Apr 25, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) and second baseman Dylan Moore (25) celebrate after scoring against the Atlanta Braves in the tenth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
There is an old axiom around baseball that teams don’t pay attention to the standings until Memorial Day. That way, they don’t make rash decisions based on what amounts to a fraction of the season having gone by. The Phillies clearly did not do that, choosing to part ways with Rob Thomson in what I personally think is a large decision to be made before Memorial Day.
The standings though? Are you even looking at them yet?
For me, I know two things: the Braves are way out in front in the NL East and the Phillies are under .500. Other than that, I’m not sure I can tell you who any of the other division leaders even are right now. The Dodgers are, right? I know they’ve been playing poorly lately and have a currently sputtering offense, but they’re in the division lead, correct? If you gave me three guesses, I probably couldn’t tell you who is out in front in the AL Central, though that would be true if it were Memorial Day or Labor Day.
Some people are looking at them closely and kudos to them. After this gets posted, I’ll check, but probably not again until mid June.
You knew this Cubs team wasn’t going to be in a hitting drought forever, and they chose one of the best times to come out of that slump, in front of a packed house on the South Side where close to half the crowd was Cubs fans.
The Cubs went out to an early lead, blew it, then put the game away with a four-run eighth inning and defeated the White Sox 10-5 in the opener of the Crosstown Classic.
The Cubs wasted no time getting on the board. With two out in the first, Alex Bregman singled and moved to second on a wild pitch by Sean Burke.
Edward Cabrera had an easy first, then served up a home-run ball to Colson Montgomery leading off the second and the game was tied.
The Cubs took a 2-1 lead in the fourth. Happ led off with a single and one out later, Moisés Ballesteros singled him to third. Carson Kelly’s single scored Happ [VIDEO].
There are a couple of issues here. First, PCA’s bunt was likely intended to squirt past Burke, and it didn’t. Second, if you’re going to bunt in that situation, you’ve got to have a better baserunner on third than Ballesteros.
That was not an easy pitch to hit. As you can see in the clip, it was inside, and Busch kind of yanked it down the line, a good piece of hitting. One out later. Happ walked. Seiya Suzuki then doubled, with Happ scoring [VIDEO].
The Cubs now have a three-run lead going to the bottom of the fifth and Cabrera is cruising. What could possibly…
Well, you know the answer if you saw the game. Cabrera got in trouble with walks, something that often plagued him in Miami. He walked the first two White Sox hitters in the fifth, then retired two in a row. One out from getting out of the inning, he served up a two-run double to Drew Romo that made it 4-3. Then Cabrera issued another walk, and that was it for him. Here’s more on all the Cabrera walks from BCB’s JohnW53:
Cabrera walked three batters in the fifth inning. He had walked no more than two in any of his previous five starts, spanning 29.2 innings. He went into yesterday averaging 2.9 walks per nine innings, the lowest in any of his six seasons. He averaged 6.0 in 2023, 4.7 in 2024 and 3.1 last year.
Ryan Rolison got out of the inning with a comebacker, so the Cubs had the lead going to the bottom of the sixth. But Miguel Vargas homered off Rolison leading off that inning and the game was tied.
Rolison then put runners on first and third with a single, walk and wild pitch and so Craig Counsell called on one of the relative newcomers to the pen, Trent Thornton, with nobody out.
Thornton was really good. He retired the next three hitters without incident and had a 1-2-3 seventh. Small sample size — only five innings — but Thornton has looked pretty good so far in a Cubs uniform, retiring 14 of 18 batters faced. Perhaps Jed Hoyer has found yet another useful reliever on the scrap heap.
While Thornton was doing all that, the Cubs had taken the lead back in the top of the seventh. Bregman singled with one out, and one out later moved to third on a single by Suzuki. Matt Shaw was sent up to bat for Ballesteros and was hit by the first pitch he saw, loading the bases.
I suppose that was a reasonable send, with the team already up two runs and Shaw a good baserunner. But a perfect throw nailed Shaw at the plate.
The Cubs broke the game open in the eighth, thanks mostly to a very wild Jordan Hicks, who you likely remember from his days with the Cardinals. Dansby Swanson led off the inning with a double. He advanced to third on a ground out, then scored on this wild pitch [VIDEO].
Hicks then walked three of the next four Cubs, loading the bases with two out. Then he issued his fourth walk of the inning to Shaw, forcing in a run [VIDEO].
Now it’s 8-4 and the bases are still loaded. Kelly smashed his second RBI hit of the game, a two-run double [VIDEO].
Kelly had three hits on the night and drove in four.
Javier Assad was tasked with finishing up with a six-run lead. He made that five by serving up a leadoff homer to Jarred Kelenic in the ninth, but otherwise wrapped it up without incident. A one-out single in the ninth was erased by this game-ending double play [VIDEO].
The Cubs got the bats rolling big-time. Everyone in the starting lineup had a hit as part of the 14-hit attack. The Cubs also drew six walks and went 6-for-14 with RISP — and could have had a lot more runs, as they left 11 on base. But overall the Cubs hitting performed as we’d seen them most of the year before the first six games of the road trip, where they scored a total of 12 runs.
The Brewers and Cardinals also won Friday, so the Cubs’ lead in the NL Central remains 2.5 games over both those teams. A few final notes from John:
This was the 14th time in the Cubs’ 153-game regular-season rivalry against the White Sox that the Cubs reached double digits in runs.
They are 13-1 in the games: 6-0 at home 7-1 on the South Side. The only loss was by 17-13 on Aug. 27, 2021. The Cubs had won two more such games since then before Friday: 10-8 on the road in 2023 and 13-3 at home on May 16 of last season — one year ago Saturday. ….. The four wild pitches by the White Sox were the most they have thrown in their 153-game rivalry with the Cubs. The Cubs threw four in a 10-8 victory on the South Side on Sept. 27, 2020.
Lastly, just for fun: Maybe the Cubs should wear the road blue alternate jerseys more often.
Blue alternate: 6-3 Road gray: 5-8
The Cubs will go for the series win Saturday evening on the South Side. Jameson Taillon will start for the Cubs and Davis Martin goes for the Sox. Game time is 6:10 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network (and CHSN and WCIU-Ch. 26 with the Sox announcers).
ATLANTA, GA - MAY 15: Tyler Kinley (45) of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the Friday evening MLB game between the Atlanta Braves and the Boston Red Sox on May 15, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The top of the bullpen has been good. The bottom of the bullpen has trying very hard. Tyler Kinley, like Dylan Lee, Robert Suarez, and Raisel Iglesias, has been a part of the leading side of the bullpen this year. The last three weeks however, have been brutal for Kinley.
This is the third home run allowed by Tyler in the last three weeks. It’s the second one on the slider. The third came from a curveball. The xwOBA is up over 100 points during the last weeks versus the first four and a half weeks. He’s looking very hittable though. His xFIP is basically unchanged though. It’s only up to 4.26 from 4.20.
But regardless, is Kinley going to falling down the bullpen hierarchy? Problem is, who would he fall underneath? Does Didier Fuentes become a single inning guy? Does Aaron Bummer move into that role? Or should we assume that hitters have gotten a better look and he simply needs to change it up?
NEW YORK - JUNE 25: NBA Commissioner David Stern poses for a photograph with the tenth overall draft pick by the Milwaukee Bucks, Brandon Jennings during the 2009 NBA Draft at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden June 25, 2009 in New York City. 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. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Sunday afternoon, the Milwaukee Bucks found out they’d received the 10th overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, a pick that they absolutely cannot afford to mess up. Analysts have had their say on who they think should be taken, and you soon will too (more on that to come). Until then, franchise saviour, rotational piece, just how high should we get our hopes up? Here are 10 for 10—the six best league-wide picks at 10 and the four selections Milwaukee has made at this spot.
The six best at 10
The 10th overall pick has a mixed history (for a complete list click here). From superstars to busts and everything in between, it’s proven to be a volatile draft position, one that can offer franchises new hope—or keep them in the doldrums. These guys fit the former.
1. Paul Pierce (1998)
NEW YORK – 1998: Paul Pierce shakes hands with NBA Commissioner David Stern after being selected by the Boston Celtics at the 1998 NBA Draft in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges 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 1998 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
A stud from day one, Paul Pierce is the gold standard for pick 10, becoming a 10-time All Star, four-time All-NBA member, NBA champion, and Finals MVP winner, leading to his selection as one of the NBA’s top 75 players of all time. His reputation has taken a bit of a hit in his post-playing days, but don’t let his questionable calls as analyst fool you, Pierce was the truth.
2. Paul George (2010)
NEW YORK – JUNE 24: Paul George shakes hands with NBA Commissioner David Stern after being selected number ten overall by the Indiana Pacers during the 2010 NBA Draft at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden on June 24, 2010 in New York City. 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 2010 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
One of the great two-way players of his generation, Paul George earned his stripes as a lockdown defender before blossoming into the go-to scorer on some rugged Indiana Pacers teams that just couldn’t get over the Miami “Heatles” hump. Smooth and explosive at 6’8”, George has made nine All Star appearances, six All-NBA teams, and four All-Defensive selections. He even finished third in MVP voting as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite this, George has often been criticised for underperforming (especially in the playoffs), being injury prone, and focusing on podcasting. Still, you’d take his career at 10 any day.
3. Gus Johnson Jr. (1963)
UNITED STATES – NOVEMBER 18: Basketball: Baltimore Bullets Gus Johnson (25) in action, boxing out vs Boston Celtics Tom Satch Sanders (16), Boston, MA 11/18/1964 (Photo by Walter Iooss Jr./Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (SetNumber: X10407)
Hall-of-Famer Gus “Honeycomb” Johnson Jr. was a force for the Baltimore Bullets—you don’t earn five All Star selections, four All-NBA team honours, and two All-Defensive team selections if you’re not. He also won an ABA championship as a role player in his final season as a pro with the Indiana Pacers. But I cannot profess to know his game, and direct you instead to our friends at Bullets Forever, who profiled Johnson back in 2007.
4. Paul Westphal (1987)
LANDOVER, MD – CIRCA 1975: Paul Westphal #44 of the Boston Celtics drives on Kevin Porter #10 of the Washington Bullets during an NBA basketball game circa 1975 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. Westphal played for the Celtics from 1972-75. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As with Johnson, I didn’t get to watch Paul Westphal play basketball, knowing him primarily as a head coach for the early-90s Phoenix Suns and later as an assistant for Avery Johnson’s Dallas Mavericks (and later again for Lionel Hollins’ Brooklyn Nets). But the history books will tell you that Westphal was a baller, especially after being traded from the Boston Celtics to the Phoenix Suns in 1975. In fact, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame website does just that:
In Phoenix, with the Suns, Westphal developed into one of the best all-around guards in the NBA, being named to four consecutive All-Star rosters. In 1977, the ambidextrous slasher earned his first of four straight all-league nods. He averaged better than 20 points per game for five straight seasons, one of the most efficient players in the game. Dynamic, sure-footed, and intelligent, he kept defenders off-balance as he twisted, faked, and weaved his way through traffic for acrobatic shots.
5. Joe Johnson (2001)
NEW YORK CITY – JUNE 27: Joe Johnson shakes hands with NBA Commissioner David Stern after he was selected number ten overall by the Boston Celtics during the 2001 NBA Draft on June 27, 2001 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. 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 2001 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Also drafted by the Boston Celtics—that’s three of the five best 10th picks ever—Iso Joe, like Westphal, started to bloom when he moved to the Phoenix Suns and was given freedom in Mike D’Antoni’s “Seven seconds or less” offence, which ushered in the type of NBA basketball that has become so prominent today. But it wasn’t until he became the number one option in Atlanta that his metamorphosis was complete. A big wing—were talking Lebron-like—with a premier handle—just ask Pierce—Johnson was a versatile scorer and playmaker, with one of the best clutch resumes on the planet. He was a winner too, helping transform the Hawks from a 13-win team before his arrival to a 53-win team five years later, but wasn’t quite good enough to lift his teams to championship contention.
6. Eddie Jones (1994)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JUNE 29: Eddie Jones, selected number ten overall by the Los Angeles Lakers shakes hands with NBA Commissioner David Stern during the 1994 NBA Draft on June 29, 1994 at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 1994 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Before Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers had another dynamic 6’6” two-guard who could stick a J in your eye or put you on a poster. A three-time All-Star and All-Defensive player, Jones was both a premier sniper and swiper, hitting 37% from three and averaging 1.7 SPG across his 14-year career (including leading the league with 2.7 SPG in the 1999–2000 season, where he finished third in DPOY and made the All-NBA third team). Jones played four years with the Lakers but was traded to the Charlotte Hornets in 1999—the year before LA started its three-peat—to make room for Bryant’s ascension.
The four Bucks at 10
While the six guys above all boomed, the same can’t be said for the players the Bucks have chosen with their 10th overall picks. Milwaukee has selected 10th just four times in its 58 years of NBA existence, with only two of those selections ever actually suiting up for the Bucks. In chronological order, here they are:
1. Danny Fortson (1997)
NEW YORK CITY – FEBRUARY 6: Bobby Jackson and Danny Fortson of the Denver Nuggets poses for a portrait prior to the Rookie Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend on February 6, 1998 in New York City. 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 1998 NBAE (Photo by Andy Hayt/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
A bruising 6’7” and 260 pounds, Danny Fortson was immediately traded to the Denver Nuggets along with Johnny Newman and Joe Wolf for Ervin Johnson (no, not that one—check the spelling). Fortson had a 10-year career in the league, but struggled to consistently leave his mark on the court due to injury, excessive fouling, and attitude. In his best years, he’d give you 12 and 12, vacuuming in rebounds—he twice led the league in total rebound percentage—but he was mostly a backup big, especially after his age-25 season.
2. Brandon Jennings (2009)
NEW YORK – JUNE 25: NBA Commissioner David Stern poses for a photograph with the tenth overall draft pick by the Milwaukee Bucks, Brandon Jennings during the 2009 NBA Draft at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden June 25, 2009 in New York City. 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. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Of Milwaukee’s four picks at 10, this is the cream of the crop. Brandon Jennings burst onto the scene for the Bucks, dropping 55 points in just his seventh game, and it seemed like the franchise had found its cornerstone for years to come. While Jennings never lived up to those expectations, he had a quality four-year run with the Bucks, putting up 16.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG, and 5.6 APG during his tenure. He was also part of the deal that brought Khris Middleton and Brandon Knight to the Cream City, and his 2013 “Bucks in six, that’s for the culture” rallying cry might just be the best in Bucks history, creating a cultural mythos that continues to symbolise loyalty, unity, and identity for the Milwaukee faithful.
3. Jimmer Fredette (2011)
NEWARK, NJ – JUNE 23: Jimmer Fredette from BYU greets NBA Commissioner David Stern after he was selected #10 overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round during the 2011 NBA Draft at the Prudential Center on June 23, 2011 in Newark, New Jersey. 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. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In 2011, the Bucks selected Jimmer Fredette with their 10th pick but immediately traded him to the Sacramento Kings in a three-team deal including the Charlotte Hornets that netted Milwaukee Stephen Jackson, Tobias Harris, Shaun Livingston, and current Wisconsin Herd head coach Beno Udrih. Despite his shooting prowess, Fredette had an underwhelming NBA career, averaging just 6.0 PPG and 1.0 APG across 241 games.
4. Thon Maker (2016)
BROOKLYN, NY – JUNE 23: Thon Maker shakes hands with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being selected number ten overall by the Milwaukee Bucksduring the 2016 NBA Draft on June 23, 2015 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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 2016 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler /NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The last time the Bucks picked 10th in the draft—after using recent first-round picks on Larry Sanders, then John Henson, then some kid from Greece—they took a swing on another skinny, long-limbed big. Maker was always a boom-or-bust prospect, but despite Kevin Garnett claiming that he would “be the MVP of the league one day,” Maker never lived up to the hype, averaging just 4.5 PPG and 2.6 RPG over three seasons with the Bucks before falling out of the league just two years later. He did, however, have some notable moments with Milwaukee, including a 14-point, five-rebound, five-block playoff performance in a Game 3 win against the Boston Celtics in 2018.
Honorary Inclusion
Brook Lopez (2008)
NEW YORK – JUNE 26: Brook Lopez shakes hands with NBA Commissioner David Stern after being selected tenth overall by the New Jersey Nets during the 2008 NBA Draft on June 26, 2008 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. 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 2008 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There are certainly other players who are just as worthy for this spot—Paul Silas, Horace Grant, Jeff Malone, and Caron Butler come to mind—but Brook Lopez’s longevity and impact on both sides of the ball cannot be overlooked (and yeah, neither can my Bucks bias). Still the all-time leading scorer in Brooklyn Nets history, Lopez made an All-Star team as a low-post scorer before transforming into the long-range bomber and DPOY candidate we came to know and love in Milwaukee. One of the great people in basketball, Lopez is a testament to the power of evolution—and deserves to have his jersey hung in the Fiserv rafters.
There you have it, a brief history of the 10th overall pick in the NBA Draft. In the best-case scenario, the Bucks draft their own Paul Pierce, who becomes the franchise cornerstone for nearly two decades and leads the city back to championship glory. But as Milwaukee’s own selections at 10 attest, the pick is anything but a lock for success—or even to stay in Milwaukee.
So, how does this inform your wishes for June’s draft? Does it sway you in favour of a particular player and offer you excitement for what could be? Or does it make you fearful, ready to trade the pick for a proven commodity?
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 5: P.J Washington #25 of the Dallas Mavericks drives to the basket during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
PJ Washington became a beloved figure for the Dallas Mavericks after the 2024 trade that brought the passionate forward over from the Charlotte Hornets for Grant Williams and a protected 2027 first-round pick. PJ established himself as a vocal leader of the team, an ever-reliable defensive presence, and a hometown hero who played a vital part in the story of the 2025–2026 Dallas Mavericks.
Season in Review
Washington played a career low 56 games this past season, which fell just short of last year’s total of 57 games, and started 53 of those games. Despite spotty availability due to enduring ankle issues throughout the season, PJ put up counting stats very similar to last year’s, averaging 14 points, seven total rebounds, just shy of two assists, and one steal and block each per game on the season. As the originally intended “tall ball” starting lineup morphed early to accommodate injuries to both Dereck Lively II and Anthony Davis within the first seven games, PJ Washington’s role and involvement both bloated to an unmanageable degree. The typically off-ball forward was asked to create for himself more often alongside other inexperienced shot creators like rookie “point guard” Cooper Flagg, Hall of Fame corner-sitter Klay Thompson, and the inexperienced Naji Marshall. This led to many ugly offensive possessions, early shot clock heaves with no advantage created, and horrible floor balance that Washington contributed to by averaging a near career low 32.5% from three.
Despite scoring points seemingly through sheer volume of minutes and attempts, PJ did still provide real value in one part of his original role. The often out-of-position forward contested nine shots at the rim per 100 possessions, causing opponents to shoot 7% less than expected on those field goal attempts (which is good for the 83rd percentile at his position group) while only fouling on 8.4% of his rim contests (which is in the 90th percentile for his position group). When slotted in his proper role on defense as a weak-side rim protector, PJ was still stellar at blocking, altering, and even deterring shots at the rim for the Mavericks.
Best Game
Choosing the best game from Washington’s season was surprisingly difficult given the up-and-down nature of his play as the result of having extra responsibility foisted upon him by the roster Nico Harrison constructed. I almost chose a mid-March 20-point, 11-rebound, and five-steal Sunday afternoon game against the supposedly competitive Cleveland Cavaliers, but even at the time, that felt more like the Cavaliers laying down and having a lazy Sunday than the Mavericks rising and claiming a statement win amid an abysmal season.
The game that I’ll choose 23 point, 12-rebound, three assist, two block, and one-steal performance on the road against the Houston Rockets in early November. In typical PJ Washington fashion, this game came after one of his worst shooting performances of the season. Cooper Flagg and PJ each spent most of the previous game against the Detroit Pistons being hounded by a star Thompson, Ron Holland, and Beef Stew with the chairs of Mexico City, basketball fans ringing in the background. In this game, the Mavericks face the other Thompson twin, and gave Amen Thompson all he could handle despite suffering a loss to the Rockets in the end.
Contract Status
After signing a healthy contract extension just before this past season began, PJ will be under contract with the Mavericks for the next four years for roughly $89 million over that span. His salary for the upcoming year will be $20 million.
Looking Ahead
It would take a severe misunderstanding of how he has succeeded on both ends of the court or the rosiest tinted glasses one could find to not see that the Mavericks have come to a fork in the road with PJ Washington after drafting last year‘s rookie of the year, Cooper Flagg. PJ Washington is best played at forward. Flagg can play on the wing, but has been most productive at forward. Washington’s most effective Defensive role is as a low-man help defender that rotates over from the weak side to break up rim attempts, switch onto uncovered bigs, and secure tough defensive rebounds that kickstart the Mavericks’ fastbreak. Cooper Flagg’s Best defensive role is much the same. Both players suffered offensively from the lack of consistent playmaking and shot creation within the Mavericks’ guard room this season, but the lineup data suggests that both players were more effective when on the court without each other.
The Mavericks posted a -2.4 net rating in 1254 minutes played with Flagg and without Washington. With Washington and no flag, the Mavericks posted a -4.4 net rating in 683 minutes. That rating sank to -5.8 in the 709 minutes neither player was on the floor, but plummeted to an untenable -6.9 in the 961 minutes they shared the court.
I’ve appreciated the prodigal son story that was PJ Washington’s early tenure with the Mavericks, where he played a key role in a March to the 2024 NBA finals and appeared poised to take a big step as a player early in the next season. However, that story was balled up and cast aside by the previous general manager of the team. PJ Washington is no longer an ideally aged core piece to a contending team looking to get back in the NBA finals. He is now 27 years old veteran forward making over $20 million a year on a team revolving around a player who won’t be able to legally drink until a year and a half from now. For as awesome as many of us believe Cooper Flagg to be, and as soon as we believe, you will be ready to make his presence felt among the winning teams that reached the postseason, the writing could be on the wall as soon as draft day as to what direction the team will be moving in going forward, and what that means for the veterans on this squad not named Kyrie Irving, and possibly even him.
Grade: B
PJ Washington came into the 2025-2026 NBA season knowing that the Mavericks had just drafted his positional replacement with the number one overall pick a few months prior. Whether he had truly accepted that or not was unclear, but the veteran embraced the rookie as well as could be expected under the circumstances. He set out to fulfill the innumerable insane on-court tasks that the coaching staff presented to him with all the professionalism you could reasonably expect and weathered the Dallas fans’ smoldering anger that was always intended for the team’s basketball operations, but inevitably was felt by the players as well. This was a weird season for everyone,e and frankly, not the way that anyone involved would’ve liked to have seen his potentially last season in a Mavericks uniform unfold, but his lack of three-point shooting consistency, inability to defend smaller wings or guards, and deficient shot creation spell the end of his time here. We would do well to remember it fondly, because the NBA and sports at large rarely allow for this kind of Hometown kid success story to end as well as this is likely going to.
That’s what I keep asking myself, because the box scores and the standings tell two completely different stories right now and I can’t reconcile them. The Red Sox are 18-26, dead last in the AL East, nine games behind Tampa Bay with May not even over. By every measure that matters in the standings, this team is a disappointment.
But watch the actual games and something doesn’t add up.
Even with Garrett Crochet on the IL, the rest of the rotation has been effective. The bullpen has been one of the quiet success stories of the first two months. The defense is better. Chad Tracy hasn’t lost the clubhouse.
And yet the Red Sox are 18-26 because the offense has been absolutely allergic to doing anything—aka scoring runs—when it matters.
The Workhorses
This pitching staff is getting buried under all this offensive misery, and it shouldn’t be.
Garrett Crochet is still a pig. He’s doing side sessions and working his way back from left shoulder inflammation, and the rotation does in fact miss him. But even without the ace, these starters have held this team together in games all season, and this week gave you two of the starkest examples of what that actually looks like.
On Wednesday, Sonny Gray came back from his own IL stint for a right hamstring strain and was dominant. Six innings, one run, two hits, six strikeouts against a Phillies lineup that had been on a tear—especially Kyle Schwarber, who’s been eating every pitcher alive in baseball, basically. Gray is 4-1 on the year and has been every bit the steady workhorse the Red Sox needed him to be. Ceddanne Rafaela’s pinch-hit two-run shot over the Monster bailed the offense out in the win, but Gray handed them a game they had no business losing.
Thursday was the one that stings. Ranger Suárez, who left after eight seasons in Philadelphia to sign a five-year, $130 million deal with Boston in January, took the mound against his former team and was something else. He retired the first 11 batters he faced. Held the Phillies scoreless through 5.1 innings. Didn’t allow a hit until the fifth. He left with the game tied at zero and the bullpen held Philadelphia through the seventh. Then Kyle Schwarber hit a two-run homer off Tyler Samaniego in the eighth and the Red Sox lost 3-1 after scoring exactly one run in the ninth. Suárez was as good as you can be in a start. He got nothing for it.
That’s the whole season in two games.
Connelly Early has quietly been one of the better stories on this staff too, his smooth delivery and pitch mix confusing lineups without needing to throw 97. Peyton Tolle is the dude who absolutely shoves at 97 and beyond with just create-a-player nasty stuff.
The bullpen might actually be the best unit on this roster. Garrett Whitlock has finally found his footing after years of bouncing between starter, closer, and long relief — a defined set-up role has let him flourish in a way he never quite could before. Aroldis Chapman, at 38, is still throwing absolute heat and is perfect in nine save chances. The Cuban Missile hasn’t slowed down. Justin Slaten is back with more life on his pitches than before he left. Tyler Samaniego, despite Thursday, has been one of the more underrated arms on this staff all year.
When this pitching staff takes the mound, the Red Sox have a real chance to win. That’s been true all year. The problem is entirely what happens when the offense comes up.
The Numbers Don’t Lie, They Just Sting
Seven.
That’s how many times the Red Sox have lost this season while allowing three runs or fewer. Seven games where the pitching held a quality opponent to a manageable score, kept Boston close late, and got nothing in return.
Now expand that window: any low-scoring loss where both teams finished with four runs or fewer, games entirely decided by a handful of plate appearances, and the list grows to nine.
Nine games. Flip those close losses into close wins, not some fantasy offseason move but just winning the games a competent offense makes winnable, and the Red Sox aren’t 18-26. They’re 27-17. Tied with the Yankees for second in the AL East. Right in the conversation with Tampa Bay instead of watching them from nine back.
This feels like the insanity of last year, of losing so many one-run games that could have made that team feel much more like a juggernaut.
Nine games! From an offense that ranks 21st in batting average (.235), 23rd in on-base percentage (.314), and 29th in slugging (.353). Through 19 home games at Fenway, the Red Sox have scored just 56 runs — the lowest 19-game stretch at Fenway since the Green Monster was built in 1934. Their record at home is frankly embarrassing, but that’s another story.
Missed Opportunities
The team is hitting .236 with runners in scoring position. That’s bad enough. But the individual numbers are where it gets ugly, and it’s both the frequency and the flavor of the failures that make this so hard to watch.
Jarren Duran is hitting .189 with men on base. Caleb Durbin, playing almost every day at third, is at .169. Trevor Story, supposed to be the middle-of-the-order veteran presence, is hitting .198 with RISP and drawing boos at Fenway after back-to-back strikeouts have become something of a calling card. His .520 OPS in those situations tells you everything about where he is right now. I’m sure he feels in a weird place hearing all the information from the front office on whether he’s in or out of this squad, but the amount of drama this team has is—yet again—another story.
Two guys who’ve held up are Willson Contreras at .253 and Ceddanne Rafaela at .276. Contreras is also the team leader in home runs (8) and RBI (23): the guy brought in as a complementary hopeful power bat has become the one to actually count on to drive in a run. Rafaela’s numbers are decent, but he’s a nine-hole hitter, not meant for the middle of the order.
The multitude of ways this Red Sox team continues to fail at scoring runs matters as much as the frequency. A leadoff double dies on three weak grounders. An obvious fastball count turns into a called strike three because the hitter was sitting breaking ball. A swing with a man on third and one out that looks more like someone trying to end a month-long drought single-handedly than just put the ball somewhere useful. Getting greedy trying to swipe a bat and either getting picked off or caught stealing. Multiple games this season where Boston stranded nine, ten, eleven runners while the pitching kept things close enough that any one of them scoring changed the outcome.
Fenway wakes up for half an inning and goes quiet before anyone can actually get excited.
What We’re Missing
Roman Anthony is hurt, and that matters. He was the one hitter in this lineup with the plate discipline and natural power to change games, the kind of presence who makes the whole order harder to pitch around. When he comes back healthy, hopefully he regains his form from 2025, because this team is a different animal when he’s in it. His eye and walk rate was still solid, it’s clear he had something physical coming into the season and that should hopefully be abated.
In the meantime, Wilyer Abreu is the most dangerous bat this lineup has. He leads the team in hits, he has real pop, and he’s the one guy opposing pitchers actually have to think twice about. Marcelo Mayer keeps flashing enough to make you think the breakthrough is one hot week away. Jarren Duran, when he locks in and goes back to attacking instead of guessing, can still change games — but he’s hitting .162 overall right now and the new load approach continues to be a work in progress.
The defense is genuinely better. Ceddanne Rafaela continues to be a platinum glove in center. His range alone saves runs that never show up anywhere. That part of the team, at least, is doing its job.
Direction
Truly bad teams announce themselves early. You stop expecting much, adjust, and start looking at draft positioning and talking about next year.
This team keeps refusing to do that. It keeps flashing enough competence to make the offensive failures feel personal. You go into every series thinking this is the week something clicks, and then watch the offense score one run in nine innings behind a guy who retired 11 straight Phillies.
Tampa Bay is 29-14 and running away with this division. The pesky Rays are back. Great. That’s the reality. But the other reality, the one that makes watching this team feel like a specific, targeted kind of torture, is that those nine games are sitting right there. Nine games not lost because the Red Sox got outclassed. Nine games lost because the offense couldn’t do the one thing the pitching kept begging it to do.
Chad Tracy has been a steady presence since taking over and the clubhouse clearly hasn’t fallen apart. But steady presence doesn’t score runs. At some point this offense has to look at those nine games and decide it wants them back.
Gray eats innings coming off the IL and doesn’t skip a beat. Suárez shuts down his former team for five innings and gets nothing for it. Chapman throws 99 at 38 years old. Whitlock finally has the role he was built for. Slaten comes in throwing harder than before. And Crochet is doing side sessions, working his way back, probably thinking about all the run support he’s not missing.
The pig will be back. The rest of the staff is holding the building up in the meantime. Someone else needs to show up to the trough.
Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle led the way as the Spurs advanced to their first Western Conference finals since 2017.Photograph: Abbie Parr/AP
The San Antonio Spurs were well on their way to the Western Conference finals in the fourth quarter when Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards went down to their bench to briefly offer his congratulations. The young Spurs left no doubt they’re already a serious NBA title contender.
Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs romped past the Timberwolves 139-109 on Friday night in Minneapolis to finish in the second-round series in six games and reach the conference finals for the first time since 2017. Stephon Castle had 32 points and 11 rebounds in another dominant performance from the backcourt.
The Spurs will face defending champion Oklahoma City in Game 1 on Monday night. The Thunder swept their first two series.
Highlights from Spurs-Timberwolves Game 6
Wembanyama was well guarded by the Wolves in Game 6. He had 19 points, six rebounds and three assists in 27 minutes. But he still served as a constant defensive deterrent in the paint – handling Minnesota’s physical play days after his stunning ejection in Game 4 for elbowing Naz Reid in the face – and he dutifully joined the Spurs in transition whenever they had the opportunity to run.
“I had to make a statement coming back,” Wembanyama told Amazon Prime’s postgame broadcast. “I knew there was going to be a certain narrative, but I felt like if I gave in to the physicality and the dirtiness, that would have helped them, and I knew I couldn’t go over the edge again, so I had to beat them by playing basketball.”
The size, smarts and shooting touch of the Spurs guards were too much for the Wolves, who predictably had their hands full with the 7ft 4in Wembanyama.
De’Aaron Fox added 21 points and nine assists and rookie Dylan Harper had 15 points off the bench for the Spurs, who set their franchise postseason record for three-pointers made by going 18 for 38.
“I just tip my hat to them,” Edwards said. “They were just the better team.”
The Spurs outscored the Wolves by a whopping 97 points in the series and never once trailed by double digits. The Spurs breezed by the Portland Trail Blazers in five games in the first round.
“Of course we’re confident, but we need to keep the right confidence level,” Wembanyama said. “Right now, I’m not even thinking about it. I’m just thinking about recovering.”
Edwards had 24 points on 9-for-26 shooting for the Wolves, who got another spark from reserves Terrence Shannon (21 points) and Naz Reid (18 points) but were again flustered by the Spurs and their relentless switch-heavy defense.
“Defensively, man, he’s incredible,” Edwards said of Wembanyama. “He changes every shot at the rim, he goes to the rim every time after every block, whether it’s goaltending or not, he’s going to go up and challenge it. It’s tough.”
This no-show in the elimination game might’ve felt familiar to Wolves fans, who have otherwise enjoyed an unprecedented run of success in the playoffs over the last three years.
Minnesota trailed by 33 points at half-time in a 30-point loss at Oklahoma City in the Game 5 ouster in the Western Conference finals last year and were down by 29 points at the break to Dallas in losing the Western Conference finals in 2024 in a 21-point loss in Game 5.
Cleveland Cavaliers 94-115 Detroit Pistons
Cade Cunningham scored 21 points and the top-seeded Detroit Pistons dominated the second half, beating the Cavaliers 115-94 in Cleveland to force a Game 7 in their Eastern Conference second-round series. The decisive game is Sunday in Detroit.
Jalen Duren had 15 points and 11 rebounds while Daniss Jenkins also scored 15 for the Pistons, who have won four games this postseason when facing elimination. They were down 3-1 to Orlando before winning the last three to advance out of the first round.
James Harden scored 23 points for Cleveland, who suffered their first home loss of the postseason. Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley scored 18 apiece.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is in a slump at the plate, but a matchup against Casey Mize may be just what he needs to buck the trend.
Read on to see why with my Blue Jays vs. Tigers predictions and MLB picks for Saturday, May 16.
Blue Jays vs Tigers predictions
Blue Jays vs Tigers best bet: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 0.5 singles (-130)
Despite being mired in a lengthy skid at the plate, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. still ranks in the 96th percentile in xBA, and should see some positive regression soon once he finally gets going.
Today could be that day, especially with Casey Mize on the mound for the Detroit Tigers.
Guerrero Jr. is 3-for-3 against Mize in his career, with two of the three hits being singles.
I’m betting his singles market specifically because that’s the sweet spot for value, as 80% of his hits this year have been one-baggers.
COVERS INTEL: Guerrero Jr. owns a .345 career average against the Detroit Tigers.
Blue Jays vs Tigers same-game parlay (SGP)
Yohendrick Pinango continues to rack up the hits game by game. He owns a .350 batting average, while recording a hit in 10 of his 14 career outings.
Ernie Clement is a contact hitter who’s gone Under his strikeout number in 68% of his outings this season, ranking in the 99th percentile in K-rate.
Blue Jays vs Tigers SGP
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 0.5 singles
Yohendrick Pinango Over 0.5 hits
Ernie Clement Under 0.5 strikeouts
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Blue Jays vs Tigers home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (+300)
I’m making this a half-unit wager.
Mize has kept the ball in the yard this season, and hasn’t given up a home run in four starts. However, if there’s one player who could take him deep today, I’m banking on it being Kazuma Okamoto.
The Jays slugger owns a .391 AVG and a .610 SLG against the four-seam fastball, which is Mize’s most used pitch against right-handed batters.
Okamoto has a team-high 10 home runs this year, while ranking in the 95th percentile in hard hit rate.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 18-25, -3.60 units
SGPs: 8-35, -1.20 units
HR picks: 8-35, +5.65 units
Blue Jays vs Tigers odds
Moneyline: Toronto +110 | Detroit -130
Run line: Toronto +1.5 | Detroit -1.5
Over/Under: Over 8.5 | Under 8.5
Blue Jays vs Tigers trend
The Blue Jays have hit the team total Under in 15 of their last 20 away games (+9.35 Units / 39% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Tigers.
How to watch Blue Jays vs Tigers and game info
Location
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Date
Saturday, May 16, 2026
First pitch
1:10 p.m. ET
TV
DSN, SN
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Mason Fluharty (2-0, 5.40 ERA)
Tigers starting pitcher
Casey Mize (2-2, 2.90 ERA)
Blue Jays vs Tigers latest injuries
Blue Jays vs Tigers 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.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 21: Brent Headrick #47 of the New York Yankees pitches during the game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Natalie Reid/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Yankees’ bullpen has dealt with underperformance, bad luck, and a lack of clearly defined roles through mid-May. And yet, the unit ranks fifth in baseball in ERA. Aided by a starting rotation which has shouldered a lion’s share of the workload and overperformances by two little-heralded lefties, New York’s relievers have somehow managed to keep pace.
As I do each month in a given season, I’m going to take a look at the Yankees’ relievers to identify how manager Aaron Boone is deploying each and offer a verdict as to how much trust we can place in them moving forward.
Statistics below are as of the morning of May 15th.
The Closer
David Bednar
Season stats: 18 IP, 3.50 ERA, 22 SO, 2.38 FIP, 10 Saves (in 11 opportunities)
Bednar has not been a shutdown closer. That fact has not prevented him from getting the job done. Of the eight games in which he’s allowed at least one run, only one has resulted in a blown save. He’s avoided the big inning, permitting only one home run, and hasn’t walked a batter since April 17, limiting traffic as he’s worked around some base hits.
Bednar’s peripherals may be the strongest of his career. 40 percent of the time opponents swing at one of his pitches, it’s outside the strike zone, helping along an elite 57.7 percent ground-ball rate. His expected ERA of 2.39 is more in line with his career benchmarks and suggests the veteran closer is right where he needs to be.
The Middle Relievers
Camilo Doval
Season stats: 15.2 IP, 5.74 ERA, 17 SO, 4.00 FIP
The Yankees do not have a set-up man. That’s because Doval, who was handed the job out of camp, has struggled mightily, creating a vacuum which has yet to be filled. Despite allowing 10 runs in 15.2 innings, Doval remains in the mix for late-inning opportunities. He’s looked better, though by no means dominant, in May, pitching to a 3.38 ERA in six outings.
Confidence level: Low
Part of the reason the former Giants’ closer is still involved in high-leverage spots may be his pedigree, but part of it is his underlying numbers. Doval has a sparkling expected ERA of 2.86, driven by a miniscule 4.5 percent walk rate and an ability to keep the ball on the ground. That gives some cause for hope that he can turn things around, but the right-hander is yet to build confidence that he will do so.
Fernando Cruz
Season stats: 16.2 IP, 2.70 ERA, 24 SO, 4.13 FIP
With Cruz, the formula is simple: here’s my splitter, good luck hitting it. After opponents batted .178 against the pitch last year, it was fair to wonder if the league would adjust. Through this point in the season, they’re hitting .139 against it. Sure, batters are raking against Cruz’s four-seamer and he’s walking more than a batter every other outing. But, as long as that splitter continues to dominate, his formula for success is clear.
Cruz is red hot, having allowed only one earned run in his past nine appearances. Boone has continued to use him in key spots, often in the middle innings of close games when the outcome is still very much in the air.
Brent Headrick
Season stats: 21.2 IP, 2.08 ERA, 23 SO, 3.29 FIP
After getting his ERA as low as 1.37 after a victory on May 7, Headrick has allowed runs in his last two outings.
It could be the beginning of a regression anticipated by just about any predictive metric, though the 28-year-old has done plenty to earn the trust Boone has placed in him. One thing to keep an eye on is some gaudy splits. Bizarrely, the southpaw has dominated righties (.538 OPS) but struggled against lefties (.914) He’s also pitched much better at home (.368 OPS) than on the road (.931).
Confidence level: Medium-High
Underlying metrics and unsustainably extreme splits, as well as an unremarkable track record before this season, suggest that Headrick’s early run of success may not last. Time will tell, but for now, he’s well established as a high-leverage option, and for good reason.
Tim Hill
Season stats: 18 IP, 1.00 ERA, 7 SO, 3.38 FIP
In last month’s column, I lamented how difficult it is to find new angles to discuss “old reliable” himself. Since then? Hill has tossed seven scoreless innings. The man walks no one and gets opponents to put 73.2 percent of batted balls on the ground, far and away tops in baseball. 20 appearances into the season, he’s still just allowed one home run.
Confidence level: High
FIP and expected ERA anticipate some regression from Hill. I can guarantee you that the 36-year-old does not care. Clearly, neither does Boone, who’s quickly elevated the southpaw from lefty specialist to pseudo set-up man.
The Long Relievers
Paul Blackburn
Season stats: 17.2 IP, 4.08 ERA, 11 SO, 4.29 FIP
The Yankees re-signed Blackburn, who’d started 86 big-league games in his career, this offseason to serve as a long reliever. So far, he’s fit the role like a glove. When Boone wanted an opener for a Brendan Beck spot start? Blackburn took the bump in the first. When Max Fried exited with an injury after three innings? Blackburn stepped in. He’s been eminently solid, pitching to a 105 ERA+ and eating innings at a pro level.
Assuming he continues to be used in low leverage spots, Blackburn provides a solid floor. There’s nothing under the hood to suggest he’s on the path to more prominent usage.
The Mop-Up Men
Ryan Yarbrough
Season stats: 15.2 IP, 3.45 ERA, 14 SO, 3.49 FIP
Yarbrough has largely been used in blowouts, mopping up in games that are already out of hand. Still, his ERA+ of 124 is exemplary. The lefty’s peripherals, including a 2.22 xERA and 18.2 percent hard-hit rate, suggest those outcomes may not be a fluke, though the sample size remains small.
Confidence index: Low
Despite better outcomes than Blackburn, Yarborough is clearly below his right-handed counterpart in Boone’s pecking order. The lack of confidence here is not his fault; it’s simply impossible to put trust in a pitcher who’s only pitched twice in the last three weeks. Given this lack of usage, it’s unclear if the southpaw will continue to maintain his spot in the bullpen long-term.
Jake Bird
Season stats: 13.1 IP, 4.73 ERA, 14 SO, 3.11 FIP
May has been kind to Jake Bird. After entering the month with a 7.00 ERA, he’s turned in six scoreless appearances.
The right-hander hasn’t looked particularly dynamic, striking out four against three walks, but beggars can’t be choosers. On the season as a whole, opponents are hitting .200 against his sinker after batting .345 against the pitch last year. Given it’s his primary fastball, that difference could end up having a major impact.
Confidence level: Low
Considering the open-ended nature of the Yankees’ bullpen picture, if Bird continues to perform well, he could start to see himself inserted in more high-leverage spots. The Yankees clearly think highly of his stuff; expect them to continue looking for opportunities to get him involved.
May 15, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) celebrates making a three point shot against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second half during game six of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
In this magical postseason run, the Spurs capped off a gritty second round with a victory that was extremely impressive. Of course, the only reward San Antonio has earned through this achievement is the opportunity to face one of the most statistically dominant teams in NBA history (albeit one they’ve enjoyed much success against), but there will be plenty of time to discuss that matchup in the days ahead. In the meantime, let’s dive in to this game’s WILD box score:
Note: Now that we’ve moved into the postseason, the reference period used for grading changes from the set of regular season games since 2012-2013 to the set of postseason games since 2012-2013. Unless otherwise noted below, this set DOES include play-in games. As of the end of May 15, 2026, this group include 1,189 games.
Factors that decided the game
Unbelievably, Minnesota enjoyed a MASSIVE advantage in the turnover battle, with San Antonio having 11 more that the Timberwolves.
However, the Spurs’ domination of the glass was nearly unprecedented, as the Silver and Black recorded 31 more rebounds than Minnesota.
In fairness, that huge TRB differential was almost entirely generated by defensive rebounds, and those were available to the Spurs in abundance because the Timberwolves had a dreadful shooting night.
Despite taking 18 fewer shots, the Spurs made nine more due to a FG% margin of +17.95 percentage points.
San Antonio also made six more threes, largely due to a +12.07 percentage-point edge in 3P%.
On top of everything else, the Spurs enjoyed advantages in volume (+6 FTA) and efficiency (+4.23 percentage points) from the charity stripe. Consequently, San Antonio widened their lead by +6 through free throws.
Rare Box Score Stats
This box score is BONKERS. One way to tells is that the winner’s (i.e., the Spurs’) grades were average to exceptional in 14 of 17 box score stats, with 12 of those 14 being well above average and four being truly excellent. At the same time, San Antonio was dreadful in the remaining three areas.
Let’s start with the things that are UNIQUE to this contest in the 1,189 postseason games played since 2012-2013:
Timberwolves: No one else has lost by 30+ points while having no more than five turnovers.
Timberwolves: No other team has lost by 30+ points with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 5:1 or better. Previously a team with a ratio that good had never lost by more than 15.
Spurs: No other team has won by 30+ while having a turnover differential of +11 or more. Prior to this game, the highest margin of victory for a winner with a turnover differential at least this bad was 23 points.
Spurs: No other winner has logged a DRB margin of +28 or more.
Spurs: No other winner has had a TRB margin better than +25 while earning an ORB margin of +3 or worse.
Spurs: No other team has won by 30+ points with a FGA differential of -18 or worse.
Spurs: No other team has earned a FGM margin of +9 or better while having a FGA differential of – 18 or worse.
Ok, let’s turn our attention to the stuff is that – while still extremely rare – is not completely unique in the last 14 postseasons. The odds of everything listed below happening have been no better than 1-in-99 games during the reference period:
There has been only one other case in which a winner has recorded a TRB margin of +31 or better. That occasion was a 102-79 Washington Wizards victory over Indiana on May 13, 2014.
This is just the fifth time that a winner has had 34+ assists and lost the assist-to-turnover ratio battle.
Only six other winners have recorded a block differential of +11 or better. Hilariously, Game 1 of this series (in which Wemby alone had 12 blocks) is NOT one of these six cases (the Spurs’ block margin in that game was a paltry +9).
This is just the 11th time that a winner has recorded FG%, 3P%, and FT% values as good or better than 55.68%, 47.37%, and 85.19%, respectively.
This game marked the 12th case in which winner has a turnover differential of +11 or worse.
What are Team Graded Box Scores?
Very briefly, these box scores grade winner-loser differentials for basic box score statistics, with the grade being based on the winning team’s differential relative to other NBA winners during a defined reference period. Think of it like a report card for understanding how a given winner performed relative to other winners. The reference period used runs from the start of the 2012-2013 season to the latest date of play, including only games in the same season category (i.e., regular season and playoff games are not compared to each other).
Data Source: The underlying data used to create these box scores was collected from Basketball Reference. In all cases, the data are collected the morning after the game is played. Although rare, postgame statistical revisions after data collection do occur and may affect the results after the fact.
When the Rams announced their list of undrafted free agents they agreed to terms with, one name should stick out to fans who also follow the NBA.
Darryl Peterson III.
Peterson is the older brother of standout NBA prospect Darryn Peterson, widely considered one of the top two players — alongside BYU’s AJ Dybantsa — available for the 2026 NBA draft.
According to NBA reporter Krysten Peek, the Darryl and Darryn Peterson will be the first pair of brothers to enter the NFL and NBA in the same year.Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post According to NBA reporter Krysten Peek, the Darryl and Darryn Peterson will be the first pair of brothers to enter the NFL and NBA in the same year.Getty Images
After an up-and-down season where Darryn’s character and work ethic were questioned due to random events while at Kansas, Darryn silenced many doubters with a stunning performance at the NBA draft combine this past week.
It was there where he spoke at length with Krysten Peek about his brother Darryl.
“A lot of people don’t know this, but my brother played football at Wisconsin. He’s a really good football player and he just got signed with the LA Rams. We grew up working and having the same dream, different sport and it’s just super cool to see him achieve his and me, hopefully next month, achieve mine. Shout out to our parents. We both worked super hard and they sacrificed so much for us to both chase our dreams. Without them it wouldn’t be possible.”
According to Peek, the duo will be the first pair of brothers to enter the NFL and NBA in the same year.
While Darryn’s NBA future most likely comes down to Washington or Utah, Darryl will be in Los Angeles trying to make the Rams’ team.
Darryl played in all 12 games for Wisconsin as a senior, registering a team-high 11.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. He was named honorable mention All-Big-10 as the Badgers finished 4-8 overall and 2-7 in conference play.
Another fun one from this piece…Darryn Peterson's older brother Darryl (former linebacker at Wisconsin) just signed with the LA Rams. Next month, the duo will be the first pair of brothers to enter the NFL and NBA in the same year. https://t.co/xWCSKhNUrxhttps://t.co/YZCxhVyvEn
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Red-hot slugger Kyle Schwarber homered twice to boost his majors-leading total to 20 and the Philadelphia Phillies rallied to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-9 in 10 innings Friday night.
Philadelphia trailed by six early. Schwarber led the comeback, smashing a pair of two-run homers. The designated hitter went deep off Braxton Ashcraft in the fifth and again off Mason Montgomery in the seventh.
Schwarber has nine home runs in the past eight games, the second time in his career he's achieved that feat. He also did it in 2021 while playing for Washington. Albert Belle is the only other player in MLB history to hit nine homers in an eight-game stretch twice.
The Pirates were so wary of Schwarber while holding onto a three-run lead in the ninth that closer Gregory Soto walked him on four pitches with the bases loaded. Bryce Harper followed with a two-run single off the top of the wall in right center to pull Philadelphia even.
The Phillies pounced on Pirates reliever Dennis Santana (2-3) in the 10th. Brandon Marsh led off with an RBI single and Rafael Marchán followed with a two-run single. Jose Alvarado (1-1) pitched a scoreless ninth. Orion Kerkering worked the 10th for his first save as Philadelphia won for the fifth time in six games to improve to 13-4 since Don Mattingly replaced Rob Thomson as manager last month.
Brandon Lowe homered twice for the Pirates. Marcell Ozuna added a 438-shot to the Pirates' bullpen that reliever Yohan Ramirez caught with a traffic cone.
The traffic cones have become a fixture in both the Pittsburgh dugout and the stands at PNC Park this season in Pittsburgh after outfielder Jake Mangum brought one into the clubhouse in Cincinnati in early April, which coincided with an offensive explosion in a victory over the Reds.
Up next
The series continues Saturday. NL Cy Young runner-up Cristopher Sánchez (4-2, 2.11 ERA) was set to start for the Phillies against Pittsburgh's Bubba Chandler (1-4, 4.62).
NEW YORK — Clay Holmes has a broken right leg after getting hit on the mound by a 111 mph line drive Friday night, another devastating setback for the New York Mets in their miserable season so far.
“It’s a huge blow. He’s been one of our most consistent guys that we have in our rotation,” manager Carlos Mendoza said.
Holmes chased after the ball as it caromed past the first-base line into foul territory. Mendoza and an athletic trainer came out of the dugout to check on the right-hander, who threw two warmup pitches and remained in the game.
His next six pitches were balls, but Holmes then got consecutive strikeouts and retired Aaron Judge on a flyball with the bases loaded to finish a scoreless inning.
Holmes was lifted following a one-out walk in the fifth. He threw 95 pitches, including 26 while facing seven batters after getting hit by Jones' line drive.
“He said he was fine. That’s the crazy part. We went out, checked him out, threw a couple pitches, was able to finish the inning," Mendoza said. “Comes back in and he didn’t even give me a chance. He said, ‘I’m good to go back out,’ and he goes back out there. Sent him for X-rays and this is what we’re dealing with now.”
Mendoza said those X-rays showed a fractured right fibula that will sideline Holmes “for a long time.”
“That’s the hard part to understand. He was fine, we checked him, finished the inning, he goes back out because he feels good. And then the last pitch, something didn’t look right. He came out, I’m talking to him in the dugout, he’s like, yeah, something didn’t feel right,” Mendoza said.
A former Yankees reliever, Holmes has been a dependable member of the rotation since converting to a starting role after signing a $38 million, three-year contract with the Mets as a free agent before the 2025 season. He entered Friday third in the National League with a 1.86 ERA.
“We all know how tough he is. He’s not going to come out that easy,” Mets slugger Juan Soto said. “But whenever I saw him coming out of the game in the next inning is when I was thinking something is wrong.”
Holmes (4-4) was charged with four runs and seven hits over 4 1/3 innings in a 5-2 loss, raising his ERA to 2.39. He struck out eight and walked two.
Holmes had lasted at least five innings and permitted no more than two runs in each of his first eight starts this season. His contract includes a $12 million player option for 2027.
“It’s tough to hear,” said Jones, who called Holmes a friend and noted they work out together during the offseason in Nashville, Tennessee. “I hit the ball and then I saw it come back towards me. It sounded loud.
“He’s a tough guy. Workhorse. Competitor. Says a lot about who he is to go back out there again the next inning with a broken leg. It’s incredible.”
After opening the season with baseball's biggest payroll, the Mets dropped to 18-26. Four projected regulars are already on the injured list — shortstop Francisco Lindor, catcher Francisco Alvarez, first baseman Jorge Polanco and center fielder Luis Robert Jr. — along with ineffective starting pitcher Kodai Senga and backups Ronny Mauricio and Jared Young.
“It’s tough, man. Clay is a guy who shows up every day and is one of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen in my career,” said Soto, who was also teammates with Holmes on the Yankees. “It’s part of the game. We’re going to support him, we’re going to be right there for him in any way that he needs us. But it just sucks.”
May 15, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves left fielder Mike Yastrzemski (18) wears a bubble gum container after hitting a walk off double to drive in the winning run against the Boston Red Sox during the tenth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Braves began the series with the Boston Red Sox on a high note after getting a win in walk-off fashion. Mike Yastrzemski was the hero and delivered a walk-off in the 10th to give the Braves the 3-2 edge.
Prior to the 10th inning, the Atlanta offense was relatively quiet. The lineup collected seven hits but only plated a run in the first and fourth innings.
Yastrzemski and the Braves look to ride this momentum and go for another series win tonight at 7:15 ET.
More Braves News:
Ronald Acuña Jr. took BP ahead of Friday’s contest, but he is still not ready to play in the outfield.
Luis Arestigueta recorded six strikeouts during his outing on Thursday. More in the minor league recap.
MLB News:
New York Mets right-hander Clay Holmes has a fractured fibula and will be out “for a long time.” He suffered the injury during Friday’s matchup with the New York Yankees.
The Los Angeles Dodgers placed lefty Blake Snell on the 15-day injured list due to loose bodies in his throwing elbow. The move is retroactive to May 12.
The New York Yankees placed Max Fried on the injured list due to a bone bruise in his left elbow. Though there is not a clear timetable for his return, he will be on the IL for more than a minimum stint.
From The Feed:
When Ronald Acuña Jr. returns from the injured list, should Drake Baldwin continue to hit leadoff? Cast your vote here.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 9, 2026: Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell sits in the dugout after giving up four runs to the Atlanta Braves in the second inning at Dodger Stadium on May 9, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The Dodgers starting rotation was the most stable part of their team through the first quarter of the season, but the last week and a half has put a dent in the depth and figures to create some tests over at least the next few weeks. Blake Snell was placed on the injured list on Friday with loose bodies in his left elbow, which means he’ll be on the shelf for quite a while.
Tyler Glasnow is also on the injured list with back spasms. He’s technically eligible to return next Friday, but Roberts said earlier this week that Glasnow won’t be ready by then, and is only just now throwing off flat ground.
So for now, the Dodgers rotation is Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, Emmet Sheehan, Justin Wrobleski, and Roki Sasaki. Yamamoto and Sasaki always get at least five days of rest between starts and Ohtani usually gets at least six, with just one start this year on five days rest. That figures to continue, per Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic:
“I think we’re prepared to do whatever we can,” Roberts said. “But I will say the most important thing is to keep the guys on their schedules, not try to push too much because of circumstances with the rotation, because then you start to compromise their health.”
To date, no Dodgers pitcher this season has started on four days rest, and only 12 of 45 starts have been with five days rest.
Perhaps a bullpen game was inevitable either in this series or the next, but with Snell scratched on Friday the Dodgers pivoted to using eight pitchers for a combined shutout of the Angels. There are five games left during this current stretch of 13 game days in a row. If the Dodgers stay in order, they can start Wrobleski, Sasaki, Yamamoto, Ohtani, and Sheehan over the next five games, with all of them going on five days rest.
If the Dodgers stay in that order in the rotation, they won’t need a sixth starter (or someone pitching on four days rest) until May 27, at home against the Colorado Rockies. If Glasnow isn’t an option by then, River Ryan will at least still be on the radar. Ryan returned for Triple-A Oklahoma City with four innings and four strikeouts on Friday in Albuquerque, after missing over a month with a hamstring strain, and has time to start at least once more in Triple-A to build up before a potential call-up, though the Dodgers don’t plan to rush him back.
“You’ve just got to be sure that he gets out of this one okay and it’s got to be a uniform decision that we all feel good about,” Roberts told reporters in Anaheim earlier on Friday. “Him pitching for us is a possibility, but it’s a slim possibility. The most important thing is his progression. If everyone isn’t on board with that and speeding it up, it’s moot, it’s just not going to happen. But if the training staff feels that it’s okay and you’re not compromising him and the progression, then it’s a conversation.”
Or more bullpen games could be in the future Left-hander Charlie Barnes was called up from Oklahoma City on Friday with Snell going on the injured list, and pitched the ninth inning on Friday’s shutout. Barnes is a starter by trade and four of his seven appearances for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs this season were starts, all of them lasting five innings, the last on May 6. The Dodgers claimed Barnes off waivers on May 9, and he was originally slated to start for Oklahoma City on Saturday before the call up.
COVERS INTEL: Guerrero Jr. owns a 
