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LeBron James reveals why Lakers lost to defending champs: ‘Failed in talent’

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder dribbles the ball while guarded by LeBron James of the Lakers, Image 2 shows LeBron James wearing navy blue headphones and a dark hooded sweatshirt

Lakers superstar LeBron James had over a week to reflect on his team’s 2025-26 season ending with a four-game sweep to the Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals. 

It was just the fourth time in James’ career – and the earliest in the playoffs – a team that had him on the roster was swept in James’ 19 appearances in the postseason. 

How James saw it, the Lakers didn’t lose the series to the defending NBA champions because they didn’t match the Thunder’s physicality. Or weren’t prepared.

LeBron James and the Lakers were swept 4-0 by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals. Getty Images

They simply didn’t match the Thunder in talent. 

“I have the passion and the [aspiration] to host the Larry O’Brien Trophy up every single year, but also have a realization of what particular team I have been a part of in that particular year,” James said during the latest episode of his “Mind The Game” podcast, which he co-hosts with NBA legend Steve Nash. “And understanding this year, we fought and we played to the maximum ability of our team. But ultimately, if we’re being completely honest, we were out-talented.”

The Thunder were without 2025 All-Star and All-NBA third team honoree Jalen Williams during the second round matchup.

But the Lakers had an even more significant absence: superstar guard Luka Doncic missed the Lakers’ entire postseason run because of a left hamstring strain he suffered April 2 in Oklahoma City. 

Doncic was the NBA’s scoring champion for the second time and three seasons, averaging 33.5 points during the regular season. 

He finished fourth in the voting for league MVP, which Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won for the second consecutive season, and will likely be an All-NBA first team honoree for the sixth time in his eight-season NBA career. 

“We were not outworked,” James said. “They didn’t out-physical us. They didn’t outsmart us. I feel like we were just out-talent[ed] by OKC. At the end of the day, we failed in talent. OKC just possessed so much more talent than us. You could tip your cap to them in understanding that.”

James said the Lakers ‘failed in talent’ when it came to matching up with the Thunder. Getty Images

With Doncic sidelined and star guard Austin Reaves out for the Lakers’ first four games of the playoffs because of a strained oblique, James led the Lakers to a six-game first round playoff series victory over the Rockets.

The Rockets were without their leading scorer, Kevin Durant, for five of the six games in the series.

James averaged 23.2 points, 8.3 assists, 7.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals in the first round against the Rockets. 

“For our team to win a playoff series, that was a huge accomplishment,” James said. “Obviously my aspirations [are] much bigger than just one playoff series. I’ve won a lot of playoff series and one is never enough. But under the circumstances of what our team went through and what we were going through at that time: AR did come back and was able to play some good basketball like the last few games, but he was still trying to find his rhythm. Obviously, we never got Luka back.

“But for our ball club, under the circumstances that it was in, to win a playoff series in the Western Conference, I give a lot of respect and a lot of kudos to our guys and to our coaching staff of mentally, physically preparing us for that matchup. It was a pretty good season.”

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Minor league update for 5/21/26

MINNEAPOLIS - APRIL 22: Liz Phair performs at First Avenue Nightclub in Minneapolis, Minnesota on April 22, 1995. (Photo by Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Hickory starter Aidan Deakins struck out four in six innings, allowing one homer and two runs.

Paulino Santana homered. Yolfran Castillo had a hit and a stolen base. Marcos Torres was 2 for 4 with a double. Josh Springer had a hit and a walk.

Hickory box score

Hub City starter J’Briell Easley struck out seven and walked one in three shutout, no hit innings. Brock Porter struck out three and walked two in 4.1 IP, allowing one run. Joey Danielson struck out one and walked one in 1.1 scoreless innings.

Paxton Kling doubled. Gleider Figuereo had a pair of hits and a stolen base. Malcolm Moore and Yeison Morrobel each had a hit.

Hub City box score

Dalton Pence started for Frisco, allowing three runs in 5.1 IP, striking out five. Ryan Lobus struck out two and walked two in 1.1 IP, allowing one run. Bryan Magdaleno walked two and struck out one in 0.1 IP, allowing one run.

Dylan Dreiling doubled. Keith Jones II had a hit.

Frisco box score

Round Rock starter David Davalillo struggled with his command again, walking five and throwing a wild pitch in five innings, striking out four and allowing two runs. Luis Curvelo walked one, struck out one and gave up two runs in an inning. Alexis Diaz struck out one and walked one in a scoreless inning. Ryan Brasier struck out two in 1.1 scoreless innings. Emiliano Teodo struck out one in 1.2 IP without allowing a run.

Aaron Zavala doubled twice. Cam Cauley had a hit and two stolen bases.

Round Rock box score

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Yankees vs. Rays: 5 things to watch and series predictions | May 22-24

Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Yankees host the Rays at Yankee Stadium for a three-game series starting Friday...

5 things to watch

Cole returns

The biggest event going into this series is the return of Gerrit Cole.

This will be the first time Cole pitches in an MLB game since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series, and he can give the rotation a spark. With Max Fried on the IL and Carlos Rodon still finding his way back to form from his own IL stint, Cole can set the tone for the weekend. 

Cole made six starts in the minors between High-A, Double-A and Triple-A and has been solid. He pitched to a 4.66 ERA, but what was most encouraging was Cole's final rehab start. Pitching in Triple-A, Cole allowed one run on six hits and one walk across 5.1 innings and struck out six -- and his velocity was nearing 100 mph. 

Bottom of the order woes

This has been a persistent problem for most of the season, but especially of late with Jose Caballero on the IL.

The bottom of the Yankees order has been a black hole. Anthony Volpe, Ryan McMahon and Austin Wells are a combined 10-for-63 with one home run and six RBI in their last seven games.

Wells, especially, has struggled. He's in a 2-for-22 rut with one walk and 11 strikeouts. He is slugging just .252 this season and has only three home runs in 38 games. 

J.C. Escarra hasn't been much better as a catching option, but manager Aaron Boone may make the position a true platoon this weekend. Escarra started Thursday's series finale with the Blue Jays and two of the four games in the series. 

Jose Caballero and Anthony Volpe

Caballero is adamant that he'll need the minimum 10 days before be reactivated from the IL, and gives the club an interesting choice to make. Will the Yanks option Volpe back to the minors? Boone said that shortstop was Caballero's when he returned but Volpe's play has raised the question of whether it's worth keeping him on the roster.

Apr 13, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Jose Caballero (72) follows through on a two run home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the second inning at Yankee Stadium
Apr 13, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Jose Caballero (72) follows through on a two run home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the second inning at Yankee Stadium / John Jones-Imagn Images

Since his call-up, Volpe is slashing .217/.400/.304 with an OPS of .704. While he hasn't gone yard, his plate discipline looks much improved over last season and his defense has impressed. 

Volpe does not have the versatility that Caballero does, and if the Yankees are looking for some offense from the left side of the infield, there's a world where Volpe stays at short and Caballero starts at third base. Caballero has played 83 games at the hot corner, and could be a nice right-handed complement to the left-handed hitting McMahon.

Judge in a slump

Playing under the radar in recent days is Aaron Judge. The two-time MVP has just four hits in his last seven games with no home runs -- he hasn't homered in his last 10 games. In the four-game series against the Blue Jays, Judge went 1-for-15 with no extra-base hits and eight strikeouts.

The offense goes as Judge goes and they'll need him against a Rays staff that entered Friday's game sixth in MLB with a 3.57 ERA.

Here's who the Yankees are expected to face this weekend:

  • Nick Martinez: 1.51 ERA
  • Drew Rasmussen: 3.19 ERA
  • Shane McClanahan: 2.82 ERA

All three starters have been awesome to start the season, and Judge needs to get going to help a lineup that is not getting anything from the bottom of the order.

Clawing back into AL East contention

The Yankees enter the three-game series 4.5 games behind the Rays for first place in the AL East. 

This weekend is also important for potential tiebreaker situations later in the season. The Rays swept a three-game series in Tampa back in mid-April, so the Yanks want to try and even up the season series. Considering the head-to-head with the Blue Jays last season cost the Yankees the division, they'll want to avoid a similar fate.

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Ben Rice

The young slugger continues his tear.

Which Yankees pitcher will have the best start?

Gerrit Cole

Even not knowing who the Yankees will deploy on Saturday and Sunday, Cole is rested and will be impressive against the AL East rivals.

Which Rays player will be a thorn in the Yankees' side?

Junior Caminero

Caminero is the best player on the team and it'll be difficult to get him out this weekend.

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Canadiens Expose Hurricanes In A Way Islanders Fans Know All Too Well

On Thursday night, the Carolina Hurricanes suffered their first loss of these 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, falling 6-2 to the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. 

Rod Brind'Amour's team got "Caned."

When the Hurricanes dictate play, as has been more the norm, they can make every team in the league look helpless. 

Islanders fans have seen it time and time again, whether in the regular season or the playoffs. 

Back on Apr. 4, the Hurricanes outshot the Islanders 40-16 in what became Patrick Roy's final game behind their bench. 

Despite the 4-3 score, the Islanders spent most of the night on their side of the red line and blue line, getting outshot 13-4 in the first period and 18-2 in the second period before pushing in the third as they tried to erase what was a 3-2 deficit before Sebastian Aho made it 4-2 at the 24-second mark of the third period. 

But, Thursday night showed the other side of Carolina. 

The Hurricanes could not stop the relentless forechecking of Montreal, with every mistake they made ending up in the back of their net. 

Starting goaltender Frederik Andersen, who had not allowed more than two goals in a game in what was a perfect 8-0 start to the postseason for him and Carolina, allowed two goals on the first four shots he faced, allowing four goals in the opening 11:28. 

After the first period, the Hurricanes were trailing 4-1 and outshot 14-13 before a solid second-period rebound, outscoring Montreal 1-0 in the middle frame and outshooting them 11-3.

But, then came the third period. 

Juraj Slafkovsky scored twice, the last of the two into the empty net in a period in which both teams weren't shooting too much. 

While shots were 6-2 in favor of Montreal, the Hurricanes were held without a shot for 18:38. 

When the Hurricanes are humming, they are incredibly hard to beat, but they clearly weren't ready for the pace that Montreal has been playing with and paid the price.

And Islanders fans probably enjoyed every second of it.  

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Rockets have a (nearly) unsolvable problem

Some problems have multiple solutions. Other problems have no solution, and that’s why competing hypothetical solutions seem viable to different people.

It’s hard to say which of those two types of problems the Houston Rockets have right now.

The two 2025-26 NBA Western Conference Finalists are lightyears ahead of Houston. Some fans are waving the white flag. Others are annoyed by the white flag that’s blocking their view. Everybody thinks they know what the team ought to do.

It all comes back to “the window”. It’s the ubiquitous metaphor used to describe a team’s title odds in terms of both probability and duration. As it stands, the Rockets have an extremely narrow title window that stands to be open for a long time. The two prevailing solutions to the problem (the problem being that this team has no chance to beat the Thunder or Spurs short of major injuries) are to either widen the window at the expense of length or lengthen the window’s openness at the expense of width.

Let’s simplify. Forget the window. The Rockets are not in the same league as the Thunder or the Spurs. They can either acquire a superstar that might put them in that league, or acquire assets that might keep them just outside of that league for a long enough time to capitalize on some luck (re: major injuries).

What is the solution?

Rockets’ superstar pursuits could be in vain

Firstly, we need to look at the available options. The Rockets cannot manifest a superstar player. Is the right guy even available?

Donovan Mitchell? Pass. Small guard. It would be more prudent from an asset management perspective to see how Sheppard develops. Mitchell and Fred VanVleet in the same backcourt should be a non-starter. Mitchell doesn’t even get the Rockets in the same zip code as the Thunder or Spurs.

Jaylen Brown? A bit more tempting. There are still reservations. Running Amen Thompson as the nominal two guard (while he functions as a wing) allows the Rockets to lean into size. If you bump him to the three to put Brown at the two, now you’re 6’6″ at the two and 6’7″ at the three. Now, you’re not especially large with 6’10″ish Alperen Sengun in the middle.

Is being big the be-all, end-all? Not in general, but for the Rockets, it might be. Ime Udoka wants them to bash and bruise their way to the top. Whether you think he’s an inmate running an asylum or…a warden?… There’s some logic in that approach. The Rockets are extremely unlikely to build the most talented team in the NBA by virtue of the fact that Victor Wembanyama is one of one, and so are the Thunder. Realistically, that’s the entire premise of this article.

Now, if Thompson can continue to develop as a point guard, there’s some appeal here. A Thompson/Brown backcourt is the biggest in the league. That said, based on what we saw in 2025-26, the safe money isn’t necessarily on Thompson as a long-term point guard.

It should also be noted that Brown doesn’t solve many of Houston’s pressing problems. Ball-handling is his biggest weakness. There’s a world where acquiring Brown improves the Rockets’ championship equity while building on their identity. There are likely more worlds where that move gets Houston into the Conference Finals once, only to get stomped by whichever of the aforementioned powerhouses didn’t suffer a major injury.

Take every word written about Brown, apply it to Kawhi Leonard, and then add that he’s old and will probably get hurt. Pass.

Then, there’s Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Entire manifestos have been written on the issue. Let’s keep this brief. Antetokounmpo is comfortably the best player the Rockets could acquire this summer. His inability to shoot makes him a tough sell alongside Thompson (or Sengun, but he’d presumably be in the Antetokounmpo deal).

You could acquire him and then also flip Thompson. For argument’s sake, let’s say you turn Thompson into Trey Murphy III. Let’s say you sign Brook Lopez (yes, I know he’s very old) so that Antetokounmpo has his stretch five.

Fred VanVleet / Trey Murphy III / Kevin Durant / Giannis Antetokounmpo / Brook Lopez. That team can compete with anyone. That’s a real title window.

Yet, it’s probably, shockingly, still not enough to beat the Thunder or Spurs. It could be. It’s feasible. But it won’t make the Rockets the 2026-27 presumptive title favorites. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. It’s defensible.

It’s the second-best (possible) solution to this (possibly unsolvable) problem.

The Rockets should prioritize the future

I think the smarter move is to continue to build towards the future while fielding competitive teams. The Rockets have the luxury to do that with so many of their future first-round picks coming from other teams.

That doesn’t mean complacency. The Rockets could give the current iteration one more year to see what they can accomplish with VanVleet and Steven Adams back in the fold, or not. Let’s say they do. It seems like they want to.

If the fit issues between Sengun, Thompson, and Sheppard persist, you don’t need to go all in on a sub-top-ten superstar. You trade one of these guys (hint: It’s Sengun, because he’s the one that presents fit issues with both) for a lesser, better-fitting veteran and assets. You keep drafting.

At a minimum, you can build a team that’s a playoff fixture for a decade. That’s not the fantasy most of us lived in before now. The Rockets are picking in the lottery for time immemorial. It’s a foolproof way to build a dynasty!

No, it’s not. Such a method does not exist. As it turns out, even being a playoff fixture for a long stretch is something. There are NBA teams that have not been in that position for a long time.

Here’s the secret: Sometimes, those teams do actually win NBA championships! The ’04 Pistons. The ’11 Mavericks. The ’19 Raptors (who did make a major trade, but spent much longer than the Rockets have with a sub-championship core).

The calculus is basically this: Instead of buying one lottery ticket with a $10 million payout and a 0.000000342% chance of winning, buy ten tickets with a $1 million payout and a 0.05% chance of winning. No, you’re probably not winning either way, but giving yourself a larger number of chances maximizes the odds.

Of course, we can’t quantify NBA title odds as precisely. If you’re reading this and thinking the hypothetical Giannis and Trey Murphy III lineup has better odds than I’m suggesting, fair enough. Ultimately, there’s no singular, clear-cut solution to the problem:

If there’s even a solution at all.

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Tigers vs Orioles Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight's MLB Game

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Two slumping teams meet tonight at Camden Yards as the Detroit Tigers visit the Baltimore Orioles for the first of a three-game set. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET. 

My Tigers vs. Orioles predictions are targeting Baltimore to hand Detroit their seventh straight loss behind Chris Bassitt's excellence at home.

Read more in my MLB picks for Friday, May 22. 

Who will win Tigers vs Orioles today: Orioles moneyline (-126)

Detroit Tigers SP Jack Flaherty sports a poor 5.70 ERA, with a 14.1% walk rate, through 10 starts — and opponents are hitting .295 against him when he's on the road. 

The Baltimore Orioles lineup has also had success vs. the righty, hitting .308 across 26 at-bats. Pete Alonso alone is 3-for-6.

As for the O's, Chris Bassitt gets the baseball, and he's compiled a 2.91 ERA across four appearances at home. To put that into perspective, his ERA sits above eight on the road. 

The Tigers are struggling immensely at the dish right now, scoring just eight runs in their previous series with the Guardians. 

Covers COVERS INTEL: Flaherty has a career-worst 45% hard hit rate this season. 

Tigers vs Orioles Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-106)

It's rarely high-scoring when the Tigers and Orioles clash. Six of the last seven meetings have comfortably cashed the Under.

Detroit and Baltimore have both hit the Under in seven of their last 10.

While the pitching matchup could mean offense, I'm focused on Bassitt's impressive form at Camden Yards. 

He's looked like a completely different pitcher in front of the O's faithful, and he's coming up against a Tigers lineup that looks utterly hopeless at the moment. 

Detroit ranks 28th in the big leagues in runs scored, while the O's are 16th. 

Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
  • ML/RL bets: 15-11, +4.72 units
  • Over/Under bets: 15-11, +2.09 units

Tigers vs Orioles odds

  • Moneyline: Tigers +117 | Orioles -122
  • Run line: Tigers +1.5 (-178) | Orioles -1.5 (+170)
  • Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+104) | Under 8.5 (-108)

Tigers vs Orioles trend

The Orioles have hit the Under in 10 of their last 13 games (+7.70 Units / 54% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Tigers vs. Orioles.

How to watch Tigers vs Orioles and game info

LocationOriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD
DateFriday, May 22, 2026
First pitch7:15 p.m. ET
TVApple TV
Tigers starting pitcherJack Flaherty
(0-5, 5.77 ERA)
Orioles starting pitcherChris Bassitt
(3-3, 5.44 ERA)

Tigers vs Orioles latest injuries

Tigers vs Orioles 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.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

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Could a Robert Williams reunion help Celtics address their biggest need?

Could a Robert Williams reunion help Celtics address their biggest need? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens made Boston’s offseason priority very clear in his end-of-season press conference earlier this month.

“One of the things that we’ve got to figure out is how to have more of an impact at the rim, and I think we do need to add to our team to do that,” Stevens said.

Translation: The Celtics will be in the market for big men this summer.

What form that frontcourt pursuit takes is unclear. If Boston wants the most talented big man on the market, it could pursue Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, whom Milwaukee has made available via trade. But a deal for the two-time NBA MVP almost certainly would require the Celtics to part with superstar Jaylen Brown.

On a new episode of the Celtics Talk Podcast, Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix made the case for Boston keeping the Brown-Jayson Tatum duo intact in its pursuit of a big man.

“I don’t think there’s a need to reinvent the wheel here,” Mannix told host Chris Forsberg. “We’re two years removed from winning a championship in Boston, and we’re coming off the most improbable season that I can remember, where your second star (Brown) played like a first-level star.

“So, I think the focus should be on adding to where this team has the most glaring weaknesses, and that is the frontcourt.”

With Nikola Vucevic set to hit unrestricted free agency, the Celtics’ frontcourt currently includes Neemias Queta, Luka Garza and 2025 draft pick Amari Williams. Boston could look to upgrade that group via trade, where it can use a $27.7 million traded player exception created by the Vucevic-Anfernee Simons deal to acquire a big man without having to match salaries. (We explored a few potential TPE options here.)

If the Celtics prefer the free-agent route, they could utilize the taxpayer midlevel exception, which is valued around $15 million. And while this year’s free agent class is relatively thin on big men, there’s one intriguing name in that group: ex-Celtic Robert Williams III.

“You know who’s the one free agent outside of LeBron (James) who was talked about the most when I was in Chicago last week (for the 2026 NBA Scouting Combine and Draft Lottery)? You know who that player is? It was (Robert Williams),” ESPN’s Bobby Marks told Forsberg on Celtics Talk.

“Is he a guy who’s going to play 70 games and give you 30 minutes a night? No. He played 59 games in Portland, 22 minutes (per game). He basically is a specialist as far as what he can do for you, whether that’s protect(ing) the rim, points in the paint.”

The biggest red flag with Williams is his health. He appeared in just 26 games total for the Trail Blazers between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons before appearing in 59 games this past season. He’s never played more than 61 games in a season (2021-22 with the Celtics) and will turn 29 years old in October.

Williams can be a difference-maker when he’s on the court, though: He averaged 6.7 points, a career-high 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game for Portland this season and tallied double-digit points in four of the Blazers’ five first-round playoff games against the San Antonio Spurs while holding his own against Victor Wembanyama on the defensive end.

Williams should draw interest from a handful of teams that need big men. But if his next contract is below $15 million per year, the Celtics may want to at least explore reuniting with Time Lord as a frontcourt depth piece while maintaining their ability to make other moves elsewhere.

“He’s in a perfect world for a lot of teams out there: Atlanta, the Lakers, some of those other teams,” Marks added. “But I think that’s a priority for you as somebody from a free agent standpoint — if you can do that, it would be in a perfect world, you get another year of development from some of your younger players.

“You’re going to have two picks (in the 2026 NBA Draft), 27 and 40. Is there an opportunity to move up in the draft? Are you content staying there? So, I do think there’s some optionality as far as some of the trimming around the edges without making a bold type move.”

Williams obviously would come with risk, and his addition alone wouldn’t constitute a successful offseason. But for a team that clearly needs frontcourt help, Time Lord is a known quantity who is worth considering as the Celtics look ahead to the summer.

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Dodgers notes: Andy Pages, Shohei Ohtani, Justin Wrobleski

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 20: Andy Pages #44 of the Los Angeles Dodgers bats during the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on May 20, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Over the course of the first 50 games of the season, Andy Pages has emerged as the most dynamic player within the Dodgers offense. Among a lineup with a trio at the top that has combined for nine World Series rings and six MVPs, Pages has been one of the main leaders in terms of counting stats and averages on the team.

Pages may have struggled over the six games on this current road trip— .231 average vs. Angels, .091 average vs. Padres— he managed to have plenty of highlight plays defensively on Saturday and had arguably the most competitive at-bat for the Dodgers this year against Mason Miller on Tuesday.

Justin Wrobleski, who started against the Angels on Saturday, shared his reaction to Pages robbing a hit against Nolan Schanuel to get him out of the inning, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com. Freddie Freeman also gave his thoughts on Pages’ battle against Miller on Tuesday that gave the Dodgers the deciding run over the Padres.

Justin Wrobleski, after Pages laid out for a jaw-dropping catch that saved a run on Saturday night: “I thought it was a hit, and then I thought he might get there and then I was like, “Oh he’s going to try.’ And then he dove and he caught it, and I was like, ‘That was the coolest thing ever.'”

Freddie Freeman, after Pages’ epic nine-pitch at-bat against vaunted Padres closer Mason Miller on Tuesday night: “It was one of the greatest at-bats I’ve ever seen in person, and I’ve been playing a long time. That at-bat was incredible. … To hit 95 [mph] is hard, to hit 100 is even harder, to hit 102 is even probably the hardest thing to do, and to foul off 102s back to back, sliders at 87, 88 — one of the best at-bats I’ve ever seen.”

While Miller has been one of the best relievers in all of baseball this year, Pages simply views him as a “pitcher who throws hard.”

 “He’s a good pitcher, but to me, he’s simply a pitcher who throws hard, and if you’re able to get on time against him, you can do damage against him.”

Links

Shohei Ohtani was in the lineup during a start day on Wednesday for the first time since April 8 against the Toronto Blue Jays, and he delivered by tossing five shutout innings after beginning the game with a leadoff home run on the very first pitch.

There is still no concrete long-term plan as to how Dave Roberts will decide whether Ohtani will be in the lineup when he pitches or not, per Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.

“I think he understands that it’s fluid,” Roberts said. “I don’t think that there is one model. It should be a read and react thing. I don’t know how the week is going to look after this off day.

“I could change my mind and have him not hit in his next outing, but that’s more on workload and how he feels.”

Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register has a very insightful piece about Justin Wrobleski’s path from struggling at Clemson University, toiling between Triple-A and the big leagues the past two years, to becoming one of the best young starters in baseball today.

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Pirates gamble on Nick Gonzales is paying off

May 15, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Nick Gonzales (3) in the batting cage before the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Pirates were initially seen as failures in the offseason when they weren’t able to add a player to be their everyday third baseman. The Ke’Bryan Hayes trade that the team made at the deadline in 2025 left more questions than answers and admittedly I thought the Pirates were foolish to trade Hayes away in the first place. I’m happy now to eat crow and admit that the gamble to this point has paid off, and Nick Gonzales has been a welcomed presence at the hot corner.

Gonzales overall has put together a nice campaign in the early parts of the 2026 season. It was fortuitous for Gonzales that Jared Triolo landed on the injured list at the beginning of April with right knee injury, but the former has made the most of his opportunities as a starter. This year the New Mexico State product is hitting .319/.379/.363 with a .741 OPS. Gonzales has scored 21 runs of his own and has batted in 21 as well with 51 total hits at this point in the season. Gonzales is also hitting .364 with runners in scoring position.

Not only is Gonzales proving to be a valued asset for Pittsburgh, he’s shown that the Pirates sticking with the core of defenders that they have was the smart move. While a long term upgrade at the position could still be on the horizon, the interim has worked out just fine. As a matter of fact, Gonzales has the highest WAR amongst all other qualified National League Central third baseman.

Considering he is essentially serving as a replacement for Hayes, it’s incredible how much better Gonzales has been performing in comparison to the former Bucco. Gonzales’ 1.2 WAR on the season speaks volumes within the division, especially considering the fact that Hayes’ has a lowly -0.2 WAR with an ugly .142/.195/.225 slash line. Gonzales is also outperforming Alex Bergman who has a 0.8 WAR, Nolan Gorman who has a 0.5 WAR and Luis Rengifo who has a -0.5 WAR.

To put it plainly, Gonzales contributes to winning baseball games. Despite the fact that the Pirates sit at fourth in the tightly contested NL Central, their 26-24 record has been a major improvement from how the team looked last year. Gonzales doesn’t provide a ton of pop at the plate, but he is a sure contact hitter, and having him in the lineup more consistently has contributed to more scoring opportunities.

Gonzales is back to splitting time with Jared Triolo at third base now that he’s healthy, but manager Don Kelly has stuck with the hot bat for the most part since the latter’s return. Both make meaningful contributions to the team, but Gonzales is having a special year at the plate and really affects winning for this Pittsburgh ball club in a way that Triolo has not been able to to this point.

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Guardians News and Notes: No Time to Let Up

CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 21: Angel Martínez #1 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates while rounding the bases after hitting a home run in the second inning against the Houston Astros at Progressive Field on April 21, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland leads 2-0. (Photo by Russell Lee Verlinger/Cleveland Guardians/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Guardians just swept a four-game series from the preseason presumptive division favorite Tigers and now they head to Philadelphia to play a hot Phillies team.

Zack Meisel has a pop quiz about what has stood oit about the Guardians so far, and he and Cody Stevenhagen wrote about how they continue to own the AL Central.

The Guardians completed another 13 games in 13 days stretch on Wednesday against the Nationals and then they have more regular days off until June 16th where they begin 19 games in a row. You may have properly guessed, then, that their off-days are regularly interspersed through the rest of the season. If they can survive that long, that should help them finish strong.

Check out the latest episode of Disgusting Baseball Podcast with myself and Nick Karavolos here.

AROUND MLB:

Blue Jays shutout the Yankees and now the Guardians are a half-game behind New York in win-loss record, which is fun.

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Braves News: Maverick Handley claimed, Ronald Acuña Jr. day-to-day, and more

Mar 7, 2026; North Port, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Maverick Handley (98) throws a pitch against the Atlanta Braves in the sixth inning during spring Training at CoolToday Park. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

In light of the numerous injuries, the Atlanta Braves have continued the roster shuffle; this time, catcher Maverick Handley was claimed off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles before being optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett. To open a spot on the 40-man roster, righty Hurston Waldrep was transferred to the 60-day injured list. 

28-year-old Handley made his major league debut in 2025 and has since appeared in just 17 big league games. In the minors this season, he’s logged six games, averaged .333, and spent 30 innings behind the plate. The O’s designated him for assignment earlier this week, and the Braves jumped on the opportunity to replenish catchers while Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy are both dealing with injury. 

Prior to those moves, the club continued the Carlos Carrasco saga and selected him to the major league roster.

More Braves News:

Ronald Acuña Jr. exited Thursday’s 9-3 win early due to a thumb injury. Fortunately, the move was precautionary and he is day-to-day. 

Luis Guanipa walked it off for the Augusta GreenJackets on Wednesday. More in the minor league recap. 

MLB News:

Miami Marlins pitching prospect Robby Snelling will undergo Tommy John surgery and will likely be out until the 2027 All Star Break. 

Athletics center fielder Denzel Clarke suffered a high-grade hamstring strain in a rehab game. He will be out beyond the All Star Break. 

From the Feed:

Cast your vote for Thursday night’s player of the game here!

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The Twins were sinking in May 2006

SEATTLE - JUNE 8: Shortstop Juan Castro #17 of the Minnesota Twins just misses a ground ball in the seventh inning against the Seattle Mariners on June 8, 2006 at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington. The Twins defeated the Mariners 7-3. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After an up-and-down start to the 2006 campaign, the Minnesota Twins hoped to settle in and recapture the AL Central crown. Alas, through May and into one fateful June night in the Pacific Northwest, the endeavor looked more bottoming-out than regrouped-contender.

Heading into a Twinkie Town After Dark ™ contest with the Seattle Mariners on 6/7/06 (more on that momentarily), not much outside of the always-solid Johan Santana, metronomic Joe Mauer, and newcomer Luis Castillo was working.

Remember the guys meant to inject some pop into the lineup after ‘05’s punchless group? Well, Tony Batista was sitting at a .241 BA & .398 SLG, while Rondell White was somehow even worse—perhaps historically so: .193 BA, .436 OPS, 0 HR despite everyday play.

Cristian Guzman SS heir-apparent Juan Castro was another lineup liability at .238 BA & .576 OPS. Touted power prodigy Justin Morneau did have 11 bombs, but with a less-than-stellar .236 BA & .747 OPS that would soon prompt a “come to Jesus” meeting with skipper Ron Gardenhire.

Outside of should-have-been-Cy Santana, the starting pitching was in similar shambles:

  • Brad Radke: 12 GS, 6.42 ERA
  • Kyle Lohse: 8 GS, 8.92 ERA
  • Carlos Silva: 9 GS and some relief appearances, 7.76 ERA

This was all leading to the night of June 6, a game I will never forget watching on TV.

After the Mariners battered Boof Bonser, Willie Eyre, & Dennys Reyes to gain a huge early lead, the Twins mounted an epic comeback—capped by a Michael Cuddyer grand slam in the 8th inning to tie the contest at 9-9!

After a few scoreless frames (for a change) in this wild affair, in B11 Twins RP Jesse Crain—my noted irrational nemesis, since usurped by Justin Topa—needed just one more out to give MN bats another crack at victory.

Instead: a mammoth Carl Everett home run that gave the M’s a walk-off victory and sent me into a profane rage that would have made Jerry Burns blush.

After that soul-crushing loss, the Twins sat at 25-33—buried in fourth place in the AL Central & a whopping 11.5 GB the front-running Detroit Tigers. Instead of the ‘05 mediocrity feeling like a blip, it now seemed to indicate a trend. Roughly four months of games remained on the ’06 schedule, but it would seemingly take a miracle to dig out of such a large early deficit and make a true division championship run.

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MLB News Outside The Confines: They’re not underdogs

Good morning.

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Orioles minor league recap 5/22: Kjerstad struggles in Norfolk loss

CLEARWATER, FL - MARCH 13: Baltimore Orioles Outfielder Heston Kjerstad (13) walks back to the dugout before the spring training game between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies on March 13, 2026 at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Triple-A: Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Marlins) 9, Norfolk Tides 2

With the Orioles idle, Norfolk represented the closest thing to a major league game last night. With that said, the outcome is about what you’ve come to expect. Jonathan Rodríguez hit a solo home run in the top of the first, but the Tides proceeded to allow seven consecutive runs. Jacksonville did the majority of the damage with a five-run fourth inning, and the Jumbo Shrimp bested Norfolk 9-2.

The Tides managed only five hits during the contest. Christian Encarnacion-Strand added the only extra-base hit with a double. Heston Kjerstad finished 0-for-3 with a walk and three strikeouts. Sam Huff finished 1-for-3 with a run scored. Huff is now fully entrenched as the team’s third catcher after the Orioles lost Maverick Handley on waivers.

Christian Herberholz allowed five runs over four innings. He surrendered a pair of homers, walked three and struck out four.

Double-A: Somerset Patriots (Yankees) 2. Chesapeake Baysox 1

Ethan Anderson plated the first run over the game with a double in the third, and it felt like the one-run lead would hold up for a majority of the game. Unfortunately, Somerset struck for two runs in the top of the seventh. Yaqui Rivera coughed up a two-run homer to Garrett Martin, and the Patriots snuck out a 2-1 win.

Chesapeake starter Evan Yates did his part with 5.1 scoreless innings. Yates limited Somerset to only three hits. He struck out seven and walked three.

Both teams tallied five hits during the game. Chesapeake shortstop Carter Young finished 2-for-4. Anderson’s double represented the only extra-base hit for the Baysox.

High-A: Frederick Keys vs. Greenville Drive (Red Sox) PPD

The game will be made up today during a single admission doubleheader.

Low-A: Wilson Warbirds (Brewers) 13. Delmarva Shorebirds 11

Delmarva’s offense did its part again after a 12-run outburst on Wednesday, but the pitching came up short. Stiven Martinez hit a go-ahead home run in the top of the eighth, but Adrian Heredia allowed a three-run home run with two outs in the bottom half. The big fly came after a batter reached on a fielding error by second baseman DJ Layton.

Martinez finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored. RJ Austin and Raylin Ramos combined for six of Delmarva’s 15 hits. Austin scored four of the Shorebirds’ 11 runs. Ramos finished a homer shy of the cycle, while Austin only needed a double to accomplish the feat.

Box Scores

Friday’s Schedule

Norfolk: at Jacksonville, 7:05 pm. Starter: Nestor German (1-1, 4.54 ERA)

Chesapeake: vs Somerset, 7:05 pm. Starter: Joseph Dzierwa (0-0, — ERA)

Game 1: Frederick: vs Greenville, 5:00 pm. Starter: Carson Dorsey (2-3, 6.46 ERA)

Game 2: Frederick: vs Greenville, TBD. Starter: TBD

Delmarva: at Wilson, 7:05 pm. Starter: Brayan Orrantia (0-3, 5.34 ERA)