May 2, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals second baseman José Tena (8) doubles against the Milwaukee Brewers during the seventh inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images | Brad Mills-Imagn Images
The Nationals hung around with the Brewers all afternoon yesterday, but in the end, just couldn’t get the bats going, losing game two of the series 4-1, with a Brady House first-inning fielding error, which led to 3 runs, being all the runs the Brew Crew needed. The Nats will now look to avoid a sweep this afternoon, with PJ Poulin to kick things off as an opener for Zack Littell.
There is a multitude of changes in the Nats lineup, as there often is when they go from facing a lefty to a righty, with Curtis Mead, Brady House, and Joey Wiemer all hitting the bench. In their places are Luis Garcia Jr. at first base and batting second, Jose Tena at designated hitter and batting 7th, and Jorbit Vivas at third base and batting 8th. The biggest development from today’s lineup card is Jacob Young batting 3rd, perhaps looking to put some speed on the bases for CJ Abrams to drive in.
The order of the Brewers lineup shakes up today against the opener PJ Poulin and bulk man Zack Littell, but the composition is roughly the same, with Luis Rengifo at third base instead of David Hamilton, and William Contreras and Gary Sanchez swapping catcher and designated hitter from yesterday. Turang, who homered twice off Littell back in April, leads off, so the opener Poulin will allow the Nats to dodge those two meeting again at least once. 24-year-old righty Logan Henderson gets the ball for the Brewers, likely looking to go twice through the order before handing things over to the bullpen.
The Nationals haven’t played terrible baseball overall in 2026, but they have at home, with a 3-12 home record, worst in baseball by a good margin. They’ll look to avoid the series sweep today, and hopefully put up a better effort than they’ve shown in their first 15 home games of the year. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!
“Thanks to the Isak injury, yet again Slot is forced to fight fires rather than just manage,” laments Ian Copestake. “Unless it is in January, I hope one day he will be able to say, ‘same team as last year.’”
DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 01: Mauricio Dubon #14 of the Atlanta Braves hits a 3 RBI triple against the Colorado Rockies in the eighth inning at Coors Field on May 01, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With Ronald Acuña Jr. now on the Injured List with a hamstring issue, the Braves are reshuffling their lineup. Notable change #1: Mauricio Dubon is now the leadoff hitter. Notable change #2: with a lefty on the hill, Jose Azocar gets the start in right field. The rest of the lineup is kind of as expected against a lefty, though Michael Harris II isn’t starting such that Drake Baldwin can DH while Jonah Heim catches again.
The Rockies have also reshuffled their lineup, with Hunter Goodman DHing while Brett Sullivan catches, which has pushed Tyler Freeman out of the starting nine for another day.
This is a fun batter-versus-pitcher day. Ozzie Albies and Dubon have both hit Kyle Freeland well in 20+ PAs. Matt Olson hasn’t in double-digit PAs, but Austin Riley has. Even Azocar has faced Freeland before, meaning that everyone in the starting nine has except Baldwin. Collectively, it’s a .389 wOBA and .333 xwOBA against Freeland in 92 career PAs.
On the flip side, everyone in the Colorado lineup except TJ Rumfield and Ezequiel Tovar have faced Spencer Strider, though not in very many PAs. Collectively, it’s 28 PAs with a .247 wOBA and .250 xwOBA, and 12 strikeouts in those 28 PAs. We’ll see if Strider can replicate that level of success.
BOSTON, MA - MAY 02: Brice Matthews #0 of the Houston Astros celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run in the fourth inning during the game between the Houston Astros and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Saturday, May 2, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Natalie Reid/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
TODAY’S GAME: The Houston Astros (13-21) and Boston Red Sox (13-20) play the rubber match of this 3-game weekend series at Fenway Park this afternoon.
RHP Cody Bolton (0-1, 5.79 ERA) will start for the Astros vs. BOS LHP Ranger Suarez (2-2, 3.09 ERA). Today will be Bolton’s 1st career appearance at Fenway Park.
TODAY’S STARTER: RHP Cody Bolton is making his 3rd start and 5th app. overall this afternoon.
Bolton’s last appearance was in relief on Thursday in BAL (1 IP, 1 R).
Prior to his last appearance, Bolton had been on the IL due to mid-back inflammation, caused when he has struck by a line drive.
VS. BOS: Bolton earned his 1st career save on March 31 vs. the Red Sox, hurling the final 3.0 innings of the Astros 9-2 win (3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO).
Today will be his 1st career appearance at Fenway Park and his 4th career appearance vs. the Red Sox overall (all had been in relief).
THAT’S A WRAP: Today is the finale of a 6-game road trip (2-3 thus far) for the Astros.
HOU was 1-2 in BAL on the first stop of the trip.
HOMEWARD BOUND: Following today’s game, the Astros will fly back to Houston for a brief, 3-game homestand vs. the LA Dodgers (Mon.-Wed.).
VS. LAD: In their last meeting, the Astros swept the Dodgers in a 3-game series at Dodger Stadium (July 4-6), outscoring LA, 29-6 in the three games.
LOTS OF LEFTIES: The Astros will have faced LH starters in all 3 games of this series.
The last time they faced a LH starter in all games of a 3-game series was April 30-May 2, 2021 vs. TB (almost exactly 5 years ago).
The last time that HOU has faced 3 consecutive LH starters overall was Sept. 19-21, 2024 vs. LAA (4-game series). Source: Elias.
VS THE SAWX: The Astros swept the Red Sox in a 3-game series at Daikin Park earlier this season, Mar. 30-April 1, and are 4-1 vs. them in 2026. Over the past 10 seasons (since 2017), HOU is 34-23 (.596) vs. BOS overall.
TODAY’S ROSTER MOVE: The Astros have activated RHP Ryan Weiss from the Paternity List.
In a corresponding move, RHP Jayden Murray was optioned to Triple A Sugar Land.
SPENCER’S GIFTS: With yesterday’s win, RHP Spencer Arrighetti, who is 4-0 with a 1.96 ERA, is the first Astros’ starter to earn a winning decision in each of his 1st 4 starts of a season since RHP Zack Greinke in 2019 (also 4).
Other Astros pitchers with streaks of at least 4 straight starts with a win to begin a season are: RHP Justin Verlander (2017-5 wins), RHP Roger Clemens (2004-7 wins), and RHP Dave Guisti (1965-4 wins).
DAYTIMERS: As a result of Wednesday night’s rainout in BAL, 4 of the 6 games on the Astros current road trip will have been day games.
HOU ended their last homestand with a day game, so they will have played 5 of 7 games in the daytime once they complete this road trip.
HIT PARADE: The Astros, who lead the AL in batting (.269), have reached double-figures in hits in each of the last 5 games, going 61×191 (.319) in that span. It is their longest streak since another 5-game streak, July 19-23 of 2025.
The last time that the Astros reached double-figures in hits in 6 straight games was Aug. 6-12, 2024.
The club record is 8 straight games, done several times (last: June 10-18, 2018).
Last night marked the 16th game in which HOU reached double figures in hits in 2026. Source: Elias.
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 2022 – With a 4-0 win over the Mariners at home, Dusty Baker becomes the 12th manager in MLB history to reach 2,000 career wins.
In his 4 seasons as Astros manager (2020-23), Baker’s Astros advanced to the ALCS all 4 seasons, won 2 AL Pennants and a WS championship in 2022. His 2,183 wins as a manger overall rank 8th in MLB history.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Sunday, May 3, 12:35 p.m. CT
Location: Fenway Park, Boston, MA
TV: Space City Home Network
Streaming: SCHN+
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
SARASOTA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 18: Trey Gibson #88 of the Baltimore Orioles poses for a photo during Spring Training photo day at Ed Smith Stadium on February 18, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It is an understatement to say that things have not gone well for the Orioles in New York this weekend. They have been outplayed at every turn over the last two games and it’s hard to imagine things turning around today.
Top Orioles pitching prospect Trey Gibson is in New York to make his Major League debut, which is exciting. But this Yankees lineup has been relentless and he might be in for a rude welcome to the big leagues.
On top of that, Max Fried is scheduled to pitch for the Yankees. Not only is Fried an ace, he’s a lefty. He has a 2.09 ERA and 0.803 WHIP. He doesn’t give up many homers. Heck, he doesn’t give up many hits.
I try to remain optimistic on a game-by-game basis. Any given day yadda yadda. But it’s very tough to do in this instance. Here’s hoping they surprise us.
The Kansas City Royals will look for a road series sweep on Sunday when they face the Seattle Mariners.
Cal Raleigh is day-to-day after being scratched before Saturday’s game, but MLB odds still have them favored regardless of his status.
My Royals vs. Mariners predictions have MLB picks for the side and total for their game on Sunday, May 3.
Who will win Royals vs Mariners today: Royals moneyline (+105)
Seattle Mariners right-hander Luis Castillo has been getting rocked, ranking in the Bottom 10% in average exit velocity.
That’s going to happen when your sinker loses 1.4 inches of both vertical break and drop. Add in command issues, and opponents posting an xBA of .299 and a .423 xwOBAcon, and it's been ugly for the veteran hurler.
The Kansas City Royals rank eighth in ISO and fourth in wRC+ over the past two weeks. I expect them to get some early runs against Castillo.
Kris Bubic is doing a good job of avoiding hard contact (75th percentile) and will help the Royals win their seventh game in nine outings.
Royals vs Mariners Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (-128)
Both teams are swinging with power, each ranking in the Top 10 in ISO over the past two weeks, and in the Top 5 in wRC+.
While yesterday’s pitching matchup was conducive to a lower score, this one isn’t.
Bubic isn’t immune to issues, given his 0.80 HR/9 rate and a barrel rate of 9.5%, which has led to a .408 xSLG.
As long as this number stays below a flat 8.0, I like the Over, which is 14-8 in Seattle’s last 22 home games.
Jason Ence's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 2-5, -3.5 units
Over/Under bets: 5-2, +2.91 units
Royals vs Mariners odds
Moneyline: Royals +108 | Mariners -113
Run line: Royals -1.5 (+186) | Mariners +1.5 (-194)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-117) | Under 7.5 (+108)
Royals vs Mariners trend
The Kansas City Royals have hit the Moneyline in 6 of their last 8 games (+4.35 Units / 50% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Royals vs. Mariners.
How to watch Royals vs Mariners and game info
Location
T-Mobile Park, Seattle, WA
Date
Sunday, May 3, 2026
First pitch
4:10 p.m. ET
TV
Mariners.TV, Royals.TV
Royals starting pitcher
Kris Bubic (2-1, 3.74 ERA)
Mariners starting pitcher
Luis Castillo (0-2, 6.35 ERA)
Royals vs Mariners latest injuries
Royals vs Mariners weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
BOSTON, MA - MAY 2: Tyrese Maxey #0, Kyle Lowry #7 and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers high five after the game against the Boston Celtics during the game during Round One Game Seven of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 2, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Thirty-two times. That’s how many times the Celtics held a 3-1 series lead and won. Until Saturday.
The Sixers hadn’t beaten Boston in a playoff series since 1982. On Saturday night they ended that too, taking down the secon- seeded Celtics in a series Philadelphia had no business winning on paper.
The Celtics were 32-0 all time when holding a 3-1 series lead. The Sixers were 0-18 in the same spot. Both of those numbers changed in one night. It’s 32-1 and 1-18 now.
But the franchise history is only part of the story.
Tyrese Maxey & Joel Embiid
Maxey and Embiid were the first duo in NBA history to each record 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a Game 7. They combined for 17 of Philadelphia’s 21 fourth-quarter points and essentially willed this team to a victory.
Per ESPN Insights, they’re also just the third pair in NBA history to each put up 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a Game 7. The only others were Elgin Baylor and Jerry West in 1963, and Baylor alongside Wilt Chamberlain in 1970. The last time two players put together that kind of production in a Game 7 was over 50 years ago.
Maxey’s series as a whole deserves its own recognition. He’s been grinding with a decimated roster all year, playing through a finger injury and a splint, and consistently drawing Boston’s best defenders. Derrick White and Jordan Walsh were primarily tasked with slowing him down. It didn’t work. His assist to turnover ratio across the series tells the story best: 46 assists to just 9 turnovers in 286 minutes of basketball at a 27.6% usage rate. Maxey showcased elite ball security in this series.
VJ Edgecombe
Edgecombe had a strong closeout game in his own right. The 20-year-old finished with 23 points, six rebounds and four assists with a game-best +19 in a nine-point victory. Per Statmuse, he’s now the first rookie in NBA history with 20+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ made threes in a Game 7.
What made his night more impressive was the defensive adjustment he made on White. White was cooking early, scoring in double figures and hitting threes. Postgame, Nick Nurse noted that Edgecombe called his shot: “‘I got White and I’m gonna do better on him.’” The tape backed it up. White shot 3-of-13 in the second half, 1-of-9 from three, and Boston’s offense largely devolved into Jaylen Brown isolations.
Paul George
George’s time in Philadelphia has been rocky, dealing with injuries and a regular season suspension. But he’s been an impactful player since his return and was a major part of this series. He took on the tough perimeter assignments and made guys work for every shot. Offensively, he was equally impressive, shooting 55% from three on 40 attempts while averaging 17.4 points per game through the series.
Joel Embiid
Even Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla acknowledged what changed things: “What changed the series is Joel Embiid came back and they’re a completely different team.” He averaged 28 points, nine rebounds and seven assists on 44.3% shooting across his four games. His scoring carried them through stretches, but his playmaking might have been the most underrated part. He finished the series with a 28-8 assist to turnover ratio, and the turnovers being down feels just as important as the assists being up.
"What changed in the series was Joel Embiid came back."
Joe Mazzulla on what made the difference in the Celtics' series against the 76ers. pic.twitter.com/pMdKLcdxRA
The Sixers weren’t supposed to win this series. They did anyway. Next up is the Knicks in the second round, the second time in three years these two teams have faced off in the playoffs.
Ducks center Leo Carlsson (l.) celebrates his empty-net goal with Chris Kreider (20) during their Game 6 win over the Oilers on April 30, 2026.
The scene from inside the Honda Center on Thursday said it all. There was the fist pump from goaltender Lukas Dostal. The sea of orange-clad fans, scattered across the seats, descending into a frenzy as the horn sounded and Game 6 — a 5-2 win to secure a first-round series win — ended. The dozen-plus Ducks flipping over the boards and gliding across the ice, starting a celebration absent from the franchise for nearly a decade.
“Unreal,” Dostal, who backstopped all four wins over the Oilers, told reporters from his locker room stall postgame, and that really was a fitting word to describe the statement they’d just made. Edmonton had advanced to the past two Stanley Cup Finals. The Oilers possess one of the game’s most dynamic players in Connor McDavid. But they ran into the buzz saw of the Western Conference, the Ducks suddenly relevant again well ahead of schedule. The last time Anaheim won a playoff series, Ryan Getzlaf was captain and topped 70 points for the final time in his career — back in the 2017 tournament, near the end of a stretch that included nine postseason berths in 12 years and one Stanley Cup.
So much has changed since then. A rebuild sucked the life out of Anaheim for so long. In many ways, a season like this would’ve certainly seemed unreal back in July. But behind a blend of veterans and youth on the roster, and with a controversial head coach behind the bench, the Ducks will start their series against the Golden Knights — whom they defeated in all three regular-season matchups — next week as one of eight teams left standing. They sit 12 wins from the second Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Ducks center Leo Carlsson (l.) celebrates his empty-net goal with Chris Kreider (20) during their Game 6 win over the Oilers on April 30, 2026. AP
“We’ve got a taste of playoff hockey,” Ducks coach Joel Quenneville told reporters after securing a spot in the conference semifinals, according to NHL.com. “Now, we get to experience another round, and I think this is healthy for us. … You don’t know how they’re going to play, but you’re certainly excited about what the upside is.”
The pieces that carried the Ducks in the opening round captured their balanced foundation. Defenseman Jackson LaCombe, 25 and a former second-round pick, led them with nine points, including one goal. Cutter Gauthier led Anaheim in goals against Edmonton with four, just as the No. 5-overall pick in 2022 — acquired from the Flyers in January 2024 after refusing to sign in Philadelphia out of college — did during the regular season (41 goals) too. Leo Carlsson, 21, added three goals against Edmonton. Beckett Sennecke, 20 and the No. 3-overall pick in 2024, chipped in a goal during his first taste of the postseason too.
“A lot of us young guys are learning a lot as we go along, and I thought we got better throughout the series,” LaCombe told reporters after the Edmonton series, according to The Associated Press. “It means a lot for us.”
And then there were the veterans. Troy Terry, the longest-tenured Duck at nine seasons who has seen it all, collected three goals. Chris Kreider, the longtime Rangers star shipped to Anaheim in the offseason when they overhauled their core, added one goal and five points. The Ducks also have Alex Killorn — who won a pair of Stanley Cups with the Lightning — and veteran defenseman Jacob Trouba too.
But even with all those pieces, both brimming with potential and already established, the Ducks were still an unpredictable team. They finished third in the Pacific Division with 92 points — eight wins and 12 points better than 2024-25 — but lost eight of 10 games to close the season. They only had four players with 20 or more goals during the regular season. And at the macro level, they’d hired and fired three different coaches since their last postseason appearance in 2018.
In the offseason, the Ducks hired Quenneville, who was previously banned and then reinstated by the NHL for how he handled the Blackhawks’ sexual assault scandal while coaching in Chicago, as head coach in a controversial decision met with plenty of backlash. They brought in centers Mikael Granlund and Ryan Poehling via free agency and trade, respectively. They added veteran defenseman John Carlson from the Capitals in a shocking deal at the deadline too.
Ducks players celebrate after defeating the Oilers on April 30, 2026. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
“It’s been a long time,” Terry told reporters recently, according to NHL.com. “We’ve had fans that have been super loyal. They’ve always showed up for us. They deserved this. A lot of us live in the Newport [Beach] area and, all of a sudden, you’re seeing cars with Ducks flags everywhere. You really start to see what this means to Orange County.”
And for at least two more nights, a scene familiar to Game 6 will unfold inside Honda Center. There will be the orange. The sellout crowd. Maybe a fist pump or two too. That’s what happens during a hockey revival, when an assortment of defensemen and forwards and goaltenders slowly capture the attention of a fan base and — with each dose of magic along the way — simply, and defiantly, refuse to let go.
The No. 4 Texas Longhorns and No. 10 Mississippi State Bulldogs are heading for a decisive Sunday series finale at UFCU Disch-Falk Field after Brian O’Connor’s team took advantage of the Longhorns bullpen and Texas couldn’t come up with game-changing, two-out hits.
“We obviously left a ton of guys on base, but they were all with two outs — I don’t think we had a runner at third base with less than two outs, and so you’re counting on a timely hit. And the difference in the game was the swings they got with two outs,” Texas head coach Jim Schlossnagle said.
In an attempt to keep senior right-hander Ruger Riojas fresh for the postseason, Schlossnagle removed the UTSA transfer after five innings and 71 pitches even though Riojas was still throwing at a high level, allowing one run on three hits and commanding his pitches well enough to strike out seven batters without allowing a walk, hitting a batter, or throwing a wild pitch.
The move to freshman right-hander Brett Crossland worked well in the sixth inning when the 6’5, 255-pounder struck out the side. In the seventh, Crossland was able to work around hitting the leadoff batter by immediately inducing a double play, but hitting the next batter in an 0-2 count ultimately proved catastrophic for Texas when junior right-hander Thomas Burns came on and gave up an RBI single on a 1-2 pitch and then had a 1-1 fastball down and in to Drew Wyers launched over the left-field fence for a three-run home run.
— Mississippi State Baseball (@HailStateBB) May 2, 2026
The Bulldogs scored two more runs in the eighth inning, both credited to sophomore right-hander Jason Flores, who allowed a leadoff walk and a first-pitch single. After freshman right-hander Brody Walls entered the game, a wild pitch allowed both runners to advance, setting up an RBI groundout and a run-scoring double that put the Horns in a 7-1 hole.
Despite the struggles in the bullpen, Schlossnagle isn’t worried.
“If the bullpen has a bad day, does that make it a concern? I mean, it doesn’t to me, it may to you, but they’re not going to be perfect,” Schlossnagle said. “So, I mean, that’s our bullpen those guys. Burns has been awesome about four or five times in a row. I mean, yeah, it’s not a concern in any form, to me.”
When Texas threatened for the first time in the fourth, it was with two outs, so when junior designated hitter Ashton Larson grounded out to short on the first pitch he saw, it negated the two singles that preceded his at bat.
After a solo home run by junior first baseman Casey Borba in the fifth inning, Texas put runners on first and second in the sixth with one out, but Jayden Duplantier struck out pinch hitting for Larson and freshman center fielder Maddox Monsour grounded out to short after Borba drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases.
A similar situation unfolded in the seventh when the Longhorns loaded the bases with two outs with the help of an error and two full-count walks, but in a familiar trend, redshirt senior third baseman Temo Becerra hit a grounder to the shortstop that turned into a fielder’s choice.
In the eighth, Texas was unable to take advantage of three walks when freshman left fielder Anthony Pack Jr. took two strikes before flying out to left field.
The ninth inning saw the home team try to mount a furious comeback started by a solo home run by sophomore shortstop Adrian Rodriguez, who is still battling enough discomfort in his surgically-repaired left hand that he’s made the decision to only bat left handed for the remainder of the year.
It was only the second home run of the season for Rodriguez.
Texas was able to load the bases with one out after an infield single and two walks, but the momentum slowed when Monsour struck out swinging before junior catcher Aiden Robbins came through with a two-run single to narrow the deficit to 7-4.
When Tinney was hit by a pitch, the Horns loaded the bases once again, but Pack wasn’t able to take advantage, striking out swinging on a 2-2 pitch to end the game.
The seven baserunners left stranded by the freshman standout were among the 17 left on base by Texas on Saturday. But just like the bullpen, Schlossnagle didn’t come away concerned about the lack of timely hitting.
“As I always say, batters left on base never, ever, ever bother me, ever, unless they’re less than two outs with a runner on third. What bothers you is when you’re not getting on base. That’s really stinks, because then you have no chance to score,” Schlossnagle said.
So after making four Mississippi State relievers combine to throw 121 pitches on Saturday, Schlossnagle heads into Sunday’s matchup at 1 p.m. Central on ESPN with a high level of confidence in his team’s ability to win the series.
“Super confident. Super confident,” Schlossnagle said. “I mean, we’re facing a great team, but we’ve got Luke [Harrison] on the mound and they’ve got a good lefty going for their team, and I was glad to see us fight back.”
On 75 minutes up stepped Kobbie Mainoo with the coolest of winners before the Stretford End to cause bedlam among home fans and wrest the bragging rights Manchester United’s way.
After a raid down the left Alexis Mac Allister’s weak clearance rolled to the midfielder who beat Dominik Szoboszlai to punch home a finish that bested Freddie Woodman to the Liverpool goalkeeper’s right.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 28: Braxton Ashcraft #35 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches during the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park on April 28, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home hosting the Cincinnati Reds this afternoon at beautiful PNC Park looking for a win.
Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.
Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
Remember Bucs Dugout is basically a non-profanity site
Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our threads
The commenting system was updated during the summer. They’re still working on optimizing it for Game Day Threads like ours. If you don’t like clicking “Load More Comments”, remember that the “Z” key can be your friend. It loads up the latest comments automatically.
BD community, this is your thread for today’s game. Enjoy!
The New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers meet in the Eastern Conference semifinals for a chance at the conference finals. New York beat Atlanta in six games, while Philadelphia came back from a 3-1 deficit to beat Boston in seven games.
Both New York and Philadelphia are on three-game winning streaks entering this series. The Knicks trailed 2-1 in the series before ripping off three straight wins, while the 76ers trailed 3-1 and won three consecutive.
All four of the Knicks' wins have come by double digits in the playoffs, while there two losses came by a combined two points. The Knicks average the second-most points per game in the playoffs as a team (117.8) and have the third-best three-point percentage (38%). New York is led by Jalen Brunson (26.3) and Karl-Anthony Towns (18.7) averaging 45 points per game.
Joel Embiid returned in Game 4 of the first round and the 76ers are 3-1 since then. Embiid changed the course of the series versus Boston and his appearance adds a wrinkle or two to New York's game plan. Embiid averages 28.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists over 36.5 minutes per game in four playoff games.
Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
After 24 years, the NBA is back on NBC and Peacock, combining the nostalgia of an iconic era with the innovative future of basketball coverage. The NBA on NBC YouTube channel delivers fans must-see highlights, analysis, and exclusive and unique content.
Game Details and How to Watch Live: 76ers vs. Knicks
Date: Tuesday, May 2, 2026
Time: 8:10 PM EST
Site: Madison Square Garden
City: New York, NY
Network/Streaming: NBC Sports / Peacock
Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Game Odds: 76ers vs. Celtics
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Philadelphia 76ers (+240), New York Knicks (-298)
Spread: Knicks -7.5
Total: 212.5 points
This game opened Knicks -8.5 with the Total set at 213.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Celtics vs. 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
PG Tyrese Maxey
SG VJ Edgecombe
SF Kelly Oubre Jr
PF Paul George
C Joel Embiid
New York Knicks
PG Jalen Brunson
SG Josh Hart
SF Mikal Bridges
PF OG Anunoby
C Karl-Anthony Towns
Injury Report: Knicks vs. 76ers
New York Knicks
None
Philadelphia 76ers
None
Important stats, trends and insights: 76ers vs. Knicks
New York is 48-41 ATS and 48-41 to the Under this season
New York is 29-14 ATS at home, ranking first
New York is 23-20 to the Under at home
Philadelphia is 27-18 ATS as the road team
Philadelphia is 14-13 ATS and 11-16 on the ML as a road underdog
Philadelphia is 49-41 ATS
Philadelphia is 48-42 to the Under and 24-21 to the Under as the road team
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections 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 Tuesday’s Knicks and 76ers’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Knicks’ Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the 76ers +7.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 212.5
Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!
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 NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
STREAKING AT HOME: The Cubs have won 10 straight games at home. It is their 19th double-digit win streak of the Modern Era, which began in 1901, their 15th at Wrigley Field, their home since 1916. This is their first such streak since they won 14 in a row, May 18-June 22, 2008. A 13-game streak in 2001 and a 10-game streak in 1998 are their only others of the kind since 1970. Their record is 18 straight, Sept. 4-22, 1935, during a surge that lifted them to the pennant. The 2008 streak was one of five of 14 games. The 2001 streak was the only one of 13. They also had a lone streak of 12, in 1927, and of 11, in 1910. Eight of the streaks ended after 10 games. The most recent, May 29-June 15, 1998, was snapped when the Cubs were routed by the Brewers, 11-2. They then lost five of seven to wrap up a home stand. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
STREAKING EVERYWHERE: The Cubs had won 10 in a row everywhere last month. Yesterday’s win makes 2026 just the 13th of the 126 seasons starting in 1901 in which they have enjoyed double-digit streaks overall and at home. The previous season was 2001, when the Cubs won 12 in a row, the first seven at home, May 19-June 2. After a loss at Milwaukee, they won three at home, went 2-4 on the road and won three more at home. Then came a 2-2 road trip, followed by a return to Wrigley Field, where they lost to the Brewers, 2-1, snapping their home streak at 13 games. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
AGAINST ARIZONA: This is the Cubs’ 30th series at home against the Diamondbacks since Arizona began play in 1998. The Cubs have swept four of them, in 2005, 2008, 2012 and 2015. This is the 10th series at Wrigley Field since the last sweep. The Cubs won the first two games last year, then lost the third, as they had in 2011 and 2016. In 2014, they won the first two, then lost two. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: The Cubs trailed 2-1 going to the bottom of the ninth, with just two hits off the Mets’ Paul Wilson. Scott Bullett led off the ninth with a single and stole second. After two strikeouts, Mark Grace was intentionally walked. Sammy Sosa then hit a three-run walk-off homer and the Cubs won 4-2. It happened 30 years ago today, Friday, May 3, 1996. Here are the last few minutes of that game:
Matthew Boyd’s numbers aren’t good (7.00 ERA, 1.444 WHIP) but I can’t help thinking he’s pitched better than that record. For one thing, in his two bad starts a run scored in each after he left the game. If the bullpen had prevented those runs, that ERA drops by a full run.
Anyway.
Boyd has struck out a lot of hitters —26 in 18 innings — with only five walks. I can’t help thinking that eventually, he’ll break through with a really good outing. Hopefully, this afternoon.
Merrill Kelly was traded from the D-backs to the Rangers at last year’s deadline. He was one of the most in-demand pitchers at that deadline.
Kelly went to high school in the Phoenix area and attended Arizona State and makes his home there. He really wanted to come back to the D-backs in free agency and they wanted him back.
Maybe they were too hasty. Kelly’s return was delayed by a nerve injury. His first start this year was okay, the two since then have been terrible — 16 hits, 13 earned runs, four home runs in 9.1 innings (12.54 ERA). Oh, also, eight walks.
Kelly made two starts against the Cubs last year and posted a 1.64 ERA (two earned runs in 11 innings) with no home runs allowed.
Please visit our SB Nation Diamondbacks site AZ Snakepit. If you do go there to interact with D-backs fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
The Vancouver Canucks are sending two Hall of Famers to represent the organization at the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery. According to a report from Patrick Johnston of Postmedia, Daniel and Henrik Sedin will be the Canucks representatives at this year's draft lottery. The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery is scheduled for May 5, 2026, at 4:00 pm PT.
Vancouver enters the draft lottery with the best odds at first overall. The organization has never selected first, but has made multiple selections in the top three in its history. Daniel and Henrik are two examples of top three picks, as they were selected second and third overall in 1999.
As for the odds, the Canucks have a 25.5% chance of selecting first overall. This comes after Vancouver finished 32nd in the NHL with a 25-49-8 record. This year's draft does not have a consensus first-overall pick, as most draft boards are split between Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg.
The 2026 NHL Draft is scheduled for June 26-27, 2026, in Buffalo. The Canucks currently have 10 picks, including four in the first two rounds. The last time Vancouver held two first-round picks was in 2014, when they selected Jake Virtanen sixth overall and Jared McCann 24th.
Feb 12, 2020; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Twin brothers Daniel Sedin (22) and Henrik Sedin (33) of Sweden speak while being honored in a ceremony held prior to a game between the Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Sunday Night Baseball returns for the first time in May as the Texas Rangers face the Detroit Tigers on Peacock at 7:20 pm ET.
I’m focusing on three hitters in the player prop market with my favorite Rangers vs. Tigers MLB picks for Sunday, May 3.
Rangers vs Tigers props for May 3
Pick
Odds
Riley Greene Over 1.5 total bases
+132
Josh Jung Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI
-135
Kerry Carpenter Over 0.5 doubles
+538
Rangers vs Tigers player prop picks
Riley Greene Over 1.5 total bases (+132)
Detroit Tigers star outfielder Riley Greene is swinging a hot stick, slashing .298/.397/.463 with a 143 wRC+. With very strong underlying metrics (91st percentile xSLG, 84th percentile barrel rate), he appears primed to continue doling out damage.
Throughout his career, he’s been particularly lethal against right-handed pitchers, sporting a .825 OPS and 130 wRC+ against them. That’s good news against starter Jack Leiter, who has a 5.80 FIP against left-handed bats while allowing them to hit .304.
Josh Jung Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-165)
Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung was a man on fire in April with a 1.103 OPS while slashing .381/.448/.655. That hot streak has carried over to May, as he’s 4-for-9 through the first two games of this series.
He carries an 11-game hitting streak into the series finale, and he’s reached base safely in 22 of his last 23 games. There aren’t many hitters in finer form, so here’s looking to take advantage in the prop market during Sunday Night Baseball.
FanDuel lists his odds of recording Over 1.5 HRRBI at -165 against a Detroit team set up for a bullpen game. The former Texas Tech product has either plated a run or scored one himself in 16 of his last 20 contests.
Kerry Carpenter Over 0.5 doubles (+538)
Kerry Carpenter is a well-known righty-masher who has a career 136 wRC+ against them while hitting for a ton of power (.261 ISO).
Carpenter has had trouble hitting for average (.197 xBA, 33.3% K rate), but is dangerous when he does get a hold of something, ranking in the 93rd percentile for hard-hit rate and 88th percentile for average exit velocity.
Leiter throws one of his three fastball varieties 59% of the time against lefties. Carpenter demolishes all three and likes to sit on heaters with a 161 wRC+ against four-seamers, 186 against sinkers, and 211 against cutters, making it a strong matchup.
How to watch Rangers vs Tigers and game info
Location
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Date
Sunday, May 3, 2026
First pitch
7:20 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
COVERS INTEL: Castillo is 
Riley Greene Over 1.5 total bases
Josh Jung Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI