Charles Barkley didn’t hold back with his criticism of Victor Wembanyama during halftime of Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Friday night in San Antonio.
“Wemby’s in shock right now,” Barkley, the Hall of Famer and “Inside the NBA” analyst, said before the Knicks won 105-104 to take a 2-0 series lead over San Antonio. “It’s probably been a long time since he got his ass kicked like this.
“But right now, big KAT is taking his ass to the woodshed.”
"It's probably been a long time since he got his ass kicked like this."
Victor Wembanyama reacts during the first half of Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs on June 5, 2026 in San Antonio. Imagn Images
Barkley said Wembanyama looked flustered during the first half and was throwing the ball all over the place.
He finished the half with seven points and ended the night with 29 points on 11-for-21 shooting.
But Wembanyama had a critical turnover and foul that helped give the Knicks the lead for good in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. He then missed the game’s final shot at the buzzer.
“Personally, I think I could’ve been better in recovering from the high of the conference finals, but here we are,” Wembanyama said after the loss. “We can’t change the past now. We’re already focused on Game 3.”
Towns had 21 points and 13 rebounds as the Knicks took a critical win to move two wins away taking the NBA Finals.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 05: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees looks on from the dugout during the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on June 05, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While they’ve already played a handful of games without him, Friday night’s game against the Red Sox marked the first one for the Yankees since Aaron Judge was placed on the injured list with a fractured rib. Let’s just say the early returns on the lineup without him weren’t glowing.
It won’t go down as the worst performance from the offense this season, as they did put up three runs on eight hits, and there were moments where they threatened. However at a time when people are concerned about what the Yankees will do for the next four to six weeks, it didn’t exactly provide reassurance.
Former Yankee Sonny Gray was on the mound for the Red Sox, and he managed to hold the Yankees to just three runs despite the Yankees scattering eight hits. Meanwhile, Ryan Weathers wasn’t able to match the “bend but don’t break” performance. He allowed five runs on seven hits and a walk, including two home runs.
In general, it wasn’t the most sparkling performance in any aspect, as the Yankees fell to the Red Sox 5-3 on Friday night.
Despite how the game played out in general, the Judge-less offense got off to a solid enough start in the first. Ben Rice took former Yankee Sonny Gray in the Bombers’ second at-bat of the game, opening the scoring. That just ended up being the high point of the night.
However, the Red Sox then struck for the next couple runs to take control of the game. After a couple singles, Weathers did himself some unnecessary damage by walking the bases loaded. He then induced a ground out, but there was only play for Anthony Volpe to make, which allowed the tying run to score. The next at-bat, Willson Contreras hit a little soft grounder that Weathers’ throw to first on was off and possibly late, allowing another run to score.
Weathers was hit decently hard all day, and would go on to allow a couple home runs in the fourth and fifth innings. The one in the fourth was a monster shot from Andruw Monasterio, before Contreras added a two-run blast in the fifth.
The Yankees had got one run back in the fourth when Spencer Jones picked up an RBI double for his second hit of the day. Then in the fifth, Trent Grisham got in on the home run game by hitting a solo homer to keep the Yankees hanging around.
However, hanging around was all they did. In the ninth, another former Yankee in Aroldis Chapman took the mound and did give the Bombers a glimmer of hope. He walked two of the first three batters he faced in the ninth, and both on four pitches. With the winning run suddenly at the plate, it looked somewhat like some of the most irritating outings he used to have in pinstripes. However, he eventually got a hold of things and got out of the jam, leaving both Yankees’ runners on base.
If there are any positives to take from this game, Jones had the afformentioned two hits. Plus, Grisham’s homer helps makes his stats look a bit better after his slow start to the year. Besides that, there was not a lot to write home about.
With the Yankees looking to draw even, the rivalry series will continue tomorrow night, with a game scheduled to start at 7:35 pm ET. Will Warren is expected to go opposite Ranger Suarez in that one.
The Subway Series isn’t just for the Major League clubs.
And Friday proved to have something a little extra special.
The Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, led by Yankees right-handers Brendan Beck and Carson Coleman, combined to no-hit the Syracuse Mets in a 4-0 win in Central New York.
New York Yankees relief pitcher Brendan Beck (89) follows through on a pitch against the Texas Rangers on May 7, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Beck, who won his fifth game of the year, threw the first seven innings, striking out six batters and walking three.
Coleman tossed the final two innings with one walk and two punchouts. He closed it out with a 6-4-3 double play against Kevin Parada, a Mets first-round pick in 2022.
Scranton took the lead with two runs in the second off a run-scoring double play and an RBI triple by Duke Ellis. Ellis then hit a solo homer in the fifth. Jonathan Ornelas blast his own solo shot in the eighth.
How can we spice up the Triple-A Subway Series? How about a NO-HITTER! @Yankees hurlers Brendan Beck and Carson Coleman combine on the @swbrailriders' first-such feat since 2021. pic.twitter.com/0eUV5K9znD
The game also marked the start of a rehab assignment for outfielder Jasson Dominguez. The switch-hitting outfielder got injured crashing into the left field wall at Yankee Stadium on May 7, and it was later revealed that he suffered an AC joint sprain in his left shoulder.
He went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in Friday’s contest.
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Jack Wenninger, the Mets’ fifth-ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline, started the game for Syracuse. He threw 5 1/3 innings, allowing three runs — one earned.
Jorge Polanco and Francisco Alvarez also started the game as part of their respective rehab assignments. Polanco had two walks while Alvarez went 0-for-3 with a strikeout.
The RailRiders have been leading the five-game series with Syracuse thus far. They won the first two in the set on Tuesday and early Wednesday before the Mets grabbed the Wednesday nightcap and Thursday’s game with a walk-off single by Matt Rudick.
They wrap up the series this weekend with a 7:35 p.m. start on Saturday and a 1:05 p.m. contest on Sunday.
Because they won't be picking at the top of the NHL draft order this year, the Philadelphia Flyers must select the best player possible with the 21st overall pick.
Any other outcome, assuming the pick isn't traded, is a mistake.
The Flyers, too, have been under fire for their draft choices in recent seasons, spending a total of three first-round picks to acquire centers Jack Nesbitt and Jett Luchanko, players with offensive upsides that seem to be average at best.
And the idea of going all-in on a center in the 2024 and 2025 drafts were fine, too. Options like Konsta Helenius and Cole Reschny were on the board, but the Flyers ultimately bypassed both.
To that end, the Flyers could have secured themselves a blue-chip prospect for the left side of their defense, which is barren in the prospect pool. Zeev Buium and Jackson Smith were available--the former was and still is a sore subject--but the Flyers had their minds made up.
Now that they have stocked up at the center position with Luchanko, Nesbitt, Matthew Gard, Heikki Ruohonen, and Jack Berglund, the Flyers have no reason to reach for a center again, but that is exactly what they do in Corey Pronman's latest NHL mock draft for The Athletic.
Pronman has the Flyers selecting USHL Youngstown Phantoms center Jack Hextall, a relative of Flyers legend Ron Hextall, with the 21st overall pick.
"Hextall is a highly intelligent, diligent pivot who’s a slick playmaker with excellent offensive sense," Pronman writes.
"Though his skating doesn’t stand out and he hasn’t been a prolific scorer, his strong two-way detail makes him a very safe bet to be a useful pro down the middle for the Flyers."
Some of those word choices are nightmares to read for Flyers fans: skating doesn't stand out, hasn't been a prolific scorer, very safe, and useful.
Hextall, 18, scored 20 goals, 38 assists, and 58 points in the USHL this season, and he's committed to Michigan State University, where he'll team up with Flyers prospect Shane Vansaghi next year.
And, with the very next pick, Pronman has the Flyers' archrival Pittsburgh Penguins taking defenseman Ryan Lin at 22.
"Pittsburgh doesn’t really have a future power-play QB in its prospect pool, and Lin could be one," Pronman said.
The Flyers, with their power play being downright awful for years now, go with the "very safe" pick instead of someone who could be a "future power-play QB." Yeesh.
Of course, this isn't to say that the Flyers will actually do this when the real thing plays out on June 26, but they don't have a strong enough track record for us to sit here and rule that out, either.
I'm a big fan of the undersized Xavier Villeneuve, for example, but he doesn't even make Pronman's top 32 here. That would be someone who checks all the boxes for the Flyers, in terms of both position and talent level.
Other higher-upside players the Flyers pass on in Pronman's latest mock include Adam Novotny, Maddox Dagenais, Brooks Rogowski, Liam Ruck, Tommy Bleyl, and Nikita Klepov.
In order to truly take the next step in their rebuild, the Flyers will need to find the courage to think outside the box and take risks when the stakes are higher.
Game 2 between the Knicks and Spurs on Friday night has seen a marked increase in physical play by both teams as they seek an edge at the Frost Bank Center.
It’s the Knicks, however, getting most of the attention from the officials.
In a span of just 16 seconds of gameplay, Josh Hart was hit with a Flagrant 1 foul and Mitchell Robinson got a technical for his troubles.
Robinson, no stranger to foul trouble, was the recipient of a dubious and one-sided call as he got into a shoving match with Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, with the French center selling his end of things a little better to the official.
“I don’t like that call,” ESPN analyst Richard Jefferson said on the broadcast. “They’re both being physical… Wemby pushes him, and then they push each other back, and that’s where the technical occurs on Mitchell Robinson.”
“That should be a double technical,” play-by-play man Mike Green opined.
Bringing some attitude to the proceedings seem to be working for the Knicks, who trailed by as much as 12, but ended the first half leading 56-52.
Anthony Kay’s early struggles doomed the White Sox early on. | (Photo by Maddy Grassy/Getty Images)
The game was played on Friday, but the Chicago White Sox certainly made it look like a “Throwback Thursday” in an 8-6 loss in the opening game of their series with the Philadelphia Phillies.
It started out well for the White Sox, as they struck first in the second inning thanks to a two-out rally. It was started by a Sam Antonacci hit-by-pitch and capped off with a Tristan Peters RBI single to give the South Siders a two-run lead. Unfortunately, after that the White Sox — most notably Anthony Kay and Miguel Vargas — looked more like their 2025 selves than the team that has been one of the surprises in the MLB this spring.
Kay came into the game off of a strong May campaign that saw him sport a 4-0 record with a 1.95 ERA in six starts. With two of those efforts coming against the Seattle Mariners and another against the San Diego Padres, it wasn’t just a case of Kay feasting on weak opponents. Unfortunately, he reverted back to who he has been most of his career, as a pitcher with a career ERA over five — and one who struggles with command.
Kay couldn’t throw strikes when it mattered in the bottom of the second, and he didn’t get much help defensively, either. With runners on the corners and one out in a tie ball game, a chopper to Vargas at first had out written all over it. Instead of making the easy play at first, Vargas tried to gun out Adolis García at home, but a poorly-thrown ball allowed everyone to reach safely:
That mistake would cost the White Sox dearly, as an Alec Bohm double with two outs scored two runs that otherwise wouldn’t have crossed the plate.
Unfortunately the mistakes didn’t stop there, as after a Randal Grichuk homer and a Vargas walk, Vargas was caught stealing to turn momentum back in favor of the Phillies. Kay kept making mistakes on his pitch locations but was able to get away with it until García finally made him pay, with his own solo shot in the fourth to stretch the lead to three runs.
To Chicago’s credit, they continued to show the same grit and fight that they have all season. Even after falling behind 6-3 and Kay clearly not having his best stuff, they refused to give up. Grichuk and Derek Hill both knocked out solo homers to keep the game close before Colson Montgomery muscled a broken-bat RBI single to tie the game at six apiece. Unfortunately, the bullpen, mainly Bryan Hudson, looked like the bullpen of old and imploded in the seventh inning. The bases were loaded before Hudson even registered an out, and a sacrifice fly brought a run in. While the lefty was getting squeezed on some good-looking pitches painting the inside corner, it was still a rough outing for a guy who has been clutch all season.
Seranthony Domínguez relieved Hudson and was the next White Sox player to make a critical error. He walked JT Realmuto before getting Brandon Marsh into an 0-2 count. Just one strike away from limiting the damage to a run, he chunked a splitter in the dirt for a wild pitch and a second run scored. Domínguez was able to get Marsh down on strikes on the next pitch, but further damage had been done.
The White Sox posted one last threat in the eighth, but with two on and no outs Rikuu Nishida hit a line drive right at pitcher Brad Keller who made a great reaction catch and threw to second for the double play.
The White Sox would not see another base runner from there on out. Between Vargas’ fielder’s choice, Hudson’s meltdown, and Domínguez’s wild pitch, the South Siders gave Philadelphia too much help, and they paid the price for it. Fortunately, the White Sox still have a chance to win the series as the teams meet two more times.
Jun 4, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Vegas Golden Knights left wing Ivan Barbashev (49) shoots the puck against Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) during the third period in game two of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Before the Carolina Hurricanes made their comeback, before the Vegas Golden Knights needed a goal with 81 seconds left in regulation to tie it and before Seth Jarvis scored in overtime, the sound of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final was silence.
The same crowd that roared at the start of the series was stunned, with their beloved Hurricanes shut out through the first two periods for the first time since mid-January. They were fewer than 15 minutes away from a 2-0 hole that only five of 55 teams have overcome to hoist the Cup.
The topsy-turvy ride that followed ended with Carolina winning in emotional fashion and making this a competitive series between two of the best teams in the NHL. Game 3 is Saturday night in Las Vegas.
If it is anything like the first two, it is best to expect the unexpected the rest of the way.
“It’s obviously a new series, a five-game series now,” said defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, who leads the Hurricanes with three points so far in the final. “A lot of emotions throughout the games, too. For almost 50 minutes there it’s kind of low, and then kind of even, then really high, then low again, and then high. It’s a roller coaster for sure.”
This final is shaping up to be more like a seesaw, with wild momentum swings back and forth. This is the first Cup final in league history in which each of the first two games featured a multigoal comeback victory.
Carolina is now the first team in 82 years to win a game in the final when down by more than one goal within the final 10 minutes of regulation. That would also make Vegas — which fell behind by two goals in the opener — the first team since 1944 to blow such a lead.
“The sport of hockey is funny that way,” Golden Knights center William Karlsson said Friday. “I think that’s why we all love it. It can go either way at any times .... But it’s hockey. It’s a game of mistakes, and it’s bound to happen.”
The Hurricanes after cruising through the first three rounds with 12 wins and just one loss met their match in Vegas, and that was evident in Game 1. What also became clear is that neither of team is going to get pushed around for an entire night, even if there are stretches of domination by one side or the other.
“It’s going to be hard to play your best game — that’s the point,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “It would be great if you could do it for the whole 60 minutes. But it’s probably not going to be that way because they’re a very, very good team.”
Counterpart John Tortorella emphasized that again before he and his team flew home, insisting he likes where Vegas is at two games into its biggest challenge yet this postseason. The Golden Knights have stolen home-ice advantage and get to play the next two on The Strip, where Tortorella can better control matchups.
“There’s no difference,” Tortorella said. “We’re going to play. We know how to play. We know how we want to play.”
So do the Hurricanes, and it’s what they displayed at the end of Game 2. Logan Stankoven provided the spark, Mark Jankowski kept it going and Jordan Staal scored on a power play after Tortorella’s failed goaltender interference challenge became a difference-making moment.
Of course, the Golden Knights dominating for much of the first two periods and the start of the third showed why they’ve been such a buzzsaw since Tortorella took over in late March. Brind’Amour acknowledged the vibes around his team were better than they could have been if not for the turnaround, but neither team should expect to feel too good about itself for toon long in a series like this.
Players are embracing that as part of the fun.
“This is exciting,” Jarvis said. “This is what playoff hockey’s all about is tight games and momentum swings, and you never really know what’s going to happen next. I don’t think you can ask any more of a playoff series.”
Jun 5, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Brandon Marsh (16) hits a two RBI home run against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
When the Phillies have won this season, it’s largely been on the back of their pitching staff. But on Friday night, it was the offense that carried the way, as they overcame a shaky start by Jesus Luzardo to top the White Sox 8-6.
Luzardo’s off night began with two outs in the second. He hit a batter, then gave up a run scoring double to Luisangel Acuna and a run scoring single to Tristan Peters to put the Phillies in a 2-0 hole.
The deficit didn’t last long. In the bottom of the inning, J.T. Realmuto led off with a walk, and then Brandon Marsh did something he hasn’t done as a member of the Phillies: Hit a home run off a lefthanded pitcher.
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The score was tied at two, but the Phillies weren’t done for the inning. Singles by Adolis Garcia and Kyle Schwarber put runners on the corners. Trea Turner hit a ball to first base, but Garcia was able to beat the throw home to make it 3-2.
Next, Alec Bohm hit a double to left to score both Schwarber and Turner before getting tagged out attempting to advance to third.
Unfortunately, Randal Grichuk immediately got one of those runs back when he led off the third with a home run.
Adolis Garcia extended the lead to 6-3 with his second home run in two games. Unfortunately, Luzardo once again almost immediately gave a run back thanks to Grichuk’s second home run of the night.
Luzardo stayed in the game for the sixth, and that might have been a mistake since he gave up another solo home run, this time off the bat of Derek Hill cut the lead to 6-5.
Jonathan Bowlan took over from Luzardo in the seventh, and his night started on a bad note when he allowed an infield single, compounded by a throwing error. That proved costly three batters later when Bowlan gave up a game-tying single to Colson Montgomery.
Six runs can sometimes feel like a series’ worth of output from the Phillies’ offense, but they didn’t stop there. They loaded the bases against Sox reliever Bryan Hudson in the seventh, but after an Alec Bohm line out and a run-scoring Edmundo Sosa sacrifice fly, it felt like they might waste a chance to give themselves a nice cushion.
But former Phillie Seranthony Dominguez was brought in to finish off the inning, and with two strikes he uncorked a wild pitch that gave the Phillies an insurance run.
Brad Keller handled the eighth for the Phillies and immediately found himself in trouble thanks to a leadoff single followed by a fielding error by Bryce Harper. But Keller caught a break when Rikuu Nishida lined a ball right at him, and he was able to double the runner off second.
Keller finished the inning without incident, and it was up to Jhoan Duran to close things out. Two strikeouts and a nice play by Bryson Stott later, and the Phillies were victorious.
They’ll be back at it tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully the bats will continue to look lively, and maybe the pitching staff – Andrew Painter gets the start – can perform well at the same time!
May 23, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
The Dodgers (40-23) host the Angels (24-39) for a three-game series starting Friday night.
Roki Sasaki (3-3, 4.59 ERA, 1.35 WHIP) starts the series opener for the Dodgers.
Left-hander Reid Detmers (2-5, 4.63 ERA, 1.18 WHIP) gets the ball for the Angels.
Jorge Soler has been scratched from tonight’s game.
Updated lineup: SS Zach Neto CF Mike Trout LF Wade Meckler RF Jo Adell 3B Donovan Walton 1B Oswald Peraza 2B Nick Madrigal C Logan O’Hoppe DH Adam Frazier P Reid Detmers https://t.co/7dCtQ8aq2m
TORONTO, CANADA - JUNE 5: Gunnar Henderson #2 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates after scoring against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning of an MLB game at the Rogers Centre on June 5, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It is Friday night.
The Orioles rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the sixth inning to turn the game around into a laugher against the Blue Jays, eventually winning 13-3 in the opener of the series. Adley Rutschman finished the classic triple shy of the cycle while driving in five runs (is he back?), Coby Mayo hit a massive two-run homer, and Brandon Young was good enough to hang in there and get the win after his team mounted the comeback.
After waiting nervously while Aaron Judge sat out three straight games before being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his rib, the Yankees faced the last-place Red Sox in The Bronx on Friday night — and went out and lost for the third time in four games without their captain, this one 5-3.
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This loss wasn’t all on the offense, as Ryan Weathers was tagged for five earned runs for the third time in his last four starts.
But the Yankees’ chances for a comeback against Boston were certainly diminished without Judge.
“It’s a big presence not to have in our lineup,” Ben Rice said. “It’s definitely gonna hurt us, but all we can do is keep moving forward.”
Facing former Yankee bust Sonny Gray — who brought a career 6.06 ERA at Yankee Stadium into the game — the offense never got going, as hitters No. 3-5 in the lineup went hitless in 11 at-bats.
“I thought for the most part we had quality at-bats,” manager Aaron Boone said. “We had a couple of opportunities to get a big hit.”
Rice gave the Yankees a lead in the first inning with his 18th homer of the season — a solo shot to right.
Asked if he thought he’d be pitched differently without Judge’s protection behind him, Rice said, “It’s not for me to say. We’ll see what happens. All I can control is the pitches I swing at and don’t swing at.”
But Weathers faltered in the second, loading the bases with one out.
Ryan Weathers looks on dejectedly after giving up a two-run homer to Willson Contreras in the fifth inning of the Yankees’ 5-3 loss to the Red Sox on June 5, 2026 at the Stadium. Corey Sipkin for New York Post
Boston tied the game on a Wilyer Abreu grounder to short.
Willson Contreras followed with a chopper in front of the plate that went for an infield single to score Jarren Duran and give the Red Sox a 2-1 lead.
They added to it in the fourth, as Weathers gave up a one-out homer to Andruw Monasterio to make it 3-1.
Weathers said he’s been unhappy with his four-seam fastball and that one ended up in the seats.
Aaron Judge, who is expected to be out two months with a rib cage injury, looks on during the Yankees’ loss to the Red Sox. Corey Sipkin for New York Post
The Yankees got a run back in the bottom of the inning on Spencer Jones’ double down the right field line that drove in Jazz Chisholm Jr.
But Weathers’ long-ball problems continued in the fifth, as Contreras hit a two-run shot into the second deck in left for a 5-2 lead.
He’s given up seven homers in his last four outings.
Ben Rice belts a solo home run in the first inning of the Yankees’ loss to the Red Sox. Robert Sabo for New York Post
A Trent Grisham blast to right with two outs in the fifth got the Yankees back to within two runs.
They were on the verge of getting back in the game in the seventh, with Ryan McMahon on first and Rice facing lefty Danny Coulombe.
Rice got the count full, with lefty-killing Paul Goldschmidt on deck, but Rice whiffed to end the inning.
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In the ninth, against another disappointing ex-Yankee, Aroldis Chapman, the Yankees got a leadoff walk from Max Schuemann, pinch hitting for Jones.
Anthony Volpe struck out looking on three pitches and Amed Rosario, pinch hitting for McMahon, also walked on four pitches.
Then came their third pinch hitter of the inning, José Caballero for Austin Wells.
With runners on first and second and one out, Caballero popped out to right and Grisham grounded out and the Yankees dropped their first game of the year to Boston after sweeping three at Fenway Park in April.
DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 31: Bryce Eldridge #8 of the San Francisco Giants celebrates his sixth inning solo home run against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on May 31, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On the morning of Wednesday, May 20, San Francisco Giants first baseman Bryce Eldridge had a slash line of .143/.226/.250, with only one extra-base hit in nine games. He wasn’t playing every day, looked to be pressing at the plate, and was blocked by stronger hitters Rafael Devers and Casey Schmitt.
That’s when Mike Krukow went on KNBR and declared that Eldridge should go down to Triple-A.
“I know everybody’s upset and frustrated and wants to see this guy hit more, but quite honestly he hasn’t earned the right to do it.”
Mike Krukow was quick to jump in when asked about Giants fans wanting Bryce Eldridge in the lineup every day.
Krukow sounded like a hater, stopping just shy of telling Eldridge to “grab some Rivercats pine, meat.” He wasn’t being malicious, and it’s not like the Giants don’t have a recent history of promoting prospects with limited minor-league experience. Dearly departed catcher Patrick Bailey got only 60 plate appearances each at Double-A Richmond and Triple-A Sacramento. Schmitt played 29 games at Double-A and 36 at Triple-A before the Giants brought him to the big leagues.
Was there an element of “Respect your elders, young fella” and “Get off my lawn infield grass!” to Krukow’s comment? Of course! Krukow is 74 years old. He likely remembers how annoying Will Clark was to hang out with 40 years ago.
Perhaps fired up by the criticism, Eldridge hit a double that afternoon. Two games later, he went 2-for-3 with a walk. In a three-game series at Coors Field, Eldridge was 6-for-11 with two walks, a homer, and four doubles. He went 2-for-5 Friday, continuing his eight-game hit streak and scoring two runs, and his slash line now stands at 293/.372/.467. Since Krukow’s comments, Eldridge is hitting .383 and slugging .596, with six walks and 10 Ks.
He’s also wearing out pitchers. Since May 23, Eldridge is seeing 4.57 pitches per plate appearance, fourth-most in the league. He’s also regularly lining balls off of opposing pitchers, leading to infield hits and bruises, with Eldridge’s liner off Grant Anderson’s forearm knocking him out of Thursday’s game.
Thankfully, Eldridge has not struck back at another pitcher named Mike Krukow, though we are fairly sure that the 21-year-old slugger looks plenty ready to him now. The Giants offense is red-hot, scoring 30 runs in their last two games.
But if they start to cool off, manager Tony Vitello can fire up his team by playing the KNBR card. We suggest going on the station and find out what Larry Krueger thinks about ethnic differences as it pertains to plate discipline.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JUNE 05: Drew Rasmussen #57 of the Tampa Bay Rays throws a pitch against the Miami Marlins first inning at loanDepot park on June 05, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Rays are in Miami to open their annual Citrus Series against the Marlins. Drew Rasmussen is on the bump against Marlins starter Ryan Gusto.
Junior Caminero got things going in the top of the first with a one-out double to right, and Jonathan Aranda drew a walk to put two runners on for Yandy Diaz. Diaz grounded out, but moved both runners into scoring position for Richie Palacios to try and bring them home.
Richie delivered, scoring both runners on a line drive to right. Marlins right fielder Owen Cassie misplayed the ball, and Palacios slid into third with a two-RBI triple. Two pitches later, Palacios scored on a Ryan Vilade single to right field, making it 3-0 Rays. Cedric Mullins grounded out to end the inning.
Rasmussen took the mound in the bottom of the first, and set the Marlins down quickly, needing only five pitches to move this game into the second.
The Rays weren’t able to replicate their first inning, but Ras kept the Marlins quiet in the second, and did so again in the bottom of the third, striking out four between those two frames. Tyler Phillips entered for the Marlins in the top of the third to relieve Ryan Gusto. Chandler Simpson was replaced in the third with a discomfort in his left thumb, with Victor Mesa Jr. replacing him in right field.
Fast forwarding to the top of the fifth, Junior added to his double total on the night, hitting another one to left field this time. Jonathan Aranda stepped up next, reaching for a slider and poking it into center field to bring Caminero home, extending the lead to 4-0 and tallying his 44th RBI on the season.
Yandy followed the Aranda hit with a single, deflecting off Tyler Phillips’ foot. He was checked out by the team’s training staff, but stayed in the game and ultimately worked his way out of the jam in the top of the fifth.
Ras worked another 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the fifth, recording his seventh strikeout in the process. Cedric Mullins led off the bottom of the sixth, with Phillips staying in for another inning on the mound for Miami. Mullins swung at the fourth pitch he saw, an 87mph splitter, and he sent it 397 feet over the right field wall, extending the lead to 5-0.
Rasmussen pitched another shutdown inning in the bottom of the sixth, recording his eighth strikeout of the game in the process.
Junior led off the top of the seventh and draw a walk for his fourth time reaching base on the night. Yandy hit a one-out single to move Junior up to second, and with two outs in the inning, Ryan Vilade hit a single to bring Caminero home, extending the lead to 6-0 and putting two runners on for Cedric Mullins. Mullins reached on a catchers interference, and with the bases loaded, Nick Fortes stepped up to face new pitcher William Kempner.
Kempner was able to get the Marlins out of the jam, so the lead stayed at six for Rasmussen to manage. Ras needed 13 pitches to continue the one-hitter and set down the heart of the Miami lineup.
Cam Booser was brought in to pitch the bottom of the eighth, ending Ras’ 87 pitch, one-hit night. Ras struck out nine with no walks, lowering his ERA to an even 3.00, on the season.
Booser’s eighth inning was nearly perfect, recording three strikeouts but walking Jakob Marsee in the process. Yandy Diaz led off the top of the ninth with a single off Tyler Zuber, and Richie Palacios followed that up with a walk, but neither runner made it home after the next three hitters were set down by Zuber.
Cole Sulser entered for the bottom of the ninth, and did exactly what he needed to do — recording a strikeout of Kyle Stowers to end it.
Behind a monster outing from Drew Rasmussen, the Rays and their six-run performance shut out the Marlins to open the Citrus Series. Shane McClanahan will take the mound tomorrow in Miami against a Marlins starter to be determined, first pitch scheduled for 4:10pm.
The San Antonio Spurs are in a must win situation in Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Finals after blowing a 14-point lead in their Game 1 loss. The Spurs responded by turning up the ball pressure in the first half of Game 2, and it caused one Knicks player loose his cool enough for a flagrant foul.
New York forward Josh Hart was called for a flagrant-1 with under six minutes left in the second quarter when he grabbed Devin Vassell’s leg as the Spurs wing tried to race off with a loose ball. Vassell was pressuring Hart as he attempted to bring the ball across halfcourt, and he poked it free just before the 8-second rule could have been called. Vassell had a beat on the ball, but Hart grabbed his ankle to trip him before he could get a breakaway layup.
The refs reviewed the play, and determined it should be a flagrant-1 for Hart. Watch the play here:
May 4, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Francisco Alvarez (4) celebrates scoring a run in the sixth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Prior to the start of the team’s series against the Padres, Carlos Mendoza announced that Francisco Alvarez Will be catching back-to-back games tonight and tomorrow for the Syracuse Mets. If all goes well, he will likely return at some point during the team’s next homestand next week.
This is, quite frankly, a freakish recovery for Alvarez, who has made a habit of beating the projected return date on injuries by several days, if not weeks. This represents the latter, as he was expected to miss six-to-eight weeks with his meniscus tear in his right knee and could be back in just under four. Alvarez recently attributed his quick recovery from injuries to being a normal human “with a different mindset” and really, who could argue with that?
Alvarez has already had a noteworthy rehab stint, doubling in his first two at-bats and finishing his first game on June 2 by going 2-for-3 with a run batted in. He went hitless in his second game on June 4, which included three strikeouts, but he caught seven innings and threw out a runner trying to steal second. The last hurdle appears to be catching back-to-back games, at which point the team will re-evaluate and determine whether he’s cleared to return to the majors.
Prior to his injury, Alvarez was slashing .241/.317/.393 with four homers, a 104 wRC+, and a 0.5 fWAR in 37 games played. He has been struggling as of late, however, hitting just .214/.250/.286 while being held without a homer and posting a 51 wRC+ in 17 games since April 21. In his absence, Luis Torrens has assumed the bulk of the team’s catching duties, hitting .231/.298/.308 with a 78 wRC+ in 18 games while continuing to excel behind the plate, especially with respect to throwing out would-be base stealers.
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