An average week for the Guardians felt like it had a lot more losses than what it really did. That means that some positive moments are definitely needed.
Bazzana Hits Big
After making his Major League debut on April 28th, Guardians’ top prospect Travis Bazzana was struggling to collect his first hit. While he walked twice in two of his first three games, he went hitless in that same amount of time. He collected his first hit, a single, on May 2nd. He began hitting more consistently after that, and it culminated in his first Major League home run on May 8th versus the Minnesota Twins. So far this season, he’s hitting .233/.425/.333 with eight walks and four RBIs.
Aleman Finding Success Early
The Guardians announced on Friday that they would be calling up pitcher Franco Aleman to give the bullpen a boost. He did exactly that in his debut on Sunday, pitching two innings while striking out one and giving up two hits. He did not allow any runs to score, and he kept the Guardians in a spot where they had a chance to at least tie the game (which they did not do). While it’s too early to tell if he can keep this success up throughout the season, he has been extremely promising in Triple-A Columbus so far this season. He’s managed a 0.00 ERA across 12 innings, giving up just one unearned run on three hits. He’s struck out a whopping 18 hitters and walked only four.
Guards Make Big Trade
In a shocking move, the Guardians announced on Saturday that they would be acquiring catcher Patrick Bailey from the San Francisco Giants for Minor League pitcher Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson and a 2026 compensation pick. While he’s only hitting .141/.207/.176 so far this season, he’s averaging a .224/.281/.328 line in his career. He is known for his success behind the plate, however, getting calls outside of the zone without being challenged. The Guardians definitely needed a boost at that catcher’s spot after sending Bo Naylor back to the minors.
Social Media Spotlight
My favorite post from the week comes from the official Guardians account. After Travis Bazzana hit his first Major League home run, the team posted an upside down video of it captioned “For our folks in Australia”.
Cantillo's changeup grades at the 88th percentile in run value, and his 95th-percentile release point makes him difficult to square up consistently.
Without a named starter, the Angels figure to deploy their bullpen tonight, and Los Angeles relievers have surrendered home runs at the highest rate in baseball over the last two weeks.
With too much juice on the moneyline, take Cleveland to cover the run line instead.
COVERS INTEL:Cantillo has been one of the better bets in baseball this season, going 6-2 in his starts while generating +4.51 units for bettors.
Angels vs Guardians Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (+104)
Wind blowing in off Lake Erie on a chilly May night sets the table for a low-scoring affair.
Cantillo has held opponents to a .294 BABIP with a 75% strand rate in 2026 despite pedestrian underlying stuff.
The Angels rank 24th in wRC+ over the last two weeks and own the worst walk rate in baseball, while Cleveland has been equally futile offensively, posting a 91 wRC+ over that same stretch.
Neither lineup has shown the consistency to threaten this number, and Los Angeles has gone Under the total in eight of their last 10 games.
Phil Naessens' 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 5-11, -5.05 units
Over/Under bets: 6-8, -3.30 units
Angels vs Guardians odds
Moneyline: Angels +144 | Guardians -150
Run line: Angels +1.5 (-144) | Guardians -1.5 (+117)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-127) | Under 7.5 (-117)
Angels vs Guardians trend
The Cleveland Guardians have covered the Run Line in 23 of their last 40 games at home (+10.25 Units / 21% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Angels vs. Guardians.
How to watch Angels vs Guardians and game info
Location
Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH
Date
Monday, May 11, 2026
First pitch
6:10 p.m. ET
TV
ABTV, Guardians.TV
Angels starting pitcher
TBD
Guardians starting pitcher
Joey Cantillo (2-1, 3.43 ERA)
Angels vs Guardians latest injuries
Angels vs Guardians weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Kazuma Okamoto has been swinging the hottest bat in the Toronto Blue Jays lineup, and I’m expecting another productive night at the plate for the star slugger tonight against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Read on to see why with my Rays vs. Blue Jays predictions and MLB Picks on Monday, May 11.
Rays vs Blue Jays predictions
Rays vs Blue Jays best bet: Kazuma Okamoto Over 1.5 total bases (+110)
Daulton Varsho has recorded a hit in eight of his last 10 games. He’s hitting .316 in that stretch, including a 1-for-3 outing against Rasmussen on May 5. I’ll add Over 0.5 hits for Varsho to tonight’s SGP
For the final leg of the SGP, I’m taking Kevin Gausman to go Under his 2.5 earned runs line. He held the Rays to just two runs in his last outing and is 3-1 to the Under across his last four starts.
Angels vs Blue Jays SGP
Kazuma Okamoto Over 1.5 total bases
Daulton Varsho Over 0.5 hits
Kevin Gausman Under 2.5 earned runs
img loading="lazy" width="100%" height="null" src="https://img.covers.com/editorial/2026/jaysmlcbp.jpg" alt="Canada’s best price for Jays"
Get the best Jays ML odds at BET99 — every game.
Rays vs Blue Jays home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (+300)
Okamoto leads the team with 10 home runs this season.
One of those homers came off Rays starter Rasmussen back on May 5.
It’s a good matchup for Okamoto, who hits the four-seamer extremely well, which is Rasmussen’s most used pitch, with a .643 slug-rate and a 67% hard-hit rate.
He also barrels the ball well, and Rasmussen has allowed a lot of barreled hits this season.
If Okamoto gets a fastball in the zone, he could launch it into the seats again, as he’s done many times over the past couple of weeks.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 17-22, -1.15 units
SGPs: 8-31, +2.7 units
HR picks: 8-31, +8.15 units
Rays vs Blue Jays odds
Moneyline: Rays +1.5 (-190) | Blue Jays -1.5 (+160)
Run line: Rays +110 | Blue Jays -130
Over/Under: Over 7 (-125) | Under 7 (+105)
Rays vs Blue Jays trend
The Toronto Blue Jays have covered the Run Line in 6 of their last 8 games at home (+4.85 Units / 49% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Rays vs. Blue Jays.
How to watch Rays vs Blue Jays and game info
Location
Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Date
Monday, May 11, 2026
First pitch
7:07 p.m. ET
TV
Network
Rays starting pitcher
Shane McClanahan (4-2, 2.60 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Kevin Gausman (2-2, 3.09 ERA)
Rays vs Blue Jays latest injuries
Rays vs Blue Jays weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
MIAMI, FL - MAY 07: Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo (29) gets high fives in the dugout after scroring a run during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Miami Marlins on Thursday, May 7, 2026 at LoanDepot Part in Miami, FL (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
To kick off the week, the Yankees will head back to the East Coast for a three-game set with the Orioles. For the most part, the American League in 2026 can reasonably be described as “unimpressive,” a description the Yankees are mostly exempt from, but describes Baltimore’s season fairly well. At 18-23, they are already in a nine-game hole in the East, and could be headed for a forgettable season, similar to 2025, after they made the postseason in two consecutive seasons.
The Yankees, after opening the month of May with some exemplary baseball, are coming off of a sweep at the hands of the Brewers. Now having fallen out of first place, being overtaken by the red-hot Rays in the East, they’ll need to beat up on the O’s in order to regain status in their division.
Monday: Ryan Weathers vs. Brandon Young (6:35 pm ET)
Ryan Weathers will take the hill to open up the series on Monday. Although he has been up and down at times, his first season in pinstripes has started off quite well on the whole. In 38.2 innings thus far, the lefty has managed a 3.03 ERA and 3.60 FIP, while striking out more than a batter per inning. He most recent start also came against Baltimore, in which he struck out five in as many solid innings of work. He’s also completed at least five innings in his last five outings, a streak he’ll look to continue on Monday.
The Yankees will square off with 27-year-old Brandon Young on the mound for Baltimore. A rookie last season who had an ERA north of 6 last season in 12 starts, he’s made strides in his sophomore campaign. The right-hander has split time between triple-A and the Majors in 2026, but has stuck around for a few turns through the rotation currently. His last outing saw him go six hard-earned innings against the Marlins, giving up three runs and striking out five.
Tuesday: Will Warren vs. TBD (6:35 pm ET)
Will Warren is slated to start on Tuesday, and has enjoyed a mostly terrific 2026 season. Despite that, he may still have a bad taste in his mouth, coming off of his only bad start this year, when he gave up six runs in four innings against the Rangers. On the bright side, prior to that start, he had a sub-2 ERA across his four previous outings, and he has now struck out six or more batters in five straight starts. He’ll look to right the ship after his first blemish on an otherwise excellent 2026.
The O’s have yet to announce a starter, though it could possibly end up being Trevor Rogers returning from the injured list. Rogers was incredible in 2025, posting a sparkling 1.81 ERA in 18 starts last season for Baltimore, though he has not gotten off to the start they hoped for this year. He’s likely run into some tough luck, running a decent 3.72 FIP, but he also hasn’t pitched since April 25, hitting the shelf with an illness.
Wednesday: Max Fried vs. TBD (6:35 pm ET)
The series’ final game will likely see Max Fried on the rubber for New York. After beginning his eight-year deal with a tremendous 2025, Fried has picked up right where he left off in 2026. Despite slightly decreased strikeout numbers, Fried is more than getting by with a 2.74 FIP m and has been one of baseball’s most valuable pitchers to this point in the season. He has cemented himself as one of the most reliable starters around, and the Yankees will get to enjoy just that on Wednesday.
Baltimore does not have an official starter announced for Wednesday either, but righty Kyle Bradish is the probable starter according to RosterResource. After a breakout campaign in 2023, Bradish has had difficulty staying on the field, as his 42 innings this season are already the most he’s had since that ‘23 season. Although health is the top priority, it has been a disappointing start to the year, as he hasn’t gotten a ton of length, and has allowed multiple runs in all but one start. He pitched against the Bombers on May 2nd, and allowed five runs and a pair of homers in four innings.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 10: President Michael Winger of the Washington Wizards poses for a photo after the Wizards won the 1st overall pick during the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery on May 10, 2026 at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards have the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. That is a huge morale boost for the fans. And yet … the organization is willing to make moves with that pick, including trading down that very pick, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report and The Stein Line.
The Washington Wizards will reportedly consider trading down from the No. 1 pick, per @JakeLFischer
“Winger told me directly that the Wizards will at least consider trading down. He insisted that this is ‘not a savior moment’ for Washington given that the franchise just traded… pic.twitter.com/XmaCWaqkPX
It’s important to note that it is very rare for a team that has a No. 1 overall pick traded before he plays for that team. But it has happened twice in relatively recent memory.
The last such case was in 2017 when the Philadelphia 76ers acquired the No. 1 pick to select Markelle Fultz from the Boston Celtics who received the No. 3 pick to select Jayson Tatum. Fultz ultimately bounced between multiple teams while Tatum became Boston’s franchise player and led the Celtics to a championship in 2024.
Also, in 2014, the Cleveland Cavaliers drafted Andrew Wiggins of Kansas No. 1 overall before trading him in a package for Kevin Love. The move ultimately worked out for the Cavaliers who would go on to win the NBA championship two years later. Even for Wiggins, he had a strong start to his NBA career for the Timberwolves. Wiggins ultimately became an All-Star in 2022 for the Golden State Warriors, as well as an NBA champion.
Again, it’s very rare for a team to trade the No. 1 pick away, whether before the draft or soon after. And anything Monumental Basketball President Michael Winger said about “considering” trading down from the No. 1 pick? Well, any sound front-office executive will say that to maintain maximum leverage.
May 10, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox (4) challenges Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) for the ball in the fourth quarter of game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images
What a game! I kind of inexplicably blacked out 12 minutes into the game and gained consciousness a few moments later to watch the rest of the entertaining wrestling match/basketball game trying to piece together what happened like in the movie Memento. You, fellow readers, get the pleasure of going with me on this journey to find the truth.
The first truth we find is that De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper led the team with 24 points apiece, and both guards’ hands were busy with 3 steals each to match the aggressive defense played on both sides. Fox justified his previous “Clutch Player of the Year” award by making timely plays down the stretch for the good guys while Harper justified being the number two overall pick by making professional play after professional play.
Take a good look at this highlight below because it’ll be the last time you’ll get to see these! For this game at least, let’s keep our fingers crossed.
If you’re a fan of Arrested Development, you’ll get this reference. If you’re not a fan of Arrested Development, I don’t know what to say—I can only bring so much culture into your life. Victor Wembanyama’s plus/minus was -1 tonight in 12 minutes of play on the floor. He managed 4 points, 4 rebounds, and one assist in those 12 minutes.
What gives? It’s like he really is an alien and the mother ship suddenly came down and plucked him from the court while blasting disco music like Gonzo’s alien family did in Muppets from Space. Even the official San Antonio Spurs Twitter account is missing a whole chunk of highlights of the first quarter after this assist from De’Aaron Fox to Wembanyama. The mystery thickens!
Other than this highlight of Dylan Harper with the beautiful subtle ball fake and step through, there’s no other highlight (evidence) of the entire 1st quarter, whether of Wembanyama or anything Spursy. I had the game on mute so I could only assume that after Wembanyama’s sudden disappearance the Spurs were also shocked but tried to keep it close—closing out the mystery quarter down 4 to the Timberwolves.
I scanned the sidelines and even peaked into the raucous crowd but could not find a trace of the man in the jersey stitched with the number “1.” I asked my two colleagues in the living room with me if they had seen the 7-foot Frenchman that abruptly vanished from our television screen earlier. I was only met with “Huh? Why are you talking to me in a weird Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes British accent?” and “Can I go to bed *after* I finish watching Finding Nemo”? (Note: Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms and anyone who’s a mom to someone!)
That being said, Carter Bryant surely made his mother proud with this easy dunk off the pretty ball movement from Harper to Julian Champagnie, who found Bryant open under the basket.
Somewhat similar to Game 2 against the Portland Trail Blazers when the boys unexpectedly lost Wembanyama early in the game, it seemed to take the air out of their sails. For this game, they seemed just a bit better equipped to deal with the cards dealt. Luke Kornet, for one, stepped up and played 26 solid minutes of clean the glass, put all the put backs back, and blocked or altered all the shots.
I think Stephon Castle felt what I felt: shock, confusion, a bit of anger, and hunger for some birria tacos. And who could blame him? A rowdy game will bring that out of you. So much that he even dunked on his own teammate!
Amid the circus, it’s worth pointing out the crisp and purposeful ball movement of these Spurs. Here, Devin Vassell makes a crazy circus shot of his own, but the play was set up by ping-ponging passes initiated by Castle and fed through Champagnie.
OK as we got toward the end of this game, I have considered all the available evidence to me (i.e., self-imposed Twitter blackout, live broadcast on mute, ignoring family (only briefly! It was *still* Mother’s Day), pretending to read group chats and only replying with 👽 emojis), and the only conclusion I could come up with is that Victor Wembanyama got thrown out of the game for laughing. It happened to Tim Duncan so why couldn’t history repeat itself?
In all seriousness, losing Wembanyama to a flying elbow (to be clear, an elbow that he himself threw with those pterodactyl wings he calls arms) was a huge blow to the team and this game. It’s worth noting that our boy did spend last summer with Shaolin monks and Kevin friggin’ Garnett. The “there are two wolves” inside of us narrative could not be more true in this case where it seems like nirvana and Kevin friggin’ Garnett (a Timberwolf, no less) were constantly at odds with each other.
It’s like Frank Costanza stood alone and screamed “Serenity now!!” into the void while multiple Timberwolves clawed at him. Even Lloyd Braun couldn’t save the day, but the hopefully the good guys will have their fearless leader back in time for the next match.
If you missed the game because you were too busy writing sticky notes to yourself with reminders to buy milk, watch more games on mute, and to enjoy Game 5, here are the full-game highlights:
Next up, the Spurs head back to San Antonio for Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, May 12, 2026.
DALLAS, TX - MAY 5: Masai Ujiri talks to the media during an introductory press conference on May 5, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Tim Heitman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Incoming Dallas Mavericks president of basketball operations and alternate governor Masai Ujiri said in his introductory press conference on Tuesday that he wanted to bring “calm” to an organization beset by tumult in the year-plus before he was hired.
In a sit-down interview with team Chief Communication Officer Gina Miller later in the week, Ujiri preached “focus, purpose and an honest direction toward winning.”
Yea. Sign us up for some of that.
Listening to the man now in charge of the once proud franchise that was submarined by previous leadership to the point of ethical (perhaps too ethical) tanking for much of the 2025-26 season, through his introductory presser and this latest interview, gives one the sense that he lives everything he talks about. He has a process to get there. Maybe most importantly, he’s done it before.
Ujiri says it, and he makes you believe he has a plan to make it happen. When he says he wants to bring calm, he says it in a measured tone. When he talks about talent evaluation, he brings with him a new incoming general manager whose ball-knowing acumen in recent years has been proven prescient. When he talks about purpose, he cites his years’ worth of work growing the game globally with Basketball Without Borders.
The skins are on the wall behind him, but he doesn’t want attention. He doesn’t just have a reputation for being a relationship guy. He’s spent his entire career in the game of basketball forging them across the globe.
He told several anecdotes during the interview that make his landing in Dallas sound like a little dose of cosmic kismet, even if he also admitted the plain truth up front that “if there weren’t issues [in Dallas], I wouldn’t be here talking to you.”
He’s forged connections with several longtime Mavericks through his time in scouting, from Kike Vandeweghe, who gave Ujiri his first full-time job in an NBA front office as a scout in Denver, to Donnie Nelson, who he met and competed with on the international scouting trail. He’s worked with Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash through his years at Basketball Without Borders, where he also connected with “a lot of the NBA players who came through like Shawn Bradley, Dirk Nowitzki, Shawn Marion, Kyrie [Irving] and Rolando Blackman.”
“This franchise has lived in me somehow, and then this happened so organically,” Ujiri said. “The global footprint of the Dallas Mavericks is right there. I’m proud to be associated with the growing up of Dirk in the league, with Steve Nash, all these guys that set the tone for where we were going, not only as a team, but as a league. This is a big part of our game, and I’m so proud that this organization was at the forefront of this.”
He also told a story about being at the NBA Draft lottery last year, as he and the Toronto Raptors hoped against hope, just like the Mavericks did, to move all the way up to the No. 1 overall selection and have the chance to grab hold of a special young talent he went back to over and over again during the interview.
“It’s a moment where we’re all human beings,” Ujiri said. “You feel it. You know what the odds are, but you still feel like you are the one. I saw [NBA Deputy Commissioner] Mark Tatum going up to the stage. From the angle I was sitting, I could see, when he got to nine. He was opening up the card and even before he said it, I saw the red [Raptors logo]. We got bumped. We fell. I get home, my kids,, ‘Papa, we didn’t get Cooper Flagg.’”
Fast forward to just over two weeks ago, when Ujiri had finalized his discussions with Mavericks’ governor Patrick Dumont to take the job at the head of Dallas’ front office.
“I told them at dinner,” Ujiri said. “And I’m telling you, they went wild. Cooper Flagg! Cooper! Cooper! It is crazy to me that it came like that, you know, full circle. What an honor, to come to this organization and have that gift. I know we’ve gone through a tough time as an organization, but we all have to really see this moment where we start to grow and show this kid that we are going to grow with you. We are going to support you, and this is the direction that we are going. We were blessed to have been given this kid.”
He talked about watching Flagg practice before the draft and being in awe of his footwork and his wingspan.
“They don’t come often. They really don’t. We have a generational talent here and we are going to do the best possible job here to give him a chance to bring championships to this city.”
And when he says it, you believe he has a plan to make it happen.
You can watch the full interview exclusively within the Mavs app on all iOS and Android devices.
DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 05: Gabriel Landeskog #92, Nathan MacKinnon #29, Martin Necas #88 and Cale Makar #8 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrate after a goal during the first period against the Minnesota Wild in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena on May 05, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Avalanche will have a couple tough decisions this summer now that NHL salary cap is set. [The Denver Post]
Pressure falls on Avalanche as they aim to purge playoff ghosts. [Sportsnet]
Avalanche remain confident in goaltending duo entering Game 4 against Wild. [NHL]
Necas’ breakout year with Avs includes 100-point season, playoff success and locker-room pranks. [TSN]
Gavin McKenna’s mom allegedly snuck teen hockey phenom alcohol at Pennsylvania bar. [Edmonton Journal]
Sharks an example for Canucks, Flames in their respective rebuilds. [USA Today]
Hockey icon Ernie ‘Punch’ McLean killed in northern B.C. crash. [CBC]
P.K. Subban speaks with The Gazette on Canadiens’ playoff run. [Montreal Gazette]
Hurricanes gift for rolling in playoffs? Another lengthy rest between rounds. [The Score]
NHL gambles away its credibility with draft lottery. Even if the Leafs winning it was on the up-and-up, and it probably was, a blatant conflict of interest remains. [Ottawa Citizen]
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 10: Cameron Boozer talks to the media during the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery on May 10, 2026 at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Tamez/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Now that the draft lottery is over, people can start to make some educated guesses about who goes to what team.
Here’s an interesting factor we had not considered: not only is Carlos Boozer Cameron Boozer’s father, he’s also a scout for the Utah Jazz, and the Jazz hold the #2 pick.
Utah can get an 18-year scouting report on Boozer. In all seriousness, Carlos could deliver the most in-depth analysis of not just Cameron’s basketball talents, but also the most in-depth psychological analysis any athlete has ever received.
The question is how objective he could be. Even so, it’s a valuable gift to the Jazz, whatever they decide to do.
Generally speaking, everyone seems to expect Washington to take BYU’s AJ Dybantsa with the #1 pick. But this guy argues that Washington needs post play more, and Boozer fits the bill.
On the other hand, here’s an argument that Boozer’s tailor-made for Memphis, that he and Zach Edey would be monstrous inside. He would also be teammates with near-Devil Cedric Coward, who committed to Duke as a transfer last season before opting to stay in the draft.
Meanwhile, this article expects that with the fourth pick, Chicago will get either Boozer or UNC’s Caleb Wilson. If it works out that way, that’s not bad.
Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam said at a press conference last week, where the team introduced new head coach Taylor Jenkins, that he wants there to be a resolution before the draft on June 23-24. Antetokounmpo has one year left on his contract before a player option next summer, making him extension eligible in October.
“Sometime over the next six or seven weeks we’ll decide whether Giannis is going to sign a max contract and stay with us or he’s going to play somewhere else,” Haslam told reporters. “And [general manager] Jon [Horst] and Taylor, along with [co-owner] Wes [Edens] and myself, will make that call and we understand the gravity of that call.”
The trade drama began last summer, when Antetokounmpo reportedly expressed a desire to play for the Knicks. Milwaukee decided to hold onto him for the 2025-26 season, but that backfired as the team limped to a 32-50 record before Doc Rivers departed as head coach.
The Bucks hold the No. 10 pick in the draft after Sunday’s lottery results. The Warriors will pick at No. 11 and the Heat are at No. 13, giving them the best draft slots among the aforementioned teams.
Charania reported that ownership and front office officials expect a young blue-chip talent and/or a surplus of draft picks in any potential trade, but their leverage is obviously waning as Antetokounmpo gets closer to his 2027 contract opt-out.
Antetokounmpo played 36 games this season as he dealt with groin, calf and knee injuries. He averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game while making his 10th All-Star appearance in 13 seasons.
BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 22: A general view of the stadium as the sun sets before a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park on September 22, 2020 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hello and happy Monday, folks. Hope you enjoyed your weekend—shout out to all of the mothers out there.
The Red Sox do not have a game tonight! They’re gonna be playing the Philadelphia Phillies next, but that series will begin on Tuesday. So, we’ve got ourselves a good ol’ fashioned off night tonight.
My question to you: how will you be spending it? Watching other sports? Playing video games? Doing grown-up responsibilities? Enjoying a night on the town? You tell me in the comments below.
San Siro emptied early after supporters once again sang the former director’s name as club faces lack of Champions League football … again
There were more than seven minutes left to play, plus injury time, in a crucial end-of-season game, yet San Siro was already half empty. Milan’s Ultras had deserted the Curva Sud to prepare a post-game protest, but even the less organised, more forgiving parts of the club’s fanbase could not be bothered to stay until the end of another humiliating defeat.
Their team was losing 3-0, at home, to Atalanta, and it hardly even felt a surprise. With this loss, inevitable as it now appeared, the Rossoneri had collected just seven points from their last eight games. Only three teams in Serie A had done worse over the same stretch. Two of those – Verona, and Pisa – have been relegated. The third, Lecce, are perilously close to joining them.
The Vancouver Canucks enter the 2026 NHL Entry Draft with 10 picks. Leading up to the draft, we at The Hockey News will profile a different prospect who the Canucks could take with each of their picks. Today's prospect is Québec Remparts center Maddox Dagenais, who Vancouver could select 33rd overall.
If the Canucks want to continue to build out their center depth, Dagenais would be a smart selection to kick off the second round. The left-shot center had a productive season in the QMJHL as he posted 62 points in 62 games. Dagenais followed up his regular-season success with a strong playoff run, as he recorded three goals and six points in 11 games.
After his season was complete, Dagenais represented Canada at the 2026 U18s. He played in the middle-six and finished the tournament with two points in five games. Dagenais also represented Canada at the 2024 U17s where he won a Silver.
Dagenais is the 15th-ranked North American skater according to NHL Central Scouting. The 18-year-old is listed at 6'3", 196 lbs. Overall, Dagenais is a physical player who understands how to use his size to his advantage.
When Dagenais hears his name in June, he will become the second member of his family to be drafted into the NHL. His dad is Pierre Dagenais, who the New Jersey Devils famously drafted in both 1996 and 1998. Dagenais' dad would go on to play 142 NHL games, scoring 35 goals and recording 58 points.
While there will be a lot of focus on his point total, one area of Dagenais' game that does not get enough recognition is his ability to win faceoffs. During the regular season, he took 380 draws and had a win percentage of 51.3%. As for the playoffs, he lined up for 72 faceoffs and won 52.8% of them.
In the offensive zone, Dagenais has shown the ability to be both a playmaker and a finisher. He is a player who likes to shoot from everywhere on the ice and averaged 4.4 shots per game during the regular season. Ultimately, if Dagenais has the puck in the offensive zone, he consistently finds a way to create scoring chances.
Maddox Dagenais of the Québec Remparts (Photo Credit: Erica Perreaux/CHL)
As for the transition game, Dagenais likes to have control of the puck when in the neutral zone. This allows him to dictate the play and decide whether the best option is to carry the puck past the blue line or make a pass to a teammate. Dagenais' ability to read the play also comes in handy, as he can anticipate when it's best to leave the defensive zone.
Dagenais has been on the radar for this draft ever since he was drafted first overall in the QMJHL Draft back in 2024. He is a skilled center who won the QMJHL's Best Professional Prospect award this year. If selected, Dagenais would be a solid addition to Vancouver's prospect pool.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 5: Logan Webb #62 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park on May 5, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Suzanna Mitchell/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A busy week in the National League West was marked by a few All-Star starting pitchers getting sidelined, and a few roster shakeups among the under-.500 teams in the division.
The Giants continue to flounder, last in the majors in runs scored (3.25 per game) and 29th in wRC+ (83), but made a few roster moves with an eye toward the future this week. First was calling up 21-year-old slugger Bryce Eldridge, the consensus top-50 prospect, last Monday for an extended look. Eldridge started five games .. at designated hitter and hit his first major league home run on Saturday, in a game San Francisco lost by 10 runs.
On Saturday, the Giants traded starting catcher Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Guardians for pitcher Matt Wilkinson — with the incredible and apt nickname Tugboat — and the 29th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. While Bailey was otherworldly defensively with his two Gold Glove Awards, he hasn’t done much with the bat, a career .224/.282/.329, 72-wRC+ hitter who was hitting just .146/.213/.183 this year. Though you might remember him from his only home run this year, a three-run bomb off Jack Dreyer to beat the Dodgers on April 22, orBailey’s walk-off grand slam last September off Tanner Scott.
The Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday designated center fielder Alek Thomas for assignment, jettisoning the rangy defender who was hitting just .181/.222/.340 with a 53 wRC+ in 100 plate appearances this season and a career .273 on-base percentage in five major league seasons. That opened the door for consensus top-100 prospect Kyle Waldschmidt to get his first major league opportunity.
Arizona only allowed 10 runs in their six games this week, but still managed to lose three times, thanks to an offense that scored nine runs on Tuesday but only 10 runs over the five games since. Another D-back struggling at the plate is Ketel Marte, who received National League MVP votes in each of the last few years and finished third in 2024. Through Sunday, Marte is hitting just .212/.268/.370 with a 76 wRC+ this season. Jim McLennan at AZ Snake Pit examined what’s wrong with the three-time All-Star.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 10: Rico Garcia #50 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates after defeating the Athletics at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 10, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
Good news: the Orioles do, indeed, love their mothers. They made it a happy Mother’s Day with a 2-1 win over the Athletics that averted a three-game sweep. While the O’s offense again didn’t inspire much confidence, they delivered one of their best-pitched games of the season, holding their opponent to one run for just the third time in 2026. They even made a legitimately good defensive play — who knew it was possible? — with Leody Taveras and Samuel Basallo joining forces to cut down the potential tying run at the plate in the seventh. Check out Mark Brown’s recap of the much-needed victory.
With the win, the Orioles (18-23) have climbed out of the basement of the AL East, pulling a half-game ahead of the Red Sox (17-23). It’s wild to think that the O’s, as horrific as they’ve looked this year, still have a better record than three AL teams and are within a game and a half of six others. The American League is well and truly dreadful so far. Only three of the 15 teams have winning records. Three! The Yankees and Rays have been great, the Athletics have been good, and everyone else is .500 or worse. At this rate it’s going to be hard to scrounge up six legitimate AL teams to make the playoffs. In that sense, the Orioles’ hopes of remaining relevant in 2026 are far from over.
Still, it stands to reason that the entire league isn’t going to stay bad for four more months. A few teams will stabilize and will separate themselves from the pack. In all likelihood, all six AL playoff teams will finish the year with a winning record. So the Orioles are going to have to do some real work if they want to be part of that group. Moseying around mediocrity isn’t going to cut it in the long run.
These next three games against the Yankees are going to be an enormous test. Frankly, we’re all kind of expecting the Yanks to mop the floor with the Birds like they did last weekend in New York, when the O’s were humiliated in all four games, getting outscored 39-10. And that may well happen again. But if the Orioles can show some semblance of fight and urgency, and maybe steal a game or two in this series, perhaps the outlook for the rest of 2026 won’t look so bleak.
We can only hope this matchup against the Yankees goes better than the last, or the Orioles’ escape from the AL East cellar will prove to be short-lived.
This is a pretty cool way to do a gender reveal. Way better than those people who, like, set off fireworks and accidentally start a forest fire or something.
I feel like the O’s have been so terrible that we haven’t gotten to see much of Alby’s personality, so it’s good to see that the manager is trying to keep things loose. Whether it will make any kind of difference is another question.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Four ex-Orioles were born on this day, most notably the late right-hander Milt Pappas (b. 1939, d. 2016). Pappas pitched in the majors for 17 years and won 209 games, and he spent the half of his career in Baltimore, where he was a two-time All-Star and a steady presence in the Orioles’ rotation for nearly a decade. But he’s best known for being the main piece of the three-player package sent to the Reds for Frank Robinson, which turned into the best trade in Orioles history.
Other former Orioles with May 11 birthdays are right-handers Kerry Ligtenberg (55) and Mark Huismann (68) and outfielder Trenidad Hubbard (62).
On this day last year, the Orioles beat the Angels in Los Angeles, 7-3. Zach Eflin pitched five solid innings, Gunnar Henderson bashed a two-run homer, and #9 hitter Maverick Handley drove in two runs without a hit thanks to a sac fly and a squeeze bunt. It was the 421st — and final — win of Brandon Hyde’s Orioles managerial career. The O’s followed with four straight losses and Hyde was fired later that week.
Random Orioles game of the day
On May 11, 1999, the Orioles suffered an 11-6 loss in Cleveland. An early 2-0 O’s lead evaporated when Cleveland scored six runs in the fourth, with the first six batters of the inning all reaching base against Sidney Ponson, capped by a Richie Sexson three-run homer. Ponson was tagged for eight runs in 4.2 innings and wasted an 11-hit effort by the O’s offense. Cleveland starter Bartolo Colón, in the third season of his eventual 21-year career, earned the win.
COVERS INTEL: 
