KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MAY 18: Jarren Duran #16, Wilyer Abreu #52 and Ceddanne Rafaela #3 of the Boston Red Sox celebrate a 3-1 win over the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on May 18, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning! Did Jarren Duran’s three-run shot in the ninth last night feel surreal to anyone else or was that just me? I had forgotten that teams were allowed to score late-inning insurance runs.
The Red Sox scored more than three runs for the first time in nine games last night. It was just the fifth time they’ve done it in the last 19 games. Unsurprisingly, they are 4-1 in those games, which just hammers home a fact that has become painfully obvious: if this team could hit at all, it would be really, really good.
Does this fact give you hope or despair? On one hand, they aren’t all that far off from being able to consistently win baseball games; just a little offensive improvement from a few guys in the lineup ought to do it. On the other hand, wishing that this Red Sox team could hit could be like wishing that Craig Breslow didn’t have the personality of a human sweater vest; some things just are what they are.
So with that said, what side of the hope fence are you sitting on: Do you think this Red Sox team will get back to .500 this year? Talk about that and whatever else you want and, as always, be good to one another.
As we sit just a handful of hours before Game 2 of the Western Conference Final, our thoughts are dominated by Victor Wembanyama. The 22-year-old controlled every facet of the series opener in San Antonio’s 122-115 double overtime win over the two-time NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
Just as Mark Daigneault and OKC are working feverishly to figure out a path to victory in Game 2 Wednesday night, we work to find an advantage and subsequently profit from Wemby’s other-worldly actions on the court in the Western Conference Finals and possibly the NBA Finals.
Let’s start with the obvious opportunity we all wish we had played, but few of us did. San Antonio was 66-1 to win the NBA Title before the season began. If you are holding that ticket, wow! So many ways to hedge off that ticket at this point in the playoffs. For us mere mortals, those odds are no more. The value in that market has long dried up. A bet that has cashed is the Spurs regular season win total which was set at 44 games. A rocking chair bet if ever there was one.
But again, the real goal of this exercise is to find value still available for those wanting to take advantage of the wonder that is Wembanyama.
The Spurs are still listed as the slightest of underdogs at DraftKings to win the series against Oklahoma City (-105). Considering they now own the home court advantage; there is value in getting nearly even money to bet today on Wembanyama and San Antonio to advance to the NBA Finals.
Next category to consider is the exact result of the Finals. Because this exercise is all about the wonder that is Wemby, we are only considering the four markets involving San Antonio. The Spurs to defeat Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals is priced at +260. Losing to the Knicks is set at +750. The Spurs to knock off Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers is set at +650. Cleveland to beat the Spurs is set at +3000.
The Spurs are currently +155 to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy next month. There is slightly greater value in playing Wemby not to earn MVP honors in the Western Conference Finals (+100) but to be named the MVP of the NBA Finals (+170).
After dabbling in those markets, an obvious avenue is to bet game results. There is immediate value there for Game 2 as Wemby and co. (+200) are underdogs to the Thunder. If you are a believer in OKC to bounce back but it will be a tight affair, take San Antonio and the 6.5 points (-110).
Lets take a look at Game 2 individual markets and possible plays. No question OKC will change things up and look to play tighter defense on Wembanyama. While that is their intent, it is only realistic to believe the Thunder will disrupt him. It is foolish to think they will stop him. The Spurs slowed SGA in Game 1. As difficult a task as that was and will continue to be it pales in comparison to trying to slow Wembanyama. The obvious difference is about a foot as the Spurs' leader is roughly 12 inches taller than SGA. He can see over any double-team and find the open cutter in the lane or shooter on the perimeter.
With that in mind, let’s look at the combo markets for Game 2. Victor Wembanyama to record a double-double is an unplayable -700. Wemby to record a triple-double (+4200) looks appealing at first glance, but remember, the wispy giant had but three assists and three blocks to go with his 41 points and 24 rebounds. That said, if he is truly double-teamed with consistency, he will find open teammates and those assist numbers should grow religiously throughout the night.
That is the market to attack on Wednesday night. You will find plus money for Wembanyama to collect 4+ (+148), 5+ (+299), 6+ (+586), and so on up the ladder. All are sensible plays knowing OKC cannot deter Wembanyama covering him with a single human currently on their roster. If you believe that number will approach double-digits, revisit the triple-double (+4200).
Looking to squad ride with the Wembanyama faithful? We have unearthed a few markets worth a little pizza money. Enjoy Game 2 and all the emotions it will bring, but do not let those emotions affect your decisions when it comes to placing a wager on the game. Bet responsibly.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - MAY 19: Nolan Gorman #16 of the St. Louis Cardinals rounds third base after hitting a two-run home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the sixth inning at Busch Stadium on May 19, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We have seen so many heroic, ridiculously entertaining *but also mortifying Wins this season that it feels like one of those October teams that find ways to win… but in the regular season. Their record in extra innings is 6-1 and they are good in 1 run games. The offense is good at late-inning dramatics, not giving up, and hitting home runs when they need to. But one cannot rely on that to save games that are on the line that often! Sure Riley O’Brien is usually lights out but they’ve had to come from behind a lot (and sometimes, like last night, he just doesn’t have it).
As far as them being like one of those teams in October that just finds ways to win, let’s pump the brakes on that. Let’s see if they can get that far with a below-replacement-level bullpen.
So far in 2026, the Cardinals bullpen has had just a few bright spots. Overall, they obviously must be doing something right, but that’s related to outperforming their expected value and relying on some airtight defense provided by talented young players like JJ Wetherholt, Masyn Winn, and our center fielders. Considering the fact that the St Louis bullpen is the worst of the not-dumpster fire by fWAR, it is a bit of a miracle the Cardinals are good in extra innings.
Is overusage due to a lackluster or even crappy starting rotation the culprit? Not really. The Cardinals are 20th in IP out of the ‘pen. Are we overrating Riley O’Brien, and we aren’t getting enough saves? No, absolutely not, St Louis has 17 saves, behind only San Diego and Tampa Bay in saves. The villain is the K/BB ratio, and several pitchers handily beating their FIP with their ERA:
Gordon Graceffo roughly 3 points lower ERA as compared to FIP
George Soriano 1.48 lower ERA/FIP
JoJo Romero 1.28 lower ERA/FIP
You also see Graceffo doing a tightrope walk at a .157 BABIP against, with Soriano, Romero, and Bruihl well below league average in that area. But then you have Stanek and Svanson badly stung by BABIP against.
The only player above replacement level by fWAR has been Riley O’Brien who has been an elite closer, but even the best closers are not infallible, and he’s been faltering a bit lately, blowing some saves you think he would not have a lot of trouble with. But all in all he’s been the savior of the bullpen and without him it would be over -1 fWAR.
Bullpen usage has been divvied up well by Marmol with Gordon Graceffo shouldering the workload, and a core of Riley O’Brien, JoJo Romero, and Matt Svanson not far behind. Oli will also go to George Soriano, Justin Bruihl, and Ryne Stanek a lot. Innings usage is all pretty clustered together so far, so kudos on bullpen management and not using them too much.
What is wrong with the ‘pen? I alluded to it earlier. It’s the K/BB ratio, dummy.
Here is what Ryne Stanek and his 4 seamer are doing:
If Ryne Stanek striking mofos out? Yes, yes he is. He is elite in that dept. Is Ryne Stanek walking mofos? Yes, and at an alarming rate. Too close to a walked batter every inning at 7.65 BB/9. That said 50% ain’t too bad when it comes to the 4 seamer.
His sliders are hitting the zone 30% of the time! Jesus F nevermind:
Can it get any worse than that?? Yes! Stanek’s splitter is finding the zone 22% of the time:
It is rather difficult to watch, but some ridiculous potential is there. What pitch does he have control over? He’s really good at controlling his sinker, which finds the strike zone roughly 2/3 of the time.
Why bother? Stanek has swing and miss stuff. Batters swing and miss over 36% of the time, and the league average is around 25% of the time.
Thank you for attending my powerpoint presentation on Ryne Stanek.
When they do hit Stanek he’s getting hit HARD. But he also throws really hard. Remember, they’re not connecting with a lot of this stuff, but when they are he’s probably also walked someone, which compounds his failures.
Who is probably most like what we have actually seen, going forward? Riley O’Brien. His walk rate will likely increase, but I wouldn’t be alarmed by his recent struggles.
Guess he could improve his offspeed pitch? lol
What should Gordon Graceffo work on? His sinker is hitting the zone only 22% of the time!
He needs more control over his curveball and changeup too.
How about George Soriano? What is he good at? He has good control over his sinker, and last night his changeup was looking really good.
What does he need to improve on? His sweeper only finding the zone 28% of the time. I’ll skip the chart on that one, you get the idea.
One more thing, what about early season deserved scapegoat Matt Svanson?
Svanson cannot be trusted until he turns all this around, except for his fastball velocity, which is fine.
The bullpen repair could be to somehow reduce the terrible walk rates of Stanek, Svanson, Bruihl, and even Soriano. I would only expect Stanek, O’Brien, or maybe Svanson to strike out a batter. The bullpen’s overall strikeout rate ain’t good.
What is the bullpen good at? They are good at inducing the grounder, overall tied for 5th in MLB in GB%. Maybe the guys outside of O’Brien, Stanek, and Svanson can really focus more and more on pitch to contact and utilize that defense to save their own bullpen. That is a strength already. With fewer walks, it means more groundouts, hopefully. The Cardinals will probably shore up the bullpen somehow, especially if they continue to play contentious baseball.
Cardinals Pitching Big Picture
This will probably be difficult to read, but as you can see, there are about two, maybe two and a half red spots there, and too many blue spots. Graceffo is bringing home the wOBAcon and O’Brien looks fine by xwOBA. As a staff the expected batting average against is scary because of the exit velocity and hard hit %. This group will need to pitch to contact and reduce walks to stabilize the season. Otherwise we might have to be terrorized by wicked come from behind wins all season.
Thank you for listening to my TED talk.
1990
Part 1 (non-heavy metal version)
It took two weeks to even start fathoming the immense power of the year 1990 in music. A lot more albums started to come out by 1990, and more bands than ever is part of the reason why. But I get the sense that there was a bit of a fire catching in music culture by this point in history. Let’s take a look at what was groundbreaking at the time, because hey, I love music! And I’m just as into it as baseball. Ok, probably moreso, but anyway.
The Jesus Lizard – ‘Head’ sure it’s a little bit creepy sounding but that’s part of the appeal… it’s also a perfect album, start to finish, all killer, no filler, and one of the great debuts of all time! And it’s just FUN to listen to. An absolute blast. It never gets old for me. One of the true great rock n roll bands but also channels uncanny punk energies and absorbs from a ton of other genres while sounding completely JL. How were they this good so quickly? They were in some other bands beforehand but wow.
PRIMUS – ‘Frizzle Fry’ I could just as easily say many of the same things for Frizzle Fry and perhaps it is an even better album than ‘Head’ but I think I would go to this a little less often, it is however, pure genius. And nothing had really been done like this before. One of my soundtrack to teenage years albums, so it has been with me for a long while, and I still listen to it.
Helmet – ‘Strap It On’ yet another envelope pushing, genre defying unique album from 1990, and a debut too! These three bands really got the 1990s off to quite a start. Nothing I mean nothing sounded like this and no other band quite got that Helmet sound right, not even Helmet itself after it lost its lineup heard here. Absolutely next level stuff, and my favorite Helmet release by far except perhaps for the Born Annoying collection of songs prior to this full-length debut by NYC’s Helmet.
Sonic Youth – ‘Goo’ wanted to get this on the list even higher but the competitive nature of 1990 keeps Goo further down the list a bit. Not a super groundbreaking debut, but it is Sonic Youth absolutely perfecting their sound, and I go back and forth on this, Daydream Nation, and Washing Machine as my favorite SY.
Skinny Puppy – ‘Too Dark Park’ Skinny Puppy takes it to the next level here and creates one of the absolute best industrial albums of all time, an absolute masterpiece and perfect album start to finish. Would rank higher, but definitely a special occasion listen! Perhaps the highest technical achievement on here, astonishing in scope and execution, most excellent listen.
LOOP – ‘A Gilded Eternity’ what can I say, I truly love that Robert Hampson LOOP sound, a truly underrated and one of the best of the more forgotten bands. Cannot recommend enough if you like rock, garage, pscyhe, alternative, space rock, and shoegaze.
Public Enemy – ‘Fear of a Black Planet’ the defining genre classic that still sounds fresh to this day, Public Enemy at their best. There is just something about the chemistry between the Bomb Squad production crew and the vocal rap duo of Chuck D and Flavor Flav. If I were less of a rocker and more of a hiphop head, this would be #1 probably. Another incredible technical achievement taking music into the future.
Meat Beat Manifesto – ‘Armed Audio Warfare’ and ‘99%’ one of the most under-the-radar yet hugely influential bands ever dropped not one but two industrial meets punk and hiphop albums in one year. Both are super entertaining and fun to hear. Cyberpunk party music! More futuristic production genius taking things to the next level in 1990. Moved electronic music several steps into the future along with Public Enemy.
Kiling Joke – ‘Extremities, Dirt, and Various Repressed Emotions’ I don’t know how I never heard this album before but before it’s all said and done I might move this WAY up the list, it’s just new to me. It might end up being my favorite Killing Joke album at the very least. So good!
Living Colour – ‘Time’s Up’ I wore out a taped copy of this in high school and it still sounds so fresh and new to this day, one of the more underrated bands ever. Perfect album start to finish, yet again. 10/10 Vernon Reid is a guitar hero and Cory Glover is one of the best singers I have ever heard.
Cocteau Twins – ‘Heaven Or Las Vegas’ the best Cocteau Twins? If I had to choose just one, yeah! Another masterpiece 10/10 album on the list! For fans of shoegaze, goth, alternative.
Fugazi – ‘Repeater’ well you gotta have Fugazi – Repeater on the list somewhere, right? Amazing.
A Tribe Called Quest – ‘People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm’ and this is my #2 hiphop album from a year stacked with important genre defining albums in a blossoming year for the genre. Totally different from Public Enemy but also just as important, or moreso to many people. My brother would pick this one.
Naked City – self-titled and ‘Torture Garden’ whether you prefer the more well known self titled album or the latter, pick your poison you can’t go wrong here. Like if you threw 10 genres into a blender and somehow arranged that perfectly as a genius level composer, this is what you have here. File under: jazz.
Alice In Chains – ‘Facelift’ here we take the genius down a notch but don’t write off Facelift, it’s freakin awesome. Makes the list just for “We Die Young” and “Man In The Box” alone, it’s a good album start to finish but it starts so strong that it is a force to be reckoned with. Also, the missing link between hair metal and grunge, I would say. Storming into the 1990s right away is the Alice In Chains debut album! Helped define a decade of music to come.
Horațiu Rădulescu – ‘Clepsydra; Astray’ some very weird, peculiar classical music bordering on the ambient/drone territories, I don’t know where to put it on the list so I’ll drop it right here, amazing genius. maybe I just needed to change things up for a second
Zoviet France – ‘Look Into Me’ more abstract weirdness for you, and Zoviet France at their best…
Herbert Distel – ‘La Stazione’ …and more in the same vein, check it out if you like dark instrumental soundtrack ish 20th century composer material. Haunting and beautiful in its own right.
Ween – ‘God Ween Satan’ gotta get Ween’s debut on here! More weirdness from the year 1990.
Frontline Assembly – ‘Caustic Grip’ very strong year for industrial music, and a key band to the genre just getting started… a really good album!
Ok that’s it for this week! Thanks for reading. I hope this improves our bullpen. 😉
Basketball experts are pinning down their mock selections over a month away from the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23-24.
This draft class anticipates having among the best crop of talent to enter the league with players such as AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson and Darryn Peterson.
The Golden State Warriors have to decide whether to will draft a prospect or trade their No. 11 pick.
Despite being heavy buyers in the trade market, the consensus is that Golden State will retain their pick and lean into scouting for the right piece. Head coach Steve Kerr looks forward to that selection and believes developing that pick will be a "huge factor" in their 2026-27 season.
"I think we're in a different place now. Right, there's no question. And I've talked to Mike (Dunleavy, the Warriors GM), I mean, I don't know the draft, but he feels really strongly that we're going to get a good player. It could be a 19 year old, it could be someone older," Kerr told reporters.
The Warriors have been linked to a number of players, such as Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg, Arizona guard Brayden Burries and Michigan center Aday Mara.
USA TODAY Sports' Bryan Kalbrosky predicts Karim López going to the Warriors as the first-ever Mexican-born NBA draft selection. Kalbrosky described Lopez as "physically gifted, athletic, and universally seen as the top prospect from this class currently playing overseas."
"He exploded for 32 points (11-of-13 FG) with eight rebounds, two blocks and one steal against Melbourne on Jan. 30. Despite his age, he played a huge role for his team defensively for a team that won the NBL Ignite Cup. López measured well, weighing just shy of 222 pounds and 38-inch max vertical," Kalbrosky wrote.
Whoever is brought in, Kerr emphasized the Warriors' commitment to that players' development.
"It's obvious where we are with the injuries to Moses (Moody) and Jimmy (Butler), you look at our depth on the wings, that guy has to play, and he's got to earn it, you know, but we're committed to absolutely, you know, the development of our young players," Kerr said. "(We're) trying to do this thing in a way that allows for success down the road. Down the road meaning the end of next season and beyond, and we're excited about that."
Here are mock draft predictions from sports experts, specifically for the Golden State Warriors:
Experts' share Golden State Warriors mock draft selection
We knew the Western Conference Finals was going to be good, but hot damn.
With Oklahoma City on high alert for Game 2 after losing home court via a double-overtime thriller in the series opener, my Spurs vs. Thunder predictions call on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to bounce back from an off-night to top his scoring prop on Wednesday, May 20.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
Spurs vs Thunder Game 2 prediction
Who will win Spurs vs Thunder Game 2?
Thunder: The Thunder may have been a little rusty after waiting around for the Spurs to advance to the conference finals. Oklahoma City, which hadn’t played since May 11 after sweeping the Lakers, was on its heels in the first half before a late rally forced OT. The Thunder shot just 36% in the opening 24 minutes and was still able to hang around. Expect a full 48-minute effort and a home win in Game 2.
Spurs vs Thunder best bet: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 28.5 points (-110)
Gilgeous-Alexander was 1-for-5 with four points in the first half of Game 1 and quickly realized backup wasn’t coming.
After just one shot inside of 15 feet in the opening half, SGA was more aggressive attacking the rim.
All nine of his 2-point FGAs in the 2H came within 15 feet — seven in the paint — and he scored 18 points in the half before OT.
NBA player props projections sit closer to 30 points for a more aggressive SGA.
COVERS INTEL: SGA's Game 1 usage was down to 28.2%, including an uncharacteristically low 19.5% in the first half of Monday’s series opener.
Spurs vs Thunder Game 2 same-game parlay
A long layoff between series left the Thunder a little stiff in the opening 24 minutes of Game 1, and yet OKC stuck around. This time, Oklahoma City is playing with pressure after letting Game 1 slip away. The Thunder are 13-5 SU off a loss this season and 8-0 off a loss in the playoffs over the past two postseason runs.
Victor Wembanyama turned away three shots in Game 1, but OKC played passively in the opening 24 minutes and didn’t attack the inside at its normal rate. Business picked up in the second half, and the Thunder got aggressive, with all three of Wemby’s swats coming in the second half and OT periods.
Spurs vs Thunder SGP
Thunder moneyline
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 28.5 points
Victor Wembanyama Over 3.5 blocks
Our "from downtown" SGP: Mega powers explode
The Thunder clap back in a big way in Game 2.
Oklahoma City is 8-0 SU and 6-2 ATS off a playoff loss the past two seasons and gets 30+ from a more aggressive Gilgeous-Alexander.
Wembanyama sees more swats with OKC attacking the interior and Holmgren tries stretch the Spurs defense with his outside shooting, having hit at least two triples in six of his nine postseason games so far.
Spurs vs Thunder SGP
Thunder -6.5
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 28.5 points
Victor Wembanyama Over 3.5 blocks
Chet Holmgren Over 1.5 threes
Spurs vs Thunder odds for Game 2
Spread: Spurs +7.5 | Thunder -7.5
Moneyline: Spurs +205 | Thunder -250
Over/Under: Over 216.5 | Under 216.5
Spurs vs Thunder betting trend to know
Oklahoma City is 33-7 SU and 22-17-1 ATS off a loss the past two season, including 8-0 SU and 6-2 ATS off a playoff loss in that span. Find more NBA betting trends for Spurs vs. Thunder.
How to watch Spurs vs Thunder Game 2
Location
Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Date
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Tip-off
8:30 p.m. ET
TV
NBC
Spurs vs Thunder latest injuries
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The Montreal Victoire are one win away from being crowned the 2026 PWHL Walter Cup champions, but not if the Ottawa Charge have anything to say about it.
The Charge scored a game-winning goal with only 55.5 seconds remaining in the third period to defeat the Victoire 2-1 in Game 3 to force Game 4 on Wednesday in Ottawa. Montreal has a 2-1 lead in the best-of-5 championship series, so Ottawa will have to muster another win to avoid losing back-to-back Finals.
Rebecca Leslie's playoff game winner in the final minute of regulation marked the first of her career. She leads Ottawa, which doubles as her hometown, in both points (6) and goals (4) this postseason.
"I'm at a loss for words. It's so special. It's just an honor to play for my hometown... Nothing compares to how I felt in that moment," Leslie said after the win. "Our group throughout the whole season has been resilient. We have a no quit attitude and we've been battling the ups and downs all season. We believe in our group."
USA TODAY Sports is providing live updates of Game 4 of the PWHL Walter Cup Finals:
Montreal has a lead over Ottawa heading into the third period following Abby Roque's goal. Montreal had six shots on goal, while Ottawa had five during the period.
Montreal's Abby Roque opened the scoring in the second period to give the Victoire a 1-0 lead over Ottawa just 3:49 into the second period. The shot was assisted by Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey. It marks Roque's third goal of the postseason, Poulin's sixth assist and Stacey's four assist.
We're still scoreless after the first period. Montreal had six shots on goal, while Ottawa had five but neither team was able to find the back of the net. The first period hasn't yielded high offense in the 2026 PWHL Walter Cup Finals. In fact, only one goal has been scored in the first period during this championship series.
— xz - Victoire de Montréal (@PWHL_Montreal) May 20, 2026
How to watch Game 4 of the PWHL Finals?
Game 4 of the PWHL Finals between the Montreal Victoire and Ottawa Charge is set to begin at 7 p.m. ET at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa. The matchup will be broadcast on ION and available for streaming on PWHL's Youtube channel.
May 16, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves designated hitter Drake Baldwin (30) on the field before a game against the Boston Red Sox at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Prior to Tuesday’s contest with the Miami Marlins, the Atlanta Braves announced several roster moves, most notably placing catcher Drake Baldwin on the 10-day injured list with a strained oblique. The club also selected Chadwick Tromp to the major league roster, reinstated Dylan Dodd from the injured list, optioned JR Ritchie to Triple-A Gwinnett, recalled Víctor Mederos, and finally, released Aaron Bummer from the roster.
The #Braves today selected C Chadwick Tromp to the major league roster and placed C Drake Baldwin on the 10-day injured list with a strained right oblique muscle. Atlanta also returned LHP Dylan Dodd from his rehabilitation assignment and reinstated him from the injured list…
The Atlanta lineup continues to be plagued by injuries, and this time, it’s sidelining Baldwin, who has hit .303 and logged 36 games behind the plate thus far. Considering this is an oblique injury, his time on the IL will likely surpass the minimum stint. Fortunately, Baldwin’s strain is just a Grade 1.
Beyond Baldwin’s injury, the release of Aaron Bummer has sparked lots of discussion. During his outing on Monday night, the left-hander got absolutely rocked, giving up six runs in one inning.
The remaining moves do not come as a huge surprise, and while Baldwin is out, the Braves will look for the rest of the roster to help keep them atop the NL East.
The Farm System is missing something this season, and it is most definitely affecting the pitching staff.
MLB News:
After recovering from Tommy John surgery, New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole will be activated from the injured list and make his season debut on Friday. It will be his first big league start since 2024.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 22: Head Coach of the New Jersey Devils Sheldon Keefe looks on from his bench during the first period against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Xfinity Mobile Arena on November 22, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
Coaching news:
Devils also confirm that Sheldon Keefe will be returning as HC. He has two years left on his contract. New GM Sunny Mehta had evaluated the HC position and has decided to bring Keefe back. https://t.co/W8aTCWYV5w
“Jordan Kyrou’s name has been a constant in trade rumors over the past year and change. If the St. Louis Blues put him back on the market this summer, the New Jersey Devils should make him a priority target. Let’s get into some of the many reasons why.” [Infernal Access ($)]
“The Vegas Golden Knights appealed their NHL-imposed sanctions in New York on Tuesday morning and it was determined shortly afterward that the punishment will remain as assessed, sources told ESPN. The league fined coach John Tortorella $100,000 and stripped the team of its 2026 second-round draft pick for ‘flagrant violations’ of the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoff media regulations.” [ESPN]
More Golden Knights drama:
Following the Golden Knights reportedly denying the Edmonton Oilers an opportunity to speak to Bruce Cassidy, the NHLCA releases a statement. pic.twitter.com/7XG2Kjjhhc
General Manager Ryan Johnson announced today that Head Coach Adam Foote and Assistant Coaches Scott Young, Kevin Dean and Brett McLean have been relieved of their duties.
DUNEDIN, FLORIDA - MARCH 13, 2026: Eric Wagaman #13 of the Minnesota Twins gets ready to catch a ball for a putout during the second inning of a spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays at TD Ballpark on March 13, 2026 in Dunedin, Florida. The Blue Jays beat the Twins, 6-1. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Syracuse scored six runs in the first and made that stand up, with three more insurance runs in the seventh making things a bit easier. A.J. Minter tossed a clean inning as he gets closer to a potential return to the majors, while Ben Rortvedt – likely the third catcher in the org at this point – homered as part of a two-hit day.
The Flying Squirrels put up four runs in the first, but scored two runs in each of the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh innings to re-take a lead they’d hold. All of Eli Serrano, D’Andre Smith, Nick Lorusso, and JT Schwartz went deep, but Jacob Reimer’s recent resurgence hit a wall with a hitless day and an error.
Brooklyn managed to score three runs on only two hits, which is great. They also only had two hits and gave up seven runs, most of which scored in a five run third – obviously less good. This roster isn’t in a great spot and the record reflects that – there will be reinforcements later in the season though in all likelihood.
Making three errors isn’t a great way to win a game. Nor is having your starter give up four runs in five innings. Nor is having the best prospect in the lineup – and quite possibly a top-20 or 30 prospect in baseball at this point – go hitless out of the leadoff spot.
May 17, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies bench coach Don Mattingly (8) reacts in the dugout before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
If today is going to be a 1:00 start and both teams know that a storm is coming that would delay the game for quite a while, how often are they swinging at anything that is remotely close to the strike zone?
Happy birthday to Bobby Murcer, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 1971 – Martin Dihigo dies in Cienfuegos, Cuba, at the age of 65. Over the course of his career, Dihigo made seamless transitions between all nine positions and played in several countries. As a hitter, he won both batting average and home run titles; as a pitcher, he won more than 250 games and once defeated Satchel Paige while touring Cuba. He will be elected to the American Hall of Fame in 1977 and also was or will be voted into the Cuban, Mexican and Latin American Baseball Hall of Fame, and other stories as well.
Today in baseball history:
1871 – In Boston, Mort Rogers introduces a scorecard with a picture of Harry Wright on the front. Each Red Stockingshome game will feature a different player so that spectators can collect them and have a full set of Boston’s players by season’s end. This marketing strategy will be used throughout the 19th century and will ultimately evolve into Tobacco cards and, eventually, Baseball cards.
1881 – Mike “King” Kelly scores the go-ahead run by cutting short the distance rounding the bases. Kelly doesn’t come close to touching third while the umpire is looking a different direction. Kelly then pulls off the hidden ball trick in the 9th inning to preserve the win for the Chicago White Stockings over Boston, 5-4.
1948 – Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees hits for the cycle and collects six RBI in a 13-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox. DiMaggio hits two home runs, a triple, a double and a single, and narrowly misses another extra-base hit when Chicago left fielder Ralph Hodgin makes a spectacular catch at the wall.
1979 – Don Sutton becomes the franchise’s winningest pitcher when he is credited with the victory, tossing eight innings in the Dodgers’ 6-4 victory over the Reds at Riverfront Stadium. The 34-year-old right-hander’s 210th win surpasses the team mark established in 1969 by Don Drysdale.
1988 – Mike Schmidt belts the 535th home run of his career during the first inning at San Diego, CA off Padres starting pitcher Andy Hawkins, moving Schmidt past Jimmie Foxx into sole possession of eighth place on the all-time home run list.
2012 – Max Scherzer strikes out 15 batters in seven innings to lead the Tigers to a 4-3 win over the Pirates. The strikeouts are one shy of the club record of 16, held by Mickey Lolich, and represent the highest total in the major leagues so far this season.
2014 – At age 55, Julio Franco returns to professional baseball with a 1-for-3 night for the Fort Worth Cats of the independentUnited League. Hired for the Cats’ current homestand as a player-coach, Franco has now played professionally in five decades, having started in the minor leagues in 1978. He had retired in 2008 before his return this year.
1862 – US President Abraham Lincoln signs into law the Homestead Act to provide cheap land for the settlement of the American West (80 million acres by 1900).
1899 – First speeding infraction by a New York cabbie driving an electric car – 12mph down Lexington Street.
1959 – Ford wins battle with Chrysler to call its new car “Falcon.”
1964 – Buster Mathis beats future world heavyweight champion Joe Frazer on points at trials in Flushing, NY to qualify for US Olympic boxing team; Mathis injures thumb, replaced by Frazier who wins gold medal.
1989 – “Toonces The Driving Cat” takes the wheel on SNL.
1990 – Hubble Space Telescope sends its first photographs from space.
Special Invention- and adventurer-related stories on this date:
1830 – Douglass Hyde receives the first US patent for a fountain pen.
1873 – Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis patent the first blue jeans with copper rivets.
1891 – First public display of Thomas Edison‘s prototype kinetoscope to members of the National Federation of Women’s Clubs.
1892 – George Sampson patents clothes dryer.
1918 – US Navy launches USS New Mexico, its first battleship with an electric-turbine propulsion system.
1927 – At 7:40 AM, Charles Lindbergh takes off from New York to cross the Atlantic for Paris aboard the Spirit of St. Louis in the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight.
1932 – Amelia Earhart leaves Newfoundland on her journey to become the 1st woman to fly solo and nonstop across the Atlantic.
Special Music-related stories on this date:
1939 – “3 Little Fishies” by Kay Kyser swam to #1.
1954 – Decca Records releases Bill Haley & His Comets’ hit single “Rock Around the Clock”.
1967 – BBC bans the Beatles’ song “A Day in the Life” due to the line “I’d love to turn you on” being construed as a drug reference.
1970 – The Beatles’ “Let it Be” documentary film directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, premieres at the Liverpool Gaumont Cinema and the London Pavilion; none of the group attend.
1979 – Elton John is the 1st western pop star to tour USSR.
1980 – Drummer Peter Criss quits rock band Kiss.
1983 – “Every Breath You Take” single released by The Police (Billboard Song of the Year, 1983).
1992 – American rapper Tung Twista raps 597 syllables in under 60 seconds.
May 19, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo (29) attempts to catch the ball as Tampa Bay Rays pinch runner Carson Williams (7) slides to score a run in the eighth inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
Good morning Birdland,
This Orioles team is just not fun to watch right now. They lost again on Tuesday night, a 4-1 defeat to the AL-leading Tampa Bay Rays. At 21-28, the O’s are back in the division cellar, among the absolute worst teams in the entire sport.
Once again, the offense was basically a no-show. Taylor Ward opened the game with a homer, and then the team went 3-for-28 with two walks and nine strikeouts for the remainder of the evening. The 4-8 spots in the order went completely hitless. Yuck.
There was better news on the pitching side of things. Kyle Bradish continues to look much better. He allowed two runs over 5.1 innings, mostly taken out by his own pitch count. The bullpen was then solid (one run over the next 2.2 innings). That did include a run charged to Rico Garcia, only the second such occurrence this season. He’s still pretty good though!
The thing that I find the most frustrating about this team is their inability to maintain momentum of any sort. If they score a run in the top half of an inning, you can almost guarantee they will be allowing a run (or more) in the bottom half of that inning. That’s what happened in the first inning on Tuesday.
That lack of a shutdown inning has to sap any sort of positive vibes that might poke their head out of the Orioles dugout. Why get excited? You know that lead is going to disappear anyway?
There is still time for this team to figure it out, especially in such a poor American League. They are only 2.5 games back of the the final wild card spot with 113 games left on the schedule. The math is doable. But even that avenue will disappear if they don’t start scoring more runs. Right now, there is nothing to indicate that will happen.
It’s gonna be another hot one in the Baltimore area today. Hopefully you can stay inside and catch the conclusion to this series, either on TV or the radio. 1:05 is the scheduled first pitch from St. Pete.
Links
Ward’s leadoff homer all O’s bats can muster as offensive issues continue | MLB.com This article includes a sentence that starts with “The Orioles generally played well enough to win on Tuesday…” I’m sorry, what? They scored one run. The defense didn’t make the key play of the game. This is a major league game. Those are the moments where you need to come through, and far too often this team fails.
More from the mailbag before today’s game | Roch Kubatko Answers to many questions, including the latest on a few injuries. No real news though. Trey Mancini gets mentioned too! But that’s more of a “Hey, look at what this guy is doing!” Maninci is with the Angels Triple-A team, nearly three full years removed from his last big league game. Hopefully he beats the odds and gets back to the top level of the sport.
Orioles Select Albert Suarez, Designate Maverick Handley | MLB Trade Rumors It really is a luxury for the Orioles to keep a guy like Suárez around. He has done exactly what they have asked of him for three years now, though he missed most of last with an injury. Still, to have someone in the organization that you can yank back and forth between the majors and minors that is willing to step into whatever role you want is pretty great. It’s unfortunate that the Orioles have needed a swingman SO much in that timeframe, but let’s stay positive.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
Ramón Hernández turns 50 today. He was the Orioles catcher for three seasons from 2006 through ‘08. That included a career-best season in ‘06 that saw him hit .275/.343/.479 with 23 home runs and 91 RBI.
Gordon Dillard is 62 years old. He pitched in two games for the Orioles in 1988.
David Wells is 63. The southpaw’s 21 seasons of Major League Baseball included spending the 1996 campaign in Baltimore.
This day in O’s history
2014 – Chris Davis homers three times as part of the Orioles 9-2 win over the Pirates. That doubles his season total of long balls to six.
May 18, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) attempts to drive past Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) and guard Ajay Mitchell (25) in double overtime during game one of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images | Brett Rojo-Imagn Images
After Monday night’s double-overtime extravaganza, the Spurs were taking Tuesday to themselves to rest and reset for Wednesday night’s Game 2.
Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson, Devin Vassell, and Julian Champagnie gave some time to the media to answer some questions regarding the events of the last twenty or so hours.
After the press conference I rewatched an edited version of Game 1. It contained all of the plays of the game, not just the highlights and shots made. But instead of 3 hours, the entire game was trimmed down to 50 minutes. Imagine every play cut to the highest level of frenetic energy.
This game could have gone either way. There was never a safe lead for either team. Wherever SGA was stymied, Alex Caruso lurked in the corner to keep the Thunder roaring. The Spurs extend their lead to 10, the Thunder tighten back up.
The last minutes were a dogfight with both teams claiming and losing nail-biting leads. The pendulum of emotions washing over the crowd of over 19,000 over those last few shots dominated the atmosphere.
One made shot, one missed shot. A call that was made that shouldn’t have been. An incorrectly called out of bounds play. A legendary three-pointer an inch in the wrong direction. The MVP gets that one to bounce in.
Every Spurs starter played more minutes than average in Western Conference down to the wire double-overtime minutes.
After the game Wemby was aksed about his feelings, he responded that he was tired. Vassell shared that he was resting and watching film. Champagnie had just woken up and came in wearing slippers and said they weren’t coming off today.
Game 2 will be louder. It will be more physical, and the Thunder will play with increased urgency as they do not want to go to San Antonio down 0-2.
Coach Mitch Johnson stated that their game plan worked stating there were necessary improvements to tighten what has been put into play.
On the other sideline, Mark Daigneault tinkered with line-ups. His starting five did not return at half time, and for each of the overtime tip offs, the coach continued to adjust.
Expect more adjustments as the Thunder attempt to handle the Spurs double teams and control the pace of the game.
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Almost as soon as the playoffs started, there was some chatter around the Montreal Canadiens about Jakub Dobes being the second coming of Jaroslav Halak. Not because they have a similar style or build, but rather because neither was seen as the team’s number one goaltender before being catapulted into the NHL playoffs in the starting role.
While Halak started the 2010 playoffs for the Canadiens, he didn’t play all the games. In the first round against the Washington Capitals, he had to make way for Carey Price for a game-and-change before coming back with a vengeance and eliminating both the Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins in consecutive Game 7s. Just like Dobes, he was spectacular in big games, making phenomenal saves. Meanwhile, Price, who was already tagged as the Habs’ goaltender of the future, was riding the pine.
Fast forward 16 years, and Dobes finds himself right where Halak was. He has eliminated two great teams in two series that went the distance, with the organization’s goaltender of the future, Jacob Fowler, riding the pine. Even Zachary Bolduc did his best to take everyone back to 2010 on Monday night, scoring a goal as Mike Cammalleri did during that special run with one knee on the ice.
Fans, however, will hope this marks the end of the striking resemblance between the two playoff campaigns. Back in 2010, the Canadiens bowed out in the third round, losing the Conference Final to the Philadelphia Flyers in just five games after Halak ran out of gas.
After eliminating the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday night, Dobes dismissed the idea that he could be tired after playing 14 intense playoff games, stating he could play another 40 games. However, those are only words, and we’ll see in the third round if he still has some gas left in the tank.
Those who lived through the Halak spring will also remember that not long after the Canadiens’ elimination, the netminder, who was just about to become an unrestricted free agent, was unceremoniously traded to the St. Louis Blues as the organization elected to stick with Price, who had been the organization’s fifth overall pick at the 2005 draft.
Unlike Halak, Dobes still has a year left on his contract before becoming a UFA, meaning the Canadiens won’t be in a rush to decide when it comes to their goaltenders, at least not for a while. Unless, of course, the team is tempted to sacrifice a goaltender to fill another organizational need (such as a second-line center), but I’d be surprised if that were the case. The Habs still have other exciting prospects coming up through the ranks who could potentially help them complete their top six.
In Dobes and Fowler, the Canadiens have a great goaltending tandem at a very low cost, and neither of them should be on their way out of town anytime soon. Kent Hughes will tread carefully before moving on from one of the two keepers. Besides, he has shown in the past that he can be very persuasive when it’s time to sign players to a team-friendly contract. Who’s to say he couldn’t do just that with Dobes and Fowler? There seems to be something special brewing in Montreal, and who’s to say the duo won’t be interested in sticking around?
It’s becoming increasingly frequent that teams really rely on a tandem of goaltenders around the league these days, and would it be such a terrible thing if the Canadiens found themselves in the same situation as the Boston Bruins were with Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark? For now, the only goaltender the Canadiens should be looking to move is Samuel Montembeault. It’s a shame for the Becancour native, but at this stage, it does look like he would benefit from a new start somewhere else.
CLEVELAND, OH - AUGUST 03: Cleveland Guardians second baseman Daniel Schneemann (10) is tagged out by Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis (23) attempting to steal third base during the third inning of the Major League Baseball game between the Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Guardians on August 3, 2025, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
I was told the downfall was coming. Was the wording specific enough?
Last night in Detroit, the Guards beat the Tigers for the 2nd night in a row. The 4-game series split has been clinched. A sweep is still on the table.
Cleveland hitters chose a good year to draw a ton of walks. There have been a bunch of high-walk staffs on their schedule lately, and the 2 DET starters have been no exception.
COVERS INTEL: SGA's Game 1 usage was down to 28.2%, including an uncharacteristically low 19.5% in the first half of Monday’s series opener.
