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Novak Djokovic says he and Andy Murray felt they “couldn’t get more” out of their short-lived partnership. The 24-time grand slam title winner parted ways with his former on-court rival Murray last week following six months working together.
Djokovic has entered the Geneva Open as a wildcard as he builds towards the French Open, which begins on Sunday.
Continue reading...When you look at the body of work of the former bat boy for MLB’s Milwaukee Brewers, you think of a guy who steps in and takes his cuts. And they usually work out. Yes, Florida GM Bill Zito’s acquisitions of the likes of Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Brandon Montour, Sam Bennett, Vladimir Tarasenko and Seth Jones have indeed been works of art.
But you don’t often think a waiver pick-up during the pandemic would turn out the way it did. That Gustav Forsling went from a castoff to a vital cog on the Panthers’ blueline and a $5.75-million-a-year player is one of the more inspiring stories in the NHL.
The 28-year-old is with his fourth NHL organization, but the Panthers can’t envision life without the puck-moving stalwart, so much so that Zito signed Forsling to an eight-year, $46-million deal in March 2024.
That’s a far cry from being drafted by the Vancouver Canucks and being traded before even playing a game. And from toiling for the Chicago Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate in Rockford. And from being dealt to the Carolina Hurricanes, who don’t even bother to put you on their roster for the pandemic playoff tournament in the bubble.
“I went back to Sweden for COVID, and I came really close to signing with a couple teams there,” Forsling said. “I had a long summer that year. Looking back at it, it was very hard mentally. You really have to believe in yourself. I’m really proud of the journey.”
He should be. It was after the pandemic, during training camp in January 2021, that Zito saw almost no risk in picking up Forsling off waivers. Forsling was a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, so there wasn’t even any real commitment. But it goes back to long before that, all the way back to when Zito was the assistant GM in Columbus and was getting glowing reports from Blake Geoffrion, then the assistant GM of the Blue Jackets’ farm team.
Geoffrion probably knows a hockey player when he sees one since he, his father (Danny), grandfather (‘Boom Boom’) and great-grandfather (Howie Morenz) all played in the NHL.
“He kept telling us, ‘There’s this guy in Rockford I really like,’ ” Zito said. “So when we were looking at signing him, we had ‘Q’ (coach Joel Quenneville) and Ulfie (Samuelsson), who had coached him, and Paul Krepelka, who had him in Carolina. So, as we gather intel and collect information, you have seven yeses, two maybes and zero noes, plus he’s on waivers. So where’s the downside?”
As dejected as Forsling was about the way his NHL career was going, he used his time during the pandemic to put in the work on his strength and conditioning. And, suddenly, a player who seemed a little too slight to defend against the best players in the world was winning the conditioning competition in training camp with the Panthers.
“Everybody is competing for second now,” Zito said.
Forsling is now so durable he regularly logs 20-plus minutes a game in all situations. And when Aaron Ekblad was suspended 20 games for using a banned performance-enhancing substance, Florida leaned on Forsling and the newly acquired Jones to do the heavy lifting on the back end. As flawed a stat as plus-minus is, Forsling led the entire league with a plus-56 last season and was top 10 again this season with a plus-33.
But his finest moment came last spring, as he became something of the alpha male on the Panthers’ blueline on their journey to the first Stanley Cup in franchise history. Forsling led the Panthers in ice time and paced Florida D-men in scoring with four goals and 13 points in 24 games.
Forsling has definitely found his place and his NHL home in South Florida. Until last season, when he and his wife had a baby boy, Forsling would keep a fishing rod and tackle box in the back of his car and would often pull off the road on the way home from practice to do some pond fishing. He can’t do that anymore, but someday, he’ll be able to take his son with him. After all, he’s in town for another seven years.
“This business is a lot about getting the opportunity and taking the opportunity when you get it,” Forsling said. “And I think I’ve done that.”
This article appeared in our 2025 Top 100 NHLers issue. This issue focuses on the 100 best players currently in the NHL, with the Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon sitting atop the list. We also include features on Alex Ovechkin finally beating Wayne Gretzky's goal-scoring record, and former CFL running back Andrew Harris' switch to semi-professional hockey. In addition, we provide a PWHL playoff preview as the regular season nears its end.
You can get it in print for free when you subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/Free today. All subscriptions include complete access to more than 76 years of articles at The Hockey News Archive.
As has been said even before last year’s NBA draft, this wasn’t the most impressive rookie class to come through the league. However, it does have some quality players who are going to help their teams going forward. Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle is at the top of that list.
Those players were rewarded by being named to the NBA All-Rookie Teams, which were announced on Tuesday.
Stephon Castle (Spurs)
Jaylen Wells (Grizzlies)
Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks)
Zach Edey (Grizzlies)
Alex Sarr (Wizards)
The 2024-25 Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team:
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 20, 2025
▪️ Stephon Castle of @spurs
▪️ Zach Edey of @memgrizz
▪️ Zaccharie Risacher of @ATLHawks
▪️ Alex Sarr of @WashWizards
▪️ Jaylen Wells of @memgrizzpic.twitter.com/gkQrfA7o96
Matas Buzelis (Bulls)
Yves Missi (Pelicans)
Donovan Clingan (Trail Blazers)
Kel’el Ware (Heat)
Bub Carrington (Wizards)
If you’re looking for a snub (which is a dubious argument with this class), look no further than Utah, where Isaiah Collier (who had a strong second half of the season) and Kyle Filipowski were both were left off the teams. Here is a look at the voting (done by a global panel of 100 media members).
A global media panel of 100 voters selected the 2024-25 Kia NBA All-Rookie Team.
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 20, 2025
The complete voting results ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/z50948YPcu
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague finished the final year of a three-year, $2,294,150 contract he signed with the franchise, making him a restricted free agent this offseason and a player who could garner a lot of interest from other teams.
Hague has spent every minute of his NHL career as a Golden Knight. Drafted in the second round (34th overall) in the 2017 NHL draft, the 26-year-old has played 364 games with the organization, scoring 20 goals and 83 points. He played a large role in their Stanley Cup win and has been integral to their defensive game, imposing his will physically on a nightly basis.
Despite the strong relationship the franchise and the player have built, some uncertainty about Hague's future exists. Hague is the only current Golden Knights defenseman without a contract heading into the 2025-26 season, and the Golden Knights have multiple defensemen waiting for their opportunity.
Kaedan Korczak has been patiently waiting for a full-time chance in the NHL. The 24-year-old has played 66 games throughout the previous two seasons, showcasing that he can be relied upon and is ready for the next step in his career. He's signed for $825,000 next season and will be an RFA following the conclusion of the contract.
Additionally, another top Golden Knights defensive prospect is waiting to make an impact at the NHL level. Lukas Cormier missed nearly the entire season recovering from an injury but impressed with the Henderson Silver Knights in the AHL in limited opportunities, recording nine assists in 19 games.
The 23-year-old requires a contract and will lose his waiver eligibility, meaning the Golden Knights will need to place him on waivers during the preseason if they want to send him to the AHL, where he'll likely be claimed. It's a similar situation to Korczak's of this season, but the log jam at the backend is even greater now.
The contract implications could force the Golden Knights' hand when referring to Hague's future with the team. Alternatively, the Golden Knights could trade Cormier or Korczak and retain Hague, but if they want the best possible return, Hague certainly has the most value.
The Golden Knights also run the risk of Hague signing an offer sheet, although most signs point to Hague being disinterested in doing so.
General manager Kelly McCrimmon handled most of his unrestricted free agent business throughout the season but has his hands full with the contract extensions for RFAs and veteran UFAs.
Stay updated with the most interesting Golden Knights stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.
Golden Knights Prioritizing Jack Eichel Contract ExtensionVegas Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel is under contract for the 2025-26 season but becomes eligible for a contract extension on July 1. The franchise plans to prioritize this business this offseason.
Golden Knights' Pending Free Agent Hoping To Stay In VegasReilly Smith is coming to the end of a three-year, $5M contract he signed with the Vegas Golden Knights, but maintains he wants to remain a Golden Knight.
Wade knocks Butler's ‘bad offense' in Warriors' playoff elimination originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Retired Miami Heat icon Dwyane Wade wasn’t a fan of Jimmy Butler’s offensive approach leading up to the Warriors’ Western Conference semifinals loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In Tuesday’s edition of WY Network’s “Time Out with Dwyane Wade,” the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee was critical of Butler, also his Chicago Bulls teammate during the 2016-17 NBA season.
“I think the thing with Jimmy is, I didn’t like the way he just approached the game,” Wade said (h/t Bleacher Report’s Julia Stumbaugh). “I know Jimmy is a pass-first guy. I know he’s about getting his teammates the ball, and wants to see them shine. But it’s a point where, you’re getting [$60 million.] This ain’t working. You got to go. He won’t look at the basket. And I’ve seen this before. I’ve seen it in the Heat jersey.
Butler was solid during the NBA playoffs, but not the superstar the Warriors needed with point guard Steph Curry sidelined by an ill-timed Grade 1 hamstring strain.
Butler averaged 20.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.6 assists in Golden State’s six games against Minnesota, a minimal jump from his 17.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists during the 2024-25 NBA regular season.
To Wade’s point, Butler’s playoff passiveness didn’t correlate with the veteran forward’s pricy contract, nor the Curry-less Warriors’ offensive needs.
“Jimmy Butler’s too good of a basketball player to not have his imprint on the game,” Wade said. “And sorry, sir. When it’s time for you to take over, you just have to. And even when you can’t do it, from the standpoint of you ain’t making no shots, I don’t care. Shoot. It’s bad offense if you’re not shooting. Getting too close in that paint, and not putting that ball up to that basket, that’s bad offense.”
Wade has known Butler as “Playoff Jimmy” for the Heat. But, to Golden State’s dismay, Butler remained Robin when his new team desperately needed Batman.
Man charged with giving alcohol to fan who fell at Pirates game at PNC Park originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
A man has been charged with providing alcohol to a Pittsburgh Pirates fan who was critically injured in a fall onto the field at PNC Park during a game against the Chicago Cubs last month.
Ethan Kirkwood, 21, faces criminal charges for “furnishing alcohol to a minor” who ultimately fell off a wall in the outfield of the park, Pennsylvania State Police said Tuesday.
The incident occurred late last month, when Kavan Markwood was caught on video celebrating a play and flipping over a railing onto the home field.
The 20-year-old plunged two stories after celebrating Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen hitting a two-run double that gave the Pirates a 4-3 lead over the Cubs in the seventh inning.
Markwood appeared motionless on the field before being rushed to an area hospital in critical condition.
More than 11,000 people were in the stadium that Wednesday night, falling silent as players took a knee.
Pittsburgh Public Safety said the incident was accidental, not criminal.
In his first interview since the dramatic incident, Markwood told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review he has “broken everything.”
“I’m all right,” he told the outlet on May 7. “I can’t really sleep. I have a lot of back pain.”
A GoFundMe set up by his girlfriend’s mother said Markwood broke his neck, clavicle and back.
“I think when I get home I’ll just put ice on it,” Markwood told the Tribune-Review, saying he would speak more once released from the hospital.
Markwood said he had not watched the horrifying video of his fall over the Roberto Clemente Wall, the Tribune-Review reported.
The update from Markwood himself came after his sister, Taryn Markwood, said in a statement on May 5 that her brother was breathing on his own, able to speak and squeeze her hand.
“To the Pirates and Cubs players, coaches, staff, and all who paused to take a knee in prayer during that tragic moment — your compassion did not go unnoticed,” Taryn Markwood said in her statement. “It brought a sense of unity and hope amidst the chaos.”
The South Allegheny School District said Markwood graduated in 2022 and was a football standout, with first-team all-conference honors and being named team MVP.
The Chicago Blackhawks haven’t made the playoffs in a while, especially if you don’t count the COVID bubble of 2020. Still, that doesn’t mean that fans can’t watch some of their old favorites make runs with different teams here in 2025.
Six players who used to suit up for the Blackhawks are still participating in the postseason. It is about to be the Conference Finals. In the West, the Dallas Stars will take on the Edmonton Oilers for the second year in a row. In the East, the Florida Panthers will play against the Carolina Hurricanes.
One of these six will hoist the Stanley Cup next month.
Seth Jones
Seth Jones was traded to the Florida Panthers earlier this season. The major return for Chicago in the deal was goaltender Spencer Knight. Jones made it clear that he didn’t want to be in Chicago anymore so Kyle Davidson found a deal that worked. He was Florida’s best player in Game 7 of their second round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs so they are going to be happy with the move going forward. Now that he’s in Florida, he is “one of the guys” instead of “the guy” which has helped his game.
Gustav Forsling
Like Jones, Forsling is a defenseman on the Florida Panthers who previously played in Chicago. The difference is that the Blackhawks never would have guessed the superstar that Forsling would become. In between his tenure in Chicago and Florida, the Carolina Hurricanes put him on waivers. Now, along with Seth Jones and a few other studs, Forsling dominates on the Florida blue line.
Taylor Hall
Taylor Hall never made it public that he wanted to be traded. In fact, it felt like he wanted to be a part of the solution for a little bit. Something clearly changed after the Winter Classic though and he was moved to the Carolina Hurricanes. Since going there, the former Hart Trophy winner has elevated his game to a level that he hasn’t been at in a long time. He isn’t an MVP candidate anymore, but he fits in well with that Carolina system as they roll four lines consistently with great pace.
Colin Blackwell
Colin Blackwell doesn’t play every game but he does find ways to make an impact when he does draw in. As a fourth line player at this point, he can be relied on for energy throughout a hard fought game. Blackwell, unlike most players in NHL history, has an overtime game winner already this postseason. With a speedy Oilers team coming up for the Dallas Stars, we may see a tad bit more of Blackwell.
Mattias Janmark
Mattias Janmark was only a member of the Blackhawks for parts of one season. It was the 2020-21 season where he played 41 games for Chicago before being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights. He was a useful bottom-six forward back then and he is doing the same thing to this day for the Edmonton Oilers. Janmark is playing for a trip to the Stanley Cup Final for the second year in a row.
Corey Perry
Corey Perry is a borderline Hall of Fame player. He only spent a few months with the Blackhawks in 2023-24 before an off-ice incident forced him off the team. He has since been with the Edmonton Oilers. If Perry and the Oilers make it to the Final, it will be his fifth trip to the final in the last six years. That includes four different teams but 0 Cups to show for it. He did win it with the Anaheim Ducks, his primary NHL team in his career, in 2007. For being 40 years old, he’s an impactful player looking to make a difference in the Conference Final once again. His ability to play anywhere in the lineup at his age makes him extra valuable.
The matchups this year are extra exciting. There is going to be some great hockey played on the biggest stage, and a handful of former Blackhawks are worth keeping an eye on throughout.
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.
EDMONTON – You can never have too much depth.
The Edmonton Oilers' depth has been crucial in the playoffs. Corey Perry, Adam Henrique, Connor Brown, and Kasperi Kapanen have been producing timely goals and holding their own defensively.
Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more.
Elsewhere, the Oilers have a prospect participating in the KHL playoffs. Maxim Beryozkin and Yaroslavl Lokomotiv are one win away from claiming the Gagarin Cup in a best-of-seven series against Chelyabinsk Traktor.
Beryozkin has had a great season, breaking milestones and progressively improving his play and production.
Here are three reasons why the Oilers will sign him sooner rather than later.
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The most obvious reason the Oilers will be able to sign Beryozkin is that he won’t be signed in the KHL for much longer. His KHL contract will expire on May 31st, 2025. At the time of this writing, there is no extension in place to remain in the KHL.
Beryozkin has been a full-time KHL player for three seasons. Each year, he has increased his offensive production. In 2024-25, he finished the year with 15 goals, 27 assists, and 42 points in 66 games. He also fired 143 shots on goal, threw 63 hits, and played 15:55 a night.
He’s taken things up a notch with his play during the KHL playoffs.
Beryozkin has 14 points in 20 games, nine of which are goals. He’s remained consistent with his shooting rate, having fired 46 shots on net. He’s increased his physical intensity (41 hits) while playing almost two additional minutes per game (17:43).
Lokomotiv scored first for the first time in #GagarinCupFinal!
— KHL (@khl_eng) May 19, 2025
Maxim Beryozkin got his 3rd goal of the Finals 🚨 pic.twitter.com/evB0ES36h9
The 23-year-old Russian winger is built to withstand the rigors of the NHL physically. According to his player profile on the KHL website, he is 211 lbs (96 kg) and a shade over 6-foot-3 (192 cm).
Beryozkin has increased his hitting rate from around one hit per game to over two hits per game. This is hard to do if you aren’t up to the task physically.
The problem with most prospects who try to make it into the NHL isn’t their skill-level, it’s handling the physical toll that playing against men every day takes on your body. Being able to withstand a long season (and postseason) while ramping up your physical play should be all that Oilers management and fans need to hear to get excited about Beryozkin.
Of course, it takes two to tango, and Beryozkin and his camp need to be interested in crossing the pond to play in North America. However, the Oilers could have an inexpensive impact player on their hands.
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After a 64-win season behind a core four of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, the Cleveland Cavaliers were penciled in as a lock Eastern Conference Finals participant. After cruising in the first round past Miami, it looked like making the Finals was within reach.
Then Indiana — and injuries — came in with an eraser and wiped out those plans, leaving only questions behind.
Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman answered those questions saying the Cavaliers were going to run it back, speaking with the media Monday, via Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
"We’re disappointed how it ended. But it was a remarkable year on so many fronts and you guys were all invested in this. We’re not going to go anywhere. We’re going to keep fighting for that championship and this window is wide open, we believe...
“I love our foundation. I love our core. Our starting lineup, the average age is 26.8. We have two All-Stars that are 25 (Garland) and 23 (Mobley), respectively, and they’re going through it, they’re going through these experiences, they’re going through these battles and we’re sustainable in a lot of ways, not just because guys are under contract, but our youth... Us figuring out our offensive identity happened this year and so I’m really high on and optimistic about our future. That being said, it can’t just be 82 games. We have to figure out this next 16, we have to figure out how to get over the hump."
There had been calls in some quarters for the Cavaliers to do something radical — try and trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo? Trade Jarrett Allen? — to improve their chances. Don't bet on anything drastic happening.
“If we were going to be reactionary, it would have been last year after everything that was written about that group, and all the rumors and all this and that and we stood pat and look what happened, right? I think the same thing now as you lean in even more to what we’re building, the culture that we have here, the internal growth, the youth, the sustainability of that. I think there’s a championship window that we have here that’s wide open and that’s one that we’re going to try to pursue next year and the year after and the year after and so forth. We’re not done by any stretch."
Considering the Jayson Tatum injury throwing the Celtics' ability to contend next season into serious doubt, and with Antetokounmpo possibly being traded out of the conference, this is the right play by Altman. Don’t break this thing up now, the East should be down next season. That doesn't mean there is an easy path past the Knicks, Pacers, and improving teams like Orlando and Detroit, but the Cavaliers were held back this year by injuries — especially Garland suffering turf toe — and the team could use a little more veteran grit. However, these Cavaliers should not be one-and-done.
Do expect Altman to make some changes. It's possible that after a strong season, the market for free agent Ty Jerome may be too rich for the Cavaliers, and they will be looking for veterans and win-now guys to help round out the roster.
However, expect the Cavaliers' core to be back for another run at a ring.
Kinda, who played four seasons for Sporting Kansas City, died after being hospitalized with a ‘complex medical battle’
Former Sporting Kansas City midfielder Gadi Kinda died, his club Maccabi Haifa FC announced on Tuesday. He was 31.
Kinda was hospitalized while “going through a complex medical battle in recent weeks,” Maccabi Haifa announced two weeks ago.
Continue reading...We’re now officially more than one quarter of the way through the MLB season and it’s getting increasingly difficult to find standout players on the waiver wire.
So, we need to look a bit deeper to find gems. Fear not, because there are still a handful of available players that have the chance to be difference makers in both the short and long term.
D.J. Short
D.J. ShortHere are three players that are under 40% rostered on Yahoo leagues that you should strongly consider adding.
If you want a larger list, Eric Samulski wrote his extended waiver wire piece on Sunday.
A chaotic start to Beck’s season has turned into what appears to be a sustainable breakout that’s put him on our radar in 12-team leagues.
Beck made the Rockies’ opening day roster, but was sent down on April 6th after going 3-for-23 and striking out in nearly one third of his plate appearances. While it was a terrible week of play, it was inconceivable for Colorado to give one of their better prospects such a short leash. Alas, their rampant dysfunction is well known.
Ironically, Beck was recalled from Triple-A just 13 days later after going 5-for-37 down there and showing absolutely no signs of improvement.
Of course, he immediately hit the ground running upon his return with a five-homer barrage across three games. That surge pushed him to the top of the lineup because again, the Rockies are just managing their team based on vibes, and he hasn’t looked back.
Beck has hit either first, second, or third in each of the Rockies last 22 games and has eight home runs, two stolen bases, and a .992 OPS since being recalled. If nothing else, his power is legit with 80th percentile bat speed, consistent hard contact, and a knack for both lifting and pulling the ball.
Most importantly for Beck, his strikeouts are in check at the moment. He had an untenable 35.3% strikeout rate through 55 games as a rookie last season which halted any chance he had to be productive. That’s come all the way down to 26.7% since he came back from the minors.
That shrinking strikeout rate is supported by a chase rate that’s drifting towards league average. He’s ‘improved’ there by swinging less often, so we’re still waiting on better swing decisions from him in the zone and a better contact rate in general since his swing is so long and lends itself to plenty of whiffs.
Yet, even nominal improvements in these areas have made him much more productive. Those along with loud tools and a top-of-the-order spot makes him a fun waiver wire option
Just be mindful of the Rockies’ schedule. They just began a six-game homestand that ends this coming Sunday and will give way to a nine-game road trip. Beck hasn’t shown a strong home/road splits – .871 OPS in Coors Field, .928 OPS on the road – so far though in a small sample.
What’s long been an intriguing profile for Barger looks even better at the moment at the same time he has steady playing time in Toronto.
Most notably, he has some of the best raw power in the league. He’s already hit a ball 116.5 mph this season – one of just 12 players in the league to hit a ball that hard – and is near the top of practically every Statcast Leaderboard regarding power. Often times, he accidentally finds his way into conversations that include the best power hitters in the game.
James Wood had three batted balls hit harder than 107 MPH in this game
— James Schiano (@James_Schiano) May 15, 2025
It’s the second time he’s done that this year
He joined Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, and Addison Barger as the only players to do so in two different games this season
Stupid power, budding superstar pic.twitter.com/tNxznk2veE
Moreover, Barger has drastically improved his swing decisions so far this season compared to last. He was a bit of a mess at the plate in 2024 during his first go-around as a big leaguer chasing too many pitches out of the strike zone and not swinging at nearly enough when they were in it.
This season, he’s totally flipped the script on each and is currently far better than league average in both regards. The sample isn’t very large yet at just 80 plate appearances, but he showed high-end plate discipline through the upper minors which makes this huge adjustment believable.
So, we have plus swing decisions and plus-plus power. That’s a strong foundation for a waiver claim. Barger has also played 10 games in a row at third base, making him someone that’s well worthy of our attention.
Those 10 consecutive starts began when Andrés Giménez went on the injured list with a quad strain. While he still has no timetable to return, he’s expected to begin running again this coming weekend which won’t put him too far off from being activated.
Of course, Giménez’s return isn’t guaranteed to put Barger back on the bench. He’s a capable corner outfielder and the Blue Jays have willingly played him there both this season and last. Right now, Nathan Lukes, Jonatan Clase, and Myles Straw are getting regular reps out there. If Barger can hit enough, he’ll remain a regular.
His underlying stats are too good right now to leave on the waiver wire in deeper leagues. There’s a strong chance production will follow.
The Guardians made a somewhat strange move to acquire Cecconi this offseason as well as a Competitive Balance Round B draft pick from the Diamondbacks in exchange for Josh Naylor. They were fresh off a division championship and ALCS appearance with Naylor as a key contributor.
Yet, their starting pitching depth wore thin as the season went on and they’re not the type of organization to spend big money on pitching in free agency.
So, they took the opportunity to dump Naylor and his one remaining year of team control to take a shot on the 26-year-old Cecconi and his 6.06 ERA across 104 major league innings.
Cecconi had always exhibited solid command and a true four-pitch mix with Arizona, just without much swing-and-miss to his game. He was set to compete for their opening day rotation before allowing 10 ER in five spring innings and then wound up on the injured list with an oblique strain.
He worked his way through a trio of rehab starts over the past few weeks and had a strong season debut last weekend against the Reds where he struck out eight without walking a batter through five-plus innings and allowed three runs. All three of those runs came against the final six batters he faced.
Those strikeouts were encouraging as well as some subtle changes he made to his repertoire. Cecconi showed a new cutter that was a tick harder than his slider with tighter movement that he threw regularly against right-handed batters. Also, he drastically reduced his fastball usage against lefties in exchange for more changeups and curveballs. That fastball averaged just above 95 mph too, up from 94 mph last season.
In all, Cecconi forced 15 swings-and-misses including five each with his fastball and slider. He showed enough to believe in as a potential streamer moving forward.
The only catch is his upcoming schedule: he’s set to face the Tigers this week followed by the Dodgers, Yankees, and Astros over the next few weeks. Those are not matchups we’d be running to stream him in.
So, Cecconi is worthy of a speculative add at the moment because the changes he’s made makes him seem like someone who will wind up trustworthy, it just may take a few weeks before that trust is built.
Alex Cora addresses missing game to celebrate daughter's graduation originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Alex Cora shouldn’t have to justify choosing family over baseball for one out of 162 games, but he was left answering questions about his decision on Tuesday.
The Boston Red Sox manager missed Monday’s home game against the New York Mets to celebrate his daughter Camila’s graduation from Boston College. Since the graduation occurred hours before the game’s 6:45 p.m. ET first pitch, Cora was criticized for his absence.
Here’s how he responded to that criticism:
“People have their own opinions,” Cora told reporters. “I bet those people have families, too, and at one point, they have to make decisions, too. I bet they made decisions for the best of the family. I made the best decision for my daughter.
“For those who don’t understand, I’m not gonna try to convince them. It is what it is. I made the best decision for my girl.”
While Cora enjoyed a memorable night with his family, bench coach Ramon Vazquez stepped in to manage against the Mets. His bullpen decisions after Hunter Dobbins’ 4.2-inning start helped Boston earn a 3-1 win in the series opener.
“Ramon did an outstanding job,” Cora said. “He has it in him. It’s just a matter of time. I truly believe that, and for him to have that experience, it’s great.”
The Red Sox’ win put them one game under .500 (24-25), a disappointing mark given their heightened preseason expectations. Had the club owned a winning record and a first-place spot in the American League East, it’s unlikely Cora would have been so scrutinized for missing a relatively inconsequential game in May.
Nonetheless, Cora will return to the Red Sox bench when they take on the Mets again Tuesday night. First pitch is set for 6:45 p.m. ET at Fenway Park.
Panthers and Hurricanes rekindle their 2023 rivalry in a high-stakes Game 1 showdown of Eastern Conference Finals Tuesday
For the second time in three seasons, the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers are set to clash in the Eastern Conference Final with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final on the line.
The Panthers, making their third consecutive appearance in the conference finals, enter the series riding the momentum of a dominant 6-1 Game 7 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Florida’s battle-tested lineup is looking to return to the Stanley Cup Final for the third year in a row, and they’ll have history on their side after sweeping the Hurricanes in their last playoff meeting in the 2023 Conference Finals.
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But this year’s Hurricanes team appears more battle-hardened and dangerous than the one that fell short two seasons ago. Carolina made a statement in the second round by eliminating the top-seeded Washington Capitals in just five games, showcasing both their newfound depth and scoring touch.
This series promises high intensity, fast-paced action, and no shortage of bad blood between two teams that know each other all too well and it all kicks off Tuesday night.
For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 9-5 record on our last 14 picks, including perfect records during Game 1 and 4 of the Maple Leafs-Senators series.
All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.
The player most people remember from the Panthers last postseason meeting with Carolina is Matthew Tkachuk, who scored two game-winning goals. The Arizona native has been notably playing through an injury that has limited his offence to three goals and six assists, four of which were secondary, totalling nine points through 12 games.
Tkachuk rides a nine-game goal drought and recorded no points in his final two games versus Toronto. People are expecting a bounce back here but I don't see it happening against a battle-tested Canes defence that limited the Capitals to two or fewer goals in four of their five series games.
Washington had the second-best offence in the league during the regular season with a 3.49 goals per game average compared to Florida's 3.00 average. The Capitals scored 40 more goals than the Panthers this season and the Canes held them in check due to stellar play from netminder Fredrick Andersen.
At home, the Swedish netminder has a perfect 5-0 record with a 1.60 goals against average this postseason and is the betting favourite on the Hurricanes to win the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP.
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If the Panthers wanna win it'll have to be with clutch goals and elite goaltending ii return which they've received as well but from Sergei Bobrovsky. The star goaltender helped lead the Panthers to a championship last season and hasn't skipped a beat with a sensational effort versus the Maple Leafs when his team needed him with four goals allowed over the final four games.
The public didn't like the low-scoring games Carolina forced into Washington in the second round but I would expect this again as both teams will look to smother each other and play a solid defensive game as they have all season. All but the final game of their series two years ago had every game go under five goals and I expect we should see a similar story here.
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SAN FRANCISCO — Kris Bubic’s no-hit bid for the Kansas City Royals ended with an official scoring change.
The left-hander hardly let that bother him.
Bubic made a run at a historic homecoming before settling for seven shutout innings of two-hit ball in a 3-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants.
“I knew it was happening, but I wasn’t nervous about it,” Bubic said. “I wasn’t really thinking about it. In my head I was just thinking, hey, keep attacking guys. Keep getting ahead of guys.”
Bubic initially got through six innings without allowing a hit — only to have an error charged to Royals second baseman Michael Massey changed to a single before the start of the seventh.
With two outs in the sixth, Wilmer Flores hit a grounder toward second base. Massey moved to his left and was in position to make the play but slipped to the ground at the edge of the grass as the ball rolled past him into the outfield.
The play initially was ruled an error by official scorer Michael Duca, and Bubic then struck out Jung Hoo Lee to end the inning.
But moments later, after reviewing video, Duca changed his call to a base hit for Flores.
Casey Schmitt’s clean double down the left-field line with one out in the seventh was the only other hit off Bubic (5-2). He struck out five, walked three and lowered his ERA to 1.47.
That’s the second-lowest mark for a Royals pitcher through his first 10 starts of a season. Zack Greinke was at 0.84 in 2009, when he won the AL Cy Young Award.
Vinnie Pasquantino, who hit a two-run homer off reliever Tyler Rogers (2-2) to break a scoreless tie in the eighth, raved about Bubic.
“Hitters getting to first base, talking about how frustrating it is facing him,” Pasquantino said. “That’s what you’re looking for. He was ridiculous again tonight.”
In his past four starts, Bubic has permitted one run over 25 1/3 innings.
This outing came in the ballpark where Bubic grew up rooting for the Giants. He went to Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose and then to college at Stanford.
“I’ve probably sat in every area in this ballpark,” he said.
The 27-year-old Bubic estimated he had 30-40 family members and friends in attendance.
“You always want to do well in front of them. It makes life a little easier for everybody,” Bubic joked.
He referenced the fact that he had made two previous starts at Oracle Park, including when he pitched six scoreless innings in a 3-1 loss on April 9, 2023. Bubic said that experience kept away the jitters.
“I treated this like any other game,” he explained. “It’s cool to be able to pitch in front of friends and family and I’m glad they got to see a win.”
Bubic underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023 and was strictly a reliever in 27 appearances last season.
He made one start with a longer no-hit bid: On Aug. 21, 2021, Bubic threw six hitless innings against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
After a weather delay, he allowed a walk and then a home run to Patrick Wisdom. Bubic gave up just that one hit over 6 1/3 innings in the Royals’ 4-2 win.
New York is a Knicks town, and that fan base has been starved for a winner for decades, getting fed mostly scraps in the James Dolan era. That has changed in the last couple of years, as the Jalen Brunson-led Knicks are winning — and New York went wild after the Knicks knocked off the Celtics to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since Shaq and Kobe started winning titles together.
That celebration turned on a fan, Hanz Perez, who wore Pacers gear in New York — the team the Knicks will face in the next round. It wasn't pretty.
Monday, Perez went on ESPN's "The Pat McAfee Show" and talked about being a firefighter and a lifelong Pacers fan (complete with a Pacers tattoo on his arm). That's when Tyrese Haliburton joined the conversation and did what franchise icons do, stepping up and offering to fly Perez and a friend out to Indianapolis for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Tyrese Haliburton is flying out Pacers fan Hanz Perez to a playoff game after he was hit with trash in New York for wearing his jersey
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 19, 2025
(Via @PatMcAfeeShow )
pic.twitter.com/13cAskkBmj
“I personally wanna bring you and a plus one out to Indiana for game four..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 19, 2025
Everybody in our organization wants to make sure that you’re taken care of” ~ @TyHaliburton22#PMSLivehttps://t.co/QN7dTplbIwpic.twitter.com/B8y1iqVO02
"Everybody in our organization wants to make sure you're taken care of. All the team's excited to meet you. It's all we've been talking about," Haliburton said.
Well played by Haliburton and the Pacers.
Perez is in for what should be an intense, incredibly even game and series — this one is a genuine coin toss. In that case, the Pacers could use all the good karma they can get, and Haliburton got them some.