Australian all-rounder Aaron Hardie produced an all-round masterclass to help the Peshawar Zalmi win their first Pakistan Super League title in nine years, defeating Marnus Labuschagne’s Hyderabad Kingsmen during Sunday’s final in Lahore.
Raisel Iglesias expected to be activated from IL Tuesday
After today’s victory against the Colorado Rockies, Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss told reporters that closer Raisel Iglesias will be activated from the 15-day Injured List on Tuesday in Seattle where the Braves will be taking on the Seattle Mariners.
Iglesias’ return will help fortify the Braves bullpen has it has dealt with significant turnover in the past two weeks.
The Braves, who are 25-10 after sweeping the Rockies, should also get back catcher Sean Murphy in Seattle, but the exact day Murphy will be activated is not known. With outfielder Ronald Acuña, Jr. going on the 10-day IL due to a hamstring injury and fellow outfielder Michael Harris II nursing a quad injury, Atlanta could have an interesting decision to make with Murphy’s activation. It is possible Harris II could go on the IL.
Iglesias has yet to allow a run this season, striking out 11 in 8.2 inning across eight games. He has also saved five games, which still leads the team.
Braves at Rockies series recap: Typical Coors, Atypical Atlanta
As long as baseball continues to be played at altitude in Coors Field, there will be the potential for a whole bushel of runs to be scored in any given game. With the Atlanta Braves running as hot as they have to start this season, there was plenty of potential for the Braves to put in some serious work at the plate.
Even with the Rockies sending some decent starting pitching to the mound for this series, it was clear that they’d have a pretty big task on their hands to keep this Braves team quiet. As it turned out, there wasn’t much that Colorado’s pitching staff could do to stop Atlanta during this series as the Braves did a bunch of hitting early and often. How much damage did they end up doing? Let’s go into detail!
Friday, May 1
Braves 8, Rockies 6
This one got off to an extremely poor start for Grant Holmes and the Braves, as the Rockies lit him up for five runs in the first inning and then added on another one in the second via a solo homer from Mickey Moniak to make it a 6-0 lead. That’s how it stayed through three innings as the Braves were forced to dig themselves out of a hole from the middle innings onward. Fortunately, Holmes ended up staying out there for five innings and was able to successfully pass the baton to Anthony Molina, Didier Fuentes and eventually, Robert Suarez.
Now, how on Earth did Robert Suarez end up getting involved? That’s because Holmes calming down and the bullpen clamping down ended up being crucial as the Braves started to claw their way back. Matt Olson got the Braves on the board with a solo homer in the fourth and then it all came unraveled for Colorado once Jose Quintana exited the game following the sixth inning. A productive out from Jonah Heim cut the deficit to four runs in the seventh and then the eighth was when Atlanta delivered the haymaker.
The top of the order managed to load up the bases with one out, which set the stage for Mauricio Dubón to continue his surprisingly-good start to the season at the plate with a big hit here. He didn’t hit it out but he hit it to the wall and in an outfield as big and expansive as Coors Field, that’s massive trouble. Dubón’s triple cleared the bases to tie the game and then he scored on a sacrifice fly from Ozzie Albies to tie it up in Atlanta.
The ninth inning rolled around and Michael Harris II was called upon for pinch-hitting duty after Jonah Heim led off the frame with a walk. Sure enough, Money Mike was able to deliver another big hit off of the bench as he crushed one into the seats in right field to give the Braves-partisan crowd in Denver something to roar about. That’s how Robert Suarez ended up getting involved and making his fourth save of the season in order to complete a fantastic comeback win for the Braves.
Saturday, May 2
Braves 9, Rockies 1
This one was a bit more straight-forward for the Braves as they ended up rolling to a wire-to-wire beatdown of the Rockies in this one. Drake Baldwin crushed a dinger in the first inning and that was the first of three dingers for Atlanta in this one — and the first two RBI of four on the day for Baldwin. Austin Riley got some frustration out in the fifth inning with a two-run shot that made it 8-1 and then Matt Olson demolished a no-doubter in the ninth inning that brought us to our final score.
While this was all going on, Chris Sale put in another great evening of work on the mound. Sale went seven innings while only giving up one run on three hits and three walks. He also struck out11 batters in the process. Pitching in this series wasn’t easy for anybody so it was very impressive to see Sale go out there and continue to be dominant despite the extremely hitter-friendly environment tripping up other pitchers over the course of this series. Sale’s strong effort meant that the Braves only needed to turn to Dylan Lee and Hunter Stratton to close things out from the bullpen.
The only real blemish in this game for the Braves (outside of missing out on a rare Coors Field shutout win thanks to an RBI double from Jordan Beck) was that Ronald Acuña Jr. strained his left hamstring and ended up having to go on the 10-day IL as a result. The obvious hope is that it’ll be closer to 10 days on the shelf for Acuña rather than anything longer than that but it’s still a bummer to see that the injury bug has once again continued to pester the Braves.
Sunday, May 3
Braves 11, Rockies 6
The initial story heading into this game was Spencer Strider’s 2026 regular season debut. This was always going to be a tricky way to start the season for Strider and sure enough, that was the case. He only made it through 3.1 innings and while he did strike out six batters, he walked five and conceded four hits on his way to giving up three runs during his time out there. It also didn’t help matters that Aaron Bummer came in and got knocked around for two runs while he recorded an inning’s worth of outs.
Fortunately, it helped that the Rockies continued to provide little-to-no resistance to Atlanta’s lineup. In fact, this game was all about Jonah Heim, of all people. Heim went into this game with just three RBI to his name over the course of 11 games played. He now has eight, after he pushed five runs across the plate with his bat. Heim picked a great day to collect five RBI (his most in a single game since September 11, 2023 against the Blue Jays) since you can see what the score ended up being. Heim’s breakout ended up making a big difference as his efforts at the plate pushed the Braves to their second sweep so far this season — both on the road, no less!
With the series win, the BravesVision broadcast pointed out that the Braves are now off to their best 35-game start since 1892. Yes, you read that correctly: THE YEAR OF OUR LORD EIGHTEEN-HUNDRED-AND-NINETY-TWO. That is wild and this stat from Sarah Langs of MLB.com with the added contest of the top five 35-game starts makes it even wilder.
What do all of those other starts have in common? They’re all in the 1800s! This is the best start that any of us currently living have ever seen from the Braves over this many games. Getting this deep into the season with this many wins banked is absolutely vital. They could slow down eventually but even if there is a downturn in form, as long as there isn’t a major slump then the Braves are going to be right in the thick of it as far as Postseason contention for the whole season.
The performance at Coors Field was impressive as well. Now granted, the Rockies are the Rockies (which is to say they don’t figure to be great this season) but they also still have to be taken seriously in their home stadium. It’s a venue that can bring up any type of result at any given moment and one where offense is expected but also not a given. If you don’t believe me then take a look at last year’s series for the Braves in Colorado, which is one that they managed to win while scoring only 15 runs (including a game where they only scored one run) and hitting zero home runs. This time, they scored 28 runs and cracked seven dingers. The offense is clearly in a much better place right now than last season and that’s been the engine that has powered the Braves to their lofty spot in the standings so far.
The Braves will now look to continue taking care of business as they will continue their trip out West with a visit to Cascadia to face off with the Mariners. Seattle has gotten off to a mediocre start so far and Atlanta will have to rely on the bottom of the rotation to continue getting the job done. With that being said, we’ve gotten to the point now where the Braves have to like their chances whenever this current version of Bryce Elder takes the mound and JR Ritchie has been encouraging as well. Grant Holmes will need a turnaround performance and hopefully the pitcher-friendly environment of T-Mobile Park will provide that opportunity for Holmes. It’ll be tricky (there’s that word again) but with the way the Braves have been playing so far in 2026, it’s more-than-possible that they can keep this going in Seattle with another series win. We’ll see what happens!
Timberwolves vs Spurs Same-Game Parlay for Monday's NBA Playoffs Game 1
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The Minnesota Timberwolves already sprung one upset this postseason, three of their four wins against the Nuggets in the first round coming as underdogs. Now the San Antonio Spurs await, with both a rest advantage and homecourt advantage.
This Timberwolves vs. Spurs same-game parlay anticipates Minnesota preemptively adjusting before Game 1 on Monday, May 4.
Our best Timberwolves vs Spurs SGP for Game 1
SGP leg #1: Rudy Gobert Under 10.5 Rebounds (+102)
This is not a knock on the Minnesota Timberwolves or Rudy Gobert. This is a reality of facing Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. If Minnesota wants to get to the rim, it needs Wembanyama out of the paint.
When Gobert is on the court, Wembanyama can set up in the paint. So, quite frankly, Gobert’s minutes should fall in this series. Playing a five-out lineup will be the Timberwolves’ best approach to dragging Wembanyama out of the paint.
SGP leg #2: Rudy Gobert Under 8.5 Points (-110)
Even when Gobert is on the court, he will likely be playing against one of the few players taller and longer than he is, not to mention the Defensive Player of the Year. Do not expect Gobert to reach double-digit points unless Minnesota plays him directly counter to Wembanyama’s minutes.
That approach may come, but seeing such a bold thought in Game 1 would be a surprise.
SGP leg #3: Julius Randle Over 6.5 Rebounds (-140)
If Gobert’s minutes do fall, someone else's have to rise. Julius Randle may give up seven inches to Wembanyama (and three to Gobert), but he has the physical strength to perhaps keep Wembanyama away from the rim.
This is going to be a challenge for Randle, but the sheer minutes and position of it should yield an opportunity.
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Mark Vientos homers twice as Clay Holmes shuts down Angels to give banged-up Mets rare series win
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Baby steps.
The Mets are banged up, and their lineup remains challenged, but a series victory is no small feat for this careening crew, so their weekend in Orange County should be celebrated, albeit cautiously.
Mark Vientos provided rare thunder Sunday with two home runs, and Clay Holmes’ latest strong performance carried the Mets to a 5-1 victory over the Angels.
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Try it freeThe Mets won two of three games for only their second series victory since April 5.
“The only thing it does is make sure our flight is happier,” Vientos said. “I think that’s about it. We have got to win [Monday].”
Before the game, the Mets placed Ronny Mauricio on the injured list with a left thumb fracture.
Mauricio joined Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, Luis Robert Jr. and Jared Young among the sidelined position players.
Vientos’ second homer of the day, a two-run shot in the eighth inning, provided breathing room for the bullpen.
Luke Weaver pitched 1 ¹/₃ scoreless innings before Brooks Raley recorded the final three outs in a non-save situation.
“That’s our goal, to start winning series,” manager Carlos Mendoza said.
Holmes kept his string of superb starts intact by allowing one earned run on four hits with three walks and six strikeouts over 6 ²/₃ innings as his ERA dropped to 1.69.
Holmes has allowed two earned runs or fewer in each of his seven starts this season. He’s pitched at least six innings in each of his past three starts.
Holmes walked Zach Neto on 11 pitches to start his day.
After Mike Trout walked, Jorge Soler delivered an RBI single for the game’s first run.
Holmes limited the damage, getting Jo Adell to ground into an inning-ending double play.
“I got out of that with the one run and kind of really settled in,” Holmes said. “The defense made some good plays behind me.”
Vaughn Grissom walked in the second, but Holmes got Oswald Peraza, who beat the Mets the previous night with an RBI single in the 10th inning, to hit a grounder that became an inning-ending double play.
Juan Soto’s grounder to first baseman Nolan Schanuel in the third was notable because the ball got lodged in Schanuel’s webbing as the pitcher, Jack Kochanowicz, ran to cover the base.
Schanuel flipped his glove, with the ball stuck in it, to Kochanowicz for the out. The Mets left two runners stranded in the inning when Brett Baty struck out.
Vientos launched a two-run homer in the fourth that gave the Mets a 2-1 lead.
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Carson Benge walked before Vientos crushed a shot 427 feet to left center for his third homer this season and first since April 18 at Wrigley Field.
“I like my at-bats the last two days,” Vientos said. “I just want to keep on it. Keep putting good at-bats together and take it to Colorado.”
Holmes retired six straight batters before allowing a two-out single to Sebastián Rivero in the fifth.
But the right-hander got Neto to hit a grounder to Baty at third base that became the inning’s third out.
MJ Melendez’s diving catch in the left-center gap on Soler’s drive kept Schanuel at first base in the sixth. Holmes retired Adell on a fly to left for the third out.
In the seventh, Vientos couldn’t field Bo Bichette’s one-hop throw to first on Peraza’s grounder.
Holmes was removed and Weaver struck out pinch hitter Yoán Moncada to conclude the inning.
In the eighth, Benge stroked an RBI double that gave the Mets a 3-1 lead after Baty got plunked leading off.
Vientos followed with his second homer of the game.
“We haven’t seen that in a while, but when he gets hot, he can carry a team,” Mendoza said. “That is the power and the hitter he is capable of being.”
In the ninth, Benge went full extension by the right field foul line to rob Grissom of an extra-base hit.
Benge, who reached base three times in addition to the defensive gem, had maybe his strongest game this season.
“I was kind of surprised, to say the least,” Benge said of his catch. “If I see a ball I think I can get, I’m going to go after it.”
Here’s when Jalen Williams could return for Thunder vs. Lakers
The Lakers aren’t the only team that has been without a star player during the NBA playoffs because of a hamstring injury.
The Thunder, whom the Lakers will play in the second round of the playoffs, were without star forward Jalen Williams for the final two games of their first-round series.
Williams suffered a Grade 1 left hamstring strain during Game 2 of the series against the Suns on April 22. His status for Tuesday’s Game 1 against the Lakers is uncertain.
The Thunder said April 23 that Williams would be reevaluated weekly.
Grade 1 hamstring strains typically heal in one to two weeks.
InStreetClothes, an NBA injury database run by certified athletic trainer Jeff Stotts, said the average time lost for the type of injury Williams suffered is about 12.4 days.
Those timelines could put Williams back in the lineup for Game 1, which is 13 days after he suffered his injury.
Game 2, scheduled for Thursday in Oklahoma City, is 15 days after he suffered the injury.
When asked about Williams on Saturday, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said: “He’s chipping away at his rehab. He’s doing a good job.”
Realistically, Williams should be back in the lineup when the series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 (Saturday) and Game 4 (May 11).
And when he returns, the Thunder will get a significant difference-maker back in the lineup.
Williams averaged 17.1 points, 5.5 assists and 4.6 rebounds during an injury-riddled season, playing in 33 regular-season games.
He was sidelined for the Thunder’s first 19 games, during which they went 18-1, because of offseason surgery on his right wrist.
Williams was sidelined for 10 games between January and February because of a right hamstring strain, playing in two games, before aggravating the hamstring and missing another five weeks.
These are the NBA teams that overcame a 3-1 series deficit in the playoffs
These are the NBA teams that overcame a 3-1 series deficit in the playoffs originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Coming back down 3-1 in the NBA playoffs is a rare feat.
It’s already been achieved twice in the first round in 2026.
The No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers did it first, taking down the No. 2 Boston Celtics on the road in Game 7 with Joel Embiid back in the lineup and dictating the action. Boston didn’t have Jayson Tatum in the final game, but it’s a tough loss to take regardless.
The No. 1 Detroit Pistons then pulled it off the very next day, routing the No. 8 Orlando Magic at home as Franz Wagner missed the last two games due to injury. The No. 3 Denver Nuggets and No. 5 Houston Rockets had a chance to push their respective series to a seventh game, but both fell in Game 6.
So, what teams have come back down 3-1 and how many? Here’s what to know:
How many NBA teams overcame a 3-1 series deficit?
In the NBA, only 15 teams have achieved a successful 3-1 comeback dating back to the 1960s.
Has an NBA team overcame a 3-1 deficit in the Finals?
Out of the 15, only one 3-1 comeback was successfully completed in the NBA Finals. That came in 2016 when the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers won at the Golden State Warriors.
List of NBA teams that overcame a 3-1 playoff deficit
These are the 15 teams in the history books for overcoming a 3-1 deficit (bolded teams also won the Finals that year):
- 1968 Eastern Division finals: Boston Celtics defeat Philadelphia 76ers
- 1970 Western Division semifinals: Los Angeles Lakers defeat Phoenix Suns
- 1979 Eastern Conference finals: Washington Bullets defeat San Antonio Spurs
- 1981 Eastern Conference finals: Boston Celtics defeat Philadelphia 76ers
- 1985 Western Conference semifinals: Houston Rockets defeat Phoenix Suns
- 1997 Eastern Conference semifinals: Miami Heat defeat New York Knicks
- 2003 Eastern Conference first round: Detroit Pistons defeat Orlando Magic
- 2006 Western Conference first round: Phoenix Suns defeat Los Angeles Lakers
- 2015 Western Conference semifinals: Houston Rockets defeat Los Angeles Clippers
- 2016 Western Conference finals: Golden State Warriors defeat Oklahoma City Thunder
- 2016 NBA Finals: Cleveland Cavaliers defeat Golden State Warriors
- 2020 Western Conference first round: Denver Nuggets defeat Utah Jazz
- 2020 Western Conference semifinals: Denver Nuggets defeat Los Angeles Clippers
- 2026 Eastern Conference first round: Philadelphia 76ers defeat Boston Celtics
- 2026 Eastern Conference first round: Detroit Pistons defeat Orlando Magic
Has any NBA team come back from a 3-0 series deficit?
The NBA is the only major sport with a best-of-seven playoff series that has not seen a 3-0 deficit be overcome.
Four teams — 1951 New York Knicks, 1994 Denver Nuggets, 2003 Portland Trail Blazers and 2023 Boston Celtics — have forced a Game 7 down 3-0, but all failed to win.
ESPN's Inside the NBA pokes fun at the Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini situation
For the most part, ESPN has tiptoed around the situation involving Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and reporter Dianna Russini, formerly of The Athletic. On Sunday, ESPN's Inside the NBA studio show jumped into the fray, with both feet.
The show makes "gone fishing" graphics when a team's season has ended. With the Boston Celtics losing on Saturday night to the Philadelphia 76ers after leading the series 3-1, Inside the NBA has created an image that includes among the high-profile Celtics aficionados Vrabel and Russini.
They'e at the front of the boat, in the pose made famous by Titanic.
It's a bold move, one that comes from a show that has always been bold and brash and above all else funny and entertaining. Still, Inside the NBA is now an ESPN property. And ESPN had been steering clear of the incident generally, at least until Vrabel announced (in a statement given to ESPN) that he'd miss the third day of the draft to attend counseling.
Russini previously worked for ESPN. Ten days ago, the New York Post published photos of Vrabel and Russini in a New York City bar on March 11, 2020. She worked at ESPN until joining The Athletic in 2023. ESPN has declined to comment on whether it is reviewing her reporting as it relates to Vrabel and the Titans, the team he coached at the time.
Civale and Soderstrom lead Athletics to a Sunday Victory
Following two-straight losses to open the series, the Athletics sought to win the series finale and prevent the Cleveland Guardians from completing their first series sweep of the season. They did just that, defeating the Guardians 7-1 in front of a sold-out Sunday afternoon crowd to salvage the final game and remain in first place in the American League West.
Cleveland Wastes Early Scoring Chances
Making his seventh start of the season, A’s right-hander Aaron Civale got into some trouble in the first inning. He allowed two singles before striking out Cleveland’s third baseman Daniel Schneemann to escape that early jam unscathed. His counterpart, Guardians left-hander Parker Messick, also turned in a scoreless first inning of work.
Cleveland threatened again in the second inning. Second baseman Travis Bazzana, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, led off the inning with a single and then he stole second base. The Guardians left him at third, wasting another early scoring chance.
A’s Strike First
A’s right fielder Colby Thomas gave his team the early lead with his first home run of the season, a solo shot to left field off of Messick on his first pitch of the bottom of the second inning.
In the third, the Guardians attempted to immediately respond. Jose Ramirez and Kyle Manzardo hit two-straight singles with two outs. Like in the first inning, Civale got Schneemann out to end the inning and keep his team in front. Through three innings, the Guardians had five hits, yet went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.
Chase DeLauter Continues to Haunt the A’s
With one out in the fifth inning, Guardians red-hot rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter tied the game with his sixth home run of the season. He finished this series 8-for-11, playing a major role in Cleveland’s success this weekend.
A’s Offense Answers Back
The Athletics instantly regained the lead. Center fielder Zack Gelof led off the bottom of the fifth inning with his second home run of the season, a solo blast that landed way beyond the left field fence.
Left fielder Tyler Soderstrom blasted his fourth home run of the season over the short right field fence, going back-to-back with Gelof.
The A’s were not done scoring runs that inning. With one out, third baseman Darell Hernáiz and second baseman Jeff McNeil singled. Shortstop Jacob Wilson grounded into a force out for the second out. That brought up designated hitter Brent Rooker, who hit an RBI infield single scoring Hernáiz for the A’s third run of the frame.
Civale Goes Six Strong
Pitching with the lead again, Civale recorded his second shutdown inning of his outing. He only allowed DeLauter’s home run over a season-high six innings, giving the A’s the quality start they desperately needed this afternoon.
A’s Increase Their Lead
In the bottom of the sixth, the Athletics extended their lead off Guardians reliever Peyton Pallette. The hosts loaded the bases with one out as Gelof and Wynns walked and Soderstrom singled. Hernáiz did not come through as he flew out too shallow to center field. However, McNeil made sure the scoring chance did not go to waste. His two-out bases-clearing double down the right field line extended the A’s lead to 7-1.
With a six-run cushion, the A’s turned things over to their bullpen. Right-handed relievers Justin Sterner, Mark Leiter Jr. and Joel Kuhnel finished off the game, each throwing a scoreless inning as the Athletics snapped their two-game losing streak.
More importantly, the win ensured the team finished the home stand with a .500 record. The A’s now get to enjoy a happy flight to Philadelphia. They have an off day tomorrow before beginning a three-game series against the Phillies on Tuesday. Luis Severino will open the road trip on the mound for the A’s, while the Phillies have yet to announce their starting pitcher for that matchup.
Anthony Volpe returns from injury – and Yankees option him to minors
The New York Yankees stormed out to the best record in the American League without Anthony Volpe. And now that their shortstop is healthy enough to return, they've decided to carry on without him.
The Yankees returned Volpe from his minor league rehab assignment and assigned him to Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday, May 3, a moderately surprising move for a player that was once seemingly a part of the club's core.
Volpe, who turned 25 on April 28, underwent off-season surgery on his left shoulder and missed all of spring training, and a lengthy rehab assignment was always in the offing. Yet the club has received pleasantly surprising production from backup Jose Caballero, who has four home runs and a career-best .711 OPS.
For now, he will hold down the spot for the 23-11 Yankees, who can sweep a four-game series from division rival Baltimore on Monday. In the bigger picture, Volpe also faces significant competition from top prospect George Lombard Jr., who was recently promoted from Class AA to AAA and is batting .304 with a .913 OPS and four homers across the two levels.
That would mark a precipitous fall for Volpe, who was drafted 30th overall in 2019 and emerged from a crowded field of prospect shortstops to win the full-time job over Oswald Peraza. He hit 21 home runs and finished eighth in Rookie of the Year voting in 2023 but his lifetime .283 on-base percentage and defensive misadventures lowered his stock.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Anthony Volpe sent to minors by New York Yankees
Start of Monday's Mets-Rockies series opener bumped up due to potential inclement weather
The start of Monday's Mets-Rockies game has been bumped up due to potential inclement weather.
First pitch is now scheduled for 5:40 p.m. ET.
New York will be looking to keep the good times rolling after their series win over the Angels.
Manager Carlos Mendoza announced following Sunday's victory that lefty David Peterson will pitch behind an opener.
There had been suggestions that would be Tobias Myers, but his availability is unknown after throwing 2.2 innings during Saturday night's loss.
Whoever it is will be countered by right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano, who has pitched to a strong 2.84 ERA and 1.17 WHIP over his first six starts this season.
Colorado has lost four in a row, and are coming off a sweep at the hands of the red-hot Braves.
Mariners show Randy Johnson what he missed in 28 years away, get swept in snoozer
It was bad. It was boring. It was a third straight loss.
The Mariners lineup snoozed through a 4-1 loss on Sunday as the Royals completed a sweep in Seattle. The short-side of the Mariners platoons, once again, frankly stunk, sending the minimum-plus-one to the plate over the final five innings.
Lefty Kris Bubic took the ball for the Royals. He was excellent last year, with a 2.89 FIP in 20 starts, so this wasn’t expected to be an easy task. The Mariners seemed to agree, allowing Bubic to work through seven innings with minimal effort. The Mariners began the day 22nd in baseball with an 86 wRC+ lefties, in what’s been perhaps the most discouraging sign from the early going. The lineup Sunday looked especially suspect, as Cal Raleigh sat out with soreness in his side region.
To their immense credit, the Mariners scratched across the first run of the game in the third inning. Leo Rivas fell behind 1-2 but drew an eight-pitch walk. Julio Rodríguez later singled him over to third, and Josh Naylor plated a run on a fielder’s choice.
That was it. They picked up two singles and a walk the rest of the way.
Luis Castillo got the start, looking to bounce back after getting shelled in Minnesota last week. It’s been a tough go since he went six scoreless in his first outing of the season against the Yankees, with a couple middling starts sandwiched between blowouts. With Emerson Hancock pitching well and Bryce Miller progressing in a rehab stint, there’s been some question about Castillo’s spot on the depth chart.
He seemed to make a case for sticking around early. He struck out Bobby Witt Jr. in the first inning on three pitches, getting a chase on a slider out of the zone. Then he struck out Vinnie Pasquantino, getting three more swings out of the zone. In the second, he got Carter Jensen to punch out on three straight fastballs, elevating each more than the last until Jensen swung at his eyes.
Castillo gave up a single to leadoff the third, but quickly got Michael Massey to chase a fastball in for a fourth strikeout. On the next pitch, Jhonny Pereda — making his first start for the Mariners with Cal out — gunned down Isaac Collins trying to steal second.
Things immediately went down hill for Castillo on the second turn through the order. Witt and Pasquantino lead off with hard-hit singles. Castillo then hit Salvador Perez to load the bases with no outs. He walked the next batter to plate a run, got a ground out to plate another, and gave up a sac fly to make the game 3-1.
This has been the story for Castillo most of the season. He entered the day with a 2.59 FIP on the first trip through a lineup, and a 6.33 FIP on the second.
Castillo settled down with minimum strife in the fifth, but a two-out walk and a sharp double off the wall in the sixth made the game 4-1. He struck out his final batter of the game — his first since the initial pass through the order —to finish six innings with five strikeouts, two walks, six hits, and 11 hard hit balls allowed.
The Mariners are now 16-19. They are still the favorites in the AL West, given nobody else wants to win the division, either. But we’ve seen the flaws of this roster create inconsistency, at the very least. The loss to the Royals is the third time the Mariners have been swept this year, and it’s come after they clawed their way back to .500 at the end of April with back-to-back series wins. It doesn’t get any easier with the 25-10 Braves in town next.
Cavs vs. Raptors Game 7 open gamethread
The Cleveland Cavaliers need a win to keep their season alive. We’ll see if they can bounce back from an ugly Game 6 loss to defeat the Toronto Raptors in Game 7.
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Go Cavs!
NetsDaily Off-Season Report – No. 2
While fans in Philadelphia and New York prepare for what looks like a classic Eastern Conference playoff series this week, Brooklyn fans will be looking forward to next Sunday’s NBA Lottery in Chicago. Their third worst record gives them a 14.0% shot at the overall No. 1, a 52.1% shot at a top four pick … a 14.8% at No. 5, a 26.0% at the No. 6 and (ugh) 7.0% at No. 7.
There is mystery, of course, not just about where the Nets will pick after the nationally televised (ESPN) selection process but how they see the top seven candidates. It is as closely held a “state secret” as there is at the HSS Training Center.
Anyone who watched the SCOUT docu-series last summer could see just how secret: every screen from the team’s big board to the scouts’ computers at HSS Training Center was scrubbed — fuzzed out — before it aired. And it is not above Sean Marks & co. to engage in a disinformation campaign. While most pundits thought Brooklyn had its eyes on Khaman Maluach at No. 8 last June, the Nets instead were focused on Egor Demin. Indeed, as some video from the Hornets war room showed, Charlotte execs, several of them former Nets staffers, were shocked that Brooklyn had passed on Maluach who they had coveted. (How’d that work out?)
This year, a number of pundits like Cam Boozer of Duke, as we noted earlier in the week. One even called him the “perfect Net,” with his fundamental skillset, maturity and leadership potential. Any comparison with Tim Duncan is going to get Marks’ attention considering how much he reveres his former Spurs teammate. Many may see Boozer as boring, but a lot of people saw Duncan that way too … as he won five NBA championships.
Any of the top four — Boozer, A.J. Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Caleb Wilson — would fill a Nets need either in the short term, long term or both. After that, the Nets would likely have a choice of guards who would duplicate skillsets of the young players already on the roster — Kingston Flemings, Mikel Brown, Keaton Wagler and Darius Acuff. Draftniks have opined that teams picking between Nos. 5 and 8 are likely to have a difficult time sorting them out.
Do we even know who the Nets have brought in for workouts and interviews? Nope. That’s not going to be public either. (One thing to spy if you want more info: who the 76ers and Knicks are working out. Agents often arrange workout schedules to take advantage of geography, save time and money.)
One thing we think we can plan for next Sunday, the dreaded commercial break at the Lottery. Normally, ESPN lets deputy GM Mark Tatum call out picks Nos. 14 through 5 before going to commercial. Assuming the Nets have enough luck to avoid falling to Nos. 6 or 7, that break will test our patience before the big moment.
Possibly, we will know more by the end of the week? Likely not. Know this, though: once the Lottery is done, no matter how things work out, things will change. Would Nets try to move up? One NBA decision-maker says tells NetsDaily he thinks that with all their assets, Brooklyn has a shot at moving up a couple of slots. They tried last year, but a number of potential trade partners wanted the 2026 first which the Nets had no interest in trading. Would they try to get a second first? They might, again using their assets. But any move like those won’t likely happen till closer to the Draft.
Another league source noted to ND this week the bottom line: “Man, they have a lot of options.” As one player in the Nets Draft War, Simone Casali, the director of international scouting, told an Italian interviewer 18 months ago that Draft Night can be quite intense.
“In the NBA, a lot can change from one moment to the next, I cannot know when we will have a choice available and how high,” said Casali whose overall interview is quite revelatory about scouting culture. “It can happen, for example, that on the night of the Draft you suddenly find yourself with choices available as a result of a trade: you cannot afford to improvise. Scouting always follows the same rules, the same attention to detail.”
We still have six weeks till the Draft, of course. In the meantime, we can only wait and pray.
Early Free Agency Rumors
What about free agency? That same anonymous league source who spoke about options told us that while he loves the Nets current situation, he wonders how they will transition from rebuild to build. He can recite all the team’s assets an added that the tanking reforms are yet another positive for them.
“The league getting rid of tanking in some ways has really helped them but also is going to cause them to have to quickly pivot in terms of their day to day,” he said. “They have to play to win, but I don’t know if they know how to do that.”
It wasn’t so much a criticism of Marks, Tsai, etc.‘s ability to get things done but rather how big they want to go and how soon. “I don’t understand how they don’t see Giannis or Kawhi as their big swing … shoot even bring KD back to finish his career.”
Moving on any of those 30+ superstars would be risky and at this point, fans seemed to be patient (enough) to continue the organic rebuild. Barclays Center attendance numbers seem to reflect that with the arena selling out 99.2% of capacity over 41 home dates. (We can’t speak to the TV ratings. They’re not public, but are almost assuredly ugly. We will find out soon enough.)
Bringing back the soon-to-be 38-year-old Kevin Durant would create headlines and with some well-crafted P.R. engender nostalgia for what might have been. There are people in the organization who’d like to see him back, citing how he changed the franchise culture his first time around. Remember the good times! There are others, however, who are not so enamored of a reunion, recalling his ugly exit, criticism of teammates, lack of leadership particularly re his superstar teammates, and his push for short term solutions whether it was advocating for DeAndre Jordan over Jarrett Allen, signing short-term fixes, demanding front office firings, pushing his business partner Rich Kleiman for a top job or demanding Ime Udoka be hired as head coach despite his suspension from the Celtics. Did we miss anything? Probably.
How does KD, who did average 26/6/5 on near 50/40/90 shooting, feel about a reunion? We don’t know but things are not good in Houston. After missing only four games in the regular season, he sat on the bench in all but one game of Houston’s first round flameout due to a nagging ankle injury. He is simply not that popular in Texas. Many Rocket fans see him as a “mercenary” after his stays in OKC, Golden State, Brooklyn, Phoenix and now Houston. He has also gotten beyond the first round only once leaving New York. The scandal surrounding his burner comments re his young Houston teammates never got resolved and again, his leadership got questioned. He will be meeting soon with Rockets brass about his now uncertain future.
He did have provide some comments in 2024 and 2025 expressing his love of the franchise (that he helped blow up) …
Sounds nice.
What might a reunion cost the Nets … beyond psychically? He is owed $44 million next season, then has a $46 million player option in 2027-28 at age 39. Acquiring him would almost certainly require the Nets to give up Michael Porter Jr. who will be an expiring at $41 million next season. Would Brooklyn be required to add picks? Or would they require some in return?
Bottom line: the KD reunion may sound intriguing, but without polling fans, it seems from social media that the base is more “been there, done that,” than “welcome home.” He is still a great player but exhausting.
Beyond the choice between going for a superstar or building organically through the draft, there is the intriguing third path, adding a young piece who might not be a superstar but damn good and did we say young? We’re talking about 6’8” 23-year-old Peyton Watson of the Denver Nuggets. Jake Fischer wrote this week what fans have known: that the Nets along with the at least the Lakers and Bulls have interest. He averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game on 41.1% shooting.
He’ll be a restricted free agent this summer, the Nugs having decided last summer to sign Christian Braun to a five-year, $125 million deal instead of him. Part of the windfall for Braun came from money the Kroeneke family saved by trading Michael Porter Jr and an unprotected first in 2032 for Cam Johnson. Ironic much?
Fischer wrote a lot about the Nuggets quandary in keeping him. To avoid the pain of the second apron, the most likely scenario has them dealing CamJ away to make room for a big deal for Watson. Easier said than done. Johnson is 30 and hasn’t played 60 games in any of the past four seasons. Still, that could help Denver avoid a Nets offer sheet that could 1) contain poison pills the Nuggets might not want to swallow or 2) begin talks on a sign-and-trade at a disadvantage. That speculation is all well and good, but this weekend saw something easier to digest than CBA provisions… an exchange between Watson and MP….
Well now! The two players are known to be close from the time when Porter mentored a young Watson and as he told N3ON this weekend, MPJ thinks Brooklyn is going to get better soon. We are always a bit skeptical of how friendships affect free agency. Money usually talks loudest but the Nets have, as our source noted, a number of options.
Expect to hear other names, of course. Free agency is even further away than the Draft. It opens June 30.
Who’s in charge here?
By the way, if you are wondering who makes the final decision on big things like trades, signings and picks — whether it’s the GM or owner — Sean Marks shed some light about how that process works on a podcast with Boki Nachbar and Ric Bucher. Their Fullcourt Passport, is focused on the NBA’s wider world, Read closer and you can see that while Joe Tsai and Mikhail Prokhorov had “advised,” “helped” and “influenced” him over his tenure, he’s the guy.
“Having two different owners in my time in Brooklyn, obviously from my current owner, Joe Tsai, to our previous Russian owner,” Marks began. “I always ask those guys their advice, their help. I mean these guys are doing multi-billion dollars deals and I’m doing trades with guys who will a half million bucks or three million dollars or five million dollars.
“It’s still their baby and I want to make sure … how they can influence me in my negotiating skills or what have you. I’d be a fool not to involve them. They’ve come from a completely different backgrounds but also to empower them to understand why we’re doing to these deals and what it means down the road. I’m very fortunate in that regard.”
Of course, the owner and GM talk near daily even if the owner is flying over the Pacific a lot of the time and in the case of the Draft, the owner will be in the room.
Draft Sleeper of the Week
We love having a high second rounder, particularly in a deep draft. Teams are not required to give second round picks a guaranteed deal. Often, as the Nets did in the case of No. 31 pick Nic Claxton in 2019, they will, generally agreeing to a deal near or at the level of the last pick in the first round. This year. per Salary Swish, that would amount to roughly $3 million.
The Nets currently hold two picks in the second round, their own at No. 33, thanks to the tank, and the Los Angeles Clippers at No. 43, a product of last year’s trade of the No. 36 pick — part of the Mikal Bridges trade — to the Phoenix Suns for two future seconds. (The Suns later sent the 36th pick to the Lakers who chose Adou Thiero.)
Assuming the Nets keep the picks and assuming they follow their recent history, they’re likely to sign the 33rd pick to a standard deal and the 43rd to a two-way. One prospect we have been intrigued by at the top of the second is Joshua Jefferson, a 6’9”, 240-pound point forward out of Iowa State who in our most recent mock draft update has been ;inked to the Nets by two outlets, the Athletic and NBADraft.net. (It should be noted, however, in the weeks since those mocks, JJ has moved up quickly, now being touted at No. 25 by Tankathon.)
Although a little older than most prospects at 23 years old, he would seem to fit neatly into Jordi Fernandez’s position-less system. Here’s what NBADraft.net wrote of him recently.
One of the most statistically unique players in the country, becoming the only player nationally (and first in Big 12 history) to post 450+ points, 250+ rebounds, 100+ assists, 70+ steals, and 25+ blocks in a single season … Strong basketball background with family ties to high-level football … Known for toughness, IQ, and all-around production.
And here’s some highlights as well…
Does scream Nets to us.
Summer Games
We love the idea of playing in two summer leagues. The Nets announced this week that before the Las Vegas Summer League which runs between July 9 and July 19, in which the Nets will play a minimum of five games, they will also be in Sacramento at the Garden 1 Center for three games on July 4, 5 and 6. So that’s eight games in 15 days, a mid-season schedule for the NBA.
There’s a lot of good reasons for double duty, starting with their continued youth. The Nets will have seven players on rookie deals next year, Noah Clowney, the Flatbush 5 and the lottery pick plus maybe a second rounder as well as the three rookies who played this year without a standard deal: Chaney Johnson, Malachi Smith and Grant Nelson who of whom are likely to be available plus two-ways E.J. Liddell and Tyson Etienne etc. etc. Might Josh Minott play? He’s 23 but not many fifth year players spend time in Vegas … or Sacramento
Final Note
We hear Mr. Whammy, aka Bruce Reznick, is all set for his debut as the Nets lucky charm at the Draft Lottery next Sunday. He and his grandson will be taking the train to Chicago we are told — he is 90 — and on arrival will be treated as a guest of honor by the Nets. As we’ve noted Whammy can’t sit on the dias. League rules, you know, but he will be in the audience, presumably hexing away. We don’t yet know who will be sitting on the dias, but we expect to know sometime mid-week. Good luck to all.
Next week, we expect our report will be late. We will either be celebrating or lamenting.
Anthony Volpe optioned to minors as Yankees return will have to wait
Anthony Volpe’s rehab assignment is over — and so is his time in the majors, for now.
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Try it freeAs first reported by The Post’s Joel Sherman, Volpe was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday after being reinstated from the 10-day IL.
The Yankees had to make a roster move with Volpe by Tuesday, as his 20-day rehab window ended after his hitless day with Double-A Somerset.
In his comeback from offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, Volpe has not hit well in the minors, and the Yankees have seen his replacement, José Caballero, exceed expectations.
So what was once considered almost a formality — that Volpe would reclaim his starting job at shortstop with the Yankees as soon as he was able — is now on hold.
And the player, who appeared in just 22 Triple-A games before winning the starting shortstop job out of spring training in 2023, is headed back there.
Before Sunday’s 11-3 win over Baltimore in The Bronx — another victory with another solid showing from Caballero — Aaron Boone said no decision had been made, in part because the Yankees have been playing as well as any team in the majors and Caballero had been a significant part of that success.
“Caballero is playing the heck out of the position and is playing really well,” Boone said. “That complicates it. … José has [earned] himself more playing time. I love the idea of José being in a super-utility role because he’s so good at it, but you also can’t ignore he’s played so well defensively at shortstop [and] been a real spark for us offensively.”
Boone also noted they’d have to figure out the best role for Volpe, who the manager said “is getting ready to play shortstop” and not preparing for a utility spot.
That they can have Volpe in the minors is a luxury for the Yankees, who have won 13 of their past 15 games even without their starting shortstop of the past three years.
And it’s a change from the stance they had just a few weeks ago.
On April 10, shortly before Volpe’s rehab assignment began, general manager Brian Cashman said of Volpe returning to his everyday job, “That’s always been the plan. But ultimately, that’ll be the manager’s call.”
Caballero entered Sunday with a .935 OPS in his previous 19 games with seven stolen bases — while also in the midst of a 17-game errorless streak.
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In the minors, Volpe has just one extra-base hit in 49 plate appearances, and the Yankees haven’t skipped a beat without the 25-year-old, who disappointed on both sides of the ball last year while playing with the injured shoulder.
“We’re off to a really good start,” Boone said of the team. “[Caballero] has been right in the middle of that defensively [and] offensively. So he’s earned some opportunities there. It’s really as simple as that [and] then weighing what’s the best thing for our team moving forward.”
Boone also noted, “It’s a long season” and “there are gonna be so many opportunities for different guys. The fact is, we’re probably as deep as we’ve ever been. We have real competition for real spots and real roles on the team that we haven’t had in some portions of seasons.”
That will almost certainly include Volpe, but not yet.