Manager A.J. Hinch was also suspended for one game and fined an undisclosed amount due to Valdez’s actions, and he won’t manage the series finale against Boston on Wednesday.
After giving up back-to-back home runs, Framber Valdez hit Trevor Story, and the benches cleared
Valdez, 32, was ejected during the fourth inning Tuesday after plunking Story on the first pitch of an at-bat following back-to-back Boston home runs that put them up 10-2.
The Red Sox were furious and the benches cleared after Story was hit.
Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story (10) is restrained by home plate umpire Adam Beck (38) after Story was hit by a pitch from the Tigers’ Framber Valdez during the fourth inning on May 5, 2026. Lon Horwedel-Imagn ImagesTigers starter Framber Valdez reacts after being ejected on May 5, 2026. Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
“I understand their frustration, I understand the optics, I understand the whole thing. We play a really good brand of baseball here, that didn’t feel like it,” Hinch said after the game. “That’s not judging intent, I have no idea, but I know when you go out on the field and you end up sort of in those confrontations you usually feel like you’re in your right. It didn’t feel good being out there, so I understand their frustrations, I understand the moment and it was a low moment of a frustrating night.”
A two-time All-Star, Valdez has a disappointing 4.57 ERA and 1.41 WHIP through three starts due to a pair of clunkers. His seven earned runs allowed Tuesday inflated his ERA from 3.35, and he gave up eight earned runs in five innings to the Twins on April 8.
MILWAUKEE, WI - MARCH 26: Andrew Vaughn #28 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates after hitting a single in the sixth inning during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Thursday, March 26, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Aaron Gash/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Brewers took control early and never looked back, cruising to a 6-2 win behind a four-run first inning on Wednesday afternoon. They will get a well-earned day off tomorrow before returning home to face the 25-11 Yankees, who currently hold the second-best record in baseball.
Milwaukee did all of their damage in the first with two outs. Brice Turang ripped a two-out single into right field, and Cardinals starter Andre Pallante hit William Contreras with a sinker. Jake Bauers, who has a .983 OPS with runners in scoring position after today’s game, sliced a single of his own into left. Turang slid home well ahead of the throw to give the Brewers a 1-0 lead.
Up next was Andrew Vaughn, who went 0-for-4 in his return from injury on Monday. Apparently one game was all Vaughn needed to get acclimated, as he worked Pallante to seven pitches before sending a fastball over the wall in left-center field for a three-run homer. All of a sudden, the Brewers were up four runs before Brandon Sproat even touched the mound.
Sproat gave up a first-inning double to Iván Herrera that easily could have been ruled an error on third baseman David Hamilton, but it was the only hit he allowed across four innings.
The rookie right-hander is still far from a finished product. He walked three batters and hit Cardinals outfielder Nathan Church while trying to field a bunt attempt, and he needed 76 pitches to get through four innings. Still, the flashes are obvious. At times, Sproat looks borderline untouchable before suddenly losing the handle for a couple batters, or an inning. It’s hard to complain about one hit over four shutout innings from a pitcher who is still developing.
Sproat escapes the jam with a timely double play ✌️
While Sproat kept the Cardinals scoreless through four, Milwaukee got an insurance run in the top of the fifth. The rally started with a one-out infield hit by Joey Ortiz, who eventually scored on a wild pitch by Pallante.
DL Hall and Aaron Ashby continued what Sproat had started by shutting the Cardinals down through the seventh inning. At this point, St. Louis still had just one hit — Herrera’s first-inning double — but Trevor Megill, who hadn’t allowed a run in his previous seven appearances, surrendered a pair of hard-hit singles and a run in the eighth.
Both teams scored a run in the ninth to bring the game to its final score of Brewers 6, Cardinals 2. The top of the ninth started with Hamilton and Ortiz both striking out looking, but the Brewers mounted another two-out rally. Frelick kept the inning alive with a single, and Jackson Chourio — who’d already singled earlier in the game — hit a 108.7-mph rocket over the head of Walker in right field and off the wall. Frelick scored without a throw to give Chourio his first RBI of the season.
The Cardinals got their second and final run off of Abner Uribe, who allowed a leadoff double in the ninth to Nolan Gorman. Gorman would come around to score on a pretty uncharacteristic error by Ortiz, who couldn’t come up with a soft grounder from Alec Burleson.
With Chourio and Vaughn back in the lineup, the Brewers’ offense looks different. Chourio, Vaughn, Frelick, and Bauers all recorded multi-hit games, while the pitching staff held the Cardinals to just four hits. Milwaukee is now three games over .500 as they welcome the Yankees on Friday. Jacob Misiorowski is on the hill for the Crew, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:40 p.m.
An intriguing offseason lies ahead for the Boston Celtics after their stunning first-round playoff exit.
The Celtics blew a 3-1 series lead for the first time in franchise history, falling in Game 7 in front of their home crowd. Their lack of a strong frontcourt presence, as well as an over-reliance on 3-pointers, may have cost them another run at a championship.
C’s president of basketball operations Brad Stevens addressed those issues during his end-of-season press conference on Wednesday. He also answered a question about star Jaylen Brown’s rumored “frustration” with the organization, stating that Brown “has not expressed those frustrations to me.”
Nonetheless, Brown’s future with the team has become a hot topic as offseason trade rumors begin to swirl. The Celtics have recently been linked to Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, with NBA insider Marc Stein advising to “keep an eye on” the C’s in the Giannis sweepstakes.
While Antetokounmpo would help their frontcourt dilemma, the Celtics almost certainly would have to part ways with Brown to pry him from Milwaukee. That may seem like a non-starter, but given Antetokounmpo’s status as one of the NBA’s elite talents, it’s something Stevens must at least consider if the offer is on the table.
So, should the Celtics stick with the Jayson Tatum/Jaylen Brown tandem on their quest for Banner 19, or should they split them up to acquire Giannis? NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg and Tom Giles discussed the topic on the latest episode of the Celtics Talk Podcast.
“I would rather have Jaylen Brown than Giannis,” Giles said. “But if Jaylen Brown says, ‘I want to be traded,’ that’s where the conversation changes. That’s kind of where I’ve been for a while. If you can have those two guys (Tatum and Brown), that gives you the best chance of winning. If you kind of get nudged into it, that changes the conversation.”
As of now, it seems highly unlikely that Brown will request a trade. During his Twitch stream on Wednesday night, Brown stated, “If it was up to me, I would play in Boston for the next 10 years.”
But as he acknowledges, his future in Boston isn’t up to him. It’ll be up to Stevens to decide which path to take, and although it would hurt to break up the Jays, the opportunity to add an elite talent like Antetokounmpo would be enticing.
“As much as I’m leery of the Giannis stuff, I get why it has to at least be a conversation,” Forsberg said. “I’m hopeful that whatever comes next involves the Jays and figuring out the best way to accentuate their talents and giving them the best opportunity to make another run. …
“Giannis is great in a vacuum, but you’re introducing whole new factors into your locker room. There’s a chance it works really great, there’s also a chance it doesn’t work. He wasn’t always happy in Milwaukee when they weren’t winning. …
“How does Tatum feel about that? All of a sudden, just having another guy who’s very much part of the elite universe. It’s one thing when you’ve done it with Jaylen and Jayson for all these years, it’s just another when you introduce someone new. There’s a whole bunch of variables that go into it.”
Antetokounmpo is a 10-time All-Star, two-time MVP, nine-time All-NBA selection, and NBA Finals MVP. That said, trading a lucrative package centered around Brown to acquire him would be risky. The 31-year-old played in only 36 games last season due to multiple injuries, and as Forsberg notes, it’s possible he wouldn’t be the best fit in the C’s locker room.
The questions surrounding Antetokounmpo’s future could be answered before the new league year begins in July. Bucks owner Jimmy Haslam said Wednesday that he’d like a decision to be made before the NBA Draft, which is set for June 23.
Feb 23, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (1) celebrates with guard Sam Merrill (5) during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers had a tough time getting anything going offensively against the Detroit Pistons in Game 1 of their second-round series. That task was made more difficult with the loss of sharpshooter Sam Merrill, who was limited to just seven minutes in Game 1 with a hamstring injury.
Cleveland could be without Merrill for all of Game 2. He’s officially listed as questionable on the injury report ahead of Tuesday’s matchup with a left hamstring strain.
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Merrill has been playing through various injuries this season. A hand injury he suffered near the beginning of the season has required him to ice his hand after games and practices. He’s also been dealing with left hamstring issues off and on, which caused him to miss regular-season games in March and April.
Merrill is one of the toughest players on the team. If there’s any possibility that he could play through the injury, he’ll likely try to.
At the same time, this could be a long series. There’s no point in rushing Merrill back now if there’s a chance that this injury could be in a better place in a week.
Merrill’s shooting has been indispensable for an offense that has been stuck in neutral for much of the postseason. Cleveland’s offense has been 16.8 points per 100 possessions better when he’s on the floor compared to when he’s not. That’s due to his shooting and the gravity he has as an off-ball mover.
The Cavs don’t have an easy way to replicate Merrill’s shooting if he can’t go. Max Strus has been good at times this postseason, but this team needs both Strus and Merrill, not one or the other.
This season, Merrill averaged 12.8 points on 42.1% shooting from deep. In eight playoff games, he’s averaged 6.6 points on 37.9% shooting from deep.
The San Jose Sharks have been a team on the rise and although they played themselves out of wild-card contention toward the end of the season, there's a lot of hope in Silicon Valley following the NHL draft lottery.
San Jose was awarded the second pick of the 2026 NHL draft, following the draft lottery.
The Sharks finished the 2025-26 season with a 39-35 record, eight overtime losses and 86 total points, just on the outside of the postseason race. But San Jose's youth gave a glimpse at its future potential.
The Sharks have been building their team through the draft, earning a top-10 selection in four of the past five drafts. The cycle continues with this surprising luck of the draw for Sharks general manager Mike Grier.
"Shocked really," Grier told reporters about landing the No. 2 pick. "You never know what's going to happen and how the how the balls are going to bounce. So, yeah, happy and excited. It's a good day for the organization. A little bit surprised and happy and fortunate."
Grier added: "We thought we were going to get a good young player to add to our core. With the second pick, you got a chance to add some more high end talent to the group. So that's exciting. When I look at our group, we took some steps forward and hopefully this player can just come in and add to it. I think were hopefully trending in the right direction, but there's a lot of work to be done as a whole."
Now the question is what to do with the pick. Grier said he will be open to listening to offers on whether to trade the No. 2 pick or make the selection themselves.
Grier said, "I'm always open to listening to what's out there, and if people have ideas or thoughts, and then I'll listen, and we'll kind of go from there.
"It's obviously a different price tag, trading the ninth pick or what you might be asking for, and if you're going to move the second pick, what your ask would be. So that's probably what the part of the equation that changes, and we'll see. We'll see if anything comes our way."
The Sharks picked No. 2 in 2025, selecting Michael Misa. They took Macklin Celebrini with the first overall pick in 2024, and grabbed Igor Chernyshov in the second round. In 2023, they picked Will Smith with the fourth overall pick, and William Eklund joined the Sharks as a No. 7 overall pick in 2021.
Two of the top prospects in the 2026 NHL Draft include Gavin McKenna, a 5-foot-11, 170-pound left wing from Penn State, and Keaton Verhoeff, a 6-foot-4 defenseman from North Dakota.
"They're very talented, gifted players," Grier told reporters. "I've had a chance to watch them both quite a bit over the last two years. Dynamic with the puck. They're both, I think, shoot-pass threats, which is not always the case with young players, but, you know, there's play-making and vision on both of them. So very talented players."
But there's time to decipher. The NHL draft is nearly six weeks away. Grier is methodically taking his time to observe talent with his scout team before making a decision. However, he said the team will likely be selecting the best player available.
"We'll dig into it," Grier said. "When you're picking at the top of the draft, we always try and go with the best player available. Really, I don't think we're gonna pass if there's a big gap between two players or two positions. We're not going to take a player just for need in that situation. So we got to do our homework. We got to dig into it. And most likely, we'll take who we feel is the best fit and the best player available."
It's not exactly a state secret: If the Lakers are going to have a chance against the Thunder in the second round, they are going to need Luka Doncic.
On Wednesday in Oklahoma City, Doncic spoke to reporters about his potential return from a left hamstring strain and nothing much has changed. Here's what he said, via Khobi Price of The California Post.
"Obviously, this is a different injury than I ever had," said Doncic. "It's been [the] second time I [injured the hamstring this season]. So recovery has been a little longer. But I'm feeling good. Working every day, so I'm trying to come back."
Doncic injured his hamstring in Oklahoma City on April 2, just more than a month ago. He said on Wednesday that he was told he would be out for eight weeks. He added that this is why he flew to Spain, to get PRP treatment on the hamstring in hopes of speeding his recovery. This was not his first hamstring injury this season, he missed four games in February due to a milder version of the same injury.
Lakers coach JJ Redick simply said, "When he's ready to play, he should play."
Doncic owned up to being frustrated by the timing of all this.
"It's very frustrating," Doncic said. "I don't think people understand how frustrating it is. All I wanna do is play basketball, especially this time. It's the best time to play basketball. It's very frustrating seeing what my team is doing. I'm very proud of them. It's been very tough, too, just to sit and watch them play."
The Lakers did a good defensive job on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Game 1, limiting him to 18 points and forcing seven turnovers, plus Lebron James had a strong game with 27 points and six assists — and the Lakers still only scored 90 points and lost by 18. Game 2 is Thursday night in Oklahoma City.
Here’s a breakdown of what happened, why it matters and what it means for the Tigers moving forward.
What happened with Framber Valdez?
During a rough Tuesday night outing against the Boston Red Sox, Valdez let his frustrations spill over. After being roughed up by the Red Sox for 10 runs (seven earned), including surrendering back-to-back home runs to Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu, Valdez plunked Trevor Story with a fastball. The intentional nature of the pitch was clear to most watching, and as Shusterman put it, “This is one of the more obvious intentional hit by pitches we've ever seen.”
Despite Valdez’s postgame denial, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch all but confirmed the egregiousness of the act:
“We play a really good brand of baseball here,” Hinch said, via the Detroit News. “That didn't feel like it. I'm not judging intent, but I know when you go out on the field in those confrontations, you usually feel like you are in your right. It didn't feel good being out there.”
This rare admission from Hinch, stopping just short of naming Valdez’s intent outright, underscores how out-of-line the moment was.
It should be noted that Tigers broadcaster Andy Dirks, hilariously, didn’t see what the fuss was about:
Tigers broadcaster Andy Dirks wasn't a fan of Framber Valdez getting ejected after the Red Sox complained.
"Why don't we just complain about everything if that's how it's going to be?" pic.twitter.com/J7fAcSylRr
Why Valdez’s plunking decision hurts more than Trevor Story’s shoulder
The Tigers, once seen as the AL Central frontrunner, suddenly find themselves on shaky ground. Valdez’s suspension exacerbates a pitching rotation already decimated with injuries.
With so many arms down, Valdez was supposed to be the stabilizer. Now, with a five-game suspension, Detroit faces another hole.
“For a Tigers team right now that cannot afford to lose anybody ... he’s going to get suspended long enough to miss at least one start,” Shusterman said. “And that’s just the last thing the Tigers need right now.”
The pitching staff has become a liability in the AL Central race. And one of the reasons isn’t due to injury.
Mintz pulled no punches in criticizing Valdez.
“It’s embarrassing and it’s selfish and it’s stupid and it doesn’t accomplish anything … There is nothing to come of this. For Framber Valdez, there is only negatives. That is why it is such an irrational decision. If I’m on the Tigers, I’m so frickin’ steamed about it.”
Hinch, who vouched for Valdez in the offseason, will serve a one-game suspension.
In a season already teetering because of injuries, Valdez’s poor decision to throw at a batter could haunt the Tigers well beyond a single game. As the dust settles, Detroit must now manage not only a battered pitching staff but also the fallout from a moment of anger that may have lasting consequences.
As Shusterman succinctly put it:
“It’s just so disappointing … It’s a really crappy feeling for him. And really disappointing moment for the Tigers. Made an ugly week.”
Famous for his signature "woo,'' Flair sounded off on X, writing “Luka, Please Get In The Game! Take A Shot Of Cortisone And Deal With The Pain! They Are Paying You 50 Million A Year, And You’re Not There! WTF! I Hope @JeanieBuss Trades You Next Year. Nobody Wants A Lame Duck On Their Team!’’
Flair got some backlash on his X account, with the Lakers trailing the Oklahoma City Thunder 1-0 in the Western Conference semifinals playoff series.
“Buddy this is a real sport you’re talking about,’’ one commenter wrote to Flair. “Not some oiled up play wrestling wearing speedos feeling up on other dudes.’’
Wrote another, “Listen you crusty old grave dodger. The reason why Luka got injured in the first place is because they had him play for NO REASON.’’
And yet another wrote, “I hope Luka knows we Laker fans don’t co-sign this.’’
Did Doncic see the tweet, or was it just coincidence? But the day after Flair's social media post, Doncic talked to reporters for the first time since he injured his hamstring on April 2 in a 139-96 loss to the Thunder.
"It's very frustrating," Doncic told reporters, per ESPN. “I don't think people understand how frustrating it is. All I want to do is play basketball, especially this time. It's the best time to play basketball.
"It's very frustrating seeing what my team is doing. I'm very proud of them. It's been very tough to just to sit and watch them play."
CINCINNATI, OHIO - APRIL 30: Emilio Pagán #15 of the Cincinnati Reds throws during a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park on April 30, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s never good news to find out that your team’s closer is going to be sidelined with a serious hamstring injury, and it’s definitely no fun to hear that he may be out for most of two months. However, given how bad last night’s injury looked for Cincinnati Reds closer Emilio Pagan, that’s actually a lot better than I think most all of us expected to hear.
It’s better than Pagan himself expected, too, as he was convinced his season was done.
Reds closer Pagán says he’s got Grade 2 strain in the hammy. Said docs say 4-8 weeks before he returns to mound for Reds. Better than he expected after level of pain Tuesday night.
“Leaving the field yesterday I thought my season was done.”
The Reds placed Pagan on the 15-day IL earlier on Wednesday as part of a larger roster shuffle.
If it’s the short-end of the timeline, we could see Pagan back with the Reds around the first week of June. Even if it’s on the longer side of the estimate, that would put him back with the club for the final week or two before the All Star break in July.
In other words, despite the ugly way it looked last night, we may even see him in a Reds uniform before we see the return of Hunter Greene.
That’s excellent news to a bullpen that’s already had its share of troubleswith Pagan around. In the meantime, the club recalled Tejay Antone to help backfill the bullpen, activated Pierce Johnson off the bereavement list, and is anticipating the return of lefty Caleb Ferguson in roughly a week after he’s already looked good in a pair of rehab assignments with AA Chattanooga.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 5: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts after hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning against the Athletics at Citizens Bank Park on May 5, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are the lineups for game 2 of the series. Let’s discuss.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 06: Andy Pages #44 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is congratulated by Freddie Freeman #5 and Kyle Tucker #23 after a home run in the third inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on May 06, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tyler Glasnow left his start after only one inning, but the Dodgers’ struggling offense picked up the slack in a cathartic 12-2 bludgeoning of the Houston Astros on Wednesday afternoon getaway day at Daikin Park in Houston.
Held to only one run in Tuesday night’s loss, the Dodgers were just 2-3 on the road trip, scoring two or fewer runs in five of their previous seven games. Dating back to April 21, the start of a series in San Francisco, the Dodgers averaged just 3.64 runs in their previous 14 games, with an 86 wRC+ that ranked 27th in the majors that fueled a 6-8 record.
When Glasnow walked off the mound with lower back pain while warming up for the second inning, the game was tied at one apiece. The Dodgers scored each of their first three runs on Wednesday on wild pitches, which was very funny for an offense having so much trouble scoring of late, including going six games without a home run last week, their longest power drought in a dozen years.
But the setup for those first three runs — one in the second inning, two in the third — was promising, with a double and single in the second, followed by a walk and a double in the third. The Dodgers did not stop reaching base, then began to plate runs in a more traditional manner.
After the third wild pitch by Lance McCullers Jr., Freddie Freeman and Kyle Tucker walked, then with two outs Andy Pages gave the Dodgers some rare breathing room of late by unloading for a three-run home run to left field.
That snapped a homerless drought of 83 plate appearances for Pages, dating back to April 13. He did not have a lapse until his next home run, lining a ball into the Crawford Boxes for a two-run shot in the fifth inning, turning this one into a rout.
The first two home runs for Pages were on two-seam fastballs, something manager Dave Roberts before the game identified as a weakness in the scuffling offense of late.
“We don’t hit the fastball. It’s just fact that teams in baseball that are offensive hit the fastball. When you’re passive, you’re late on the fastball,” Roberts told reporters in Houston, as shown on SportsNet LA. “You’re not scaring pitchers out of the hitting zone, as opposed to being aggressive and scaring them out of the hitting zone. That starts by getting on the fastball.
Shohei Ohtani’s double in the third inning snapped an 0-for-18 skid at the plate, part of a two-hit day that also included a walk. Freeman doubled for the second game in a row while using a new batting stance with his front foot facing inward to help keep him from flying open on his swing, and also walked twice.
Hyeseong Kim tripled and singled. Tucker had two hits and reached base twice in all three games of the series in one of his former home ballparks. Alex Freeland singled and walked, reaching base eight times during the series.
Jack Dreyer and Edgardo Henriquez did the heavy lifting, each completing two scoreless innings. Kyle Hurt struck out two in his scoreless inning, followed by Blake Treinen allowing a run on two hits in his one inning.
“It’s a good feeling, and whatever I can do to help, I’m going to do it,” Stewart told Kirsten Watson on SportsNet LA before the game. “I like where my stuff’s at right now, so I think I can help the team, and I’m really looking forward to it. … It feels fun to throw the ball again, let’s go.”
The Dodgers are off on Thursday before starting a homestand against the Atlanta Braves, owners of the best record in baseball beginning Friday night at Dodger Stadium (7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA). Emmet Sheehan starts the series opener, with Chris Sale on the mound for Atlanta.
Recognizing needed postseason adjustments before oddsmakers adjust for them is the best way to find value in the NBA playoffs. After the Detroit Pistons won Game 1, the Cleveland Cavaliers need to make such an adjustment.
These Cavaliers vs. Pistons predictions and same-game parlay picks for Game 2 anticipate Cleveland sitting Jarrett Allen more and more on Thursday, May 7.
Our best Cavaliers vs Pistons SGP for Game 2
SGP leg #1: Jarrett Allen Under 7.5 rebounds (-135)
Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen played six minutes of the first quarter on Tuesday, failing to grab a single rebound. Meanwhile, Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren played 10 minutes and found three rebounds. That is the mismatch that Cleveland cannot survive.
Allen was ineffective out of the gates of this series, no small part of how the Cavaliers were trailing by 16 points in that opening frame.
Allen did not play a minute in the second quarter. That may have been an overreaction from Cleveland’s coaching staff, but a similar adjustment likely looms.
SGP leg #2: Jarrett Allen Under 10.5 points (+100)
Allen scored just two points in his 18 minutes in Game 1. Worse yet, he took only four shots.
Not to sound too harsh, but there may not be a purpose to playing Allen against Detroit. If he cannot rebound and he is not going to get shots up, what threat does he pose?
The Pistons’ frontcourt is simply too athletic for Allen.
SGP leg #3: Dean Wade Over 3.5 rebounds (+105)
Someone needs to play more minutes, though. And that someone seems likely to be Dean Wade.
Look at the fourth quarter on Tuesday, when Cleveland thought about making things interesting. Allen played four minutes, while Wade played nine. All of the Cavaliers’ starters played at least eight minutes except for Allen.
Expect Wade to get more run, for better or for worse.
Get Douglas Farmer's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Cavaliers vs Pistons predictions for Game 2.
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Carlos Rodon is set to make his season debut for the Yankees, with manager Aaron Boone saying he believed the lefty is scheduled to pitch on Sunday on the road against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Boone said he needed to circle back with the pitching coaches to make sure, but the belief is Sunday will be the day.
While the results weren’t great (five earned runs, seven hit, two home runs allowed in 6.1 innings against Worcester), the key part for Boone and the Yanks was that Rodon got his pitch count up to where he needs it to be.
“I think he’s felt ready to go now the last couple of times,” Boone said. “But to get him up over 80 pitches this time out, we wanted to do, and give him a third game. We feel like he’s ready to go. Feel like he’s been throwing the ball well. His stuff, he’s starting to command his stuff well, and feel like he’s ready.”
The Yankees sent Elmer Rodriguez back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after his start on Monday night against Texas, a good sign that Rodon was ready to get back to the big leagues.
Rodon pitched to a 3.09 ERA in 33 starts for the Yankees last season, earning the third All-Star nod of his career.
There appears to be a difference in what Jaylen Brown says behind closed doors and what he divulges to Celtics president of operations Brad Stevens.
Tracy McGrady, who has mentored the Boston superstar, said Tuesday that Brown is frustrated with the only team he’s ever played for his in his career, while Stevens said Wednesday during his end-of-season press conference that Brown has not revealed any lingering issues to him.
“His frustration lies deeply in the organization and other things that we really don’t have the details. It’s just a lot of stuff I’ve been hearing just going on with the Boston organization with JB,” McGrady said Tuesday on his “Cousins” podcast with fellow ex-NBA star Vince Carter.
Tracy McGrady said Brown is frustrated with the Celtics. @VinceAndTmac/X
“I think part of him is like, ‘I showed you guys more of who I am as a basketball player not only what I did on the basketball court but the leadership I displayed within this team and you’ve seen that.’ Not having our best player in (Jayson Tatum). You’ve seen a different side of me and what I’m able to bring to the game of basketball. So, all that stuff just came into play with him and his frustration.”
Stevens said he has not had a lengthy sit-down with Brown since Celtics’ tough Game 7 home loss to the 76ers, a series Boston led, 3-1, but he didn’t catch that vibe.
“I talked to Jaylen Monday a little bit after, just real quickly and it was nothing but positive. He has not expressed those frustrations to me,” Stevens said.
“We’ve been here 10 years together, and I do think that — obviously I love JB and everybody around here loves JB. Just like any of our other guys, as we get to the end of the season, I’ll be here and my door is always open if anybody ever wants to come in and talk about it. Talk about their team, their place, whatever the case may be, I’m all ears. … None of (the frustrations) have been expressed to me.”
McGrady’s remarks certainly open the door for a potential trade-rumor-filled offseason for Brown, especially in light of the Celtics blowing their first-round series.
Jaylen Brown and the Celtics were upset in the first round. AP
Brown had to carry the load this year with Tatum missing most of the season in his return from tearing his Achilles tendon, and he responded with a career-high 28.7 points per game.
His brilliance helped the Celtics unexpectedly grab the East’s No. 2 seed, but the bitter ending to the season could change things in Boston.
Since their 2024 championship run, Boston has now been upset before the Eastern Conference finals in back-to-back years, both as a heavy favorite.
Brad Stevens downplayed any issues with Brown. AP
Stevens has shown he’s willing to make drastic changes, including shipping off veterans last offseason to get under the luxury tax, and some have wondered if he could plan another big move.
Giannis Antetokounmpo remains the top trade target in the league, and a player of Brown’s caliber certainly would be enticing if Boston wanted to shake things up.
There’s also the chance that this run without Tatum has Brown feeling he should be the alpha on a roster and perhaps he’s eyeing his own team he can lead.
“Being able to just be a part of a group, through the uncertainty came to fight, came to compete, came and went to war,” Brown said on a Twitch stream. “I’ll take a team like this any day of the week.”
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Luka Doncic said Wednesday he was given platelet-rich plasma injections in Spain in an effort to speed up his eight-week timeline for return from the hamstring injury that has had him sidelined since April 2.
“I went to Spain to do PRP,” Doncic told reporters. “Everybody knows that its one of the best countries to do that. Obviously, you know, we talked with the Lakers doctors, so everybody agreed for me to go there.”
Each injection required four days of rest in-between, calling for an extended stay in Spain, he said.
“I know and trust lots of people in Spain that I used to work with before," he said. "I needed four days in between every shot. I did it four times, so that’s why I stayed longer.”
Doncic said he's been running, but he's yet to reintroduce any contact.
Doncic said it has been hard to watch while knowing he can't yet participate.
“It's very frustrating. I don't think people understand how frustrating it is," Doncic said. "All I want to do is play basketball, especially this time. It's the best time to play basketball. It's very frustrating to see what my team is doing, I'm very proud of them, but it's been very tough to watch.”
At the same time, the six-time NBA All-Star is aware that coming back too soon would put him at risk.
“It's a tough one for me. I've come back from injuries too soon before, and it wasn't the best result," he said. ”This is the first time I have a hamstring injury. It's not the same like other injuries. You have to be very careful. I'm doing everything to come back."
The Thunder host the Lakers in Game 2 on Thursday night.
