Jun 2, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Baltimore Orioles third baseman Coby Mayo (16) celebrates hitting a home run against the Boston Red Sox during the second inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Good morning Birdland,
Beating divisional opponents is usually a good way to get yourself back into the playoff picture. Starting on May 25, the Orioles last eight games have been against AL East foes. They have gone 6-2 in those games. So it tracks that they have progressed from 12.5 games back of first place going into this stretch, and are now only 8.5 games back.
There are still five more games to go in this current AL East “gauntlet.” Two up in Fenway, and then a three-game stop in Toronto. If the O’s stay hot, they could mess around and get their overall record to .500 or better. That would really be something!
Last night’s win was close to an ideal game from the Orioles perspective.
Shane Baz was, once again, quite good. He tossed seven innings, struck out seven and allowed just the two runs. His ERA has steadily fallen over his last four starts, from 5.48 on May 9 to 4.29 today. And he has gone seven innings three times in that stretch as well. This is the pitcher that the Orioles hoped they were getting in that big deal with Tampa over the winter.
The bullpen only needed to cover two innings, but they were good and reliable. Andrew Kittredge got the hold in the eighth. It looks like he is all the way back from his early struggles. And Rico Garcia threw up another zero in the ninth, as he has been doing all season long. The Orioles really found something there.
It wasn’t the most impressive night from the offense, but their winning formula was on display. They hit a home run (two, in fact!), this time it was one off the bat of Coby Mayo and another from Pete Alonso. Usually they win games in which they go deep. And they continue to show an ability to manufacture a run, turning a Tyler O’Neill single into a “double” with a stolen base, and then having Leody Taveras bunt him over to third.
This shift in approach that allows for steals and bunts is refreshing. It feels like a rare moment of introspection where the Orioles realized that some parts of their lineup are weaker than others. Giving up an out with a bunt isn’t a terrible outcome if you are concerned that the player would otherwise strikeout or hit into a double play. Taveras has been a good trooper with all of this too, now leading the AL in sac bunts.
How quickly the vibe shifted around the Orioles is impressive. It took one good home stretch, and now these guys feel unbeatable. That won’t last forever. Every team has ebbs and flows. But for now, the Orioles have saved their season. Maybe this will be a fun summer after all.
Links
No righty has homered onto Eutaw Street. Here’s why Alonso could be the first | Orioles.com It’s probably not “impossible” for a right-handed hitter to get it out there, but man it would be a sight to see. Camden Yards is never a particularly windy park either, so it’s not like you are going to get the ball up into a jet stream. You are welcome to try though, Pete!
Some reasons for the Orioles getting on a roll | Roch Kubatko It’s an oversimplification, but nearly everyone is playing better than they were in April. It is particularly evident on the starting staff and then from the duo of Colton Cowser and Coby Mayo. Pair that with continued solid work from some of the other regulars, and suddenly you have the contender that many expected the Orioles to be.
The unexpected centerpiece of the Orioles’ rotation turnaround? Brandon Young. | The Baltimore Banner I was fortunate enough to be at Saturday’s game, which Young started. He looked good. Like, really good! He mixed pitches, maintained velocity, and kept an even demeanor throughout. I’m not gonna say he is the Orioles best pitcher, but he has certainly been a catalyst. His ability to get outs feels like it has put pressure on others to improve. And they certainly have done that.
Former MLB player, 26, intends to play college football at SMU | The Athletic Jordyn Adams played in 10 games for the Orioles last year. He had come to the team after being a top prospect with the Angels but never finding his footing at the big league level. Now, it seems he is ditching baseball altogether in favor of a football comeback.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
Brandon Waddell turns 32 today. He pitched in one game for the 2021 Orioles.
Ramón Urías is 32 years old. From 2020 through ‘25, Urías was a crucial utility player for the O’s, even winning a Gold Glove in 2022 for his work, and posting a solid 105 OPS+ in that time.
Robert Machado is 53 today. His O’s stint spanned parts of two seasons from 2003 to ‘04, when he was a reserve catcher for the big league squad.
Izzy Molina celebrates his 55th. He played in one game for the Orioles in 2002, which was still impressive because it came four years after he had last been in a major league game.
Aaron Ledesma is 55 today. The utilityman played for four different big league teams in just a five-year MLB career. That included the 1997 campaign spent in Baltimore.
Jim Gentile is 92 years old. The Orioles Hall of Famer spent four fantastic seasons in Baltimore from 1960 through ‘63. His standout year came in ‘61 when he hit .302/.423/.646 with 46 home runs and a league-leading 141 RBI. That earned him a third-place finish in MVP, behind Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle.
This day in O’s history
2019 – The annual amateur draft takes place today. Despite some rumors to the contrary, the Orioles do as they are expected and select Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman with the first overall pick.
NEWARK, NJ - JULY 03: First-round draft pick Anton Silayev #52 of the New Jersey Devils skates during New Jersey Devils Development Camp at the Prudential Center on July 3, 2024 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Graessle Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
Anton Silayev has signed his entry-level contract:
BIG deal? Yeah, we'd say so.
We've signed Anton Silayev to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Devils have signed Silayev, 2024 10th overall pick. Draft position, size, and skating are huge pluses in terms of his projectability. Some big question marks around his KHL time, especially this past season when his ice time plummeted. Puck skills and hockey I.Q. might be issues. pic.twitter.com/dwOrODN9pF
On Silayev: “He may not have a high offensive ceiling, but I am still optimistic about his chances of becoming a useful NHL player. He has a unique combination of size, speed, and agility that is very rare. If harnessed properly, he could turn into an excellent defender.” [Infernal Access ($)]
On the goaltending: “I doubt Allen is going anywhere, but what about Markström? For as much as fans may want a change in net, it may prove easier said than done.” [Devils on the Rush]
Hockey Links
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final goes to the Golden Knights:
The James Norris Memorial Trophy is presented annually to the defenseman who demonstrates the greatest all-around ability in his position. 👏 #NHLAwardspic.twitter.com/4bdUVRLi4w
“Bruce Cassidy just wants to coach. In fact, he told The Athletic, just for the chance to interview for the current NHL coaching vacancies, he’d forfeit the reported $5 million the Vegas Golden Knights are on the hook to pay him not to coach next season. But the language in his contract with Vegas states the Golden Knights must grant him permission to interview elsewhere even after relieving him of his coaching duties in late March. If he chose to terminate the remainder of his contract, the only thing it would accomplish would be not getting paid. He still wouldn’t be allowed to interview because of a noncompete.” [The Athletic ($)]
“The NHL All-Star Weekend will have an international hockey flavor after the success of the 4 Nations Face-Off and the Winter Olympics. The 2027 midseason classic, scheduled for Feb. 5-6 at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, will feature teams representing Canada, Finland, Sweden, the United States and a ‘World’ team comprising international players from countries outside of those four.” [ESPN]
More from NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on a number of topics ahead of Game 1: [The Athletic ($)]
“The NHL is about to enter an exclusive renegotiation period with its two U.S. media rights holders, ESPN and TNT Sports, and will be doing so from a period of historic viewership strength.” [Front Office Sports]
“A report of a potential succession plan for longtime NHL commissioner Gary Bettman surfaced Tuesday in the hours leading up to his press conference to open the 2025-26 Stanley Cup Final between the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights. While Bettman, 74, was quick to downplay how far along the process was, he also didn’t shy away from the fact his career will wind down eventually.” [Daily Faceoff]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
San Antonio TX, - May 5, 2025: Manu Ginobili, Greg Popovich, Tim Duncan and Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs attends press conference on May 5 2025 at Victory Capital Center in San Antonio Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As the Spurs head into Game 1 of the NBA Finals, comparisons have been made between the Tim Duncan era Spurs and what shall be known as the Victor Wembanyama era Spurs.
Both Duncan and Wemby made their first run to the Finals as 22-year-olds. Both beat the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round and the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round. And like Duncan in 1999, Victor Wembanyama will tip off against the New York Knicks in his first Finals appearance.
But what about the rest of the team?
One player that resembles the Spurs dynasty of the early 2000s is Keldon Johnson. Johnson, the longest tenured member of the Spurs roster, received the Sixth Man of the Year award this season. The only other member of the Spurs to earn the honor was Manu Ginobili, back in 2008.
Before Ginobili was ever crowned Sixth Man, he served as a started for the Spurs.
Manu originally struggled with the change. As he stated, his ego had to be removed from the equation so that he could accept that the move was for the greater good of the team.
On Tuesday, the NBA held media press conferences with the Spurs and Knicks. During Keldon Johnson’s time at the podium, he was asked this questions:
Face of the franchise, 20 points per game until now. What’s the toughest part of switching from that role to the role you’re in with this team?
Coincidentally enough, his answer mirrored Ginobili’s:
“Honestly, I would say ego. Just being the guy and then you having to adjust. I feel like when you — there’s a point where you look in the mirror and you want to be a part of something special or you want to chase personal goals. Being here and being throughout this season and winning has been an ultimate reward.” He continued, “It just shows that everything was worth it. Obviously I went from being the guy to coming off the bench and being sixth man. I feel like winning is the most addictive thing in this league. This year is a testament to that, being able to win and contribute to us winning means more than anything that I’ve done in the past.”
Ego for the individual giving way to a selflessness for the greater good of the team. It worked for Manu and Timmy and Tony and Pop and all of the others who rejoiced in picking up a championship ring during those runs 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014.
Johnson’s acceptance of his role has elevated the Spurs bench. Keldon was one of the seven players who scored in double figures this season. The only other player in double figs off the bench was Dylan Harper.
Devin Vassell, the second longest tenured Spur, had this to say about his relationship with Johnson and the chemistry they have as a team:
“I think that is one of the main reasons why we’re here, because we’ve been so locked in and on and off the court we’re all talking, we’re all together. But we know as soon as we get in between the lines, we’re ready to go.”
Julian Champagnie echoed Vassell’s comments about chemistry in his time with the media:
“Obviously, me, Keldon and Dev and Vic have all been together for about three years now. Then you add guys like HB, Foxy, Carter, Steph, Dyl, all those guys bring a light, good attitude to the locker room.”
Ultimately, the 2026 Spurs have learned what some teams never do — if you leave your ego at the door, trust in your teammates, and play to the best of your ability, you can accomplish great things. In this case, many pundits call them “unexpected” things. While fans and media didn’t think the Spurs could accelerate this quickly, the team knew. And they carried that confidence as their momentum built.
To that end, a lot of credit goes to Johnson. He arrived 54 days after the Spurs last playoff game, and has stuck through the longest playoff drought in Spurs history. He’s now reaping the benefits of patience, faith, and trust in the process.
But it is not just KJ who has bought in. Vassell played through those rough patches as well. This season, Harrison Barnes gave up a decade-long run as a starter, moving to the bench as the Spurs adjusted toward their playoff run. De’Aaron Fox, who arrived last season through a savvy trade, was the go-to for the Sacramento Kings. He understood his role was being altered as the Spurs were built around Victor Wembanyama.
Speaking of Victor Wembanyama, his buy in has been paramount to the success. As a cornerstone to the franchise, Wemby could have pushed for trades, coaches, and player combinations. When the buzz around Giannis Antetokounmpo was at its apex, the Spurs superstar was silent. When Gregg Popovich retired, Wemby trusted in Pop’s heir to steer the ship. There has never been a hint at negativity from behind the scenes seeping out into the open.
That may be the greatest comparison between these Spurs and their predecessors. The Spurs Culture is still in tact. The Spurs Way continues on. And the behind the scenes dynamics of the franchise belong to the team. What fans see is what they generate on the court.
What they produce now may be their sixth NBA title. Sixth to the franchise, but the first for the members of this roster. And if history repeats itself, it will be the first of many.
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As Victor Wembanyama goes, so go the San Antonio Spurs.
It is not a knock on either of them that they may still be tired from the Western Conference Finals. That seven-game series clearly took everything Wembanyama and San Antonio had.
These Victor Wembanyama picks expect a sluggish showing in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, though that does not mean Wembanyama will struggle in all regards on Wednesday, June 3.
Victor Wembanyama prop pick for Game 1
Victor Wembanyama best bet: Over 11.5 rebounds (-125 at bet365)
The New York Knicks look more like the Minnesota Timberwolves than the Oklahoma City Thunder. They are driven by a ball-centric guard while playing one rather traditional big man. While Rudy Gobert provides excellent rim protection, Karl-Anthony Towns’s underappreciated strong lower body may actually succeed better at keeping Victor Wembanyama away from the rim.
Amid relative offensive struggles in that second-round series, Wembanyama still cleared this modest rebounding prop in four of the five games he played genuine minutes in. (Let’s just ignore his stats from Game 4, when Wembanyama was ejected after playing 12 minutes for an egregious elbow to Naz Reid’s throat.)
The only game in which Wembanyama fell short of this prop was the clinching Game 6, when the San Antonio Spurs led by 13 at halftime and 26 by the end of the third quarter. Even Wemby’s 27 minutes did not require full effort. Otherwise, Wembanyama ruled the glass, averaging 15.5 rebounds per game.
Expect that version of Wembanyama early in this series. His legs are worn out from the Western Conference Finals, so his offensive aggression may lag. But even then, the Defensive Player of the Year can haul in a bounty of boards.
Victor Wembanyama same-game parlay
Wembanyama fell short of this points prop in three of those four notable games against the Timberwolves, not to mention in four of seven games against the Thunder. Amid understandable fatigue, this should be a low-scoring Game 1 from Wembanyama.
Doubting him to rack up blocks ties more to Karl-Anthony Towns’s offense than anything else. The New York Knicks should position Towns on the perimeter, both in a playmaking role and shooting 3-pointers, particularly as Towns has shot 48.9% from deep this postseason.
Wembanyama may be reluctant to stray from the paint, but every step toward the arc will lessen his blocks tally.
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Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs hoist the The Oscar Robertson Trophy with his teammates after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 30, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The Spurs took a different team-building route than the Knicks. While Leon Rose and the Knicks focused on trades and free agency to construct their core, San Antonio mostly became a contender again by maximizing its draft capital.
Ahead of the NBA Finals, The Post dissects how the Spurs took shape.
Victor Wembanyama
How he was acquired: Selected No. 1 overall in 2023.
How he’s helped them get here: The Spurs’ fortunes changed when they won the lottery and took Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 phenom who has already become a face of the NBA and is averaging 20.9 points — along with 10.8 rebounds — in his first postseason.
Victor Wembanyama is pictured during the Spurs’ March 1 game against the Knicks. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
De’Aaron Fox
How he was acquired: Traded by the Kings in February 2025 in a three-team deal that included Bulls star Zach LaVine and three first-rounders — two from the Spurs — going to Sacramento.
How he’s helped them get here: Fox became the star to complement Wembanyama, averaging 18.6 points and 6.2 assists while making the second All-Star Game of his career during the regular season.
Stephon Castle
How he was acquired: Drafted No. 4 overall in 2024.
How he’s helped them get here: The guard has emerged as a key piece of the Spurs’ young core, someone capable of scoring (19 games with 20-plus points during the regular season) and facilitating (ninth-most assists in the NBA during the regular season with 502).
Devin Vassell
How he was acquired: Taken No. 11 overall in 2020.
How he’s helped them get here: Vassell signing the largest deal in Spurs history — at the time — in 2023 (five years, $135 million) captures the two-way wing’s value as someone capable of averaging 13.9 points while also contributing to containing Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Julian Champagnie
How he was acquired: Signed a two-way deal in February 2023 after getting waived by the 76ers.
How he’s helped them get here: The former St. John’s star has hit 39.3 percent of his 3s in the playoffs and carved out a starting role despite being undrafted to start his career.
Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 30, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NBAE via Getty Images
Dylan Harper
How he was acquired: Drafted No. 2 overall in 2025.
How he’s helped them get here: The guard from Rutgers earned votes for Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year before averaging 13.1 points per game during the postseason.
Keldon Johnson
How he was acquired: Selected No. 29 overall in 2019.
How he’s helped them get here: Johnson, the longest-tenured Spurs player and the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year this season, recorded the most bench points in a season in franchise history (1,081).
Keldon Johnson #3 of the San Antonio Spurs celebrates during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 30, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NBAE via Getty Images
How he’s helped them get here: A former Knick, Kornet won a ring with the Celtics and became Wembanyama’s backup — averaging 6.1 points and 6.5 rebounds during the regular season.
Harrison Barnes
How he was acquired: Landed in San Antonio from the Kings as part of a three-team deal in July 2024.
How he’s helped them get here: Perhaps most known for helping the Warriors win the title in 2015, Barnes has been a needed source of experience on the bench.
Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs is awarded the Earvin “Magic” Johnson Trophy for Western Conference Finals Most Valuable Player. NBAE via Getty Images
Carter Bryant
How he was acquired: Drafted No. 14 overall in 2025.
How he’s helped them get here: Bryant’s postseason moment occurred when he leveled Gilgeous-Alexander in Game 6, but the small forward also flashed potential — including a career-best 17 points April 8 — and chipped in throughout the playoff run.
Kelly Olynyk
How he was acquired: Acquired from the Wizards in July in exchange for Blake Wesley, Malaki Branham and a second-rounder.
How he’s helped them get here: The 35-year-old averaged 8.6 minutes and 3.2 points per game, and logged more time when Wembanyama was injured. This will mark his second trip to the Finals — with the other in 2020 with the Heat.
Mason Plumlee
How he was acquired: Turned a 10-day contract into a deal for the rest of the season after getting waived by the Thunder in February.
How he’s helped them get here: Plumlee, 36, is one of the veterans in the final stage of their career stashed on the bench, appearing in 12 games for them across the regular season and playoffs.
Lindy Waters III
How he was acquired: Signed a one-year deal last summer worth nearly $2.5 million.
How he’s helped them get here: Waters gave San Antonio shooting depth despite limited minutes (7.1 per game) and production (2.4 points per game) during the regular season, including when he hit three 3s March 17.
Getty Images
Bismack Biyombo
How he was acquired: Turned two 10-day contracts in February 2025 into a deal for the remainder of last season before returning on a one-year pact.
How he’s helped them get here: On his seventh NBA team and in his 15th season, Biyombo appeared in 34 games for San Antonio across the regular season and playoffs as frontcourt depth.
Jordan McLaughlin
How he was acquired: Arrived as part of the Fox deal in February 2025.
How he’s helped them get here: McLaughlin averaged 2.0 points and 6.4 minutes for the Spurs in the regular season, but in Game 2 of the Thunder series, he logged seven minutes and hit a pair of 3s while filling guard minutes.
May 31, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) walks to the dugout after retiring the side against the Houston Astros during the seventh inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images
Jacob Misiorowski just almost went a whole month without allowing a run. Over 38 1/3 innings across six starts, he had a 0.23 ERA, he struck out 57 batters, and he walked only six.
It’s an arbitrary cutoff, but there are only four other pitchers in the history of baseball to strike out at least 57 batters and have an ERA as low as Misiorowski’s 0.23 in any six-start span: Hall of Famer Rube Waddell, who did it twice during the Deadball Era; R.A. Dickey, during his 2012 Cy Young year; Félix Hernández, during his 2010 Cy Young year; and Chris Sale in 2018, when he finished fourth in Cy Young voting despite making only 27 starts.
While Misiorowski’s six-start stretch was not the greatest in the history of baseball—it may not even have been the best in the last month, with a tip of the cap to Cristopher Sánchez—I did wonder if it was the best that Brewers fans had ever seen from one of their players.
There is a compelling case, but there’s also one mammoth, overlooked figure from the franchise’s history who needs to be given his due. Here are, from 7-to-1, the seven best six-start spans in Brewer history, according to me.
Note: A couple of these extend for more than six games. To keep things simple, in those cases I’ve taken the best six games from whatever the longer streak is, and I did not include another streak-within-a-streak. However, if a player had multiple distinct streaks, I considered them.
Another note: I will reference the Bill James stat “Game Score” in this piece. Game Score is a single number that’s used to put a sort of quick and dirty rating on a start, but in general it’s pretty accurate at reflecting effectiveness. It is calculated this way:
Start at 50
Add 1 point for each out and 2 points for each completed inning after the fourth
Add 1 point for each strikeout
Subtract 2 points for each hit, 4 points for each earned run, 2 points for each unearned run, and 1 point for each walk
7. Corbin Burnes, April 13 – May 13 2022
40 2/3 IP, 71 average Game Score, 1.33 ERA, 2.62 FIP, 53 K, 5 BB
Surprise: Burnes’ best stretch as a Brewer did not come during his 2021 Cy Young season. It came at the beginning of the next year.
At his best, Burnes was an absolute assassin. He didn’t walk anyone. He never missed spots. His best stretch put those things on display. The remarkable thing here is the walks: just five in 40 2/3 innings. He had double-digit strikeouts in three straight starts from April 19-May 1, and allowed only six runs total.
Somehow, Milwaukee only went 3-3 in these games. But it was still an awe-inspiring display of control, and Burnes’ 10.6 K:BB ratio during the span is the best of any of the contending seasons.
6. Brandon Woodruff, May 1 – May 30 2021
42 IP, 73 average Game Score, 1.07 ERA, 2.48 FIP, 49 K, 8 BB
Here you have it: during Burnes’ Cy Young season, it was Woodruff who had the best six-game stretch. And what’s even more impressive is that it was all part of a much larger streak: from April 7th, Woodruff’s second start of the season, through June 6th, he made 12 starts, never allowed more than two runs, had a 1.25 ERA, and struck out 92 batters while walking 15 in 79 innings.
By Game Score, the six starts he made in May were the best six. Woodruff completed at least seven innings in four of those, and had double-digit strikeouts in three, one of which was a 7 2/3 innings, 10 strikeout, one walk, three hit, one run gem over the division rival Cardinals on May 12th.
5. CC Sabathia, July 13 – August 8 2008
51 innings, 74 average Game Score, 1.41 ERA, 2.33 FIP, 47 K, 7 BB
Picking a six-game stretch for Sabathia as a Brewer is hard. There’s a different six-game stretch that overlaps with this one by one game that’s arguably just as impressive: if you start on August 8th and go to September 5th, his ERA actually drops to 0.96 (though he didn’t throw quite as many innings and walked a few more batters, which accounts for the slight drop in average game score from 74 to 72). There’s also no real way to squeeze in his brilliant and meaningful starts in the last two games of the season, because he allowed eight runs (though only five were earned) in the two starts prior to those last two.
Sabathia wasted no time as a Brewer. In his first start with the club on July 8th, he allowed three runs (two earned) in six innings. Pretty good. But after that, he ripped off an 11-game stretch in which he had a 1.31 ERA, struck out 89, and walked 15 in 89 innings. He completed six of those games, three of which were shutouts. Sabathia personally went 8-0, and the team was 10-1.
The best six-game stretch by Game Score is from his second start on July 13th through August 8th. The first of three of those were all complete game victories; in those 27 innings he struck out 26 and walked three, culminating with a 3-0 shutout of the Cardinals. After a brief hiccup against the Cubs on July 28th in which he gave up four runs (three earned) in 6 2/3, Sabathia continued with 8 1/3 innings of two-run ball against the Braves and a nine-strikeout, one-walk shutout of the Nationals.
Sabathia’s best start by Game Score with the Brewers that season—and the best of his 19-year Hall-of-Fame career—came on August 31st in Pittsburgh. That’s the game where he was a bunt-hit away from a no-hitter and struck out 11.
4. Teddy Higuera, August 15 – September 10 1988
48 1/3 IP, 76 average Game Score, 0.93 ERA, 1.57 FIP, 44 K, 10 BB
We’ll see Higuera again below for what he did during the 1987 season, but by some measures, the streak he had in 1988 was better. The 1987 one was special for a different reason which we’ll get to, but by the measures of ERA and FIP, his 1988 streak was better.
From August 15 to September 10, Higuera made six starts and completed at least seven innings in all of them. In four of those, he allowed one run (one of which was unearned); in the other two, he allowed zero and two runs. His ERA for the streak was 0.93, and his FIP was a microscopic 1.57.
The Brewers went 5-1 during the streak, but how could you blame Higuera for the loss? Against Seattle on September 10th, he threw a complete game and allowed only three hits, but Seattle won 1-0.
Two starts especially stand out. On August 25th, Higuera went the distance against the Yankees, allowed only three hits, walked one, and struck out nine; that Yankee lineup had two Hall-of-Famers (Rickey Henderson and Dave Winfield) and two Hall-of-Very-Gooders (Don Mattingly and Jack Clark) at the top. The other was an outing against the Tigers on September 4th; Higuera held that talented team to one hit while shutting them out for seven innings.
3. Mike Caldwell, June 28 – July 22 1978
56 IP, 75 average Game Score, 1.13 ERA, 2.59 FIP, 25 K, 7 BB
My list of potential streaks here included 22 different six-start spans. Of that group, Caldwell’s 56 innings were the most. If you do a little math here, you’ll come to the realization that 56 divided by six is more than nine. Yes, during this streak, Caldwell averaged 9 1/3 innings per start. He also had the lowest BB/9 of any of the contenders at just 1.1.
The streak started with a complete game shutout of the Yankees—the eventual World Series champs—on June 28th. On July 2nd, Caldwell went 10 innings in an eventual 4-3, 11-inning loss. (Of historical note: Seattle’s starting pitcher in this game was named, and I am not making this up, Dick Pole.) On July 7th, Caldwell shut out the Yankees again. That lineup in 1978 had six different guys who got MVP votes, including one Hall of Famer (Reggie Jackson) and two or three more guys who should be in the Hall (Thurman Munson, Graig Nettles, Willie Randolph).
On July 13th, the Brewers blew out the Royals 13-2, but heck, why not let Caldwell complete the game? On July 17th, he pitched all nine innings of a 6-1 victory over the White Sox.
The cherry on top of this streak was a 10-inning complete game against the Rangers on July 22nd. In those 10 innings, Caldwell only struck out one batter. The internet tells me it was 95 degrees that day in Dallas. The Rangers played outside back then. It was a night game, at least. Milwaukee won 2-1.
2. Jacob Misiorowski, May 1 – May 31 2026
38 1/3 IP, 77 average Game Score, 0.23 ERA, 0.66 FIP, 57 K, 6 BB
The thing about Game Score is that it rewards innings pitched. You rack up points by accruing outs; a player who pitches six innings starts with a 72 Game Score before factoring in anything else, while a pitcher who goes nine starts with an 87 Game Score. Those extra innings add up.
That’s what makes it so impressive that Misiorowski managed the second-highest average Game Score for any streaking Brewers starter, despite throwing less than 40 innings.*
*Technically, there are five six-game streaks ahead of Misiorowski, but they all belong to the same 1987 stretch by Higuera (see below).
This is fresh in our brains, so I won’t spend a ton of time, but a few things from Miz May:
The Brewers went 5-1 during the streak; in the only game they lost, Misiorowski handed a 1-0 lead to his bullpen after seven shutout innings.
Miz struck out at least eight batters in all six games and had double digits three times.
That he walked just six batters in those six games is remarkable. That equates to 1.4 BB/9. Across four minor league seasons, Misiorowski’s BB/9 was 5.4, and last season in the majors it was 4.2.
Misiorowski’s K/9 in those six games was 13.4. The current record for a pitcher with at least 1,000 innings pitched is Blake Snell at 11.2. (13.4 K/9 is actually below Miz’s season average of 13.7, which leads baseball, obviously.)
Misiorowski allowed one extra-base hit during his six starts, a double with one out and nobody on to Isaac Paredes on Sunday. Opponents slugged .110 against him. Ben Sheets slugged .134 in 2004.
1. Higuera, August 10 – September 6 1987
53 IP, 80 average Game Score, 1.19 ERA, 2.38 FIP, 45 K, 16 BB
I think this has to be the answer to this question, and here’s why: in the last three of these six games, Higuera threw three straight shutouts. One of them was ten innings.
Higuera’s start of August 26th, 1987 against Cleveland is tied for the second-best game in Brewers history by Game Score.* Higuera went all ten innings, struck out ten, walked two, and allowed just three hits. Milwaukee’s Rick Manning walked off future Brewer Doug Jones in the bottom of the tenth with an RBI single.
*This is a fun list:
Number one, also against Cleveland, is the game when Burnes combined with Josh Hader for a no-hitter. Burnes went eight, struck out 14, and walked one for a 95 Game Score.
Two starts are tied with Higuera with a 94 Game Score: on September 27, 1974, Jim Colborn threw the first 13 innings of a 1-0, 17-inning loss to Baltimore. He walked six and gave up eight hits but didn’t allow a run.
The other is Sheets’ 18-strikeout game. He went nine, allowed three hits and a run, and walked one.
Sabathia’s near-no-hitter, cited above, is just behind those four, at 93.
Juan Nieves’ no-hitter, the only single-person no-hitter in team history, scores an 89, tied for 13th. He walked five and “only” struck out seven in that game.
In his next start, Higuera allowed just one hit and two walks while striking out nine in a 2-0 shutout of the Royals. Another close game! Ross Jones hit a two-out triple in the bottom of the eighth in a 0-0 game, which was the only thing preventing a Higuera no-hitter. But the next batter popped out, Milwaukee got two two-out runs off of Kansas City ace Bret Saberhagen in the top of the ninth, and Higuera sat down Willie Wilson, Kevin Seitzer, and George Brett in order in the bottom of the ninth.
The third shutout came against that season’s World Series champions, the Minnesota Twins. The Brewers won comfortably, 6-0… but they were only ahead 1-0 until the 6th and 2-0 until the 8th. The Twins only managed two hits and three walks, and Higuera struck out seven. A weird piece of trivia for anyone who likes seeing baseball legends on the “wrong team”: the losing pitcher in this game was Steve Carlton! It was the eighth-to-last appearance of his 24-year, 741-game career.
So that’s the three shutouts that Higuera threw toward the end of the 1987 season. But while he wasn’t quite at that level in the three games before that, he was still good. In the first game of this streak on August 10th, Higuera threw the first 11 innings of a 12-inning, 4-3 win over the Rangers. He lost a duel with Baltimore’s Mike Flanagan on August 15th but threw all eight innings and allowed just two runs in the loss. The only game of the streak that Higuera didn’t go at least eight innings was on August 20th, when he allowed two runs on three hits in six innings. But Milwaukee was up 14-2 when he left that game, so they must’ve decided they could let the bullpen get some work.
The last note about this 1987 streak: it was really an eight-game streak. From August 5th through September 11th, Higuera had a 1.27 ERA in 71 innings and averaged a Game Score of 79. Pretty darn good.
A couple quick honorable mentions, for fun:
Cal Eldred had a 0.58 ERA over 46 2/3 innings from August 14th to September 13th of his magical 1992 rookie season.
Rubén Quevedo (!) had a six-game stretch with a 0.68 ERA from May 7th to June 5th, 2002… though the first of those six appearances was a scoreless one-inning relief appearance.
Somebody named Bill Parsons had a six-game stretch in July and early August of 1972 which included four straight complete games. Two were shutouts, and in a third he allowed zero earned runs (but still lost).
Chris Bosio had an excellent season in 1989, and that was largely due to a stretch from July 19th through August 12th in which he had a 0.77 ERA in 47 innings.
Sheets’ 18-strikeout game was included in a stretch where he allowed nine runs in 46 innings (a 1.76 ERA), struck out 48, and walked only eight.
Finally, Jim Slaton had a stretch from August 18 to September 11, 1974, when he had a 0.54 ERA over 50 innings. The peripherals were ugly: he had just a 1.7 strikeout-to-walk ratio. But he was effective.
Jun 2, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jhoan Duran (59) celebrates win after striking out San Diego Padres left fielder Jase Bowen (4) (not pictured) to end the game in the ninth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
I know the big news is the Phillies winning last night, but how about how impressively bad the Padres are at hitting with runners in scoring position? I think McCarthy said they were 0 for their last 27 against the Phillies? That’s just horrid.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - DECEMBER 31: De'Aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs is fouled by Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks in the second half at Frost Bank Center on December 31, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, BBN!
The NBA Finals tip off tonight, and like many Finals in the past, this one has plenty of former Cats looking to get a ring.
San Antonio Spurs: De’Aaron Fox, Keldon Johnson
New York Knicks: Karl-Anthony Towns
Obviously, SGA has been showing out for UK, coming off a championship last year and back-to-back MVP awards.
This year, there will be at least one Cat who wins their first ring.
Fox has been harboring an ankle injury, but he played a huge part in getting the Spurs past the Thunder in Game 7, while Keldon Johnson also had a big game to help the Spurs advance. They scored 15 points and 11 points, respectively.
Meanwhile, KAT has been elite for the Knicks this postseason, averaging 16.9 PPG, 10.6 RPG, and 5.9 APG on 57.2FG%/48.93P%. He’s a big reason the Knicks are there and have been dominating this postseason.
It should be a fun series! Which Cat will get their first ring?
Tweet of the Day
Kentucky got a good one.
Milan Momcilovic was 1 of 2 players in the country to shoot 50% from the field, 45% on three-pointers, and 85% on free throws this season.
In addition to having a 7-foot-4 alien who can shoot, pass, dribble and single-handedly stop elite offenses from getting to the rim, what makes the San Antonio Spurs’ run to the NBA Finals unique is they possess what most champions typically lack: youth.
When the NBA’s championship round tips off Wednesday night, the Spurs will be looking to become the youngest Finals winner in recent NBA history.
NBC News analyzed the average ages of NBA champions’ playoff rotations since 2016, and San Antonio would be the youngest team to win a title — out-young-ing last year’s Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Spurs rotation’s average age is 24.4, while their opponent, the New York Knicks, are coming in at a relatively ancient 28.8.
Compared with the overall average championship age of 27.8, San Antonio is 3.4 years younger, while the Knicks are 1.0 years older.
The Spurs aren’t just a relatively young team on the whole — their best players are also on the younger side.
San Antonio’s leading scorer in the postseason is center Victor Wembanyama, who is only 22 years old and in his third year in the league. Wembanyama would be the youngest leading scorer to lead his team to a Finals victory in recent history. (If he wins Finals MVP, he would join Magic Johnson and Kawhi Leonard as the youngest players to win it.)
The Spurs’ three leading scorers — Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox — would also be tied with last year’s Thunder as the youngest top-scoring trio of the last 11 NBA Finals.
Compared with New York, San Antonio is led by neophytes. The Knicks’ leading scorer, Jalen Brunson, is 29 and in his eighth season in the NBA. New York’s top three scorers — Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby — also average 29, with none younger than 28.
The median age of leading champion scorers is 27, with Wembanyama coming in a clean five years younger.
At least through three playoff rounds, youth and inexperience haven’t been barriers for the Spurs. They’ve already beaten a team that made two straight conference finals, the Minnesota Timberwolves, as well as last year’s champion, Oklahoma City, en route to the Finals.
In fact, less playoff seasoning may even help San Antonio.
“The lack of experience is a strength of us,” Wembanyama told ESPN on Tuesday. “Because we could do impossible stuff because we don’t know it’s impossible.”
Did you know this is their first trip to the Finals since 1999? Did you know they haven’t lost in more than a month? Did you know they have the most famous fans in the world? Did you know tickets to games at Madison Square Garden cost more than a car?
Stahhhhhp.
Fortunately for folks who aren’t Knicks fans, which is pretty much the rest of the country, New York’s opponents in these Finals are the San Antonio Spurs, who might just be the most down-to-earth team in the NBA.
The San Antonio Spurs are America's team in the NBA Finals
They’re small market and worth about half what the Knicks are. Their nickname does not bring instant recognition. Their arena does not have name recognition in their own state, let alone the whole world. Their most famous fans are nuns, not celebrities.
Instead of hanging out with Kardashians, Wemby spent last off-season with monks. While not an actual alien, he is interested in outer space and can talk at length about it. He’s responsible for an uptick in reading in San Antonio, for goodness sake.
The Spurs are what you want in a championship team.
The Knicks are … what New York wants in a championship team.
Knicks are a team only New Yorkers can love
Every sport has at least one team that everyone else loves to hate. The Dallas Cowboys in the NFL. The New York Yankees in Major League Baseball. Duke in men’s basketball.
It’s usually a byproduct of success, a toxic owner or an arrogant fan base. In the Knicks’ case, it’s a little bit of everything. Well, maybe not the success part. Not lately, at least. But the owner and the fan base more than make up for that.
Longtime Knicks owner James Dolan is easily the worst owner in the NBA. With Dan Snyder having sold the Washington Commanders, he can make a case for worst owner in all of sports.
He’s picked fights with superfan Spike Lee and Knicks legend Charles Oakley. He provided cover for Isiah Thomas after he was the subject of a sexual harassment lawsuit. Dolan treated his WNBA team like something he found on the bottom of his shoe.
Dolan also has reportedly used surveillance technology to track those who are critical of him and ban them from Madison Square Garden in retaliation. Even Knicks fans hate the man.
As for those fans, they’re brash, they’re loud and, let’s be honest, they’re a little arrogant. And that’s just Timothée Chalamet! New Yorkers see New York as the center of the universe and don’t have much use for anything outside the five boroughs.
Maybe New Jersey.
Maybe.
That kind of smugness is as annoying as a pebble in a shoe to people who aren’t from New York. Since we can’t take our irritation out on the city itself, its teams become the proxy. The Knicks, the Yankees, the Mets, the Rangers — whoever they’re playing becomes everybody else’s second-favorite team.
(Yes, I know I left out the Giants and the Jets. They’re too pathetic to hate.)
And if it’s the post-season? The loathing ratchets up to another level.
San Antonio Spurs are easy to root for
Which brings us back to San Antonio.
The Spurs are an incredibly likeable team on their own. This is the franchise of David Robinson, Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich. This is the franchise that showed it really is possible for people from all corners of the world to work together. This is the franchise that has Wemby, who is revolutionizing the game in real time while also being an utterly decent human.
San Antonio’s bandwagon would need extra room regardless of who they were facing in the Finals. That they’re playing the Knicks makes them America’s Team.
C'mon Spurs. Do the rest of the country a solid. The last thing anyone needs is to give New York another reason to brag about itself.
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 29: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees takes batting practice before their game against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on May 29, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees lost an annoying game last night in a series opener in the Bronx against the Guardians, but that’s probably not what’s front-of-mind for most of their fans. For the first time all year, Aaron Judge was absent from the startng lineup, as manager Aaron Boone revealed that he’s been battling a bone bruise on his right rib cage that’s affected his shoulder.
In short, it stinks, and while Judge is set to see a specialist today to get another opinion, it appears that for now, the Yankees are in “wait and see” mode with no IL move just yet. What was that Homer Simpson once said about The Waiting Game?
Yeah. We don’t have a collective game of “Hungry Hungry Hippos” to distact us, so instead I ask you to rate your concern about Judge’s injury. Maybe it won’t be much in the grand scheme of things—remember when the world freaked out about Juan Soto’s elbow in June 2024 and those were almost literally the only games he missed all year? And yet we can’t rule out something more.
So let’s say it’s a scale of 1-5, with 1 representing no conern at all and 5 representing PANIC CITY. I think I’m honestly at a 2. Bone bruises just make me wary on principle; call it long-term damage from what Derek Jeter’s 2012 bone bruise turnedinto, though obviouly he was four years older than Judge is now and it was a different part of the body. But I do think that this will ultimately be something minor causing Judge to only miss a few games. Maybe. Hopefully.
My primary hope is that if it’s looking like they do need to put him on the IL after the specialist meets with him, they just get it over with and don’t play a man short for too long. Again, different injury, but Judge had a quick 10-day IL stint last year to get over a right elbow flexor strain and didn’t miss a beat upon returning. Fingers crossed that this is the worst-case scenario.
Today on the site, Josh will deep-dive on what’s going on with Aaron Judge and what his bone bruise may or may not be affecting (as compared to his age), Matt will run through the Rivalry Roundup, and Jeremy will celebrate the 51st birthday of a former World Series champion and true defensive genius behind the plate. Later, we’ll talk prospects, as Scott looks back at a bumpy May for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, Michael breaks down George Lombard Jr.’s first month at Triple-A, and Andrés considers Carlos Lagrange’s development within the past month amid the recent news that he’ll be working out of the bullpen.
With Justin Verlander on the mound, the Mud Hens’ offense honored their famous temp by absolutely mauling Cubs’ pitching on Tuesday.
Verlander, sidelined after one start this spring with a hip issue, looked pretty good. He had no trouble at all with the Cubs, scattering three singles and a double without allowing a walk. He struck out four, pounding the zone consistently throughout his outing. The slider and his changeup were both pretty sharp, and his fastball command looked good as well. Verlander averaged 93.5 mph and 19 inches of IVB, with several pitches topping out at 95 mph. That will do pretty nicely, and hopefully he can find a little more gas in the tank as he builds up. He threw 48 of 64 pitches for strikes. Presumably he’ll get one more rehab start before returning to the Tigers.
Funny and nostalgic seeing Verlander in a Mud Hens uniform. Last time I saw him pitch at Fifth Third Park was a rehab start in 2015 before he returned to the Tigers and served notice that his incredible career was nowhere close to done. The only guy who hit him in that game was a young prospect named Francisco Lindor.
Justin Verlander, pitching for the Toledo Mud Hens for the first time in 11 years, ends the first inning of his rehab start with a high fastball for a strikeout. pic.twitter.com/Uuue30yTGR
The Hens gave the future Hall of Famer run support right out of the chute. Max Clark started the game with a walk, and two batters later Max Anderson cracked a two-run shot to left. In the third, Ben Malgeri and Anderson doubled back-to-back, and then Eduardo Valencia cleared the bases with his 10th homer on the year to make it 5-0.
In the fifth, Malgeri led off with his second double of the game, and Anderson reached on an error. Gage Workman plated Malgeri with a single and Valencia singled to load the bases. Trei Cruz stepped into the box and lifted a towering shot to left for a grand slam. 10-0 Hens. They went on to score two more runs in the inning.
Trei Cruz blows the game open for Toledo with this grand slam to left center. It’s 10-0 Mud Hens. pic.twitter.com/z38SO9bNfq
Jack Little gave up the lone Cubs run in the seventh. Max Clark launched a solo shot in the eighth against a position player, his third on the year. With Anderson and Workman on in the ninth, Cruz lined out to center field, but a poor throw from the Cubs center fielder allowed both runs to score and make it 16-1.
Anderson: 4-6, 4 R, 4 RBI, 2B, HR
Cruz: 2-6, R, 4 RBI, 2B, HR, K
Clark: 1-3, 3 R, RBI, HR, 3 BB
Valencia: 2-3, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR
Verlander (W, 1-0): 5.0 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 0 BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 1:08 p.m. ET start in Des Moines on Wednesday.
A late rally fell just short on Tuesday night in Richmond.
The SeaWolves scored quickly as Seth Stephenson doubled to open the game, and then scored on a John Peck grounder that went for an error. That 1-0 lead didn’t last, as Max Alba allowed three runs in the bottom half and single runs in the fourth and fifth.
In the top of the fifth, Stephenson singled with one out and stole his 25th base of the season. Brett Callahan followed with a walk, and Peck reached on an infield single to load the bases. Patience and a good eye from Thayron Liranzo helped him draw a walk that forced in a run, but Chris Meyers struck out and Andrew Jenkins grounded out to squander a chance at a big inning to get back into this one.
So it was 5-2 Richmond heading into the seventh inning. Stephenson drew a leadoff walk, but was shockingly caught stealing. Brett Callahan drew a walk to replace him, and Peck reached on an error. Liranzo drew another walk to load the bases, and with two outs, Jenkins came through with a two-run single to make it a 5-4 game.
Johan Simon did a nice job taking over from Alba and racking up five straight outs, but Dariel Fregio came on to allow three more runs in the bottom of the seventh. The Flying Squirrels needed those add-on runs.
In the top of the ninth, Peck led off with a double. Liranzo took a called strike three, but Peck stole third and scored on an errant throw from Richmond catcher Ty Hanchey. Jenkins singled with two outs, and he rode home on Izaac Pacheco’s sixth home run to make it an 8-7 game. Peyton Graham followed with a single as the potential tying run and Aaron Antonini drew a walk. Stephenson unfortunately struck out to end it.
Izaac Pacheco with a 2-run moonshot to right to pull Erie within one run in the 9th. It’s his 6th home run of the year. pic.twitter.com/BxdLL1fy8G
Coming Up Next: They’ll get back at it on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. ET.
Dayton Dragons 10, West Michigan Whitecaps 4 (box)
Hayden Minton put together an extemely Jekyll and Hyde outing, and the Whitecaps bullpen did nothing to let them get back into this one.
Minton punched out 10 hitters in 4.1 innings of work. He walked just one and allowed just four hits. The problem was that three of those hits were home runs. He allowed three in the top of the third, and one more as he departed in the fifth.
The Whitecaps answered right back after the Dragons three-run outburst with three of their own in the bottom of the third. Andrew Sojka led off with a walk and Junior Tilien singled. A Woody Hadeen ground out to first moved the runners, and two batters later Garrett Pennington launched a three-run shot, his ninth on the year.
Juanmi Vasquez and Zack Lee each allowed a run in relief. In the bottom of the eighth, Bryce Rainer drew a walk and Clayton Campbell singled. Rainer scored as Jackson Strong grounded into a double play to make it 6-44, but Ethan Sloan allowed four runs in the top of the ninth to end hopes of a comeback.
Pennington; 1-3, R, 3 RBI, HR, BB, K
Rainer: 1-2, R, 2 BB, K
Minton (L, 2-3): 4.1 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, BB, 10 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:35 p.m. ET start in Comstock Park on Wednesday.
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 10, Lakeland Flying Tigers 2 (box)
We got some good news in this one, as left-hander Jake Miller made his season debut in a rehab outing. Miller was our preseason top pitching prospect in the system, although that’s a bit of a dubious honor considering he’s still not a top 100 caliber starter. After an injury plagued season in 2025 in which he was diagnosed with lumbar back issues that were later linked to hip labrum tears that required surgery on both hips, Miller spent until early May rehabbing and is just now ramping up in game action.
The game, however, did not go the Flying Tigers’ way as Grayson Grinsell was rocked in relief of Miller. Miller fired two scoreless innings of one-hit ball with a pair of strikeouts. He’s still going to need to develop a cutter or a harder breaking ball to go with a good fourseam-changeup combination and a slow sweeper, but Miller pounds the strike zone and has some deception and good armspeed that helps his stuff play up.
Nice to see Jake Miller back on the mound for Lakeland. Here’s his first inning of work today. pic.twitter.com/eMPERkZxOT
Jesus Pinto, rapidly getting love in Tigers’ prospecting circles, blasted a solo shot in the bottom of the second to give the Flying Tigers an early lead. Grinsell took over from Miller in the third and surrendered three runs. Jack Goodman answered back with a solo shot in the bottom of the third.
So it was 3-2 Fort Myers, and Grinsell then was tagged for three more runs in the fifth. They added on against Pedro Garcia, and the Flying Tigers offense stalled out despite several scoring opportunites later in the game.
Warwick: 2-4, 2B, 2 K
Espinal: 2-4, K
Miller: 2.0 IP, 0 R, H, 0 BB, 2 K
Grinsell (L, 3-2): 2.2 IP, 6 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 5 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:30 p.m. ET start on Wednesday.
Rookie Ball
Our favorite lesser known pitching prospect, RHP Jhonan Coba, led the FCL Tigers to an 8-0 victory on Tuesday, although Johnathan Rogers, the Tigers 20th rounder in Scott Harris’ first draft in 2023, who recently re-signed with the club at age 21, got the win. Coba went three innings, allowing two hits, no walks, while striking out five. Cris Rodriguez doubled in that game, but struck out twice.
In the second game of a doubleheader, the FCL Tigers roster beat the Phillies 4-3 as well. Cristian Perez, a name to watch, homered in that one, his fifth already on the year for the 19-year-old center fielder. He holds a .990 OPS so far in 19 games.
What a Jhonan Coba 97 MPH, 21.35" IVB fastball looks like up in the zone, traced. pic.twitter.com/klvSrECqxE
A Long Island rooted diehard Knicks fan living in the heart of Celtics territory is going viral for turning New York playoff wins into clever Billy Joel lyrics — and it might just be a good luck charm for the NBA Finals vs. the Spurs.
“When I decided to do it, they had won maybe five straight by that point,” 21-year-old Luke Wenner of Attleboro, Massachusetts, told The Post after the streak reached 11 straight.
Diehard Knicks fan Luke Wenner has gone viral for his Billy Joel style game recaps.
“I was like, yeah, might as well see how it goes. Obviously, it’s worked out pretty well,” added Wenner, who has gotten praise from Mick Jagger’s son, Lucas.
“It’s eight o’clock on a Tuesday, the regular Knicks shuffle in / They swiftly go down from their rustiness — and soon the comeback begins,” Wenner sang and played on piano.
He changed “She’s Always a Woman” to “It’ll Always Be New York for Me” when the Knicks swept Cleveland in four, in a clip that was liked over 10,000 times.
The Knicks haven’t lost since Wenner started his songs. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
“I’ll sit there, as I’m watching the games, I’ll either pick a song or two of Billy Joel’s to keep in mind,” said Wenner, who idolizes Hicksville’s hometown hero Joel.
“I’ll be reading the lyrics, and I’m like, ‘oh, this player’s name would work perfectly in this verse.'”
Wenner showed The Post his “For the Longest Time” rework he will release ahead of the team’s first finals appearance since 1999.
“Maybe some had thought our hope was gone, but the true New Yorkers did stay strong,” it goes.
Wenner grew up a massive Billy Joel fan. Getty Images
“And now the time’s come, let’s go and take home this one — we have been waiting for the longest time.”
The recent psychology and criminal justice grad began with about 70 followers after dropping the Game 1 jingle. He’s close to 3,000 in a matter of days since blue and orange nation became touched by his tunes.
“It’s just been so great seeing that a huge majority of the comments are very favorable, and they definitely love what I’ve been doing,” Wenner said. “It’s just been nuts.”
Wenner has become an overnight sensation for his Billy Joel Knicks videos.
And, Wenner’s river of dreams is a long time coming after putting up with the folks around Beantown.
“I’ve definitely gotten a lot of flak throughout my whole school career, because, pretty much all of my teams have been pretty horrible,” lamented Wenner.
He likened the Knicks’ underdog outlook to that of his G-Men when they faced the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII and again in Super Bowl XLVI.
Wenner is hopeful that Jalen Brunson and the Knicks will win it all this time. Getty Images
“They didn’t give the Giants a chance. So, I think it’s possible,” said Wenner.
“It would just mean the world to me, especially given that I can rub it in the faces of my fellow Celtics fans.”
Leon Rose and the Knicks focused on trades and free agency to construct their core, San Antonio mostly became a contender again by maximizing its draft capital, leading to a rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals, won by the Spurs.
The Post dissects how the Knicks took shape.
Jalen Brunson
When he arrived: 2022
How he was acquired: Inked a four-year, $104 million deal in free agency that seemed like a reach but has since become a bargain.
Jalen Brunson gives directions during the Knicks’ practice at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio on June 2, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The superstar who left money on the table with his extension two years ago. Brunson has single-handedly shifted the reputation of the Knicks, turned them into a contender and etched a place on their Mount Rushmore, averaging 26.3 points per game while unlocking another tier of that production on the postseason stage.
Karl-Anthony Towns
When he arrived: 2024
How he was acquired: A connection years in the making, the Edison, N.J., native arrived via trade in exchange for a package headlined by Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.
How he’s helped them get here: Towns, who grew up a Knicks fan, is one of the best shooting centers of all time and was pegged as the missing piece, the superstar to complement Brunson. The six-time All-Star has averaged 22.2 points and 12.3 rebounds per game across his two seasons with the Knicks, and his point-center role this postseason ignited the offense.
Karl-Anthony Towns takes part in a shooting drill at Knicks practice in San Antonio on June 2. 2026. Jason Szenes for New York Post
OG Anunoby
When he arrived: 2023
How he was acquired: When the first domino in a series of Leon Rose trades fell, Anunoby (and Precious Achiuwa) arrived in exchange for RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.
How he’s helped them get here: Known for his defensive skills, Anunoby has added a dynamic scoring ability since coming to the Knicks — and has averaged 19.7 points per game during this playoff run. He’s an unassuming two-way star who typically draws the most difficult matchup, keeps getting snubbed from All-Defensive First Team honors and makes the most expensive contract in Knicks history ($212.5 million) worth every penny.
OG Anunoby (right) and Mitchell Robinson participate in the Knicks’ practice on June 2 in San Antonio. Jason Szenes for New New York Post
Josh Hart
When he arrived: 2023
How he was acquired: Ahead of the trade deadline in 2023, Hart landed from the Trail Blazers for a package that included Cam Reddish.
How he’s helped them get here: Hart’s career with the Knicks has been defined by adjusting on the fly and fitting into a variety of roles.
He has started and has come off the bench. He’s demanded defensive matchups and taken over games offensively. His friendship with Brunson and Mikal Bridges from their days at Villanova — and his personality — make every press conference a must-see too.
Mikal Bridges
When he arrived: 2024
How he was acquired: Via a blockbuster that sent five first-round picks back to the Nets.
How he’s helped them get here: Bridges, known for his durability and defense, could never quite escape the price that Rose paid to land him and the price the Knicks paid to keep him (a $150 million extension) last summer. It led to a polarizing relationship with fans, especially when he’d get benched.
But the Knicks’ 11-game winning streak has perhaps altered his image for good, with Bridges averaging 16.6 points per game on a sizzling 62.6 percent shooting.
Mikal Bridges catches a pass during a speed shooting drill on June 2 in San Antonio. Jason Szenes for New York Post
Miles McBride
When he arrived: 2021
How he was acquired: In the second round after the Knicks traded down to No. 36 on draft night.
How he’s helped them get here: McBride’s three-year, $13 million extension in 2023 was an absolute bargain, as he has embraced his role coming off the bench and providing a spark. He can rip off 3-pointers in bunches (career-best 41.3 percent on 6.6 attempts per game during the regular season) and has answered questions about whether he could make it at this level with his 6-foot-2 frame.
Mitchell Robinson
When he arrived: 2018
How he was acquired: Drafted in the second round in 2018 at No. 36 overall.
How he’s helped them get here: The oft-injured Robinson is the longest-tenured Knick and has seen it all. He ceded the center position to Towns while still being their best offensive rebounder and interior defender.
His most encouraging stat this year? Robinson’s 73 games between the regular season and playoffs, the most of his career and proof of a season-long load management plan working.
Landry Shamet
When he arrived: 2024
How he was acquired: The Knicks signed Shamet two weeks before training camp began in 2024, and he re-signed with them last summer on a non-guaranteed contract.
How he’s helped them get here: Who knows what would’ve happened if Shamet’s 3-pointer didn’t bounce in and help force overtime in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals? The 29-year-old overcame a pair of shoulder injuries the past two seasons and regained his lost spot in the rotation this year before becoming a forever name because of that shot.
Jordan Clarkson
When he arrived: 2025
How he was acquired: After agreeing to a buyout with the Jazz, Clarkson signed with the Knicks on a veteran minimum deal.
How he’s helped them get here: It hasn’t been the smoothest of seasons for the former Sixth Man of the Year, as he fell out of Mike Brown’s rotation before recovering a spot late in the year thanks to a commitment to defense.
Jordan Clarkson talks with reporters after Knicks practice in San Antonio on June 2. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
But he assisted the Knicks by signing for the minimum in exchange for a chance at a title. He averaged a career-worst 8.6 points per game during the regular season but has turned back the clock on occasion.
Jose Alvarado
When he arrived: 2026
How he was acquired: The Brooklyn native arrived from the Pelicans ahead of the trade deadline, in exchange for Dalen Terry and two second-round picks, to boost the Knicks’ guard depth.
How he’s helped them get here: This was a homecoming made in basketball paradise. Alvarado is the energizer off the bench capable of thriving in the spotlight of the Garden, someone who can hit 3s — like he did eight times against the 76ers in February — or frustrate opponents to the point of turnovers.
Ariel Hukporti
When he arrived: 2024
How he was acquired: The Knicks landed the rights to Hukporti — the No. 58 overall pick by the Mavericks — on draft day in 2024.
How he’s helped them get here: As the Knicks’ third center, Hukporti has been thrust into critical moments when one or both of Towns and Robinson were out — or when Hack-a-Mitch returned. A Dec. 7 win, when Hukporti earned the team’s Defensive Player of the Game against a tough Magic team, served as a tangible sign of his value, too.
Tyler Kolek
When he arrived: 2024
How he was acquired: The Knicks moved up to No. 34 to take Kolek in exchange for three second-rounders.
How he’s helped them get here: Kolek quickly became a fan favorite as he competed for backup point guard minutes, delivering memorable performances in the NBA Cup final comeback and on Christmas Day to help save the Knicks. He has fallen out of the rotation since but has two more years of team control remaining to snag a role.
Mohamed Diawara
When he arrived: 2025′
How he was acquired: The Knicks took him with the 51st overall pick in 2025.
How he’s helped them get here: The Knicks don’t win their Dec. 29 game against the Pelicans without Diawara, who collected a career-best 18 points, and he adds wing depth with his rangy length and athleticism. He won’t log meaningful minutes in the Finals unless something goes terribly wrong, but Diawara — on an expiring deal — flashed enough potential to become an intriguing offseason decision.
Jeremy Sochan
When he arrived: 2026
How he was acquired: Sochan, the No. 9 pick in 2022, signed with the Knicks in February after getting waived by the Spurs.
How he’s helped them get here: Signed as bench depth, Sochan struggled to carve out a role in Brown’s rotation. But when Robinson missed Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Knicks needed him to log 55 seconds of meaningful time with both Towns and Hukporti in foul trouble. He’s a break-in-case-of-emergency option.
Pacôme Dadiet
When he arrived: 2024
How he was acquired: Dadiet was drafted No. 25 overall, joining the Knicks as an 18-year-old forward from France.
How he’s helped them get here: Dadiet remains a G-League player (23.1 points, 4.8 rebounds per game for Westchester this year) logging NBA minutes during garbage time, but on a team filled with expensive veterans, he has two seasons remaining — if the Knicks pick up the final option — to become an inexpensive rotation piece.
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Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Rockets fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Hey, everyone. Sorry for the delay on this one. School is finishing up this week, so I’ve been busy grading, and cleaning my classeroom, and wrapping things up administratively. It’s no excuse, but it’s why I’m a little behind right now.
Anyway, we asked you last week, if the Rockets were to trade for a star, which one of the guys they are currently being linked to would you most want them to trade for? Your options were Kyrie Irving, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jaylen Brown, Donovan Mitchell, or Kawhi Leonard. Here’s what you said:
And by a landslide, the Jaylen Browns have it. I think that’s a prudent choice. He’d obviously fit right in with Ime Udoka, and is arguably the best roster fit in my opinion. I doubt that the Rockets do anything, though. My guess is that they run it back. I don’t think that’s the right move, but if they did trade for one of these available stars, Brown would be my choice as well.
Thanks for voting. We’ll be back soon with more Reacts.
