diligence with Carter,” McCrimmon said. “Carter is a really good person. He’s ingrained himself in our community. He’s a player that I’ve known a long time, long prior to him becoming an NHL player. Playing very well. Obviously a big part of how our team is at this point that we’re at today, and he’s fit in seamlessly with his teammates.”

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl