That’s the 18th time this year, in 45 games (or 40 percent of games) that the Cubs have drawn at least six walks. The season high is 10, in a 7-4 win over the Phillies April 21.
If you’re thinking that’s a lot of walks, you’re right. The Cubs have 210 walks so far this year, which is the most in MLB. Only one other team (Yankees, 204) has 200 or more bases on balls.
That’s 4.67 walks per game. If the Cubs could keep up that pace all season, that would make 756 walks for the year, which would demolish the franchise record. That’s exactly 100 fewer, 656 walks taken by the Cubs in 2016. You remember something else important that happened that year, I’m sure.
In fact, that would set a National League record, currently held by the 1947 Dodgers, who had 732 walks. The MLB record is an astonishing 835, set by the Red Sox in 1949. That Red Sox team had Ted Williams in his prime, with 162 walks, and two others (Johnny Pesky and Vern Stephens) who walked 100 times.
The Cubs haven’t had anyone walk 100 times in a season since Carlos Peña had 101 in 2011. And that was just the fourth 100-walk season by any Cub since 1960 (also Gary Matthews, 103 in 1984 and Sammy Sosa, 116 in 2001 and 103 in 2002).
Ian Happ currently leads the team with 34 walks, which is tied for sixth in MLB with Aaron Judge and Bryan Reynolds. If Happ keeps up that walk pace, he’ll have 122, which would be tied for second-most in team history, with Jimmy Sheckard, who did that in 1912.
Why am I writing about this and why is it important?
Well, for one thing, I hear a lot of criticism of Happ because his batting average is relatively low. For his career, Happ has a .247 BA and right now it’s at .241, right in that range.
But his .381 OBP ranks eighth in the National League and yes, that matters, because that has helped Happ score 35 runs so far this year, and that ranks tied for fourth in the league (with Oneil Cruz). And in the end, runs are what matter most in baseball. Score more runs than the other guy on a consistent basis and you will win a lot of games, which the Cubs are doing this year, as you have likely noticed. The Cubs have scored 230 runs, which ranks third in MLB (Braves, 240 and Nationals, 239). That’s 5.11 runs per game, which extrapolated to 162 games gives a possible 828 runs scored by the 2026 Cubs. The Cubs just missed scoring 800 runs last year (793) and 828 would be their third-most since 1935 (831 in 1998 and 855 in 2008 are the others).
Other current Cubs good at drawing walks are Michael Busch (24 walks, .352 OBP), Nico Hoerner (29 walks, .340 OBP) and Seiya Suzuki (19 walks in 31 games, .382 OBP). The Cubs have six bases-loaded walks this year, including one Friday by Matt Shaw. Only two teams (Rays, Angels) have more as of today.
Sometimes I think people turn their noses up at the humble walk. The old saying “a walk’s as good as a hit” is, in general, true — it’s got pretty much the same predictive run value as a single, if you’re leading off the inning. (Yes, I am aware that walks later in innings don’t have quite the same predictive run value as hits, though they are still valuable.)
So keep up the walks, Cubs. They’re producing value, even if the batting averages don’t seem that good, and they are producing runs — lots of them.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 10: Bryce Elder #55 of the Atlanta Braves delivers to the plate against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on May 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Bryce Elder saga continues. At least it’s a happier one than in years past… though what about the MLB-best Braves isn’t, at this point?
Elder got things started on the right foot this year with an altered pitch mix and augmented slider, with three good outings in his first four tries. His collective line in that span (ERA-/FIP-/xFIP-) was 19/68/84. He then kinda-sorta regressed back to what he was before this season — not awful or anything, but this was the downside of the mechanical inconsistency that’s plagued him for two-and-a-half seasons now. In his next three outings, his line was 79/88/111, with his proverbial bacon getting saved by a low HR/FB rate. His last two starts, though, have been the positive end of being inconsistent: 38/78/76, with no HR/FB bacon-saving needed.
In those most recent two outings, Elder morphed into more of a three-true-outcomes guy; his combined strikeout and walk tally in each went into double digits, the first times that’s happened this season, and something that only happened twice last season. Elder is no longer a groundball guy, not really, as his grounder rate has dipped below league average at this point. That’s not surprising given that his four-seamer has actually jumped ahead of his sinker in usage at this point. Meanwhile, his slider’s now-exaggerated downward break has made it a more effective swing-and-miss pitch while shaving off some of the “just rolled over it” contact he used to get.
All in all, Elder’s line on the season is 44/78/92, which is certainly better than his career 101/103/100 line, but you can see that HR/FB is having a much bigger impact on his season than his improvements in and of themselves. He leads the Braves’ staff in fWAR (1.3, to Chris Sale’s 1.2). Among the 147 starters with the most innings in MLB this season, his fWAR ranks 20th, his ERA- ranks eighth, his FIP- ranks 29th, and his xFIP- ranks 50th. Quite a turnaround from his past performance in many ways.
The Atlanta attack in the midst of a brief lull, having scored just seven runs in their last three games, and things won’t necessarily get easier for them as they’ll face Payton Tolle today. (The lull is largely just an artifact of Matt Olson having three hits, all singles, and no walks in his last four games, and Ozzie Albies reaching base just five times in his past nine games, with no extra-base hits, and two of those five instances coming in the same game.) The 50th overall pick in the 2024th MLB draft, Tolle had an okay debut season marred by some terribly poor fortune (142/150/92) across three starts and four relief appearances, and then started 2026 dominating Triple-A hitters before getting the call-up. Since then, he’s dominated major league hitters too, with a 65/67/77 line in four outings. He was dominant in his season debut (11/1 K/BB ratio) but the Red Sox somehow lost the game; he then had a not-so-good outing in Toronto, bushwhacked the Tigers in Detroit, and then had an okay start against the Rays. Basically, he’s got the potential to dominate, but it’s not a fait accompli or anything.
Tolle is an odd duck pitch-wise, as he’s broadly four-seamer, sinker, cutter, curve, in that order. He throws hard (96 mph), gets basically best-in-class extension, and has enough fastball command that he hasn’t needed to sweat much else. His three fastballs (including his cutter) all vary enough in shape and velocity that his hard curve is largely an afterthought… and really, his four-seamer is scary enough that he might do okay by just throwing it and not much else. Hope the Braves bring their hitting shoes and their fastball timing to the park tonight!
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Saturday, May 16, 7:15 p.m. EDT
Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
TV: BravesVision, Gray TV
Streaming: MLB.tv — it’s a free weekend, even if you don’t subscribe (though of course you’ll need to be out-of-market to benefit)
In 2021, the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox played the MLB’s first Field of Dreams Game at the infamous movie site in Dyersville, Iowa.
This summer, the Philadelphia Phillies and Minnesota Twins will take the stage for the third rendition of the Field of Dreams Game. They won’t be the only teams playing on the renovated field, either.
On Saturday, Joe Doyle of Over-Slot Baseball reported that the MLB High School All-American Game will be played on Wednesday, Aug. 12 at the Field of Dreams.
The prestigious event has previously rotated between MLB ballparks, but with an iconic venue available, some of the nation’s top high school baseball prospects in the 2027 class will get a chance to play in an unforgettable environment.
Last summer’s game featured a slew of prospects that are projected to be taken early in the upcoming 2026 MLB Draft. Shortstop Grady Emerson, SS Jacob Lombard, left-handed pitcher Gio Rojas, LHP Carson Boleman, SS Tyler Spangler, LHP Logan Schmidt and SS Aiden Ruiz are all top-40 overall prospects — per MLB.com — that played in the game last year.
Field of Dreams Game returns this summer
The Field of Dreams Game returns as a part of the MLB’s new partnership with Netflix. The Phillies and Twins will play on Aug. 13, one day after the High School All-American Game.
“Major League Baseball is excited to return to Iowa in 2026 and to deliver a unique experience to the Twins, the Phillies, their players, our two Minor League teams, and fans across the game. We look forward to working with Netflix and creating an event that all sports fans can enjoy,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in the November press release announcing the return of the beloved event.
About the MLB All-American Game
More on the vaunted prospect showcase via MLB.com:
“Showcasing the best high school prospects in the 2026 Draft class to the professional scouting community, the 2025 MLB All-American Game served as the premier kickoff event to the summer scouting season.
The inaugural MLB All-American Game took place in 2019 at Progressive Field in Cleveland. Due to COVID-19, the 2020 event, along with all other All-Star Game events, was canceled. The event returned in 2021, hosted at Coors Field in Denver, in 2022 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, in 2023 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle and in 2024 at Petco Park in San Diego.”
Mar 30, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Kyle Leahy (62) pitches against the New York Mets during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The I-70 series continues Saturday as it’s game 2 of the St. Louis Cardinals playing host for the Kansas City Royals. Kyle Leahy (4-3, 4.31 PCL, 32 SO) will start the Saturday afternoon affair for the Cardinals while Noah Cameron (2-2, 5.55 PCL, 32 SO) will begin the game for the Royals. First pitch is scheduled for 1:15pm at Busch Stadium, but note that the team says the start will be delayed due to weather. The broadcast will be handled by Cardinals.tv. Notice that JJ Wetherholt is not in the lineup today.
UPDATE: Cardinals say expected start time is 2pm central time.
Noah Cameron has done a lot of looking for answers this year | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The Royals are now in the midst of their second losing streak of at least five games. They only have a single five-game winning streak to counter them. They could start another one of those today, but it’s hard to believe it while they’re losing.
Noah Cameron was surprisingly good for the Royals last year. While some thought there was room for him to be a worse pitcher in 2026, no one expected him to become this bad. Unfortunately, it appears he dropped his arm angle considerably in search of a better fastball shape that has wrecked his control and effectiveness with his other pitches. It’s led to Noah only making it as far as six innings once and giving up 3+ runs in each of his last five starts.
The Cardinals will send Kyle Leahy to the mound. He’s spent his entire four-year career in St. Louis, and he’s been kind of an unremarkable reliever. With the Cardinals leaning into their rebuild over the offseason, they moved him to the rotation, where he has been kind of an unremarkable starter. He throws six pitches at least 10% of the time. None of them grades poorly, but only the sweeper is remarkable. None of them are thrown in the zone particularly often, get very much chase, or generate whiffs. His season xWOBACon – a measure of how well he’s hit when batters do make contact – is also poor. In a way, it’s kind of remarkable that he’s been so unremarkable when he’s not able to do any of the things that generally make a pitcher good.
Lineups
The Royals’ lineup has done a lot of getting on base, but then not really getting guys home on this road trip. They loaded the bases with one out on two different occasions last night and only got one runner home each time. Bases-loaded situations have actually been awful for the team all year, with them slashing .220/.288/.317/.606 in such situations. During the hot stretch, they were getting hits with runners in scoring position, but those problems have reared their heads again on this trip. Hopefully, they can figure it out soon.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 15: Brandon Lowe #5 of the Pittsburgh Pirates rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at PNC Park on May 15, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are 24-21 to start the season and everyone thought the pitching would be the true calling card for the Buccos, but it has been the offense stealing the show.
The Pirates offense is averaging five runs per game so far. That would be their highest runs per game since 1936 where they averaged 5.15 runs.
The Bucs have four players who have 25 plus RBIs Oneil Cruz, Ryan O’hearn, Brandon Lowe, and Bryan Reynolds. The only other team in the league with more is the Atlanta Braves with five. As a team, the Bucs have 220 RBIs, which is third behind the Braves and the Washington Nationals.
They have a team batting average of .251, which is sixth in the league and the highest average in the NL Central. Pittsburgh has 393 hits, which is good for fourth in majors behind the Braves, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros. The Pirates are also tied for fifth in the stolen bases with 44.
The offense has been a huge surprise to start the season. There was hope with the new additions like Lowe, O’Hearn and Marcell Ozuna that the power would be better, but I don’t think anyone was expecting this.
The Pirates are only tied for 14th in the league in home runs, but they make up for it with small ball and taking advantage of runners in scoring position.
Despite the 11-9 Friday night loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, the offense still showed out. Marcell Ozuna hit a monster 438ft 2 run home run. While Brandon Lowe had another multiple home run game, hitting one in the third inning then again in the fifth inning. Lowes 12 home runs leads the team with Oneil Cruz is second with 10 home runs.
The Pirates have been really fun to watch on the offensive side so far, but if they want to keep pace with the Cubs and the brewers in the division and make the playoffs the offense needs to be consistent for the whole season.
NHL 26 has been undefeated so far in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The simulation predicted both a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Kings and a five-game defeat of the Minnesota Wild in round two for the Colorado Avalanche.
Now the Avalanche are four wins away from a berth in the Stanley Cup Final. What’s going to happen next? Let’s find out.
Game 1 — Golden Knights 5, Avalanche 2
The Vegas Golden Knights controlled Game 1 from the opening minutes and never fully let Colorado back into the matchup, riding a fast start and steady finishing touch to a 5–2 win in the Western Conference Final simulation.
William Karlsson opened the scoring at 4:52 of the first period, slipping a backhander through Scott Wedgewood’s five-hole to make it 1–0. Keegan Kolesar doubled the lead just minutes later, redirecting a Rasmus Andersson shot to push it to 2–0.
Colorado generated pressure midway through the period, with Martin Necas setting up Nathan MacKinnon for a clean look, but Carter Hart denied the attempt. Vegas kept pushing, and Noah Hanifin extended the lead to 3–0 late in the frame with a wrist shot over Wedgewood’s glove.
The Avalanche answered late in the period when Nazem Kadri finished a feed from Brett Kulak, beating Hart with a wrist shot to cut it to 3–1.
Colorado carried that momentum into the second period and closed the gap further when Gabe Landeskog spun and buried a backhand past Hart to make it 3–2.
Scott Wedgewood kept the Avalanche within reach with key saves, but Vegas regained control in the third. Tomas Hertl finished a rebound at the back door to make it 4–2, and Shea Theodore sealed the game with an empty-net goal late.
Final Stats — Game 1
Final Score: Golden Knights 5, Avalanche 2
Scoring (VGK): William Karlsson, Keegan Kolesar, Noah Hanifin, Tomas Hertl, Shea Theodore
Scoring (COL): Nazem Kadri, Gabe Landeskog
Shots on Goal: Golden Knights 33 — Avalanche 28
Goaltenders:
Scott Wedgewood (COL): 29 saves
Carter Hart (VGK): 26 saves
Multi-point players: Tomas Hertl (1G, 1A), Shea Theodore (1G, 1A)
Game 2 — Golden Knights 3, Avalanche 1
The Vegas Golden Knights stayed in full control of the series with another disciplined road win, defeating the Colorado Avalanche 3–1 behind an early strike, strong defensive structure, and a standout performance from Carter Hart to take a 2–0 series lead.
Jack Eichel opened the scoring early, finishing a Brett Howden feed on a one-timer to give Vegas a 1–0 advantage and set the tone for the night.
Colorado responded with pressure and possession, outshooting Vegas 10–6 in the first period, but Hart kept the Avalanche off the board with several key stops, including a glove save on a Josh Manson point shot, as the Golden Knights carried the lead into intermission.
The Avalanche continued to press in the second, nearly tying the game on multiple chances—most notably a rebound scramble where Devon Toews cleared Brett Howden from danger, and later a Toews rush opportunity that Hart again turned aside.
Vegas eventually doubled the lead midway through the period when Cole Smith scored through traffic after a defensive breakdown in front of Scott Wedgewood, despite Colorado continuing to control shot volume.
In the third, Colorado’s frustration grew as Josh Manson hit the post and additional chances from Valeri Nichushkin and Gabe Landeskog were denied by Hart, who stayed locked in down the stretch.
Late pressure came with Cale Makar generating a rebound look from the point, but Hart smothered the chance before Colorado could capitalize. Jack Eichel then sealed the game with an empty-net goal, with Nicolas Roy adding a late consolation marker for the Avalanche in the final seconds.
Final Stats — Game 2
Score: Golden Knights 3, Avalanche 1
VGK Goals: Jack Eichel (2), Cole Smith
COL Goal: Nicolas Roy
Shots On Goal: Avalanche 28 — Golden Knights 17
Assists (COL): Cale Makar, Ross Colton
Goaltending:
Carter Hart — 27 saves
Scott Wedgewood — 15 saves
Series: Golden Knights lead 2–0
Game 3 — Avalanche 1, Golden Knights 0
The Colorado Avalanche finally broke through in the Western Conference Final simulation, grinding out a tight defensive battle and getting just enough offense to edge the Vegas Golden Knights 1–0 in Game 3.
After nearly two scoreless periods defined by structure, saves, and limited space, the breakthrough finally arrived late in the second. With 4:03 remaining in the frame, Valeri Nichushkin and Gabe Landeskog drove hard to the net, creating chaos in front of Carter Hart. Amid the traffic, Nichushkin found a window and slipped a wrister through the five-hole to give Colorado the only goal it would need.
From there, the Avalanche leaned into a disciplined defensive effort, protecting the lead through a tense third period where space continued to shrink and every chance carried weight.
Scott Wedgewood stood tall throughout the night, turning aside Vegas pressure with 33 saves to secure the shutout bid, while Hart finished with 25 stops at the other end in a low-event, tightly controlled game.
Final Stats — Game 3
Score: Avalanche 1, Golden Knights 0
Scorer (COL): Valeri Nichushkin
Shots on Goal: Golden Knights 33 — Avalanche 26
Goaltending:
Scott Wedgewood — 33 saves (Shutout)
Carter Hart — 25 saves
Series: Golden Knights lead 2–1
Game 4 — Avalanche 3, Golden Knights 2 (3OT)
The Colorado Avalanche clawed their way back into the Western Conference Final simulation in dramatic fashion, outlasting the Vegas Golden Knights 3–2 in triple overtime to even the series at two games apiece in a marathon Game 4.
Colorado struck first at 4:08 of the opening period when Brock Nelson jumped on a Gabe Landeskog rebound and snapped it past Carter Hart to give the Avalanche an early 1–0 lead.
Vegas answered on the power play at 8:16 of the second period in a chaotic sequence. Mitch Marner created space with a slick deke through coverage, lost control of the puck in traffic, but it deflected off Valeri Nichushkin’s skate and trickled into the net to tie the game 1–1.
The Avalanche regained the lead early in the third. At 3:40, Martin Necas found Landeskog in the slot, and the captain blasted a one-timer past an outstretched Hart to make it 2–1.
Vegas responded late, tying the game with 8:36 remaining when Nic Dowd pounced on a loose puck at the doorstep and slid it under Scott Wedgewood’s pad to force overtime.
What followed turned into a war of attrition—three full overtime periods of grinding, chances, and survival on both ends.
Vegas controlled the shot volume throughout the night, but Wedgewood repeatedly kept Colorado alive, while Hart also stood tall to push the game deep into marathon territory.
Finally, the breakthrough came in triple overtime. After Nathan MacKinnon won a crucial offensive-zone draw, Sam Malinski fired a point shot that created a rebound in front. Martin Necas reacted quickest, snapping it over Hart’s glove to seal a 3–2 Avalanche victory and level the series.
Final Stats — Game 4
Score: Avalanche 3, Golden Knights 2 (3OT)
Shots on Goal: Golden Knights 60, Avalanche 42
COL Goals: Brock Nelson, Gabe Landeskog, Martin Necas (OT winner)
VGK Goals: Mitch Marner, Nic Dowd
Goaltending:
Scott Wedgewood — 58 saves
Carter Hart — 39 saves
Series: Tied 2–2
Game 5 — Avalanche 2, Golden Knights 0
The Colorado Avalanche carried their momentum from a triple-overtime classic into Game 5 and delivered a disciplined, defensive road win, shutting out the Vegas Golden Knights 2–0 to take a 3–2 series lead in the Western Conference Final simulation.
With both Scott Wedgewood and Carter Hart given the night off after the exhausting Game 4 marathon, Mackenzie Blackwood and Adin Hill stepped into the spotlight and delivered strong performances on both ends of the ice.
Colorado struck early once again, with Martin Necas opening the scoring to give the Avalanche a 1–0 lead and immediately tilt the pace in their favor.
From there, the game settled into a tight, low-scoring grind, with both goaltenders holding firm as chances came at a premium. Blackwood, however, was perfect when it mattered most, turning aside everything Vegas threw at him to keep Colorado in front.
The Avalanche finally added insurance in the closing seconds. With nine seconds remaining, Necas struck again, finishing into an empty net to seal the 2–0 victory and extend Colorado’s winning streak to three straight games.
Final Stats — Game 5
Score: Avalanche 2, Golden Knights 0
COL Goals: Martin Necas (2)
Shots on Goal: Avalanche 33 — Golden Knights 21
Goaltending:
Mackenzie Blackwood — 21 saves (Shutout)
Adin Hill — 32 saves
Series: Avalanche lead 3–2
Game 6 — Avalanche 3, Golden Knights 1
Desperation defined Game 6 from the opening puck drop, with the Vegas Golden Knights fighting to extend the series and the Colorado Avalanche trying to punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final in a tense, tightly played elimination game.
Neither side found the breakthrough through two periods, despite Colorado holding a 21–14 edge in shots on goal and controlling long stretches of possession. Both goaltenders stood firm, turning away chance after chance to keep the game scoreless heading into the third.
Vegas finally broke through at 2:26 of the final frame. Ivan Barbashev drove hard to the net, saw his initial attempt partially deflected, and stayed with the play to poke home the rebound past Mackenzie Blackwood, giving the Golden Knights a 1–0 lead.
Colorado answered quickly on the power play. Just over three minutes later, Ross Colton buried a one-timer off a Nic Roy feed, tying the game 1–1 while William Karlsson served a tripping penalty on Cale Makar.
With the game hanging in the balance late, the Avalanche struck again in familiar fashion. At 2:21 remaining in regulation, Artturi Lehkonen finished a feed from Logan O’Connor, snapping a shot from the left circle past Carter Hart to give Colorado its first lead of the night.
O’Connor then sealed the result with an empty-net goal, lifting the Avalanche to a 3–1 victory and sending them on to the Stanley Cup Final after winning four of the final five games in the series.
Final Stats — Game 6
Score: Avalanche 3, Golden Knights 1
COL Goals: Ross Colton, Artturi Lehkonen, Logan O’Connor (EN)
VGK Goal: Ivan Barbashev
Shots on Goal: Avalanche 34, Golden Knights 22
Goaltending: Mackenzie Blackwood — 21 saves
Carter Hart — 32 saves
Series Result: Avalanche win series 4–2, advance to Stanley Cup Final
What do you guys think will happen in round three? Let us know.
Mar 27, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Will Klein (61) waves during the World Series ring ceremony before the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
With the Dodgers on a three-city road trip to Anaheim, San Diego, and Milwaukee, here are a few leftover tidbits from the last homestand at Dodger Stadium.
Toast of the town
First, I spoke with reliever Will Klein, who has kept his late-season surge and World Series heroics going in the early part of the season, with a 2.45 ERA and 2.83 xERA with 19 strikeouts and four unintentional walks in 18 1/3 innings.
After last season’s championship parade, Klein was in a scrum with media on the field at Dodger Stadium. I was off to the side talking to another reporter about the right-hander, and said reporter noted Klein’s four-inning effort in Game 3 of the World Series and said he should never have to pay for a drink in this town again. Klein’s wife Carson happened to be standing near us and quipped something like, “You would think, and yet!”
That was only a week after Klein’s gem, so this week I asked him if in fact he has encountered such generosity from fans in the time since.
“It happened to me the first time ever a couple off days ago [in late April]. My wife and I were out eating dinner, after a day game before an off day,” Klein said. “I just had a glass of wine, and then I was going to the bathroom and some guy comes up and goes, ‘Hey Will,’ and that doesn’t happen often. Someone noticed who I am, that’s cool. Then we were getting the bill and they said the table over there got your drinks.”
“That’s the first time I’ve experienced that,” Klein added. “I think people overestimate their ability to spot us.”
Long road back
Another Dodgers reliever is relatively new to the squad, as Wyatt Mills was called up last Sunday, when he pitched his first major league game since 2022 while with the Kansas City Royals. Tommy John surgery wiped out his 2023 and 2024 seasons, and after signing a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox in 2025 never got called up.
He signed with the Dodgers last August and spent the rest of the season at Camelback Ranch, and was a non-roster invitee in big league camp this spring. After a 3.26 ERA and 36.4-percent strikeout rate for Triple-A Oklahoma City, the 31-year-old Mills got the call back to the majors. His wife and two-year-old daughter were living with him in Oklahoma City, so they packed up and arrived in Los Angeles as a family last Sunday.
I talked with Mills about his return to the majors.
“I’ve been up, and those crazy jitters and nerves weren’t there, like it was in ’21. It was more of like a gratitude. A long road, it’s never a guarantee that you get fully healthy after that. So it was more like a deep breath, kind of peaceful. I felt calm. I put in a lot of work, and my confidence came from that,” Mills said. “Then to get out there, remind myself that I belong here, now we can move forward, rather than sit there for, sometimes five, six, seven days and you don’t play until that specific situation comes up where they need you.”
“It’s not fun. But when you’re in the stretch of 13 in a row, when you know the game is not essentially in the balance or I feel that I’m trying to win the war, not the battle, that’s just kind of the role of certain guys,” manager Dave Roberts said last Monday. “Instead of chasing a loss, because regardless of the score, it’s still just one loss in the loss column. It’s never good to have a guy wear it, and I just want to make sure I’m taking care of their health. But as long as that’s not a compromise, that’s part of it.”
Kerr and general manager Mike Dunleavy already have admitted Golden State must get younger entering next season, after their previous campaign was marred by inconsistent player availability.
However, the Warriors also have shown interest in bringing back several veterans, including Kristaps Porziņģis and Al Horford, who will be 31 and 40 years old, respectively, by the start of the 2026-27 NBA season. Both Kerr and Dunleavy were asked Friday about what’s ahead for both big men.
“Yeah, those are guys that we definitely would love to have back,” Dunleavy told reporters. “They had some really good performances for this year with us. They add an element to our team that we haven’t had in the past. Al specifically with his size, his shooting, his leadership. KP is just a unique, unique player on both ends of the court. I think for us to have that talent back is something we want.
“And so those guys — you know, Al has an option. I think frankly his option is two-fold: One, do you want to keep playing? Two, do you want to be back with the Warriors? Then KP is unrestricted, so we’ll start having the conversations to try and get him back in the fold, but we like what we’ve seen from him. I think next year could be a more healthy, productive year for him.”
As Dunleavy mentioned, Horford has a player option for next season at just under $6 million, though retirement still appears to be on the table for the 19-year NBA veteran. Porziņģis, meanwhile, is an unrestricted free agent, but his injury history remains a question mark.
While the general manager underscored the on-court fit of the skilled centers, Kerr said both players enjoyed their first seasons with Golden State.
“I had an exit meeting with Al a couple of days after the season ended,” Kerr detailed. “Obviously we want him back. It’s his option with the player option. I know he really enjoys it here. I know his family loves it here. I’m hoping he’s back.
“Kristaps, actually we did not have an exit meeting. I gave him a pass on the exit meeting because he had to fly somewhere, like, the next day after our season ended. I do that frequently with veteran players. There’s only so much you need to discuss. He’s obviously unrestricted. I’d love to have him back. I know he enjoyed it here, and he’s a really talented player. I thought showed an awful lot for our team. I’d love to have them both back, but we have to see how it plays out.”
Horford and Porziņģis obviously both fill an important need for the Warriors with their size and versatility. But they also combined to play in just 77 total games last season, which fits a broader, concerning trend on the roster.
So — especially if Horford doesn’t pick up his player option — it will be interesting to see how Dunleavy and the Golden State front office moves forward in the frontcourt.
The roar inside Joe Louis Arena on May 16, 1996, still echoes through hockey history. In a tense, scoreless Game 7 between the Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues, captain Steve Yzerman delivered one of the most unforgettable goals the NHL has ever seen.
Deep into double overtime, with every shot carrying the weight of an entire season, Yzerman gathered a loose puck near center ice after a neutral-zone turnover by Wayne Gretzky.
The Red Wings captain crossed the blue line and unleashed a blistering slapshot from nearly sixty feet away, a seemingly harmless attempt that suddenly rocketed past Blues goaltender Jon Casey and exploded into the top of the net.
Yzerman flew through the air in celebration as the Red Wings escaped with a 1-0 victory, winning the series and preserving Detroit’s Stanley Cup hopes in dramatic fashion. What made the moment even more remarkable was how unexpected it felt as only moments earlier, Casey had robbed Sergei Fedorov on a dazzling point-blank save that appeared certain to extend the game further. Then came Yzerman’s gamble, a laser beam from just inside the blue line that Casey never truly tracked.
The series had already become a clash of giants with Detroit entering the postseason after one of the greatest regular seasons in NHL history, finishing 62-13-7 with 131 points, the second-highest total ever recorded at the time. The Red Wings captured their second consecutive Presidents’ Trophy and were overwhelming favorites to win the Stanley Cup.
Yet the Blues pushed them to the brink as St. Louis iced a roster overflowing with Hall of Fame talent, including Wayne Gretzky, Brett Hull, Al MacInnis, Chris Pronger, and Glenn Anderson. Detroit was forced to win Game 6 on the road simply to force a deciding game back at The Joe. In the defining moment of the series, Yzerman delivered when the Red Wings needed him most.
Awaiting Detroit in the Western Conference Finals was the Colorado Avalanche, a newly relocated franchise in its first season in Denver but already loaded with stars such as Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Patrick Roy, and Claude Lemieux. The series would ignite one of the fiercest rivalries in sports history.
It featured the infamous hit by Lemieux on Kris Draper, a devastating collision that fueled years of hatred between the franchises. Colorado ultimately defeated Detroit in six games before capturing the Stanley Cup, but the bitterness and intensity forged during that series transformed both organizations forever.
Yzerman’s goal against the Blues became more than just a series winner. It was the spark that ignited a dynasty.The heartbreak of 1996 hardened Detroit into a champion. The Red Wings would return stronger, winning Stanley Cups in 1997, 1998, and 2002 while establishing one of hockey’s defining dynasties of the modern era.
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May 15, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers left fielder Riley Greene (31) celebrates at second base after hitting an RBI double against the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers (20-25) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (19-25)
Time/Place: 1:10 p.m., Comerica Park SB Nation Site: Bluebird Banter Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Casey Mize (2-2, 2.90 ERA) vs. LHP Mason Fluharty (2-0, 5.40 ERA)
ATLANTA, GA - MAY 15: Didier Fuentes (72) of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the Friday evening MLB game between the Atlanta Braves and the Boston Red Sox on May 15, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Braves went 9-4 in the first half of May. They were 22-10 through April (.688) and 9-4 is a .692 winning percentage, so… that’s remarkably consistent considering there’s no reason to expect that 13 games will look like the past 32 games, but here we are. It’s a great place to be. Only four teams have done better in May so far — the Brewers have one fewer loss, the Phillies and Cubs have one more win, and the Rays are 11-2. The Braves remain the only above .500 team in the NL East. Their division lead of nine games (over the Nationals and Phillies) is bigger than the division leads in the other five divisions combined. It’s been a good time to be a Braves fan.
For the month so far, the Braves are sixth in position player value, including sixth in hitting outputs, tenth in hitting inputs, and fourth in defensive value. The pitching continues to be “okay” and “defense-reliant” — 16th in fWAR and 19th in FIP-, but it’s actually improved a fair bit, and is ninth in xFIP- with a mark of 90 in May. (They were 15th with a 98 xFIP- in April.)
Game-by-game, going by pregame odds, the Braves “should have” gone something like 7-6 (or maybe 6-7) in the month so far. Naturally, they did much better, against a tough part of the schedule. The win in the middle game of the Los Angeles series was probably their biggest upset so far (and might be something they can’t replicate because there won’t be another game stacked against them in the same way); on the flip side, losing a Chris Sale-Ben Brown-and-Cubs-bullpen matchup was one of their least-expected losses of the year (second, behind the loss to the Athletics early on).
Over this two-week-ish span, the Braves have added another 1.5ish wins to their projected end-of-season win total, which now sits at 94.5 per FanGraphs’ playoff odds page. Their playoff odds continue to approach unity (but probably won’t get there, rounding or not, for a while given that this is still baseball we’re talking about).
How are the Braves doing for the season?
Well, they lead the Rays by a game (two more wins) for best record in MLB. They still project to end the season with the second-best record (Dodgers). They have the best run differential in MLB, and the third-best BaseRuns differential (Dodgers, Yankees).
They’re third in position player value, including third in hitting inputs, second in hitting outputs, and fourth in defensive value. They’ve clambered up to 11th in pitching value, including up to 11th in xFIP-, and still lead the league in ERA- (thanks, defense!). At this point there isn’t too much more to say about that you haven’t already read a few times. The Braves are good, yay.
How are the hitters doing?
The gray-shaded per-600 PA column gets less irresponsible each time, but is still irresponsible.
The first half of May was marked by Drake Baldwin and Matt Olson continuing to be super-awesome, while Ozzie Albies and Mauricio Dubon took a big step back. Fortunately, Austin Riley coming alive and continued good-to-great production from the various role players on the roster essentially made up for the dropoff in Dubon-and-Albies production. The lefty-swinging triumvirate of Baldwin, Olson, and Michael Harris II continues to have some great-to-absurd season-level stats, even after Harris fell off a bit these past few weeks as he recovered from his quad trouble. Dominic Smith hasn’t had any huge season-defining moments recently, but continues to power along with an almost to-good-to-be-true batting line. None of the regulars had a particularly egregious wOBA-xwOBA gap over the last couple of weeks, which is kind of weird in and of itself.
Here’s the wOBA and xwOBA stuff in visual form, for May-so-far:
As you can see, the remarkable-esque thing is that there isn’t much that’s remarkable other than Olson and Baldwin continuing to be awesome, and perhaps that Jorge Mateo is somehow solidly in the upper-right quadrant. If we do the season to date…
Also note that I changed the axis to cap out at 150, since Harris is no longer on a complete rampage that separated him from everyone else.
Mike Yastrzemski didn’t have a great few weeks, but got the hits when it counted. He actually leads the position players in WPA, though that’s partly because Olson has had a rough last few games. On the flip side, Riley is WPA vortexing again (again…) despite an overall improvement in his performance. I’d definitely call Yastrzemski the position player of early-mid May for the Braves given his very direct involvement (even when not starting!) in multiple wins over this period.
How are the pitchers doing?
My ability to do this biweekly for pitchers is getting absolutely destroyed by the fluid-but-well-managed pitching situation. At this point, the Braves have three “starters,” a prospect who is being used as a “starter” because they’re not using him as a flex arm, and then four guys who are or have been used as “starters” but are either not starting anymore, or are effectively becoming not-quite-starter opener-type guys. As a result, I just included everyone who had a start in May in the table below.
Among this sextet, there’s a pretty clear delineation between “it’s working” and “it’s not working,” with Martin Perez kinda hanging out in a weird liminal space. Grant Holmes will likely be limited to one time through the order eventually, but his numbers are suffering in the interim. JR Ritchie’s numbers are really ugly; I’m not sure he’ll be optioned down and honestly I’m not sure that I would option him down to clear up the pitching logjam, either, but that’s an option (pun sorta intended).
Spencer Strider had a rough landing in his season debut, but then bounced back and eviscerated the Dodgers in one of his better post-2023 outings. His most recent start was a mixed bag; as the table above shows, he’ll be great going forward if he can somehow run a tiny HR/FB, but since that’s unlikely, it’d be better if he reined in the walks like he did in Los Angeles. Still, I think over these two weeks, his return was a big boost to the rotation given the other numbers you see above.
As for the bullpen, well, it’s kind of the bulk-pen at this point. Oof slash woof. Dylan Lee was absolutely filthy over the last few weeks; Robert Suarez and Raisel Iglesias also did their thing without many issues. But, the real standout for the pitching staff as a whole in early-mid May was Didier Fuentes: five appearances, 7 2/3 innings, and four shutdowns recorded, to go with a 29/65/91 line. On the flip side, Tyler Kinley has had a miserable time, Aaron Bummer’s performance hasn’t gotten any better, and Reynaldo Lopez is just uncomfortable in many senses of that word at this point. That trio joins Ritchie and Holmes as the arms at replacement level or below for May so far that are still on the roster; Kinley, Bummer, and Holmes were the only guys to get saddled with negative WPA for this period. (Kinley’s -0.52 WPA was disastrous.)
See you at the end of May — and, as always, if there’s something in particular you do want to see covered here, let me know.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 5: Bob Myers attends a game between the Denver Nuggets and the Philadelphia 76ers on January 5, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The calls for Daryl Morey’s ouster got louder and louder in the 48 hours between Philadelphia’s elimination from the NBA playoffs last Sunday and his official firing on Tuesday.
In the span of just over one week, the Sixers managed to come from 3-1 down against the Boston Celtics on the heels of their star power to looking like a team that was out of gas against the New York Knicks. Perhaps only the Sixers are capable of such an emotional 180, but they pulled it off. Morey’s affinity for stars appeared to finally be paying dividends during the comeback against the Celtics, only for Philadelphia’s lack of depth to be greatly exposed by the Knicks.
As the embarrassments against the Knicks piled up with each loss, it seemed like it was becoming harder for Morey to survive and he was ultimately let go. So often in sports, fans will shout to the heavens for a coach or executive to be fired without any real succession plan. Many simply believe that the next guy simply can’t be as bad as the current guy. But whoever replaces Morey still has to deal with the mistakes he made. Firing Morey doesn’t also undo the Joel Embiid and Paul George contracts. It also doesn’t bring Jared McCain back to Philadelphia. This isn’t to say firing Morey was incorrect, but it is to suggest that if you thought the team was in such bad shape prior to firing Morey, you shouldn’t instantly think the franchise is in better shape now.
Having said all of this, there are some things to like about the state of the Sixers at the moment. In true Sixers fashion, Embiid’s presence on the roster is both a pro and a con and we saw both sides of the spectrum in the playoffs. Embiid was the best player for either team in the Celtics series and didn’t even play for the first three games of the first round. He’s still a dominant offensive player when healthy and rested. But almost instantly in the Knicks series, Embiid looked like a shell of himself and we were already starting to see his body break down. Will the new president of basketball operations decide to dump Embiid at 25 cents on the dollar and deal with the fact that such a move likely makes the Sixers a worse team in 2026-27?
George might be easier for a new executive to trade simply because he has one less year remaining on his contract than Embiid. His mostly good play since returning from the 25-game suspension may have been enough to get his trade value back to neutral after it had been a negative for a long time. Whoever is making these decisions for the Sixers has to decide if it’s possible to build a deep enough roster during the next two seasons to load manage Embiid and George throughout the regular season, and weather their playoff lulls as well. Those are very difficult questions to answer and it’s entirely possible that a new executive comes in and knows full well that the team can’t win a championship with Embiid and George on the roster at their current costs and has to just deal with two years of stagnation.
On top of a new President potentially viewing the short-term salary cap situation as unsolvable in the next two years, that new person is not going to have their own head coach on the sideline. That’s never an attractive situation for someone holding the president title for a sports team. For what it’s worth, Nick Nurse strikes me as a pretty good coach and I wouldn’t consider being “stuck” with him as a problem for the new president.
Of course, all of these things are known by any candidate that interviews with Bob Myers and Josh Harris. So maybe there’s a candidate that either has a strong enough plan for the Sixers to become a serious contender as early as next year. At the same time, there could be a candidate that likes the upside of where the Sixers can go in 2028 and beyond that can sell themselves hard on how they would build out the roster with more financial freedom.
It’s that upside that does make the attractiveness of the Sixers’ president of basketball operations job a difficult thing to gauge. Philly has at least one first-round pick in every draft for the rest of the 2020s. The Sixers could have two firsts in the 2028 draft if their first-rounder that season falls in the top eight. Before you scoff at the idea of the Sixers being that bad in two years, remember the new lottery rules will make the top 10 picks much more random. The unprotected first-rounder from the Clippers in 2028 is a very nice asset to hold as are the swap rights with Los Angeles in the first round in 2029. While the Sixers do not have a second-round pick in next month’s draft, they do have an abundance of second-rounders in future drafts. For the first time in a while, Philly has ample draft capital to either draft prospects or make trades.
Remember, Morey’s staff that has also been responsible for a lot of his strong drafting while running the Sixers is all still employed by the franchise. If George plays out his entire contract with the Sixers, that would mean the new president will lead the team through three drafts before George is gone and Embiid has one more year left. A few strong drafts, and potentially a good trade or two with some of that draft capital could have the Sixers looking very exciting in a mere two years. The 2028-29 season will be Tyrese Maxey’s age-28 season and VJ Edgecombe’s age 23-season. Any confident executive that takes the Sixers president job will look at the draft picks and how young Maxey and Edgecombe are and tell themselves they can have this team contending in two years even if George and Embiid play out the full duration of their contracts with the Sixers.
Does a new executive have the patience to wait two years before they can really move the Sixers into the upper echelon of NBA contenders while working with a coach they didn’t hire? Does the new executive possibly believe they can elevate the Sixers out of the second round in the next two years while Embiid and George are likely still on the roster? If the answer to the second question is yes, then this job is wildly attractive to that kind of candidate. If the answer to the second question is no, then the new hire is going to have to really like the upside for the franchise starting in the summer of 2028.
The other component to all of this is the role Myers will have in the organization once the hire is made. Myers made it clear he will remain involved and have an ongoing dialogue with whomever he hires.
“They’ll have a lot of authority here, which they should,” Myers said of the person he hires. “I won’t be on a day-to-day level, but on the high-level decision-making, which is being here at the draft, being here leading up to the trade deadline, being available for free-agency discussions, free-agency meetings, things like that. I’m going to be involved at that level, and I can tell you that I imagine — and I’m not saying this lightly — I’ll be communicating with that person daily, if not five out of seven days a week.”
It’s easy to feel confident about Myers overseeing basketball operations both on an interim basis right now and having a heavy role in decisions moving forward. But don’t forget he inherited Steph Curry and Klay Thompson by the time he was promoted to general manager in Golden State. This isn’t to say Myers can’t steady the ship for Philadelphia, but his presence in the organization also might not be a fast track to the conference finals.
How attractive is the title of president of basketball operations for the Philadelphia 76ers? We can answer that with another question — if you’re interviewing for this job, are you a glass half-full or glass half-empty person?
