The good times: J.P. Crawford, +.14 WPA
The better times: George Kirby, +.16 WPA
Don’t cry for me: Andrés Muñoz, -.32 WPA
Game Thread Comment of the Day:
17-20: Chart
Calder Cup Playoffs: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Ties Game 3 Late Before McGroarty Wins It In Overtime
For most of the third period, it looked like the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins were going to lose Game 3 of their series against the Hershey Bears.
They were down 3-2 going into the third and were trailing for most of the period until Avery Hayes scored the tying goal with just under three minutes left in the final frame. He let the puck rip from just above the right circle and was mobbed by his teammates along the boards.
Goaltender Sergei Murashov had just been pulled for the extra attacker when Hayes tied the game up.
GOAL. Avery Hayes ties Game 3 with 2:53 left in regulation.
— Tony Androckitis* (@TonyAndrock) May 6, 2026
With Sergei Murashov off for the extra attacker, #WBSPens score 6-on-5 to tie this one up at 3-3.@InsideAHLHockeypic.twitter.com/b23zLfVtYg
Hershey goaltender Clay Stevenson had been making some big saves in that final frame before Hayes finally broke through.
Before the game got to that point, WBS started fast with goals from defenseman Phil Kemp and forward Mikhail Ilyin in the first period. Ilyin scored his first AHL goal in the first period, making it a 2-0 game.
After that, Hershey rallied to tie the game at the end of the first period before taking a 3-2 lead 37 seconds into the second period. WBS goaltender Sergei Murashov made some timely saves after allowing the third goal, keeping his team within striking distance so that Hayes could eventually tie the game.
Overtime was needed to decide the game, and the game-winner was scored by Rutger McGroarty. McGroarty's deflection went in and out of the net so fast that Hershey players were stunned that the game was over.
Even Hershey fans were confused because they felt the puck didn't go in, but the AHL confirmed it crossed the goal line via an overhead view.
btw https://t.co/GpojO2pSb1pic.twitter.com/dywvsPhjqY
— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) May 6, 2026
WBS will now try to close out Hershey in Game 4 on Thursday.
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Holmgren has 24 points to help Thunder top Lakers 108-90 in Game 1 of Western Conference semifinals
OKLAHOMA CITY — Chet Holmgren had 24 points and 12 rebounds, and the Oklahoma City Thunder routed the Los Angeles Lakers 108-90 on Tuesday night in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell each added 18 points for the Thunder. The defending champions improved to 5-0 in the playoffs, despite missing 2025 All-Star Jalen Williams with an injured left hamstring for the third straight game. The Thunder shot 49.4% from the field and made 13 of 30 3-pointers.
Oklahoma City will host Game 2 on Thursday.
Los Angeles struggled to find offense without scoring champion Luka Doncic, who has missed the past month with an injured left hamstring. LeBron James scored 27 points and Rui Hachimura added 18 for the Lakers. Austin Reaves, who averaged 23.3 points in the regular season, was held to eight on 3-for-16 shooting.
Oklahoma City won all four regular-season matchups by an average of 29.3 points, and this one was only slightly closer. The Thunder held the Lakers to 41.7% shooting and forced 17 turnovers.
The Lakers ran out to a 7-0 lead, with James scoring five of the points. Eventually, the Thunder shook off the rust from an eight-day break and went up 31-26 at the end of the first quarter, despite 12 points from James.
Holmgren’s two-handed alley-oop dunk on a lob from Isaiah Hartenstein put the Thunder up 48-39. Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt injured the pinkie finger on his right hand on the play, left the game and did not return.
Oklahoma City led 61-53 at halftime, despite 16 points from James.
Mitchell, who started in Williams’ place, made a corner 3-pointer and was fouled by Marcus Smart in the final minute of the third quarter. His free throw put the Thunder up 84-72, a score that held up until the end of the period.
Alex Caruso’s fast-break dunk early in the fourth put Oklahoma City up 88-73, and the Thunder maintained control from there.
Player Grades: Lakers vs. Thunder
In the playoffs, rotations shrink, but perhaps Lakers head coach JJ Redick will have to open his up a bit. The Lakers had only eight players who logged at least 10 minutes and with so many subpar performances, someone else needed to be called upon.
The Thunder had 10 players play more than 10 minutes and they got great production from Jared McCain. LA could’ve put Nick Smith Jr. in the game for a stretch to see if he could ignite the offense, especially in a game where Austin Reaves gave the team nothing.
Yes, it’s a gamble, but clearly every option has to be explored if the Lakers are going to pull off an upset against the Thunder.
So, let’s dive into the loss. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
LeBron James
36 minutes, 27 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 12-17 FG, 3-6 3PT, 0-1 FT, -6
LeBron set the tone early for the Lakers, scoring immediately, knocking down threes, and getting LA ahead 7-0. He stayed aggressive and was efficient, scoring 27 points on 12-17 shooting.
Once again, LeBron came to play and was far and away the best player in a purple and gold uniform. Hopefully, other starters follow his lead and up their game.
Grade: A
Rui Hachimura
37 minutes, 18 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 7-13 FG, 3-6 3PT, 1-2 FT, -21
Hachimura played at his expected level. He knocked down shots and was a three-level scorer for the Lakers. Despite the disappointing loss, Hachimura reached a satisfactory level of consistency.
Grade: B
Deandre Ayton
27 minutes, 10 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, 5-11 FG, -4
Ayton was aggressive early and had an overall nice game with a double-double. His defense against the Thunder bigs was good, and while many things went wrong for the purple and gold, Ayton wasn’t one of them.
Grade: B
Marcus Smart
32 minutes, 12 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, 4-15 FG, 2-8 3PT, 2-2 FT, -10
Smart was a bit of a roller coaster. He had some great defensive moments, was fighting for loose balls and knocked down some nice shots. He also had some silly turnovers and frustrating plays, taking shots he had no business taking.
There is no room for error against the Thunder, so he has to make better decisions.
Grade: C
Austin Reaves
36 minutes, 8 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block, 4 turnovers, 3 fouls, 3-16 FG, 0-5 3PT, 2-2 FT, -10
Reaves was awful.
The Lakers need more from him. It’s understandable he’s not at 100%, considering he is just coming back from his Grade 2 oblique strain, but these are the defending champions.
If Reaves can’t score in bunches and Luka Dončić doesn’t return, then they have no shot of winning this series.
Grade: F
Luke Kennard
29 minutes, 7 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 1-4 FG, 1-3 3PT, 4-4 FT, -14
As the playoff intensity has increased, Luke’s production has gone the other way. He’s still the best bench player the Lakers have, but that’s kind of the problem. Nothing can be done now, as this is the team they have, so Luke just needs to be more aggressive and take advantage of the opportunities he gets.
Grade: D
Jaxson Hayes
16 minutes, 3 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 turnovers, 2 fouls, 1-3 FG, 1-2 FT, -12
Hayes did his job in this game. He was a ball of energy and a willing and able defender. How a blocking call was overturned and became an offensive foul for Hayes in the third quarter is anybody’s guess.
Grade: B
Jake LaRavia
13 minutes, 3 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 1-2 FG, 1-1 3PT, -9
LaRavia’s offense was bad, his passes were suspect, and his defensive impact was minimal. He just isn’t playing well, and this level of competition seems a bit too much for him.
Grade: F
Jarred Vanderbilt, Adou Thiero, Nick Smith Jr., Bronny James, Dalton Knecht
Vando likely would’ve played more, but his night was cut short due to a dislocation of his right pinky. He had to exit the game, and we don’t know what his status will be moving forward.
Everyone else played for just a minute in garbage time.
JJ Redick
While I would’ve liked some other backcourt looks once it was clear Reaves didn’t have it, Redick did a solid job. The way he was able to contain Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was brilliant, and he was smart with his timeouts, using them earlier than usual when he felt that OKC was going on a run.
His ATOs were very good. He had a brilliant one drawn up at the end of the second quarter that got LeBron a clean look at the basket. James missed it, but it was an example of how Redick can find an advantage and set his team up for success.
Grade: B
Tuesday’s DNPs: Maxi Kleber
Tuesday’s inactives: Luka Dončić
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
Toronto Maple Leafs win the lottery for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL draft
May 4, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CANADA; Toronto Maple Leafs new senior executive advisor Mats Sundin (l) and general manager John Chayka pose for picture after an introductory news conference at Real Sports Bar and Grill. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
SECAUCUS, N.J. — The Toronto Maple Leafs won the lottery for the first pick in the NHL draft on Tuesday night, a significant victory that could change the trajectory of the storied franchise at a critical time.
The Maple Leafs got some lottery luck a little more than 48 hours after hiring John Chayka as general manager and bringing back franchise legend Mats Sundin to serve as a hockey operations adviser. Chayka and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president and CEO Keith Pelley got some harsh questions at the introductory news conference, but it was all smiles at Toronto's facility after getting the No. 1 pick.
“I’m extremely happy for the Toronto Maple Leafs fanbase, of course," Sundin said. "Certainly this is really going to help when you’re looking into the future and try to help this team and what we’re looking for the future for the Toronto Maple Leafs, so it’s great to get the first pick.”
Penn State’s Gavin McKenna and Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg are rated as the top North American and European prospects by NHL Central Scouting. McKenna has been considered the prospective top choice for quite some time.
“I’ve kept track of him for a number of years now, and the skill level, the creativity, obviously the puck ability and then his shot and release is all pretty special,” Chayka said. “A good package, and it’ll be good to get with the scouts and talk through it all, but I know there’s a lot of passion for a lot of players, including Gavin.”
The most immediate question for the Leafs under new management is the future of captain and best player Auston Matthews after they missed the playoffs for the first time in his career. It's the first time they've won the lottery since taking Matthews with the No. 1 pick in 2016, and the draft is back in Buffalo where they made that selection.
Toronto had the fifth-highest odds of winning it at 8.5%. Vancouver had the highest at 18.5%, has never had the first pick and dropped to third. Chayka called moving up a fortuitous bounce.
“Long road ahead, of course: Lots of work to do still, but when you get a first overall pick, it’s a monumental type of opportunity,” Chayka said. “You don’t know what’s going to occur in these types of situations, but you do know you need some luck and it happened. I don’t think it changes the vision or the strategy, but certainly when these things happen it can change course and timelines, etc. But it’s not something that we’re going to change how we think about things.”
The Leafs get to keep the pick this year but lose their first-rounder in 2027 and '28 to Philadelphia and Boston. There is some uncertainty as to which order for the Flyers and Bruins, and deputy commissioner Bill Daly called it a complicated situation that would need to be worked out.
The San Jose Sharks won the lottery for the second pick. With yet another top-five pick, GM Mike Grier and his staff can augment a young group already led by Macklin Celebrini and including Will Smith and Michael Misa.
“There’s lots of options there,” Grier said. “There’s centers, there’s ‘D,’ there’s wingers, so to have the opportunity to add another very talented player to our young core is very exciting.”
Chicago has the No. 4 pick and the New York Rangers No. 5.
“We're going to get a great player,” Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson said. “It's all about accumulating talent.”
This was the second live draft conducted at the NHL Network studio, after the draw in previous years was conducted in a conference room and those inside were sequestered until the results aired on television. Commissioner Gary Bettman credited president of content and events Steve Mayer for the change.
“He goes, ‘This is an exciting moment,’ when we would do it in the room before Bill would do the reveal,” Bettman said. "He said, ‘Let’s do it live.’ And I gave him 10 reasons that we should be concerned, including, what if the machine breaks. And he said, ‘No, no we’re going to be fine.’ He’s the one who figured out how to make it an interesting and compelling show.”
After the first three numbers were drawn, the Canucks had a 27.3% chance of winning and the Rangers 18.2%, while the Leafs were among six teams with 9.1%. When the No. 12 ball popped out, completing the 7-2-11-12 sequence, Toronto won, changing the entire mood around the Original Six organization that has not hoisted the Stanley Cup since 1967.
“Just really excited for the organization, for the fan base," Chayka said. "I think it's a meaningful step and just elated.”
Ethan Salas back into MLB top 100 prospects
After the first month of the minor league season, MLB Pipeline reposted their top 100 prospects list with the graduation of St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt. Catcher Ethan Salas, playing with the San Antonio Missions, has taken the 100th spot and re-entered the list after being left off at the start of the season.
He joins LHP Kruz Schoolcraft as the only two Padres prospects on the top 100 list, Schoolcraft is listed at No. 78. Salas has had an impressive first month with the Double-A Missions, again showing why he was so highly thought of as a 17-year-old. After losing all but 10 games of last season to a back injury, Salas spent the bulk of the year and the offseason working on his physical makeup and the mental side of the game. Reportedly gaining 15-20 pounds during that time, Salas studied film and worked with coaches to refine his mental approach and begin work on altering his swing.
Baseball America predicted his return to the prospect list on May 4.
The Padres have another young player attracting attention throughout baseball. Centerfielder Ryan Wideman, 22, who has blazed through the first month of the season with the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm, has been ranked No. 4 in the Padres system by ESPN (si.com is spreading the news). That puts Salas, Schoolcraft and LHP Kash Mayfield the top three with Wideman and RHP Tucker Musgrove rounding out the top five, according to Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.
Lake Elsinore Storm (5-1 over the week)
In other good news, Lake Elsinore has continued its winning ways and now sits atop the California League South Division with a 17-10 record. Newcomer, Qrey Lott, 21, brought up from Arizona to replace the injured Kale Fountain, has started with a bang. In eight games and 20 at-bats, the undrafted free agent from Northwest Florida State College is hitting .400/.500/.750 with a 1.250 OPS while playing both outfield corners. He has two home runs and nine RBI with four walks over those eight games.
The two other undrafted free agents playing with the Storm, Connor Westenburg and Bradley Frye, continue to hit well. Infielder Frye sits with a .347/.414/.507 line and has two home runs and 17 RBI. Outfielder Westenburg is hitting .315/.390/.425 with no homers but 13 RBI with four doubles and two triples.
Of the starters for the Storm, RHP Winyer Chourio has five games/four games started and 17 innings pitched with a 2.12 ERA. He leads the team in strikeouts with 26 and has eight walks. Fellow righty Bryan Balzer, the Japanese pitcher signed by the Padres in 2023 for $10,000, has finally found his stride after spending last season getting his feet under him. Not long after signing with the team he had Tommy John surgery and spent last season with the Storm working his way back into effectiveness.
Balzer, 21, has five games/four starts with 22 innings pitched and a 3.68 ERA. He is right behind Churio with 25 strikeouts and nine walks. Balzer boasts a four-seam fastball up to 97 mph, a sinker that sits around 93-94 mph, a sweeper, a changeup and a splitter (informative write-up here).
Reliever Ethan Long has three saves and a 1.35 ERA over 6.2 innings while striking out five. Javier Chacon has a 1.59 ERA over 17 innings with 24 strikeouts in his eight appearances.
The Storm benefited from the first two starts by Padres pitcher Lucas Giolito. He started two games and seven innings but did not factor into the decision for either game. He has now moved on to San Antonio for his start today.
Fort Wayne TinCaps (12-15 record, 4th in Midwest League East)
OF/1B Alex McCoy leads the TinCaps with a .330 average and has five home runs and 14 RBI. He has also walked six times with 24 strikeouts. Outfielder Jake Cunningham continues to reassert himself with Fort Wayne, showing a .325 average and .391 OBP with six home runs and 16 RBI. He also leads the team in slug at .636 and has the best OPS at 1.027.
RHP Carson Montgomery has four starts and 17 innings pitched with a 2.12 ERA with 13 strikeouts and seven walks. In his first season back after Tommy John surgery, Montgomery made his debut with the Storm in 2024 but this is his first full professional season. He is a sinker/slider pitcher that also mixes in a changeup so it would be expected that he would have a high ground ball rate.
Reliever Clay Edmondson, a 14th-round pick from the 2025 draft, has five saves and a 0.75 ERA in his 12 innings pitched with 16 strikeouts and three walks. The sidearmer, who hits the mid-90’s with his fastball, has appeared in 10 games and allowed no home runs so far.
San Antonio Missions (7-20 record, last in Texas League South)
The Missions continue to struggle through the start of the season despite the break out performances of Ethan Salas, infielder Carson Tucker and DH/1B Leandro Cedeno. Cedeno leads the team with a .345 average, .441 OBP, .586 slug and 1.027 OPS. he has played in 16 games with 58 at-bats and has three home runs and nine RBI. At 27, he is far older than anyone else on the Storm roster and is making his transition stateside after playing the last several seasons in Japan and Venezuela.
Not far behind is 19-year-old Salas who has a .307/.402/.573 line with a .976 OPS in 22 games and 75 at-bats. He has five home runs (tops on the Missions) and 14 RBI (also first) with 21 strikeouts and 12 walks. Salas hit those five home runs in the span of seven games and has been on fire for the past two weeks.
Pitching for the Missions has been problematic. RHP Eric Yost is the best starter in his 6 games/3 games started and 22 innings pitched. He has a 3.27 ERA with 27 strikeouts to 15 walks. Top prospect Miguel Mendez is on the IL as is Luis Gutierrez.
Reliever Johan Moreno has appeared in 9 games and 15.2 innings pitched with a 1.15 ERA and a save. He has 17 strikeouts and 6 walks. Righty Francis Peña is staging a comeback after a rough 2025 second half. He sits at a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings pitched in his 9 appearances. He has 16 strikeouts but is still fighting with his command at times and has 14 walks.
El Paso Chihuahuas (15-18 record, 4th in Pacific Coast League East)
The Chihuahuas broke even over their past six games and have infielder Will Wagner back after his long stint on the injured list. Wagner strained an oblique early in spring training and just returned this past week to El Paso.
Outfielder Samad Taylor leads the team with a .330 average, a .750 slug, a .990 OPS and is second with six home runs and second with 21 RBI. Infielder Pablo Reyes leads with a .430 OBP due to his team leading 18 walks. Outfielder Jase Bowen has seven home runs to lead the team and infielder Mason McCoy has broken out the power this season with 24 RBI and six home runs.
Sung-Mun Song hit his first home run and has 15 RBI and three doubles but has struck out 27 times with 11 walks. His hard-hit rate remains low at 34.8% and he still has no barrel and a .354 slug. His home run was clocked at 94.6 mph off the bat. His line is a respectable .293/.364 otherwise and his OPS sits at .717.
RHP Evan Fitterer, 25, a free agent sign who was in the Marlins system for six years, has seven games and five starts for El Paso with a 0.98 ERA, 20 strikeouts and seven walks over his 18.1 innings pitched. That is an anomaly in the PCL with hitters only able to generate a .203 average against him. Lefty Jackson Wolf is the only other starter with an ERA below 5.00.
The best reliever is Ethan Routzahn with a 3.60 ERA in 15 innings and 13 appearances. He also has two saves and is tied with Alek Jacob for saves on the team. All other pitchers have ERA’s over 4.00 and many well over 5.00.
Yuki Matsui, who must be activated back to the Padres, finished his time in El Paso with a 4.97 ERA over 12.1 innings with 14 strikeouts and three walks.
The early season has not been kind to Chihuahuas pitching and their best starter, Matt Waldron, has been with the Padres since his third start with El Paso.
ACL Padres (Arizona Complex League)
The rookie league season has begun, and the Padres played their first game on last Saturday. They started the season against the Milwaukee Brewers rookies, and the season plays through July 23. There are undrafted free agents, 2025 draftees and international sign players on the roster. Several of the top players are transfers from last season’s Dominican Summer League team. As a side note, for those long-term Padres fans out there, former Padres pitcher Ernesto Frieri is the pitching coach for the ACL Padres.
Taiwanese pitcher Lan-Hong Su, the Padres No. 18 prospect, made his debut in the system. Su, 19, was the player signed by the Padres after missing out on Roki Sasaki in the international signing competition. He has high upside and should be closely monitored as he adds bulk to his 6-1 frame as well as development with MLB coaching.
Infielder Jhoan De La Cruz, infielder Luis De Leon and infielder Yimy Tovar are all international prospects to watch with the ACL team. Outfielder Cardell Thibodeaux, 22, drafted in the 15th round of the 2025 draft and former big leaguer Alex Verdugo, 29, who is working his way back from a sub-par 2025 where he was released by the Braves in July, both will be watched as well.
The ACL team played their first game last Saturday and lost to the Brewers 12-0 with five pitchers giving up eight hits and 12 earned runs with 12 walks. The offense only managed three hits over the game. IF De La Cruz went 0-for-2 with a walk and two strikeouts while 3B De Leon went 1-for-2. Catcher Ty Harvey, rehabbing from an injury, was 1-for-3 with a strikeout.
Cade Cunningham scores 23, Tobias Harris has 20 to help Pistons beat Cavs in Game 1
DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham scored 23 points, Tobias Harris had 20 and the Detroit Pistons beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 111-101 on Tuesday night in Game 1 of their second-round series.
Duncan Robinson added 19 points for the top-seeded Pistons, who ended an NBA record-tying 12-game postseason losing streak against a single opponent, a drought that dated to the 2007 Eastern Conference finals.
Game 2 is Thursday night in Detroit.
Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell scored 23 points, ending his NBA-record streak of scoring 30-plus points in nine straight series openers.
James Harden had 22 points and Max Stus scored 19 for the No. 4-seeded Cavs, who pulled into a tie midway through the fourth quarter after trailing for most of the night and by as much as 18 points.
Cleveland center Jarrett Allen was limited to two points and three rebounds, coming off a 22-point, 19-rebound performance in an elimination game against Toronto.
THUNDER 108, LAKERS 90
OKLAHOMA CITY, (AP) — Chet Holmgren had 24 points and 12 rebounds, and Oklahoma City routed Los Angeles in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell each added 18 points for the Thunder. The defending champions improved to 5-0 in the playoffs, despite missing 2025 All-Star Jalen Williams with an injured left hamstring for the third straight game. The Thunder shot 49.4% from the field and made 13 of 30 3-pointers.
Oklahoma City will host Game 2 on Thursday.
Los Angeles struggled to find offense without scoring champion Luka Doncic, who has missed the past month with an injured left hamstring. LeBron James scored 27 points and Rui Hachimura added 18 for the Lakers. Austin Reaves, who averaged 23.3 points in the regular season, was held to eight on 3-for-16 shooting.
Colorado Rockies sign Jordan Romano to MiLB contract
Thomas Harding of MLB.com is reporting that the Colorado Rockies have signed RHP Jordan Romano to a minor-league contract.
On April 26, the Los Angeles Angels designated Romano for assignment; on April 27, he was released. The Angels must still pay the remainder of is $2 million salary with the Rockies only responsible for the prorated league minimum based on the time Romano spends on the roster.
In recent years, Romano, 33, has struggled, so the Rockies decision to send him to their Scottsdale pitching facility makes sense.
Romano was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2014 MLB Draft (10th round) and with their MLB team from 2019-2024. During his time with the Blue Jays, he earned a 2.90 ERA in 229.2 IP. In 2022 and 2023, the closer was named to the American League All-Star Team.
However, his 2024 season, the last with the team, was marred by injury when he pitched just 13.2 innings and posted a 6.59 ERA. Romano had mid-season surgery to fix an impingement in his throwing shoulder and missed the remainder of that season.
In 2025, he signed a one-year, $8.5 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, but he continued to struggle. Over 42.2 IP, he earned an 8.23 ERA.
While with the Angels, Romano had 8.o IP. He recorded a 10.13 ERA that included 12 Ks and four saves.
According to Baseball Savant, Romano boasts a three-pitch mix: a four-seamer (94.5 mph), a slider (84.7 mph), and a splitter (86.6), all of which have seen declines in velocity in recent years.
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Thunder pull away in second half to defeat Lakers in Game 1
Lakers coach JJ Redick was succinct about what it was like for his group to face the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder during the regular season.
“We sucked against this team,” he said pregame.
The Lakers lost all four regular-season games against the Thunder by double figures, making L.A.’s 108-90 defeat to Oklahoma City in Game 1 of the second round of the playoffs just another big loss to the talented Thunder.
LeBron James led the Lakers with 27 points and six assists while Rui Hachimura had 18 points, but Austin Reaves had only eight points, shooting three for 16 from the field.
The Lakers doubled-teamed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander frequently, limiting him to 18 points and forcing him into seven turnovers.
But the Thunder just turned to Chet Holmgren, who had a double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds.
The Lakers shot only 41.7% (35 of 84) from the field and 30% (10 of 30) from three-point range while the Thunder shot 49.4% (42 of 85) from the field and 43.3% (13 of 30) from deep.
Game 2 is here Thursday night.
The Lakers didn’t help themselves at the beginning of the fourth quarter, turning the ball over on two of their first three possessions. When Marcus Smart, who finished with 12 points on four-of-15 shooting and seven assists, turned the ball over to Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso waltzed in for a layup, the Lakers went down by 15 points and had to call a timeout with 10 minutes and 41 seconds left to regroup.
The Lakers never did.
They fell into a 19-point hole in the final 12 minutes of play and never recovered.
The Lakers lost by almost 30 points per game in their four-game series against the Thunder during the regular season, and one of the games was a 43-point shellacking.
But the Lakers found their groove in the first round against the Houston Rockets and that has fueled their belief in this series against the Thunder.
“We've been able to execute, even just going back to the last three games of the regular season,” Redick said. “Again, we kind of had to reset with not a lot of time and build something a little bit new on the fly. I think our guys were able to find their way and find their way from an execution standpoint, and for the most part, did a good job of that on both ends in the Houston series.
"This is a different team and the best team, and it's going to require more. I think every round that you advance in the playoffs, you need to elevate all of the stuff even more. …That's our attention to detail, that's our belief, that's our poise. We got to be great in all those areas.”
The Lakers talked every practice about the runs the Thunder go on and how they had to limit them.
Well, it happened at the end of the first quarter, when Oklahoma City scored the last five points of the period, and it happened at the outset of the second quarter, when the Thunder scored the first five points to open a 10-point lead.
Redick leaped off the bench to call a timeout with 10:36 left in the second to get things back in order for the Lakers.
The Lakers recovered, but they then went down 56-43 in the second quarter and had to recover again.
They did, pulling to within 61-53 at the half.
Note: Lakers reserve forward Jarred Vanderbilt injured his right finger in the second quarter and didn’t return. Vanderbilt tried to block a dunk by Holmgren, but instead hit hand on the backboard and went down in pain.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Lakers struggle offensively in Game 1 loss to Thunder
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Lakers were far from perfect with their game plan execution during Tuesday’s 108-90 Game 1 loss to the Thunder at Paycom Center.
But they did enough to hang around against the defending NBA champions.
They disrupted Thunder star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s offensive rhythm with aggressive defensive coverages.
They took care of the ball in the first half, which helped them keep the score close.
But it wasn’t enough to pull off the victory, with coach JJ Redick pulling his main rotation players with 1:45 remaining with his team trailing 105-87 after watching his team struggle to put together an effective offense for most of the second half.
“I don’t think there was a turning point,” Redick said. “It was a general theme throughout the night: When we made game-plan mistakes, it bit us.”
The Lakers scored just 37 second-half points after having 53 points in the first two quarters.
LeBron James led the Lakers with 27 points on 12-of-17 shooting to go with 6 assists, 4 rebounds.
Rui Hachimura had 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting while Deandre Ayton added a 10 point-11 rebound double-double, but the offense was stuck in the mud for most of Tuesday night.
Austin Reaves (8 points on 3-of-16 shooting to go with 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 turnovers) struggled. So did Marcus Smart (12 points on 4-of-15 shooting to go with 7 assists and 4 rebounds).
And the Lakers didn’t get much scoring from their bench, which only produced 15 points compared to the Thunder’s 34.
The Thunder were led by a 24 point-12 rebound double-double from Chet Holmgren, while Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell both scored 18 points.
What it means
The Lakers are trailing in the second round playoff series, 0-1, after Tuesday’s loss.
Tuesday marked the fourth time in five matchups they lost to the Thunder by at least 18 points this season.
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Turning point
When the Thunder went on a 7-0 run after the Lakers cut their deficit to four midway through the third quarter.
Gilgeous-Alexander hit a pull-up jumper to start the Thunder’s run, with the Lakers getting a pair of missed 3s from Reaves and one from Smart during their scoring drought, before Lu Dort knocked down a 3 after a turnover from Jaxson Hayes.
After another turnover from Reaves, which was his fourth of the game, Cason Wallace made a layup to put the Thunder up 76-65, with Redick calling timeout at the 4:35 mark to slow down the run.
The Lakers trailed by at least eight points for the remainder of the game.
MVP: Chet Holmgren
During a game Gilgeous-Alexander uncharacteristically struggled with taking care of the ball (7 turnovers) as the Lakers sent multiple defenders his way, Holmgren stepped up with play finishing, serving as a release valve for the offense and providing a strong rim presence.
Holmgren led the Thunder with 9 first-quarter points and had most of his scoring total (18) by halftime, helping his team take a 61-53 lead going into the third quarter.
Stat of the game: 41.7%
That was the Lakers’ field goal percentage against the Thunder, a reflection of their offensive struggles.
Up next
The Lakers and Thunder will match up again on Thursday at Paycom Center for Game 2 of the second round series.
The game is scheduled to tip off at 6:30 p.m. PT.
Jarred Vanderbilt suffers nasty dislocated pinky injury in Game 1 vs. Thunder
A nasty injury for Jarred Vanderbilt may have not just ruled him out for the game, but for an extended time.
In the second quarter of Tuesday’s Game 1, Vando tried to block a fastbreak dunk attempt by Chet Holmgren and, in the process, smacked the backboard with his hand. He immediately doubled over in very obvious pain and exited the game.
Late in the game, after Vando had already been ruled out for the contest, Shams Charania of ESPN reported that he had suffered a full dislocation of his pinky finger.
All dislocated fingers are not created the same. While Kobe Bryant memorably popped his back into place, that isn’t always the case with them, and especially one as gruesome’s as Vando’s was.
While the injury was never shown, the reaction of the OKC bench after the injury gives an idea of how nasty it was.
After the game, Charania confirmed that the bone broke through the skin, requiring stitches.
The Lakers already don’t have much in the way of forwards as is, so losing Vando against an OKC with lots of them is a blow. If it is a dislocation, which it sure looks to be, then it’s also likely not just a one-game injury either.
That it’s on his non-shooting hand might help the situation, but it seems more likely the Lakers will have to figure out a new plan and potentially insert someone else into the rotation in Vando’s spot moving forward. That could be Maxi Kleber if they’re looking to replace him with another forward, or it could be Bronny James, who stepped into the rotation when Austin Reaves was out.
The most important thing, though, is that Vando is healthy after what appears to be a pretty nasty injury.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.
Mike Brown not getting caught up in James Dolan’s Knicks NBA Finals mandate: ‘I’m coaching to win’
Pressure?
Mike Brown scoffed at the notion.
Even if owner James Dolan said in January he felt the Knicks “absolutely” had to reach the NBA Finals and “should” win them, the first-year coach had that mindset all along after taking the job.
“People have talked about a mandate — like I’m coaching to win,” Brown said Tuesday. “It doesn’t matter what others say. I’m disappointed if we’re not in the Finals and having a chance to win it.”
They certainly look capable of getting to the NBA Finals now, after advancing in the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year in emphatic fashion and crushing the 76ers on Monday to start the Eastern Conference semifinal series.
The Knicks are hitting on all cylinders, the first team in NBA history to win three straight playoff games by at least 25 points.
When the Knicks moved on from Tom Thibodeau last spring after reaching the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2000, Brown wasn’t their top choice.
But after missing out on a few targets, most notably Jason Kidd, they settled on Brown.
It hasn’t necessarily been smooth sailing. The Knicks trailed the Hawks 2-1 in the first round, before dominating the rest of the series.
Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t have particularly strong regular seasons.
But both have come on in the playoffs, and Brown deserves some credit for how well this group is performing.
“The opportunity for this job came open, and I was just intrigued by the players,” he said. “I was intrigued by being in New York, calling Madison Square Garden my home court, being around the fans, hanging with [team president] Leon Rose who I’ve known for many years. He’s just a fantastic human being. And being around the players on that roster, and that’s all I looked at it as.
“The mandate and all that other stuff, like that’s what I expect, that’s what I want to do, and hopefully it can happen, but who knows.”
Brown isn’t ready to anoint this group just yet. While he likes how they are playing, he believes there is room for growth.
It is that same even-keeled approach that served the Knicks well in the Hawks series, when others outside the franchise were panicking.
“He doesn’t listen to the outside noise and doesn’t let that affect him. And he’s focused every day on how he can come in and make this team better,” Josh Hart said. “He listens to his coaches and listens to us with our feedback and what we have to say and asks us questions and stuff like that. So I think it’s just a good line of communication with everyone within the organization. … And he’s doing an amazing job with that outside noise.”
Red Sox 10, Tigers 3: Framber Valdez is a spineless scoundrel
There’s many, many reasons why baseball is the best game on Earth, but one of my favorites is its relentless ability to produce wildly unexpected results. Take tonight as a perfect example: This was as close to a guaranteed Red Sox loss on paper as you could get. You had (among other things):
- Brayan Bello and his 9.12 ERA set to go on the mound as the bulk guy.
- Brayan Bello pitching so poorly in recent starts that the Red Sox used Jovani Moran as an opener in front of Bello (where he immediately gave up two runs in the first inning).
- Roman Anthony away from the team seeing a hand specialist in Boston hoping to avoid a trip to the IL.
- Masataka Yoshida and Marcelo Mayer both on the bench because of a lefty on the mound for Detroit.
- Jarren Duran going 0-5 with three strike outs from the top of the lineup when he’d been the team’s hottest hitter over the last handful of games.
- Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman both likely running on empty as they had each pitched in both of the last two games. (So even if the Sox got a small lead, they might have had trouble holding it.)
- Lastly, they were on the road facing Framber Valdez, who had held opponents to two earned runs or less in six of his seven starts this season.
So what did that combination of ingredients produce? The most dominant Red Sox victory of the season of course! (Yes, more dominant than the 17-1 win in Baltimore. That score was largely inflated by a position player pitching the ninth inning.) Once again, baseball’s gonna baseball!
And apparently, Framber Valdez is gonna Framber Valdez, because after spending the first three innings of this game getting his face ripped off, he decided he wanted out by any means necessary. The only problem was his manager, A.J. Hinch, had other ideas.
After losing Tarik Skubal to elbow surgery and having to run a bullpen game yesterday, Hinch and the Tigers needed innings out of Valdez tonight. So even though Valdez was getting his teeth kicked in during the first three innings to the tune of eight runs allowed – Which let’s face it, is about 15 runs against a normal lineup the way the Red Sox bats have looked in 2026 — he was sent back out there for the fourth with his pitch count sitting at just 56 bullets fired.
The first thing he did in an act of defiance was serve up this meatball to Willson Contreras, which couldn’t have been any more in the Goldilocks zone unless it was in the Three Bears fairytale.
Here’s what Willson Contreras did with that early birthday gift (it’s coming up next week on the same day as Roman Anthony’s):
But that moonshot still didn’t get Framber Valdez out of the game — Because again, A.J. Hinch needed innings from his pitcher. So after giving up another home run to Wilyer Abreu, Valdez took matters into his own hands by getting himself ejected. And he did this on his very first pitch of the next at bat that drilled Trevor Story in the back right between the numbers:
You want to know why this guy didn’t get signed off the free agent market until February despite oodles of talent and plenty of plus pitches? This clown show right here!
The Tigers needed a big start from Valdez tonight after yesterday’s Tarik Skubal news, and not only did he not deliver, but he got into a pissing match with his manager about leaving the game that escalated to the point where he found a way for the umpires to throw him out instead. What a weasel move!
But of course, he wasn’t going to admit that:
If he couldn’t pitch, Valdez would make a really great used car salesman.
Meanwhile, Over The Monster’s own Jake Roy has a question for everybody:
From there, Jake did more research and found even more damning evidence:
Red Sox manager Chad Tracy also wasn’t buying what Valdez had to say:
Even Valdez’s own manager wasn’t defending him. Here’s A.J. Hinch’s comments on the matter:
“We play a really good brand of baseball here. That didn’t feel like it. I’m not judging intent. But I know when you go out on the field in those confrontations, you usually feel like you are in your right. It didn’t feel good being out there.”
When your own skipper is throwing you under the bus, that really says it all.
Three Studs
Ceddanne Rafaela: 3-5 with four RBI including this first inning home run to the opposite field to set the tone.
Wilyer Abreu: Went 3-4 with a home run. Here’s his blast:
Brayan Bello: I have to give credit where credit is due. As much as I’ve hated watching Bello pitch this season, he did his job tonight covering the middle seven innings to the tune of just one earned run, and perhaps more importantly, just one walk. It will be interesting to see what the team does from here because unlike tonight, it appears they’re going to have options.
Bonus Stud
Alec Gamboa: Made his major league debut in the ninth inning and sent the Tigers down in order. Here’s his first career strikeout and his family’s elated reaction:
This stuff never gets old! And also, it’s another one of those reasons why baseball is the best game we’ve got.
Three Duds
Jarren Duran: 0-5 with three strikeouts. This comes just one night after he hit an opposite field three-run homer in a one-run game. Again, baseball being baseball.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 0-4 from the bottom of the lineup. His OPS is down to .449.
Jovani Moran: His opening inning looked a lot like most of Brayan Bello’s starts this year, giving up a pair of runs on a pair of walks and three hits. However, this was one of the RARE games where it didn’t really matter what the starting pitcher did.
Looking ahead, Sonny Gray is due to come off the IL tomorrow evening and face off against Jack Flaherty, who has gotten rocked in each of his last two starts. I would say this puts the Sox in a great position to sweep the Tigers, but if today taught us anything, it’s that baseball games aren’t played on paper and tend to be wildly unpredictable.
Oh, and also that Framber Valdez is a spineless scoundrel. We got a front row seat for that lesson.
Winners and Losers: Cavs vs Pistons Game 1 – Unforced errors seal their fate
The Cleveland Cavaliers missed an opportunity to steal Game 1 against the Detroit Pistons.
Let’s go over today’s winners and losers.
LOSER – Turnovers
Cleveland turned it over 20 times tonight, allowing 31 points off those turnovers. That might be the fastest way to guarantee yourself a loss on the road.
The ball was especially slippery for James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, who combined for 10 turnovers to just 9 assists. Harden was the primary culprit, coughing it up seven times tonight and a whopping 43 times throughout the playoffs so far.
Harden has felt like an offensive stabilizer for the Cavs. Even more so when Mitchell was struggling in round one. But he’s got to be more careful with the ball, or these ugly turnovers will seal their fate. There’s no way around it.
As for Mitchell, the Cavs are waiting for him to spark back to life. He’s been dormant since Game 2 versus Toronto — and they can’t afford for their star player to finish games with more turnovers than assists. Cleveland is desperate for some efficient playmaking, and neither Mitchell nor Harden is ringing that bell at that moment.
WINNER – Max Strus
You can only afford so many record scratch moments in the NBA Playoffs. If you aren’t sure what I’m talking about, imagine a perfect drive-and-kick opportunity that turns into a Dean Wade pumpfake that resets the offense.
That’s a record scratch.
The Cavs have loved having Wade on the floor with the core four, as his defensive versatility turns them from mediocre to elite. But Wade’s inability to shoot with volume or create off the dribble has severely limited his ceiling on the big stage. Strus doesn’t have that problem.
You won’t get the same defensive effort from Strus, but the Cavs offense has access to more options when he’s on the court. That’s because he’s a volume shooter who puts pressure on a defense to stay attached to him. The Cavs guard-guard screens are effective with Strus being a threat to pop for a three-point attempt.
Strus scored 19 points on 7-13 shooting tonight (4-8 from deep). He also added 5 rebounds. We know that Strus is a streaky shooter and could just as easily struggle in his next game. Still, added offensive production from Strus is something the Cavs can reasonably expect to get at various points in a playoff series. Tonight was one of those nights. They should have taken advantage.
LOSER – Rotations
There’s a reason that most teams shrink their rotations once the playoffs begin. You aren’t going to find more than eight or nine guys who can hang on the floor as the margins for error get smaller.
The Cavs played 11 guys tonight. That’s hard to explain.
Sure, Sam Merrill left the game with a hamstring after only playing seven minutes. So a spot in the rotation was opened for Keon Ellis to get his first run in four games. And, Jarrett Allen found himself in foul trouble, so Thomas Bryant was dusted off the bench for a few runs.
But the problem isn’t that Bryant and Ellis had to play minutes in a pinch. It’s that Kenny Atkinson chose to dig deeper into his bench rather than simply adding more responsibility to his star players. Again, there’s a reason most teams choose the latter in the playoffs. You’d rather lose with your best players deciding the game than start the fourth quarter with three reserves.
Seriously, the Cavs opened the fourth with Bryant, Ellis, and Dennis Schroder on the court. It didn’t go well, and all momentum from their third-quarter rally was lost.
No one played more than 36 minutes tonight for Cleveland. Allen, who was the hero in Game 7, played just 18 minutes with four fouls. Are we aware that fouling out doesn’t come with a suspension? Why not trust the Fro to play with two fouls to give instead of playing him just eight more minutes than Bryant?
Conversely, Cunningham played 43 minutes for Detroit. Tobias Harris played 39. There’s value in leaning on your best players. The Cavs will need to do that moving forward.
Cubs BCB After Dark: What’s your favorite 2026 home run?
It’s Tuesday night here at BCB After Dark: the grooviest spot for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Thank you for stopping in. There’s no cover charge. The dress code is casual. We’ve still got a few tables available. The hostess will seat you now. Bring your own beverage
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
Last night I asked you to grade Craig Counsell’s job as manager. I said over his entire tenure because I think it’s hard to not give him an “A” for this year unless you’re a complete curmudgeon. Also, because I think 35 games is too small of a sample size in baseball to judge anything. With that in mind, 47 percent gave Counsell an “A” and 46 percent gave him a “B.” The rest gave him a “C” and not even one single person voted “D” or “F.”
Honestly, that’s about as good an endorsement as a manager can get from the fans in the stands without winning a World Series.
On Tuesdays I don’t do any movie stuff, but there’s always time for jazz. You can skip it if you want.
Tonight we’re taking a visit to Brazil as the legendary Antonio Carlos “Tom” Jobim plays some of his bossa nova classics “One Note Samba” and “Desafinado.”
This is from 1964.
Welcome back to everyone who skips all that jazz.
The Cubs got their first walk-off home run of the year last night from an unlikely source—pinch-hitter Michael Conforto.
That was a big home run, obviously. But was it the best? Was it your favorite? Was it the one that made you yell so loud you woke the neighbors? Or was there another one that had your family check in on you to make sure you were OK?
I’ve picked six home runs that I think are candidates for the best Cubs home run of the year (so far). I only picked home runs from wins. Then I looked at home runs with a high Win Probability Added. I didn’t go exclusively with that because there were some that maybe didn’t look big at the moment but turned out to be big in the end. (Happ’s home run is like that.) Maybe you would have another list, but I’m the one here writing the article. You can vote for “other” if you have another candidate.
To refresh your memory, here are the candidates.
Carson Kelly’s 3-run pinch-hit home run vs the Mets on April 18 [VIDEO]. Kelly’s home run broke a 1-1 tie in the sixth inning. The Cubs went on to win 4-2.
Seiya Suzuki’s solo home run against the Phillies on April 23 [VIDEO]. The home run gave the Cubs an 7-6 lead in the bottom of the eighth. It was spoiled a bit by Caleb Thielbar giving up a home run in the top of the ninth and blowing the save, but the Cubs would win in extra innings to sweep the Phillies and win their ninth straight.
Dansby Swanson’s two-run home run in the top of the ninth versus the Dodgers on April 24 [VIDEO]. This was a big one. The Cubs trailed this game 4-0 until they scored three in the seventh, one in the eighth and took the lead for good on Swanson’s homer. The win was the Cubs’ tenth-straight.
Matt Shaw’s solo home run versus the Padres on April 29 [VIDEO]. The Cubs were beating the Padres 4-3 in the top of the eighth. It turned out to be a huge insurance run after the Padres clawed back another run in the bottom of the inning. The Cubs would go on to win 5-4.
Ian Happ’s solo home run against the Diamondbacks on May 2 [VIDEO]. The wind was blowing in on this one and neither team could manage much offense. It looked like the Cubs were going to win this game 1-0 until they scored an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. They ended up winning 2-0.
And finally, Conforto’s walk-off home run from last night [VIDEO].
So now it’s time to vote.
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