When Blake Snell took the mound for the Ontario Tower Buzzers Tuesday night, his primary focus was continuing his ramp up for when he rejoins the Dodgers in the next few weeks.
Blake Snell was rehabbing Tuesday with the Ontario Tower Buzzers. X/@towerbuzzersDuring his warm up pitches the game presentation crew played Snell’s rap song. X/@towerbuzzersThe Dodgers ace did not appear to be happy with the song choice. X/@towerbuzzers
In a video posted to social media, the Ontario game presentation crew surprised Snell when they played his rap song while he warmed up. As seen in the video, Snell didn’t appear to like the music and after about 10 seconds, the song cuts out immediately after Snell looks up towards the press area.
Snell threw 3.0 innings and gave up one hit with six strikeouts.
Snell’s amateur rap career started in 2012 when he released the track “Rising Stars,” which featured Snell dropping bars while wearing a Tampa Bay Rays hat. He was drafted by Tampa Bay in the supplemental first round (52nd overall) of the 2011 MLB June Amateur Draft.
He made his big league debut on April 23, 2016 with the Rays and quickly emerged as one of the best pitchers in baseball. He won the AL Cy Young award in 2018 after he finished 21-5 with a 1.89 ERA but was then traded to the Padres 2021, where he won the NL Cy Young award in 2023 when he went 14-9 with a 2.25 ERA.
After a short stint with the Giants, Snell joined the Dodgers last year and was lights out, helping Los Angeles win their second consecutive World Series title.
However, that long season took its toll on Snell and his high-priced left arm. Shoulder fatigue plagued him through the winter and forced him to begin the year on the injured list.
Snell has completed two minor-league starts already as part of a rehab assignment and is scheduled to next take the mound for four innings Sunday with Triple-A Oklahoma City. After that, the team will decide whether he’s ready to return or will need another minor-league outing to get further built up.
While his return status is TBD, it’s pretty apparent that “Rising Stars” will not be making a cameo at Chavez Ravine.
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Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora signs for fans before a game against the Orioles on April 24 in Baltimore. (Nick Wass / Associated Press)
Everything we know about Alex Cora during his rudely interrupted tenure as manager of the Boston Red Sox lines up almost perfectly with everything we knew about him as a Dodgers player more than 20 years ago.
He communicates exceptionally well. He quietly makes a positive contribution. He handles failure admirably. Win or lose, he exhibits class.
Nothing has tested those traits more than what Cora, 50, endured over the last week. The man known throughout baseball as AC was fired by Boston on Sunday, turned down an offer to manage the Philadelphia Phillies a day later, then, while home in Puerto Rico, saw that an ultimatum he made last season to general manager Craig Breslow was reported by the Boston Globe.
Cora somehow found time to pen an expression of gratitude to the Red Sox organization and fans.
"Thank you for treating me with respect and most importantly accept me as AC," he wrote. "I’m grateful for this experience, it made me better.
"Thank you for the hard work, sleepless nights, professionalism and effort to help me lead this great organization."
Communication and class until the end, no doubt. Yet the single blemish on his resume is eternally painful to Dodgers fans.
Alex Cora was fired as manager of the Boston Red Sox on Sunday. (Nick Wass / Associated Press)
Cora was the Houston Astros' bench coach in 2017 when the Dodgers were victimized by a sign-stealing scheme during the World Series, which the Astros won in seven games.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred released a report in January 2020 that detailed how in 2017 and 2018 the Astros illegally used electronic equipment to steal signs. Cora was central to the scheme, the report saying he “arranged for a video-room technician to install a monitor displaying the center-field camera feed immediately outside of the Astros dugout.”
By 2020, though, Cora was beloved in Boston for piloting the Red Sox to the 2018 World Series championship over the Dodgers in his first season as manager. Nevertheless, he was fired a day after the report was released and suspended by MLB for the 2020 season.
Dodgers second baseman Alex Cora during a game against the Milwaukee Brewers in May 2004. (Morry Gash / Associated Press)
The mea culpa was well-received by the trio and underscored Cora's ability to smooth over even the most awkward situations.
“I’m going to be 100% honest with you — I just felt like I wanted to cry at that moment when he said that,” Jansen told a Boston radio station. “I felt like a weight came off."
It's now known that Cora backed his coaches when Breslow wanted to fire several of them last season. The Globe reported that Cora told the general manager that the Red Sox would have to fire him as well.
Breslow backed down then but not last week, firing five coaches along with Cora.
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombroski responded swiftly, making Cora an offer even before firing manager Rob Thomson on Tuesday. The well-traveled Dombroski has led four franchises to a World Series — an MLB record — including one alongside Cora with the Red Sox in 2018, and the offer to jump to the Phillies was tempting.
But Cora put family first, telling Dombroski he wanted to take time with his fiancée, Angelica, and twin 8-year-old sons, Xander and Isander. After all, he is still under contract with the Red Sox through 2027, and is owed $14 million.
That's about what he earned in 14 seasons as an infielder properly labeled as a good-field, no-hit, great clubhouse presence. Cora was the Dodgers' primary shortstop in 2000 and 2001, then moved to second base through 2004.
The Dodgers' center fielder from 2002 to the 2004 midseason was Dave Roberts, the current Dodgers manager who remains a close friend of Cora's. The 2018 World Series was the first to feature two minority managers — a point of pride for the Puerto Rican-born Cora and for Roberts, who is half Black and half Japanese.
Cora won a World Series as a Red Sox reserve in 2007 and finished with a career batting average of .243 with a paltry 35 home runs in 3,825 plate appearances — the most memorable of which came May 12, 2004.
Cora capped an 18-pitch at-bat that included 14 foul balls with a home run against Chicago Cubs right-hander Matt Clement.
“What a moment! 9:23 on the scoreboard, if you want to write it down for history. What an at-bat!” Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully exclaimed. “That’s one of the finest at-bats I’ve ever seen, and to top it off with a home run, that is really shocking.”
Cora took a curtain call from the Dodger Stadium crowd and Scully said, “Yeah take a bow, Alex! You deserve it and then some!”
What Cora almost undoubtedly has earned now is another shot at managing. His 620-541 record is well above average. His reputation — sign-stealing scandal notwithstanding — is glowing.
The Phillies hired former Dodgers manager Don Mattingly on an interim basis and likely will circle back to Cora after the season. If not, other teams are expected to come calling.
SEATTLE, WA - APRIL 20: Nick Kurtz #16 of the Athletics celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning during the game between the Athletics and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Monday, April 20, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Eric Hiller/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Every day, Pinstripe Alley offers updates on what the Yankees’ top American League opponents are up to through the Rivalry Roundup. The AL East is well-trodden ground there, but one full month into the season, we’re going to take a peek around MLB as a whole and check in with each of the other five divisions. Who’s surprising? Who’s underwhelming? Who’s simply mediocre at the moment? Read on and find out.
First Place: The Athletics (17-14)
Top Position Player: Shea Langeliers (1.4 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Aaron Civale/Jack Perkins (0.6 fWAR)
Who woulda thought? The Don’t-Call-Them-Sacramento Athletics lead a tight race atop the AL West through the end of April with the third-best record in the American League. Now, that’s more an indictment on how bad the Junior Circuit has been so far, but the A’s have made it work with series wins over the Yankees, Mariners, and Rangers.
While their calling card entering the year was a sneakily stacked lineup, they’ve actually been slightly below average despite some big individual performances. Shea Langeliers has been the best catcher in the AL through April, posting a 165 wRC+ in 30 games, but the real standout here is former Mets prospect and right fielder Carlos Cortes, who’s hitting .391 with a wRC+ of 210 in 78 plate appearances. Think they’re regretting letting him leave in minor league free agency over in Queens?
The reasons behind the offense’s early struggles are a more tame start for Nick Kurtz (.425 SLG but a 23.7% BB%), an underwhelming Jacob Wilson (85 wRC+), and a downright terrible start for both Lawrence Butler (51 wRC+, -0.3 fWAR) and Brent Rooker, who’s currently on the injured list after a nightmarish first 15 games.
The pitching has been a mixed bag as well. J.T. Ginn, Aaron Civale, and Jeffrey Springs have all been solid in the starting rotation, while they’ve gotten mixed results from old friend Luis Severino. The only weak link seems to be Jacob Lopez, whose peripherals match his high ERA and negative K-BB%.
Hogan Harris has been a star in their bullpen, shouldering a heavy workload (17 appearances) with a 2.65 ERA, but he’s a candidate for regression with his high walk rate and LOB%. Mark Leiter Jr. is struggling as their setup man, but closer Joel Kuhnel, Scott Barlow, and former Yankees prospect Luis Medina have produced for a league-average bullpen.
That’s been the story of the A’s so far, perfectly average in every aspect. That wouldn’t be so bad if it sustained.
Second Place: Seattle Mariners (16-16)
Top Position Player: Randy Arozarena (1.1 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Logan Gilbert/George Kirby (0.8 fWAR)
Good teams have slow starts every single year, but how long they last can be a big indicator of just how good that team is. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia, or even the Mets rebounded to sneak into the playoffs, but they all sit below .500 after April. It’s even cost a few managers their jobs.
For Seattle, they’ve rebounded from an 8-13 start to be at .500 as the month ends, and the reason why they’ve started playing like the division favorite they are is that their slumbering offense is finally waking up. All of a sudden, they’re seventh in wRC+ despite agonizingly slow starts from Cal Raleigh, Josh Naylor, and Julio Rodriguez. All three remain below average, but have rebounded from being among the worst hitters in baseball through two weeks.
Brendan Donovan was mashing and looked like a slam-dunk all-star starter before getting hurt, Dominic Canzone and Cole Young were breaking out as fixtures at right field and second base, and Randy Arozarena has been as solid as ever. The fact that they have such a deep lineup, even with the heart of the order struggling, makes you feel good about them still winning this division.
They’ve only needed five starting pitchers so far, and four of them are doing good work. The quartet of Bryan Woo, Logan Gilbert, Emerson Hancock, and George Kirby all have microscopic walk rates and good results to back it up. It’s aesthetically pleasing for a starter to be filling the strike zone and being effective. The weak link is, shockingly, the typically steady Luis Castillo, who’s been downright bad since his strong start against the Yankees at the end of March with a 6.35 ERA in 28 innings over six starts.
Seattle’s bullpen is fourth-ranked in baseball, which doesn’t match the eye test. I vividly remember their collapse against the Padres on April 15th and their near-collapse a few days later against Texas, but they’ve been awesome aside from that. Cole Wilcox is struggling, and the disaster in San Diego skews Andrés Muñoz’s numbers, but they’ve gotten strong months from Jose A. Ferrer, Eduard Bazardo, and Matt Brash, who’ve pitched to soft contact with efficacy.
It’s hard to see a team in this division that can get to the Mariners’ level if the big bats start hitting.
Third Place: Texas Rangers (15-16)
Top Position Player: Josh Jung (1.0 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Jacob deGrom (0.9 fWAR)
We just saw the Rangers deep in the heart of Texas, as the Yankees took two of three from another middling AL West club that hasn’t been able to gain momentum through the first month of the season.
The offense is mediocre, ranking around 20th in most categories. Josh Jung is fully breaking out after a rough first week, and Brandon Nimmo has been great, even though he went down with a hamstring injury on Wednesday. Outside of them, they have Corey Seager barely above the Mendoza line, young guys like Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford (who’s now on the IL) struggling, and vets like Kyle Higashioka and Jake Burger in deep funks.
As for the rotation, even with Nathan Eovaldi struggling until his gem against the Yankees on Wednesday, they’ve gotten peak Jacob deGrom and a strong start from young Kumar Rocker to steady an inconsistent starting group. Jack Leiter’s been up and down, as has offseason trade acquisition MacKenzie Gore, but there’s great upside with this group.
Texas has the best bullpen in baseball (2.82 ERA), and we saw that with how the Yanks struggled to get insurance runs late. Jalen Beeks, Jakob Junis, Tyler Alexander, and Jacob Latz all have ERAs under 2.10 while being used in at least 13 games. They don’t rank very well in strikeout or ground-ball rate, and the staff’s FIP is over a full run higher, so things might change in this regard soon, but it’s been their biggest strength early on.
Top Position Player: Mike Trout (1.5 fWAR) Top Pitcher: José Soriano (1.2 fWAR)
The Angels haven’t been very good, but that’s not all too surprising. Despite how dynamic they looked against the Yankees in the four-game split, they’ve been the usual mediocre team around that.
It’s the Mike Trout Show on offense, as the future Hall of Famer is proving that his sensational series at Yankee Stadium wasn’t a one-off, posting an even 1.000 OPS through 31 games. Behind him, the two most valuable players are Zach Neto and… Oswald Peraza? He’s still hitting well after his Revenge Series? Even with a good offense to start, the likes of Josh Lowe, Logan O’Hoppe, and Nolan Schanuel are in the dumps. At least Jorge Soler is back from his suspension.
On the pitching side, José Soriano has arguably been the best pitcher in the American League, as even his so-so start against the White Sox couldn’t raise his ERA above one. Jack Kochanowicz and Reid Detmers are pitching decently, but the highest-paid pitcher in the rotation (Yusei Kikuchi) has been ineffective and is now injured.
The bullpen has been an absolute travesty, ranking 29th in ERA. Their closer to start the year, Jordan Romano, fell apart in the four-game series in the Bronx and has since been released. Chase Silseth is by far the most effective reliever they have, as most of their high-leverage arms have gone up in absolute flames to start the season.
Last Place (tie): Houston Astros (12-20)
Top Position Player: Yordan Alvarez (2.2 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Hunter Brown/Peter Lambert (0.5 fWAR)
This is another team the Yanks have already seen this year, which reminds me that 16 of the team’s 31 games this year have been against this particular division. Only 15 of the final 131 are, so hope you enjoyed these teams while they lasted. The mediocrity of the AL West has allowed the Astros to start slowly once again, while not getting completely buried at only four games back of the first-place A’s. This happens every single year, and while Houston came up short last year, they won’t have as big a hill to climb if this division doesn’t shape up.
Their offense is one of the best in the sport and is keeping them in every game. Yordan Alvarez is finally healthy and showing why he’s one of the best pure hitters in baseball, looking like Aaron Judge’s biggest early competition for AL MVP. Christian Walker’s bat is back from the dead, Christian Vazquez has been great in a small sample, and even guys like Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and Isaac Paredes have been adequate despite not hitting to their best capabilities.
Hunter Brown made two very good starts and then went on the shelf in the first week of April, yet he still shares a lead in fWAR on this abhorrent pitching staff. The other guy is 29-year-old Peter Lambert, who was previously released in spring training and has thrown 15.1 innings. Multiple starters are on the shelf, including Tatsyua Imai, whose transition to America has been nightmarish so far. Spencer Arrighetti (2.00 ERA) has been their best starter since he was recalled, as veterans like Lance McCullers Jr. and Mike Burrows have ERAs over six. And yet, this would at least be passable if…
… the bullpen wasn’t a complete and utter disaster. They have, by far, the worst bullpen in baseball, and aside from Steven Okert and Kai-Wei Teng, they’ve all been bad. Closer Josh Hader hasn’t thrown a single pitch, batting biceps tendinitis. Bryan Abreu has an ERA just under 13, AJ Blubaugh, Enyel De Los Santos, and Ryan Weiss are struggling, and even fill-ins like Colton Gordon and Roddery Muñoz can’t consistently get outs. A turnaround is impossible with a bullpen this bad.
Mar 10, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Muse walks off the ice after the first period against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images | James Guillory-Imagn Images
Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Muse has been named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award.
Muse was named one of the three finalists for the award, which is the NHL’s annual “Coach of the Year” award, alongside Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper and Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff.
Well earned 👏
Penguins Head Coach Dan Muse has been named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award, presented annually "to the coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success".
The Penguins were a surprise success story this past season under Muse, who was a first-year head coach in the NHL, leading the team to the postseason for the first time since 2022 after being predicted by many to be among the bottom teams in the league this past season.
The 41 wins the team amassed under Muse tied for the third-most in franchise history for a coach in his first year with the Penguins.
Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson was among those voicing their support for Muse, saying that he was a big part of the team’s success this past year.
While the Penguins’ exit from the postseason may have been a disappointment, losing to the Philadelphia Flyers in six games, it’s not a reach to say that the Penguins outperformed their expectations this past season and it seems as if the team made a good choice when hiring Muse as the leader of the franchise in the post-Mike Sullivan era.
The Cardinals (18-13) are coming off a four-game sweep of the Pirates (16-16) as St. Louis prepares to face the Dodgers (20-11) who had a day off after two consecutive losses to the Miami Marlins (15-16).
Los Angeles scored three total runs in the last two games and dropped both to Miami. Luckily, the Dodgers' pitching staff has been on fire. Over the last seven days, Los Angeles ranks third in ERA (2.20) and are tied fourth in OBA (.204). However, the offense has two home runs over the past five games, which is more than only the Athletics (1).
St. Louis followed up a four-game losing streak with a four-game winning streak ahead of this matchup. The Cardinals outscored the Pirates 30-18 in their previous series. St. Louis has hit the most home runs (14) over the last seven days and the seventh-best batting average (.278).
Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Dodgers at Cardinals
Date: Friday, May 1, 2026
Time: 8:15 PM EST
Site: Busch Stadium
City: St. Louis, MO
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
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Odds for the Dodgers at the Cardinals
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Los Angeles Dodgers (-181), St. Louis Cardinals (+149)
The Cardinals’ Jordan Walker is hitting .284 with 33 hits and 64 total bases over 116 at-bats
The Cardinals’ Nolan Gorman is hitting .223 with 23 hits and 33 strikeouts over 103 at-bats
The Dodgers’ Andy Pages is hitting .321 with 36 hits and 58 total bases over 112 at-bats
The Dodgers’ Kyle Tucker is hitting .241 with 28 hits and 29 strikeouts over 116 at-bats
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Dodgers at Cardinals
The Cardinals are 19-12 ATS this season, ranking sixth-best
The Dodgers are 15-16 ATS this season
The Cardinals are 17-13 to the Over this season
The Dodgers are 17-14 to the Under this season
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Dodgers and the Cardinals
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
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Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Dodgers and the Cardinals.
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Dodgers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Dodgers at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 8.0
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Offseason analysis from Andrew Gross: The management. [Newsday]
What was it like to suffer through the ups and mostly downs of being a diehard Whalers fan? A special Weird Islanders episode. [LHH]
Elsewhere
Depending on how things go with three series at 3-2, the entire first round of the NHL playoffs could be completed Friday night. The Canadiens, Sabres and Knights have the Lightning, Bruins and Mammoth on the ropes, respectively.
No matter how those series go, they won’t prompt the postseason reckoning that has no begun for the disappointing Oilers, the stuck-between-era Penguins, and the Sisyphusian Stars, who once again entered the playoffs with a top-contending squad hobbled by injuries.
To the post-mortems:
The Oilers lost to the Ducks, a team that can’t play defense and thus should not be able to knock off anyone in the postseason. How has it come to this for Edmonton, with the Connor McDoomsday Clock ticking? [Athletic | TSN]
The Penguins, eliminated by the Flyers, had a surprising season but with nothing to show for it, stuck in their nostalgia-and-rebuild-resistance mode. [Athletic]
“Was this Jamie Benn’s last game as a Dallas Star? If so, it ended with Glen Gulutzan giving him a chance to do one last bit of heroism. Instead, Benn ended the night by losing a puck under extreme pressure, with sticks battering his body high and low until he went down to a knee, unable to stay on his feet under the onslaught.” [Stars Thoughts]
The Wild broke the curse and knocked off the Stars with another great performance from Quinn Hughes, who was on the ice for 10 goals for and one against in the series. [Athletic]
Mikko Rantanen, the guy who ended Alex Romanov’s season with a dangerous hit from behind but just isn’t that kind of player, was fined for crosschecking Kirill Kaprizov in the face. [TSN]
Someone has let it be known that the Leafs asked the Lightning for permission to talk to GM Julien BriseBois, and of course were rejected. [Sportsnet]
No matter what happens in the three series on Friday night, the second round begins Saturday with the Hurricanes hosting the Flyers.
The NHL fined Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen $5,000 on Friday for cross-checking the Minnesota Wild's Kirill Kaprizov in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series.
Rantanen cross-checked Kaprizov early in the third period on Thursday night and was assessed a minor roughing penalty. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
It was the Stars' second cross-checking fine of the series. Captain Jamie Benn was fined $2,604.17 on Wednesday for a check on Ryan Hartman in Game 5.
The Wild beat the Stars 5-2 in Game 6 to advance to the second round against the Colorado Avalanche.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 27: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the eighth inning during the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Monday, April 27, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Andrew Ritter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Last fall, the Mariners fell one win short of winning the first American League pennant in club history. They returned this spring with high expectations, bringing back first baseman Josh Naylor and trading for on-base machine Brendan Donovan. They dropped 15 of their first 25 games, but are starting to heat up, winning six of their last seven games.
Kansas City Royals (12-19) vs. Seattle Mariners (16-16) at T-Mobile Park, Seattle, WA
Donovan has been out since April 18 with a groin injury but is expected to return to action this weekend. The former Cardinals infielder is justifying the big trade so far, hitting .304/.437/.518 with three home runs in his first 18 games with the Mariners. Cal “Big Dumper” Raleigh is not hitting home runs at the same rate as last year, when he lead the league with 60 home runs, but he is also heating up with five home runs in his last nine games.
J.P. Crawford has the fifth-best walk rate in baseball at 18.8 percent. Josh Naylor has the highest pop-up rate in baseball at 27 percent. He stole a career-high 30 bases last year, and is 4-of-6 in steal attempts this year. Luke Raley is hitting .283/.340/.630 in home games.
Bryan Woo was an All-Star for the first time last year, earning Cy Young votes after putting up a 2.94 ERA in 30 starts. He had his worst start of the year his last time out, giving up seven runs and four dingers in three innings against the Cardinals. He throws a 95 mph fastball half the time, mixing in a sinker, sweeper, slider, and occasionally a change.
Emerson Hancock has yet to make 20 starts in a season in his career, but he may be having a breakthrough this year at age 27. He tossed six no-hit innings in his first start of the year, and has yet to give up more than three runs in an outing. He is right behind Woo with the sixth-lowest walk rate in baseball.
Luis Castillo is starting to show signs of rust at age 33. He gave up seven runs in his last start with a noticeable drop in velocity, leaving questions on what to do with him when Bryce Miller returns to the rotation. Bobby Witt Jr. is just 1-for-16 (.063) against Luis Castillo in his career.
Note that Friday night’s game will air exclusively on Apple TV with Wayne Randazzo (play-by-play), Dontrelle Willis (analyst), and Heidi Watney (on-field reporter) on the call.
The Mariners have the third-best bullpen ERA at 3.31. Andrés Muñoz has the sixth-best strikeout rate in baseball. He has converted six of seven saves this year, and five of the eight runs he has given up this year came in one outing. Matt Brash has yet to give up an earned run this year, and opponents are hitting just .091 against him, but left his last outing on Wednesday with side discomfort. Jose A. Ferrer has a reverse split this year, with lefties hitting .375 against him.
The Mariners are still expected to be one of the leading contenders for a pennant this season, with a strong pitching staff, a lockdown closer, and one of the best home run hitters in baseball. The Royals need to get back on track, but they missed an opportunity to take a series in Sacramento, and it doesn’t get any easier in Seattle.
The Michigan Wolverines’ baseball team got off to a slow start in Big Ten play thanks to a front-loaded schedule, but they are now one of the best teams in the conference. Michigan is currently 27-17 overall and 12-9 in Big Ten play. After a 1-5 start to conference play, the Wolverines have won their last five series, and every remaining opponent is behind them in the standings.
Next up: Maryland on the road.
Getting to know Maryland
Maryland is struggling this season, currently sitting with a 22-23 overall record and a 6-15 mark in Big Ten play. Despite the poor record, Maryland has a pretty strong lineup offensively. The Terrapins currently have five players hitting above .300 — Brayden Martin, Ty Kaunas, David Mendez, Paul Jones II and Jordan Crosland.
Martin leads the team with an exceptional .361 batting average. He doesn’t hit for a ton of power — he has just two homers on the year — but he has driven in 33 runs. Meanwhile, Kaunas is hitting .315 and has some more pop in the bat, as he has launched five homers and knocked in 37 RBIs.
Mendez is certainly one of the best bats in this lineup, as he is tied for first on the team with the most RBIs at 38. He also has seven long balls on the year and is hitting .312. Jones has good pop as well, as he has hit six homers and 31 RBIs so far this season to go along with his .306 average.
Perhaps the most dangerous bat in the Maryland lineup is Crosland. He is leading the Terrapins this season with 10 homers, and he is tied with Mendez for most RBIs with 38. He is currently hitting .305.
The Terrapins have done a solid job scoring runs this year, but pitching hasn’t been able to hold up. It’s hard to pinpoint who Michigan will face on the mound this weekend, but it is likely that two of the three starters will be Lance Williams and Nic Morlang.
Morlang has the most starts this season for Maryland (10), pitching 35.2 innings while giving up 30 earned runs on 54 hits (7.57 ERA). There are a couple other players with more starts than Williams, but somehow Williams’ 7.43 ERA is the best that Maryland has among pitchers who have consistently started this year. He has pitched 46 innings and has given up 38 earned runs on 53 hits. That should tell you how much Maryland has struggled this season when it comes to finding consistent pitching.
May 22, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros mascot Orbit waves a flag in center field after the final out against the Seattle Mariners during the ninth inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images
After going 1-2 against the Toronto Blue Jays, the so-called “Chad Sox” sit at .500 four games into their 135-game season. After sweeping the Red Sox at the start of the March, things have not gone well for Houston. Their record stood at 5-2 then, and is now just 12-20 to Boston’s 12-19. Hey, the Sox are the better team in this matchup! The Astros have suffered an 8-game losing streak to get to this level, like the Mets and the Phillies. Boston meanwhile has achieved their record without a long steak but merely through frustrating play in four-game (or so) cycles.
With the Red Sox sitting 7 games under .500, they need to get as many wins as possible against the (other) struggling teams. A dropped series against the Blue Jays looms large. The sweep at the hands of the Astros looms large further back. The loss of Garrett Crochet for at least two weeks means they need to hold things together for 15 days, hopefully claw a couple games back, and then try and go on a run when their ace returns.
The Red Sox are likely to call up Jake Bennett. The 6’6” southpaw was acquired from the Washington Nationals for Luis Perales. SoxProspects describes him as a “[p]otential backend starter. Ceiling of a mid-rotation starter.” Although in five starts (21.0 innings) he’s put up a 0.86 ERA for the WooSox. And he’s had several months working with the Boston pitching think tank. He missed 2024 with Tommy John Surgery and has improved as he’s gotten further away from that setback. SoxProspects Andrew Parker has a bit more on the likely Friday starter.
The Friday starter we do know is Houston’s Mike Burrows. A right-hander, Burrows has been up and down this season. His season ERA is north of six. Of course when he faced Boston on April 1, he allowed just 2 runs over 5.0 innings. He’s struck out 33 and walked 12 over 31.2 innings. He also held the Yankees to 2 runs in 5.0 last time out so who can say what offenses are good.
Spencer Arrighetti is a right-hander who has made three starts this season. Over 18 innings he’s held the Rockies, Guardians, and Yankees to a total of 4 runs combined. Plus 21 strikeouts and 9 walks. Luckily the stopper, Connelly Early, is paired against him. Early is coming off a 6.2 inning win against the Orioles. The initial Chad Sox game. His only runs allowed were two solo shots.
Sunday, the Astros get to be the TBD team while the Red Sox send Ranger Suárez to the mound. Suárez was the bright spot for the Red Sox pitching against Toronto, throwing 8.0 scoreless, 1-hit, 10 strikeout innings in Canada. Aside from the outing against the Yankees, he’s been on a roll for the last month. Against the Jays, Tigers, and Cardinals he tossed 22 scoreless innings. A little more of that and some help from the bats and this looks like the game Boston has the best chance of winning. Of course, his season debut was against these Astros and was a 4.1 inning, 4 run outing.
Yordan Alvarez is hitting .356 with 12 home runs.
Former potential trade target and bad defender Isaac Paredes is at .253/.339/.384 with 3 homers.
Jose Altuve is buzzing along with a .250/.349/.393 slash line.
Christian Walker has bounced back after a rough 2025 for a .300/.371/.564 performance.
Overall, the Astros are struggling and hopefully that continues for a least three more days, if not months.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday, May 1: Mike Burrows (6.25 ERA / 5.14 FIP) vs. TBD (— ERA / — FIP)
Saturday, May 2: Spencer Arrighetti (2.00 ERA / 3.67 FIP) vs. Connelly Early (2.84 ERA / 4.60 FIP)
Sunday, May 3: TBD (— ERA / — FIP) vs. Ranger Suárez (3.09 ERA / 3.35 FIP)
Apr 30, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) drives against Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) during the fourth quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
While the Sixers went into their round one series against the Boston Celtics not knowing whether Joel Embiid would be available for it, they did have something they haven’t in their previous three playoff matchups against Boston: wings to throw at their stars.
Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr. possess enough length, speed and strength to hang with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Not having formidable defenders to throw at those two is what’s made Boston a matchup nightmare in years past, and that difference is a big part of what’s helped the Sixers come back to even up the series at 3-3.
The big adjustment the Sixers have made defensively is cutting down on over helping. Fewer double teams on drives has given the Celtics fewer opportunities to kick out to open threes. That starts with being able to stay in front of your man 1-on-1, and George has done a phenomenal job leading that effort.
“Those two guys are great wings and he’s got a battle every possession,” Nick Nurse said of George after Game 6. “They’re scoring, they are, but he’s making them really work for it.”
When asked specifically how they’ve been able to limit the drive and kicks, George didn’t want to give anything away — that’s for Boston to figure out watching film. He did get into the challenges of guarding the Jays and what he’s trying to do against them.
“Jayson and JB is as good as it gets,” George said. “They’re going to make tough shots, they’re going to challenge me, they’re gonna make me look bad at moments, they’re gonna embarrass me at moments, but I enjoy the matches, I enjoy the challenges. My whole career, I’ve always been excited on the defensive end.”
That excitement has been noticed by his teammates throughout the series. After Game 6, Tyrese Maxey said that George has been a great voice and leader in the locker room.
“Once he came back from his 25 games [suspension] he had a mission,” Maxey said, “and I think he’s accomplishing that mission, and he’s been really good. And we appreciate him and appreciate his sacrifice. He’s done a great job.”
Not only has George’s defense given the Sixers a fighting chance since the beginning of the series, but he’s helped unlock the offense as his shot continues to fall. He had his highest scoring game of the series, dropping 23 in Game 6, thanks in large part to going 5-of-9 from three-point range.
After the game, Nurse said he felt he’s seen George get more confident offensively every game of the series. They very much needed that to be the case after George only attempted eight shots in Game 1.
“I tell people I’ve just been gifted to score and be able to have a smoothness on the offensive end,” George said, “but defensively, I’ve always appreciated that side of the ball.”
The max contract the Sixers doled out has opened George up to a lot of criticism. The knock being that on the best version of this team, he’s a souped-up role player. Game 6 showed that when he, along with Maxey and Embiid, are rolling, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
“When I first came here, I told them I’ll get the stops that we need,” George said. “I was more than fine coming here to be the third option and allowing those guys to be themselves offensively.”
Between a 24-win season and a 3-1 series deficit, it took a long time for the Sixers’ signing of George to bear any fruit. There’s still no guarantee they complete the comeback and have a playoff series win to show for it.
But even if the Celtics prevail, George has at least shown to be the player the Sixers paid for two summers ago.
The Philadelphia 76ers have clamped down on the Boston Celtics the past two games, keeping Boston from the offensive glass while getting in the shorts of the C’s star players.
No matter what, the Celtics have a bad habit of sticking to their 3-point plan, and they’re dying on the perimeter. With Joel Embiid beating up Boston inside, Game 7 is going to be a lot closer than oddsmakers expect.
SGP leg #2: Kelly Oubre Over 9.5 points
Kelly Oubre Jr. is doing it all on both ends for the Sixers in this series. Not only is he guarding Boston’s best, but the versatile forward has shown flashes of offense as well.
Oubre has dropped 10+ points on the Celtics in four of the first six games and is coming off a 14-point performance, with projections calling for at least 13 points in Game 7.
SGP leg #3: Joel Embiid Over 4.5 assists
Embiid’s return has flipped this series on its ear. The 76ers center is exposing Boston’s lack of depth inside, and when the Celtics do send double teams, the seven-time All-Star is finding cutters and open shooters.
He’s dished out 22 total assists on 30 potential dimes through three games and will continue to serve as a conduit for the Sixers on Saturday.
Get Jason Logan's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his 76ers vs Celtics predictions for Game 7.
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In the midst of a Knicks beatdown, Mitchell Robinson wanted to administer one of his own.
The Knicks center was ejected in the second quarter of Thursday’s 140-89 massacre for going after Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, and video taken from the stands at State Farm Arena in Atlanta is even more chaotic than what viewers saw on TV.
Robinson tried to fight through anyone and everyone on the court, using every last inch of his 7-foot, 240-pound frame to muscle his way toward Daniel in a scene that did a number on a crowd with a heavy Knicks fan bent.
The alternate angle of this Knicks-Hawks fight is WILD.
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) May 1, 2026
“Oh my god,” one onlooker said before letting out a scream. “I’m terrified.”
Other simply cheered for some sign of life from a Hawks team on the wrong side of a 72-22 score.
The entanglement with Robinson and Daniel began with 4:39 left in the first half, following OG Anunoby’s free throw that made it a 50-point lead.
Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu tried to separate Robinson from Daniels, with Knicks teammate Jalen Brunson trying to hold his big man back as things moved toward the stands.
One official took a tumble, and Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson isolated Robinson before things went too far and spilled off the court.
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson #23, fighting with Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels #5, in the second quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostKnicks center Mitchell Robinson #23, fighting with Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels #5, in the second quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The brouhaha did not reach the crowd, though. If it had the NBA would be taking a closer look at things, according to The Post’s Stefan Bondy.
That’s a sigh of relief for the Knicks, who can take some solace in knowing the league has one fewer thing to take into account for potential punitive measures.
“It’s tough because when you’re up that big, stuff happens,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “If somebody feels like something that shouldn’t happen to them happened, it’s hard to keep your composure in that moment.
BROOKLYN, NY - APRIL 7: Head Coach Doc Rivers of the Milwaukee Bucks, AJ Green #20, Andre Jackson Jr. #44 and Dave Joerger of the Milwaukee Bucks talk during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on April 7, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With apologies to Thanasis and Alex, the final edition of our pop quiz series focuses on the Bucks’ gaggle of off-ball guards/wings to round out the roster. Aside from Ryan, you’d be hard-pressed to say the other four met or exceeded expectations, and at least one fell well short of them. Here’s hoping for better results next here from whichever of this crew remains in Milwaukee.
On the one hand, Green broke Ray Allen’s franchise record for made threes in a single season. On the other, it wasn’t until the Bucks were truly out of the race that Dairy Bird really showed up. Prior to the season’s final month, he shot .417/.407/.810, just 9.7 PPG on 6.9 3PA/game. He averaged 13.0 PPG with .445/.457/.950 on 8.1 3PA/game thereafter, highlighted by a career-high 35 points on April 10th. That’s production the Bucks really could have used in January or early March, as they tried to claw back into the play-in conversation amid Giannis injuries. AJG missed only four games and started 68, but after looking the part in 2024–25, he appears much less like an NBA starting guard today. That has a lot to do with his regression as a defender: the prior two years, he flashed really solid on-ball D, despite struggling a fair bit with team coverage (chalk that up to inexperience, maybe). He provided next to nothing on that end this season, which was a huge disappointment in my eyes. The only strides I really saw him make were as a playmaker: even if 1.9 APG looks like nothing, he had four-plus dimes a dozen times in 2025–26, up from seven the year prior.
I don’t think anyone expected much from Harris, who many speculated would take on the Pat Connaughton break-in-case-of-emergency veteran role. At first, he scarcely played while the team wasn’t ravaged by injuries, but down the stretch, he played even less often, with just 13 appearances and 11 DNPs after February 1st. He too dealt with minor injuries during that span. However, he had several nice games in the first half, usually providing solid perimeter defense even at age 31, plus the occasional three. He hit double figures just once on November 14th. I would say he did what was expected of him as a deeper reserve on a minimum deal. Can’t ask for much anyway.
Ajax keeps hanging on in Milwaukee despite his fewest minutes since his rookie campaign. Believe it or not, this was the first time he shot worse than 37% from deep in a season, and it’s not as if his volume has ever changed. He continues to be a void on offense without showing any of the ball-handling and facilitation acumen he developed on UConn’s 2023 national championship team. So it’s up to him to prove his worth on defense, and he didn’t hang his hat on that either. He fell out of favor with Doc last season, but maybe Taylor Jenkins thinks he can take whatever defensive skills Jackson has left and create an actual NBA player. I’m not betting on it.
Ah, finally something positive. I admit, Ryan deeply unimpressed me last summer league, and also didn’t stand out in limited preseason action. So I was nonplussed by Milwaukee’s decision to ink him on a two-way in late February. Looks like I was wrong about him, as the 27-year-old journeyman (he spent six seasons at three universities!) might just belong after all. Sure, it’s just 11 games, but the shot is definitely there, and he appears to have a bit more variety to his game than Green, the similarly-sized shooter he was naturally compared to. Ryan seriously popped in April with four games over 20+ and was in double-digits for eight of his 11 appearances. His two-way contract continues next season, and who knows, maybe the Bucks found themselves yet another rotation player not taking up a standard roster spot.
I saved the worst for last. GTJ famously started slowly in 2024–25 but, after being benched in early November, was great the remainder of the year, culminating in a sensational Pacers series. He was probably Milwaukee’s second-best player for those five games, so fans were thrilled when he took a Non-Bird raise to stay put last offseason. Once again, he kind of started slowly, but unlike last year, he never broke out of it. His best two-game stretch was probably Milwaukee’s 2-0 start out of the gate, because he shot just 37.4% over his next 19 games, taking us to the end of November. His shooting numbers sank further as we entered 2026, and after the season’s midpoint, he was generally out of the rotation. But a shoutout for 36 points in a loss to the Clippers on March 29th. That came during an eight-game stretch where he averaged 12.8 PPG on .450/.463/.625 shooting. Like Green, where was this when the games actually mattered?
Tantalising totals
(1) Green established a new career-best in assists against Miami in November. How many, and what was his previous best?
Click to reveal answer
Eight, topping six from December 2024.
(2) True or false: Jackson also set a career-high in assists this season.
Click to reveal answer
True, on March 23rd.
(3) In 11 games, Ryan topped which three former All-Stars in FG% and 3P%, all of whom played fewer than 20 games?
Click to reveal answer
Trae Young (15 GP), DeJounte Murray (14), and Jayson Tatum (16). He was just 2.3% shy of overtaking Domantas Sabonis (19) in FG%. He also was no more than 3.6 PPG away from all but Tatum.
Atypically advanced
(1) True or false: Trent’s 3PAr (three-point attempt rate) was higher in 2024–25 than in 2025–26.
Click to reveal answer
False: he took a career-high 72.3% of his shots from deep, shattering the previous high from last year at 65.9%
(2) According to Cleaning The Glass, Harris’ assist-to-usage ratio of 1.23 led the team. Whose was higher: Harris’ or James Harden’s?
Click to reveal answer
Harris’. Harden was at 1.11.
Obscure optics
(1) Trent’s notorious plus-minus issues resulted in a -9.2 net rating, per CTG. What two-time All-Star was just 0.2 points per 100 possessions better?
Click to reveal answer
Brandon Ingram. Trent’s net was also better than Isaiah Stewart’s and Bruce Brown’s!
How did you fare? Share your score in the comments, and don’t forget to drop your thoughts along with it—which stat stands out?
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