Apr 18, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Emmet Sheehan (80) throws during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
Emmet Sheehan gets the start on Tuesday for the Dodgers in the middle game of their series against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park, but what’s notable is that it’s the first start this season for Los Angeles on four days rest.
Sheehan allowed two runs in six innings with six strikeouts in his win last Thursday over San Francisco. He swapped rotation slots so Shohei Ohtani could start on Wednesday’s series finale, directly in front of an off day, reducing the number of games Ohtani might hit with next-day fatigue after a pitching start.
Pitching on four days rest was the norm for decades in baseball, but that’s waned a bit over time. Here’s a look at the Dodgers starts on four (or three) days rest over the last few five-year check-ins.
Dodgers starts on (3 or) 4 days rest
2006: 90 starts
2011: 70 starts
2016: 59 starts
2021: 61 starts
That’s a slow-ish decline, and even in some recent years when the Dodgers have looked for avenues to give extra rest whenever possible, through spot starts, bullpen games, the decline in starts on four days rest wasn’t precipitous, until 2024.
2022: 45 starts
2023: 40 starts
2024: 10 starts
2025: 9 starts
Last season, after excluding openers, relievers making spot starts, and some final-week shenanigans, the Dodgers had 150 real starts, and only nine of them were on four days rest. The rest were split essentially evenly, with 70 starts on five days rest and 71 starts with six days or longer. Through Monday, this year has 15 starts on five days rest and 32 starts on longer rest (Friday’s bullpen game in Anaheim is not included).
Roki Sasaki signed last year and is also on the same extra-rest plan, as is Ohtani, who returned to pitching last June. Ohtani as a two-way player means he doesn’t count against the roster limit of 13 pitchers, which makes it much easier to use a six-man starting rotation, because the team can still keep a full complement of eight relievers. Hence the decline in starts on four days rest. Tuesday is just the 30th such start for the Dodgers since the start of 2024, which is a quarter fewer than the 2023 season alone.
Tuesday is technically Sheehan’s third career start on four days rest, though his one-inning “start” last September 26 — the final weekend of the regular season, keeping him available for relief work as early as four days later in the wild card round — doesn’t really count. Sheehan also struck out nine in 4 2/3 innings with one run allowed on four days rest on September 21, 2023, but that was following a three-inning relief outing, not another start.
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Josh Inglis' expert pick: Orioles/Rays Over 7.5
Price: 50¢ (+100) at Polymarket
Yesterday’s series opener exploded for 22 runs, and the projections are calling for more offense today with a fair price on this Over sitting around -126. Kyle Bradish is coming off his best start of the season and threw 100 pitches, after averaging closer to 90 per outing beforehand — there could be some drop-off in quality after the heavier workload.
Griffin Jax is a reliever-turned-starter whose strikeout rate has fallen sharply, from 35% down to 18.2% this season. Both offenses should be able to contribute on a relatively low total, with THE BAT projecting 8.72 runs.
Jon Metler's expert pick: Braves moneyline
Price: 56¢ (-127) at Polymarket
We have two southpaws on the mound at loanDepot park this afternoon, and Martín Pérez and the Atlanta Braves have a much easier matchup with the lineup they’ll face than Braxton Garrett does.
Three of the first five hitters in the Marlins lineup bat from the left side, and the lineup features five left-handed hitters in total. This is a dream matchup for Pérez, as he can neutralize a lot of that power by working the outer half of the plate with his sinker-changeup combination, forcing those hitters to drive the ball the other way.
Garrett, meanwhile, isn’t nearly as fortunate. He struggled with his command and lasted only 1 1/3 innings in his first start of the season, and with Ronald Acuña Jr. expected back in the lineup, the Braves can throw several hitters at him who thrive against left-handed pitching, along with Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley. I price the Braves closer to 61-cent (-156) favorites in this spot.
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Red Sox moneyline
Price: 57¢ (-133) at Polymarket
The Boston Red Sox hold advantages across the board tonight in Kansas City. Ranger Suarez continues to pitch at an elite level, allowing zero earned runs in five of his last six starts, while carrying a stellar 1.96 ERA on the road.
The Royals are 2-10 against lefty starters this season, and the offense ranks 27th in OPS against southpaws over the last two weeks. Boston’s bullpen has also been dominant during that span, with an MLB-best 1.90 ERA. With a struggling Bailey Falter set to open for KC, scoring opportunities should come early and often for Boston.
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His 11 made 3-pointers were the most ever in an NBA playoff game at the time, and his 19 points and five triples in the fourth quarter helped Golden State overcome the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals.
That game – and that showing – however, were not enough to land on ESPN Brian Windhorst’s “Tower of Power” when it comes to conference finals performances.
Before Windhorst gave his list, he explained that he took which game of the series the performance came during as part of his metric.
“I took into account where it was in the series, OK?” Windhorst said. “The later in the series, the more important. Having said that, Game 1, Victor Wembanyama. It was a Game 1 but, my God, what a game.”
Wembanyama put on an incredible showing as he dropped 41 points and 24 rebounds in his first ever conference finals appearance to lead the Spurs to a road victory.
3. LeBron James’ Game 5 in Detroit against the Pistons in 2007 where he finished with 48 points — 25 straight to close out the game.
2. Charles Barkley’s Game 7 against the Seattle Sonics in 1993 where he dropped 44 points and 24 rebounds to help the Suns clinch a trip to the NBA Finals.
1. LeBron James’ Game 6 against the Celtics in 2012 as he dropped 45 points to help even the series at 3-3.
While the top four performances all helped the respective player and teams head to the NBA Finals, whether Wembanyama’s holds the same weight is to be determined.
As for Thompson’s legendary night, it might not have been enough to land him on Windhorst’s list, but it was enough to earn himself a reputation in the Bay and NBA world that’s still discussed a decade later.
It was pure chaos at home plate after Edgar Quero’s walk-off homer against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. | (Michael Hirschuber/Getty Images)
As quickly as spring came and went, the White Sox leapt from horrendous to… fun? I’m not talking fun in the lovable loser type of way that the North Siders affectionately refer to their tribe, and not in the way a little league parent earnestly cheers for their kid, knowing they’re about to do a swinging bunt and then run to third instead of first. I’m talking fun fun. Like, plan my weeknights around watching the game, save up money for tickets that don’t offer a giveaway, and, dare I say it, fully buy into this team making a wild card run kind of fun.
Like a cold glass of water on a hot day, this team has been refreshing. The gritty play, comical home run sushi celebrations, and extremely clutch hitting from guys who were scoffed at as lineup starters have started the season with a bang. Although it’s tempting to slot this team into the wild card race automatically, it’s time to start pumping the brakes on the hype train. Trust me, I don’t want to be writing this more than you want to read it, but let’s take the emotion out of the equation and carefully evaluate this team.
Run differential is still the Sox’s worst enemy. With a current run differential of -7, the Sox should be happy they aren’t further behind the eight ball. The bullpen deserves a lot of credit recently for keeping them close to zero, but injuries haven’t hit yet, and the arm barn is notoriously one of the shakiest aspects of this team. The relief pitching crew’s 3.81 ERA, 0.3 WAR, and only two blown saves in May have gotten the team through its fair share of troubles, but don’t expect this steadfastness to be long-term. It’s only fair to expect the run differential to get worse as relievers get hurt and the season goes on. And as run differential goes, so will the team’s playoff odds.
Psychology is also playing tricks. While a winning record looks excellent on paper, especially to excitement-starved Sox fans, a record above .500 doesn’t guarantee a postseason appearance. Since 2022, when the playoffs expanded from 10 to 12 teams, 57 teams held a winning record at the 46-game mark, yet only 45 made the postseason that year. Although a near 80% success rate is promising, there’s one big factor working against Chicago: money.
Miserly ownership will weigh a winning team down, no matter how good they are. Thirty-six of the 45 teams that exhibited sustained success had a payroll over $100 million. The nine exceptions to this case were the Guardians, known for developing the best talent on a shoestring budget; the Marlins, led by Kim Ng and exceptional management in 2023; and the Orioles, who were quite the outlier in 2024. While Zach Bove and Derek Shoman are proving to be impactful coaches, there are too many things that have to work in favor of the Sox to defy the challenges that come with competing against clubs with plenty of money to spare at the trade deadline.
Finally, the Sox being fun to watch and playoff-caliber aren’t mutually exclusive. Tuning in to a Munetaka Murakami and Colson Montgomery back-to-back home run and following Davis Martin’s dark horse Cy Young campaign won’t get old any time soon, but that doesn’t mean they’re an 81-plus win team. It simply means this team is finally taking up primetime space in fans’ minds, in a good way.
Hopefully, I’m wrong once again, like I was wrong about Montgomery being impactful last year and Murakami adjusting to the big leagues this year. But until then, let’s enjoy the ride.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Adam Foote is out as coach of the Vancouver Canucks, fired Tuesday as part of the organization's latest purge of staff following a last-place finish in the NHL this season.
Foote lasted just one year in the role after being promoted from an assistant to succeed Rick Tocchet, who decided to leave when his contract was up. The Canucks lost 57 of 82 games to end up 14 points lower than the next-closest team in the league standings.
Assistant coaches Kevin Dean, Scott Young and Brett McLean also were dismissed.
Moving on from Foote comes after a total front-office overhaul. Last week, Hall of Fame player twin brothers Daniel and Henrik Sedin were named co-presidents, and Ryan Johnson was elevated to general manager.
Then-president of hockey ops Jim Rutherford fired GM Patrik Allvin last month, then the 77-year-old announced on May 5 he was stepping down from the job he had held since 2021. Despite having the highest odds to get the first pick, the Canucks lost again in the draft lottery, falling to No. 3 behind Toronto and San Jose.
Vancouver has made just two playoff appearances over the past decade and soon will have a fifth coach in six seasons. Tocchet won the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year for his part in the Canucks qualifying in 2023-24, and he got Philadelphia in and to the second round this spring.
Foote, who was a defenseman during his playing career, was a favorite of former captain Quinn Hughes, who was traded to Minnesota in December. Also in consideration last year was retired forward Manny Malhotra, who coached the team's top minor league affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks, to a Calder Cup title last year as champions of the American Hockey League.
Malhotra, who turned 46 on Monday, worked at the NHL level as an assistant with Vancouver from 2017-20 and the Maple Leafs from '20-24 before getting put in charge of Abbotsford. Johnson has been the GM of the AHL club for several years.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 17: Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees hits a two-run single in the sixth inning during the game between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Sunday, May 17, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Urakami/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
We’d probably all like to forget the Yankees’ soul-crushing loss on Sunday against the Mets. That being said, there were several moments that can be remembered in a positive light, including Anthony Volpe’s first hit of the 2026 campaign — a two-out double off Freddy Peralta in the second inning. Volpe arguably had a pair of more impactful plate appearances later in the game, driving in two with a sixth inning single and fighting back from 0-2 down to draw a bases loaded walk in the seventh, however the approach Volpe showed in his first AB will serve him well if he can maintain it, and merits analysis in this week’s installment in this series.
Peralta seemed to be extra amped for his start against the crosstown rivals, his fastball coming in about two mph above his season average during the first turn through the order. He starts Volpe with a first-pitch four-seamer at 96 mph, he and catcher Luis Torrens looking to jam Volpe up and in.
Peralta executes this pitch perfectly to his spot and all Volpe can do is fight it off foul. Last year, among the many issues for Volpe included being too passive against pitches in the zone, particularly fastballs early in counts. It’s at least some bit of progress to be offering at a pitch like this, if for no other reason than being evidence of good pitch recognition and strike zone awareness.
With the muscle memory of the previous pitch execution, Peralta looks to throw the exact same pitch here.
Instead, he gets his release point all wrong and sails this one above the zone at head height, making for an automatic take from Volpe.
Now that he has shown Volpe two straight fastballs, the second resetting Volpe’s eye level up, Peralta now sees if he can get him to chase a slider off the plate low and away.
Oh man, Volpe missed an absolute cookie here — a cement mixer slider right down the middle. This is just not a good swing from Volpe, his front side bailing out early as he guesses fastball, and he’s in nowhere near the right hitting position to do anything but foul this very hittable pitch back and out of play.
After his previous mistake went unpunished, Peralta doesn’t dare throw another mistake slider. Instead, he goes back to the fastball, now attempting to climb the ladder above the zone for the strikeout swinging.
Once again, Peralta is wild with his release, spraying this four-seamer up and in and not close enough to the zone to entice Volpe to chase.
That’s now two fastballs and a slider where Peralta cannot find the right release. Perhaps that is why he opts for a changeup here — a dangerous pitch to a same-handed hitter if you can’t bury it below the zone.
Indeed, we see exactly what happens when you can’t get a changeup low enough to a same-handed hitter — it turns into a batting practice fastball when thrown in the zone. Volpe sends it right back the way it came, driving this pitch to the wall in left-center for a double, the first hit of his season.
Volpe entered this game hitless, but with a robust .455 OBP in his first three games thanks to drawing five walks in his first 11 plate appearances of the year. Following his two hits and four times on base on Sunday, he’s got a 188 wRC+ and 43.8-percent walk rate — obviously a minuscule sample size that doesn’t provide conclusive evidence, but still offers an optimistic outlook on his process to open his campaign.
This AB alone provides a ton of encouragement when it comes to Volpe’s approach to the plate. Volpe struggled to control the strike zone last year, letting hittable pitches go by while also chasing junk off the plate. It’s why he found himself 0-2 in so many spots last year, taking an early in-zone fastball for a strike and then trying too hard to make up for it by chasing a breaking pitch out of the zone. There seems to be a concerted approach to to improve that area of his game. Including this contest, Volpe has an in-zone swing rate of 74.1-percent and a chase rate of 12.5-percent, both massive improvements of his career marks of 65.6-percent and 27.2-percent, respectively. In this AB, he swung at all three pitches in the zone and didn’t chase the two out of it. As simple as it sounds, swinging at strikes and taking balls is a big part behind the impressive walk rate he has posted so far.
Finally, I feel this encounter highlights a mid-AB adjustment from early in the count to a two-strike approach. I’ve taken screenshots of the moment right after contact on Volpe’s swings against the 1-1 slider he fouled back vs. the 2-2 changeup he barreled for the double, both offspeed pitches in the exact same location.
In the lefthand image, his swing on the mistake slider, you can see how open his front hip is and how all of his momentum is traveling toward third base. This is because he’s trying to make room for his top half to get the bat head out early as he tries to pull the ball in the air. Contrast that with the righthand image, the swing that produced the double, and you can see how he’s keeping his weight back an extra tick and letting the ball travel, and then when he does swing, his momentum is traveling forward toward the pitcher as he goes with more of an up the middle approach. It’s way early, but this improvement in his swing decisions and the employment of a two-strike approach makes me excited to watch Volpe play for the first time in a long time.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 15: Byron Buxton #25 of the Minnesota Twins jogs off the field after the fifth inning of the MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park on July 15, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
ICYMI: Buster Olney spoke with the folks at 680 The Fan’s Cellini & Dimino on a variety of Braves-related topics yesterday, but none were more buzzy than the following: should the Braves trade for Byron Buxton?
It’s been discussed a lot over the years. A two-time All-Star and Georgia native who’d be a great cultural fit in this clubhouse; everything about him screams “Brave”. Our Feed largely falls into three camps:
Blue box him NOW
We keep saying it and will keep saying it – this year’s team depth is 1) great 2) has been put to the test, but can you IMAGINE what the team would be like at full strength, PLUS Buxton? It’s a beautiful thing.
Skeptical, but open-minded
There’s a few people who see both sides, but ultimately wouldn’t mind if Alex Anthopoulos made a call or had a few conversations. We have a bit of an outfield logjam at the moment, but things can certainly be shifted to bring a player with his kind of tools onto the roster.
Stay far, far away
He’d be a perfect fit in several ways… including the unfortunate and recurring injury bug. That’s the biggest issue people have, along with what Minnesota might want in return as a secondary concern. And with the aforementioned OF logjam? For some, that’s a hard pass.
Just some fun, mid-May spectulation… if you’ve got a different take, let us know in the comments below.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 6: Quentin Grimes #5 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball during the game against the New York Knicks during Round Two Game Two on May 6, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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
Quentin Grimes’ audition with the Sixers for the 2025 free-agency class couldn’t have gone much better. He averaged 21.9 points in 28 games on 46.9/37.3/75.2% shooting splits. He also bore no responsibility for the team’s record over that time as they began to pile the roster with G-Leaguers and journeymen from overseas in a tanking effort to retain their draft pick.
For the first month of the season, Grimes had appeared to put such a rocky negotiation behind him, scaling down perfectly into the sixth man role the team envisioned for him when they acquired him. Through November, he was averaging 17 points a night shooting 44.8% from the field and 36.9% from behind the arc.
As the season wore on, he struggled more and more to consistently be that complementary player. He shot 31% from three the rest of the season and as his percentage dropped, so did his willingness to take them.
He was getting up 6.4 threes a game in that first month and a half versus 4.6 the rest of the way. The drop off in his three-point shot hampered his other ways to score, as did the erratic playmaking that saw him post the second-highest turnover percentage of his career.
By the time the playoffs rolled around, the scuffling Grimes was still the only trustworthy one out of the Sixers’ “glut of guards” off the bench.
He was phenomenal in Game 5 of round one against the Boston Celtics, dropping 18 points while providing stellar defense on the other end, but it was short-lived. That ended up being Grimes’ only meaningful double-digit performance of the postseason (he scored 12, mostly in garbage time, in a Game 4 blowout loss to the Celtics). Game 2, the only game the Sixers had a shot in against the New York Knicks, was lost because this glut could not withstand the 1:12 Maxey sat on the bench.
The context has changed this time around with Grimes set to hit the market again, this time as an unrestricted free agent, but what kind of offers he will get and from who are just as unclear. Grimes is one of two key free agents for the Sixers this summer, along with Kelly Oubre Jr. Andre Drummond and Kyle Lowry’s contracts are also set to expire.
With three max contracts still on their books, the Sixers are in a pretty similar cap situation they were last summer, with room for about one real contract to hand out in free agency before hitting the first apron. It’s probably a safe assumption to say they’d want to stay under that so they’d be able to use the $15 million non-tax payer mid-level exception.
The Sixers’ choice is likely not going to be as binary as this, especially given the expected financial limitations, but if it comes down to keeping Oubre or Grimes, the choice doesn’t seem too hard at this point. Oubre is coming off a career-high three-point shooting season. With the work he’s put in to get his shooting hand and wrist healed the past couple of offseasons, that feels sustainable as well. The chemistry he’s developed cutting off Joel Embiid has made him malleable and scalable for this team in a way Grimes has yet to figure out.
The best case to be made for retaining Grimes is that his value around the league remains a lot lower than many would have expected after how his previous season ended. He no longer has the restricted tag that would scare teams with cap space away, but his struggles to fit in nicely as a role player seem likely to give any contender pause.
It would also go a long way in explaining how a guy with so many sought-after traits in the current NBA has already played for four teams through his first five seasons.
In his exit interview, with his season having just ended only hours prior, Grimes admitted he isn’t sure what he’s looking for in free agency just yet. He did feel like it was a solid season, one he felt he showed he could do different things when needed.
“Whenever guys were in and out or were dealing with injuries or whatever I feel like I was able to prove myself every time I stepped on the court,” he said. “If I had more responsibility, if I was in a bench role, I would come in and just try to make an impact anyway I can. So, I’m just kind of digesting the whole season as a whole right now.”
With a new agent, Grimes will hope his free agency goes better this time around. The Sixers, on the other hand, might be even more cautious than they were a year ago.
There’s a lot happening down on the farm for the Phillies.
Philadelphia has seen breakout candidates at the plate since the start of the Minor League season. And Gage Wood dominated his way into a two-level promotion to Reading.
But the club’s top-ranked prospect still has not played a game in his fourth professional season.
There was a great deal of anticipation for Aidan Miller’s campaign entering the year, with the possibility of a midseason callup to the big leagues if everything clicked. Instead, the soon-to-be 22-year-old has been working through a back injury, something he also dealt with a year ago.
Miller went down during Spring Training, which kept him out of Grapefruit League action and has delayed his season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. It had earlier been believed that Miller was doing everything except swinging a bat, but Mattingly said on May 6 that the shortstop prospect was not participating in baseball activities.
There has at least been some progress.
“Aidan Miller is beginning to do light baseball activity,” Mattingly said Thursday.
Asked if that included swinging, Mattingly kept it broad.
“Light baseball activities,” he said. “So we’re moving in the right direction.”
It is clearly a slow play for the organization with the former first-round pick. There is no obvious reason to rush him, especially with Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm both swinging the bat better lately.
Last year between Double-A and Triple-A, Miller slashed .264/.392/.433 with 43 extra-base hits and 59 stolen bases in 116 games. In the final two months, he posted an OPS over 1.100 and racked up 22 extra-base hits in his final 36 games.
SCHWARBER OUT AGAIN, REALMUTO SITS
For the second straight day, Kyle Schwarber is out of the lineup with an illness.
Mattingly mentioned the possibility of Schwarber pinch-hitting Wednesday, but said Thursday there was no real chance that would have happened.
“Yesterday really was no shot,” Mattingly said. “Today, maybe. He didn’t feel great, but we may have a shot to hit.”
Schwarber was feeling a little better, just not enough to start. Temperatures around first pitch were expected to hover around 95 degrees before cooling into Memorial Day Weekend, and the Phillies had no reason to force it.
J.T. Realmuto will sit as well.
It’s just a day of rest for the Phillies’ catcher. At 35, the Phillies want to keep him fresh behind the plate throughout the season, and Mattingly’s player perspective goes into that decision.
“He’s getting a little older,” Mattingly said. “I just don’t think him catching five, six days in a row at this point in the season makes a lot of sense. We’re going to try to keep him stronger through the course of the season.”
Realmuto has pushed to play through a lot over the years, and Mattingly knows that part of him.
“I know he wants to play, and he wants to be in there every day, and we appreciate that,” Mattingly said. “But sometimes you have to save guys from themselves and try to give them days here and there, especially when they make sense.”
Those days also keep Rafael Marchán and Garrett Stubbs involved. That depth showed up Wednesday, when the Phillies’ next-man-up mentality helped power an eighth-inning comeback victory behind Bryson Stott’s go-ahead homer.
PHILS GO FOR ANOTHER
When the Phillies beat the Pirates at PNC Park, it was their sixth consecutive series win.
That came after they had lost six straight series under Rob Thomson.
The Phils will hand the ball to Jesús Luzardo Thursday night against Cincinnati as they look for their seventh straight series victory.
The left-hander was lights out in his last outing in Boston, firing six scoreless innings against the Red Sox as he went toe-to-toe with former Phillie Ranger Suárez.
He issued just one walk in that start, which is usually the biggest indicator of how his outings will play out. Luzardo has walked three or more batters in three starts this year. In two of them, he allowed five earned runs. In the other, he did not complete the fifth inning.
Mattingly has seen the same trend. When Luzardo’s innings start to get away, it is often less about stuff and more about tempo.
“For me, he always looks the same,” Mattingly said. “I just think sometimes he speeds up. Instead of slowing down a little bit and making pitches, it gets to be, ‘I’m competing,’ and he’s competing harder. To me, [that’s] not as good.”
Even through his struggles, Luzardo’s underlying metrics remain strong. The strikeout stuff is there, and he gives the Phillies immense upside in a rotation that already features Cristopher Sánchez, Zack Wheeler and Andrew Painter, who has improved a great deal recently.
The Phillies will oppose Reds righty Chase Burns, who has posted an eye-opening 1.87 ERA in nine starts and is firmly in the National League Cy Young conversation. Burns routinely runs his fastball into the triple digits and will be a tough opponent for the Phillies.
Mattingly still likes the way his club should think each night.
“Our guys should expect to win,” he said. “We’ve got good players. We’ve got good starting pitching on an everyday basis. Those guys, for the most part, keep us in a game and give us a chance.”
The Phillies have been playing like it lately.
Now they get another chance to keep the run going.
Should the Calgary Flames trade up to snag the second overall pick? It’s a bold move that definitely won’t come cheap.
Flames fans were likely hoping for better luck at the NHL Draft Lottery, but landing at sixth overall is where they currently stand.
While the sixth spot offers a solid prospect, the Flames need a franchise-altering forward to spark excitement, sell tickets, and provide hope. With a new arena on the horizon, the team needs to be competitive and exciting from day one - ownership has said as much. They need elite goal scoring, and forwards like Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg - who are slated to go in the top two picks - could potentially provide that.
With a surplus of second-rounders and two first-round picks, the Flames have the assets to move up. It might seem very unlikely for San Jose to part with the second pick, but as the saying goes, "If Gretzky can be traded, anyone can be moved."
So, what would it cost to move into that number two slot? It would be significant.
The Sharks could identify a cornerstone defenceman at the draft, like Carson Carels, Chase Reid or Keaton Verhoeff to complement their established phenom Macklin Celebrini. Meanwhile, with Matt Sundin at the helm in Toronto, they could potentially lean toward a Swedish selection like Stenberg, which would result in McKenna sliding to number two.
If the Flames can get there, somehow, they could finally land the star player the fanbase has been clambering for.
San Jose needs defence and better goaltending after finishing last season with the third most goals against, with 290. They also need veteran leadership. This is where the Flames can build a compelling package.
Whether it’s to secure Stenberg or McKenna, the Flames should be aggressive. Is it a heavy price? Maybe. Is it possible, sure, although not likely. But for a chance at a superstar, it’s a gamble worth taking.
The NHL Draft is on Jun 26-27, 2026 at Keybank Center in Buffalo and Craig Conroy will undoubtedly be looking for ways to level up this roster.
Nathan MacKinnon paces the Colorado Avalanche with 36 shots on goal and 13 points entering tonight's Game 1 of the Western Conference Final vs. the Vegas Golden Knights.
He'll have even more on his plate without Cale Makar in the lineup, so my Golden Knights vs. Avalanche predictions expect the superstar to build upon his incredible production thus far.
Read on for my NHL picks for Wednesday, May 20, and don't miss puck drop at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
Golden Knights vs Avalanche Game 1 prediction
Who will win Golden Knights vs Avalanche Game 1?
Avalanche: The Avalanche are a nightmare to deal with at home, particularly when well-rested. Including the playoffs, they are 9-1 in Colorado this season following at least two days off. They have completely steamrolled opponents along the way, out-scoring them 44-25 in aggregate. The Golden Knights have played well since the coaching change, but Colorado is a completely different animal.
Golden Knights vs Avalanche best bet: Nathan MacKinnon Over 4.5 shots on goal (+115)
The Colorado Avalanche had just six power plays in total, so his output wasn't inflated by special teams. The tight whistle aligned with what we should see in a Conference Finals series, and MacKinnon still produced elite volume.
Expect more of the same in Game 1 at home. MacKinnon has generated five shots per game on 10.4 attempts through five contests in Colorado, and he has attempted 10+ shots in three of the last four.
Note: Would play MacKinnon o3.5 shots to -200.
Golden Knights vs Avalanche Game 1 same-game parlay
Sam Malinski will take over as the No. 1 offensive defenseman in the absence of Cale Makar. He will see expanded minutes at 5-on-5, and likely replace Makar as the quarterback on the top power play.
That means plenty of ice with MacKinnon and the team's top players in a game the Avalanche have a team total of O/U 3.5, setting him up for success.
It's all about Jack Eichel on the Vegas side. He cleared 2.5 shots on goal in both appearances against Colorado this season, and has gone Over in eight of the last nine against the Avalanche.
Golden Knights vs Avalanche SGP
Nathan MacKinnon Over 4.5 shots
Sam Malinski Over 0.5 assists
Jack Eichel Over 2.5 shots
Golden Knights vs Avalanche Game 1 goal scorer pick
Martin Necas (+145)
Martin Necas has gotten a lot of praise in the playoffs for his playmaking, but he has also threatened as a shooter, ranking second on the Avalanche with 25 shots on goal. He scored three goals over three meetings with the Golden Knights this season and, with last change at home, will get more shifts against weaker competition than on the road.
Golden Knights vs Avalanche odds for Game 1
Moneyline: Golden Knights +145 | Avalanche -170
Puck Line: Golden Knights +1.5 (-165) | Avalanche -1.5 (+140)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+110) | Under 6.5 (-130)
Golden Knights vs Avalanche trend
Colorado has hit the moneyline in 13 of the last 15 games (+10.35 units, 36% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Golden Knights vs. Avalanche.
How to watch Golden Knights vs Avalanche Game 1
Location
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Date
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Puck drop
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Golden Knights vs Avalanche latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
He is flummoxing opposing lineups with chase and strikeout rates that rank in the 85th percentile, and he's finished at least five innings in all nine outings, consistently putting the Guardians in a position to win.
While Cleveland's bullpen has an inflated ERA, the relief corps also owns the best K% in the majors and ranks second in K-BB%. This is a dominant bullpen that will help shut things down once Messick leaves.
Guardians vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (+105)
I fully expect Messick to get the job done against the Tigers, as he's allowed fewer than three runs in seven of his nine outings, and Comerica Park isn't a hitter-friendly locale.
That should also benefit Tigers starter Keider Montero, who owns a 3.14 ERA at home, suppressing power more effectively in Detroit than on the road (.295 SLG at home, .508 away).
Montero is a pitch-to-contact hurler, which may bite him a bit against this Guardians offense that boasts baseball's third-lowest strikeout rate, but the lack of consistent power means Cleveland won't run up the score.
Guardians vs Tigers odds
Moneyline: Guardians -167 | Tigers +138
Run line: Guardians -1.5 (+102) | Tigers +1.5 (-123)
Over/Under: Over 8 (-107) | Under 8 (-112)
Guardians vs Tigers trend
The Guardians have hit the moneyline in 28 of their last 50 road games for +12.45 units and a 23% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Guardians vs. Tigers.
How to watch Guardians vs Tigers and game info
Location
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Date
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
Guardians.TV, DSN
Guardians starting pitcher
Parker Messick (5-1, 2.35 ERA)
Tigers starting pitcher
Keider Montero (2-3, 3.65 ERA)
Guardians vs Tigers latest injuries
Guardians vs Tigers weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
According to Kevin O’Connor at Yahoo Sports, the Suns are expected to try to trade into the first round of this year’s draft. This may be harder than we would like, as this year’s draft is considered to be of good quality, and many teams may want to keep their picks.
That said, this Suns front office is aggressive. We shouldn’t write off the possibility. If Brian Gregory does manage to make it into the first round, how could he do it?
Currently, the Suns sit at pick 47. Here are five ways I could see the Suns moving up on draft night:
Phoenix sends 2033 1st round pick to OKC for #17
Does this trade make you sick? This trade makes me sick. But I see this as the most obvious way for Phoenix to make it into the first round. Oklahoma City does not need any more young talent. They are already so deep that many young players aren’t getting playing time, and they also have pick #12 in this year’s draft.
Devin Booker is going to be 36 by the 2033 draft, and the Suns have no total control over any of their own first-round picks between now and then. If you forced me to bet, the odds are good now that the 2033 pick is a lottery pick.
Who knows what the Oklahoma City Thunder will look like seven years from now? Given their youth, they may still be in contention as long as their core stays healthy. This gives them future flexibility to make even more trades or draft a young player down the road.
For Phoenix, this trade only makes sense if there is someone still available at #17 that they really like. Someone who they think can one day launch into stardom. If they pick another role player at #17, they won’t get this team any closer to a championship. In fact, they may be pushing themselves further from one another with this trade.
Phoenix swaps Jalen Green for PJ Washington
Dallas has entered their “Timeline” era. They are restarting. They need young talent around Cooper Flagg and flexibility for the future.
For them, Jalen Green can slot in between Kyrie and Cooper and (hopefully) be their solid third option. In addition, they get what could be a really good pick in 2033 to either come in and support Flagg in his prime or be traded to put them over the top.
The Suns give up a lot in this deal. Green and the 2033 1st are some of the Suns’ best assets in their incredibly limited pool. In return, however, they get two first round picks, albeit late ones. They would be getting pick #30 this year and OKC’s 2028 1st round pick, which would probably also be #30 or close to it.
In my eyes, the big prize here is PJ Washington. Washington is hardly the second coming of Charles Barkley, but he can come in and start for the Suns at the Power Forward, which they desperately need.
Why should Dallas trade Washington? Because he fits the Luka Doncic timeline, not the Cooper Flagg one.
Klay Thompson is pure salary filler in this deal. He can come in and fill minutes, especially if the Suns move off of either of Grayson Allen or Royce O’Neale.
In total, this cleans up the depth chart and nets the Suns two picks for one.
Cleveland gets under the second apron
I have enjoyed the Royce O’Neale experience. He is, unfortunately, not going to get the Suns into the NBA Finals. He could, however, get the Suns into the first round of the draft.
Both Royce and Max Strus scored around ten points on 40% shooting from three this season. This deal doesn’t push either team hard in either direction.
This trade is all about the financials. In shedding the 5.8 million dollar difference in salaries between Royce and Strus, the Cavs get under the 2nd apron. In exchange for helping Cleveland do this, the Suns pick up the 29th pick in the draft.
This deal just makes so much sense for both teams. Cleveland and Phoenix are positioned well to help each other this offseason without either team having to give much up in the process.
This is easily my favorite trade on this list for its sheer cogency. If the Cavs were willing to do this, the Suns should leap on the opportunity.
Cameron Johnson comes home
I know Suns fans will say that Phoenix is giving up a lot in this deal for Cam Johnson and a late first. I wouldn’t fault anyone who says they’d rather just keep Grayson Allen and Ryan Dunn. Let me try to convince you, though.
The Cameron Johnson experience hasn’t been great in Denver. Cam ended the season with decent stats and really turned things around after a rough start to the season, but for some reason, the fit never seemed to work as well as it should’ve next to Jokic and Murray. He is a good player, but isn’t worth 21 million dollars at this point.
Grayson Allen, on the other hand, has lived up to his contract. He has been a top-6 player for the Suns since he got to Phoenix. He is cheaper than Johnson and better than him. I think Denver would swap them 1-for-1 if they could.
Ryan Dunn completely fell out of the rotation this season. He is thrown into this trade to make the salaries work and to hopefully bring enough value to bring in a second round pick. Denver is taking a flyer on him in this deal to try to eat up some of the forward minutes they are losing by trading away Cam Johnson.
For Phoenix, this helps clean up the shooting guard logjam and brings in the first round pick they are hunting for.
I would love to see Cam come home where he belongs.
The Suns trade up…in the second round.
I know, I know. I promised five trades into the first round. But what is the real difference between pick 31 and pick 30 in terms of talent? Probably nothing. Pick 30 and pick 31 in this year’s draft will be in the same tier of talent.
I don’t know exactly what this trade would look like, but let’s just say it’s two second round picks for the 31st pick in the draft. This is the type of deal the Suns have done before, trading up for Rasheer Fleming last season in the second round.
If the Suns cannot move into the first round, I expect they will be aggressive if there is someone they like at the top of the second round.
What do you think, Suns fans?
Do you like any of these trades? Do you hate all of them? Do you want BG and Mat Ishbia to stay put at 47? Let us know in the comments below!
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - MARCH 2: Benny Montgomery #62 of the Colorado Rockies slides during the game against the Seattle Mariners at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on March 2, 2025 in Scottsdale, AZ. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | Original photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images, 3/2/2025
Hartford Yard Goats outfielder Benny Montgomery may be just 23-years-old, but he’s already entering his sixth season in the Rockies system.
Selected eighth overall in the 2021 draft out of Red Land High School in Pennsylvania, the 6’5” Montgomery hit the ground running. He made a strong first impression by hitting .340/.404/.383 in 14 games with the Arizona Complex League after being drafted and continued to rise as a prospect as he thrived in the lower levels of the farm system.
In 2022 with the Low-A Fresno Grizzlies, he hit .313.394/.502 with 20 doubles, three triples, six home runs, and 42 RBIs over 56 games. Though he did miss time on the injured list with a groin injury, he ended the season as the September 2022 California League Player of the month.
Montgomery continued his progress with a solid campaign with the High-A Spokane Indians the following year. He appeared in 109 games, hitting .251/.336/.370 with 18 doubles, 2 triples, and ten home runs in a less hitter-friendly environment. He was named an organizational minor league All-Star and earned an invitation to the 2023 Arizona Fall League. As a member of the Salt River Rafters, Montgomery dazzled by hitting .333/.436/.500 with another three home runs and was named to the “Fall Stars” Arizona Fall League All-Star team.
Assigned to the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats to start the 2024 season, it looked like Montgomery would continue his ascent as one of the Rockies’ top prospects. Through 11 games he hit .283/.313/.500 with four doubles and two home runs and was even named an Eastern League Player of the Week.
Then an event happened that would derail his young professional career. While diving for a ball in the outfield, Montgomery dislocated his left shoulder. The injury ended up doing structural damage that required surgery and would cause him to miss the rest of the season.
Montgomery returned to the Yard Goats for the 2025 season and appeared in 86 games—the second-most in his professional career—but looked like a shell of his former self. The former top prospect hit just .201/.274/.263 with eight doubles and four home runs.
Now with the 2026 minor league season underway and a pending minor league free agent at the end of the year, Montgomery is again with the Hartford Yard Goats as he tries to regain form.
“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t an uphill battle from 2024 after the injury,” Montgomery said. “That and a lot of quirky injuries happened last year. So really it’s getting the confidence back trusting my stuff to where it was. It’s been been really good, and I don’t think I’m there yet, but I think I’m really close, and I’m really happy with how it’s going.”
Montgomery made no secret of his frustrations coming back from that uphill battle and his struggles in 2025.
“It was a grind. I don’t have many positive emotions about it,” he said.
However, he has also come away from the experience with new insight and lessons learned.
“I think the silver lining is sometimes you don’t need to go through things, but when you do, you can’t control some of the things that happen and then the only thing you do is make the most out of the situation,” Montgomery explained. “And I feel like I’ve learned a lot, gotten a lot better mentally, dealing with things, dealing with failure, and now I’m out there to have fun, enjoy playing, and that’s all you can do.”
Montgomery further ruminated on his experiences and how they have changed him.
“I’m completely different, I think, than I was,” he said. “I have much more perspective. I hadn’t really ever experienced failure before 2024 or injury, or anything like that. Now I have more perspective of what it’s like to be able to play every day, to really enjoy what you’re doing. I think that’s really important. And happy to be out here.”
Not only is Montgomery grateful to be back and playing ball, but he’s grateful to be doing to with his teammates in Hartford.
“We’re all really close. We’ve got a lot of close friends here,” he said. “We like to hang off the field. We like to do stuff with each other. It’s a really close knit group of guys, and it’s a lot of really good baseball players. When you’re having a bunch of good baseball players that enjoy playing together, it makes for a pretty good team.”
As the season rolls on, Montgomery—once focused on goals like most baseball players—is choosing to take things day-by-day and game-by-game.
“I used to be a goals guy. Not anymore,” Montgomery said. “I want to go play baseball. I want to feel good, play baseball, enjoy time with my buddies, and just feel blessed to be out there doing it every day. No goals. Whatever happens, happens. I’m just here to play.”
The Albuquerque Isotopes had a bit of a rough week, particularly on the pitching side of things, as they lost a six-game series for the first time since first full week of the season. Things started off on a high note with a pair of victories, including an extra-inning walk-off win, but the Isotopes then dropped four straight to the Oklahoma City Comets (Los Angeles Dodgers), tying their season-high losing streak. Over those final four contests, Albuquerque’s pitching staff surrendered 59 runs and 69 hits, capped by the 20 runs given up on Sunday.
⬆️ Stock Up:The Sean Sullivan Show
While the pitching staff ended up having a tough week, Sean Sullivan (No. 8 PuRP) delivered the best start. Taking the pill for the second game of the series, Sullivan cruised through six innings, allowing just two runs, one earned, on five hits with three strikeouts and a walk. He attacked the zone, throwing 65-of-97 pitches for strikes and induced seven ground balls. Sullivan improved to 4-2 on the season and owns a 5.08 ERA.
⬇️ Stock Down: Learning and Growing
Slumps are a pain in the posterior for any aspiring big leaguer and Charlie Condon (No. 1 PuRP) is still working through one in Albuquerque. He had a rough series against Oklahoma City, going 4-for-22 with 10 strikeouts and four walks. Condon’s power has disappeared over the last few weeks, but he did manage a triple during the week for just his second extra-base hit at home in Albuquerque. He is now slashing .232/.369/.735 on the season.
Upcoming:
The Isotopes head back out on the road to begin a six-game series against the Las Vegas Aviators (Athletics) on Tuesday.
The Yard Goats salvaged a series split against the Portland Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox). After winning the series opener, Hartford lost three relatively close contests in a row before bouncing back to win the final two games. The Yard Goats are now 7-3 in their last ten games and sit just 3.5 games back of New Hampshire for their division.
⬆️ Stock Up:Dandy Andy
Shortstop Andy Perez stood out at the plate against the Sea Dogs. Despite having one hitless game in the six he played, Perez still went 12-for-25 with two doubles and two stolen bases while only striking out three times. Perez leads the Yard Goats in both batting average and on-base percentage, and has the second-most stolen bases so far this season.
Denver wasn’t the only place where the weather’s taken a turn for the worse over the last week. Left-handed reliever Sam Weatherly continues to struggle at the Double-A level. In his one outing against the Sea Dogs—acting as an opener—he gave up three earned runs on two hits—including a home run—and two walks over two innings of work. His ERA for the season sits at 10.91 with a 2.298 WHIP and opposing batters hitting .391 against him.
Upcoming:
The Yard Goats are heading to New Hampshire to play the division-leading Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays) in a series that could help Hartford make a leap up in the standings.
High-A: Spokane Indians (2-4, 15-24 Overall)
The Indians sit at the bottom of the Northwest League after losing their series against the Hillsboro Hops (Arizona Diamondbacks). When the Indians could get their offense going they were able to come away with a win, but in three of their four losses they were able to score just two runs.
⬆️ Stock Up:Hammer Time
Left-handed 2023 12th round pick Bryson Hammer has been operating largely in a long relief role this season, but it appears the organization has decided to take the training wheels off by having him start his last two contests. In just his second career start, Hammer was outstanding. He pitched a career-high six innings of shutout baseball, allowing just one hit and striking out eight batters. He was named Northwest League Pitcher of the Week.
⬇️ Stock Down:Singing the Belyeus
Outfielder Max Belyeu (no. 15 PuRP) is having himself a difficult first full season of professional baseball, hitting just .191/.290/.383 in 31 games—though 11 of his 22 hits have been for extra bases. Belyeu appeared in just three games against the Hops. In his first game he managed his second multi-hit game of the season, but it was also the first since April 5th and he only had just one more hit the rest of the series.
Upcoming:
The Indians will host the Vancouver Canadians (Toronto Blue Jays) this week. Make sure to say “happy birthday” to DORIS the mascot on Wednesday.
Low-A: Fresno Grizzlies (4-2, 23-16 Overall)
The Grizzlies continued their strong season with a series win over the Visalia Rawhide (Arizona Diamondbacks). They now sit tied for the best record in the California League thanks to a strong offense and solid pitching.
⬆️ Stock Up:Jack Attack
Catcher and designated hitter Jack O’Dowd was named the California League Player of the Week. He had multiple hits in three of five games, going 9-for-20 at the plate with three doubles, a triple, two home runs—including a grand slam—and seven RBIs. O’Dowd, who just turned 25, was signed out of the Pioneer League this off-season and has been enjoying a breakout campaign in Fresno. He is currently hitting .342/.385/.709 with seven home runs.
— Fresno Grizzlies (@FresnoGrizzlies) May 17, 2026
⬆️ Stock Up:Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but Roldy Brito is good.
Roldy Brito (no. 11 PuRP) continues to dominate in Fresno. In another impressive week he went 13-for-28 with two doubles, a triple, a home run, six RBIs, and two stolen bases. The breakout prospect also played both second base and center field.
Upcoming:
A road series against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Los Angeles Angels) is up next for the Grizzlies.
The ACL Rockies kicked off the week with two wins against the ACL Angels and ACL Reds, but lost their remaining three games. They are tied for the second-best record in the ACL and are currently on top of their division.
⬆️ Stock Up:Can’t Arguelles with those results
18-year-old Venezuelan outfielder Cristian Arguelles (HM PuRP) had a solid week at the plate, going 7-for-17 with two triples and a home run with three RBIs.
COVERS INTEL: Messick 
