Apr 27, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Ranger Suarez (55) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the second inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
It was Ernie Clement hockey sweater night in Toronto, and the Sox won 5-0. Sorry to Ernie Clement, but you stink now. Them’s the rules. Ranger Suarez doesn’t. He is good. He is very good! And there was much rejoicing.
Three Studs
Ranger Suarez
This was an incredible performance. Eight innings, no runs, one walk, 10 K’s.
Marcelo Mayer
Had the game-winning RBI in the fourth inning, and that was that.
TEMPE, ARIZONA - MARCH 13: Travis Bazzana #72 of the Cleveland Guardians runs across the field during the Spring Training game against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium on March 13, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Editor’s Note: Today’s analysis is brought to us in a guest post from Always the Jake “a Guardians Twitter account run by a fan just like you—if you were twice as irreverent and three times more reactionary while watching baseball.” Follow them at @JacobsFieldRBW. We thank them for their time and effort on this excellent piece!
The only problem with Travis Bazzana is your expectations
Last week while being broiled against my will by the hot sun and repulsed by the stench of my own B.O., I was so ticked off I could barely answer the questions a customer service rep was asking me over the phone.
My family and I were out on our first boondocking trip in our new RV, and thanks to a faulty generator and water pump, we had no air conditioning and no shower. I was livid. This is what I get for all the money I spent on this thing?
At the risk of spoiling the ending to this story, I’m going to admit to you that I was being unreasonable. Turns out, my anger was the result of irresponsible expectations that I had set for myself haphazardly.
I’ll explain more about that later on, but let’s be real: you came here for baseball opinions, and it would be pretty embarrassing for me to lose your attention because I rambled about a camping trip for too long. So let’s talk about how this relates to Travis Bazzana.
What should a reasonable fan expect from a #1 overall pick?
To be fair, the Guardians franchise has never picked first overall in the draft, so maybe we should offer some grace to fans who genuinely just never knew what to expect. That said, I feel obligated to point out that a large fraction of the fan base appears to have set expectations for themselves that were, much like my expectations as a first-time RV owner, pretty unreasonable.
Let’s talk about some of those expectations:
Unreasonable Expectation #1: The first overall pick should turn out to be the best player from that draft.
This is rare. In fact, it almost never happens.
Assuming the image below is accurate (h/t: the Reddit user at this link), I can’t find a single instance in the past twenty-five years in which the player taken number one overall had the consensus best career of everyone in his draft class.
Even for some of the biggest success stories on this list, at least one player picked later had a more productive career. Take Gerrit Cole, for instance. Francisco Lindor has put up 14 more fWAR and was taken seven picks later. Bryce Harper? Great career. Chris Sale’s has been slightly better, and he was taken 12 picks later. David Price? Nah, Freddie Freeman will end up with almost twice as much career fWARand wasn’t picked until the second round.
If you’re still not convinced, consider that Stephen Strasburg was seen as a generational pitching talent and was the consensus number one overall draft prospect in 2009. By 2012, the Nationals (and nearly two dozen other teams) were no doubt kicking themselves for not taking Mike Trout, who remained on the board until pick 25.
Ready for the crazy part? Drafting the best player isn’t even necessarily the goal for an MLB team. A smart club’s goal is simply to get good value relative to where they’re picking. That means weighing each player’s ceiling, floor, injury risk, signability, character, and ten thousand other factors before making a selection.
It’s tough because what so many guys behind him are doing it raises the expectations even more of a first overall pick
The player drafted #1 overall never ends up being the best in his class. More realistically, a first overall pick who isn’t a total bust usually ends up posting at least 30 fWAR across his career. If you didn’t know this when you set your expectations, that’s okay. I didn’t know that first-time RV owners usually camp in their driveway for a few nights to test out the systems before taking it on its maiden voyage. We all learn the hard way sometimes.
Reasonable Expectation #1: The first overall pick should ideally be a successful major leaguer who produces at least 30 fWAR during his career.
Unreasonable Expectation #2: The GM should be fired if the #1 overall pick doesn’t pan out as expected.
No matter how good scouts are, or how modern an organization’s analytics department might be, nobody can predict the future. Case in point, nearly 40% of all #1 overall picks end up producing less than 3 fWAR during their entire career—in layman’s terms, they end up being busts.
2024 MLB Draft Class going to be one of the best classes in history and Guardians took “Travis Bazzana” 1.1. Someone needs fired https://t.co/ufHwW7DK8x
If you’re expecting anyone to get fired over a draft slot that’s got nearly a 50/50 shot to bust, you’re going to be disappointed. But rather than go any deeper down that path, let’s take one big step back into the world of rational behavior for a second and acknowledge something: if you’re already putting Travis Bazzana in “bust” territory, you’re trying to be miserable.
Bazzana sucks..look at his AAA numbers and overall minor league numbers and stop calling for him..hes a bust.
While I’m writing this, Bazzana currently owns a .287/.422/.511 batting line in AAA while walking nearly as often as he strikes out. He hit a 110 MPH laser over the right field fence last week. Most importantly, he hasn’t even played a game in the big leagues yet. Turns out, tonight is his first! It seems like bare minimum due diligence to let him have a career before calling for the head of the GM who drafted him.
It’s unreasonable to call Bazzana a bust. And even if it somehow turns out that way down the road, nobody is losing their job over it. Number one overall picks bust all the time—much like new RV parts bust all the time. Turns out they’re made with light materials to reduce the vehicle’s weight, and are mass produced cheaply to make RVs affordable for people like me. That’s why they issue a warranty to replace faulty parts! Who knew?
Reasonable Expectation #2: It’s impossible to know whether any #1 overall pick will be a bust, and if he is, nobody will be fired over it because drafting is hard.
Unreasonable Expectation #3: A college hitter drafted first overall should be close to MLB ready.
A pro scout in the Rays organization once told me “the path to the big leagues is not a racetrack”. That simple phrase has lived rent free in my head for years. There’s no award for reaching MLB faster than your peers. Would you rather have Jackson Holliday, who debuted in April of 2024, or Roman Anthony, who was picked in the same draft class but debuted over a full year later?
You do not get a whole lot of grace when you are a college bat selected #1 overall.
The same applies to college players. The Royals promoted Jac Caglianone on June 3rd of last year, only to be the second-worst player in all of baseball that season (-1.6 fWAR). Sources tell Always the Jake that he still has not received his gold trophy for being first in his draft class to make his MLB debut. Fellow 2024 draftee Konnor Griffin has also struggled since being promoted earlier this year.
Skeptics will point to guys like Nick Kurtz, Chase Burns, and JJ Wetherholt, all of whom have had varying degrees of success as major leaguers. I will point to my butt and tell them to kiss it. I don’t care. I care about what Bazzana does during the 6-7 years that he wears a Cleveland Guardians uniform.
It’s a consensus among industry experts that making the jump from AAA to the majors is tougher for players than it’s ever been. Consider what that means for a player trying to get there from college baseball, and you’ll probably realize that the expectation of a “quick rise” from D1 to MLB is unreasonable. Not as unreasonable as my expectation that I could skip straight to a week of boondocking in a brand new RV, but unreasonable nonetheless.
Reasonable Expectation #3: A college hitter will reach the majors on his own timeline.
Unreasonable Expectation #4: A first overall pick’s development should be linear.
This one deserves the most emphasis because it trips up even some of the most avid and well-researched fans I’ve met. What worked for a kid in college is almost never going to work for him in the bigs. So young players fail, learn, make adjustments, and repeat that cycle about three dozen times before finally getting a chance to fail, learn, and make adjustments indefinitely at the MLB level.
Fans have more data available to them than ever before. That’s awesome, but it comes with a curse: they don’t always know how to interpret it rationally. Too often, fans will spot a hole in a prospect’s swing, a flaw in his contact profile, or struggles against a certain pitch type, and lunge for the panic button.
A few well-known Guardians fan accounts, run by people for whom I have a great deal of respect, have in recent weeks taken to Twitter to ring the alarm bells. Some of their tweets on Bazzana offer us proof of why high draft picks can be a trap even for some of the smarter people you know. Hitting the panic button is not a sound reaction to a top prospect adjusting to AAA pitching in the first two weeks of the season.
Then again, I didn’t have a sound reaction to the struggles of my last camping trip, either. So I definitely have no right to point fingers.
Reasonable Expectation #4: Even a first overall pick will have ups and downs as he makes adjustments to prepare for The Show.
Your expectations are more powerful than you realize. I’m embarrassed to admit that last week I spent several hours of a beautiful vacation being irrationally angry about issues with my RV—issues that were apparently not uncommon and that were covered by the unit’s warranty.
But the shame of my silent tantrum dives even deeper. For nearly a decade, my wife and I have taken our son camping with a hand-me-down tent and some cheap foldout chairs. Even without water and electricity, our proud new family purchase was an upgrade over what we’d been able to afford in years past. We had gotten this great new vessel in which to create memories, at a great price, and all it needed was a few minor, common warranty claims. Why did I let myself waste moments of a precious experience with my family being angry when I should have spent it being grateful for what I had?
Anger is a product of unmet expectations. Happiness is a product of met or surpassed expectations. We as human beings have the power within us to set expectations, which means we have power over our own happiness. Cool, right?
Two years ago, the odds that the Cleveland Guardians would even get the first overall pick in 2024 were just 2%. Today, we have a top prospect debuting for oue team who is excited to play for our city, and who is likely to become a very, very good hitter.
The Mavericks star narrowly defeated his former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel for NBA Rookie of the Year honors on Monday night, beating him out by 26 points in the voting.
“I was watching Kon just because that’s one of my brothers,” Flagg told NBC after he was named Rookie of the Year. “We have that connection and we’re always going to be there for each other.
“I was watching him as a fan as well, but there’s also going to be that competition at the same time.”
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) dunks the ball in the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Flagg became the first rookie since Michael Jordan during the 1984-85 season to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists and steals. The forward also led all rookies in scoring during the 2025-26 season
The 19-year-old had averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.2 steals this year.
The voting was expected to be close after the two former Blue Devils had impressive rookie seasons.
Flagg received 56 first-place votes and Knueppel received 44 first-place votes, with other finalist V.J. Edgecombe not receiving any first-place votes.
Knueppel had averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists during his first year in the league with the Hornets. He had also set the rookie record for 3-pointers made with a league-best 273.
Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets dribbles the ball during the game against the New York Knicks on April 12, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Knueppel was taken with the fourth overall pick in the draft last year and helped Charlotte reach the NBA Play-In Tournament, where his side eventually fell to the Magic.
Flagg went first overall to the Mavericks and saw his team go 26-56 during the 2025-26 campaign.
The teen became the youngest player in league history to record games with 35, 40, 45 and 50 points.
He also became the youngest player to have at least 10 assists in a game.
TEMPE, ARIZONA - MARCH 13: Travis Bazzana #72 of the Cleveland Guardians stands in the dugout during the Spring Training game against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium on March 13, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Zack Meisel of the Athletic is reporting that the Guardians are promoting top prospect Travis Bazzana:
Source: The Guardians are calling up Travis Bazzana, the No. 1 overall pick from two years ago.
In the middle of a three-game losing streak, Guardians fans can hope that the former #1 overall draft pick from Australia can provide a needed spark for the team. The roster is currently at 39 players so no accompanying move is necessary to add Bazzana to the active roster.
Bazzana will undoubtedly replace Juan Brito, whose debut with the club was… in a word… disastrous. I hope Brito goes to Columbus and works on left and right field. I am not out on him as a hitter but I was definitely wrong in thinking he could be playable at second base as a defender.
Bazzana currently has a 152 wRC+ in Columbus with a 21.2/17.9 K/BB%. He will take time to adjust to the big league level as he has at every previous level so far. But, he will bring an immediate bust of speed, competitive fire and plate discipline. As Brayan Rocchio establishes himself as a gold glove-level defender at shortstop with a bat that looks to be league average, I think we can be optimistic this will be our middle infield until Angel Genao is ready.
In the meantime, I wonder if Daniel Schneemann begins to get more games in centerfield to help Steven Kwan find himself. He may also find himself in left field on occasion with George Valera scuffling. It is hard to imagine taking Schneemann out of the lineup the way he is currently swinging the bat.
This is an exciting night, but I hope Guardians fans are ready to be patient as the Bazzmanian Devil finds his way. Welcome to Cleveland, Travis!
Apr 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals shortstop JJ Wetherholt (26) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | David Dermer-Imagn Images
Spoiler alert: There weren’t going to be many highlights to share from tonight’s St. Louis Cardinals game in Pittsburgh as the Pirates bullpen nearly no-hit the birds. However, the St. Louis Cardinals broke the heart of the Bucks thanks in part to a loud homecoming from JJ Wetherholt and a rally for the ages.
The Pittsburgh Pirates tossed a potpourri of pitchers on the mound for Monday night’s game versus the St. Louis Cardinals and nearly made history. Mason Montgomery tossed 1 inning. He was followed by Justin Lawrence who also served his team with a perfect inning. Wilber Dotel was responsible for the heart of the game and he was also perfect through his 4 innings. It wasn’t until Evan Sisk in the top of the 7th inning that a St. Louis Cardinal reached base and that was Alec Burleson barely beating out an infield hit tapped to third baseman Nick Gonzales.
The Pittsburgh Pirates offense wasn’t exactly on fire either as Dustin May held them to 2 runs on just 7 hits through a solid 6 innings. Dustin May’s start was nearly overlooked when Mangum singled in Gonzales in the bottom of the 1st inning and O’Hearn scored Lowe on a single in the bottom of the 2nd inning to give the Pirates a 2-0 lead. It’s too bad that the Cardinals offense didn’t give him support earlier.
The Cardinals offense was such a dud (for the first 8 innings) Monday night that the TV play of the game was a groundout to third base in the 7th inning. Seriously. That changed in the 9th inning, though, when Pedro Pagés hit a one-out home run into the left field bleachers cutting the Pirates lead in half 2-1.
The Pagés bomb was followed up by JJ Wetherholt who grew up just 18 miles from PNC Park. With many friends and family in the stands to watch, JJ ripped a home run over the right-center field wall to tie the game 2-2. Welcome home, rookie, indeed.
The cardiac Cardinals were not done. Iván Herrera walked and was pinch-run for by Victor Scott II. Alec Burleson then hit a dribbler that hugged the third base line and refused to go fowl for an infield hit. Jordan Walker then walked to load the bases. José Fermín followed that with a blazing double down the left field line to give the Cardinals a 4-2 lead.
Let’s not forget to acknowledge Ryan Fernandez who threw 2 innings without allowing a run to keep the Cardinals within striking distance.
George Soriano was brought in to close out the heart of the Pirates lineup in the bottom of the 9th representing a still-exhausted bullpen. Soriano was nearly lights out with Pittsburgh managing a 9th inning single, but future superstar Konnor Griffin was the final out.
The St. Louis Cardinals will try for an encore Tuesday night when Kyle Leahy takes the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 5:40pm central time again at PNC Park.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 08: Head coach Kenny Atkinson of the Cleveland Cavaliers argues a call with referee Tony Brothers #25 during the first quarter against the Boston Celtics at Rocket Arena on March 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers had chances to take a decisive 3-1 lead over the Toronto Raptors in Game 4. They had an eight-point advantage with five minutes to play, but squandered the lead with a combination of bad defense, reckless decisions, and missed point-blank shots. This all added up to a 93-89 loss with the series tied at two games apiece.
Likewise, the referees didn’t have a great close to the game. According to the Last Two Minute Report, they missed seven calls down the stretch. Four should’ve gone against the Cavs while three should’ve gone against the Raptors.
This possession for the Raptors ended up in two points thanks to a shooting foul by James Harden and two made free throws by Brandon Ingram.
The second missed call also benefited the Cavs. Donovan Mitchell should’ve been called for a double dribble with 1:36 remaining because he pinned the ball against his leg.
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The replay clearly shows this happened. Mitchell should’ve either thrown this out to the corner or dumped it off to Mobley. It seems like he was going to do that, but something caused him to change his mind. The poor decision resulted in a missed shot. Even though the double dribble wasn’t called, the outcome of this play was the same for Toronto.
The third missed call happened at the 1:08 mark and also went in the Cavs’ favor. Harden should’ve been called for an offensive foul. The league found that he pushed off of Jamal Shead, which created a wide-open 14-foot jumper. Harden missed this.
Even though this was a missed call, the result on the floor was the same. This was an empty possession for Cleveland regardless. Since this wasn’t a loose-ball foul, it wouldn’t have resulted in free throws the other way.
The fourth blown call benefited the Raptors and completely changed the momentum of the game. Mitchell’s eight-second violation caused this game to completely get away from the Cavs. And it shouldn’t have happened. Instead, this should’ve been a foul on Shead.
The league stats: “Sheed moves forward into Mitchell’s path and delivers body to body contact prior to making any contact with the ball.”
Shead made a heads-up play to charge Mitchell, but he does get the body first. He goes through Mitchell to poke the ball free. This should’ve been a foul.
If this were called correctly on the floor, the Cavs would’ve gotten two free throws. Mitchell would’ve had a chance to make it a three-point game. Instead, Toronto came down the court and retook the lead.
The fifth also hurt the Cavs.
With Cleveland down one with 34 seconds left, Sam Merrill should’ve been awarded a free throw with the Cavs keeping possession. Collin Murray-Boyles committed an off-ball foul by throwing him to the ground with 34 seconds left.
The report states: “Murray-Boyles moves into Merrill’s path and delivers contact that affects his FOM (freedom of movement). The contact occurs prior to the release of the inbound pass, and an away from the play foul is warranted.”
The sixth missed call technically benefited Cleveland.
Max Strus should’ve been called for a personal foul after Brandon Ingram rebounded Mitchell’s missed three with 23 seconds remaining. Strus knocked the ball out of bounds. The Cavs fouled Barnes a few seconds later.
The final missed call also disadvantaged Merrill. He should’ve been awarded a free throw after Barnes grabbed during a long two-point make with six seconds remaining.
If this game were called correctly, the Raptors would’ve been awarded one more free-throw attempt, while the Cavs should’ve received four additional free throws. That hurts in a game that was this close.
The Cavs have no one to blame but themselves for the loss. They should’ve won this game even with the calls that went against them. That said, it’s frustrating to be on the wrong end of calls that directly influenced the outcome of a pivotal playoff game. The referees needed to be better than they were.
CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 27: Steven Matz #32 of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches during the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Monday, April 27, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Sean Finucane/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Rays won a well-pitched, sharp defense nail biter tonight in Cleveland, with Steven Matz (seven innings pitched) and Ryan Vilade (three hits, two RBI) leading the way.
If you like quick moving pitching duels, then the first four and a half innings of this game would be your idea of a good time.
The Rays had their work cut out for them, facing Plant City’s own Parker Messnick, a 25-year old lefty who has been phenomenal over his short career.
Steven Matz, pitching for the Rays, came off a terrible start against the Reds but tonight he had overcome whatever had caused him to give up four walks and three homers in just three innings (or maybe his problem last time was simply having to face the 21st century iteration of the Big Red machine).
He scattered two hits until the fifth inning, when he gave up a two-run homer to Daniel Schneemann (fun fact, his last name translates to “snow man.”) You know the baseball truism, “it’s not the home runs, it’s the walks before the home runs?” Tonight that was truly the case. Just before Snow Man’s homer, David Fry had walked on a 10 pitch at bat, with ball four coming after Cleveland challenged a called strike.
The Rays did get one of those runs back in the sixth inning. Yandy Diaz drew a walk, advanced to second on a ground ball and scored on Ryan Vilade’s two out single. This was nice because it cut the Cleveland lead in half, and also led to Messick’s exit from the game.
Matz pitched very well — his final line was seven innings, four hits, two runs and one walk. He only struck out two but being a weak contact guy > being a big K guy, at least sometimes, because a weak contact guy is more likely to get through seven innings.
He was also helped by good defense, with really no “what the heck” plays in the field, and a few very nice outs like this one:
The Rays finally managed to barrel up a few pitches, and take the lead, in the eighth inning. Jonathan Aranda homered on a mistake pitch over the plate.
Junior Caminero hit a 114mph single, after which he was pulled for a pinch hitter, Richie Palacios. Palacios immediately stole second. Although some of us speculated that Vilade, up next, would be replaced by Jake Fraley to face the right handed pitcher, but Cash stuck with Vilade, and Ryan singled Richie home. The Rays took the lead and made their manager’s decisions look like genius. Take that, “Fire Cash” twitter account.
Ian Seymour came out to pitch the eighth, and when he walked the lead off batter and fell behind 2-0 to the next batter, many of us might have been thinking “Um Kevin, seriously? Ian Seymour?” But a fly out and two strikeouts later that, too, looked like a brilliant move.
It was no surprise that Cash went to Bryan Baker to close out the 3-2 game, but for a few miserable minutes that, ironically, looked like the one move that was going to bite the team in the rear. After getting the dangerous Jose Ramirez out, Baker allowed hits to the next two batters, putting men on second and third with just one out. But Baker reached back for that something extra, and struck out the next two batters.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 26: Tari Eason #17 of the Houston Rockets defends a shot from Luke Kennard #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second quarter of a game in Game Four of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Toyota Center on April 26, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Despite being up 3-1 in the series, there have been very few moments where it’s felt like the Lakers have taken that message to heart. With 80 turnovers in the four contests, no team has given the ball away more than LA this postseason.
While it was an underlying issue in the victories, it moved into the forefront after Sunday’s Game 4 defeat. The Lakers turned the ball over 23 times, leading to 30 points for the Rockets. While every game is more complex than a single aspect determining the outcome, it’s hard not to point to the giveaways as a big reason LA was unable to complete the sweep.
“We’ll spend a lot of time over the next couple of days just figuring out ways to try to prevent some of those turnovers,” head coach JJ Redick said postgame.
It’s unclear how much relief should come with the Lakers vowing to find a solution when they made it a point of emphasis from the jump and it’s remained an issue. It’s also unclear how much they can realistically change.
At the end of the day, the Lakers personnel is what it is. Their two lead ballhandlers are out and the two guards replacing them are not natural point guards. LeBron James has shown, even dating back to last year, that his handle is not what it used to be either.
That being said, there were also plenty of turnovers the Lakers had on Sunday that weren’t related to ballhandling but a lack of focus.
“Majority of them was mental,” Marcus Smart said of the turnovers. “We were dropping passes, myself included. I was throwing passes to guys’ legs. Normal passes that we make on a regular basis, right? It’s something we have to clean up. We know it. We understand it.
“It’s not going to get easier. We understand that. But we’ve played this team for four games now and the first three, we did very well. We understand it. We just have to continue to stay poised and get through it.”
Perhaps the Lakers winning the early games despite the turnovers led to them turning a blind eye to the problem. I certainly wouldn’t say the Lakers did “very well” about turnovers prior to Game 4. They just did enough in other areas that those didn’t cost them.
This team, as constructed, has a much smaller margin for error due to injuries. When they turn the ball over to the degree they did in Game 4, it takes near-perfection in every other aspect of the game to win. It’s not a viable path to victory.
The return of Austin Reaves could help alleviate some of the woes. At the very least, it gives the Lakers a player who is more comfortable handling the ball than someone like Jake LaRavia or even Smart and Luke Kennard.
But at the end of the day, the Lakers simply just have to be better at taking care of the ball if they want any chance of closing out this series.
Los Angeles, CA - March 31: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) smiles as he gets ready to throw a pitch during the first inning of a MLB game against the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Ronaldo Bolaños/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The Dodgers continue their series against the Miami Marlins with the middle game on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
Shohei Ohtani takes the mound on Tuesday, needing six more innings to get back on the ERA leaderboard for at least another day. The Dodgers mulled flipping Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow in the rotation such that Ohtani could pitch on Wednesday, the day before a team off day, but decided to stay in order after Glasnow pitched eight scoreless innings last Thursday in San Francisco.
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - APRIL 26: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres hits a three run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning of the MLB Mexico City Series game between San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú on April 26, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Chicago Cubs (17-11) at San Diego Padres (18-9), April 27, 2026, 6:40 p.m. PST
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All eyes are on Madison Square Garden for a crucial Game 5 between the Hawks and Knicks.
NBA teams that win Game 5 of a tied best-of-seven series go on to win the series 81.5% of the time (194-44). The team that exits Manhattan with a victory Tuesday night has a great chance of advancing to the second round.
New York was heavily favored entering the series and won Game 1 113-102, but Atlanta has shown why they are one of the stingiest and hottest teams in basketball.
In Game 2, the Hawks rallied from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit, holding the Knicks to a season-low 15 fourth-quarter points and winning 107-106. CJ McCollum scored a game-high 32 points, including a go-ahead basket with 33 seconds left.
Two nights later, Atlanta fended off a New York rally to earn another one-point victory (109-108). McCollum's go-ahead jumper with 12.7 seconds remaining gave the Hawks a stunning 2-1 series lead.
Five years after Trae Young led the Hawks to a stunning five-game first-round series victory over the Knicks, a player Atlanta got when they traded Young to the Wizards in January is taking center stage.
McCollum, the first player since enhanced data tracking in 1997-98 with go-ahead-for-good shots in the final minute of back-to-back playoff games in the same series, is leading Atlanta in the series with 24.5 points per game. Without him, the series might be over.
The 34-year-old guard only scored 17 points in Game 4, and the Knicks comfortably tied the series after getting Karl-Anthony Towns more involved in the offense. He recorded a triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Six of his assists came on baskets scored by OG Anunoby.
"He's a special talent. He can do it all. I know if I get open, he'll find me," Anunoby said after Game 4. "It's amazing playing with a player like him."
Keep reading to learn more about Game 5 between the Hawks and the Knicks and how to watch the NBA playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
The New York Knicks bounced back in a big way after consecutive losses to the Hawks, stifling Atlanta on defense to even their first-round series.
How to watch Game 5 between Hawks and Knicks
When: Tuesday, April 28
Where: Madison Square Garden in New York, New York
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Announcing team: Mike Tirico, Reggie Miller, Zora Stephenson
TV: NBC
Live stream: Peacock
Series status: Series tied 2-2
New York Knicks Game 5 preview
Running the offense through Towns worked for the Knicks in Game 4.
He thrived as a passer, unleashing his inner-Nikola Jokic and racking up the assists while only turning the ball over twice. If the Knicks can continue to utilize Towns as a facilitator, they have a better shot of winning Game 5.
Anunoby will also play a major role. The most consistent player for the Knicks this postseason, he is averaging 20.8 points and 8.8 rebounds, shooting 56% from the field. He has been New York's top scorer in the past two games, tying his playoff career high with 29 points in Game 3 and scoring 22, while being a game-high +19 in Game 4.
And of course, there is Brunson. He left Game 4 in the third quarter with an ankle injury but returned, ending the game with 19 points. While he is on pace for his second-lowest scoring playoff series (25.5 points per game) among the eight he has played with the Knicks, he also is struggling defensively.
"At the end of the day, that’s why it’s a team game," head coach Mike Brown said after Game 4.
Atlanta is attacking the star guard, and if New York wants to be leading this series 3-2, Brunson likely will have to step up his defensive game — or score enough to make it not matter.
Another storyline to watch in Game 5 is Mikal Bridges. The 29-year-old played just five minutes in the second half of Game 3, failing to record a point all night. Miles McBride has stepped up amid Bridges' struggles, but Brown kept Bridges in the starting lineup in Game 4 and likely will do the same Tuesday night.
"We've won a lot of games with the starting group. I didn't want to panic and just change anything. Obviously, we changed some stuff strategy-wise, but I didn’t want to change anything with the starting group because I didn’t feel a need to," Brown said.
For Karl-Anthony Towns, the New York Knicks have to exceed the moment, and coming into Game 4 understanding the magnitude of it delivered a big win to even their series with the Hawks.
Atlanta Hawks Game 5 preview
The Hawks could use some McCollum magic in Manhattan.
But they also could use a Nickeil Alexander-Walker wake-up game. The NBA's most improved player has struggled from the floor in this series, shooting just 5-22 (22.7%) on two-pointers, lower than half his regular season efficiency (career-high 52.5%).
Atlanta likely will try to play a little faster and have more energy in Game 5. The Hawks had zero fast-break points through three quarters of Game 4, ending the game with just seven. They had 20 fast-break points in their Game 2 and 3 wins over the Knicks. And they averaged 18.1 fast-break points in the regular season, third in the NBA behind only the Raptors and the Heat.
“I think they just punked us. We didn’t match their intensity from the jump," Jalen Johnson said after Game 4.
A player who has brought the intensity all series is Jonathan Kuminga. He has emerged as one of Atlanta's X-factors since a midseason trade from the Warriors. Coming off the bench all four games this series, he scored 19 points in Game 2 and 21 in Game 3, both wins. He only scored 10 points in Game 1 and eight in Game 4, both losses.
"Jonathan's just been all in. Whatever that looks like on a given night, and it's something we've talked about as a team," head coach Quinn Snyder said after Game 3. "Are you prepared to sacrifice what needs to be sacrificed on a given night in a playoff game?"
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The 23-year-old outfielder — who, upon being optioned to Triple-A on the penultimate day of spring training, compared going back to the minors after spending last year in the majors like driving a Corolla after being in a Lamborghini — was called up to join the Yankees on Monday before they eventually placed Giancarlo Stanton on the 10-day injured list with a “low-grade” right calf strain.
How long of a run Domínguez gets remains to be seen — the Yankees might need to open a roster spot as soon as Friday if Anthony Volpe is deemed ready to return from the IL, and Stanton may not be a long-term absence — but at least for this series against the Rangers, Domínguez has a chance to prove he belongs again.
Jasson Domínguez reacts after hitting a home run during a Yankees spring training game in March. AP
“Down there in Triple-A, that’s what you work for,” Domínguez said Monday before serving as the designated hitter and going 1-for-4 in a 4-2 win at Globe Life Field. “You want to get back to the majors. Now that I’m here, trying to enjoy my time and help the team.”
Domínguez, who was squeezed out of an everyday role in the second half last year and then faced the same situation to start this season with Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger both back in the fold, has impressed everyone around the Yankees with how he has handled the situation.
“Phenomenal,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He deserves a lot of credit. I think one thing the last four months has revealed is Jasson Domínguez’s character. Because when we did some of the things we did this winter, there was all the talk and writing on the wall maybe that he was going to potentially start in Triple-A. All he did was come and work. Showed up early to spring training ready to go, had a good spring and then has gone down to Triple-A.
“As a young player, when you’ve been here and had some success at the big league level and you got to go back, a lot of times you see guys struggle and not do well or pout a little bit. He hasn’t done any of that. He’s worked hard, he’s performing and he deserves to be here right now.”
Entering this season, the two biggest weaknesses in Domínguez’s game were hitting right-handed against lefties and playing consistent defense in left field.
He has made real strides on the former — hitting .389 (7-for-18) with a 1.172 OPS — while the latter remains a work in progress.
Jasson Domínguez hits a double during a July 2025 for the Yankees. Charles Wenzelberg
“He’s been raking at Triple-A,” Aaron Judge said. “I think he was definitely upset not making the team out of camp. I think he’s going to show up here ready to prove some people wrong and send a message, so I’m excited about it.”
Domínguez’s success against left-handers is important because it would make him more viable on the big league roster full time.
The Yankees already have enough left-handed hitting outfielders, but if Domínguez proves his gains from the right side are real, he could vie for the fourth-outfielder role currently held by Randal Grichuk.
“There’s very good reasons on the team for me to go to Triple-A. I understand it,” Domínguez said. “It’s been good. Trying to get better at the things I have to get better [at].”
Taking the ball the day before Rodon will be Cole.
The Yanks continue playing things safe with their ace on his road back from Tommy John, but he is set to shift his rehab back to Somerset on Wednesday.
Cole began the assignment there before being bumped down to High-A last week, where he allowed two runs across 4.1 innings of work.
He’s now allowed five runs (four earned) over his first two appearances.
Rodon is expected back first, but Cole will also likely require a handful more outings before the Yanks are comfortable working him back into the mix.
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The Pittsburgh Pirates have had a lot to celebrate recently. The team entered play April 27 at 16-12, just two games back of the NL Central lead in the most competitive division in baseball to start the year. They're coming off a series win over division rival Milwaukee and reigning Cy Young winner Paul Skenes is looking dominant as ever after his lackluster Opening Day start.
However, the Pirates wanted to take the celebrations up a notch, and since rookie Konnor Griffin's 20th birthday was April 24, the team made sure to bring the celebration to the locker room ... by ordering a bounce house.
As evidenced by the video, this wasn't the first time the Pirates had considered getting a bounce house in the locker room. Skenes had thought of that very act not long ago. Now, the Pirates have seen it through.
How did Konnor Griffin perform on his birthday?
Griffin balled out on his birthday, so perhaps the bouncy castle will become a new tradition.
The highly-touted rookie went 3-for-4 with 3 RBI and his first major league home run in Pittsburgh's 6-0 win over Milwaukee.
Konnor Griffin stats
Although Griffin went bananas on his birthday, the top prospect has struggled to start his big league career, slashing just .224/.286/.316 with one home run through 22 games.
Griffin remains one of the fastest players in baseball though, boasting a sprint speed in the 99th percentile of the league and one of the best bat speeds in baseball as well.
