The Detroit Red Wings entered the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals as the favorites over the young Pittsburgh Penguins, who were only three years into the Sidney Crosby era.
The Red Wings had defeated the Nashville Predators in six games in the Western Conference Final, swept the rival Colorado Avalanche in four games in round two, and held off a rally by the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final, winning in six games.
Following a special ceremonial puck drop at center ice featuring Steve Yzerman and Mario Lemieux, the game was on.
While it appeared that the Red Wings had taken a 1-0 lead thanks to a goal from Nicklas Lidstrom, it was called back thanks to Tomas Holmstrom's reputation of being a net-front presence.
However, their fellow Swede Mikael Samuelsson would eventually break the ice in the second period, beating Marc-Andre Fleury with a backhanded wraparound shot. Samuelsson struck again early in the third period, doubling Detroit's lead with his second goal of the evening.
Detroit's Dan Cleary tallied a shorthanded goal later in the period, followed by a late power-play goal from eventual Conn Smythe Trophy winner Henrik Zetterberg in the waning seconds.
Goaltender Chris Osgood stopped all 19 shots that he faced for the shutout.
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National coach Andrew MacDonald has “full trust” that Australia’s multi-format cricketers will make the tough decision to skip next year’s Indian Premier League if they feel it would jeopardise their Ashes preparation.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 27: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers brings the ball up court during the third quarter against the Miami Heat at Rocket Arena on March 27, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Heat 149-128. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers had a turbulent regular season after seemingly everything went exactly their way the year before. The one player who was dependable night in and night out to keep things on the rails was Donovan Mitchell. They don’t come close to putting up 52 wins if it wasn’t for his steady hand on the wheel.
The individual consistency and stellar play have landed Mitchell on the All-NBA Second Team. This is the third time he’s made an All-NBA team, with all of them coming in Cleveland. He was named to the second team in 2022-23 and the first team last year.
Mitchell averaged 27.9 points and 5.7 assists per game with an effective field goal percentage of 56.3%. All three of those categories are the second-best marks of his career. He participated in 70 regular-season games.
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All-NBA votes aren’t done by position anymore. The first team slot goes to the five players who receive the most All-NBA votes, and so forth. Mitchell received the eighth most points. He was behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic, Cade Cunningham, Jaylen Brown, and Kawhi Leonard.
Players must participate in at least 65 games to be eligible for All-NBA votes. The league made an exception for both Luka Doncic and Cade Cunningham. Both of their seasons were cut short at 64 games due to injuries.
James Harden received one second-team vote and three third-team votes. Evan Mobley received one third team votes. Both Harden and Mobley made All-NBA teams the year before.
Mar 13, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs shortstop Ben Cowles against the Chicago White Sox during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
It was a Sunday bullpen game for Iowa today as Gabe Klobosits started and allowed three runs in the top of the first inning. Memphis didn’t score again until the ninth. The final line on Klobosits was three runs on four hits over two innings. He walked one and struck out four.
Ryan Jensen threw the next two innings and got the win, retiring all six batters he faced. Jensen struck out one.
Iowa took the lead for good with a nine-run second inning, highlighted by a grand slam by shortstop Ben Cowles. It was Cowles third home run of the season. He also had a two-run double in the eighth, giving him six total RBI on the game. Cowles final line was 4 for 6 with two doubles and the grand slam. He also walked once and scored three runs.
DH Chase McCormick clubbed a solo home run in the fourth inning, his fifth one the season. McCormick went 2 for 4 with a double, the home run and a walk. He scored three runs and drove in two.
Right fielder Justin Dean was 2 for 5 with a walk and three RBI. He scored two runs.
Third baseman Owen Miller went 3 for 5 with an RBI double. Miller had two total runs batted in and scored twice.
Second baseman Scott Kingery was 2 for 5 with two runs scored.
Catcher Eric Yang was 1 for 3 with two walks and three runs scored.
Center fielder Brett Bateman was 2 for 3 with a walk and a sacrifice fly. Bateman scored once and drove in two.
Dawson Netz was activated off the injured list to make this start, which unfortunately did not last long. Netz struck out the side in order in the first, but he got knocked around in the second and didn’t finish the inning. He took the loss after giving up three runs on three hits over 1.1 innings. Netz struck out three and walked one.
Jace Beck tossed two scoreless innings of relief. He gave up just one hit and issued one walk while striking out four.
DH Edgar Alvarez was 2 for 4 with a double and two runs scored.
Catcher Ariel Armas doubled in a run in the fifth inning. Armas went 1 for 3 with two overall RBI.
Koen Moreno gave South Bend a great start to the game with four scoreless innings. Moreno only allowed one hit and one walk while striking out four.
Nazier Mulé kept the shutout going in the fifth and sixth innings, but he got hammered in the seventh to cough up the lead. Mulé’s final line was four runs on two hits and three walks over 2.1 innings. He also had two wild pitches. Mulé struck out three.
Grayson Moore let two runners inherited from Mulé score, but finished out the inning and got the win after the Cubs retook the lead in the top of the eighth. The final line on Moore was no runs on one hit over two-thirds of an inning. He struck out one and did not walk anyone.
Eli Jerzembeck went the rest of the way for a two-inning save. The only baserunner Jerzembeck allowed was a one-out walk in the eighth. He struck out three.
Center fielder Christian Olivo hit a two-run single in the top of the eighth that ended up being the winning hit. Olivo went 2 for 4 with the two runs batted in. He also stole a base.
Third baseman Alex Madera was 2 for 3 with a walk and one run scored.
Shortstop Ty Southisene went 1 for 2 with three walks and two steals. He scored one run.
A two-run single in the first inning by first baseman Cole Mathis, who was 1 for 5.
May 24, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Texas Rangers catcher Danny Jansen (9) looks on after striking out during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | William Liang-Imagn Images
The Texas Rangers scored one run but the Anaheim Angels scored two runs.
Ok, let’s focus on the positive for a moment. MacKenzie Gore allowed one run on one hit and struck out seven Angels batters over six innings as he rebounded from pitching just one inning in his last start which he left with weird side/shoulder/back pain.
In the first game of this series, a one-run start gets him a win with Texas scoring six runs. Last night, that start might have been good enough for a victory with Texas scoring two runs.
Tonight, however, one run on one hit wasn’t good enough as the Rangers also collected just one run on one hit against came-into-the-game-with-a-5.00-plus-ERA Reid Detmers, who struck out 14 Rangers over eight innings.
Eventually the Angels overtook Texas in the late innings thanks in part to the Rangers again failing to score with the bases loaded and Anaheim collecting the walk-off on an errant Justin Foscue throw a half inning later.
Truth be told, I didn’t watch this game because I don’t have NBC Peacock Plus or whatever. So maybe it is because of that fact that while I was following along on Gameday, I realized there’s not much reason to be annoyed or upset right now other than we’re all donating our time to this.
The simple fact is, the current lineup would probably make Triple A Round Rock feel like they have a fighting chance on any given night if they were playing these Rangers.
Corey Seager is out. Wyatt Langford wasn’t hitting before he got hurt and he hasn’t played in weeks. Josh Jung was at one point the only member of the lineup hitting and now he’s out for a day or more. Josh Smith was supposed to be the starting second baseman finally elevated to a regular role but he was among the worst hitters in baseball before he contracted the plague or something.
Michael Helman is the starting shortstop. They’ve got .357 OPS Sam Haggerty in center field. 39 year old Andrew McCutchen is batting leadoff and I don’t think he’s had a hit since the first series of the season. Danny Jansen makes me miss Andrew Knizner and his tandem Kyle Higashioka was the DH tonight despite he and Jansen perpetually battling it out to see who can finally raise their OPS to above .615 first (and somehow Higashioka is trailing in that race!).
It seems unwise to expect anything more than what the team can reasonably give right now. Of course, if you’re investing your time in watching it, you can feel however you want about it.
The Rangers seemed pretty flawed if everything went perfectly and if they had good health. Not much has gone well other than the rest of the league also being pretty bad and half the expected lineup has been cast across the nation with various ailments like they were on the Springfield softball team.
Even the worst team in baseball, which I think the Angels probably are, can sweep a team like the one Texas is fielding these days and here we are.
Player of the Game: I mentioned Gore, but I guess also Jake Burger hit a second inning solo home run to become the first Ranger in dinger double digits this season as he basically single-handedly prevented Detmers from attempting to a shot at one of the greatest games of all time. Instead, Detmers settles for perhaps the most impressive start from anyone this season.
Then again, it was Burger that struck out with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth, his third strikeout with the bases loaded this weekend.
Up Next: The Rangers head back home with their tails between their legs and immediately open up a series against the Houston Astros. RHP Kumar Rocker is listed as Monday’s starter but we’ll have to see if the Rangers attempt the opener gambit again with Rocker after he enjoyed success in his last game utilizing that tactic. Meanwhile, Houston will opt for RHP Tatsuya Imai.
The Memorial Day first pitch from The Shed is scheduled for 6:05 pm CDT and you can catch it on the Rangers Sports Network.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 13 : Savanah Bananas Alex Ziegler balances a bat on his nose to entertain the crowd before the Bananas defeat of the Firefighters at Nationals Park in Washington, DC on July13, 2024. (Photo by John McDonnell/ for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
My kids put up with me watching the Rockies all summer, which is a bigger act of patience than I probably give them credit for. But when Banana Ball is on, they are not just tolerating baseball. They genuinely love it.
And I get it. Banana Ball is absurd. That is the whole point. The rules are built for pace, chaos, fan involvement, and the kind of baseball-adjacent weirdness that asks traditionalists to meet it halfway. This made me wonder: If the Rockies could adopt one Banana Ball rule to use at Coors, which one would you choose?
But what other absurd rules could help Coors Field feel unfair again?
The fan in me wants Rule 8: If a fan catches a foul ball, it’s an out.
At Coors Field, that would be tremendous. Suddenly, every foul ball has real stakes. We have already seen a Rockies fan make a catch while holding a baby and another make a full-extension grab after a massive bounce. The second one would not count as an out under Banana Ball rules, but that is exactly the kind of effort I would expect from the Coors Field faithful.
It would be chaotic, unfair, deeply silly, and probably a lot of fun.
But if we’re talking about a rule that might actually help the Rockies, Rule 5: Batters can steal first might be the answer.
The Rockies already have speed, ranking 10th in baseball in stolen bases despite sitting just 24th in on-base percentage. That tells a pretty simple story: When they get runners on, they can create pressure. The bigger problem is getting enough runners on in the first place.
That is where stealing first becomes interesting. In Banana Ball, a hitter can try to take first base on any pitch of an at-bat. It is not exactly a stable offensive plan, and every two-strike take turning into a footrace would probably get old quickly. Still, for a Rockies team that needs more ways to turn athleticism into baserunners, it would at least fit the roster’s shape.
There are other options, too. No mound visits. A two-hour time limit. No stepping out. A showdown tiebreaker. The Golden Batter rule is tempting, but I’m not sure who the Rockies would anoint with that title.
So what’s your pick?
Which Banana Ball rule would be the most fun at Coors Field?
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MAY 22: Chadwick Tromp #39 of the Atlanta Braves reacts with teammates after a walk off single to end the game in the eleventh inning against the Washington Nationals at Truist Park on May 22, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Braves had their worst performance of the season in the first game in the Miami, and then bounced back to deliver three straight clobberings. There was no inkling that they’d return home for a soggy holiday weekend and suffer a letdown, but ultimately, that’s what happened. Whatever combination of weather, travel, regular baseball season ebb-and-flow stuff, offensive doldrums, Nationals gameplanning to perfection — you name it — it completely derailed Atlanta’s offense, and handed the Braves their second series loss of the season.
The big story here really was that the Braves suddenly ran out of offensive answers for an extended stretch. This series was the first time the Braves went homerless in three straight against the same opponent since July of last year. When you think about how the summer and tail end of 2025 were pretty much a disaster for the Braves, that’s kind of impressive. The Braves did have a three-game homerless stretch earlier this year, and they also went 1-2 in the process, but that happened in Seattle and Los Angeles, which is a bit different from facing the Nationals, who came into this series with the worst pitching staff in baseball. The Braves only scoring six runs in three games isn’t even that unusual — they scored five in three games at one point last week, and five in three games as part of that Seattle-Los Angeles trip — but the lack of homers was incredibly sudden, and incredibly detrimental.
This game was kind of a portent of things to come, but also ended up as the only win of the series. The Braves were held scoreless by opener Richard Lovelady and bulk guy Miles Mikolas for six frames, until taking the lead in the seventh, giving it back in the eighth, falling behind in the tenth, tying it in the tenth, and finally walking it off in the 11th. Chadwick Tromp played hero not once, but twice: his leadoff single in the tenth and mad dash home on a Mauricio Dubon bouncer helped the Braves tie the game, and then his two-out single on a 2-2 pitch brought home the winning run in the 11th.
This game featured a lot of wild stuff even beyond that: Mikolas having a 3/0 K/BB ratio but furnishing five scoreless frames, Robert Suarez grooving a 3-0 pitch that CJ Abrams turned around into a game-tying homer, a rare (and possibly rain-aided) “meltdown” by Dylan Lee (thanks to a not-that-hard Abrams double), and so on. In many ways, it was absolutely bizarre that the Braves even got themselves in a position to be able to win this game, given that the Nationals had two homers on their two barrels in this one, while the Braves went 0-for-2 on their two barrels. And yet, Chadwick Tromp provideth, and the ostensibly-blessed season continued… until it didn’t.
This was the real offensive doldrums game. The Braves got out-barreled 4-0, and had by far their worst wOBA and xwOBA of the season. It’s not like they were facing down some kind of world-beater, either, as Jake Irvin came into this game both mediocre and unlucky stat-wise. Furthermore, Irvin ended up leaving with injury, and the Braves then got eaten alive by three innings of Brad Lord, who has been good but not dominant or anything so far this year.
Grant Holmes ended up having a bizarre start, with a 10/2 K/BB ratio but two homers yielded. Holmes continues to have a pretty stark times-through-the-order split, with an expected uptick in peripherals, but more problematically for the Braves, a big homer problem once batters have seen him the first time in a game.
The Braves had one big chance in this game thanks to a defensive gaffe by Washington in the seventh, but the trio of Ozzie Albies, Dominic Smith, and Austin Riley didn’t get it done and that was pretty much that. There was a brief-ish rain delay, but it didn’t really upend anything and this was just a welp game for the team.
Somewhat fittingly, this game kind of ended up being a mix of the first two games of this series, but the Braves ultimately didn’t pull this one out. There was a no-rain rain delay to start, and another delay partway through; much of the game was played in pretty horrid conditions and it’s kind of impressive that no one got hurt and there weren’t any weird “welp that’s not how baseball should be played” shenanigans.
This time, it was Foster Griffin’s turn to dominate the Braves — he was largely forced out by the rain delay. The Braves had a scoring chance in the fourth, but Eli White hit it hard into a double play with the bases loaded and one out. The Nats then got three straight hits off Martin Perez, and added a second run post-rain delay off Reynaldo Lopez. The Braves only kind of came alive with a couple of hits (one well-struck, one bloopy) in the ninth. White then hit into what could’ve been a game-ending double play (again hitting it hard, but at a fielder), but it was booted, scoring the first (and only) Atlanta run. Lovelady, in for the third game in a row (and all three in this series), walked Ha-Seong Kim to load the bases and bring up Tromp…
…who did not get it done this time against Orlando Ribalta (the guy he had his first key single against on Friday). That meant it was all up to Ronald Acuña Jr., who had the Braves’ only barrel of this game (an out) earlier. But, Acuña didn’t get it done either, mis-hitting an inside sinker for a weak groundout to end the game.
With the Rays also losing today, the Braves are nominally “tied” for the best record in baseball, even if this series kinda sucked. At least we’ll always have the Chadwick Tromp Game, even if he couldn’t come through twice in the same weekend.
Down 2-1 against the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder, the San Antonio Spurs are in a near must-win situation in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals on Sunday, May 24.
The two-time All-Star and 2026 NBA Defensive Player of the Year had a game-high 22 points (on 7-of-16 shooting) at halftime as the Spurs staked a 50-38 lead at intermission. The 22-point output included hitting on a buzzer-beating, 42-foot shot from halfcourt right before the half.
Kenny Atkinson claimed that the Cavaliers are "analytically" beating the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals.
Kenny Atkinson is taking “looking on the bright side” to another level.
The Cavaliers head coach tried to put a positive spin on their current 0-3 hole to the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals by claiming that Cleveland had actually been playing on par with New York, according to the analytics.
Atkinson even went as far as to say the Cavaliers would have won two of the first three games based on the expected score.
Kenny Atkinson reacts during Game 3 on May 23. AP Photo
“We’ve had success against this team before. We’ve had really good moments,” Atkinson told reporters. “In this series, up [20 points in] Game 1. Even Game 2, take that run out from the beginning of the third quarter, and it’s pretty tight. I think analytically, I think we’ve won I said three out of three, I think we’re two out of three in the [expected score] … we’ve won two out of three. And I know you’re looking confused, but … if you believe in process and all that, take that layer.
“I don’t throw that on them. I see it for myself. We have this feeling, I have this feeling, then I can go to our analytical table … last night, the expected score was like one point or two. Us shooting way below expected, them shooting way over.”
Mike Brown and the Knicks react during their Game 3 win against the Cavaliers on May 23. Charles Wenzelberg
The comments were certainly interesting, considering the Knicks are on the verge of their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, and the Cavaliers are coming off a Game 3 effort that saw them shoot just 29 percent from 3-point range and go 12-for-19 from the free-throw line.
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The Knicks have also won 10 consecutive postseason games — setting a new franchise record in the process — and have beaten their opponents by an average of 22.5 points during that span.
Atkinson did appear to concede that his point may not be a winning one with the fans, who are watching the Cavaliers crash out at the end of a hard-fought season.
“I know when no one wants to hear that,” he said. “I think [the media likes] hearing it. I know the general public, no one wants to hear it. Everyone’s outcome-based, I get that, too.”
The St. Louis Cardinals have been better than everyone’s expectations this year but is that going to bite them later in the season? This week on the Redbird Rundown podcast we had the legendary Bernie Miklasz join us. We are thankful that Bernie was able to squeeze us in among his 40 other daily articles and podcast appearances and love the conversation we ended up having.
We hope you have been enjoying the content lately and massive thank you to everyone who has taken in our recent episodes. As always, please feel free to drop your feedback so we can continue to get better and bring you what you want to hear. This episode took plenty of turns so let us know your thoughts!
In the episode, we talked if it is fair to change our expectations for the season since the Cardinals have outperformed the expected stats. If they fall below .500, as we figured they would do at the start of the year, is this now a failure of a season? You will hear that I am just enjoying the ride and still see the season as a “fact-finding” mission. At the end of the day, they are finding things out about Jordan Walker, JJ Wetherholt, and others while playing some fun baseball.
Make sure you subscribe, like, and comment so we can continue to grow. Thanks as always!
A group of Catholic nuns known as the Salesian Sisters made a courtside appearance ahead of Game 4 between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, bringing both faith and fandom to the Western Conference Finals.
The sisters were seen interacting with players before tipoff, including a moment circulating on social media showing Spurs center Luke Kornet receiving a blessing from two of the nuns.
The Salesian Sisters, based in San Antonio, have followed the Spurs for years and drawn attention during the team’s playoff run for cheering and praying for the team, according to the Salesian Sisters website. Their presence is also tied to their broader mission. The group has said it connects with young people through shared interests, such as sports and uses those connections to build relationships with the community.
The sisters’ appearance in Game 4 comes as the Spurs look to shift momentum in the series, with the group adding both energy and prayer to the playoff atmosphere.
This game, in the landscape of the Western Conference finals, is pivotal.
The San Antonio Spurs cannot afford to fall behind in this series and must protect homecourt. Because if the Thunder win Sunday, May 24 in Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead back to Oklahoma City for Game 5, San Antonio’s rise could be quelled earlier than it wants.
All eyes will be on the two stars in the series, reigning two-time consecutive Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder and Victor Wembanyama of the Spurs.
At the end of the third quarter, the Spurs lead, 78-60.
This is what it looks like when a star player — arguably the most gifted hooper on the planet — carries his team. With the threat of a 3-1 series deficit looming, Victor Wembanyama was sensational in the first half, dropping 22 points on 7-of-16 shooting, hauling in 5 rebounds, dishing 3 assists and swatting away 2 blocks.
Wembanyama played with intention on both ends of the floor. He was the vocal leader, communicating with teammates and coaches. He played inside and out, attacking the rim and using his range to hit outside shots.
This is the Wembanyama for which the Thunder have no answer.
This is the swarming defensive intensity San Antonio needs to win this series
The Spurs were more forceful, used active hands to deflect balls and swipe steals, and they were disciplined; they didn’t fall for the bait that Oklahoma City so often uses to dupe defenders into foul trouble.
More importantly for the Spurs, they were able to turn that defense into offense, with a stretch of seven consecutive missed shots midway through the first, sparking a 16-0 San Antonio run. The Spurs threw extra bodies at Gilgeous-Alexander and pickied him up with full-court pressure to make every possession difficult.
In the first half, the Thunder shot the ball 35.6%.
The path back for the Thunder is from deep
The Thunder entered Sunday night’s game shooting 39.5% in this series from 3-point range, with 47 conversions from beyond the arc.
In the first half, the Thunder made just 1-of-11 attempts (9.1%) from 3. The Spurs weren’t particularly efficient from deep either — San Antonio shot just 5-of-16 (31.3%) from deep — but Oklahoma City will have a tough time coming back from this 12-point deficit if the outside shot isn’t falling.
The Spurs want to get out on fastbreaks
It makes sense: the Thunder are the premier half-court defensive team in the association. So any chance the Spurs can prevent Oklahoma City from getting settled into their set defense, it’s to their advantage. It destabilizes the Thunder and allows for easier entry into the paint.
The Spurs took a 10-0 advantage on fastbreak points into the half.
Mark Daigneualt, once again, looks to his bench for a spark
The Thunder are the deepest team in the NBA. Coach Mark Daigneault, seeing his team struggle early from the floor, turned to reserves to try to get a spark.
Eleven players recorded minutes in the first half, which isn’t uncommon for the Thunder; Daigneault has played a similar rotation in this series, but the difference is that, this time, the group isn’t providing that spark.
After Alex Caruso posted monster games earlier in the series to carry the bench, the Thunder reserves scored just 6 points in the first half, compared to 8 from the Spurs bench.
The San Antonio Spurs are fighting for their playoff lives in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Spurs entered the Sunday night showdown trailing 2-1 in the series, and they needed a big game from superstar center Victor Wembanyama if they wanted to even it before going back to OKC. Wemby delivered with an incredible first half — capped by one of the defining shots of his young career so far.
Wembanyama was already dominating the Thunder when he got the ball with the clock ticking away at the end of the first half. The 7’5 French superhuman pulled up from the halfcourt logo at the buzzer and swished the shot to give the Spurs all the momentum (and a 12-point) heading into halftime. Watch the shot here:
Wembanyama scored 22 points in the first half, and the Spurs were +16 in his 18 minutes. The Thunder playing without their second and third best creators in Game 4 with Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell both out with injury, and it sure feels like that’s too much to overcome against Wembanyama with his back against the wall.
The 7’5 guy was already dominating at the rim on both ends. Hitting halfcourt shots with ease is just unfair. It’s the longest shot of his career, but it’s hard to be surprised at this point.
Sunday couldn’t have gone much worse for the Blue Jays.
A Toronto season that had begun to turn around in recent games saw that momentum stall in their 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday.
And it wasn’t simply because of the loss, but the multiple injuries that occurred across the span of just one inning.
The struggling American League East squad, which dropped to 25-28 in the loss, had to remove starting pitcher Dylan Cease in the top of the fifth after the former CY Young runner-up was seen shaking his arm after a pitch and left the game with some measure of visible discomfort.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. gets hit in the elbow by a pitch from Mitch Keller of the Pittsburgh Pirates and leaves the game in the fifth inning as the Toronto Blue Jays play the Pittsburgh Pirates at Rogers Centre in Toronto. Toronto Star via Getty Images
This came as the Blue Jays had already trailed 2-1.
And even more worrisome, Blue Jays’ megastar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. took a two-out, 92-mile per hour pitch inside, left for the dugout afterward and never returned.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said the ball hit Guerrero in a “weird spot.”
“He usually doesn’t come out of a game. He’s pretty tough,” Schneider told reporters of Guerrero, according to MLB.com. “I followed him and he just said, ‘I can’t feel my hand.’ It was kind of like [hitting] a funny bone, but travelling at 90-plus miles an hour.”
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 24, 2026
Cease had been off to a good start in the season individually, jumping out to a 2.98 ERA over 10 starts prior to Sunday, where he was en route to another quality start before his early exit.
Cease has two top-four Cy Young finishes in his career from his stints with the White Sox and Padres.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went directly to the dugout and left the game after being hit by a pitch. pic.twitter.com/jPWw5jGiTX
“When we went out the first time, he was cramping up a little bit,” Schneider told reporters of Cease, according to MLB.com. “Then, he still kind of felt it, obviously, so we wanted to be careful. He’s going to get an MRI. All of the testing and stuff seemed pretty positive. He said he wants to make his next start, so we’ll just see how he is the next couple of days. We’re just hoping for good news.”
Dylan Cease left with an injury as the Toronto Blue Jays played the Pittsburgh Pirates at Rogers Centre in Toronto. May 24, 2026. Toronto Star via Getty Images
Guerrero Jr. has three homers and 22 RBI’s this year, hitting .287 for the year.
He’s also a five-time All-Star and former MVP runner-up.
After getting to Game 7 of the World Series last season, Toronto has started just 25-28 but won four games prior to Sunday.
Travis Head and his wife Jessica have been targeted by sickening trolls after the Australian cricketer’s Indian Premier League spat with Indian superstar Virat Kohli.
