More than a decade later, Paul is still reflecting on the emotional roller coaster that surrounded one of basketball’s biggest “what if” scenarios.
Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets (L) passes the ball as Derek Fisher of Los Angeles Lakers defends. EPA
Appearing on “The Pat McAfee Show,” the future Hall of Fame point guard revisited the controversial scrapped trade that would have paired him with Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles before then-NBA commissioner David Stern stepped in and vetoed the deal.
“It was very wild to say the least,” Paul said. “I remember where I was, and me and Kobe had actually got on the phone and talked that night. And then yeah, it was basically like a little s–t storm from there.”
NBA commissioner David Stern takes a question from a reporter during a news conference AP
At the time, Paul’s New Orleans Hornets were owned by the NBA and operated by Stern after former owner George Shinn’s financial issues forced the league to take control of the franchise. Paul explained that once the lockout ended, he believed the trade was complete.
In an earlier interview with McAfee, Paul noted concerns from team owners after the league emerged from contentious collective bargaining negotiations may have been a significant turning point.
Paul was serving on the executive committee during those talks.
Chris Paul revisits the NBA’s vetoed Lakers deal and the Kobe partnership that never happened. REUTERS
That is when everything changed.
“It was a crazy time, and just knowing the emotional roller coaster that it was at the time was, was really different. But I got the phone call basically that this trade ain’t happening no more.”
The fallout changed NBA history. Rather than joining Bryant, Paul was eventually traded across the hallway to the Clippers, where he helped launch the “Lob City” era alongside Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.
While Paul built a lasting legacy with the Clippers, the thought of a Bryant-Paul backcourt remains one of the league’s most fascinating alternate realities. For Lakers fans, it’s still impossible not to wonder how many championships that partnership might have produced.
DALLAS, TX - JANUARY 29: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks drives to the basket as Kon Knueppel #7 of the Charlotte Hornets plays defense during the game on January 29, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Cooper Neill/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
NBA greats LeBron James and Steve Nash sat down on The Mind the Game podcast to talk about Cooper Flagg and his former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel, and who had the most upside.
That’s no knock on Knueppel, who had an unbelievable rookie year, vastly exceeding expectations.
He played like he’s been in the league for a decade. It’s very rare to see a guy his age with that level of maturity and sophistication.
Our comparison is to Chris Mullin. Like Mullin, he is not overly athletic, but he lives and breathes the game, and is about as efficient as he can possibly be.
Flagg, though, is something else entirely.
Like Knueppel, he is way ahead of schedule. It took him a few weeks to settle in after the point guard experiment, but it all paid off. Flagg was doing things that, like Knueppel, are far beyond his age.
However, Flagg’s athleticism is a level or two above Knueppel’s. He dominated some amazing athletes this year, and he’s just 18. You may remember a video we linked to where he just completely frustrated Joel Embiid, who ended up just throwing his hands up – literally.
When Flagg fills out, he’s going to be impossible to stop.
Editor’s Note: As the Celtics begin an uncertain offseason, Insider Chris Forsberg is rolling out a three-part series called “The Path,” in which he breaks down three potential avenues for president of basketball operations Brad Stevens to take this summer. You can read Part I (minor tweaks)and Part II (the middle road) here.Today: the series finale.
Call us hopeless romantics. We love a fairy-tale ending. Maybe that’s the writer in us. When we ponder the Boston Celtics’ most endearing path forward, it almost always involves Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown overcoming the latest adversity together to return to the NBA mountaintop.
This story has already had plenty of twists and turns. The chapters have piled up. There were early successes and frustrating setbacks. The Jays finally reached the title stage in 2022, only to get stiff-armed by the veteran Warriors. A jarring overhaul to the supporting cast around the Jays helped the duo finally deliver that elusive Banner 18 in 2024.
Tatum’s torn Achilles stunted dreams of a repeat, and Brown’s magical 2025-26 campaign as the focal point of the team ended in bitter disappointment with a first-round playoff exit.
Which delivers our protagonists to their latest crossroads. The Celtics must plot a path forward, one in which a restrictive new collective bargaining agreement makes it unclear if two max-money superstars are a viable long-term luxury for any team.
For Part III of our annual summer path series, we’re left to ponder maybe the most unsavory option: major changes to the foundation of the Celtics franchise.
Another disclaimer: Just because we are examining this pathway doesn’t mean we’re championing it. That said, what surprised us as we’ve gone about the exercise of pondering all the paths — from Small Tweaks to Medium Tweaks — is that, if the team feels that something more than minor changes are necessary to be a legitimate contender again, then a major overhaul might be the team’s best chance to get where it wants to go.
We say it often — especially after seasons end earlier than expected — but the Celtics’ brass has to examine all pathways. It’s front office malpractice not to.
Maybe, at the end of the day, they decide there is no surefire upgrade available and elect to march forward with the Jays. But they have to at least ponder the alternatives.
And so shall we.
Mission statement
With goals of 1) Maximizing money allocation under a prohibitive and apron-filled collective bargaining agreement and 2) Extending the window for the next title run, the Celtics make the swallow-hard decision to trade one of their two superstars.
The ultimate goal: Create a team with one big-money centerpiece, then build a deep roster around them featuring a blend of mid-tier and minimum-salary players.
The path
Trade Tatum or Brown.
Remain under the tax for one more season, creating freedom to build a high-level supporting cast around the remaining centerpiece long term.
Part of the reason we’ve pushed back on the idea of that potential swap is because it doesn’t solve the long-term money issue. You still have two players making max money and you are likely shortening your title window at a time when you can’t freely spend to stockpile around that duo.
Maybe it comes to pass that Antetokounmpo is far and away the best available player this summer, and the Celtics have to consider it if the team believes the core of this team has run its course. We simply believe this deal introduces too much unnecessary risk.
In our mind, the bigger conversation is whether you can start the process of getting younger and extending your window if you elect to move on from Tatum or Brown, all while remaining competitive and not sacrificing prime years of whatever player remains.
But trying to find a deal that brings back a combination of established and future talent, especially on the level of one of the Jays, is no easy task.
The wish list
Some half-baked trade ideas to get the brain rolling:
1. A deal with the Clippers that brings back Kawhi Leonard and the No. 5 pick in this year’s NBA Draft.
The soon-to-be 35-year-old Leonard is entering the final season of his contract that will pay him $50.3 million next season — at least $7 million less than what Tatum ($58.5 million) and Brown ($57.1 million) will earn in 2026-27.
The Celtics still have pathways to remaining under the tax this season while adding a high draft pick who can infuse low-cost, high-upside talent and help extend Boston’s title window. The drama that tends to follow Leonard might be tough to embrace, but he finished one spot behind Brown in MVP voting this season while appearing in 65 games.
Imagn Iamges
The Celtics actually could trim salary by including Brown or Tatum in a deal for Kawhi Leonard.
2. A deal with the Pelicans for Dejounte Murray and Trey Murphy III.
The Celtics essentially split one of their max-money slots while bringing in a former All-Star in Murray, and a potential future All-Star in the offensive-minded Murphy III.
The other wrinkle here: The Celtics could take Murphy III into the Anfernee Simons traded player exception, potentially creating a valuable new TPE that could further aid the team in roster construction during the summer of 2027 when pesky repeater penalties are eliminated.
3. Deals involving Lauri Markkanen, Amen Thompson or Scottie Barnes.
Nothing you can drum up feels quite right. We’d call the Jazz about Markkanen, whose contract is slightly more digestible long term.
We’d dial up the Rockets to see if you can pry some of their young pieces, — especially Thompson — and take on salary filler.
We’d contact the Raptors about Barnes, if only because there are only so many players in their mid-20s making less-than-max money who can even be pried from their current team.
What it looks like
We suspect that, at the end of the day, none of these moves would be enough to make the Celtics break up their core. Our guess is that Boston would have to be overwhelmed by a collection of young talent and picks to even ponder moving one of the Jays.
But the ability to build a deeper roster with only one max-salary player is undeniably intriguing. Just look at the last teams playing this season.
The Knicks can pay five players north of $20 million because Jalen Brunson is on a sweetheart deal and only Karl-Anthony Towns makes max money.
The Thunder are steamrolling toward major financial decisions next year when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s contract rises to max money, but they can stomach at least one more season with as many as six players making $17+ million.
The Spurs are in great position with so many players on rookie deals and eventually can pivot off De’Aaron Fox’s money if resources are needed to pay the next deals for Victor Wembanyama and Co.
The new collective bargaining agreement made the math game tough. The Celtics got ahead of the curve in the summer of 2023 and were rewarded with Banner 18. Now they need to figure out if they can make the math work to give the Jays another shot at winning it all.
ST. LOUIS, MO - JUNE 01: Manager Oliver Marmol #37 of the St. Louis Cardinals talks to the media prior to the game between the Texas Rangers and the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Monday, June 1, 2026 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Ali Overstreet/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Today I would like to take a look at who Baseball Savant’s statcast evaluation style compares our current favorite baseball players to. We will use a Savant tool to show a Cardinal hitter profile, and see how it compares with the stats we use every day. wRC+ means weighted runs created, and the + means it has been adjusted to compare a player to league average. 100 is average.
Burleson so far best compares to Adley Rutschman’s hitter profile. Burleson barrels a few more, but he also strikes out a little more. They both can be gotten out by poorly topped and poorly under hits. All in all they are pretty similar from a hitter’s profile perspective. The .88 correlation outdoes the other players close to Burly’s style. Another notable player is Freddie Freeman!
The difference in execution: Burleson has a higher on-base percentage, and Rutschman has a lot more power.
Winn vs Bazzana
Here, we find a much more questionable correlation, but we are looking at batter profiles here. Not necessarily production.
What do I hope this means? Winn has a lot of unlocked potential if he compares closest to a Travis Bazzana hitting profile at .82 correlation. This is not as strong a correlation as in the previous example, but Travis Bazzana is the closest. If Winn can up his hitting across the board, this is the absolute ceiling. He will need to lower his K rate a little bit, take a few more walks, and maybe turn more of those flare burners into harder-hit balls, and of course, tap into his full potential. If he comps closest to a good hitter, this is encouraging.
What does this really mean? Kyle Isbel is another close comp, who matches up closest in offense stat categories, as well as the hitting profile. Isbel is probably a little worse hitter than Winn, but is more where Winn wants to be on the ISO charts. Isbel may be the floor comparison, as his walk rate and strikeout rates are even worse than what Winn has done this year.
Why are left-handed hitters comparing most closely with Winn’s hitting profile? I have no idea, but maybe he hits it the opposite way a lot.
How about Ivan Herrera? So far in 2026, JP Crawford is his closest player similarity score by statcast.
First off, Crawford has a terrible BABIP of .226 this season. So that might explain some of the difference in the wRC+ score. Herrera has a relatively normal BABIP of .296. Somehow Crawford has outdone Herrera in BB% with a ridiculous 15% walk rate. It probably helped that he walked 3 times last night! I was surprised ANYONE had a higher walk rate than Herrera, but this is next level. They have nearly the same ISO, but Crawford strikes out more. However, they both poorly top the ball a lot, and have their fair share of flare burners.
It is also notable that Randy Arozarena is his second closest player similarity score by batting profile.
Gorman and Jensen both walk at about the same rate, but as we all know Gorman’s K rate is next level. Jensen’s is not far behind though! Both players have 7 HR and a low BABIP, suggesting they might both get a little better. Gorman and Jensen are going to suffer a poor K rate, together in spirit.
The black circles in the graphic above are for Strikeout, and Gorman and Jensen lead the pack with that black hole in their swing. Do we like the 2nd closest hitter profile comparison in fellow third baseman Yoan Moncada? No, no we don’t. Moving on!
JJ Wetherholt and Jordan Walker don’t compare all that closely with any hitters just yet, so I”m going to profile them later in an article, with more in-depth coverage. I’d like to see Nathan Church play more first, as well.
My my, how things have changed! And look at that guy Nootbaar all over the leader boards. The more things change, the more they stay the same. I hope he’s ok, and able to have a career second half.
I will get back to the music writing soon, if I can find the time! I ran out of time again tonight. Next week…
OK, so this is a shot from a Tigers-Yankees game, but it does depict Don Kolloway stealing home, as he did at the front of a ninth-inning triple-steal on this day, 83 years ago.
1943 Holding a slim 5-4 lead in the top of the ninth at Fenway Park, the White Sox rallied to load the bases with two outs. With Mike Tresh at the plate, Don Kolloway broke from third base and scored before Red Sox pitcher Oscar Judd could deliver the ball home, with Luke Appling stealing third base and Joe Kuhel second. As the ball got away from catcher Roy Partee, Appling attempted to scamper home from second but was tagged out to end the inning.
The Carmines went down in order, taking the 6-4 defeat and improving the White Sox to 15-16 on the season.
1963 With the White Sox in first place, another freak injury occurred that was reminiscent of past bizarre circumstances, costing the team dearly. First baseman Joe Cunningham, who hit .295 with 70 RBIs and 101 walks in 1962, broke his collarbone in Los Angeles running out a ground ball in the fifth inning.
Cunninghamwas trying to avoid stepping on Angels first baseman Charlie Dees’ foot, so he twisted and lost his balance, tripping over the bag and crashing down to the ground; a wild throw from second baseman Billy Moran that started the sequence.
Cunningham didn’t return until September. Tommy McCraw was called up to replace him, but just couldn’t fill the bill. The team’s decline set in quickly after Cunningham’s injury, even though the club finished the season in second place at 94-68, 10 ½ games behind the Yankees.
1995 After the White Sox had gone almost four years without a sayonara home run, Dave Martinez connected with a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth to win, 10-6, vs. Detroit. It was Chicago’s fourth walk-off in new Comiskey history.
Although the homer didn’t save the White Sox from a loss, as the game was tied heading into last ups, there was still drama. Lance Johnson and Tim Raines were retired, and then a two-out rally began, as Frank Thomas worked a walk from reliever Joe Boever and Mike Devereaux singled him to second. Then the decision was made to intentionally walk Robin Ventura to get to Martinez, a disrespect that apparently made Dave none too happy: On a 1-2 pitch, the right fielder ripped a screamer deep and out into the right-field stands.
It was the second straight walk-off win for the White Sox, in the middle of five other losses.
2001 Speaking of walk-offs at Sox Park, Paul Konerko crushed a three-run homer deep to left in the bottom of the 10th to spur a 9-6 win over Detroit. The South Siders fell behind, 6-0, in the eighth, before reeling off nine unanswered runs for the win.
With one out in the ninth, Chris Singleton clocked a double to tie the game, 6-6, against Detroit closer Todd Jones (Singleton was thrown out trying to stretch his hit into a triple). Then, in the 10th, Herbert Perry singled with two outs against Jones, who then balked Perry to second and intentionally walked Ray Durham. Matt Anderson took over for Jones, ran the count to two balls vs. PK, then served up a center-cut, triple-digit fastball to the slugger.
The comeback fueled hope that the defending division champs could get back on track (the win got them to just 23-30 on the season, already buried deep behind Minnesota in the AL Central); alas, the Sox would get no closer than 6 ½ games all season, finishing at 83-79.
2019 With the No. 3 overall pick in the MLB draft, the White Sox picked Andrew Vaughn, a first baseman from the University of California. The slugger won the Golden Spikes Award in 2018.
It marked just the third time since 1977 (Harold Baines, first overall) that the White Sox had such a high draft pick (2013, Carlos Rodón, No. 3 overall). Vaughn took an unorthodox route to the majors, jumping in 2021 from High-A to the South Side after missing the entire 2020 season due to the pandemic. Vaughn became the first player from the 2019 draft to make the majors.
That route appears not to have worked, given Vaughn’s unorthodox route out of the majors, namely being demoted in May 2025 after a horrible start to his MLB season. In fact, over five seasons and 610 games, Vaughn registered just 0.3 WAR for the White Sox — a No. 3 overall pick whose value is of a replacement player.
The White Sox beat the Tigers, 2-1, at Guaranteed Rate Field — with every run in the game scoring on wild pitches! That had never happened before since the live ball (1920) was introduced to the game.
The winning run scored in the last of the 10th when Detroit pitcher Jose Cisnero’s 97 mph fastball struck home plate umpire Cory Blaser in the face mask, knocking him down and bounding away from home plate. Yoán Moncada scored on the play.
The Spurs haven't hoisted the Larry O'Brien Trophy since 2014, and New York has waited even longer, last celebrating a title when the nation was enthralled by the Watergate scandal.
All eyes will be on Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, the 22-year-old phenom, who has taken the basketball world by storm. But the Knicks, who have the No. 1 ranked offense and defense in the 2026 playoffs, have been absolutely dominant in their postseason run and are beating teams by 19.4 points per game, including series-clinching victories of 51, 30, and 37 points.
Here are the seven players who could have the biggest impact on the NBA Finals:
2026 Playoffs: 23.2 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 3.5 bpg, 2.7 apg
Before long, Wembanyama will be heading up lists as the best player in the entire league, but for now, he will have to be option No. 1 for the best player that will be the difference between the Spurs winning and losing this season. Wembanyama can score at all three levels, and his defense can erase any mistake his teammates allow, and that will be imperative, especially with the Knicks, who can easily go to their inside game when the outside shot is not falling.
When Brunson is on his game, he is an absolute problem, and there is no one on the Spurs who can handle him if he gets going. Whenever he is on the floor, Brunson will be the smallest player, so San Antonio can negate his effectiveness by making him work on the defense end, something the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers failed to do, and that's why those teams are sitting at home.
Once Towns became the focus point of the offense, New York never looked back. That is not saying he needs to lead the team in scoring, but his passing ability and overall presence have sparked the Knicks' suddenly potent fast-break game. Towns can also cause issues if San Antonio decides to be bold and have Wembanyama guard Towns.
The one player who has stepped up big time in New York's impressive playoff run is Anunoby. He has dealt with a hamstring injury earlier in the postseason, but his availability is key. He is a reliable third scoring option, and his defense can be the catalyst for stopping the Spurs' litany of quick guards who want nothing more than to create posters featuring helpless defenders.
Speaking of poster creators, Castle has upped his game even from his impressive Rookie of the Year campaign. Castle's game is at its best when he is under control, and at times in the seven-game triumph against the Thunder, turning it over 26 times to go with 53 assists. He is more than capable of turning on the scoring load, especially when or if Wembanyama is on the bench.
Fox's ankle, which has sidelined him for numerous playoff games, has been an issue. Even though Wembanyama is the offensive linchpin, Fox is no slouch and has averaged 20 or more points in six different seasons and can take over a game if he needs to. If he gets his transition game going on a consistent basis, it might be game over for the Knicks.
The enigma that is Josh Hart could be most interesting in the NBA Finals. He will simply do the dirty work and do things that don't show up in the stat sheet; he is an excellent rebounder for his height and can make life a living hell for scorers with his defense. If you leave him open, he has made teams pay, as he did in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cavaliers, scoring 26 points and hitting five three-pointers.
NHL players get praise from all sorts of sources, but none means more to them than that of their peers. That is especially true when it comes from peers who have been incredibly successful in their own careers.
That is what Chicago Blackhawks forward Oliver Moore received from Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk.
On the latest episode of his podcast "Wing Man", which he hosts with his brother and Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk, Matthew gave Moore his flowers after playing with him at the IIHF World Championships.
The two represented Team USA together in Switzerland. They lost to Canada in the Quarterfinals, but the young squad took major strides as the tournament went along.
Tkachuk, when praising Moore, said that he is going to be a great player in the NHL for a long time. Tkachuk credited Moore's skills, but also his speed, which is so obviously his best asset.
Moore was a first-round pick, 19th overall, in the 2023 NHL Draft. Since then, he has gone to the University of Minnesota, played some games in the AHL, and begun his NHL career.
In 60 total NHL games played, Moore has 5 goals and 14 assists for 19 points. He has shown the ability to impact games at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill. Again, his speed is a factor in every facet of the game.
It still remains to be seen what kind of point totals Moore will max out at, but he is an everyday NHL forward no matter what. The Blackhawks would love if he became a star producer, but they know they have a speedy solid middle-six forward at minimum.
Matthew Tkachuk has been a wildly impressive player since becoming the sixth overall pick by the Calgary Flames in the 2016 NHL Draft.
In his 673-game NHL career, he has 253 goals, 417 assists, and 670 points. All of this comes while being one of the game's best "pests". His resume also includes two Stanley Cups and an Olympic Gold Medal.
Tkachuk knows what it takes to be triumphant as an individual and as a team at the highest level. Him seeing great things in Oliver Moore is a sign of good things to come for the young Blackhawks forward.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting on the article below on THN.com or by creating your own post in our community forum.
The British rider and unvarnished free spirit is in a good place heading into the Tour de France next month
When Tom Pidcock talks about how it feels to chase down the greatest cyclist of his generation, his language is so vivid you can almost taste the salt-baked sweat on Tadej Pogacar’s jersey.
May 31, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) walks to the dugout after retiring the side against the Houston Astros during the seventh inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images
Jacob Misiorowski just almost went a whole month without allowing a run. Over 38 1/3 innings across six starts, he had a 0.23 ERA, he struck out 57 batters, and he walked only six.
It’s an arbitrary cutoff, but there are only four other pitchers in the history of baseball to strike out at least 57 batters and have an ERA as low as Misiorowski’s 0.23 in any six-start span: Hall of Famer Rube Waddell, who did it twice during the Deadball Era; R.A. Dickey, during his 2012 Cy Young year; Félix Hernández, during his 2010 Cy Young year; and Chris Sale in 2018, when he finished fourth in Cy Young voting despite making only 27 starts.
While Misiorowski’s six-start stretch was not the greatest in the history of baseball—it may not even have been the best in the last month, with a tip of the cap to Cristopher Sánchez—I did wonder if it was the best that Brewers fans had ever seen from one of their players.
There is a compelling case, but there’s also one mammoth, overlooked figure from the franchise’s history who needs to be given his due. Here are, from 7-to-1, the seven best six-start spans in Brewer history, according to me.
Note: A couple of these extend for more than six games. To keep things simple, in those cases I’ve taken the best six games from whatever the longer streak is, and I did not include another streak-within-a-streak. However, if a player had multiple distinct streaks, I considered them.
Another note: I will reference the Bill James stat “Game Score” in this piece. Game Score is a single number that’s used to put a sort of quick and dirty rating on a start, but in general it’s pretty accurate at reflecting effectiveness. It is calculated this way:
Start at 50
Add 1 point for each out and 2 points for each completed inning after the fourth
Add 1 point for each strikeout
Subtract 2 points for each hit, 4 points for each earned run, 2 points for each unearned run, and 1 point for each walk
7. Corbin Burnes, April 13 – May 13 2022
40 2/3 IP, 71 average Game Score, 1.33 ERA, 2.62 FIP, 53 K, 5 BB
Surprise: Burnes’ best stretch as a Brewer did not come during his 2021 Cy Young season. It came at the beginning of the next year.
At his best, Burnes was an absolute assassin. He didn’t walk anyone. He never missed spots. His best stretch put those things on display. The remarkable thing here is the walks: just five in 40 2/3 innings. He had double-digit strikeouts in three straight starts from April 19-May 1, and allowed only six runs total.
Somehow, Milwaukee only went 3-3 in these games. But it was still an awe-inspiring display of control, and Burnes’ 10.6 K:BB ratio during the span is the best of any of the contending seasons.
6. Brandon Woodruff, May 1 – May 30 2021
42 IP, 73 average Game Score, 1.07 ERA, 2.48 FIP, 49 K, 8 BB
Here you have it: during Burnes’ Cy Young season, it was Woodruff who had the best six-game stretch. And what’s even more impressive is that it was all part of a much larger streak: from April 7th, Woodruff’s second start of the season, through June 6th, he made 12 starts, never allowed more than two runs, had a 1.25 ERA, and struck out 92 batters while walking 15 in 79 innings.
By Game Score, the six starts he made in May were the best six. Woodruff completed at least seven innings in four of those, and had double-digit strikeouts in three, one of which was a 7 2/3 innings, 10 strikeout, one walk, three hit, one run gem over the division rival Cardinals on May 12th.
5. CC Sabathia, July 13 – August 8 2008
51 innings, 74 average Game Score, 1.41 ERA, 2.33 FIP, 47 K, 7 BB
Picking a six-game stretch for Sabathia as a Brewer is hard. There’s a different six-game stretch that overlaps with this one by one game that’s arguably just as impressive: if you start on August 8th and go to September 5th, his ERA actually drops to 0.96 (though he didn’t throw quite as many innings and walked a few more batters, which accounts for the slight drop in average game score from 74 to 72). There’s also no real way to squeeze in his brilliant and meaningful starts in the last two games of the season, because he allowed eight runs (though only five were earned) in the two starts prior to those last two.
Sabathia wasted no time as a Brewer. In his first start with the club on July 8th, he allowed three runs (two earned) in six innings. Pretty good. But after that, he ripped off an 11-game stretch in which he had a 1.31 ERA, struck out 89, and walked 15 in 89 innings. He completed six of those games, three of which were shutouts. Sabathia personally went 8-0, and the team was 10-1.
The best six-game stretch by Game Score is from his second start on July 13th through August 8th. The first of three of those were all complete game victories; in those 27 innings he struck out 26 and walked three, culminating with a 3-0 shutout of the Cardinals. After a brief hiccup against the Cubs on July 28th in which he gave up four runs (three earned) in 6 2/3, Sabathia continued with 8 1/3 innings of two-run ball against the Braves and a nine-strikeout, one-walk shutout of the Nationals.
Sabathia’s best start by Game Score with the Brewers that season—and the best of his 19-year Hall-of-Fame career—came on August 31st in Pittsburgh. That’s the game where he was a bunt-hit away from a no-hitter and struck out 11.
4. Teddy Higuera, August 15 – September 10 1988
48 1/3 IP, 76 average Game Score, 0.93 ERA, 1.57 FIP, 44 K, 10 BB
We’ll see Higuera again below for what he did during the 1987 season, but by some measures, the streak he had in 1988 was better. The 1987 one was special for a different reason which we’ll get to, but by the measures of ERA and FIP, his 1988 streak was better.
From August 15 to September 10, Higuera made six starts and completed at least seven innings in all of them. In four of those, he allowed one run (one of which was unearned); in the other two, he allowed zero and two runs. His ERA for the streak was 0.93, and his FIP was a microscopic 1.57.
The Brewers went 5-1 during the streak, but how could you blame Higuera for the loss? Against Seattle on September 10th, he threw a complete game and allowed only three hits, but Seattle won 1-0.
Two starts especially stand out. On August 25th, Higuera went the distance against the Yankees, allowed only three hits, walked one, and struck out nine; that Yankee lineup had two Hall-of-Famers (Rickey Henderson and Dave Winfield) and two Hall-of-Very-Gooders (Don Mattingly and Jack Clark) at the top. The other was an outing against the Tigers on September 4th; Higuera held that talented team to one hit while shutting them out for seven innings.
3. Mike Caldwell, June 28 – July 22 1978
56 IP, 75 average Game Score, 1.13 ERA, 2.59 FIP, 25 K, 7 BB
My list of potential streaks here included 22 different six-start spans. Of that group, Caldwell’s 56 innings were the most. If you do a little math here, you’ll come to the realization that 56 divided by six is more than nine. Yes, during this streak, Caldwell averaged 9 1/3 innings per start. He also had the lowest BB/9 of any of the contenders at just 1.1.
The streak started with a complete game shutout of the Yankees—the eventual World Series champs—on June 28th. On July 2nd, Caldwell went 10 innings in an eventual 4-3, 11-inning loss. (Of historical note: Seattle’s starting pitcher in this game was named, and I am not making this up, Dick Pole.) On July 7th, Caldwell shut out the Yankees again. That lineup in 1978 had six different guys who got MVP votes, including one Hall of Famer (Reggie Jackson) and two or three more guys who should be in the Hall (Thurman Munson, Graig Nettles, Willie Randolph).
On July 13th, the Brewers blew out the Royals 13-2, but heck, why not let Caldwell complete the game? On July 17th, he pitched all nine innings of a 6-1 victory over the White Sox.
The cherry on top of this streak was a 10-inning complete game against the Rangers on July 22nd. In those 10 innings, Caldwell only struck out one batter. The internet tells me it was 95 degrees that day in Dallas. The Rangers played outside back then. It was a night game, at least. Milwaukee won 2-1.
2. Jacob Misiorowski, May 1 – May 31 2026
38 1/3 IP, 77 average Game Score, 0.23 ERA, 0.66 FIP, 57 K, 6 BB
The thing about Game Score is that it rewards innings pitched. You rack up points by accruing outs; a player who pitches six innings starts with a 72 Game Score before factoring in anything else, while a pitcher who goes nine starts with an 87 Game Score. Those extra innings add up.
That’s what makes it so impressive that Misiorowski managed the second-highest average Game Score for any streaking Brewers starter, despite throwing less than 40 innings.*
*Technically, there are five six-game streaks ahead of Misiorowski, but they all belong to the same 1987 stretch by Higuera (see below).
This is fresh in our brains, so I won’t spend a ton of time, but a few things from Miz May:
The Brewers went 5-1 during the streak; in the only game they lost, Misiorowski handed a 1-0 lead to his bullpen after seven shutout innings.
Miz struck out at least eight batters in all six games and had double digits three times.
That he walked just six batters in those six games is remarkable. That equates to 1.4 BB/9. Across four minor league seasons, Misiorowski’s BB/9 was 5.4, and last season in the majors it was 4.2.
Misiorowski’s K/9 in those six games was 13.4. The current record for a pitcher with at least 1,000 innings pitched is Blake Snell at 11.2. (13.4 K/9 is actually below Miz’s season average of 13.7, which leads baseball, obviously.)
Misiorowski allowed one extra-base hit during his six starts, a double with one out and nobody on to Isaac Paredes on Sunday. Opponents slugged .110 against him. Ben Sheets slugged .134 in 2004.
1. Higuera, August 10 – September 6 1987
53 IP, 80 average Game Score, 1.19 ERA, 2.38 FIP, 45 K, 16 BB
I think this has to be the answer to this question, and here’s why: in the last three of these six games, Higuera threw three straight shutouts. One of them was ten innings.
Higuera’s start of August 26th, 1987 against Cleveland is tied for the second-best game in Brewers history by Game Score.* Higuera went all ten innings, struck out ten, walked two, and allowed just three hits. Milwaukee’s Rick Manning walked off future Brewer Doug Jones in the bottom of the tenth with an RBI single.
*This is a fun list:
Number one, also against Cleveland, is the game when Burnes combined with Josh Hader for a no-hitter. Burnes went eight, struck out 14, and walked one for a 95 Game Score.
Two starts are tied with Higuera with a 94 Game Score: on September 27, 1974, Jim Colborn threw the first 13 innings of a 1-0, 17-inning loss to Baltimore. He walked six and gave up eight hits but didn’t allow a run.
The other is Sheets’ 18-strikeout game. He went nine, allowed three hits and a run, and walked one.
Sabathia’s near-no-hitter, cited above, is just behind those four, at 93.
Juan Nieves’ no-hitter, the only single-person no-hitter in team history, scores an 89, tied for 13th. He walked five and “only” struck out seven in that game.
In his next start, Higuera allowed just one hit and two walks while striking out nine in a 2-0 shutout of the Royals. Another close game! Ross Jones hit a two-out triple in the bottom of the eighth in a 0-0 game, which was the only thing preventing a Higuera no-hitter. But the next batter popped out, Milwaukee got two two-out runs off of Kansas City ace Bret Saberhagen in the top of the ninth, and Higuera sat down Willie Wilson, Kevin Seitzer, and George Brett in order in the bottom of the ninth.
The third shutout came against that season’s World Series champions, the Minnesota Twins. The Brewers won comfortably, 6-0… but they were only ahead 1-0 until the 6th and 2-0 until the 8th. The Twins only managed two hits and three walks, and Higuera struck out seven. A weird piece of trivia for anyone who likes seeing baseball legends on the “wrong team”: the losing pitcher in this game was Steve Carlton! It was the eighth-to-last appearance of his 24-year, 741-game career.
So that’s the three shutouts that Higuera threw toward the end of the 1987 season. But while he wasn’t quite at that level in the three games before that, he was still good. In the first game of this streak on August 10th, Higuera threw the first 11 innings of a 12-inning, 4-3 win over the Rangers. He lost a duel with Baltimore’s Mike Flanagan on August 15th but threw all eight innings and allowed just two runs in the loss. The only game of the streak that Higuera didn’t go at least eight innings was on August 20th, when he allowed two runs on three hits in six innings. But Milwaukee was up 14-2 when he left that game, so they must’ve decided they could let the bullpen get some work.
The last note about this 1987 streak: it was really an eight-game streak. From August 5th through September 11th, Higuera had a 1.27 ERA in 71 innings and averaged a Game Score of 79. Pretty darn good.
A couple quick honorable mentions, for fun:
Cal Eldred had a 0.58 ERA over 46 2/3 innings from August 14th to September 13th of his magical 1992 rookie season.
Rubén Quevedo (!) had a six-game stretch with a 0.68 ERA from May 7th to June 5th, 2002… though the first of those six appearances was a scoreless one-inning relief appearance.
Somebody named Bill Parsons had a six-game stretch in July and early August of 1972 which included four straight complete games. Two were shutouts, and in a third he allowed zero earned runs (but still lost).
Chris Bosio had an excellent season in 1989, and that was largely due to a stretch from July 19th through August 12th in which he had a 0.77 ERA in 47 innings.
Sheets’ 18-strikeout game was included in a stretch where he allowed nine runs in 46 innings (a 1.76 ERA), struck out 48, and walked only eight.
Finally, Jim Slaton had a stretch from August 18 to September 11, 1974, when he had a 0.54 ERA over 50 innings. The peripherals were ugly: he had just a 1.7 strikeout-to-walk ratio. But he was effective.
Jun 2, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jhoan Duran (59) celebrates win after striking out San Diego Padres left fielder Jase Bowen (4) (not pictured) to end the game in the ninth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
I know the big news is the Phillies winning last night, but how about how impressively bad the Padres are at hitting with runners in scoring position? I think McCarthy said they were 0 for their last 27 against the Phillies? That’s just horrid.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JUNE 02: Gleyber Torres #25 of the Detroit Tigers rounds the bases on his lead-off home run in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on June 02, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After getting Monday off on their way back from the west coast, the Yankees returned to action Tuesday night, opening a series against the Guardians. And, well…it could have gone better.
For one, Aaron Judge was out of the lineup, as he apparently is dealing with a bone bruise, which flared up over the weekend in Sacramento. On the field, Cam Schlittler had arguably the worst start of his young career, as he gave up five runs in just 4.1 innings. Mainly thanks to Paul Goldschmidt, the Yankees’ offense kept going back and forth with Cleveland for a while. However eventually, more Guardians’ hits started to find some grass, and they pulled away and broke the game open.
While the Yankees will licking their wounds after that one, did the loss come back to haunt them in the standings? Let’s check in on Tuesday’s action in this morning’s Rivalry Roundup.
Detroit Tigers (24-38) 8, Tampa Bay Rays (36-22) 0
The Tigers have really been struggling following their playoff berths in the last two seasons, but you might not have known that in this one. They got to the Rays early an often, doing the Yankees a solid in the process.
Facing Rays’ starter Steven Matz, Detroit opened up a big lead early. In his return from the IL, Gleyber Torres took Matz deep on the fifth pitch of the game to open the scoring, and Wenceel Pérez added a two-run shot in the second. By the time the top of the second was over, the Tigers had opened up a 5-0 lead, and never really had any concerns after that.
Detroit also never really had any worries as their pitching had a big game themselves. Jack Flaherty opened the game with five scoreless innings, scattering five hits and two walks. After him, reliever Enmanuel De Jesus came in and stream-rolled the rest of the way. De Jesus inherited a runner from Flaherty when he came in for the sixth and immediately induced a double play. He then retired every batter he faced after that, meaning that he managed to throw four innings despite facing just 11 batter.
The Tigers’ offense tacked on another couple runs from there, recording 10 hits on the day, and coming away with the victory.
Other Games
Atlanta Braves (41-20) 4, Toronto Blue Jays (29-32) 3: Despite outhitting the Braves 9-6, the Blue Jays couldn’t cash in more on their opportunities, dooming them to a one-run loss. Toronto managed to quickly come back after Atlanta had taken a 2-0 lead in the first, but eventually they couldn’t continue answering after falling behing. Matt Olson’s towering sixth-inning homer just cleared the right field fence, and ended up breaking the tie for good and giving the Braves the win.
Seattle Mariners (33-29) 8, New York Mets (26-35) 3: The Mariners racked up 8 runs on 11 hits, including a trio of home runs, to dash the Mets’ Bullpen Game plans. While the Mets were initially able to answer an early 2-0 Seattle lead, the M’s started to add on and pull away after that. Right after the Mets tied the game at two in the top of the third, the Mariners responded with a run courtesy of two Mets’ errors in the bottom of the inning. Seattle then tacked on five more runs over the next couple innings, including three on a Jhonny Pereda homer.
Don’t look now, but the Detroit Tigers are undefeated in June after their 8-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Tuesday night. Sure, the month is only two days old, but the Motor City Kitties have already scored as many runs (18) over the past pair of games as they did in the final six-and-a-half games of May.
I have no clue what happened to this team when the calendar flipped, but I am loving it!
On Wednesday afternoon, AJ Hinch’s squad will try to complete the sweep of the Rays with right-hander Troy Melton on the mound. The 25-year-old has provided some much-needed quality innings in his two starts so far in the 2026 campaign, and hopefully, he can continue to do so in the finale of the three-game series.
This will be his first-ever appearance against Tampa Bay.
Up against him will be fellow righty Nick Martinez, who has been superb so far this season, throwing seven straight quality starts — including three straight coming into Wednesday — while allowing no more than two runs in any of his 11 outings. The 35-year-old’s strikeout numbers are not particularly impressive, but he has been extraordinarily stingy when it comes to handing out free passes.
The last time Martinez faced the Tigers was last year on June 13, when he allowed four runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out five over five frames to take the loss. Hopefully, Detroit can replicate that effort — or better — on Wednesday.
Here is a look at how the two match up.
Detroit Tigers (24-38) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (36-22)
Time (ET): 1:10 p.m. Place: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida SB Nation Site:DRaysBay Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 63: RHP Troy Melton (1-0, 1.42 ERA) vs. RHP Nick Martinez (5-1, 1.62 ERA)
Chris Suero of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies hits the ball during a Minor League Baseball game at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, United States, on May 17, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Early on, the RailRiders and Mets matched each other tit-for-tat, with both teams failing to score in the first and second and then both teams scoring a run apiece in the third and fourth. In the later innings, the RailRiders pulled ahead and took a lead that eventually proved too large for the Mets to catch up. They certainly did, rallying in the bottom of the ninth and scoring three runs- all with two outs- but Kevin Parada flied out to former Met Kennedy Corona to end things with the tying run on second.
Binghamton got shutout, logging only two hits- both Chris Suero singles. Suero also added a stolen base, and outside of a Nick Lorusso walk, that was literally all the Rumble Ponies managed on the evening.
Don’t look now, but the Brooklyn Cyclones are now the winners of their last 4- this one, sadly, was not a shutout. The BlueClaws got on the board first, scoring a run off of Noah Hall in the bottom of the second, but the Cyclones recouped that run and then some in the sixth. With Grae Kissinger on first, Corey Collins hit his fifth homer of the season off of the fence in right center into the “Jersey Shore” boardwalk area, putting Brooklyn on top. Dakota Hawkins pitched a 1-2-3 seventh, Ryan Dollar worked around a walk in the eighth, and Hoss Brewer did the same in the ninth, shutting the door on the BlueClaws and recording his second save.
2008 – Randy Johnson moves into second place on the all-time major league strikeout leaderboard. He strikes out eight in 6.1 innings, most importantly getting Mike Cameron in the 1st to pass Roger Clemens for second place with 4,673. The 44-year-old “Big Unit” trails only Nolan Ryan but will not catch him.
2012 – Carlos Zambrano hits his 24th career homer as the Marlins beat the Phillies, 5-1. That ties him with Bob Gibson for second-most dingers by a pitcher in the post-1962 era, still nine behind leader Earl Wilson.
1970 – Ray Davies of The Kinks travels round trip NY-London to change one word in “Lola,” (Coca-Cola to Cherry Cola) because of a BBC commercial reference ban.
1972 – “Hot Rod Lincoln” by Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen hits No. 9.
1976 – Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” goes Gold.
1992 – “MTV Unplugged” broadcasts singer-songwriter Paul Simon and 11 of his band members performing in Queens, NYC.
2013 – New Zealand teenage singer-songwriter Lorde releases her debut single “Royals”.
2019 – Jay-Z named the world’s first billionaire rapper by Forbes magazine.
2023 –Ed Sheeran concert with 77,900 concertgoers breaks attendance record at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Jun 2, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Baltimore Orioles third baseman Coby Mayo (16) celebrates hitting a home run against the Boston Red Sox during the second inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Good morning Birdland,
Beating divisional opponents is usually a good way to get yourself back into the playoff picture. Starting on May 25, the Orioles last eight games have been against AL East foes. They have gone 6-2 in those games. So it tracks that they have progressed from 12.5 games back of first place going into this stretch, and are now only 8.5 games back.
There are still five more games to go in this current AL East “gauntlet.” Two up in Fenway, and then a three-game stop in Toronto. If the O’s stay hot, they could mess around and get their overall record to .500 or better. That would really be something!
Last night’s win was close to an ideal game from the Orioles perspective.
Shane Baz was, once again, quite good. He tossed seven innings, struck out seven and allowed just the two runs. His ERA has steadily fallen over his last four starts, from 5.48 on May 9 to 4.29 today. And he has gone seven innings three times in that stretch as well. This is the pitcher that the Orioles hoped they were getting in that big deal with Tampa over the winter.
The bullpen only needed to cover two innings, but they were good and reliable. Andrew Kittredge got the hold in the eighth. It looks like he is all the way back from his early struggles. And Rico Garcia threw up another zero in the ninth, as he has been doing all season long. The Orioles really found something there.
It wasn’t the most impressive night from the offense, but their winning formula was on display. They hit a home run (two, in fact!), this time it was one off the bat of Coby Mayo and another from Pete Alonso. Usually they win games in which they go deep. And they continue to show an ability to manufacture a run, turning a Tyler O’Neill single into a “double” with a stolen base, and then having Leody Taveras bunt him over to third.
This shift in approach that allows for steals and bunts is refreshing. It feels like a rare moment of introspection where the Orioles realized that some parts of their lineup are weaker than others. Giving up an out with a bunt isn’t a terrible outcome if you are concerned that the player would otherwise strikeout or hit into a double play. Taveras has been a good trooper with all of this too, now leading the AL in sac bunts.
How quickly the vibe shifted around the Orioles is impressive. It took one good home stretch, and now these guys feel unbeatable. That won’t last forever. Every team has ebbs and flows. But for now, the Orioles have saved their season. Maybe this will be a fun summer after all.
Links
No righty has homered onto Eutaw Street. Here’s why Alonso could be the first | Orioles.com It’s probably not “impossible” for a right-handed hitter to get it out there, but man it would be a sight to see. Camden Yards is never a particularly windy park either, so it’s not like you are going to get the ball up into a jet stream. You are welcome to try though, Pete!
Some reasons for the Orioles getting on a roll | Roch Kubatko It’s an oversimplification, but nearly everyone is playing better than they were in April. It is particularly evident on the starting staff and then from the duo of Colton Cowser and Coby Mayo. Pair that with continued solid work from some of the other regulars, and suddenly you have the contender that many expected the Orioles to be.
The unexpected centerpiece of the Orioles’ rotation turnaround? Brandon Young. | The Baltimore Banner I was fortunate enough to be at Saturday’s game, which Young started. He looked good. Like, really good! He mixed pitches, maintained velocity, and kept an even demeanor throughout. I’m not gonna say he is the Orioles best pitcher, but he has certainly been a catalyst. His ability to get outs feels like it has put pressure on others to improve. And they certainly have done that.
Former MLB player, 26, intends to play college football at SMU | The Athletic Jordyn Adams played in 10 games for the Orioles last year. He had come to the team after being a top prospect with the Angels but never finding his footing at the big league level. Now, it seems he is ditching baseball altogether in favor of a football comeback.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
Brandon Waddell turns 32 today. He pitched in one game for the 2021 Orioles.
Ramón Urías is 32 years old. From 2020 through ‘25, Urías was a crucial utility player for the O’s, even winning a Gold Glove in 2022 for his work, and posting a solid 105 OPS+ in that time.
Robert Machado is 53 today. His O’s stint spanned parts of two seasons from 2003 to ‘04, when he was a reserve catcher for the big league squad.
Izzy Molina celebrates his 55th. He played in one game for the Orioles in 2002, which was still impressive because it came four years after he had last been in a major league game.
Aaron Ledesma is 55 today. The utilityman played for four different big league teams in just a five-year MLB career. That included the 1997 campaign spent in Baltimore.
Jim Gentile is 92 years old. The Orioles Hall of Famer spent four fantastic seasons in Baltimore from 1960 through ‘63. His standout year came in ‘61 when he hit .302/.423/.646 with 46 home runs and a league-leading 141 RBI. That earned him a third-place finish in MVP, behind Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle.
This day in O’s history
2019 – The annual amateur draft takes place today. Despite some rumors to the contrary, the Orioles do as they are expected and select Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman with the first overall pick.
Imagn Iamges
