Worldwide Sports News
The Atlanta Braves can conclude their second consecutive 19-win month if they close out May with a win over the Cincinnati Reds.
Follow along here as the Braves look to complete a 5-1 road trip in the Queen City at 1:40 p.m. EDT on BravesVision.
Kentucky Basketball has sent a lot of players to the NBA over the last decade plus, and more than a few former Wildcats showed up and showed out Saturday night with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line. Oklahoma City was searching for a second consecutive NBA Finals appearance, led by NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. San Antonio was seeking to upend what many thought would become a dynasty.
Game 7 had all the makings of a history-making event, and it didn’t disappoint. In front of one of the loudest crowds in the NBA in Oklahoma City, the Spurs took down the defending champion Thunder to advance to the NBA Finals.
Despite falling short, the Thunder were led by former Cats SGA and Cason Wallace. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 35 points, 9 assists, and 4 rebounds. Wallace would be 2nd in scoring on the night for OKC, finishing the night with 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists.
San Antonio was, of course, led by the emerging superstar Victor Wembenyama, who finished with 22 points and 7 rebounds. But it was a pair of Cats who helped shut the door in the 4th quarter. Keldon Johnson, who is fresh off being named 6th man of the year, had 11 points in 16 minutes. De’Aaron Fox finished with 15 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals.
Altogether, Kentucky players accounted for 78 points, 14 rebounds, 19 assists, and 9 steals in the Western Conference Finals.
Now, Fox and Johnson will meet up with another former Cat, Karl-Anthony Towns, in the NBA Finals, which kick off on Wednesday.
Another year and another Cat is guaranteed to be hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the air after winning a championship.
Who are you pulling for, the Spurs or the Knicks?
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The puck will drop in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday night in Carolina.
The Carolina Hurricanes are favored to win it all for the first time since 2006, while the Vegas Golden Knights look to take their second Cup in five years.
I agree with the market, and will break down why with my NHL picks for the final series of the season.
All odds courtesy of BET99.
| Pick |  |
|---|---|
 Hurricanes to win series 4-2 | +450 |
| Over 5.5 games | -190 |
| Jackson Blake to lead series in scoring | +1900 |
| Hurricanes to win the series | -155 |
| Market | ||
|---|---|---|
 +125 | To win | -155 |
| +1.5 (-150) | Handicap | -1.5 (+120) |
| Over 5.5 (-190) | Total games | Under 5.5 (+150) |
The Carolina Hurricanes enter the series as -155 favorites to win the Stanley Cup, and carry +120 odds to beat the Vegas Golden Knights by multiple games.
The Hurricanes won 14 more games during the regular season, posted better underlying metrics, and have home ice advantage, so it is easy to see why they are considered clear frontrunners in this matchup.
The total is heavily juiced to the Over of 5.5 games, so a competitive series is expected here, which would be refreshing after two lopsided matchups in the Conference Finals.
The Golden Knights and Hurricanes clashed twice in the regular season, and things didn't go so well for the Stanley Cup favorites.
The Hurricanes dropped both games and were out-scored 10-4 while controlling just over 33% of the expected goals, which is very abnormal.
Context is key. Jaccob Slavin missed both games for Carolina, while K'Andre Miller was also sidelined for one. Those are Carolina's two leaders in playoff ice time, so their absences were certainly noteworthy.
We're also talking about a two-game sample. The Canes graded out better than the Knights in shot share, chance share, expected goal share, and goal share over the course of the entire season.
They were especially dominant at home, where they controlled a league-leading 58.06% of the expected goals and ranked first in points percentage.
Vegas posted strong numbers under the hood — certainly better than you'd expect from a 39-win team — but Carolina is a clear step up.
| Team | Win 4-0 | Win 4-1 | Win 4-2 | Win 4-3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Knights | +1900 | +900 | +550 | +550 |
| Hurricanes | +1000 | +450 | +450 | +425 |
Pick: Hurricanes win 4-2 (+450 at Bet99)
The Hurricanes have only dropped one game through three rounds, but they played Ottawa and Philadelphia teams that lacked high-end firepower, and a fatigued Montreal side coming off back-to-back grueling seven-game series against divisional opponents.
They deserve full marks for taking advantage, but the table was set about as well as it could have been in the Eastern Conference bracket.
Vegas has a combination of elite talent and a strong underlying process that none of Carolina's previous opponents did, which better equips them to test Carolina.
I think the Hurricanes are the better team, and they have home ice, but this series should be legitimately competitive. Playable to +440.
Pick: Over 5.5 (-190 at Bet99)
Eight of the last 11 Stanley Cups have gone at least six games, and one of the exceptions came during a COVID-altered season with full division realignment. That was a strange year where Tampa Bay and Montreal — two Atlantic Division foes — faced off in the Final.
We generally don't see short series in the Stanley Cup, which is to be expected in battles between the cream of the crop.
One thing that should help this series is both teams will have full tanks. The Hurricanes are well-rested from having only one series go more than four games, while the Golden Knights are coming off a sweep and get a full week off between games.
Vegas also last played on the road on May 22, meaning they've had next to no travel.
Expect this series to last, and bet the Over to -200.
Pick: Jackson Blake (+1900 at Bet99)
Nobody in the playoffs has recorded more expected goals or high-danger scoring chances than Jackson Blake at 5-on-5, and he's just one back in terms of rebounds created.
He is starting a higher percentage of his shifts in the offensive zone than anybody on the Hurricanes and, clearly, taking advantage of that deployment.
Carter Hart has played well in the playoffs, but Adin Hill was the only goaltender in the NHL with a worse high-danger save percentage in the regular season. If those warts resurface, Blake profiles as a likely candidate to take advantage.
Betable to +1700.
Pick: Hurricanes to win (-155 at Bet99)
This price implies Carolina has a ~60% chance of winning the series, but I think those odds undersell the Hurricanes a little bit and have a fair price close to -170.
The Hurricanes and Golden Knights have posted similar outputs in high-danger chance generation, but the former has been much better at suppressing them.
I don't see the Hurricanes giving up much at 5-on-5, especially when able to control matchups at home, and their penalty kill has been elite for 95 games. Their team defense should be the difference.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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The Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals play the rubber game of their three-game weekend series on Sunday Night Baseball.
Despite earning a split in the first two games, the series has been rough on the Cardinals’ bullpen, and they need a big night from starter Matthew Liberatore. For the Cubs, PCA and Michael Busch will look to continue their hot streaks.
Check out my full Cubs vs. Cardinals predictions and MLB picks below.
| Pick | Odds |
|---|---|
 Matthew Liberatore Over 15.5 outs | -110 |
 Michael Busch Over 2.5 hits + runs + RBI | +210 |
| Pete Crow-Armstrong to hit a home run | +710 |
This is less an endorsement of Matthew Liberatore and more an indication of the rough state of this St. Louis Cardinals bullpen. The last two starters have lasted a total of 7 1/3 innings, leaving eight St. Louis relievers to pitch 10 2/3 innings, throwing 164 pitches and giving up six runs.
Even if Liberatore is struggling, he’ll probably have to wear it and pitch into the sixth just to give the pen a rest. He’s done it twice this month and four times this season, and Liberatore is coming off a 101-pitch effort where he struck out a career-high 10. He’s ready for the workhorse role.
Michael Busch has been the best-hitting first baseman in MLB for May and will add to his totals on the month’s final day. He’s hitting 73% better than the league average for the month and has a .955 OPS.
He has six runs, nine hits, and eight RBI over the last week, and he has four hits and four RBI in the first two games of the series. Busch homered and had a two-hit game in his only previous time facing Liberatore.
Pete Crow-Armstrong had a big game on Saturday, going 4-for-5, homering, and keeping up a running taunting dialogue with the St. Louis fans. Once he’s fired up, he generally stays that way. Of his 48 career home runs, 12 have come within a day of a previous blast.
PCA has a five-game hitting streak and is hitting .364 with a .917 OPS over that stretch. His seven homers against the Cardinals are the most against any team, and his three homers at Busch match his highest in any visiting park.
| Location | Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO |
| Date | Sunday, May 31, 2026 |
| First pitch | 7:20 p.m. ET |
| TV | NBC |
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.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.
After a productive six-game homestand, the Dodgers hit the road for a single series, playing the Arizona Diamondbacks for four games at Chase Field in Phoenix in the second meeting of the year between these two National League West rivals.
The Dodgers swept their opening series of the season from March 26-28 at Dodger Stadium. Arizona has been playing much better of late, winning 10 of 11 games before a hiccup this weekend in Seattle, putting themselves squarely in wild card contention.
Emmet Sheehan starts on Monday for the Dodgers, making his first career start at Chase Field. Left-hander Eduardo Rodríguez on the mound for the home team.
The Diamondbacks are 18-10 at home, and have won eight of their last nine games in Phoeni. The Dodgers have won their last four road series.
Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet
Pitching Matchup: Zebby Matthews (1-2, 2.37 ERA) vs. Braxton Ashcraft (4-2, 2.75 ERA)
The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home today against the Minnesota Twins looking to grab a win.
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San Diego Padres (32-25) at Washington Nationals (30-29), May 31, 2026, 10:35 p.m. PST
Watch: Padres.TV
Location: Nationals Park – Washington, DC
Listen: 97.3 The Fan
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This site’s manager is Brady Klopfer who also does all the minor league reporting, and upon seeing the news posted by Susan Slusser that the San Francisco Giants would be calling up outfielder Jonah Cox, he posted in our work chat: “I’m sorry WHAT,” which suggests to me that we should all treat this news with a lot of surprise.
The 24-year old is hitting .400/.453/.644 with 11 doubles, 5 triples, and 6 home runs for Double-A Richmond this season. He also sports a very interesting 2:1 strikeouts to walk ratio (31:16), which is well within the zone of where minor leaguers start projecting as serviceable major leaguers. But it’s that .400 batting average that will make him famous in the organization, we know that in our bones. The batting average fetishization is strong and .400 is .400. But he’s also quite fast and a proficient base stealer, a skill set the Giants have been sorely missing (they have just 14 stolen bases on the season). If you’re interested in hearing Cox speak, former site contributor Roger Munter interviewed him a few weeks ago for his There R Giants podcast — check it out!
Prior to the season, the McCovey Chronicles community did not include him in the community’s prospect rankings list. As Brady wrote, Cox “was unable to take notable strides on offense,” hitting just .257/.333/.398 in 597 PA last season at Eugene. Slusser had a follow-up post saying that she didn’t think Cox would be in the lineup today, but would be around and available for this finale at Coors Field. Brady’s writeup a couple of days ago explains why he was the next minor leaguer to get the call to the big leagues:
Yet another strong game for right fielder Jonah Cox, who has officially graduated from “hot start” to “leveled up.” It’s been nearly 50 games and 200 plate appearances for the new-look Cox, whose swing has undergone changes that have resulted in dramatic improvements in both the stat sheet and the underlying metrics.
He was back to his old tricks on Thursday, though, as he hit 3-5 with a pair of infield singles and a stolen base, while also knocking a double.
Cox has, stunningly, hit safely in 40 out of 43 games this season, which includes 16 multi-hit games. A year after posting a .731 OPS, a 103 wRC+, a 22.4% strikeout rate, and a 12.0% swinging strike rate in High-A, he has a 1.130 OPS, a 196 wRC+, a 16.9% strikeout rate, and a 10.3% swinging strike rate in AA. He’s even stealing more bases, with 27 in 43 games, after an organization-leading 58 in 126 games a year ago (easier to steal bases when you’re getting on base seemingly every at-bat!).
Just a phenomenal year, and the A’s 2023 6th-rounder is quickly becoming one of the top prospects in the system.
Here’s hoping some of this hot streak carries over to the majors. Whew. What a great pickup for Ross Stripling. Will the move work out? Who’s to say. As the estimable Baseball Jeff reminds us,
Meanwhile, the Giants designated Ryan Borucki for assignment.
Now, before you go and say, “Good riddance!” just know that in addition to being really terrible (4.94 ERA / 4.93 xFIP, -0.2 fWAR in 23.2 IP), he was actually quite good as a LOOGY, holding lefties to a line of .195/.306/.244 (.550 OPS). The problem is, the modern game has phased out the LOOGY because of the three batter rule but also — and more importantly — because of the way lineups are constructed and substituted now. Borucki would’ve been a great guy to have during Buster Posey’s playing days.
10:20am edit: Tristan Beck has also been recalled to take Borucki’s spot on the active roster while Beck will be replacing Will Brennan who has been optioned back to Triple-A.
The Chicago Blackhawks have one of the best farm systems in the NHL. A lot of their top talent is already in the NHL, but there are great players in other developmental leagues around the world waiting for that chance to play in Chicago.
It is unclear if any of them will step into that “premier pure goal scorer” role that every good team likes to have, but there are a handful of candidates who possess great hockey IQ and the ability to shoot well.
Three of them in particular, Jack Pridham, Nick Lardis, and Marek Vanacker, are past or present OHL stars with the tools to be great NHL goal scorers.
In 2024-25, Lardis led the OHL with 71 goals as a member of the Brantford Bulldogs. He then turned pro in 2025-26 and continued to fill the nets. In 35 games with the Rockford IceHogs, Lardis had 18 goals. The early success earned him an NHL look when Connor Bedard got hurt, and he went on to play 41 games with 10 goals.
A 20-goal pace at the NHL level is no joke, especially for a rookie former third-round pick. Of the three snipers mentioned here, Lardis is the closest to fulfilling his destiny of being an impactful NHL sniper.
As for Vanacker and Pridham, they were the top two goal scorers in the OHL this season. Only time will tell if they follow the same path to success as a rookie pro as Lardis did. There are similar skill sets and mindsets, which allow them to find twine with regularity.
There is a wrinkle to the story concerning Pridham. If he doesn’t either sign his entry-level contract with Chicago or commit to the NCAA by June 1st, he will re-enter the draft in 2026. Chicago doesn’t want to lose him for nothing, but not everyone is going to work out when the farm is that deep.
Pridham is going to play in the Memorial Cup Final with the Kitchener Rangers on Sunday night. He will decide a major detail of his future following that big game, but it must be done in the short window before the aforementioned June 1st deadline.
Connor Bedard was touted as a sniper coming out of the WHL, but his playmaking has been incredible in the NHL as well. He is more of a well-rounded offensive player. It is also unclear what kind of players Anton Frondell and Frank Nazar will be in the offensive zone, but early signs of great playmakers are there.
Having snipers on the wing will be important for the construction of the team if they want to become a legit winner.
If the Blackhawks lose Pridham, they won't be happy about it, but it isn't a make-or-break situation either. They have a farm system filled with players who could develop into high-end snipers, and they have a lot of draft picks to work with as well.
Kyle Davidson has stayed the course throughout this process, and he will do what he can to make sure more goal-scoring talent is inserted into the lineup over the years.
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There is a version of February 22 where the Warriors don’t even bother. Their best player Stephen Curry was out. Their All-Star acquisition Jimmy Butler III was out. Their prized trade deadline piece Kristaps Porzingis was ruled out that morning. Their future Hall-of-Famer and best defender Draymond Green got scratched before tipoff. The opponent was the dangerous Denver Nuggets and the best big man in the world Nikola Jokic was standing on the other side of the floor.
What the Dubs had left was Al Horford. As it turned out, that was enough.
Horford scored 11 points in the first quarter before most people had settled into their seats, going 4-of-5 from the field with three threes while Golden State built a lead that told Denver this was not going to be the afternoon they expected. He had 17 points and four assists in his first 14 minutes, and he did it with the particular calm of someone who has been in difficult basketball situations for two decades and stopped finding them frightening a long time ago.
The Nuggets had to account for him as a real offensive threat, which changed the geometry of everything else Golden State was trying to do, which is exactly the kind of quiet, competent damage that never shows up in highlights but wins games. This is actually why the Warriors wanted him in the first place. When Golden State brought Horford in, the bet wasn’t on the version of him that fills a stat sheet every night. It was on the version that understands how to read a game, how to make the right decision under pressure, and how to be exactly what a team needs on a given night without needing to be told what that is.
That kind of player takes time to find his footing in a new system, and the Warriors were patient with him through the stretches where it wasn’t clicking, because they understood what they were waiting for. February 22 was the receipt. When four rotation players went down and the franchise needed someone to just be a professional about the whole thing, Horford was ready because Horford is always ready; that is the only version of him that has ever existed.
He finished 8-of-11 from the field, 6-of-7 from three, with seven assists, three steals, and two blocks. His sixth three-pointer had Chase Center losing its mind for a 39-year-old role player February, which is not a sentence anyone wrote in their pregame preview.
Jokic finished with a triple-double because that is what Jokic does. The Nuggets scored 117 points because they are still the Nuggets. None of that really matters. What matters is that on a day when the Warriors lost four rotation players and most of their margin for error, the best player on the floor in a Warriors uniform was a 39-year-old center who looked completely unbothered by any of it.
Horford was BALLING, salute to him for exemplifying the Warriors mentality.
The 2025-26 season did not end as a major success for the New York Islanders, with the team tumbling out of the playoff picture in April.
However, Bo Horvat had another great season for the Islanders, despite missing 14 games to injuries.
Horvat posted 31 goals and 57 points in 68 games, leading the team in goals. His 57 points were good for third on the team, trailing only Mathew Barzal (80) and rookie superstar, Matthew Schaefer (59).
The next closest Islander to those three was Anders Lee, with 19 goals and 42 points in 82 games.
Horvat also represented Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics, playing a key role in Canada's bottom six, penalty kill, and second unit power play.
With all that attention, The Hockey News named Horvat the 87th best player in the NHL this past season, just ahead of fellow Olympians Brock Nelson (89) and Anthony Cirelli (88).
Top 100 NHL Players In 2026: 81 To 90Evgeni Malkin, Steven Stamkos and players on the Lightning and Kings feature from 81st to 90th place among the NHL's top 100 players right now. 
Texas Rangers lineup for May 31, 2026 against the Kansas City Royals: starting pitchers are Jack Leiter for the Rangers and Michael Wacha for the Royals.
The Rangers look to try to sweep the Royals this afternoon. Evan Carter, who got hit in the foot with a pitch on Friday, is sitting for the second day in a row. Alejandro Osuna, who was hit in the finger while bunting yesterday and left the game, is starting.
The lineup:
Pederson — DH
Jung — 1B
Nimmo — RF
Burger — 1B
Duran — SS
Osuna — LF
Higashioka — C
Lopez — 2B
Helman — CF
1:35 p.m. Central start time. The game is a pick ‘em.
The family of late NHL player Claude Lemieux has released a statement, saying they are donating his brain for study and asking for "compassion" in reporting his death.
Lemieux, a four-time Stanley Cup winner, died on Thursday, May 28, at age 60. His body was found in a warehouse of a furniture showroom that the family owned in Florida.
"The family recognizes that there has been public reporting about the circumstances of Claude's death," said the family statement, which was shared by his son, Brendan, a 2014 second-round NHL draft pick. "Suicide is complex, and the family asks media and the public to discuss this loss with care, compassion and respect for those who loved him.
"Anyone in crisis or emotional distress in the United States can call or text 988 for confidential support from the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline."
Here's the latest on the death of Claude Lemieux:
The statement said the family will donate Lemieux's brain to the UNITE Brain Bank at the Boston University CTE Center for research into the long-term effects of repetitive head impacts and traumatic brain injury.
"The family emphasizes that this decision is a gift to science, to athletes and to future generations of families seeking answers. No conclusion should be drawn at this time regarding any diagnosis," the statement reads.
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive neurodegenerative brain disease caused by repeated head trauma. It has been found in posthumous studies of the brains of football and hockey players, most recently in former NHL tough guy Lyndon Byers, who died in July.
Lemieux played 21 NHL seasons and won Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens (1986), New Jersey Devils (1995 and 2000) and Colorado Avalanche (1996). He was playoff MVP in 1995 after scoring 13 goals with the Devils.
He took part in Canadiens' torch-bearing ceremony on Monday, May 25, days before his death.
He also was a gritty player and agitator whose hit on Kris Draper in the 1996 playoffs left the Detroit Red Wings player with severe facial injuries and sparked a yearslong rivalry between the Red Wings and Avalanche.
After his retirement, he became a prominent player agent, representing Carolina Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen, Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider and others.
"Claude was a beloved son, husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend and teammate," the family statement said. "To the hockey world, he was one of the game's most unforgettable competitors: a four-time Stanley Cup champion, a Conn Smythe Trophy winner, and one of the great playoff performers of all time. To his family, he was more than a hero: he was loving, loyal, funny, protective, and generous. He was stubborn, and he was completely devoted to the people he loved. He was adored by his family in turn.
"Claude was a passionate man. He brought that passion to the rink, to his work, to his friendships, and most of all to his family. He was fierce on the ice because he cared so deeply about winning, about his teammates, and about never giving less than everything he had. Away from the game, he was tender, loyal and full of life. He made us laugh, he showed up for us, and he loved his children and grandchildren with his whole heart."
Darren McCarty had fought Lemieux the season after his hit on Draper. He said he learned of Lemieux's death from Draper.
McCarty, who has done charity appearances with Lemieux, posted a tribute to Lemieux and also spoke about him on Woodward Sports.
"I'm a guy who has asked for redemption in a lot of ways in my life, and trying to prove that some of the things I've done in the past aren't who I am today," McCarty said. "Claude Lemieux is the one person in life who has proven to me that the guy on the ice wasn't the guy off the ice. He was loved very much. ...
"The best way for me to describe my feelings and whatever else, is that it's very sad. I'm very sad."
Andersen, one of Lemieux's first clients as an agent, won Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals to send the Carolina Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006. He did so with a heavy heart after the death of Lemieux.
"I can't talk enough good things about this team and the way they've supported me," he told TNT. "It's been awesome."
Freddie Andersen talked to @Jackie_Redmond after winning the East and making his long time agent Claude Lemieux proud 🥹 pic.twitter.com/2ERLqHo5SD
— NHLonTNT (@NHL_On_TNT) May 30, 2026
The Hurricanes paid tribute to Lemieux with a public address announcement before the game.
Asked what Lemieux would say if he were still here, Andersen told TNT that his agent would tell him, "Just go get it."
"He's the ultimate competitor and he's got the biggest heart," the goalie said. "He wanted so much for me and this team."
Before the family statement, his children posted social media messages about their father.
Brendan Lemieux wrote on Instagram. "I love you dad. My son's favorite person is going to watch from above for a while. We will see you."
The Philadelphia Flyers have seen a number of their prospects get traded to new teams or commit to colleges recently, and that trend is reportedly likely to extend to the goalie position now, too.
Top Flyers goalie prospect Egor Zavragin had a strange season, playing 12 KHL regular season games for SKA St. Petersburg, 18 VHL regular season games for SKA-VMF St. Petersburg, and one MHL regular season game for SKA-1946 St. Petersburg.
After playing 46 KHL regular season games for SKA and HK Sochi last year and breaking out onto the scene in a major way, Zavragin struggled to earn a consistent spot in the lineup this year and fell out of favor in the eyes of new head coach Igor Larionov.
The Flyers' 2023 third-round pick still posted a respectable 2.63 GAA and .919 save percentage, but those stats paled in comparison to the 2.01 GAA and .939 save percentage of Artemi Pleshkov, and 2.50 GAA and .928 save percentage of Sergei Ivanov.
Pleshkov and Ivanov were first and eighth in the KHL in save percentage, respectively, whereas Zavragin was 15th.
Flyers Have Clear Backup Goalie Target in Canadiens CastawayAlthough his time with the Montreal Canadiens is over, Sam Montembeault would be a useful add for the Philadelphia Flyers.And that isn't a knock on Zavragin. Statistically, he still performed better than established KHL goalies (and some former NHLers) like Timur Bilyalov, Alex Georgiev, Vasili Demchenko, Zach Fucale, Spencer Martin, Louis Domingue, Chris Dreidger, and esteemed Colorado Avalanche prospect Ilya Nabokov, who is about to make the jump to North America.
But, given that Zavragin is clearly also behind Pleshkov and Ivanov, a trade would be beneficial for the Flyers prospect's development, and that is exactly what might happen.
According to KHL insider Hockey News Hub, it would not be a surprise if "Zavragin is traded in the next couple of days," and that Metallurg Magnitogorsk is the "most likely" destination with their need to replace the departing Nabokov.
Zavragin will have to overtake incumbent Alexander Smolin to become the starter with Metallurg, but he at least would have a clear path to rotational minutes on a team just went to the Gagarin Cup Eastern Conference semifinal.
The 20-year-old has only one year remaining on his KHL contract, and from there, he would be free to join the Flyers organization and continue developing here.
Where to watch: NBCSN/Peacock
Probable pitchers: RHP Kyle Bradish (2-6, 3.86 ERA, 61 K) vs. RHP Spencer Miles (2-0, 2.16 ERA, 32 K)
The Orioles have put all of Birdland on an emotional rollercoaster this past week, starting with a Colton Cowser walkoff homer vs. the Tigers and ending with a Pete Alonso walkoff single last night vs. the Blue Jays. In between those two walkoff winners, we saw the Orioles sweep the Rays only to open the Toronto series with two straight frustrating losses. This afternoon’s contest will give the O’s a chance to split the series vs. the Blue Jays and start a new week on a high.
Leading Baltimore into the Sunday finale is the scorching hot Kyle Bradish. The Orioles right-hander has three quality starts in his last four outings and is sporting a 3.49 ERA in May. The 29-year-old’s recent uptick in form has coincided with an increase in curveball usage from the O’s former ace. Through five starts in May, Bradish’s curveball usage has increased from 19.5% to 26.3%. It’s been a much sharper breaking ball that’s been nigh un-hittable for his opposition, with opponents hitting .077 against the curve this month with a 47.3% whiff rate.
Toronto has often caused Bradish problems throughout his career, something he’ll try to reverse this afternoon. The right-handers’ 5.18 ERA vs. the Blue Jays is the seventh-worst against any opponent. Due to his elbow injury and recovery time, Bradish hasn’t faced Toronto since May 15th, 2024, when he went 4 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB and 3 K in a 3-2 Orioles win. The O’s starter will have to be careful against Toronto outfielder Jesús Sánchez, who is slugging .600 vs. curveballs this season.
Opposing Bradish for the Blue Jays is rookie right-hander Spencer Miles. The former 4th-round pick out of the University of Missouri was primarily used as a reliever early in the season, but has either started or followed an opener in his last four appearances. Miles has only allowed one earned run across those four longer outings, striking out 16 across 15.1 IP.
The Missouri native has a very similar repertoire to Bradish, relying on a hard sinker that sits around 96mph and a high spin rate curveball. Unlike Bradish, Miles uses his arsenal to generate more groundballs than swings and misses, boasting a 55.4% ground ball rate (93rd percentile). That could pose a problem for an Orioles team that grounded into four double plays yesterday and six total in the series.