SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 12: JJ Wetherholt #26 of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run against the Athletics during the sixth inning at Sutter Health Park on May 12, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals offense was great out of the starting gate early grabbing a quick 4-0 lead and Andre Pallante’s start was just good enough Tuesday night in Sacramento as the Cardinals offense gave them a 6-4 victory.
The Athletics starter Jeffrey Springs threw 26 pitches before recording an out in the first inning as the St. Louis Cardinals got to him early. It started with a JJ Wetherholt walk followed by a single from Ivan Herrera who executed a hit-and-run to perfection giving the Cardinals a first and third scoring threat from the get-go. Jordan Walker followed that with a smart single to left-center giving the Cardinals a fast 1-0 lead.
The Cardinals weren’t done in the first. After Alec Burleson struck out and Winn popped out, Jose Fermin came through with a clutch two-out double to center scoring Walker and Herrera giving St. Louis a 3-0 lead. Yohel Pozo followed his clutch RBI’s with one of his own with a single to score Fermin making it a 4-0 Cardinals score.
Andre Pallante would allow the Athletics back into the game in the bottom of the 2nd inning allowing a two-out rally that was extended by a challenge at first base that went the Athletics way on a single by Hernaiz. McNeil followed that with a single and then Nick Kurtz ripped a hard single up the middle to left-center scoring Hernaiz cutting into the Cardinals lead 4-1. Langeliers came through with a two-out double scoring both McNeil and Kurtz shaving the St. Louis lead to just 1 at 4-3.
The Cardinals extended their lead in the 6th inning when Nolan Gorman singled to right and then JJ Wetherholt did JJ Wetherholt things by jolting a no-doubt home run over the right field wall for his 8th home run of the season making it 6-3 Cardinals! Wetherholt added a single later going 2-4 for the night.
Andre Pallante’s final stat line was a respectable 5 innings giving up 4 hits and 3 earned runs with 4 strikeouts and 3 walks. He was relieved by Ryne Stanek who came in to pitch the bottom of the 6th inning. He walked one, but kept the Athletics scoreless which was the goal. JoJo Romero pitched the bottom of the 7th inning and had no problems with even Nick Kurtz getting the Athletics 1-2-3. George Soriano was the Cardinals 8th inning hall monitor. Unfortunately, he served up a gargantuan 448 foot blast to Nick Langeliers who hit a ball onto the roof of the visitor’s clubhouse in Sacramento cutting the Cardinals lead to 6-4. Even Soriano outs were hard hit as Victor Scott II made a fine play on a deep fly by Soderstrom. Rooker popped out to right and then Cortez ripped a double down the right field line to bring the tying run up to the plate in the form of Zack Gelof who flyed out to deep left center limiting the damage to just 1 Athletic run.
Riley O’Brien was tasked with taking care of the Athletics in the bottom of the 9th inning and trying to not replicate the final game of the San Diego series when he gave up a two-out, two-strike game tying home run. Riley walked the first batter on four pitches bringing the tying run up to the plate. He threw his first strike on his 6th pitch. Fortunately, the 8th pitch was a ground ball to JJ Wetherholt that he and Masyn Winn turned into a double play. Riley O’Brien then locked down the Athletics by retiring Jeff McNeil to give the Cardinals a 6-4 victory.
The St. Louis Cardinals California vacation continues Wednesday night as Matthew Liberatore will start the game for St. Louis. J.T. Ginn will take the mound for the Athletics. First pitch at Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park is scheduled for 8:40pm central time and the game will be televised on Cardinals.tv.
Decorated coach to remain with club in advisory role after 2027
Penrith assistant Peter Wallace to take over in job in 18 months
Ivan Cleary has 18 months remaining in his current role at the Penrith Panthers before the four-time premiership-winning NRL coach steps aside and his assistant Peter Wallace takes over.
The 55-year-old announced on Wednesday he would not renew his contract when it expires at the end of next season, but will remain in Penrith in an advisory role beyond 2027.
MESA, ARIZONA - MARCH 21, 2026: Kane Kepley #20 of the Chicago Cubs runs out a fly ball during the eighth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the San Diego Padres at Sloan Park on March 21, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Smokies catcher Owen Ayers was named Southern League Player of the Week.
Right-hander Kenten Egbert went back to High-A South Bend after a brief trip to Triple-A Iowa.
Right-hander Frankie Scalzo Jr. went back to Double-A Knoxville from Iowa.
Right-handers Corbin Martin and Yacksel Rios joined Iowa.
Paul Campbell started and took the loss. He was tagged for five runs on seven hits over 3.2 innings. Campbell walked four and struck out four.
Most of the I-Cubs offense came from third baseman BJ Murray, who was a perfect 3 for 3 and was hit by a pitch. He scored one run.
Not much in the way of highlights here—no extra base hits and the three runs scored on a passed ball, sac fly and an error. But here’s a nice bit of defense from second baseman Pedro Ramírez.
Starter Yenrri Rojas gave the Smokies 74 pitches and 3.1 innings. In that time he allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits. Rojas struck out four, walked one and hit one batter.
Tyler Ras pitched the next 1.2 innings and earned the win, since Rojas didn’t go five. Ras retired all five batters he faced, striking out two of them.
After Marino Santy pitched two innings of scoreless relief, Vince Reilly took it home the rest of the way with a two-inning save. Reilly allowed no hits and two walks. He struck out four.
Second baseman Karson Simas drove the first pitch of the game over the left field wall for his fourth home run this season. Simas was 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored.
After the Clingstones tied it up in the bottom of the first, right fielder Alex Ramirez put the Smokies up for good with a solo home run in the top of the second inning. It was his second home run this season. Ramirez went 2 for 4 with a sac fly. He scored twice and had four runs batted in, thanks to a two-run single in the ninth.
DH Andy Garriola clubbed his eighth home run this year with no one one in the top of the eighth. Garriola was 2 for 5 with a double and the home run.
First baseman Edgar Alvarez had a pair of doubles in a 2 for 5 game. He had one RBI.
Center fielder Carter Trice was 3 for 5 with a double.
Koen Moreno started and did not allow a single hit over four innings. He did give up one run thanks to three walks, a hit batter and a balk. Moreno struck out six.
Grayson Moore threw the next two innings, didn’t allow a run and got the win. Moore gave up one hit. He struck out two and walked no one.
Center fielder Kane Kepley hit his first South Bend home run in the top of the second inning with two men on. Kepley finished the game 2 for 5 with a walk and a steal. He scored twice.
First baseman Cole Mathis doubled twice in a 3 for 5 night. He scored once and had one run batted in.
Catcher Justin Stransky was 2 for 3 with two walks. He scored twice.
DH Cameron Sisneros was 2 for 5 with two runs batted in. He also scored one run.
RBI double for Mathis. He’s slugging .535 in 19 games since his promotion from Myrtle Beach.
David Bracho gave the Pelicans a strong start. Bracho allowed just one unearned run on two hits over four innings. Bracho walked three and struck out five. He also pitched an immaculate inning in the third.
Hayden Frank pitched the next three innings and coughed up the lead after allowing two runs on three hits. He struck out six and walked two.
Victor Zarraga gave up a run in the top of the ninth and got the loss. Zarraga’s final line was one run on one hit and three walks over two innings. He struck out two.
The game-tying home run and go-ahead RBI single in the ninth were hit by Augusta’s Tate Southisene, the younger brother of the Cubs’ Ty, who was just promoted from Myrtle Beach to South Bend.
First baseman Michael Carico was 2 for 4 with an RBI single in the bottom of the first inning.
DH Josiah Hartshorn was a perfect 1 for 1 with four walks. Hartshorn scored once.
LOS ANGELES — "Amazing. You couldn't have scripted it better."
The words of legendary Los Angeles wordsmith O'Shea Jackson echoed over the Spectrum Sportsnet LA broadcast as Shohei Ohtani rounded the bases, waving both hands in the air with an undeniable look of relief on his face as he finally put an end to his prolonged home run drought on May 12 at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers commentary team of Joe Davis and Orel Hershiser gave Ice Cube — who was in the booth after throwing out the first pitch on his bobblehead night — the opportunity to analyze Ohtani's homer, and it didn't disappoint.
"He lined that up, sent it right down the middle of the plate. Right where he loves it," Ice Cube said on the call. "And he smacks this thing all the way, goes yard."
Ohtani turned toward his teammates and motioned for the ball once he got back to the dugout, a lighthearted jab from the reigning back-to-back National League MVP toward himself, acknowledging his slump at the plate.
That third-inning tiebreaking solo shot off of San Francisco Giants starter Adrian Houser was Ohtani's first since April 26 — in 52 total plate appearances — against the Chicago Cubs. It was only his second in his last 112 plate appearances dating back to April 12 against the Texas Rangers. It's an unusual cold streak from the player who's hit more than 50 home runs in each of the last two seasons.
It had gotten to the point that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he's giving his two-way star the night off from hitting on May 14 and leaning toward the same decision for his scheduled start on the mound on May 13. If that does end up being the case, it would be the first time Ohtani goes back-to-back nights out of the lineup (for non-paternity leave or injury reasons) since 2021 as a member of the Los Angeles Angels.
But for Roberts, it's worth it to possibly give him some extra rest as he tries to balance the workload of being a full-time starting pitcher and hitter for the first time in nearly three years.
"I think the fatigue is starting to bleed into the mechanics," Roberts said pregame. "I think that most players get that towards the end of the summer and now I'm learning, managing Shohei, it's probably showing itself a little earlier, as far as the tax on pitching — and all that comes with it — to the hitting, too."
But for one night at least, Ohtani began to show some signs of finally breaking through.
San Diego, CA - May 10: Nick Castellanos #21 of the San Diego Padres is dunked by Gavin Sheets #30 after a 3-2 win against the St. Louis Cardinals at Petco Park on May 10, 2026 in San Diego, CA. (Photo by Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images via Getty Images)
Baseball fans for all teams tend to get tunnel vision during the season. We focus so much on the good and bad with our own team that we forget that many other fan bases are experiencing the same ups and downs. With a 24-16 record and an offense that ranks in the bottom five in multiple categories, the San Diego Padres remain in first place in the National League West with the latest loss by the Evil Empire to the North.
It would be hard to find a Padres fan that feels sorry for the Los Angeles Dodgers or their fans, far from it. The standard stats, as well as the advanced stats, tell you that there is no way this Padres team should be sitting atop any division in MLB. Those stats make it easy to focus on what is wrong with this team. The fact they are doing enough things right to maintain a winning record, and squeak out late rallies to win games, is easy to ignore many days.
Playing in San Francisco against the Giants, the Padres took 2-of-3, scoring 10 runs in the second game. They squeaked out a win in the third game with late heroics and lost a close first game after only getting three hits.
Coming home to play a four-game set against the St. Louis Cardinals, the Padres lost the first two games. The second loss was memorable for rookie JJ Wetherholt’s Little League grand slam which came off an error by Fernando Tatis Jr. The Padres were one-hit in that contest while being shutout.
The final two games were again close affairs with more late-inning heroics to come back and win in the 10th inning of the series finale. They ended up with a winning week despite getting only 14 hits combined in the four games against the Cardinals and three hits in the first Giants game. The offensive outbreaks are welcome but rare.
Offensive futility
With a record that ranks fifth in MLB, the Padres’ .223 batting average ranks 28th in baseball. Their .667 OPS is 27th while their OBP of .297 is 28th. The slugging percentage barely climbs out of the lower five at 24th, sitting at .370.
Manny Machado summed it up best in his post-game interview after the series finale versus the Cardinals. “Yeah, we need to hit, I mean, you know, look, it’s obvious. We’re not hitting. It’s obvious, but we’re getting things done, man.”
They have a problem with starting pitchers. Starters mostly look like Cy Young early in games. Opposing starters have thrown 20 quality starts against the Padres (five innings or more, three runs or less) over their 40 games. The Padres starters have put them in holes for a few of those games, but the real issue is that they average less than three runs in the first six innings of games. That ranks 24th in MLB, and just seven of those pitchers have an ERA under 4.00.
Jackson Merrill batting leadoff
Centerfielder Jackson Merrill is the latest player to shoulder the responsibilities of the Padres’ lead-off hitter. After Tatis Jr. and Ramon Laureano both had opportunities, Merrill has had the job beginning the second game of the Giants series. Over those six games, his OBP is .387 versus his .303 OBP over the season. He is chasing less and seems to be focusing more on longer at-bats. Six of his 15 walks this season have come while leading off.
Mason Miller and Craig Stammen
In the Saturday win against the Cardinals, Mason Miller was needed in the eighth inning to get the last out after Adrian Morejon was unable to finish it off. Miller came back out in the ninth inning to finish his 12th (MLB leading) save of the 2026 season. It was not easy.
Miller struggled with fastball command and walked two while also unleashing a wild pitch. As a result, it took four outs to get the save, and he got those on four strikeouts. The third strikeout was the wild pitch, and Cardinals pinch-hitter Yohel Pozo reached first base safely when Freddy Fermin couldn’t corral it. Miller struck out Wetherholt for the last out.
Miller became the latest Padres pitcher to need four outs to get out of an inning. The last one before him?
Craig Stammen in 2021 while pitching in relief for the Padres.
Nick Castellanos finds his groove
The Padres signed Nick Castellanos during Spring Training after the Philadelphia Phillies released him. He is being paid league minimum ($780,000) by San Diego, with the Phillies paying the bulk of his $20 million salary. His role with the team has been to provide a bat off the bench and relieve regulars in need of rest. Castellanos does not have a good defensive position. Even during his best years, his defensive metrics have been subpar in any position he has played. This is the first time in his career that he has played this infrequently, and it has required adjustments on his part.
That makes what he did on Sunday against Cardinals closer Riley O’Brien all the more notable. His line for the season so far, .192/.231/.329 in 73 at-bats, does not induce confidence. His home run in the ninth inning of that game tied the score and gave the Padres a chance to come from behind, yet again, for the win.
He even broke his bat and had to borrow one from Tatis Jr., after the 1-2 pitch, to complete his at-bat. Presumably, it was the same bat Tatis used for his longest out of the game, a 395-foot drive with an exit velocity of 106 mph that was caught at the wall.
Castellanos fought off sinkers clocked at 98 mph and sweepers that hugged the corners of the plate over his nine-pitch at-bat. After going down 0-2 with the first two pitches, Castellanos took a ball and then fouled off two more close pitches before taking two more balls to get to a full count. He fouled off another sinker then launched the last sinker over the left field wall to tie the game.
Castellanos has not hesitated to explain how this adjustment has been a challenge for him. “When I’ve been at my best is when, like, you just kind of fall into autopilot with the season and there’s not a lot of thinking that is involved. You wake up, you know what lies ahead. So learning how to navigate not knowing what your day is going to look like or what’s gonna be asked of you is an adjustment.”
Walker Buehler finds some rhythm
Starter Walker Buehler had his best start as a Padre against the Cardinals on Sunday. He went six innings on three hits and no walks allowed. His one mistake was an elevated pitch that traveled to the top balcony of the Western Metal Building, and that followed a single hit by the batter before. Buehler threw 17 first-pitch strikes to the 21 batters he faced and used all seven of his pitches, including a 95-mph fastball.
Lucas Giolito update
RHP Lucas Giolito made what could be his last start in the minor leagues on Sunday for the San Antonio Missions. Over six innings and 74 pitches, Giolito allowed three hits and one run with three strikeouts in his best outing in the minors. It was his fourth start, and he must be activated by Saturday per his contract. It is possible he could see action with the Padres this week against Seattle. When Giolito is activated, the Padres will need to make a roster decision regarding one of their other pitchers. With Germán Márquez already on the injured list, there is another tough choice to be made.
Injury updates and roster changes
Starter Joe Musgrove was moved to the 60-day IL to accommodate the promotion of catcher Rodolfo Durán to the Padres. Duran was needed when Luis Campusano fouled a pitch off his toe and was unable to play, being placed on the 10-day IL on May 7.
RHP Jhony Brito was sent to the ACL Padres to begin his rehab from the UCL surgery last year.
Infielder Will Wagner was activated off the injured list and assigned to the El Paso Chihuahuas.
Reliever Yuki Matsui was activated off the IL and reliever Kyle Hart was optioned to El Paso.
IF Sung-Mun Song was promoted to the Padres when 2B Jake Cronenworth was placed on the 7-day injured list with Concussion symptoms.
Note: This story was written prior to the results of the series opener between the Padres and Brewers on Tuesday.
Ewing filled the box score, going 1-for-2 with a triple, three walks, two RBI, two runs scored, and a stolen base. His energy was present from the start and he even became the first player in Mets franchise history to triple in their debut.
The 21-year-old walked in his first plate appearance on seven pitches with runners on first and second base and one out. The walk paid off as New York was able to add a run on a groundout. And it was that plate discipline that impressed manager Carlos Mendoza the most, even saying Ewing was "pretty much perfect at the plate" in his first big league game.
"Pretty impressive," Mendoza said. "From the very beginning, the first at-bat, the quality of the at-bat, the takes, not panicking, just under control. He got ahead and was still able to take pitches close to the strike zone. And just the way he was taking them. There was rhythm; he's on time. Pretty good idea. Obviously, something that we've seen in the past, the way he controls the strike zone.
"But man, he was pretty much perfect at the plate today and it was just good to see that."
Ewing flied out in his second at-bat, but then walked again in the bottom of the sixth inning and stole second base to get the team going. It was just the spark New York needed, as they'd go on to score three runs in the frame and take a 6-2 lead.
Mendoza continued to compliment Ewing's strike zone discipline and his ability to stay "under control" at the plate, something not too common for young players, let alone those playing in their first game.
"Yeah, I don't think you see that right out the gate," Mendoza said. "You see that from players coming up through the system and you know they have pretty good understanding of the strike zone. But not until you get here and the quality of the pitching, obviously. You're going to be jumpy at times.
"Today, he was just under control from the very beginning. Like I said, it's pretty impressive. Didn't give up any at-bats away, that's the other thing. And it's the 3-1 takes with runners in scoring position, not trying to do too much, like it's just under control. And you don't see that from players when they first get to the league."
To Ewing, that's just who he is as a player.
"I just think that's kind of part of my identity as a hitter," Ewing said. "I'm patient, I see a lot of pitches, and I make pitchers work hard."
It took the former fourth-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft until his fourth at-bat to get his first hit, but the wait was worth it. Ewing tripled down the right field line in the bottom of the seventh inning to score Brett Baty from first base, putting the Mets up 7-2. He added that it "was pretty cool" that he started both Triple-A and the majors with a triple.
That type of energy was exactly what the team had been needing. And while it could be what helps the Mets turn things around this season, Mendoza isn't putting the weight of it on the rookie's shoulders.
"We're going to need him and everyone in that room, it's not fair to put it just on him," Mendoza said. "The fact that he's able to keep the line moving, give you quality at-bats. With him right now hitting at the bottom of the order, the more we can turn that lineup over, we're going to have chances to score runs. Like I said, we're going to need him and everyone in there."
Ewing added on providing a spark: "I think energy's always great, but I'm just here to play baseball and do my job and that's just be the player I am."
He and the Mets will keep taking it day by day as they look to get out of the bottom of the standings. But for now, Ewing is taking it all in and said the best part of his debut was being part of the "great atmosphere."
"Probably the win at the end, but just looking around when I got on first base for the first time. That was when it kind of hit," Ewing said.
Sep 6, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy (12) makes a catch during the game against the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
The #Braves today signed free agent C Sandy León to a major league contract and placed C Sean Murphy on the 10-day injured list, backdated to May 11, with a fractured left middle finger. Atlanta today also selected OF José Azócar to the major league roster after optioning INF Jim…
Murphy suffered the injury during a play against the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was just his fourth game back after previously rehabbing a hip injury, continuing what has been an injury-plagued season for the Braves backstop.
The club also announced that catcher Sandy León signed a major league deal, OF José Azócar was selected to the major league roster, and INF Jim Jarvis was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett.
More Braves News:
Mike Yastrzemski was the star of the show in Tuesday’s 5-2 win over the Chicago Cubs.
The New York Yankees placed infielder Jose Caballero on the 10-day injured list with a finger fracture. In a corresponding move, the club recalled shortstop Anthony Volpe.
The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired center fielder Alek Thomas from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for a minor league outfielder. The Diamondbacks designated Thomas for assignment last week.
The Philadelphia Phillies signed outfielder Dylan Carlson to a minor league deal. Carlson was previously on a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs but was recently released.
From the Feed:
The Braves paid special tribute to Ted Turner and Bobby Cox ahead of Tuesday’s contest.
The Braves limited the Cubs to just one hit on Tuesday; cast your vote here for Braves Player of the Game.
The finalists for the annual Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year award were announced on Tuesday, and somehow, Pittsburgh Penguins president/general manager Kyle Dubas wasn't one of them.
All three have done a great job with their respective teams, but it's still crazy that Dubas wasn't even a nominee for this award after the work he did over the last year to turn the Penguins from what many expected to be a bottom-five team into a playoff team.
For starters, he hired Dan Muse as head coach after the 2024-25 season ended, and it's already been one heck of a hire. He did an outstanding job with the veterans and the younger players, while the special teams units were also fantastic. Muse was eventually named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award.
Switching gears a little bit, basically all of the roster moves that Dubas made last summer and during the 2025-26 season were home runs. He signed Anthony Mantha to a one-year "prove it" deal, and he went on to have the best season of his career, compiling 33 goals and 64 points. Yes, he didn't play well in the playoffs, but it was still a great signing.
Justin Brazeau and Parker Wotherspoon were also brought in on cheap deals during free agency last summer and, like Mantha, had their best individual seasons. Brazeau lit the league on fire to start the season and finished with 17 goals and 34 points in 64 games.
Wotherspoon was a great fit on the top defensive pair with Erik Karlsson and was the Penguins' most reliable defenseman on the left side. He was strong in his own zone and was also one of their most physical players.
Penguins president/general manager Kyle Dubas. Photo credit: Kelsey Surmacz, The Hockey News
Dubas traded for goaltender Arturs Silovs from the Vancouver Canucks and only gave up forward Chase Stillman and a fourth-round pick. Silovs was up-and-down during the regular season, but lived up to his name as a big-game goalie in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
He drafted Ben Kindel, who went on to have a better rookie season than anyone expected, finishing with 17 goals and 35 points. Bill Zonnon is also on the way after scoring his first AHL goal on Tuesday, and Will Horcoff had a strong freshman season for the University of Michigan.
Goaltender Tristan Jarry got off to a solid start with the Penguins this season, winning nine of the 14 games he played. He was still in the third year of a five-year contract, making $5.375 million per season, and Dubas still found a way to get out of the deal. He shipped Jarry and forward Sam Poulin to the Edmonton Oilers for fellow goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round pick.
Skinner was serviceable for the Penguins down the stretch and into the playoffs. Kulak was playing solid with Letang before he was later flipped to the Avalanche for fellow defenseman Sam Girard and a 2028 second-round pick. Girard was up-and-down with the Penguins after the trade and will have an opportunity to show more once the 2026-27 season starts in October. Overall, it's still tidy business by Dubas.
How about sending a second-round pick, a third-round pick, and forward Danton Heinen to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Egor Chinakhov? Chinakhov needed a change of scenery and fit the Penguins like a glove, compiling 18 goals and 36 points in 43 games after the trade. He was fantastic with Evgeni Malkin and Tommy Novak and is set to get a new contract this summer.
Elmer Soderblom was acquired by Dubas just before the trade deadline and was a great fit in the bottom six. He racked up five goals and 10 points in 20 games after coming over from the Detroit Red Wings, using all of his 6'8 frame to his advantage. His board play was also impressive, as was his ability to protect the puck.
Soderblom is expected to be a mainstay in the Penguins' bottom six next season and potentially future seasons as well.
Anthony Volpe returned to the Yankees roster Tuesday after the team placed Jose Caballero on the IL with a fractured finger, but what seemed inevitable before the season started wasn't the case.
The young shortstop underwent offseason shoulder surgery that delayed his 2026 season, but after his rehab assignment was complete, the Yankees decided to keep Volpe in the minors. The decision was made a little easier thanks to Caballero's hot start to the season.
But now that Volpe is back in the Yankees clubhouse, he's ready to get his year started.
"Feels good to be back, see everyone and I’m ready to go," Volpe said after the Yankees' win over the Orioles. "Ready to get going. This is my start. Took a lot to get back here. Now that I’m here, I’m ready to go and take it from here."
Volpe was not in the starting lineup Tuesday as he was still en route to Baltimore when his call-up was made official, but he'll likely get the start in Wednesday's series finale.
He'll look to show off some of the tools that made him the Yankees' top prospect and a promising young big leaguer. He'll definitely want to flush his offensive numbers in the minors this season. In 18 games between Double-A and Triple-A, Volpe is batting .221 with an OPS of .570 to go along with one home run, two doubles and eight RBI.
Along with the emergence of Caballero, Volpe's paltry offensive numbers during rehab didn't help his case to return. The 25-year-old understands the business and is ready to move forward.
"What’s happened has happened," he said. "I put a lot of work to feel this good and come back, and go and help this team. I’ve been able to process, do everything and it’s just back to work. We have a really good club. It feels great to be back. Just take it from here on out."
Volpe said it meant a lot that his teammates, including Aaron Judge, reached out to him during this time and that he's more motivated now that he's back.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before Tuesday's game that Caballero will be the starting shortstop when he returns from the IL, which Caballero said he only plans to be out for the maximum 10 days. Volpe was asked whether he feels he has an opportunity to change the organization's mind about him starting, the shortstop smiled before answering.
"If I learned anything out of all this, there are things I can’t control and things I can," Volpe said. "We have a game tomorrow and that’s what I’m focused on. Throughout this whole thing, it’s been day to day, how to get better, how to improve and that’s what I’m focused on."
Last season was arguably Volpe's worst as a pro. He batted .212 with an OPS of .663, and although his power numbers rose from the previous year, his OBP (.272) and stolen bases (18) were career lows. Not to mention his career-high 19 errors in the field.
May 12, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran (16) safe at second base against Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott (5) in the eighth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images
For some reason, I’m not anywhere near as angry as I should be after another loss in which the Red Sox lineup looked like it was reenacting something out of the Deadball Era. Tonight, some of the highlights lowlights included:
Batting Mickey Gasper – A 30-year-old with a career .495 OPS – second in the lineup.
The bats lasting a grand totals of just 16 pitches at the plate over the first three innings.
The team once again failing to generate the hit they desperately needed late in the contest as the tying run was stranded in scoring position in each of the final three innings.
Scoring two runs or fewer for the tenth time in the last 14 games at Fenway Park.
But do you know what surprised me the most about tonight? The Red Sox almost won. On paper, this game should have been a rocking chair victory for Philadelphia, and instead the game ended with a drama filled ninth inning where, less surprisingly, the Red Sox bats failed to deliver once again. But just under the surface of another pitiful night at the plate were signs that this Red Sox team might be on the verge of turning a corner. They include:
Brayan Bello pitching well again in the bulk role
On a night with no Roman Anthony or Willson Contreras, Wilyer Abreu came up in a big spot in the seventh inning, worked an eight pitch at bat, and hit a ball that would have been a home run in 29 of the 30 ballparks. The result sucked, but that had all the makings of a game changing moment.
The defense once again looked as solid as ever and kept the listless offense in the game.
Marcelo Mayer smoked a ball 106mph with the tying run on third to end the seventh inning.
Perhaps it’s just that Happiness = Reality – Expectations, and my expectations were so low for this game that I was somewhat shielded from another letdown. However, I’m also getting this overwhelming sense that the Red Sox pitching and defense is legit. If they’re turning a Brayan Bello bulk game against one of the hotter teams in the sport into a 2-1 affair against a guy like Zack Wheeler when the lineup is missing key pieces, that’s actually not the worst result in the world when you isolate it out from the waterfall of garbage performances we’ve seen at Fenway this season.
Ultimately, this Red Sox season is going to come down to the pitching and defense being able to outlast the offense being this historically feckless. Maybe they won’t, and they certainly didn’t tonight, but part of the reason it’s this noticeable is because they’re wasting plenty of good outings, and if they’re going to start getting those from Brayan Bello in addition to Payton Tolle and Connelly Early, games like tonight are eventually going to start flipping in the other direction.
Three Studs
Brayan Bello: 6.1 innings of one run ball out of the bulk role. A huge step in the right direction.
Wilyer Abreu: Went just 1-4, but looked good defensively again, and came within a few feet of having one of the best at bats of the whole season.
Zack Kelly: Threw up a scoreless top of the ninth and gave the bats one last chance when they were starting to show signs of waking up.
Three Duds
Jarren Duran: 0-4 from the top of the lineup with two strikeouts. He’s hitting .189 on the season.
Jovani Moran: Started the game to face the lefties at the top of the Phillies lineup before Bello came in for the bulk role and gave up a solo blast to Kyle Schwarber.
Caleb Durbin: But more specifically, the decision not to have Caleb Durbin bunt when he came up in the eighth inning. We know Durbin’s in there for his glove, and when Carlos Narvaez led off the top of the eighth with a single, it was the perfect opportunity to move him over to second with the top of the lineup coming up. Instead, Durbin flew out to center field as part of his 0-3 night at the plate.
Bonus Dud
The NESN cameraman: Below we’re going to see the play of the game we’ve referenced a few times already, and the camera angle here is going to make it look like we’re watching the space shuttle take off instead of a warning track fly ball to end an eight pitch Wilyer Abreu at bat.
Death, taxes, and the Tampa Bay Rays defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in the year 2026.
Drake’s 15th project, Iceman, is set to debut May 15, and Shane McClanahan sure had Blue Jays bats frozen Tuesday evening in “The 6ix”, as McClanahan went five innings, allowing only one hit and one walk while striking out seven.
That 97 MPH fastball was the final pitch of his outing and also extended his career-long scoreless innings streak to 21.2, and his season ERA down to 2.27. ‘Sugar Shane’ might be back, folks.
As far as the run support, the Rays jumped on Blue Jays southpaw Patrick Corbin early.
In the first inning, Jonathan Aranda singled, followed by a Junior Caminero single, and Jonny DeLuca driving in Aranda with a two out RBI double. 1-0 Flappy Boys.
In the third inning, Caminero singled, Ben Williamson doubled, and Cedric Mullins delivered with two outs with a two-run single of his own to give the Rays a 3-0 lead.
In the sixth, Taylor Walls scored on a wild pitch from Tommy Nance, and in the seventh, ‘The Rig’ Ryan Vilade homered to extend the lead to 5-0.
TBR – Ryan Vilade Solo HR (2)
📏 390 ft | 💨 102.5 mph | 📐 24° ⚾️ 95.7 mph four-seam fastball (TOR – RHP Jeff Hoffman) 🏟️ Out in 30/30 parks 💣
Once we got to the bottom half of the seventh, things got scary.
Toronto would not only bat around, but tie the game to make it 5-5.
The bullpen would hold them there, and the game went to extras.
Cedric Mullins would act as the ghost runner in the 10th, and Taylor Walls would drive him in via, you guessed it, a single.
And who else but Aranda to drive him in vis the sacrifice fly to give the Rays the lead.
Garrett Cleavinger entered in the bottom of the 10th to shut the door for good, as Toronto would score once more. Andres Gimenez grounded out to Junior Caminero, who had two errors on the evening, to end the game 7-6.
Tampa Bay is now 19-3 against the American League, and remains the top dog in the junior circuit.
The Rays and Jays will do it again from Rogers Centre on Wednesday, cumulating a stretch of 13 games straight, starting at 7:07 PM EST.
There was a before Jason Collins, when gay male athletes felt no choice but to hide their true selves and young men searching for someone like them in professional male sports thought they were alone.
And, thankfully, there is an after.
The number of male athletes who played major professional sports after coming out is still dishearteningly small, but it is no longer zero. No one will have to bear the colossal burden of being the very first openly gay man in any of the major professional leagues because Collins was courageous enough to do it.
That is his legacy. That is his gift to every athlete who comes after him.
“Jason changed lives through his courage, authenticity, and commitment to helping others feel seen,” tennis great Billie Jean King, the first prominent female professional athlete to come out, said in a statement on social media.
“His legacy extends far beyond basketball. He helped move sports and society forward with strength.”
Of course there were gay men in the NBA – and the NFL and Major League Baseball and the NHL – before Collins came out in April 2013. But none felt safe enough to share their true self with the world while they were still playing.
Trash talk and insults have always been a mother tongue in sports, and for far too long, homophobic slurs were one of the main dialects in male locker rooms. Whether it was spoken or just implied, the message to closeted players was that coming out risked upsetting that delicate balance. A player brave enough to tell the world his truth might alienate his teammates, fracture the chemistry of a team.
And if that happened on one team, the door to the rest of the league would slam shut. A player could lose his livelihood and the sport he loved just for wanting to be his authentic self.
So people stayed quiet. Some until their careers ended. Some for their entire lives.
But Collins was brave enough to want more, for himself, for other LGBTQ people, for our whole society.
Collins breaks barrier
“I wish I wasn't the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, 'I'm different.' If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I'm raising my hand,” Collins wrote in the first-person essay for Sports Illustrated announcing he was gay.
“… It takes an enormous amount of energy to guard such a big secret. I've endured years of misery and gone to enormous lengths to live a lie. I was certain that my world would fall apart if anyone knew,” Collins wrote. “And yet when I acknowledged my sexuality I felt whole for the first time. I still had the same sense of humor, I still had the same mannerisms and my friends still had my back.”
Collins was a free agent when he came out, and it would take nearly a year before a team signed him. He finally joined the Brooklyn Nets on a 10-day contract in February 2014, then wound up spending the rest of the season with them.
He played in 22 games, and the Nets didn’t implode and their locker room didn’t come apart. Brooklyn reached the Eastern Conference semifinals before losing to the two-time defending NBA champion Miami Heat. No shame in that.
Game changed when Collins came out
Collins retired that fall, but the game had forever shifted. He’d shattered the stereotypes of gay men and destroyed the idea that there was no room in the major professional sports for a gay man.
“He helped make the NBA, WNBA and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.
Homophobia still exists in sports, male sports especially. There are still athletes reluctant to come out while they're playing for fear it will jeopardize their careers.
But Collins showed gay men that they didn't have to hide, that major men's professional sports were more ready to welcome them than they expected. He made it so that "never" could no longer be a barrier.
"Openness may not completely disarm prejudice," Collins wrote in 2013, "but it's a good place to start."
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 12: Victor Wembanyama #1 and De'Aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs high five during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round Two Game Five of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 12, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The noise inside Frost Bank Center started long before tipoff. Fans arrived anxious, restless and desperate to see how the San Antonio Spurs would respond after letting Game 4 slip away in Minneapolis. There had been frustration over Victor Wembanyama’s ejection. Questions about composure. Questions about whether the young Spurs were ready for the weight of a playoff series that suddenly felt even again.
By the end of Tuesday night, those doubts had been drowned out by cheers.
The Spurs didn’t just beat the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5. They squeezed the life out of them. Behind a dominant performance from Wembanyama and one of their sharpest defensive efforts of the postseason, San Antonio rolled to a commanding 126-97 win to take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.
From the opening minutes, the Spurs played with the urgency of a team determined to erase the memory of Game 4. Every loose ball mattered, every defensive possession carried force, and Minnesota quickly discovered there would be no easy baskets.
“We played with the appropriate fear, discipline, execution, physicality, poise,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said. “And I thought we had it from an array of people tonight and it was really good to see.”
Wembanyama set the tone immediately, patrolling the paint like a one-man wrecking crew. The 7-foot-4 star altered shots even when he didn’t block them, swallowed rebounds in traffic and punished the Timberwolves offensively whenever they sent smaller defenders at him.
By halftime, the building was alive. The Spurs were flying in transition, the defense was swarming and Minnesota looked rattled.
Wembanyama finished with 27 points, 17 rebounds, five assists and three blocks, but the numbers hardly captured the control he had over the game. Every Minnesota mistake seemed to start with his presence somewhere nearby. And this time, he stayed on the floor to finish the job.
“I think the one word I like to use is mature,” Johnson said of his young star. “I think there was a lot that’s happened in the last 48 hours. And I think how that young man came out tonight and played in a variety of ways in a variety situations…was extremely mature.”
The Timberwolves made one brief push in the third quarter, cutting into the deficit just enough to create tension in the arena. For a moment, memories of missed opportunities and collapsing leads resurfaced.
Then San Antonio answered.
De’Aaron Fox pushed the tempo after a steal and found Stephon Castle for an easy finish. Moments later, Keldon Johnson exploded to the rim before delivering the defensive highlight of the night: soaring to reject Rudy Gobert at the basket and sending the crowd into a frenzy.
That sequence broke Minnesota.
The Spurs followed with another scoring burst, and suddenly the game no longer felt competitive. San Antonio’s lead ballooned past 20 as the Timberwolves’ offense unraveled possession by possession.
Fox, playing through an ankle issue, added 18 points and controlled the pace whenever the Spurs needed stability. Johnson scored 21 points off the bench with his usual blend of emotion and physicality, while Castle continued to play far beyond his years with 17 points in another poised playoff performance.
Minnesota never found answers.
Anthony Edwards scored 20 points, but San Antonio crowded him relentlessly, forcing difficult looks and cutting off driving lanes before he could fully take over. The Timberwolves struggled to create clean offense all night as frustration mounted with every empty possession.
By the fourth quarter, the only drama left was how loud the arena would become with each Spurs basket.
Fans rose to their feet early, sensing what this win meant. Not just a series lead or a bounce-back performance. It was proof that this young Spurs team could absorb pressure, respond to adversity and reestablish its identity when the stakes climbed highest.
Now, San Antonio heads back to Minneapolis one win away from the Western Conference Finals.
And after Tuesday night, the momentum feels firmly back in silver and black.
Game notes
Keldon Johnson delivered the performance that won him 6th Man of the Year, posting 21 points and showing up when his team needed him the most.
Shoutout to the fans at the Frost Bank Center. They will need every bit of that and more when the Oklahoma City Thunder come to town.
Fueled by his ejection in Game 4, he came out and set the tone from the opening tip, scoring 16 of the Spurs' first 21 points as they raced out to a 21-9 lead.
However, the real difference in this series is depth.
There were multiple points when the Timberwolves would make a run, and each time, a different Spurs player would step up and make plays to take control again. At one point it was Stephon Castle. At another it was Keldon Johnson. Another time it was Dylan Harper.
The rook was too big for the vet on this board and Dylan Harper then got the layup to go.
"We played with the appropriate fear, discipline, execution, physicality, poise," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "And I thought we had it from an array of people tonight and it was really good to see."
The Timberwolves only get that kind of boost from Anthony Edwards, but nobody else is stepping up when they need it most.
The result was the Spurs pulling away in the fourth quarter for a comfortable 126-97 win, giving them a 3-2 lead and just one more win away from the Western Conference Finals.
Game 6 is Friday night in Minnesota.
Wembanyama led the way for San Antonio with 27 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks on the night.
More than the stats, it was the tone he set. The Spurs were the more physical team on the night and dominated the paint — San Antonio won the points-in-the-paint battle 68-36.The Timberwolves shot just 47.4% in the paint on the night.
San Antonio got 21 points from Johnson off the bench, while De'Aaron Fox added 18 points and Castle 17. As a team, the Spurs shot 52.8% on the night and got downhill into the paint at will.
Edwards led the Timberwolves with 20 points, while Julius Randle had another unimpressive game this series with 17 points but on 17 shot attempts, plus 10 rebounds. Jaden McDaniels also scored 17 for Minnesota but spent much of the night in foul trouble.
How San Antonio's depth showed was in its response to even the slightest adversity. Minnesota would make runs, like when it cut the San Antonio lead to four, 34-30, at the end of the first quarter. Then the Spurs would respond, as they did with an 11-3 run to start the second quarter. By halftime, it was the Spurs by a dozen, 59-47.
Minnesota opens third quarter on a 14-2 run to tie the game — and they did it with Wembanyama on the court. Then the Spurs responded with an 11-2 run of their own, fueled by Johnson's energy and six points from Castle.
It was like that all night, the young Spurs felt comfortable and made plays. And now they are one win away from the Western Conference Finals and a date with Oklahoma City.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 11: Koa Peat shoots the ball during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 11, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Melissa Tamez/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The NBA Draft Combine got underway Monday in Chicago, where Arizona’s Tobe Awaka, Jaden Bradley, Brayden Burries and Koa Peat performed measurements and drills in front of NBA decision makers.
Burries and Peat are both projected first-round picks, while some mock drafts have Bradley going late second round. Awaka is one of the players participating at the combine looking to make a good final impression, even if his draft prospects are marginal at best.
The combine, which runs all week, provides players with an opportunity to meet with NBA front offices face-to-face in addition to participating in obligatory tests and drills. Bradley is the only Arizona player to compete in 5 on 5 scrimmages, which run Wednesday and Thursday.
For Arizona fans, the major point of interest heading into this week was how Peat would measure up and perform in shooting drills. Suffice to say, Peat didn’t turn many heads with his shooting.
Peat was one of the worst shooters in Monday’s session, making 6 of 25 three-pointers and going 6 of 25 in the spot-up shooting drill. As ESPN’s Jeff Borzello wrote, “Peat’s shot looked dramatically different from what it did while he was at Arizona, with a slower motion and much lower release point. He didn’t look entirely comfortable with it Monday.”
Peat’s poor shooting display shouldn’t come as a surprise to Arizona fans who watched him struggle from the field throughout the season. Whether it’s enough of a concern for NBA GMs to the point where Peat feels he’d be better off returning for a sophomore year is another question.
Here is how Peat and the other Arizona players fared at the combine’s first days. The story will be updated with Bradley’s drill results. Credit to Kevin Thomas of PHNX for drill results of Peat, Awaka and Burries.
