WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Athletics outfielder Denzel Clarke was returned from his rehab assignment with Triple-A Las Vegas because of a “significant left hamstring strain” and will be sidelined at least through the All-Star break, according to the team.
He has returned to Sacramento to continue his rehab after an MRI confirmed a high-grade strain. Clarke will be re-evaluated after the All-Star break in July.
Clarke was on a rehab assignment for a right foot bone bruise that forced him onto the 10-day injured list on April 22. The 26-year-old Canadian missed significant time last year as a rookie because of an adductor strain.
In 22 games for the Athletics this season, Clarke is hitting .170 with no homers, six RBIs, one double and two stolen bases.
DENVER — Forget motivational speeches. Colorado coach Jared Bednar simply let the game tape do the talking.
The Avalanche went over the video of their 4-2 loss to Vegas in the opener of the Western Conference Final. All things considered — no Cale Makar, defensive miscommunications, falling behind 3-0 — Bednar saw more that quickly was fixable than not, even if it might have been hard to watch again.
“We don’t tiptoe around it in our locker room. We show the things we liked, we show the things we didn’t like. There’s no secrets,” Bednar said as the team prepared for Game 2 against the Golden Knights. “Expectations are high, and if one guy’s making a mistake, it’s likely that other guys are going to be put in the same positions. ... We feel like a lot of it’s on us.”
The return of Makar would be a big boost. Bednar, though, offered no update on the star defenseman, who’s sidelined by an upper-body injury. Makar did skate in an optional practice.
For now, Bednar is banking on the fact his team has responded when faced with adversity. That bounce-back trait is a reason Colorado captured the Presidents’ Trophy as the league’s top team.
“I know our team, and I know our goals, and I know the mindset of our group. So it’s not like I’m going in there and giving some speech that’s going to turn the series around,” Bednar said. “Or get it going in the right direction. It’s pretty pointed on what we need to do and what we think we can do. To me, the motivation to play is there for all of our guys. It’s about us going and trying to be the best version of ourselves that we could be, because we weren’t.”
At times, and maybe to be expected, the Avalanche looked disorganized on the defensive end without Makar. Bednar, though, made one thing clear: “That has nothing to do with Cale,” he said. “I’m just looking at the guys that are in the lineup, and I think I’ve seen them play a lot better when it comes to the way we move the puck.
“Most of the chances that we gave up were more execution issues, mismanagement of the puck. There’s some decision-making in there that wasn’t great.”
Forward Nazem Kadri zeroed in on the positives, like Colorado scoring two third-period goals and making it 3-2 with 2:21 remaining before surrendering an empty-netter.
“We’re a good team. We have full confidence in our capabilities, and I don’t think that really wavers depending on if you win or lose, especially early in the series,” Kadri said. “We did a lot of great things last game, a little bit sloppy at times, but felt like we did enough to win the game. Credit to them, they stole one. Now we’ve got to respond.”
Kadri noted the rebound by Colorado after Minnesota won 5-1 in Game 3 of the second round. Colorado followed that with a 5-2 victory to take control of the series.
“Some people thought the sky was falling then,” Kadri said. “We have a process that we stick to, and we’re not going to waver from that.”
Vegas is a savvy group that plays with a swagger. Coming into a hostile arena doesn’t faze the Golden Knights. It’s an attribute coach John Tortorella appreciates about his team.
“They’ve seen it, most of the guys have seen it, have felt it,” said Tortorella, whose team is 3-0 in Game 1s this postseason. “It’s sometimes easier for the away team in these type of situations to play. You can use it to your advantage.”
For the Avalanche, it boils down to a faster start. They’re 5-0 when scoring first in the postseason and 3-2 after giving up the opening goal. To get an early lead, they have to solve Carter Hart, who had 36 saves in Game 1.
“We’ve got to start to try to take the lead a little bit more in these games, and put our foot down,” defenseman Devon Toews said. “Put pressure on teams to try to attack us, instead of us having to attack them.”
The Chicago White Sox head to the Bay Area tonight to begin a three-game series with the San Francisco Giants. First pitch is scheduled for 10:15 p.m. ET at Oracle Park.
With an intriguing pitching matchup, my White Sox vs. Giants predictions see value in the Under.
Who will win White Sox vs Giants today: White Sox moneyline (-108)
The Chicago White Sox send their ace to the mound tonight in Davis Martin. He's dominated this year, compiling a 1.61 ERA and 6-1 record through nine starts.
Martin has also been solid on the road, sporting a 1.95 ERA. He's up against a San Francisco Giants team that is 30th in runs scored and has lost three straight.
Chicago has also won three of the last four meetings against the Giants. The hosts hand Trevor McDonald the ball, and he's allowed six earned runs at home across his last two outings.
COVERS INTEL: The Giants are 20th in wRC+ in May, sitting at 92.
White Sox vs Giants Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-125)
While McDonald hasn't been at his best at Oracle Park lately, he does have a very respectable 2.37 ERA overall through three starts.
The right-hander has shown the ability to get outs on a consistent basis, and the White Sox aren't exactly thriving at the dish lately,scoring just six runs across their previous series with the Mariners.
Martin, meanwhile, can't do much wrong, giving up two earned runs or fewer ever since his season debut on March 30.
He is lights-out, and the Giants have struggled immensely all year to muster up any offense. Also, four of the last five meetings have hit the Under.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 15-11, +4.72 units
Over/Under bets: 15-11, +2.09 units
White Sox vs Giants odds
Moneyline: White Sox -104 | Giants -100
Run line: White Sox -1.5 (+148) | Giants +1.5 (-192)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-101) | Under 7.5 (-127)
White Sox vs Giants trend
The White Sox have hit the moneyline in 19 of their last 30 games (+10.25 Units / 33% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for White Sox vs. Giants.
How to watch White Sox vs Giants and game info
Location
Oracle Park, San Francisco, CA
Date
Friday, May 22, 2026
First pitch
10:15 p.m. ET
TV
CHSN, NBC Sports Bay Area
White Sox starting pitcher
Davis Martin (6-1, 1.61 ERA)
Giants starting pitcher
Trevor McDonald (2-0, 2.37 ERA)
White Sox vs Giants latest injuries
White Sox vs Giants weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
If anyone wonders why some Senators fans get a little skittish about the eventual fate of Brady Tkachuk, one only needs to look at their history of stars (including beloved captains) leaving in free agency or trades.
You can look at players like Daniel Alfredsson and Zdeno Chara leaving as free agents. Or players in the final year of their contracts like Mark Stone, Jason Spezza, Martin Havlat, or Matt Duchene being traded away with the Senators getting very little in return.
But when Erik Karlsson, still a year away from free agency, was traded in September of 2018, the Senators made the most of it. And then some.
The Karlsson trade tree is still in full bloom this spring, nurtured by two blockbuster deals: his initial 2018 trade from the Senators to the San Jose Sharks and his subsequent trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2023.
But for this exercise, as much as you’d cherish a deep dive into San Jose and Pittsburgh’s organizational depth, we’re focusing on the Senators branches, looking at the deal and what’s become of the players and picks involved.
Here are the guts of the trade, one of the best in Sens history.
To Ottawa: F Josh Norris, F Chris Tierney, D Dylan DeMelo, F Rudolfs Balcers, 2020 first (San Jose), 2019 second (Florida), 2021 second (San Jose)
To San Jose: D Erik Karlsson, F Francis Perron
First to get it out of the way, let’s first mop up the Sharks part of the deal. San Jose signed Karlsson to an eight year extension worth $11.5 million, then after five seasons in teal, they traded him to Pittsburgh in a three way deal that also involved Montreal.
Perron, a scoring star in the Q, played two years in the AHL then five over in Europe. Last year, after winning a French league title with Rouen the season before, he retired from hockey at 29.
The Ottawa side of the tree looks a little fuller than that. Let's take a look at each player or asset and see what remains.
2020 first round pick (San Jose): After finishing the 2017-18 season with 100 points, the Sharks never dreamed that their 2020 first round pick would be as high as third overall. The Senators used it to select centre Tim Stutzle.
Where is Stutzle now? He just completed his sixth season in Ottawa and has already become one of the best players in franchise history.
Josh Norris: Norris played five seasons in Ottawa and in his sophomore year, put up 35 goals in 66 games. But he could never stay healthy, which probably had a hand in why his production slipped, even when healthy.
Where is Norris now? At last year’s trade deadline, Norris was traded to Buffalo, along with Jacob Bernard-Docker for Dylan Cozens, Dennis Gilbert, and Buffalo’s 2026 second round pick.
Cozens has directly replaced Norris as the Senators second-line centre, 75 points in 103 career games. Norris’ injury troubles have chased him to Buffalo, where he’s played just 47 games, scoring 36 points.
2026 second round pick (Buffalo): The Sens traded it to Los Angeles, packaging it up at the deadline for forward Warren Foegele. The deal also involved a swap of third round picks this summer.
Gilbert was used sparingly to end the 2024-25 season and signed with Philadelphia in the offseason. The Flyers dealt him back to Ottawa this season for Sens longtime minor league defenseman Max Guenette.
Dylan DeMelo: DeMelo played almost two seasons in Ottawa but was dealt to Winnipeg for a third-round pick in a move that now seems absurd. DeMelo, a coveted right-shot defenseman, has been a mainstay on the Jets' blueline for the past five years.
But the Sens spun that third rounder into gold, selecting Leevi Merilainen at the 2020 draft. Despite his difficulties this season, after being rushed to the NHL, he remains a top prospect.
2021 second-round pick: It was used to select centre Zack Ostapchuk, who has since been traded back to San Jose, the team that originally owned the pick. He was a medium-sized part of the 2025 deadline day package deal that brought Fabian Zetterlund to Ottawa.
Chris Tierney: Tierney played four seasons in Ottawa, mostly as a third line centre. He then ended up with brief stops in Florida, Montreal, New Jersey, the KHL and last season, in Switzerland.
Rudolfs Balcers: Balcers played parts of two seasons for the Senators who waived him and then he was claimed back by San Jose. Balcers now plays in Switzerland.
2019 second-round pick: It was used in a package to trade up and select goalie prospect Mads Søgaard, who’s an RFA this summer.
Whew. That's quite the haul, one that's still paying dividends eight years later and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
Karlsson was, undoubtedly, a great player for the Senators, and some fans still wish he hadn’t been traded away.
But having the likes of Tim Stutzle, Dylan Cozens, Warren Foegele, Fabian Zetterlund, and Leevi Merilainen does help to ease the pain a little.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
This story was originally published at The Hockey News Ottawa Senators site. Click on the latest headlines below to read the latest stories there:
The New York Islanders and general manager Mathieu Darche will be on the hunt to add to their defense this summer, particularly on the right side.
While the Islanders do have Ryan Pulock and Scott Mayfield, along with pending free agent Tony DeAngelo (who very openly wants to extend his stay), it's still an area where the Islanders feel they could use improvement.
I believe #Isles GM Mathieu Darche did his due diligence on Simon Nemec last summer.
Whether the recent rumors are true or not, Nemec is exactly the kind of young defenseman NYI should be targeting.@TheElmonters ⤵️https://t.co/onYGiWju35
One option could be Michael Kesselring of the Buffalo Sabres.
Kesselring, 26, played just 34 regular-season games and one playoff game for the Sabres this past season. He is a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights after concluding the second season of a two-year deal worth $1.4 million annually.
The 6'5 defenseman has some skills the Islanders would value. Kesselring loves firing the puck and creating offense, recording 46 shots on goal during the regular season (1.35 per game.
In the 2024-25 season, when Kesselring played 82 games for the Utah Mammoth, he recorded seven goals and 22 assists for 29 points, all career highs.
That would've put Kesselring second amongst Islanders defensemen in goals this year, and third in points, trailing Matthew Schaefer in both, and DeAngelo in points.
As mentioned, Kesselring also comes in at a massive 6'5" and weighs 215 lbs. While he uses his body, scouts have noted he could use his size a bit more.
This season in Buffalo, he saw heavily reduced minutes and opportunities as he came in and out of the lineup for multiple reasons, ultimately becoming a healthy scratch down the stretch.
Buffalo has publicly backed him, but actions speak louder than words.
Kesselring will likely be available this coming summer. The asking price would figure to be around a second or third-round pick, even despite his playing situation.
Defenseman of that size are coveted in today's NHL.
The Islanders do not have any second- or third-round picks in this draft, so they might need to be creative to land Kesselring, perhaps by including a depth forward with a lower pick or picks in later drafts.
Marc Gatcomb, a pending restricted free agent, could be someone who would fit Buffalo's style of play on their fourth line.
Getting creative and making tough calls will be Darche's biggest test this summer.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Cole Hertzler #35 of the Houston Astros throws a pitch during the fifth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Miami Marlins at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 19, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (20-28) lost 8-2 (BOX SCORE)
Alexander got the scoring started with a solo home run in the 2nd inning. Pecko got the start for Sugar Land but struggled allowing 6 runs over 4 innings of work. He was relieved by VanWey who allowed 2 runs. Sugar Land got one run in the 9th on a sac fly but that was it as they fell 8-2.
Sam Carlson, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (19-23) lost 13-1 (BOX SCORE)
The Hooks got on the board in the first inning on a Holy leadoff home run. Hicks got the start and started off well but ran into some trouble allowing 8 runs, 7 earned, over 5 innings of work. Hader allowed a run in relief and Cuevas allowed 4 runs in the 9th. The offense was quiet the rest of the way as the Hooks fell 13-1.
Hertzler got the start in game one and was dominant tossing 6 innings allowing 1 run while striking out 9 batters. The offense got not the board in the 5th inning scoring a run on a Walker bases loaded walk. In the bottom of the 7th, the Hot Rods walked it off with a home run as Asheville dropped game one 2-1.
Note: Hertzler has 49 K in 30.1 innings this season.
Santos got the start in game two but had a tough outing allowing 5 runs, 4 earned, over 4 innings of work. He was relieved by Rodriguez who allowed 3 runs, 1 earned, over 2 innings of work. The offense got on the board in the 6th inning on a Brutcher RBI single. In the 7th, they picked up 2 more runs on a passed ball and a Thomas groundout but that was it as Asheville dropped game two 8-3.
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (18-24) lost 12-8 (BOX SCORE)
The Woodpeckers got the scoring started in the third inning scoring 2 runs on a Huezo RBI double and Flores RBI double. Perez got the start and after 3 scoreless innings to start the game, he ran into trouble allowing 6 runs in the 4th. The Woodpeckers battled back with a run in the 4th on a Cauro sac fly and a run in the 5th on a Salas walk. Wells relieved Perez and 6 runs over 2.1 innings. The offense got one in the 5th on a Newman RBI single and in the 8th, Huezo connected on a 3 run home run. Unfortunately the offense couldn’t complete the comeback as the Woodpeckers fell 12-8.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 15, 2024: Yohandy Morales #35 of the Washington Nationals runs out a single during the fourth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the New York Mets at Clover Park on March 15, 2024 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Nationals’ farm system has been in the limelight for the past two months, with plenty of lower-level talent already emerging as legitimate prospects. For a franchise that continues to look toward the future, the recent developments have been nothing short of incredibly encouraging.
With all of the hype surrounding prospects still in the early stages of their development, little has been said about players who could see a promotion to the MLB club and make an impact in the near future. The slow start of offseason trade acquisition, catcher Harry Ford (MLB.com #6), hasn’t done much to change that narrative.
One player, however, has been lighting up AAA pitching, and could give Washington some much-needed reinforcements if his play continues to dazzle. You won’t find 24-year-old corner infielder Yohandy Morales on any Top-10 prospect lists, and many don’t even have him in the organization’s Top 20. A middling hit tool has long forced scouts to question his future at the big league level, and he’s remained an afterthought in a rising system. That could soon be coming to an end.
Yohandy Morales is having a tremendous season at Triple-A. Not sure what he has to do to get as hot in the majors.
Hit his 10th HR tonight. He's hitting over .350 with a 1.024 OPS. Plays the position Brady House just left vacant. pic.twitter.com/EpSd98EDEu
Through 45 games with the Rochester Red Wings so far in 2026, the right-hander is slashing a downright absurd .344/.425/.592/1.017, smashing 10 long balls and driving in 27 runs. He’s hitting the ball hard as much as anyone in the minor leagues, with his Average Exit Velocity, Max EV, 50th% EV, 90th% EV, and Hard-Hit% all landing in the 90th percentile or higher. The whiffs continue to be a problem, but even his swing decisions, a visible weakness in his game that led to 164 punchouts in 2025, have improved in recent weeks.
Critics of a potential promotion point to the largest concern with his game: he simply swings and misses too often, especially on pitches in the zone. His Zone-Contact% is a measly 75.48%, good for just the 20th percentile, and the one fix that batters point to for overcoming said issues, a high Pull-Air%, is nowhere to be found as he’s posting an abysmal 11th percentile mark.
The pathway to playing time is easily visible, with Jorbit Vivas struggling to provide anything in the way of offensive production in his at-bats. Morales has fantastic raw power, and the possibility of injecting that type of life into the Nationals’ lineup may be too appealing for the front office to ignore for much longer.
I asked Paul Toboni about Yohandy Morales. Toboni said the key for him is to stay consistent and says good things will happen for him if he keeps this up
No one should be expecting Morales to light the world on fire if he does indeed get the call to the majors, but his performance continues to make the decision to keep him in AAA more difficult to support.
Only time will tell, but the Puerto Rican slugger could find his way to Washington in the near, if not immediate, future.
The Yankees (30-21) and the Rays (33-15) open a much -anticipated and pivotal three-game series tonight in the Bronx.
The matchup opens with a marquee pitching duel: Gerrit Cole making his long‑awaited 2026 debut for New York against Tampa Bay right‑hander Nick Martinez, who enters with a dominant 1.51 ERA and a 4–1 record. Cole hasn’t pitched in a Major League game since October 2024 due to Tommy John surgery last Spring, and his return comes at a crucial moment for a Yankees team that has slipped to 4.5 games back of the Rays in the American League East. Martinez, meanwhile, has been better than even the most optimistic Rays’ fan could have hoped.
At the plate, the Rays arrive with several hitters swinging hot bats. Yandy Díaz has been consistently productive, batting .318 with strong contact metrics against right‑handed pitching. Cedric Mullins has been strong atop the order, posting a .323 average against Cole in his career. Junior Caminero continues to show impressive underlying numbers, including a 46.3% hard‑hit rate.
The Yankees, meanwhile, have seen mixed results at the plate of late. Aaron Judge has produced solid power with a .958 OPS in limited at‑bats against Martinez, but others have struggled: Anthony Volpe is hitless in his small sample, and Amed Rosario has yet to record a hit against the Rays’ starter. New York’s offense has been slumping overall, adding pressure on Judge and Cody Bellinger to spark the lineup while Cole attempts to steady the pitching staff in his return.
This is a pivotal series that offers an opportunity for the Yankees to draw closer to the Rays and Tampa the possibility of practically running away with the division even though we are only in late May.
Lets dive into tonight’s 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.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game Details and How to Watch: Yankees vs. Rays
Date: Friday, May 22, 2026
Time: 7:05PM EST
Site: Yankee Stadium
City: New York, NY
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Rays.TV, YES
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: Yankees vs. Rays
The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: New York Yankees (-157), Tampa Bay Rays (+130)
Spread: Yankees -1.5 (+138), Rays +1.5 (-167)
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers: Yankees vs. Rays for May 22
Yankees: Gerrit Cole Season Totals: 1st Start of the Season
Blue Jays: Nick Martinez Season Totals: 53.2 IP, 4-1, 1.51 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 35K, 11 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Yankees vs. Rays
The Yankees managed just three hits against Toronto in yesterday’s 2-0 loss and just 9 hits and 1 run over the last 2 games against the Jays
Ben Rice has hit safely in 4 of his last 5 games (4-22)
Aaron Judge was 1-15 in the 4-game series against Toronto
Cedric Mullins had his 6-game hitting streak snapped Wednesday
Junior Caminero has hit safely in 5 straight games (8-18)
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Yankees vs. Rays
The Rays are 14-10 on the road this season
The Yankees are 16-8 at home this season
The Yankees are 25-26 on the Run Line this season
The Rays are 31-17 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 24 times in Tampa games this season (24-21-3)
The OVER has cashed 22 times for the Yankees this season (22-26-3)
Expert picks & predictions: Yankees vs. Rays
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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.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Yankees and the Rays:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Rays on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Run Line
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 8.0
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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 06: Willson Contreras #40 of the Boston Red Sox hits a one run home run during the ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Fenway Park on April 06, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Back in February, ZiPS projections were posted, and they did not have a single Red Sox player reaching the 20 home run threshold. Twitter/X got a hold of this and ran with it, becoming an easy talking point for those who felt that Craig Breslow’s offseason effort to fix the power in the lineup fell short (most of us).
After 49 games, 30% of the season, here is how the Red Sox regulars are pacing for home runs:
Willson Contreras – 33
Jarren Duran – 20
Wilyer Abreu – 20
Ceddanne Rafaela – 13
Trevor Story – 10
Marcelo Mayer – 7
Carlos Narvaez – 7
Everyone else on the team has one home run or fewer thus far, including Caleb Durbin, Roman Anthony, and Masataka Yoshida. Feel free to do that math yourself.
It probably should have been obvious at the time that ZiPS was low on Contreras, considering they had him at a projected 118 games played, tracking more like a catcher than a first baseman, but otherwise, they’ve been right on. That being said, it’s Memorial Day Weekend, so things should start heating up at Fenway, right about nowish. Looking at Statcast’s Park Factors for 2026, Fenway has played as the 5th most difficult park to hit in overall, and the #1 most difficult park to hit a home run at, and it’s actually not even close.
If you use the three years prior (2023-2025), Fenway is the second-most friendly park overall, and tops in terms of doubles, but seventh-most difficult for homers.
I’ll say that Contreras and Abreu reach the 20 home run threshold, and that’s it. If this Sox team makes a wild card run over the next two months in this pathetic American League (outlined here, and here, on Over the Monster over the last two days), it should be pretty clear that a power bat is what the team will need to add at the deadline, and preferably well before the deadline.
Enjoy the long weekend, and be good to each other.
The ‘Turkish Simon Cowell’ says sealing promotion to the Premier League via Saturday’s playoff final would ‘finish the miracle’
“I love the city – for me, it’s therapy,” the Hull owner, Acun Ilicali, says of his second home. Running a football club is not particularly therapeutic but after almost four-and-a-half-years at the helm, the Turkish media mogul will have his day at Wembley on Saturday when the Tigers face Middlesbrough for a place in the Premier League.
Life is rarely quiet for the globetrotting Ilicali, regarded as Turkey’s answer to Simon Cowell. He produces some of the world’s most popular television shows in numerous countries, having started out as a sports reporter. The entertainment theme has continued at Hull, creating a tumultuous and gripping reality that has featured head coaches coming and going, and playoff and relegation battles. Everything aligned this season, the team securing sixth place on the final day before defeating third-placed Millwall over two legs. Hull have even been victims of Southampton’s removal from the playoff final amid “spygate”. It is never dull in Hull.
The Boston Bruins need to acquire another top-six forward who can score goals, create scoring chances and lessen the offensive burden on David Pastrnak’s shoulders.
But improving the Bruins’ offense can be done by other means, too.
The Bruins’ blue line did not provide enough offense in the team’s first-round playoff series loss to the Buffalo Sabres. None of the eight defensemen who played for Boston in those six games scored a goal, and none of them tallied more than two points.
Mason Lohrei, who’s one of the more offensively gifted defensemen on the Bruins’ roster, failed to register a single point in three games and was a healthy scratch for the other three matchups.
So, who can the Bruins target in the offseason to bolster the offensive production of their blue line and improve their transition game?
One possibility is a Simon Nemec trade with the New Jersey Devils. There were conflicting reports out of Nemec’s home nation of Slovakia this week on whether he has asked for a trade. However, James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now reported Friday that Nemec has not requested a trade.
The bottom line is the Devils do have to make some kind of decision on Nemec’s future in the near term because he will be a restricted free agent in July.
Nemec was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. He’s 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds. He’s not overly physical, but he plays the kind of style that Boston desperately needs on the back end. Nemec is a great skater, he’s an excellent puck-mover, he shoots the puck a ton, and he has the ability to score 10-plus goals.
In addition to a lack of scoring depth, another big takeaway from the Bruins’ playoff loss to the Sabres was how slow they played. The lack of speed from a team and individual perspective was glaring. Nemec plays an uptempo kind of game.
The Sabres’ forecheck was a huge factor in Round 1 because Bruins defensemen didn’t have the skating ability or puck-moving skill to get the puck out of danger fast enough. Nemec would help address that issue with how quickly he makes decisions and his ability to skate out of trouble. The Bruins need more defensemen capable of transporting the puck through the neutral zone and putting opponents’ on their heels, and Nemec fits that bill.
Nemec tallied 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) in 68 games for the Devils last season. His stats don’t jump off the page, but you have to consider the fact he hasn’t been given much of an opportunity and the Devils haven’t been a very good team since he made his NHL debut in the 2023-24 season.
Is it possible that Nemec will never live up to expectations as a former No. 2 overall pick? Sure. But there’s clearly some really exciting talent there, and on a better team with better coaches and better defense partners, there’s the potential for Nemec to be a legitimate top-four defenseman for many years. It’s a gamble worth taking. He’s already a good player, and given his age, there’s still a lot of room for him to improve.
Another reason why the Bruins should pursue a Nemec trade is the fact he’s a right-shot defenseman, and that’s an area the Bruins need to upgrade both in terms of depth and talent this offseason. The B’s were so thin on right-shot defensemen this season that they had to play Lohrei on his off side.
A potential Nemec trade isn’t the only way for the Bruins to upgrade their blue line in a meaningful way this offseason.
Two of the top unrestricted free agents who could hit the market July 1 are Darren Raddysh of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Rasmus Andersson of the Vegas Golden Knights. Raddysh is 30 years old and Andersson is 29. Both are expected to get a nice payday and a long-term deal.
Either player would probably make a more immediate impact for the B’s than Nemec, but buying low on a 22-year-old who was a No. 2 overall pick and has a lot of impressive talent would be the smarter move for the Bruins.
Giving a bad long-term contract to Raddysh or Andersson would be far more damaging to the Bruins’ short- and long-term future than trading for Nemec and him not reaching his potential.
Maybe Nemec stays in New Jersey after all. But if he’s available this offseason, the Bruins should absolutely pick up the phone and call newly hired Devils general manager Sunny Mehta. Nemec could help the Bruins’ blue line in a significant way for many years.
TULSA, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 19: Kendall George #1 of the Tulsa Drillers waits for a pitch during a game against the Arkansas Travelers at ONEOK Field on April 19, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Kendall George show took over in Double-A while the Comets shut out Reno at home.
Player of the day
Ask not what Kendall George can do because the answer might just be everything. The Drillers’ center fielder was all over the place in a 6-4 win for Tulsa, raising his batting average to .346 by going four for four and also reaching 25 stolen bases on the year.
Make it four consecutive multihit games for Kendall George!
Having stolen 100 bags last season, it’s tough for George to dazzle you now, but think of this success rate, which has vastly improved. Not caught once, George is now 25 for 28 after being thrown out 24 times last season.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
One quiet day was more than enough for Alex Freeland, who made the most out of his one hit in what turned out to be an 8-0 win for the Comets. Freeland left the yard with a three-run shot in the sixth as part of a rally that saw the Comets score seven runs with a home run from Jack Suwinski as well.
Starter River Ryan needed a little over 60 pitches to get through five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and hand it off to a bullpen that was equally as dominant, carrying on to record 14 of their 27 outs on strikeouts against only five from Reno.
Reaching base safely in all five of his plate appearances, Kendall George could not have done more at the top of the order for the Drillers, a key player in this 6-4 win over the Wind Surge. Scoring half of the Drillers’ six runs, George was his usual dynamic self on the basepaths, responsible for all three of Tulsa’s stolen bases.
Outhitting the Wind Surge 13 to 6 as a team, the Drillers thrived at the top of the order, with 10 of those 13 hits coming from the top four, including yet another productive day from Mike Sirota. The recently promoted outfielder is settling in as nicely as anyone could’ve hoped in this new environment in Double-A.
Payton Martin finally earned his first win of the year, working through nine base runners (6 of them on walks) to allow just one earned run in 5.1 innings.
High-A Great Lakes
It’s tough to outhit your opponent and still lose by nine runs. That’s what happened as a rattled pitching staff for the Great Lakes could not stop walking Wisconsin’s hitters, leading to a 14-5 defeat that was somehow worse than that final score. The Loons managed to put up three garbage-time runs in the ninth to avoid losing by double digits.
On top of starter Jakob Wright, who allowed a couple of runs on one hit and five walks, the Loons had three other relievers concede more runs than they did hits. Among them was Acccimias Morales, the losing pitcher of record with four earned runs in 0.2 innings of work out of the bullpen.
Single-A Ontario
Seven of the Tower Buzzers’ batters recorded multiple hits, and it was the ninth-hole hitter, AJ Soldra, leading the charge in this 13-10 win. Soldra recorded four hits in five at-bats, the last of them a home run, surprisingly the game’s only long ball, when Ontario already led 12-10 in the ninth.
Starter Hyun-Seok Jang had the Tower Buzzers set for a blowout win, but the bullpen almost gave it all away, allowing four runs in the seventh and another four in the eighth. Luckily, Robby Porco provided some stability by pitching two scoreless innings to wrap things up and earn a second save on the season.
Thursday’s scores
Oklahoma City 8, Reno 0
Wichita 4, Tulsa 6
Great Lakes 5, Wisconsin 14
Inland Empire 11, Ontario 13
Friday’s schedule
3:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Christian Zazueta) vs. Wisconsin (Josh Knoth)
4:35 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Adam Serwinowski) at Wichita (Sam Armstrong)
5:05 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Charlie Barnes) vs. Reno (Kohl Drake)
6:35 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) at Inland Empire (Mason Peters)
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - MAY 21: Hunter Gaddis #33 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrats a 3-1 win over the Detroit Tigers with Patrick Bailey #16 of the at Comerica Park on May 21, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Thursday was a lighter day on the Major League schedule, though the Yankees still had time to squeeze in a tough loss. The Bombers mustered just three hits at the plate and spoiled a solid Carlos Rodón start in their 2-0 loss at the hands of the Blue Jays. The loss locked in a split of their four-game series, but the task becomes even taller this weekend, as they welcome the Rays into Yankee Stadium for a huge series.
Elsewhere, it was a short day on the American League schedule, with just some movement in the Central taking place in the afternoon. Here’s a look at how things shook out. Spoiler alert: We will at least temporarily be bidding adieu to the Tigers from this daily feature after today unless they’re playing someone relevant because boy are they ugly right now.
Cleveland Guardians (30-22) 3, Detroit Tigers (20-31) 1
In some Thursday afternoon action in the American League Central, the Guardians sat in the driver’s seat wire to wire against the Tigers. It was a rather quiet affair on the offensive side, one that grew Cleveland’s lead in the division, as well as Detroit’s depth in the basement.
This one pitted Casey Mize against Joey Cantillo, both of whom have enjoyed terrific starts to the 2026 season on the mound. In line with what we’ve seen thus far, both hurlers continued that trend on Thursday. For the Guardians, Cantillo made his 11th start of the season a good one. The 26-year-old lefty tossed 5.2 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and striking out six.
For Detroit, Mize had the good stuff going for the most part as well. The former first overall draft pick is enjoying easily the best season of his career to this point in year six, and Thursday’s performance did little to tarnish that thought. The right-hander worked two spotless frames to begin the outing, before the Guardians kicked off scoring in the third inning. With two quick outs already on the board, Brayan Rocchio was the rally starter, pitching in with a double, quickly being scored by another two-bagger from Daniel Schneemann. Before the inning was over, José Ramírez upped the Cleveland lead to 2-0 with a single into left field.
Aside from the two-out rally the Guards staged against him, Mize’s afternoon was another good one, as he ended up working 6.2 quality innings against his division’s first place club, with the two runs in the third inning being the only real mark on his record for the day.
Cantillo exited the game for Cleveland in the sixth, after recording a pair of outs, though the Tigers’ bats wouldn’t have much more luck against their bullpen. In the top half of the eighth, the Guardians tacked on some insurance against Burch Smith out of the Detroit ‘pen, when former Platinum Glover Patrick Bailey swatted his second homer of the season, a solo shot.
The Tigers finally woke up a bit in the eighth inning. Squaring off against Tim Herrin, Dillon Dingler led off the inning with a solo shot of his own, his ninth long ball of the 2026 season.
Despite a little bit of life out of the Tigers late in the game, it was too little, too late. Hunter Gaddis came in for the ninth out of the Guardians’ bullpen, the sixth pitcher they used in the game, and quickly locked things down for the save. The win marked the 30th for the Guardians in 2026, while the Tigers fall to 11 games below .500, as they find themselves in last place in the AL Central.
It’s Friday, usually the day after my day to do the game recap. They didn’t win because they did’t play, but I have yet to write a winning game recap this season. Well, I won’t be writing a losing one next week – they’re off again on Thursday.
As such, I’m feeling a little grouchy. Okay, more than a little. It’s cloudy outside, it’s in the 60s the day before most pools open, the Timberwolves are out of the playoffs and miles behind the Spurs and Thunder, I’m currently in a reading funk, there’s no new episode of Widow’s Bay (my new fave show, which you should totes watch) until next week, and oh the Royals are awful.
Yes, awful. They’re losing a ton of games, and they’re not even fun to watch. Bad pitching, bad hitting, bad baserunning (okay, atrocious baserunning), and bad defense. To boot, they have a bad manager and a bad front office.
Outside of Bobby Witt Jr., there’s not really a reason to watch this team. It’s a collective group of disappointments.
But what player has been the biggest disappointment?
I have five candidates—three everyday players and two starting pitchers—for the offending dishonor, and at the end, Dear Reader, you’ll get to decide via vote. I’m taking these guys in alphabetical order. Bear witness.
Jac Caglianone
Jac is the only one of the five candidates with a positive bWAR, which is currently at 0.8. The 23-year-old right fielder looks better than he did last year, but that’s a low bar. He’s still striking out entirely too much (30%!) while his on-base percentage is sub-optimal. Luck seems to be on his side, too, as he’s hitting .344 (as compared to .172 last year) on balls in play.
Despite a couple of bloop singles last night, he looks horrible against lefties. For the year, he’s slashing .205/.225/.333 against southpaws with only three extra-base hits. His last at-bat against the Red Sox ended with the expected, an ugly whiff against the lefty Jovani Moran.
As noted, he does have a positive WAR, and he has improved over his trainwreck of a rookie season. But he’s still not tearing it up, he’s not the power threat the Royals need him to be, and seems to take personally every out he makes. Add in that the guy taken right after him in the 2024 draft is rocking it across the state, and yeah, Jac’s leaving a bit to be desired.
Noah Cameron
The Royals would not have finished 2025 with a winning record were it not for Noah Cameron. With the pitching staff injured, maligned, or otherwise ineffective, Cameron sparkled during his rookie season, finishing 4th in the American League Rookie of the Year voting as he went 9-7 with a 2.99 ERA across 24 starts and 138.1 innings pitched.
It’s been a quick, precipitous fall in 2026 for the local kid.
Cameron’s started all eight of his appearances this season, but his ERA’s jumped to 5.40. To his credit, Cameron has actually lowered his FIP and increased his strikeout rate but he’s also walking more batters and surrendering 10.6 hits per nine innings, an increase of over three hits per nine from last year.
His biggest culprit are the balls hit in play against him. Last year batters slashed .214/.279/.361 against him with over 41% of batted balls being hit on the ground. This season, those numbers are much worse for Cameron. Now, batters are lighting him up to the tune of .287/.337/.468. Groundballs have decreased by nearly 11% while hard-hit balls have increased over 6%—from 37.4% to 43.8%. Line drives are up 9%.
It’s great that Cameron remains durable while the pitching staff takes some hits, but with a fully healthy staff, he’s probably relegated to the bullpen.
Vinnie Pasquantino
Strangeness is that Vinnie is struggling so badly while madness is that whoever fills out the lineup card—and I have my doubts that it’s Quatraro 100% of the time—keeps putting him in the middle of the order.
Vinnie’s struggles feel more than him being a slow starter. Not only does he look frustrated out on the diamond—which is understandable—he looks lost. Is he pressing? I mean, I get it if he is. He’s supposed to be one of the team leaders, and it’s hard to lead with an OPS 28% below league average. Is he hurt? What’s up with him?
Whatever the reason, Pasquantino, 28 and arbitration-eligible for the next two years, is having the worst year of his career when the Royals obviously need to him to have…not the worst year of his career. Of the three batters on this list, I’m most confident of Vinnie to snap out of it, but time’s running out for that to make much of a difference.
Salvador Perez
Did Salvy’s tweet, or X post, about not needing a mental breather sour him to anyone else? I lost not a small amount of respect for him when he used social media to express his disagreement with getting an off day. That type of exchange needs to occur behind closed doors, not in the open.
Aside from that, I went into Perez at length when I posited some ways for the Royals to handle their aging slugger. He’s had two multi-hit games since then with a pair of homers and three walks. And yet, his OPS+ is 77 (23% league average) and he still looks like he’s stuck in cement.
Barring injury, he’ll undoubtedly pass George Brett’s franchise record for career home runs this season. That may be his, and the team’s, only highlight of 2026.
Salvador Perez keeps it just inside the foul pole for his 8th home run of the season! pic.twitter.com/KX1L1660tP
I wanted to avoid players on the IL as much as possible, which is why I didn’t list Jonathan India, who’s out for the year, or Carlos Estevez, who barely pitched.
Ragans is different, though. He’s already pitched a fair amount this season and should have the chance to pitch plenty more.
In 2024, his first full season with the Royals, Ragans looked like a budding ace, a pitcher who has the stuff that could someday win him the Cy Young. Injuries derailed his 2025, but it’s been ineffectiveness that’s curtailed his 2026.
The culprits: walks, fly balls, and home runs. Working in reverse, Ragans is allowing home runs at the worst rate of his career, giving them up 6.6% of the time, which is almost double his previous worst mark. Batters are slugging .488 against him, also the worst of his career, and by far the worst during his time in Kansas City. It’s up over 100 points from last year!
Related, his fly ball percentage has jumped from 27% last year to 37.3% this year. Perhaps most concerning, though, is his walk rate: Ragans is walking 15.2% of the batters he faces as compared to 7.8% last year and 8.8% in 2024.
Hopefully he’s corrected himself during his time on the IL.
Alright, Readers, time for you to vote: what Royals player has been the biggest disappointment so far in 2026?
MIAMI, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 28: The Miami Marlins team pose for a group photo after their final game of the season against the New York Mets at loanDepot park on September 28, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Tomas Diniz Santos/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New York Mets (22-28) return to the scene of the crime (the conclusion of their 2025 collapse) as they prepare to seek some revenge against the Miami Marlins (22-29). You will remember that the Amazins were shut out 4-0 in the final game of the 2025 season, which prevented them from earning a postseason spot as the Reds also lost their final game of the season. That game also helped Miami steal the season series from New York, taking seven of the 13 games that the two teams played.
The team’s series against the Nationals was a mixed bag, resulting in a 2-2 split in Washington DC. The team sandwiched the series win wins, 16-7 on Monday and 2-1 on Thursday, while enduring rough losses in the middle of 9-6 on Tuesday and 8-4 on Wednesday. The wins could not have been any different, as they used a 10-run twelfth inning to bludgeon the Nationals after escaping the first nine innings tied at 5-5. They originally trailed 3-1, then grabbed a 5-3 lead, then slowly let that slip away when the Nationals tied it in the eighth. It’s not often you see a position player pitching in extra innings. Then in the series finale, the team that has scored the most runs in the league and given up the most runs in the league only scored one and allowed two, which was enough for the Mets to earn the hard fought victory, courtesy of David Peterson and a great performance from the bullpen.
The two middle games were incredibly sloppy and disheartening, especially for a team that, coming into Tuesday night, had won six of its last seven contests. You could make a case for Tuesday being the team’s worst loss of 2026, as they blew past Washington in the early innings, building a 5-0 lead on the back of two two-run homers from a suddenly-rejuvenized Bo Bichette. With Nolan McLean on the mound, the Mets and the Flushing Faithful felt like this on in the bag, but it was not to be, as McLean was not as sharp as he normally is, and the defense let him down. This game featured an inside the park grand slam, which is another wacky rarity you don’t see much these days. Wednesday featured Zach Thornton’s major league debut, which did not go great, as the Nats’ bats jumped all over him early. Juan Soto tried to keep the Mets in this one, hitting two monstrous home runs along the way, but it was not enough for New York.
One positive to take away from the team’s recent series was the play of Bichette, who came to life after looking lifeless for much of the early portion of the season. Entering Monday with just two homers on the season, he hit three in the four games, and hit the decisive two-run single in the third inning of Thursday’s win. Overall, he went 7-for-18 in the series while driving in nine of the team’s 28 runs and scoring five of them. Juan Soto continued his torrid pace, recording 6 hits in 16 at-bats with three homers of his own. Dating back to May 14, he has five homers in his last eight games.
There is probably nothing more encouraging than the recent play of top prospect Carson Benge, who led the club with eight hits in the series. Over the month of May, he’s slashing .351/.400/.459 and is second to Soto with an .859 OPS. This is especially encouraging after he finished April with a .189/.247/.289 slash line and a team-worst .525 OPS (among qualified hitters). He’s shown a quick adjustment after a slow start, especially as he’s learned to hit pitchers that are higher in the zone and muscle them into the outfield for hits, something we’ve seen a lot more in recent days. Benge is second in the NL in batting average during the month of May.
The only person who has a higher batting average is Otto Lopez (.370), who suits up for the last place Marlins. The Marlins lost three of four to the Braves, falling 8-4, 9-1, and 9-3 after stunning Atlanta 12-0 in the opening game of the series. The three losses, paired with New York’s win yesterday, moved Miami into last place in the National League East.
As mentioned, Lopez leads the team in batting average in May, as well as wRC+ (144) and OPS (.870). On the season, the shortstop is slashing .342/.373/.487 with a 140 wRC+ and a team-best 2.2 fWAR. The only person with a higher wRC+ is Xavier Edwards at 149. Edwards enters play hitting .316/.395/.484 with a 2.0 fWAR in a team-high 51 games. Their catcher, Liam Hicks, leads the way with nine home runs and 42 runs batted in (exactly double the player who is second on their team, which is also Lopez). He owns a 126 wRC+ and a 0.9 fWAR in 48 games.
Friday, May 22: Tobias Myers vs. Eury Pérez, 7:10 PM EDT on WPIX
Myers has been a weapon for the Mets out of the pen this year, acting as a swiss army knife who is versatile enough to take on many roles. He can give them length, or pitch one high leverage inning to preserve a lead, and now he will take on a new role as a starter to give Freddy Peralta, Christian Scott, and Nolan McLean an extra day of rest. With the Mets in the middle of a 16-games-in-16-days stretch, those pitchers have logged a lot of innings, so the rest will do them some good. This is technically Myers’ second start of the year, as he served as an opener and pitched two shutout innings against the Cubs back on April 19 in an eventual loss.
Pérez has had a rough start to his 2026 campaign, with an ERA that’s over one run higher than his final line from 2025. Since earning his second win of the season back on April 19—an outing that saw him allow just one unearned run on three hits with seven strikeouts over six innings against the Brewers—the right-hander has lost each of his last five starts. In that stretch, he’s allowed 19 earned runs over 26 1/3 innings (6.49 ERA). In that stretch, he’s walked 16, struck out 31, and has posted a 5.77 FIP. He’s allowed at least four earned runs in three of those five starts.
Saturday, May 23: Freddy Peralta vs. Max Meyer, 4:10 PM EDT on SNY
In his last start against the Yankees, Peralta allowed three earned runs on two hits over five-plus innings, with two of the three runs crossing the plate after he exited the game. The right-hander didn’t do himself any favors, as he walked a season-high six while striking out four. In fact, just 44 of the 96 pitches (46%) he ended up throwing were strikes, and it’s generally rare to see a starting pitcher throw fewer than 50% of their pitches for strikes. For the record, that’s the most batters he’s walked in a game since issuing six free passes as a member of the Brewers back on May 5, 2024.
Meyer, the third overall pick int he 2022 MLB Draft, has broken out in this, his fourth big league season for the Marlins. The right-hander, who posted a -0.1 bWAR in two starts in 2022, a -0.2 bWAR in 11 starts in 2024(he missed all of 2023 with injuries) and a 0.0 bWAR in 12 starts last year, has posted a 1.7 bWAR in 10 starts for Miami this year. He’s currently ninth in the NL in HR/9 (0.67) and ninth in K% (26.7%) while also posting a very respectable 8.4% BB%. His last time out, he shut out the Braves over six innings, scattering three hits while striking out six and walking two.
Sunday, May 24: Christian Scott vs. TBD, 1:40 PM EDT on SNY
The Mets have won four of Scott’s five outings so far this year, but he has yet to factor in the decision for any of them and enters this start still seeking his first career major league victory. The right-hander lasted just four innings his last time out while allowing three earned runs (a season high) on four hits. He walked three and struck out five, and his pitch count reached 81, which led to his exit. He threw 49 of those pitches (60%) for strikes.
TBD
The Marlins have not named a starter for Sunday’s game.
COVERS INTEL: The Giants are 
