CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 9: Max Strus #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates during the game against the Detroit Pistons during Round Two Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 9, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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
The Cleveland Cavaliers held on for their first win of the series, beating the Detroit Pistons 116-109.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Donovan Mitchell
35 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists
Hello, Donovan.
Mitchell found something in the Game 2 loss. He carried that over to start Game 4 with a bang. Mitchell looked comfortable creating off the dribble and shot the ball well on his way to 20 points in the first half. This, paired with some of his best decisions as a playmaker in the playoffs, led to the type of performance we’ve been expecting from Spida.
Grade: A
James Harden
19 points, 7 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal
Harden put a disastrous Game 2 behind him and helped the Cavs sprint out of the gates today. He was back to raising their floor offensively, making timely plays to keep the Cavs bigs involved throughout the first half.
Then, in closing time, Harden put the team on his back and carried them across the finish line. It was his isolation scoring that staved off Detroit’s comeback and kept the Cavaliers in front to end the game.
Grade: A
Evan Mobley
13 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks
The Cavs will always be at their best, or at least better, when Mobley is being decisive. There’s no need for him to dribble or probe more than a few seconds on any given possession. The more straightforward the game gets, the better Mobley looks.
A fourth-quarter possession in which Mobley caught the ball on the wing, took an inverted screen, and went straight up with a two-step layup is an example of this. Mobley shot 4-6 from the floor and earned 10 free throws, but only made half of them.
Allen continues to be a workhorse for the Cavs. He’s putting his head down and getting to the rim, or staying alert from the dunker’s spot for more opportunities to duck in and score. Allen is holding down the fort defensively and converting the majority of his attempts on offense. Can’t ask for much more than that.
Grade: B+
Dean Wade
3 points, 1 rebound
Wade’s time in the starting lineup is getting questionable. Yet, none of the other role players has outright taken the job from him. There’s no way to work around this team’s need for a wing-sized contributor. That doesn’t mean Wade is earning his place in the rotation, but the Cavs currently have no other options.
Grade: D
Max Strus
7 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
At this point, we’ve seen how Strus can impact winning without necessarily shooting the ball well. He was electric tonight, hustling for loose balls and giving Cleveland the intensity they sometimes lack in these moments. His third-quarter sequence, which included a backdoor layup, a forced turnover on the inbounds, and then a hockey assist for a Jaylon Tyson three-pointer, was pivotal in keeping things under control during a Detroit surge.
“He’s a maniac competitor,” said Kenny Atkinson. “We needed some wildness tonight, and he provides that.”
Grade:
Jaylon Tyson
3 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
For as much as we want Tyson to join the starting lineup, this is a job he has to earn. Tyson was fine in his two games in Detroit, but looked a bit shell-shocked today and wasn’t as willing to shoot or attack as you’d like. An errant inbounds pass that turned into a buzzer-beating layup to end the third quarter was deflating.
Grade: C-
Dennis Schroder
11 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound, 2 blocks
Schroder helped the Cavs start this game with a lead by knocking down a pair of triples in the first quarter and using his burst to put pressure on the rim. His ball-handling and defensive tenacity have made him necessary to this rotation.
Grade: A-
Sam Merrill
7 points
Merrill returned from a hamstring injury and looked right at home. He buried a heavily contested jumper in his first minutes on the floor and then drew an offensive foul shortly after. He’d draw another one later in the second half, and did much more than the box score suggests.
May 9, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays left field Jesus Sanchez (12) dives back to first base in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Gerry Angus-Imagn Images | Gerry Angus-Imagn Images
Angels 1 Blue Jays 14
The only inning that really mattered was the fifth. The Jays scored seven runs in the bottom of the inning and that was more than enough. But the Jays added six more runs in the seventh and eighth.
Trey Yesavage was good enough, for four innings. He allowed four hits, two walks and six strikeouts, while not allowing a run. He was helped out by Addison Barger making a terrific throw from right, cutting down what should have been an easy run. Unfortunately, Trey threw a lot of pitches in those four innings, leaving the game with 87 pitches. Pitching deeper into a game would be nice. You can’t get the W if you throw just four innings.
Five different relievers did a good job too:
Mason Fluhardy got two strikeouts in the fifth. He got the win.
Braydon Fisher had a clean sixth.
Joe Mantiply a clean seventh.
Tyler Rogers gave up the Angels only run in the eighth, off 3 hits.
Tommy Nance allowed 3 hits in the ninth, but didn’t allow a run in the ninth.
We had 20 hits.
George Springer had two with a double.
Addison Barger didn’t have a hit but had two walks and scored a run. And he threw out a runner from pretty deep right and throwing at 101 mph to get the runner from third.
Vladimir Guerrero had two hits, with a run and an RBI.
Kazuma Okamoto was one for four with an RBI.
Jesus Sanchez had two hits, three runs, 2 RBI. One of those hits was a popup that landed just inside the left field line, falling between the third baseman, shortstop and left fielder.
Daulton Varsho was three for five with two runs scored.
Ernie Clement was five for five, with three runs and two RBI.
Andres Gimenez was o for four with an RBI.
Brandon Valenzuela went four for five with three runs, four RBI, a double and our only home run.
The Angels defense was terrible, which helped out. The only had one official error, but could have had three or four if they
Jays of the Day: Varsho (0.12 WPA), Clement (0.12) and Barger (0.10, plus the throw from right) and Yesavage (0.21) get the number.
Other Award? Well, George Springer had the number (-0.10).
Tomorrow the Jays go for the sweep with Eric Lauer (1-4, 6.03) going against José Soriano (5-2, 1.74). It is a 1:30 start time.
May 9, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during the first quarter of game three in the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Cade Cunningham was having a bad game, the Cleveland Cavaliers were shooting a billion percent from the floor, James Harden was hitting everything and yet, somehow, some way, the Detroit Pistons were up 101-100 with just under five minutes to play. It was their opportunity to go up 3-0 and take full control of the series. Everything seemed to fall apart from then on, mostly because Cade Cunningham made a series of baffling errors that stymied the comeback.
Detroit ended up losing 116-109, but this was an especially tough one to lose with everything that was on the line, battling back from a 17-point deficit, and seemingly having the game there for the taking. The game was tied at 104, but then Cunningham committed three critical turnovers on consecutive possessions.
The first was an exceedingly lazy attempt at an entry pass on a sideline out of bounds that was easily intercepted by the face guarding Max Strus, leading to an easy layup and a Cleveland lead. Then, an ill-advised attempt at an entry pass into Paul Reed was swallowed up by Jarret Allen. Finally, Cade drove the lane and blindly passed it into the corner but Harris was camped out above the breakline. He scrambled to get the ball but couldn’t corrall it without stepping out of bounds. The Cavs then doubled their lead to four after Harden patiently hit a stepback 15-footer. That two-possession lead flipped all the momentum in the game.
Cunningham attempted to make amends with five quick points on a dunk and a ballsy top-of-the-key three, but Harden answered right back with five of his own. And that was effectively ballgame.
Truthfully, I’m not sure the Pistons even deserved to be in it. They never really seemed like they’d put it all together on either of the floor, and a lot of players struggled tonight outside of the up-and-down play of Cunningham.
Daniss Jenkins looked every bit the minus-28 in his 18 minutes of action, and while JB Bickerstaff tried to alleviate that with some Caris LeVert minutes, those weren’t stellar either and meant Cuninningham wasn’t able to steal as much rest as you’d like.
The biggest problem, though, is the Pistons’ big men. Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart continue to struggle throughout these playoffs. Duren was limited to just four rebounds, fumbled several passes, and didn’t rotate quickly enough on defense several times. Isaiah Stewart has no lift or explosion, and his defensive presence is not being felt on the floor.
Bickerstaff dusted off Paul Reed, who helped lead the fourth-quarter comeback that got the Pistons the lead. Despite scoring 11 points in just nine minutes of action, Reed sat with 4:32 remaining and the game tied in favor of Duren. It did not work.
Conversely, it felt like Cleveland had everything working on both ends. Donovan Mitchell was a magician with the ball in his hands, finishing with a game-high 35 points. James Harden was patiently and methodically hitting every jump shot and actually distributing effectively. Evan Mobley had 13 and eight, and his ability to move around the floor and create driving lanes did wonders for the Cavs’ offense.
Cleveland’s three most important players all stepped up with their season on the line. Detroit couldn’t seem to get out of its own way.
The Pistons will look to steal one in Cleveland again, hopefully with a better all-around effort, on Monday. The Cavs will look to even things up and make this a best-of-three series.
May 3, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes (35) delivers during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | William Liang-Imagn Images
Mets lineup
Juan Soto – LF
Bo Bichette – SS
MJ Melendez – DH
Mark Vientos – 1B
Carson Benge – RF
Marcus Semien – 2B
Brett Baty – 3B
Francisco Alvarez – C
Tyrone Taylor – CF
Clay Holmes – RHP
Diamondbacks lineup
Ketel Marte – 2B
Corbin Carroll – RF
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Adrian Del Castillo – DH
Ildemaro Vargas – 1B
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Lourdes Gurriel – LF
Gabriel Moreno – C
Ryan Waldschmidt – CF
Merrill Kelly – RHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 7:15pm EDT TV: FOX Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
San Diego, California - May 08: Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres runs after a single against the St. Louis Cardinals during the fourth inning at Petco Park on Friday, May 8, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
St. Louis Cardinals (23-15) at San Diego Padres (22-16), May 9, 2026, 4:15 p.m. PST
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The Columbus Blue Jackets will be a team to watch closely this off-season. When noting that they missed the playoffs following a rough finish to the regular-season, they should be looking to boost their roster.
One specific area that the Blue Jackets could aim to improve is the right side of their blueline. It is fair to argue that they could use another top-four defenseman for their right side. When looking at this year's pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs), Rasmus Andersson stands out as a clear potential option.
Andersson is one of the best defensemen who can hit the free-agent market on July 1, if not the best. This is because the 29-year-old defenseman provides solid offense from the point, plays steady defensively, and works in all situations. With this, he would be an excellent pickup for the Blue Jackets if they successfully signed him.
Andersson had another strong regular-season in 2025-26, too. In 81 games split between the Calgary Flames and Golden Knights, the 6-foot-1 defenseman recorded 17 goals, 30 assists, 47 points, 149 blocks, and a plus-4 rating. With numbers like these, he would certainly give the Blue Jackets' defensive group a nice boost if Columbus ended up landing him.
When looking at the Blue Jackets' current defensive group, Andersson could slot nicely on their top pairing with superstar blueliner Zach Werenski. Yet, even if Andersson ended up playing on the Blue Jackets' second pairing, he would make Columbus' top four stronger. He would also give them another option to consider for both their power play and penalty kill.
Yet, with Andersson being one the best pending UFAs who could hit the market on July 1, there is no question that he will be getting a significant raise from his current $4.55 million cap hit. This remains the case whether he ends up signing a contract extension with the Golden Knights or signs with another team. Therefore, he would almost certainly be an expensive addition for the Blue Jackets if they ended up being the lucky team that lands him in free agency.
However, given how well Andersson has fit into the Golden Knights' system, it would not be shocking in the slightest if he ends up signing a contract extension to stay in Vegas this summer. Yet, if Andersson and the Golden Knights do not come to terms on a new contract, the Blue Jackets should consider at least kicking tires on the 6-foot-1 defenseman. The fit looks strong on paper.
May 8, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (2) advances to second on a two-base error during the seventh inning as Texas Rangers first baseman Justin Foscue (14) attempts to apply the tag at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
The Buffalo Sabres practiced on Saturday morning prior to departing for Montreal after their worst performance of the post-season in a 5-1 loss to the Canadiens on Friday night. The evening was frustrating throughout, as the Sabres fell behind early and could never seem to gain traction on the Habs, who played with desperation after struggling in a Game 1 loss.
Buffalo’s top players were particularly wanting in the loss, as Rasmus Dahlin was beaten to the net on Alex Newhook’s second goal early in the second, and Alex Tuch was -3 on the night, but leading scorer Tage Thompson had the worst night. The Sabres center was on the ice for four of the five Canadiens goals, and his glaring turnover on Alexandre Carrier’s third-period marker essentially ended any chance of the Buffalo comeback.
Alex Lyon - can he carry the Sabres to the promised land?
“Everything I touched turned to disaster. (it was) a tough one, we’ve got to be better.” Thompson said. “It is simple as that, we have to flush that one and move on.”
Thompson has fizzled since scoring a pair of goals in the Sabres improbable comeback in Game 1 of the Boston series. In the seven proceeding games, the three-time 40 goal scorer has no goals and four assists, leading to the belief that he may be playing injured. When asked by WGR 550 reporter Paul Hamilton whether he was hurt, the forward was curt in his response.
Where Thompson’s struggles have really been felt is on the power play. Buffalo went 0 for 5 on Friday and are 3 for 32 in eight playoff games. Two of those goals on the man advantage were scored in Game 1 by the second unit.
Head coach Lindy Ruff focused on the club’s ability to bounce back throughout the season, which was on display after a pair of home losses to the Bruins in the first round. The Sabres went 3-0 on the road against Boston and will hope to follow the same pattern on Sunday at the Bell Centre.
“The last time I checked the series is 1-1, and we are heading on the road and we’ve been a good road team.” Ruff said. “The whole year, we’ve answered the call. We had a couple stretches, even after our 10-game winning streak, we played a terrible game in Columbus, and we bounced back with real good hockey. So, really just reset, refocus. Let’s take the temperature down a little bit knowing that we can all be better.”
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 9: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates during the game against the Detroit Pistons on May 9, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
CLEVELAND — Stars often decide playoff games. In Games 1 and 2, Cade Cunningham was the best player on the floor and carried his team to victory. In Game 3, it was Donovan Mitchell’s turn to show why he’s a perennial All-NBA player.
Mitchell’s heroics to start and a nine-point fourth quarter from James Harden to close helped the Cleveland Cavaliers climb back into their second-round series against the Detroit Pistons with a 116-109 win in Game 3. Detroit still owns a 2-1 series lead.
Starts to games have been an issue for the Cavs throughout the first two games of the series. They’ve lost the first half by 13 and 11 in the first two games of the series.
That trend turned around in Game 3, or at least it did after the first three minutes.
Detroit got out to a quick seven-point lead after Duncan Robinson and Cunningham hit two tough contested triples right out of the gates.
The Cavs settled in from there. They found a way to get into the paint in the opening frame. Mitchell and Jarrett Allen led the charge, as each delivered nine points in the first quarter, leading to a narrow two-point advantage after one.
Cleveland broke things open in the second quarter with the same formula they had in the first. They got into the teeth of the defense at will, and Detroit didn’t have an answer.
The Cavs went 13-15 on shots in the restricted area in the first half. By comparison, they had just 25 attempts at the rim in the first two games combined.
Mitchell was responsible for this turnaround. After taking just one shot in the restricted area in the first two games combined, he went 4-5 on shots in the restricted area. Once Mitchell gets going inside, the whole game opens up for him.
Spida scored 20 points in the first half, with nine coming in the second quarter. And when he wasn’t scoring for himself, he was finding avenues for his teammates to get going. This included Evan Mobley, who had seven points in the second alone.
On the other end, the Cavs did a good job of locking down the paint. The Pistons weren’t able to get anything easy inside. After making their first two triples of the game, they missed their ensuing 12. This led to Detroit registering just 18 points in the second quarter, allowing the Cavs to take a 14-point lead into the break.
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The Pistons flipped the script in the third quarter. Going from playing more of a drop coverage to switching on-ball screens slowed the Cavs downhill attack. And once the downhill attack stalls out, so has everything else about their game.
Detroit’s offense can bog down in the half-court if they’re forced to attack off makes. When they can get downhill with pace off turnovers and defensive rebounds, things open up.
As a result, the Pistons went 8-11 on shots in the restricted area and added five more points at the line. The Cavs went 2-3 and had just one free throw. Throw in five Cleveland turnovers, and the Pistons won the third 33-19 to make it a two-point game heading into the fourth quarter.
Neither team could create any separation in the fourth. It was a tie game with two and a half minutes left, but Cleveland reasserted control.
Turnovers have popped up in clutch time to hurt the road team in the first two games of the series. That happened again as Cunningham gave it away on three straight possessions, leading to four points going the other way.
James Harden, who was quiet all game, took control. He scored on three-straight possessions, including a three-pointer right in Tobias Harris’s eyes with 26 seconds left to give the Cavs a four-point lead and seal the game.
For as bad as Harden was at times in the first two games of the series, he came through with the game on the line in Game 3 to give Cleveland a new lease on life this series.
Mitchell led all scorers with 35 points on 13-24 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds and four assists.
Harden scored nine of his 19 points in the fourth quarter. He finished with seven assists, two rebounds, and a steal.
Allen added 18 points. Mobley had 13 points, eight rebounds, and four assists.
Cunningham led Detroit with a 27-point triple-double. Tobias Harris had 21 points and five rebounds.
Cleveland has a chance to tie the series in Game 4 on Monday at 8 PM.
Apr 26, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Kyle Harrison (52) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers are looking to parlay their win in the series opener against the New York Yankees into a series win on Saturday night. They were able to shut out the Yankees potent lineup on Friday night, the first shutout the Brewers have had against the Yankees since 1992.
On the mound trying to repeat that performance, albeit with fewer triple-digit fastballs, will be the lefty Kyle Harrison. Harrison has been off to a great start in his first season with the Brewers following the February trade with the Boston Red Sox.
Harrison has a 2.12 ERA across his six starts and his last two have been his best. He struck out 12 over 6 IP against the Pirates and then his last time out went 6 IP again, allowing just one run in a win over the Nationals.
On the mound for the Yankees will be the right-hander Cam Schlittler, who has a stellar 1.52 ERA on the season.
With a righty being on the mound for New York, Pat Murphy is loading his lineup with left-handed hitters. Jackson Chourio and William Contreras are the only right-handed hitters in the order tonight, hitting leadoff and third, respectively. Brice Turang is in between them. Then the 4-9 spots in the order are all lefties and switch-hitters; Jake Bauers, Tyler Black, Sal Frelick, Garrett Mitchell, Luis Rengifo, and David Hamilton.
The Yankees, meanwhile, are going a little atypical with 38-year-old first baseman Paul Goldschmidt batting leadoff. Goldschmidt has killed the Brewers over the course of his 16-year career with a .295 average, 30 homers, and .932 OPS. Ben Rice, Aaron Judge, and Cody Bellinger follow him. Spencer Jones, the hotshot prospect who made his debut facing Jacob Misiorowski’s 104-mph heat, is back in the lineup playing center field and batting eighth.
The Brewers made a transaction today, placing Brandon Lockridge on the IL with a right knee laceration and contusion following his scary crash into the LF wall yesterday. Blake Perkins was recalled from Triple-A to take his place.
Pat Murphy told reporters that “At the shortest, it’s a month,” that Lockridge will be out. But he’s still yet to get an MRI as they wait for the swelling to go down. The MRI is scheduled for Monday.
The Brewers offense will have a tough task again with a quality starter on the bump for New York, but their man on the mound is no slouch either. First pitch is at 6:10 p.m.
25 Feb 2000: Manager Bobby Cox #6 of the Atlanta Braves poses for a studio portrait during Spring Training Photo Day in Kissimmee, Florida. Mandatory Credit: Andy Lyons /Allsport | Getty Images
Earlier this afternoon, the Atlanta Braves announced the passing of Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox. He was 84.
In six decades in the organization, Cox spent two separate stints as Braves manager; served as the team’s general manager; and was a player with the organization’s minor leagues prior to the beginning of his coaching career.
Cox’s death comes the same week as the passing of former Braves owner Ted Turner, who twice hired Cox to leadership roles in the organization.
Cox was born in Oklahoma in 1941 and moved with his family to California three years later. He began his playing career in 1960 after signing with the Dodgers organization out of high school.
After making it to Double-A with the Dodgers, he spent the 1965 season in Triple-A with the Cubs organization and split 1966 between the Cubs and Braves Triple-A ranks, playing for Austin in the Braves organization. In 1967, the Braves affiliate moved to Richmond, and he had a productive season with a .849 OPS.
The New York Yankees gave Cox an opportunity at the MLB-level in 1968 and he spent that and the 1969 season in the big leagues before his playing career wrapped up with parts of two seasons in the minors in 1971. Primarily a third baseman, Cox ended his big league career with 220 games played with nine home runs.
When his playing career concluded, it was only a few years until the beginning of what would become an iconic managerial career.
After several seasons of managing and coaching in the minor leagues and in winter ball, Cox became the first base coach for the Yankees in 1977 under manager Billy Martin. When the Braves moved on from manager Dave Bristol, they tabbed Cox as the team’s manager for the 1978 season.
Cox spent four seasons at the helm of a rebuilding Braves team that had a young Dale Murphy and added third baseman Bob Horner with the first overall pick in the 1978 draft. Unfortunately for Cox and the Braves, the team finish as high as fourth in the National League West only once – a 81-80 season in 1980.
The Braves weren’t able to build on the success of the 1980 season, finishing just below .500 in the first and second half of the strike-impacted 1981 campaign. Turner opted to replace Cox as manager, but when asked about the type managerial candidate that would be ideal to lead the Braves, it was Cox who Turner named.
Joe Torre, the former Braves All-Star player, would be hired to replace Cox and the two would both go on to have Hall of Fame careers.
The Toronto Blue Jays wasted no time hiring Cox as manager in 1982. Cox lead the Jays to back-to-back 89-win seasons in 1984 and 1985 and then took the squad to the American League Championship Series after a 99-win season in 1985. It was the first American League East title in franchise history.
Despite coming off of the best season of his managerial career, when Turner and the Braves came calling with an offer to become Atlanta’s general manager, Cox opted to return to the Braves.
As general manager, Cox oversaw a rebuild of the team’s minor league system with a focus on pitching. It was a painful era of Braves baseball at the big league level with the team losing 97-or-more games in three consecutive season, including the 106-loss 1988 season. But, by shifting from aging veterans to young, developing talent, Cox was setting a coarse for what would be a historic run for Atlanta.
During the 1990 season, Cox was faced with firing manager Russ Nixon after a 25-40 start. In doing so, he took over as skipper of the team. The team’s on-field record didn’t improve, but when John Schuerholtz was brought in from the Kansas City Royals as general manager, it was Cox he wanted to continue leading the team as manager.
The 1991 worst-to-first season for the Atlanta Braves changed everything for the Braves, the city of Atlanta and all of Braves country. The excitement, electricity and magnitude of that season is difficult to encapsulate 35 years later, but that season – and the run of 14-consecutive division-winning seasons (1994 notwithstanding) – has yet to be bested in MLB.
With the fiery Cox as skipper, the Braves won more than 100 games six times, and of course won the 1995 World Series. On the field and in the clubhouse, Cox was revered by players – many of whom he called by homespun nicknames that ended with -y – and respected by opponents as he was viciously loyal to his guys, a notion that was underscored by his MLB-record 162 ejections as manager.
Off-the-field, Cox dealt with a domestic abuse issue during that 1995 campaign, although charges were dropped and Cox did not miss any time during the season.
Cox led the Braves to the playoffs in every season there was a post-season from 1991 through 2005. Atlanta missed the playoffs in 2006, finishing below .500 for the first time since 1990, but returned to the post-season in 2010 – Cox’s final season as manager – when the team finished second in the NL East but claimed the Wild Card.
Cox’s post-season success was marginal, he ended his career with a below .500 record with the Braves and Blue Jays, and his sole World Series Championship was often sighted as a blight on an otherwise historic 15 years of dominance by the Braves.
He retired with 2,504 career victories, fourth most all-time, and led his teams to the post-season 16 times – 15 of those coming with the Braves. He won 15 division titles, five pennants and managed five All-Star games, including the 2000 contest in Atlanta. His 67 career post-season wins are fourth-most all-time. He also led the Braves to the 1995 World Series Championship.
Cox was inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame in 2011.
A four-time manager of the year winner, Cox was inducted into the the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014 – a class that included Torre and fellow manager Tony La Russa as well as two of his former starting pitchers, Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux.
Cox suffered a stroke in 2019, the day after appearing at Trust Park for Opening Day, and made limited public appearances in the years that followed. His last appearance with the Braves was in 2025, on August 22, when the 1995 team was honored.
Cox, who was teammates with Mickey Mantle in New York, led teams in Atlanta that included future Hall of Fame players Fred McGriff, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Chipper Jones, Andruw Jones and John Smoltz. As general manager, he drafted Chipper Jones and traded for Smoltz. He notoriously almost pulled off a trade for Barry Bonds in 1987 – five years before the Braves attempted to do a deal for Bond with Pittsburgh for a second time.
Cox’s 2,149 regular season wins are the most in Braves franchise history – with more than an 1,100 win gap between him and fellow Hall of Fame manager Frank Selee who has the second-most wins if franchise history. Cox is also third all-time in wins in Blue Jays history.
Each of the three managers who followed Cox in the position have ties to him with Fredi Gonzalez and Brian Snitker both serving as coaches on his staff while current manager Walt Weiss played under Cox from 1998 to 2000. Snitker (3) and Gonzalez (6) are both in the top six in wins in franchise history.
After a decade of being marketing as “American’s Team” on TBS by Turner, the Cox-led Braves became one of the powerhouse teams of the 1990s, transiting Atlanta from an also-ran franchise to one of the top brands in the sport.
The outpouring of messages from his former players in the hours following the new of his passing showed the reverence they held for him. Andruw Jones called him a “second Father” and outfielder Ender Inciarte labeled him, “a wonderful person, a great human being” while numerous others called him the greatest manager for whom they played.
To honor Cox during his final season, the Braves had a game-day give away that was a poster of Cox comprised of photos of every player he had managed, a fitting honor for a manager who still wore spikes like he did when he a player.
The image of Cox hobbling out of the dugout to argue a call, kicking dirt and get ejected for defending his players and his team, is one that resonates across many Braves fans who are mourning the loss of their skipper this afternoon.
The Atlanta Braves and their fans lost the person responsible for building the foundation for the success the Braves franchise has had for the past 35 years.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 12: Logan Webb #62 and Trevor McDonald #72 of the San Francisco Giants look on at Scottsdale Stadium on February 12, 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants Opening Day battery for the last three seasons is as gone as gone can be. Hours after announcing the shocking trade of Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Guardians, the Giants placed the star of their rotation, two-time All-Star Logan Webb, on the 15-Day Injured List. Webb, who has led the National League in innings pitched in each of the last three seasons, is headed to the IL for the first time since 2021. The Giants professed optimism that he’ll return as soon as the 15 days are up.
Webb’s injury, which is officially listed as right knee bursitis, is retroactive to May 6. It was that injury that led him to come out of his last game after just 61 pitches, and the Giants are hoping it’s behind his rough start to the season, as he has a 5.06 ERA and a 3.59 FIP through eight starts.
A new battery is up to replace the old one. Taking Webb’s spot is right-hander Trevor McDonald, who will slide right into the rotation. While McDonald hasn’t been having a very good season in AAA, he was sensational when called upon on Monday, holding the San Diego Padres to two hits, no walks, and one run in seven innings, with eight strikeouts. McDonald has not pitched since, so the Giants can slot him into the rotation whenever and wherever they choose.
As for Bailey, his spot is being taken by catcher Logan Porter, whose contract was purchased from AAA Sacramento. The Giants are apparently intent to go with three catchers, even with their defensive ace gone, as Porter joins Eric Haase and Jesús Rodríguez. Daniel Susac is rehabbing in AAA, and should return at some point during the team’s upcoming road trip, barring a setback.
Trevor Zegras felt if the Flyers could take just one game, the Hurricanes would “tighten up a little bit.”
But the Flyers couldn’t get that one game. They were swept out of the playoffs in the second round after suffering a 3-2 overtime loss Saturday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Jackson Blake scored the winner 5:31 minutes into the bonus period. It was his second goal of the night.
Carolina, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, was decisively better in this best-of-seven matchup. The Flyers hung with the Hurricanes for stretches of the series and took them to overtime twice. But Carolina’s pedigree and depth were too much.
The Flyers got goals from Tyson Foerster and Alex Bump in Game 4.
Bump’s marker drew the Flyers even 5:52 minutes into the third period. The Flyers struck first when Foerster ended his scoreless postseason with a first-period goal.
In celebration, Foerster raised his arms, gazed toward the rafters and smiled. The 24-year-old winger had gone without a point through nine games, but Rick Tocchet stuck with him.
The Flyers very much exceeded expectations by not only making the playoffs, but also winning a round. Now they need to build on it. They snapped a five-year postseason drought with an impressive surge down the stretch.
The Hurricanes have not lost in these playoffs. They’ve won all eight of their games and have surrendered just 10 goals.
Going back to the start of the 2021-22 season, the Flyers have lost 20 of their last 23 games against Carolina. Just a bad matchup for the Flyers.
• Dan Vladar once again did his job, converting 37 saves on 40 shots.
He carried the Flyers and gave them a chance.
The Hurricanes took the lead 4:13 minutes into the third period when Logan Stankoven scored his seventh of the playoffs. But Bump countered 1:39 minutes later from the slot off a feed from Travis Konecny.
It was a 1-1 game at second intermission. Just 28 seconds after Jackson Blake tied the game in the middle stanza, Mark Jankowski had a go-ahead goal taken off the board. The Flyers won a coach’s challenge that deemed William Carrier interfered with Vladar.
Carolina netminder Frederik Andersen stopped 15 of the Flyers’ 17 shots. The 36-year-old held the Flyers to just five goals in the series.
He robbed Garnet Hathaway at the doorstep with 3:36 minutes left in the second period. With 10 seconds left in the frame, Andersen got some love from his one post as Christian Dvorak rung it.
The Flyers’ offense really dried up, which was a major concern heading into the playoffs. This was not a high-end scoring team during the regular season — 2.93 goals per game, good for 21st in the NHL.
Tocchet’s club scored only 10 goals over its last seven games after putting up 11 through the first three games of the playoffs. The Flyers’ top four goal scorers from the regular season — Konecny, Zegras, Owen Tippett and Matvei Michkov — combined for four goals, and one of them was an empty-netter.
Tippett didn’t play in the second round because of an undisclosed injury. Michkov was a healthy scratch twice (more on that below). The Flyers lost Noah Cates to a lower-body injury for the final two games of the second round. Dvorak, who was definitely banged up, didn’t have a goal in the playoffs.
The Flyers’ league-worst power play went 3 for 36 in the postseason.
Hurricanes win in OT, sweep Flyers. Teammates went to Dan Vladar to support him. He was excellent in the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/NLwLUecP1I
• Michkov sat for the second time this postseason.
The 21-year-old winger struggled. He just wasn’t noticeable with his legs and activity around the net. Tocchet has stressed pace in these playoffs. And at times, Michkov looked a step behind. He had no goals and an assist in eight games, while playing just 11:50 minutes per game.
Tocchet made a pair of eye-opening moves by putting Jett Luchanko and Oliver Bonk into the lineup for their playoff debuts. Luchanko took Michkov’s spot and Bonk played in place of Emil Andrae.
So, along with Bump, Denver Barkey and Porter Martone, the Flyers had five rookies in their Game 4 lineup. A combined 78 games of NHL regular-season experience between those five — not even a full season’s worth.
On Carolina’s go-ahead third-period goal, Bonk couldn’t stay in front of Taylor Hall, who set up Stankoven.
• The offseason begins for Danny Briere and company.
Zegras and Jamie Drysdale are the team’s notable restricted free agents that need to be re-signed.
Unrestricted free agency come July 1 could be an interesting period for the Flyers. They have some dead money coming off the books and the NHL salary cap is climbing by $8.5 million.
It’s a lean market, though, at the center position, if the Flyers were looking to add there. They could address their defense or backup goaltending. Samuel Ersson is a restricted free agent, as well.
Don’t rule out Briere getting creative on the trade market. He acquired Zegras last offseason via trade.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 08: Yuki Matsui #1 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the fifth inning at Petco Park on May 08, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This was a tough one for the Friar Faithful to take in.
The San Diego Padres didn’t do a whole lot to help their case as they lost their second consecutive game to the St. Louis Cardinals. It’s been a difficult stretch that has been marked by a poor Friars’ offense.
But the offense wasn’t the Padres biggest problem last night. Their defense ended up losing the game, being the main reason that six runs came across the board in the fifth inning, with right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. making his first error since May of last year. That call was controversial, this one was not.
With the bases loaded, JJ Wetherholt hit a single into right field. It would have been only one run with the play at the plate to get the lead runner, but the ball trickled under Tatis glove as he rushed to make the play and ended up at the wall. It went from a single to a little league grand slam.
But the Cards wouldn’t even need that many, with the Padres failing to score against the St. Louis pitching staff, despite having opportunities to do so. They’ll need to put some runs together tonight in order to right the ship in what has been a difficult stretch of baseball for San Diego.
Taking the mound
Dustin May (STL) v. Randy Vásquez (SD)
May has been middling but just good enough for the Cards, pitching to a 5.15 ERA over 36 2/3 innings. But the best thing for the righty is the simple fact that he’s healthy. In the past, that’s been a major struggle.
2025 was May’s first season pitching more than 60 innings with 132 1/3 innings. It was a mediocre year with May posting a 4.96 ERA but his health earned him a modest contract in St. Louis.
The Padres faced May plenty of times while he was a Los Angeles Dodger, and they played well against him then. There’s nothing to suggest that that wouldn’t remain the case this time around. The Friars need to scratch some runs across after failing to score very much in this series.
Vásquez has looked incredible for San Diego so far this season, but the last two starts have been shaky. In 10 2/3 innings, the righty has given up eight runs. That’s raised his ERA from 1.88 (as of April 21) to a 3.20 mark heading into tonight’s matchup.
That’s not to say he’s been bad, he hasn’t. But Vásquez has struggled with command, issuing five walks in those recent starts. If he can regain his command tonight, the Friars should have no trouble.
Batter up!
Of the Padres’ lineup, Manny Machado and Tatis have the most experience against May (53 combined at-bats). They own a combined .283 batting average with three homers against the right-hander. If those two bats can come alive, that would be a major improvement for the Friars.
Jackson Merrill, CF
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
Manny Machado, 3B
Gavin Sheets, DH
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Ramón Laureano, LF
Ty France, 1B
Sung-Mun Song, 2B
Freddy Fermin, C
After having two knocks in his debut start, Song’s bat has gone cold, it would be great for it to return against the lower-leverage starting May. Andujar has been in a similar state, cooling off after his eight-game hitting streak came to an end.
Merrill batting leadoff has been an interesting development in the lineup. It seemed to work initially, but hasn’t in the last two games. Manager Craig Stammen has seemed to let things linger before doing away with something so it seems likely that the center fielder continues to bat leadoff.
Relief corps
Yuki Matsui made his 2026 debut last night after spending the year rehabbing from a groin injury. He was mostly alright, pitching a solid 1 2/3 innings before being asked to return for the seventh inning. After striking out Wetherholt, he allowed the next three batters to reach before getting out of the jam.
With the game well out of hand, the Friars then went to Wandy Peralta and Ron Marinaccio to close out the eighth and ninth innings, respectively. That will leave the ‘pen fresh for tonight’s game.
Jason Adam, Jeremiah Estrada, Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon and Bradgley Rodriguez will all be available to pitch in relief after Vásquez’s outing concludes. Those five are all high-leverage options for Stammen to go to, and will each be trusted to turn to in a close game.
