ATLANTA (AP) — On Lou Gehrig Day, baseball’s reigning iron man came through with the biggest blow for the Atlanta Braves.
Matt Olson marked his 844th consecutive game with a tiebreaking homer in the sixth inning, giving the Braves a 4-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Olson’s towering shot — his 17th homer of the season — got a big assist from a strong breeze blowing toward the right-field corner. The slugging first baseman thought he got under the ball, but it kept drifting and drifting — until it barely cleared the tall brick wall.
“I did not” think it was a homer, Olson said. “Luckily, we had some wind blowing out that way.”
Appropriately, Olson took a starring role on a day that Major League Baseball marked the 85th anniversary of Gehrig’s untimely death from ALS at age 37 — a disease that is forever linked to the Iron Horse and cut short his then-record streak of 2,130 consecutive games.
Olson, who also doubled and came around to score a run that gave Atlanta a 3-2 lead in the third, has played in every game going back to May 2, 2021 — the longest active run in the big leagues.
“We’ve talked about the streak,” he said. “It’s not something I’m hanging up on a pedestal. But to be able to show up and play while I’m able to, I want to.”
Braves manager Walt Weiss praised Olson’s durability and couldn’t think of higher praise than being compared to Gehrig.
“Lou Gehrig was one of my all-time heroes,” Weiss said. “I made all four of my sons do their fifth-grade book report on Lou Gehrig. That was mandatory in our house. What a legacy he left behind. And you’ve got our iron man hitting the game-winning homer on Lou Gehrig Day, so very appropriate.”
Olson was acquired in a blockbuster deal with the Athletics ahead of the 2022 season after the Braves couldn’t agree on a new contract with longtime first baseman Freddie Freeman.
It was huge shoes to fill, but Olson has been highly productive since joining the Braves. He hit a franchise-record 54 homers in 2023, and is on pace for another big season for the team with baseball’s best record at 41-20.
“He’s rock-solid in every way,” Weiss said. “He’s so reliable.”
Olson said there’s a simple reason that he prefers playing every day, eschewing even the occasional day off.
“I just don’t like sitting,” the 32-year-old said with a smile. “I’ve had days off in the past and, man, it sucks sitting there and watching everybody else play. Sure, you’re tired sometimes. But I just think you have a commitment to your teammates and the fans and yourself and the organization. If you can go, you should go.”
His playing streak is the longest in the big leagues since Miguel Tejada had 1,152 consecutive games from 2000-07. Of course, Gehrig’s record was broken by Cal Ripken Jr., who played in 2,632 consecutive games during his Hall of Fame career with the Baltimore Orioles.
Like Weiss, Olson appreciates what Gehrig meant to the national pastime and especially how he brought more attention to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a progressive neurological disease that has no known cure.
“I know people from my area who’ve been affected by it,” Olson said. “A brutal disease. Every time we get a chance to bring some awareness to it and do something to help people who are really affected by it, we’re all for it.”
After hitting four home runs in Spring Training with the San Diego Padres, outfielder Jase Bowen was a late option to Triple-A El Paso from spring camp. He then settled in to make an impression with the organization that resulted in getting his first major league call-up on Monday.
Bowen hit his 13th homer for the Chihuahuas on May 31. He has a 45.5% hard-hit rate and his max exit velocity for one of those hard hits was 112.6 mph. Bowen possesses all five tools, and if he can improve his 26.2% K rate, he could be a long-term solution in left field for the Padres. For now, he will replace Ramón Laureano, who was placed on the injured list with right hip inflammation.
Lake Elsinore Storm
The Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm went 5-1 for the week in their series against the Inland Empire 66ers and extended their lead in the California League South to two games over the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. Their overall record stands at 30-21.
Catcher Ty Harvey, who just returned after having a hamstring strain earlier in the season, has now been lost until July with a broken hand that was hit by a swing while he was catching.
Infielder Luke Cantwell was also injured last week, allowing Kerrington Cross to get more playing time, and he has taken advantage. Cross is hitting .307 with a 1.040 OPS, tops for the Storm. He has eight doubles, two triples, six home runs, and 24 RBI in his 114 at-bats. The 24-year-old should be seeing Fort Wayne soon.
Outfielder Ryan Wideman is only 22 but he could also be pushing for a promotion to the TinCaps. Selected in the third round of the 2025 draft, Wideman is an excellent defensive centerfielder and has shown that he can hit too. His .314/.376/.500 line with 16 doubles, five triples, four home runs and 36 RBI. He leads the Storm in RBI by eight. But his 36 stolen bases in 45 attempts tops all of minor league ball. He might not ever develop significant power, but his other tools are very loud.
There are many offensive stars on the Storm roster who have stepped forward with the loss of outfielder Kale Fountain for the year. Outfielder Connor Westernburg, infielder Bradley Frye, and outfielder Qrey Lott, all undrafted free agents, will be interesting to follow through the season as they try to show why they should have been drafted.
The Storm pitching staff is not as impressive as the offense, but they are doing enough to keep Lake Elsinore in the top spot. Starter Winyer Chourio has a 3.38 ERA in 34.2 innings pitched over eight starts with 56 strikeouts to 19 walks and leads the staff in strikeouts.
Reliever Nick Falter has a 2.08 ERA in 34.2 innings pitched in 17 appearances, and he has 36 strikeouts to 11 walks.
Lefty Kruz Schoolcraft, the Padres first-round pick in 2025, has had a rocky start to his professional career, battling with his command over the early part of the season. In his last start on May 29, Schoolcraft pitched 3.2 innings, allowing five hits and three runs with nine strikeouts to two walks. He has an overall 8.03 ERA in nine games started and 24.2 innings pitched.
Last season, the Padres attempted to make Sean Barnett a two-way player. The experiment did not succeed and he was converted into just a pitcher during the second part of the season. That didn’t go too well either. The organization will now give him a chance to succeed as a reliever with his upper-90s fastball and plus-slider. He struggled in his first few appearances but has allowed just one run over his past 8.1 innings pitched (report per MadFriars.com).
Fort Wayne TinCaps (23-28 record, 4th in Midwest League East)
The TinCaps played to a 1-5 record this past week with a combination of offensive and pitching issues. Outfielder Jake Cunningham is their best hitter with a .301 average and .988 OPS. He and fellow outfielder Alex McCoy lead the team with 14 home runs each. Cunningham has 24 RBI and McCoy has 32 RBI. That is most of the offense for Fort Wayne, with no other hitters over .226.
Lefty Kash Mayfield had a hiccup in his May 29 start and only lasted 0.1 innings while giving up three hits, six earned runs, two walks, and a HBP in 32 pitches before being removed. He still has a 2.83 ERA in 35 innings pitched with 43 strikeouts to 16 walks.
Carson Montgomery has eight starts and 36.1 innings pitched with a 1.98 ERA with 33 strikeouts to 18 walks. Struggling with his command but still limiting the damage has been the highlight of his season so far.
Sidewinder Clay Edmondson keeps racking up the saves and now has the league best 10 in 21 innings pitched with a 0.43 ERA.
San Antonio Missions (20-31 record, last in Texas League South)
The Missions played to a 3-3 record against the Corpus Christi Hooks this past week. Outfielder Leandro Cedeno, 27, was released after not playing since May 15 after suffering an injury.
Catcher Ethan Salas continues to impress with his consistent play. His defensive skillset is still considered major league-ready per all reports. Offensively, he is showing why the Padres were unwilling to consider trading him in the past.
Salas is hitting .311/.359/.503 with 10 doubles, seven home runs and 30 RBI over 44 games and 161 at-bats. He is catching in tandem with Chris Sargent and is the DH on most days when not catching. He also has 10 stolen bases in 12 attempts; a good runner and base stealer for a catcher.
His success makes a promotion a good possibility later in the season. Where he is promoted to is the question. With the struggles of Padres catcher Freddy Fermin continuing, it would be tempting to give Salas a look at the major leagues after the All-Star break. Bringing him up sooner is probably not an option, as he missed all of last season and should be allowed to get in a solid amount of repetition before being stressed by major league pitching.
Outfielder Tirso Ornelas had a horrible 2025. He was taken off the Padres roster, spent a good portion of the season injured, and couldn’t hit when he wasn’t injured. The Padres gave him an offseason to rework his swing and brought him back this year with the Missions. To his credit, he has performed much better. Ornelas has a .272 average and .783 OPS. He still lacks power with only five home runs but has 13 doubles and 22 RBI.
RHP Jhony Brito will be completing his rehab soon and should be ready if the Padres need him. He does have a minor league option remaining. In four starts and 13.1 innings, Brito has a 2.03 ERA. Starter/reliever Eric Yost has 29.1 innings pitched and a 3.07 ERA with 35 strikeouts but also has 19 walks.
Both Francis Peña and Andrew Moore have pitched in 14 games. Peña has a 2.21 ERA in 20.1 innings and Moore has a 2.55 ERA in 17.2 innings.
LHP Jagger Haynes leads the team with 49 strikeouts but he also has 21 walks and a 4.65 ERA. RHP Victor Lizarraga is struggling with command this season and has the most walks with 25 and a 5.95 ERA as well.
El Paso Chihuahuas (25-32 record, 3rd in Pacific Coast League East)
The Chihuahuas played to a 2-4 record for the week against the Albuquerque Isotopes. Their best hitter is now with the Padres and Tirso Ornelas might be the most likely replacement.
Infielder Pablo Reyes is hitting .331 with a .973 OPS. Outfielder Nick Schnell has 10 home runs and 22 RBI and infielder Mason McCoy continues to hit for slug with seven doubles, two triples, six homers and 36 RBI.
Outside of starter Evan Fitterer, the El Paso pitching staff is having problems with the conditions in the Eastern division of the PCL. Fitterer has a 2.81 ERA in 10 games started and 41.2 innings and has 32 strikeouts with 22 walks. JP Sears leads the team with 52 strikeouts but has a 6.93 ERA.
Kyle Hart and David Morgan are on the Padres roster, but neither looks to be promoted anytime soon. Both are struggling with command, with Hart carrying a 10.38 ERA and Morgan a 6.97 ERA.
That’s the story for the whole of the staff, for the most part.
ACL Padres (10-11 record, 3rd in West)
The ACL team played four games and split its games 2-2. Infielder Yimy Tovar was promoted to Lake Elsinore. The team continues to host several rehabbing players from other parts of the minor league system.
Outfielder Moises Valdez leads the team with a .382 average. Infielder Dawson Willis has a .346 average and 1.164 OPS.
RHP Lan-Hong Su has started three games for seven innings pitched and has a 1.29 ERA. Reliever Bernard Jose has pitched in eight games over 12.1 innings with a 0.73 ERA.
Dominican Summer League (DSL)
The DSL has begun play and the Padres have two teams again this year. The DSL Padres Brown and the DSL Padres Gold. The first games were Monday with both teams in action. Next week, the update will feature some players to watch and the results from the first week of action.
The Mets made two errors and gave up three home runs in an 8-3 loss to the Mariners in Seattle on Tuesday night.
They managed just five hits and have now dropped two straight games.
Here are the takeaways...
-- Huascar Brazoban worked around a leadoff walk and got through the first inning after 20 pitches thanks to some help from Mark Vientos' defense at first base. But instead of just a one-inning outing, Carlos Mendoza kept him in to pitch the second inning and the move backfired.
Brazoban let up a two-run home run to Patrick Wisdom with one out as Seattle took a 2-0 lead. He then allowed a two-out double to top prospect Colt Emerson, ending his night after 1.2 IP. Overall, the righty allowed two runs on three hits and a walk over 33 pitches.
-- In the top of the third inning, A.J. Ewing doubled to the right field wall for the team's first hit of the night (and his first career double) against Logan Gilbert.The Mets got the runs back as Carson Benge tied it up at 2-2 by blasting a cutter over the RF wall for a two-run home run. The ball had an exit velocity of 109.8 mph and traveled 394 feet.
-- New York's gloves caused them problems two plays in a row in the third inning. Marcus Semien nearly made a great leaping catch on Randy Arozarena's liner, but he dropped the ball and then rushed the throw past first base, allowing Arozarena to advance to second. A similar play then happened with Vientos at first, as Luke Raley's liner went off his glove and rolled beyond the base for the run to score, making it a 3-2 game.
Vientos had another rough play in the fifth inning on a hard grounder with one out, allowing a baserunner and eventual run.
-- Jonah Tong took over on the mound in the second inning and struck out J.P. Crawford to avoid further damage. He allowed an unearned run in the third after the two errors and ran into more trouble in the fourth inning, loading the bases with one out and letting up a sacrifice fly to Julio Rodriguez as the Mariners took a 4-2 lead. Tong needed nearly 30 pitches to get through the frame.
The young righty's pitch count caught up to him in the fifth inning. He gave up back-to-back singles and then surrendered a two-out, three-run home run to Jhonny Pereda on the ninth pitch of the at-bat. Benge helped Tong out by making a running catch in right to end the inning, keeping it a 7-2 game. Overall, Tong tossed 83 pitches over 3.1 IP, allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
-- Benge blasted his second home run of the game in the top of the sixth inning, cutting the Seattle lead to 7-3. It's Benge's first career multi-homer game.
Juan Soto singled and Jared Young walked to keep the line moving, but Vientos spoiled the rally attempt by grounding into the inning-ending 5-4-3 double play.
-- The bullpen woes continued in the sixth inning as Cionel Pérez, making his Mets debut, allowed a solo home run to Rodriguez and Seattle went up 8-3. Pérez settled and retired six out of the next seven batters through the seventh inning, allowing two hits and a run over 2.0 innings pitched. A.J. Minter tossed a scoreless eighth inning.
Game MVP: Logan Gilbert
Besides allowing two homers to Benge, Gilbert kept the Mets bats quiet with just four hits and eight strikeouts over 5.1 IP.
Highlights
Mark Vientos sticks with it and tosses it to Huascar Brazobán covering for the out pic.twitter.com/N2Ev9B0u7D
Angels outfielder Jo Adell has made some impressive plays this season.
On Tuesday night, he did not have one of them.
Adell had himself a true Jose Canseco moment against the Rockies in the top of the fourth inning of an 8-2 loss when a fly ball was hit to right field by T.J. Rumfield and bounced off the Angel outfielder’s head and over the wall for a home run.
The bizarre moment seemed to match the way the night was going for the Angels, who were trailing 7-0 at that point in the game, only to fall behind by eight after the homer.
Rumfield sent the 0-2 pitch from Grayson Rodriguez high into the air, and Adell seemingly was able to chase the ball down.
Jo Adell misplays a ball hit by Colorado’s TJ Rumfield that hit him in the head and then bounced out for a solo home run during the fourth inning of the Angels-Rockies game on June 2, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Nevertheless, he did not line his glove up correctly, and the ball clipped the top of it and bounced right off his head, going over the wall.
Initially, everyone thought the ball had stayed in play, and Rumfield held up at second.
The blunder was the opposite of some of the impressive catches that Adell has made this season, which included one just the night before.
In the Angels’ 9-8 loss to the Rockies on Monday night, Adell made a catch in a similar spot despite Mike Trout running into him trying to chase the sixth-inning fly ball down.
Jo Adell misplays a ball hit by Colorado’s TJ Rumfield that hit him in the head and then bounced out for a solo home run during the fourth inning of the Angels-Rockies game. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
It was believed to be the first time that a single player had robbed three home runs in a single game in MLB history.
The play on Tuesday brought baseball fans back to May 26, 1993, when Carlos Martínez hit a ball to right field to then-Rangers outfielder Canseco. When the slugger tried to catch the ball, it hit off the top of his head and went over the wall for a home run in one of baseball’s most memorable bloopers.
During the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins largely featured a new-look blueline beyond the likes of longtime NHL veterans Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang.
The one remaining slot on the right side was a carousel, beginning with rookie Harrison Brunicke and ending in a rotation between Connor Clifton, Jack St. Ivany, and Ilya Solovyov. The left side - other than Ryan Shea, who was given an opportunity to play a bigger role and broke out in a big way - had entirely new faces for most of the season in Parker Wotherspoon, Caleb Jones, and Matt Dumba, then, eventually, Brett Kulak and Sam Girard.
Even though the Penguins were better on the blue line last season, it's still an area of weakness that needs addressing, which is something that Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas mentioned in his end-of-season press conference in May.
And there is one blueliner who might just make sense for where the Penguins are at right now.
26-year-old Buffalo Sabres' defenseman Michael Kesselring was acquired from Utah - along with forward Josh Doan - last summer as part of the trade that sent JJ Peterka to the Mammoth. The hope for the Sabres was that Kesselring would tandem with Owen Power in top-four and be a staple for them, mostly on the left side despite being a right-shot blueliner.
Unfortunately, injuries and inconsistencies derailed the 6-foot-5, 215-pound defenseman's first season with the Sabres. He played in only 34 regular season games and one playoff game, registering just two points and coming in even in the plus-minus department. The acquisition of Logan Stanley from the Winnipeg Jets at the trade deadline limited his playing time and his growth into a larger role post-injury, and now, the Sabres have some decisions to make on the blue line.
Stanley is a pending unrestricted free agent, as is veteran Luke Schenn (likely a true rental) and forward Alex Tuch. They are due to give Zach Benson - a pending restricted free agent - a relatively handsome pay raise after a solid campaign. Peyton Krebs is also a free agent, as are two other forwards, and left blueliner Bowen Byram has only one year left on his current deal at $6.25 million.
And, given all that, they have only $11.9 million in cap space to work with. Sure, that's enough to fill out the roster, but to keep everyone plus improve? Probably not.
Kesselring - also a pending-RFA - only made $1.4 million last season. He's also coming off of a letdown campaign. So, it could be the perfect time for Dubas to buy low - like he did with Egor Chinakhov - on a player with some nice upside as a top-four staple, whether that's through the RFA sign-then-trade market or through offer sheet.
The Penguins could, reasonably, offer sheet Kesselring in a range that the Sabres wouldn't want to pay given their cap situation, but they might also be able to acquire him for less in the trade market. Either way, it's a risk probably worth taking for Pittsburgh.
His large frame and the strong two-way play he showcased with Utah over parts of three seasons - recording 12 goals and 50 points in 156 games - is likely closer to the version of Kesselring that the Sabres thought they were getting, and he's just the type of player that Dubas likes to target.
Although Karlsson found a fair amount of chemistry with Wotherspoon on Pittsburgh's top pairing last season, Letang had a rotating carousel of partners, and he could probably benefit from an extended look alongside a young blueliner who is capable of shouldering a heavier load than some of his partners from last season.
And, simply put, it just gives the Penguins more options on their left side, especially if Shea leaves in free agency. They have Wotherspoon under contract for one more year - same with Girard - and Caleb Jones and Owen Pickering figure to be battling for a spot, too. However, even Wotherspoon - despite the breakout season he had - is 28 with no guarantee that he'll replicate his success from 2025-26. The Penguins could use a higher-upside option on their left side, and because Kesselring had a disappointing season, they should have to pay an arm and a leg for him.
Combine all of the upside and what is likely to be a relatively low cost, Kesselring is well-worth the gamble by Dubas and the Penguins, especially if they are looking to take a big step next season. He may not be the biggest deal of the summer, but a trade for him should help the Penguins in the short-term and, hopefully, the long-term, too.
On Sunday evening, Rajasthan Royals opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was crowned the Indian Premier League’s most valuable player after a breakout campaign with the bat, finishing as the tournament’s leading run-scorer.
For a second straight year, Norris Trophy voters backed up Jake Sanderson's status as a top 10 NHL defenseman. The voting results were unveiled on Tuesday, and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski was named the winner.
For Sens fans, if finishing in 10th place again sounds disappointing, it says more about the large number of great NHL defensemen than it does about Sanderson's game.
We could dig into the analytics to assess things, but let's be honest. The voters want goals, assists, and points, and Sanderson had a healthy improvement in that area.
Last year, Sanderson recorded 57 points in 80 games. This season, he put up 54 points in just 67 games. So his points-per-game rate jumped from 0.71 to 0.81. Projecting over a full 82-game season, Sanderson would have finished with roughly 66 points.
But voters took his 15 games missed (most of them due to a shoulder injury) fully into account. Even at 66 points over 82 games, there still would have been eight defensemen who produced more.
It's a reflection of just how loaded the position has become.
Look at this year's voting results (in order) Zach Werenski (winner), Cale Makar, Rasmus Dahlin, Evan Bouchard, Moritz Seider, Lane Hutson, Quinn Hughes and Miro Heiskanen all finished ahead of Sanderson. Erik Karlsson, who won two of his three Norris Trophies with Ottawa, finished tied with Sanderson for 10th.
Like most of the men on the above list, Sanderson's value extends well beyond the scoresheet.
There's an old hockey cliché about players being able to stickhandle in a phone booth. If there is one player on the Senators who perfectly fits that description, it's Sanderson.
Whether he's trying to find an outlet pass on a breakout with an aggressive forechecker draped all over him, or attempting to hold the offensive blue line with no space to work with, Sanderson somehow finds a way.
And his skating. My God, the skating.
When you have Tim Stutzle, one of the fastest guys in the league, fanboying about your skating, you know you're at a special level.
Sanderson's quickness allows him to escape pressure that would overwhelm most players. His ability to maintain possession in tight spaces turns broken plays into scoring chances and keeps offensive-zone possessions alive. Ottawa fans see it every night, even if it doesn't always translate into league-wide headlines.
If Senators fans needed another reminder of Sanderson's value (spoiler: they don't) they got one during the first round of the playoffs.
Ottawa entered Game 3 against Carolina, facing a 2-0 series deficit after a heartbreaking overtime loss in Game 2. Back on home ice for the next two games, the Senators were still very much alive in the series and looking to seize some momentum.
But with Carolina leading Game 3, 1-0, disaster struck.
Taylor Hall, who has played a noticeably greasier style in these playoffs, clipped Sanderson in the side of the head with his shoulder. Sanderson tried to stay in the game, but it quickly became clear that something wasn't right, and the timing couldn't have been worse.
The Senators had a lengthy 5-on-3 power play opportunity, and Sanderson, Ottawa's power-play quarterback, was forced to leave the game. For Hall, who was at best reckless on the play, getting a minor penalty with no ensuing suspension for eliminating the opponent's top player was a fabulous trade-off.
The Sens, who were already without Artem Zub, lost that game 2-1 to fall behind 3-0 in the series, which was all but done at that point.
Sanderson's absence served as a reminder of just how valuable he has become. And at some stage, when voting on the best defenseman award, the league needs to introduce a best defensive defenseman award, because Sanderson would be in the mix for that one, too.
As a sidebar, they could call it the Tim Horton Trophy. As my Leafs-loving grandfather would tell me, Horton was one of the greatest shutdown defencemen in NHL history. Meanwhile, the league could probably work out a pretty lucrative sponsorship deal with a certain coffee company while they're at it.
Or just stick with the Norris.
Then create the Bobby OrrTrophy for the league's best offensive defenceman. Orr won 8 Norris Trophies and was the first skater in history to have 100 assists in an NHL season.
For now, though, offensive production remains king, and Sanderson is still climbing the Norris ladder. The encouraging news for Ottawa is that he's climbing it quickly, and he's going to be here for a long time.
Sanderson is signed through the summer of 2032 with a cap hit of $8.05 million per season. When the contract was signed, it looked like a strong deal. Today, it looks like a bargain. In another two or three years, it will be highway robbery.
The scary part for the rest of the league is that, at 23, it's unlikely that Sanderson reached his ceiling. If he stays healthy, continues producing at his current pace and helps lead the Senators on a deeper playoff run, the bigger recognition will come.
A second consecutive top-10 Norris finish may not generate many headlines, but in a league overflowing with elite defencemen, it's another reminder that Sanderson already belongs among the NHL's best.
States are pushing for a crisis meeting with Cricket Australia after Cricket Victoria’s shock decision to merge the two Melbourne-based Big Bash clubs and sell its second licence despite opposition from fans.
Jun 2, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Daulton Varsho (5) makes a running catch on a ball hit by Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris II (23) (not pictured) during the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Blue Jays 3 Braves 4
That wasn’t Kevin Gausman’s best game. 6 innings, 5 hits, 4 earned, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts and a home run. Of course, when you get 18 outs and 8 of them are strikeouts, it seems like it should be a good game. But, he gave up 2 in the first (a walk, a double and a sac fly), 1 in the third (double and a single) and 1 in the sixth (a Matt Olson home run).
Our bullpen put up two scoreless innings.
On offense, we had 9 hits, with a Kazuma Okamoto two-run home run and a Vladimir Guerrero double. You would think we could have scored more than 3 runs.
We got two hits each from Nathan Lukes, Ernie Clement, Yohendrick Piñango and Okamoto. But then there were 0 fors from George Springer, Daulton Varsho, Andrés Giménez and Brandon Valenzuela. Being 0 for 6 with RISP is a recipe for a loss.
Jays of the Day: Okamoto (0.31 WPA), and Lukes (0.12).
The Other Award: Giménez (-0.23). Gausman (-0.19), Jesús Sánchez (-0.14, all for a ninth inning out to end the game), Springer (-0.12), Piñango (-0.12), and Valenzuela (-0.10).
Tomorrow we have Patrick Corbin (2-1, 3.65) going against Grant Holmes (3-2, 3.95).
I did have a nice evening, with three beers and nice conversation. All it needed was a win.
Mar 24, 2026; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs first baseman Josiah Hartshorn against the New York Yankees during spring training at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Iowa Cubs RHP Yacksel Rios was released.
Shortstop Alex Madera was demoted from Double-A Knoxville to Single-A South Bend.
Right-hander Jhon Rosario was promoted from rookie ball ACL Cubs to Low-A Myrtle Beach.
The Dominican Summer League started on Monday. As always, I don’t report on the comings and goings of the DSL because I can’t think of much that’s more worthless to player evaluation than DSL stats. Or at least the daily comings and goings of a bunch of 17-year-olds. But I did want you to know that the DSL is underway.
Starter Ty Blach got hammered for ten runs, nine earned, on ten hits over 4+ innings. Three of those hits were home runs including a grand slam in the fifth to the final batter Blach faced. Blach walked one and did not strike anyone out.
The I-Cubs bats were stymied by rehabbing Justin Verlander, who went five scoreless innings, giving up just four hits. It was the first Triple-A win for Verlander in his career. Iowa only had six hits total.
Three of those six hits came off the bat of second baseman James Triantos, who was 3 for 4 with a double and the only Iowa run scored.
Shortstop Scott Kingery was 2 for 2 and was hit by a pitch.
Matt Shaw played six innings in center field in a rehab assignment. He was o for 3.
The Smokies went with an opener and Frankie Scalzo Jr. pitched the first inning without allowing a run. Scalzo did give up one hit and one walk. He struck out one.
Yenrri Rojas pitched the next three innings and took the loss. Rojas allowed seven runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out three.
The Smokies then got three scoreless. innings of relief from Tyler Santana and two from Marino Santy.
Right fielder Alex Ramírez went 2 for 4 with a stolen base. He scored one run and drove in one.
DH Owen Ayers was 1 for 3 with two walks. He scored once.
A nice outfield assist from Ramírez.
This is what happens when you skip sliding day in little league 😳
Starter Alfredo Romero put South Bend in a hole by giving up four runs on two hits and five walks over three innings. Romero struck out one.
Jackson Brockett pitched the next four innings, didn’t allow a run, and got the win. Brockett surrendered just two hits and one walk. He struck out two.
Kenyi Perez got a two-inning save. He faced seven batters. He walked one of them. He struck out the other six. That’s pretty good, right?
Center fielder Josiah Hartshorn hit his third home run in the Midwest League in the first inning with the bases empty. It was Hartshorn’s eighth overall home run. He finished the night going 3 for 5 with a double and the home run. His single in the ninth drove in two, so he had three total RBI. Hartshorn scored twice.
First baseman Drew Bowser was 2 for 4 with a two-run double in the fourth. He scored once.
Third baseman Matt Halbach was 2 for 5 with a double and one runs scored.
Right fielder Miguel Olivo was 2 for 4. He drove in a run with a single in the ninth and scored on Hartshorn’s single.
I’m pretty sure Hartshorn’s home run bounced into the the Mississippi.
Starter Edwardo Melendez gave up two runs on six hits over 3.2 innings. Melendez walked three and struck out two.
Daniel Avitia threw the next 3.2 innings and didn’t allow a run. He surrendered one hit and walked four. He struck out two.
Aiden Moffett went the rest of the way, gave up two runs in the bottom of the tenth and got the loss. Moffett allowed two runs, one earned, on one hit over 1.2 innings. He struggled with control as Moffett walked two (including walking in the winning run) and threw three wild pitches.
Second baseman Alexis Hernandez was 2 for 4 with a walk and two steals. He scored one run.
Edward Vargas drove in the automatic runner in the tenth with a single. He was 1 for 4.
Jo Adell made history with a trio of home run robberies earlier this year. Now, the Los Angeles Angels right fielder joined Jose Canseco in a most embarrassing fraternity — outfielders who have bounced balls off their head and over the fence for a home run.
Adell's moment of ignominy occurred Tuesday, June 2 when Colorado Rockies designated hitter TJ Rumfield hit a fly ball to right center field in the top of the fourth inning; Adell seemed poised to catch it easily in stride.
But he apparently lost the ball in Angel Stadium's twilight sky. As he reached to catch it, the ball instead glanced off his glove and bounced off his cap — and over the yellow line signifying a home run.
It was a near carbon-copy of the fly ball Cleveland's Carlos Martinez sent to right field at old Municipal Stadium on May 26, 1993. Canseco, once a decent outfielder but by then a large and stiff specimen addled by years of steroid use, chased it down yet missed it entirely, the ball bonking off his dome and over the wall, a viral video before the phrase even existed.
Adell is no Canseco. He set what's believed to be a modern record by robbing three home runs in a single game on April 5 against Seattle. This time, he simply missed.
After Rumfield rounded the bases, the last-place Angels trailed the Rockies 8-0. The Rockies went on to win the game, 8-2, dropping the Angels to 23-39, the worst record in the American League.
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The 2026 NBA Finals are now upon us, and while it’ll involve games just a few train stops away from the Barclays Center, the Brooklyn Nets couldn’t be further from the championship stage right now. You all know this, but the Nets didn’t have the greatest season in the world this past year. They fell out of playoff contention with less resistance than a plane missing its wings.
However, being well-removed from something doesn’t mean you’re not connected. Growing up, my dog used to shed constantly. Her hair would get everywhere, especially in the summer, and especially on my clothes if I wasn’t paying attention. To this day, I’ll still occasionally find a strand of her’s on a shirt or pair of slacks, and much like the Nets, she’s been in the ground for years now.
While there are obvious ties to the New York Knicks, largely in the shape of Mikal Bridges, there’s far more “Brooklyn Nets residue” on these NBA Finals beyond that. Whether you’re the kind of person that’s friendly with your exes, or that kind that isn’t, here’s your guide for who to look out for.
The Obvious Ones
Indeed, Mikal Bridges is the strongest connect between Brooklyn and these NBA Finals. Brooklyn traded him for whopping five first round picks and a swap almost two summers ago now. The move drew applause from fans and analysts alike, as it allowed the Nets to reset after a failed season where they tried to position Bridges as their franchise player.
Be that as it may, if Bridges and his buddies are able to win it all this year, it’ll become near impossible to argue that Brooklyn won the trade. The Knicks haven’t won a Larry since 1973. Mikal is averaging 14.6/2.5/3.1 on 59/34/100 splits in the postseason.
However, Bridges isn’t the only consequential ex-Net hooping for New York right now. Landry Shamet, who played alongside Brooklyn’s big three at their full-might during the 2020-21 season, has also established himself as a key rotation piece. He’s shooting 21-35 from three in the postseason
One Deeper Cut
Who remembers Mason Plumlee? Brooklyn drafted this Duke product big back in 2013 and kept him for two seasons before sending him off on a journeymen’s path that’s now landed him in San Antonio. Plumlee only appeared in six games for the Spurs this season, but undoubtedly makes the list of of “guys you’d like to see get a ring” in this series.
Plumlee’s best moment in Brooklyn had to have been his game-winning block over LeBron James during an early April contest amid the 2013-24 season. Brooklyn eventually lost in a gentlemen’s sweep to Bron’s Miami Heat in the second round that year, but with that help from Plumlee, boasted a 4-0 regular season record against the defending champs. Foolishly or not, that made us believe for a time.
And if Plumlee gets a ring, he will have won three enviable championships, Duke’s NCAA title in 2010, Team USA’s FIBA World Cup title four years later and a Spurs NBA title.
From the Bench & Front Office
Sean Sweeney is about to take up head coaching duties with the Orlando Magic, but first wants to end his tenure as an associate head coach in San Antonio with a ring. Sweeney began his career as a video coordinator with the then New Jersey Nets in 2011. He ascended to an assistant coach role for the 2013-14 season under Jason Kidd, but then followed him to Milwaukee.
Maurice Cheeks isn’t known for his time with the Nets, but his Hall of Fame playing career ended in New Jersey during the team’s 1992-93 campaign. At 36 years old, he appeared in 35 games for the team. He’s now an assistant coach and special advisor for the Knicks.
Frank Zanin is a name you might be less familiar with, but the now Assistant GM in New York also served in that role from 2013-2016 with Brooklyu. A favorite of former GM Billy King was also Brooklyn’s Director of Player Procurement from 2012-2013.
Across Coaching Trees
While Knicks head coach Mike Brown has no direct correlation to the Nets franchise, it’s worth noting Jordi Fernández coached under him for two years in Sacramento and before that, was Brown’s son’s trainer. Both Brown and Fernandez coaches current Spurs De’Aaron Fox and Harrison Barnes on their rosters. Fernández also coached Plumlee for four years in Denver.
It isn't unfamiliar territory for the Carolina Hurricanes, who now find themselves in a 1-0 hole for the second straight series, but this time, there's not a convenient excuse to fall back on.
Against the Montreal Canadiens, the Hurricanes could say they were just mentally not ready for the pace of play following an unprecedented 11-day break, but that isn't so much the case now.
The Hurricanes dropped Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final 5-4 to the Vegas Golden Knights in a high-scoring, back-and-forth affair.
After a great opening period, the Canes were outplayed for the final 40 minutes, losing puck battles, blowing assignments and ultimately just making too many mistakes at crucial moments.
"We didn’t handle the pressure particularly well," said Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour. "And sometimes there wasn't pressure and we kind of made a few poor decisions with the puck and they capitalized.
The Hurricanes had an electric start, jumping out to a 2-0 lead early on.
Nikolaj Ehlers blew the roof off of the arena just 25 seconds into the game, stripping Shea Theodore of the puck at the defensive blueline and taking it all the way up ice before rifling it between the glove and blocker of Vegas netminder Carter Hart.
Ehlers would strike again a bit later as Jalen Chatfield sent him off on a breakaway, which the Dane finished off on the backhand and through the five-hole.
"There were some good things we did, and the game was there," said Jordan Staal.
Vegas would answer back though as a Theodore shot from the point ricocheted off of Eric Robinson's knee and in past Frederik Andersen and then to start the second period, it was all Golden Knights.
Vegas found the equalizer less than 30 seconds in with Ivan Barbashev finding open space in the slot and then less than five minutes after that, William Karlsson would give Vegas the lead unmarked in front of the Canes' net.
"That's a good team," Staal said. "I thought they just played a little bit better than us. They executed their game plan and were aggressive on their forecheck and played in our end and they buried their chances when they had them
Carolina would tie it back up late in the second as K'Andre Miller caught a clearing attempt at the blueline and then fed Jordan Staal for the tying goal.
But again, the Golden Knights had an answer.
After killing off a penalty to start the third period, Chatfield lost the race with Brett Howden to the backdoor and once again, the Canes were trailing.
The Canes were in a rut, and things looked grim after yet another squandered power play, but Shayne Gostisbehere came through with the equalizer late into the third.
But as quickly as he gave Carolina life, he was the one who ended it, losing Tomas Hertl off of the wall for the eventual game winner.
"I took a breather for a second and it went right to their guy,' Gostisbehere said. "That's how quick it can happen. It was definitely on me. Just took a breather for a second."
Carolina will have to regroup and clean up the defense if they want to get back into this series with Game 2 puck drop scheduled for Thursday.
"It's one game," said Nikolaj Ehlers. "Obviously we'd rather be up 1-0, but there's six games to go. We're fine with taking this to seven if we need to."
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Tomas Hertl #48 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates after scoring a goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during the third period in Game One of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center on June 02, 2026.
RALEIGH, N.C. — It took just one shot and 25 seconds worth of game action for the Vegas Golden Knights to find themselves in hole in the Stanley Cup Final.
And by midway through the opening period, they were down two goals against a fast-skating Carolina Hurricanes team teeming with energy from a buzzing home crowd.
No matter. And no panic. Not with these tested Golden Knights.
Tomas Hertl took a backhand pass from Colton Sissons and beat Frederik Andersen from the slot with 3:24 left in the third period, lifting the Golden Knights past the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 in Tuesday night’s opener of the Stanley Cup Final.
Vegas’ Tomas Hertl celebrates after scoring a goal during the third period of the Golden Knights’ 5-4 win over the Hurricanes in Game 1 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center on June 2, 2026. Getty Images
“I’ve said it all through the playoffs: it’s a find-a-way league,” Vegas coach John Tortorella said. “We found a way tonight.”
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Thursday in Raleigh, with Vegas already having taken home-ice away from the Hurricanes as it chases a second Cup title in four seasons.
“Momentum swings happen quickly,” Tortorella said. “We want to keep the momentum on our side, so there’s no question we’re looking to get two.”
Hertl’s finish off Sissons’ feed from the right faceoff circle broke a 4-4 tie and pushed the Golden Knights ahead in an entertaining back-and-forth start on the sport’s biggest stage. It marked Vegas’ seventh straight win of the playoffs, starting with the last two games of the six-game second-round series against Anaheim and then the shocking four-game sweep of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche.
That series included Vegas erasing a 3-0 deficit to take Game 3, and now the Golden Knights have followed by rallying from another multigoal deficit — this time 2-0 in the opening period — against the team that finished second only to the Avs in the regular season.
“It was a terrible start,” said center William Karlsson, who capped a run of three straight goals that pushed Vegas to a 3-2 second-period lead. “Just like it was against Colorado, a lot of time left. We always believe.”
Things changed after Tortorella gathered his team around the bench during a TV timeout after the Hurricanes had sprinted out to their lead, coming as Vegas had a slow start out of its six-day break while waiting for Carolina to close out Montreal in a five-game Eastern Conference Final.
“Just stick with the program, on our gameplan, and not get impatient,” said defenseman Brayden McNabb, who had three assists. “They pressure a lot and we want to keep the puck going north, and limit east-west plays.”
Shea Theodore, Ivan Barbashev and Brett Howden also scored for Vegas, with Howden’s postseason-leading 11th score giving the Golden Knights a 4-3 lead just 1:21 into the third period. Carter Hart finished with 23 saves, including a key stop on Seth Jarvis only seconds before Hertl’s winner.
Nikolaj Ehlers scored twice for the Hurricanes, the first coming 25 seconds into the game when he got loose on a rush and blasted one past Hart from the left side on the game’s first shot. He followed with a breakaway that gave Carolina a 2-0 lead and sent a charged home crowd into an eruption in the team’s first Stanley Cup Final game in two decades.
Jordan Staal and Shayne Gostisbehere each scored tying goals after Vegas had pushed to a lead, with Gostisbehere skating in clean on the left side to blast one past Hart at 11:19 of the third period and tie it once more at 4. Andersen finished with 18 saves.
“I thought they played just a little bit better than us,” Staal said. “They executed their game plan and aggressive on their forecheck and played in our end, and they buried their chances when they had them.”
Vegas center Tomas Hertl celebrates after scoring a third-period goal during the Golden Knights’ Game 1 win. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
The Hurricanes went 12-1 through three rounds to get back to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since coach Rod Brind’Amour captained them to the title in 2006. It also comes amid an eight-year playoff streak that has included at least one series win every time as a regular postseason contender.
Carolina swept through Ottawa and Philadelphia before taking the last four games of a five-game win against Montreal to punch through an Eastern Conference Final roadblock. That made the Hurricanes the first team since 1983 to reach the Stanley Cup Final with one loss, and the first since the NHL went to best-of-seven series in all four rounds in 1987.
Meanwhile, Vegas had been getting stronger with every playoff round, winning for 19 of 24 games going back to the unexpected late-season firing of Bruce Cassidy to hire Tortorella as coach. That included the shocking result against the Avalanche, who managed just seven goals in four games.
Defense had been the standout feature for both teams, in fact, with Carolina having allowed two or fewer goals in 12 of 13 playoff games. But that wasn’t the case in Tuesday’s fast-paced series opener, with both teams capitalizing on their chances in an entertaining back-and-forth game before Hertl got Vegas the lead for good.
“This is a totally different team, and that may be part of it too,” Brind’Amour said when asked about comparisons to the 6-2 loss to the Canadiens in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final. “We’ve got to get up to speed on how this game and this series is going to go. I think we certainly got a taste of that now.”
Luisangel Acuña brought the speed, but it wasn’t enough to tip the scales. | (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
The White Sox have lost back-to-back games to the Twins, falling 6-4 tonight. Davis Martin fought with his command all night, unable to make it through five innings. While the offense didn’t provide, the poor pitching performance certainly was a catalyst for a tough loss. The bullpen took control in the late innings, but loading the bases and leaving them stranded moments later also hurt the momentum this team carried into Minnesota.
There was not much action in the game until the third inning, just a pair of Twins singles that went nowhere. Connor Prielipp gave up a leadoff walk to Luisangel Acuña in the third, who stole second and third before reaching home on a throwing error, putting the first run of the game on the board. With one out, Chase Meidroth singled, and Randal Grichuk followed up with a double. Miguel Vargas would be the decision-maker, plating two runs with a single. Edgar Quero also singled, but two outs would quickly follow, including an unfortunate two-out bunt decision from Derek Hill.
Martin would also face a little trouble on the base paths in the bottom of the third. Tristan Gray singled and advanced on a questionable balk call. Alex Jackson singled, and Brooks Lee’s sac fly would send a run in. Martin was able to work through the rest of the inning, only giving up the one run despite some sloppy defense from his teammates.
Martin struggled again in the bottom of the fourth. Trevor Larnach doubled, and he gave up a walk to Austin Martin. Luke Keaschall doubled, giving the Twins another run with two on base and only one out. Gray gave the Twins the lead with an RBI single, sending in two runs before then getting to second base. Gray stole third and got home after a single from Jackson. Another base hit, this time from Byron Buxton, would get the bullpen stirring after Martin surrendered five hits in the inning. A double play would thankfully end any additional threat.
The Twins kept the White Sox in check for two straight innings, and Martin continued to wrestle with his command. Despite starting the fifth with a strikeout, he gave up back-to-back walks right after. Those free passes would haunt him when Keaschall singled, and Sam Antonacci couldn’t get the ball home in time. After the run, Martin stepped out for Sean Newcomb to take over and end the fifth. Alas, the Twins were up 6-3.
The seventh would start with back-to-back singles, a wild pitch, and then an RBI single from Meidroth, putting the Good Guys within two.
Colson Montgomery, who came in to face the righty once the bullpen arrived, was plunked to load the bases, but Antonacci left them stranded with a strikeout. The eighth would see two runners on base, but no runs would cross, and the ninth fell flat for the South Siders. They stranded nine runners on base tonight and 16 over the last two nights, costing them the series.
