The Cubs were the hottest team in baseball for most of the past week, winning their first five games of the week against the Reds and Rangers, the last five of their second 10-game winning streak of the year, which also extended their home winning streak to 15 (and an 18-5 record at Wrigley Field in 2026).
Then, clunk… no runs scored at all over the last two games.
Still, it was a successful week, all things considered. Here’s who was hot and not for the Cubs over the past week.
Three up
Michael Conforto has found his role
Conforto hadn’t played much since he filled in for Seiya Suzuki while the latter was out for the first 12 games of the season.
But Craig Counsell gave Conforto some playing time against the Reds and Rangers and his bat came alive. He batted .500/.588/1.143 (7-for-14) with three doubles and two home runs.
Busch got off to a terrible start this year, but lately he has been hitting like the guy who hit 34 home runs for the Cubs a year ago.
For the week, Busch batted .348/.500/.500 (8-for-23) with a double, a home run, six RBI and seven walks. And since he bottomed out with a .377 (!) OPS after the game of April 11, Busch is batting .302/.414/.479 (29-for-96) with six doubles, a triple, three home runs, 17 walks and 21 RBI in 26 games, one of the biggest reasons the Cubs are 21-5 in those games.
Imanaga is flashing the form that got him an All-Star selection and fifth place in Cy Young voting in 2024. It seems clear that he had never fully recovered last year from the hamstring injury. Now 100 percent healthy, Imanaga has a 28.3 percent strikeout rate and just a 7.0 percent walk rate.
He’s also getting tons of swing-and-miss. ranking seventh in MLB with a 32.8 percent whiff rate, which is notable given that Shōta doesn’t throw 95+ like everyone else on the list ahead of him.
Honorable mention to Ben Brown for his four no-hit innings against the Rangers on Friday.
Three down
What is going on with Alex Bregman?
Sometimes Bregman hits for a while — .333 /.400/.456 for a 13-game span from April 11-24.
And then he doesn’t — .174/.296/.217 (4-for-23) over the past week, though with four walks. His .328 season OBP does provide some value, but he’s got just five doubles, a triple and three home runs in 159 at-bats. That’s not the guy the Cubs thought they were getting.
Craig Counsell gave Bregman Sunday off. Hopefully the extra day will help him reset.
The Cubs DH/catcher (mostly DH) started the season out hot, so much so that it was hard to remember that he’s just 22 years old.
The league appears to have adjusted to him. He was 0-for-16 over the week and Sunday, he struck out three times (okay, so those were all by Jacob deGrom, a very tough pitcher).
Ballesteros can hit, no question about it. But he will now also have to make adjustments. If he can’t, I would not be opposed to sending him to Triple-A Iowa for a short time, if for nothing else than to help him get his confidence back.
Edward Cabrera got hit pretty hard
Cabrera made two starts during the week and allowed 16 hits and three walks over 11 innings (1.727 WHIP), and eight earned runs (6.55 ERA). He did strike out 14, and overall has a 22.4 percent K rate, down a bit from his 25.8 percent rate a year ago. I still think Cabrera is a perfectly solid starter and he’ll be fine.
Here’s an interesting thread about Cabrera. Worth keeping an eye on these things.
Edward Cabrera is throwing slower with different mechanics and pitch shapes.
Let's talk about this in a thread. I'll frame each post here as a question/answer.
Perhaps the Cubs are trying to manage his workload in a way that will keep him healthy this year, which has been an issue for him in the past. As always, we await developments.
May 7, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) reacts to hitting a two-run home run as he crosses home plate during the ninth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
I do my best to try and avoid ever thinking about the Tampa Bay Rays, but they have forced themselves upon my attention with some excellent play across the season’s first quarter. I’m writing this as Logan Henderson delivers his first pitch to Trent Grisham, and Tampa’s .658 winning percentage has them nominally atop the AL East, with two games in hand over the Yankees.
It’s a little rudimentary in 2026 to immediately look at run differential, but the Yankees should have an extra win with their strong +74, even after a weekend with strong Milwaukee pitching, and the Rays should be six games back of them with just a +17 differential. By BaseRuns, which intends to neutralize sequencing, the difference is more stark, indicating that the Yankees should have a seven-game lead in the East.
But of course there’s what should have happened and what has actually happened, and the Rays have banked those additional five or six wins early. A good chunk of those wins have come on two fronts: home field advantage, and one-run games. The club is 14-4 at the Tropicana House of Horrors, and while that .778 winning percentage will not hold up through August and September, the Rays have always felt an outsized impact of their home cooking.
The last season they played in Tropicana, 2024, the Rays were not a good team, finishing 80-82. They were a paltry .469 team on the road, and 50 basis points better than that at home. In 2023, a much stronger Rays team before a couple tough seasons, they were nearly a hundred basis points better when sleeping in their own beds. I think the 2026 Rays team is better than the squad we’ve seen in the past two years, but probably not a 92-win side. The Curse of the Trop is likely to continue into the summer, but they’ll win less than three-quarters of their remaining home games.
The one-run game phenomenon is a little harder to project out. One-run games are a product of sequencing and bullpen performance, both of which can be extremely volatile over the course of the season. A groundball to the right side after a leadoff double puts you in a great position to push a run across, but that same groundball to the right side when you yourself lead off an inning objectively hurts your chances at scoring. This is the problem that BaseRuns attempts to solve for: the compelling variable is that a batter hit a ground ball to the right side, which generally speaking does not create a lot of runs. This kind of volatility, where the outcome is dependent on a pre-established context, usually means that this stuff balances out over a season.
What’s more interesting is that the Rays don’t really have a particularly strong bullpen — 15th in baseball by ERA, 21st by FIP, 19th by K-BB rate. This is something the club could fix on the trade market, but between the unpredictability of sequencing and the fact the relief corps at present doesn’t frighten me, that 8-1 record in one-run games should start to close up a little bit.
Of course all of this is subject to devil magic, and it’s been a little while since we saw good old classic Tampa Bay Devil Magic. The market can stay irrational longer than you can stay solvent, and the Rays can employ sorcery for longer than it takes for randomness to normalize. The Yankees looked perhaps the worst they’ve looked all year when they played Tampa, of course down at Tropicana, and keeping an eye on the devil magic meter will remain a concern all summer.
Justin Foscue (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Are these two teams evenly matched?
Historically, yes. When these two teams met in the regular season, the Rangers won 32 games and the Diamondbacks won 31 games. Against all teams, they were nearly equal in runs scored per game (4.5 vs 4.6) and runs allowed per game (4.7 vs 4.6).
Last Season, perhaps not. When these teams met in the regular season, the Diamondbacks won more games (4 vs 2). Against all teams, the Diamondbacks had more runs scored per game (4.9 vs 4.2), while allowing more runs allowed (4.8 vs 3.7).
This Season, probably not. As of 7 May, four websites projected more wins for the Rangers. The Ranger projections range between 81.0 and 86.4 wins. The Diamondbacks projections are tightly bunched (79.4 to 80.3 wins).
In May, both teams are on a cold streak. In May, in games through 8 May, the Rangers lost 5 games out of 7, while the Diamondbacks lost 6 games out of 7. Whichever team loses the three game series may need their players to do a mental reset.
Which Ranger player will be at second base?
Each player is barely 27 years old, although this season is Duran’s fifth in the Majors. Ezequiel Duran has recently been on a hot streak (OPS of .976 in the 14 days through 6 May). However, on 7 May, the recently called up Justin Foscue played second base and Duran played left field.
Pitching Matchups.
Monday, 5:05 PM MST.
Michael Soroka. In his latest start, pitching against the Pirates, with some help by excellent Diamondbacks defenders he allowed only 1 earned run in 6.1 innings pitched. The only Diamondbacks starter with a better ERA is Eduardo Rodriguez.
Nathan Eovaldi. In his latest start, pitching against the Yankees, he allowed only 1 earned run in 8 innings pitched. Of the five Rangers starters, only Jacob deGrom has a better ERA.
This matchup of starting pitchers is even.
Tuesday, 5:05 PM MST.
Zac Gallen.On 25 April, a comeback hit his shoulder. Before that incident, this season he started 6 games with an ERA of 3.14. After that day, he started two games. He allowed a total of 10 earned runs in 9.2 innings pitched. How long until he returns to his earlier pitching prowess?
MacKenzie Gore. In his latest start, pitching against the Yankees, he allowed 5 earned runs in 5.1 innings pitched.
This matchup of starting pitchers is even, but with some unpredictability.
Wednesday, 5:05 PM MST.
Ryne Nelson. He has pitched well this season except for 2 games in April. In May, he allowed 2 earned runs in 12.1 innings pitched.
Kumar Rocker. Although he pitched well in April, in May he allowed 8 earned runs in 5.2 innings pitched.
This matchup of starting pitchers is advantage Diamondbacks.
This comes as a massive relief for San Antonio, which is now in a 2-2 tie in the series. Wembanyama is the team’s best player and arguably the player in the entire NBA who most impacts games on both ends of the floor.
Once he left the game, the Timberwolves attacked the paint more freely because of the void Wembanyama left down low.
Wembanyama committed the foul with 8:39 to play in the second quarter.
During the play, Wembanyama was battling with Reid and Jaden McDaniels after Wembanyama hauled in a rebound. Reid and McDaniels both tried to grasp for the ball, trying to pry it from Wembanyama’s hands. Wembanyama then cocked his right elbow and flung it toward Reid, striking him around the neck.
Reid instantly fell to the court as McDaniels continued trying to wrap up the ball. Officials blew the whistle and separated both sides. They eventually reviewed the play, determining that the contact was "unnecessary and excessive," and elevated the call to flagrant foul penalty two, which results in an automatic ejection.
Wembanyama appeared to be surprised on the bench, seemingly unaware of the rule around a flagrant foul two. It marked the first ejection of Wembanyama’s career and, as he exited the court, he hyped up his teammates and clapped and gestured to the crowd.
After playing just 12:29 in the game, Wembanyama left with four points on 2-of-5 shooting, adding four rebounds and one assist.
Game 5 is scheduled for Tuesday, May 12 at 8 p.m. ET.
A marathon run of games continues for the New York Yankees, who are looking to snap a three-game losing streak as they start a series against the Baltimore Orioles.
New York has owned the O’s for a decent stretch, going 9-1 over the last 10 head-to-head matchups. My Yankees vs. Orioles predictions and MLB picks for Monday, May 11 expect this trend to continue.
Who will win Yankees vs Orioles today: Yankees -1.5 (+102)
This looks like a "get right spot" for the New York Yankees, and I’d play the run line to -120 with an obvious pitching advantage.
Baltimore Orioles hurler Brandon Young has a lot of room to grow. When he’s not inducing chase, he’s finding a lot of bats with a 42% hard-hit rate and slightly above average barrel rate. The Yankees enter this game with the fourth-lowest chase rate in baseball.
A pitcher who cannot generate swing-and-miss against a lineup that won't expand the zone has no path to surviving against a team with so much power.
Yankees vs Orioles Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-122)
The ball could be flying tonight.
Young is a chase-reliant pitcher who won’t get much chase. This will cause him to throw competitive pitches, and his Bottom 30th percentile hard-hit rate will be exposed against one of the best power lineups in baseball.
That should do the heavy lifting for this total. I suspect the O’s can chip in some, too.
Ryan Weathers' 94th percentile breaking ball is a genuine weapon, but his 14th percentile barrel rate is a real liability against a Baltimore lineup that has enough pop. Play to 9.
Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 16-14, +2.16 units
Over/Under bets: 20-11, +11.72 units
Yankees vs Orioles odds
Moneyline: Yankees -155 | Orioles +140
Run line: Yankees -1.5 | Orioles +1.5
Over/Under: Over 9.5 | Under 9.5
Yankees vs Orioles trend
The Yankees have covered the run line in 15 of their last 22 games (+10.55 Units / 45% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. Orioles.
How to watch Yankees vs Orioles and game info
Location
Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD
Date
Monday, May 11, 2026
First pitch
6:35 p.m. ET
TV
YES, MASN
Yankees starting pitcher
Ryan Weathers (2-2, 3.03 ERA)
Orioles starting pitcher
Brandon Young (3-1, 4.35 ERA)
Yankees vs Orioles latest injuries
Yankees vs Orioles weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 10: T.J. McConnell #9 of the Indiana Pacers looks on during the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery on May 10, 2026 at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
CHICAGO – Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard could hardly sleep the night before the NBA Draft lottery.
Who could, in his situation? In a daring trade to acquire Ivica Zubac back in February, the Pacers sent, among other things, their 2026 first-round draft pick to the Los Angeles Clippers. It was protected 1-4 and 10-30, meaning the Clippers could only receive the selection if it landed 5-9. On Sunday, a machine full of ping pong balls would decide which team would be blessed by fate. 52.1% of the time, the answer would be the Pacers. The other 47.9% would benefit L.A.
It was basically a coin flip, at least by odds. Maybe that’s too tame. It was closer to Russian Roulette but with a shade under 2.9 bullets; with just a couple of spins in a chamber they didn’t have eyes on to decide their fate.
Coin flip odds are more instructive. Heads, the trade looks incredible for the Pacers. They acquire a center that they covet, one who nearly made an All–NBA team in 2024-25. They send out two first-rounders in future seasons with worse lottery odds, plus two players who were fading in their plans. A near-perfect addition. Tails, it looks much worse for them. Add a top-five prospect in a very strong draft to that above trade package, and that’s after Zubac barely suited up thanks to injuries. Worst of all, it would mean the Pacers finished with the second-worst record in the NBA and didn’t get the lotto luck for it. How the deal feels could change over the next five years as assets continue to be exchanged, but the Pacers 2026 first-rounder was the best non-Zubac asset moved in the deal. Who would actually use that pick came down to the lottery.
“The truth is, I didn’t sleep much last night. And [Pacers general manager] Chad (Buchanan) and I kind of got away and walked. And we were trying to plan out everything, for the good, for the bad,” Pritchard explained.
As the lottery results were being revealed, Pritchard said his heart was beating like Game 7 of the NBA Finals. He would have been a terrible poker player on Sunday – his emotional state was obvious even to onlookers 30 feet away. And truly, as a trio of Pacers involved in the lottery broadcast sat to witness their fate, only one was able to hide their emotions as a Clippers logo was shown to a room filled with hundreds of people. Millions more watched on television.
The draft lottery and subsequent unveiling of results were held in Chicago’s Navy Pier. A massive Festival Hall was sectioned off, with about one-fourth of the room converted into a stage and viewing area for the proceedings. Every team involved in the lottery had a table in the front of the room for their executives to sit at – the Pacers’ was in the middle row on the left side between the Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets.
The only two at the Pacers table were Pritchard and Buchanan. They’ve worked together for years, originally overlapping with the Portland Trail Blazers over two decades ago. Now, they’re the leaders of Indiana’s front office – the other top figure of the group, vice president of basketball operations Ted Wu, was the team’s lottery representative who was in the room for the drawing.
So it was just Buchanan and Pritchard, the smallest number of team representatives at any table. The third figure in the room was guard T.J. McConnell, the Pacers’ on-stage lottery representative. He’s the longest-tenured Pacer and was a rookie with the 2015-16 Philadelphia 76ers, a team that went 10-72 before winning the 2016 draft lottery. McConnell wanted to bring that luck to the Pacers.
There was a hope emanating from the Pacers about 30 minutes before the big reveal. Pritchard and Buchanan spoke with league figures like any other big NBA event – Pritchard congratulated new Mavericks president Masai Ujiri on his new job. Buchanan caught up with executives on another lottery team. There were smiles, at first. They believed they were due for some luck.
“Obviously not good news,” McConnell would be saying about a half hour later.
The two executives sat down, still awaiting the results. Something about doing so made reality settle in. For the next eternity – okay, still just 30 minutes – the Pacers front office leaders had to sit there, powerless against their fate, with judgment coming their way regardless of the result. For a few minutes, neither said a word.
Pritchard showed the most outward emotion. He chewed gum the entire event. At 1:48 p.m. local time, he put on his glasses. Four minutes later, he took them off to fidget with them on the table. The next minute, he put them on for the second time in five minutes.
Kevin Pritchard and Chad Buchanan looking on with about 10 minutes until the reveal begins. pic.twitter.com/4PgEI6WUwx
Buchanan was far more rigid. At 1:51, he adjusted his collar, then was still for several minutes. Next to Pritchard, he looked like a statue. It was the perfect picture of the two and their personalities – and a display of why they’ve worked so well together for all these years as partners in the NBA.
At 1:59, Buchanan’s trance ended as he checked his phone. At the same time, Pritchard did the same. He put his phone away four minutes later, then frantically looked around the room before running his hands through his hair. Both executives were looking for something, anything, to distract them at that moment.
“I know the Twitterverse is probably going to be a little brutal. And I get it, man, I get it,” Pritchard would say later, fitting for someone whose phone became a key prop for fiddling and posting during the day. ”To those people, I’m sorry.”
In came McConnell to provide that diversion. In a sea of suit-wearing lottery representatives, McConnell took the court in a yellow button-up shirt and black pants. He was situated on the same side of the room as the Pacers’ executive table, so he had a clear view of Pritchard and Buchanan.
McConnell reached his seat. He gave John Wall – the Washington Wizards lottery representative – a high five before pulling his phone out and putting it on silent. The next moment, he gave a quick glance to the Pacers front office members gathered about 40 feet away from him. They all made eye contact. Suddenly, McConnell’s mood was serious. Nerves returned for everyone.
The broadcast began as ESPN’s Malika Andrews began to walk across the front of the room to interview the consensus top-three prospects in the coming draft. AJ Dybantsa was first. Right in the background of the interview, Pritchard could be seen as clear as day. Six minutes later, Andrews was finished and NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum took the stage. He was about to reveal the results.
As Tatum pulled the first card out of a folder to reveal which team would be picking 14th, Buchanan put his elbows on the table. It was his first movement in over five minutes. The Pacers had nothing to worry about until the sixth pick, but the start of the process increased the tension.
No teams jumped into the top four until the Chicago Bulls, who entered the day with the ninth-best odds to do so. When the Dallas Mavericks were revealed to have the ninth pick, that meant the Bulls jumped into the top four. Pritchard stroked his chin, thinking about how that would impact his team.
One minute later, the Memphis Grizzlies also jumped up into the top four. It’s 2:17 now, and both Buchanan and Pritchard are rubbing their chins. They each leaned forward. The team picking sixth was about to be announced. Time for the stressful part.
Tatum pulled out the card for the sixth slot. Up came a Brooklyn Nets logo. There was little reaction from Pacers executives. McConnell looked out over the crowd. There was one final reveal to go.
Between Tatum saying “Nets” and pulling out the card for the fifth pick, 13 seconds passed. To Pritchard and Buchanan, it felt like 13 days. Tatum began his lines. “The fifth pick in the NBA Draft will be made by…
“The LA Clippers,” he said, holding up a Clippers logo. McConnell stared off into space. Buchanan didn’t move. Pritchard took a few seconds before re-adjusting in his chair.
The team’s gamble was a loss. The best possible pick they could send to the Clippers is, in fact, going to the Clippers. It took five minutes before Buchanan moved at all, slightly loosening his posture at 2:23. McConnell walked off the stage and chatted briefly with Charlotte Hornets forward and lottery representative Kon Knueppel.
There was a commercial break before the top-four picks were announced, but that break in the action did little to change the demeanor of Buchanan, Pritchard, or McConnell. All three looked almost shell-shocked despite knowing the odds entering the event.
McConnell’s darting glances after it became reality the pick was going to the Clippers were intentional. Moments earlier, his heart was beating “so fast,” yet there wasn’t a thing he could do about it. LA got the pick, and McConnell couldn’t even look at his front office reps
“In a way, I felt like I was letting him down,” McConnell said. “I know there’s no reason to feel that way, but just weirdly do.”
Wall’s Wizards were announced as the winners of the lottery a few minutes later. The broadcast ended, then executives and some high-profile draft prospects all chatted at the front of the room. Buchanan and Pritchard stayed near their table area but stood up and joined in on some conversations.
The 47.9% chance of losing their pick had actually happened. The odds said that was the most likely outcome for the team, but something about the draft lottery messes with everyone’s brain. It just seems like nothing bad will happen, until it does.
Pritchard couldn’t hide his emotions all afternoon. He was so fidgety that it was clear he was nervous in some way. As he began to speak with reporters not long after the event ended, the team president made his mental state even more clear.
“We’re all disappointed,” Pritchard said. That was a theme. “Disappointed because this is a great draft,” he added later. As he continued speaking, Pritchard kept making it clear how talented the team thinks Zubac is. But he would also catch himself by repeating that emotion.
“What we’ve learned from (Zubac) so far is he’s super smart, and he wants to fit in, and he’s all about winning. And again, disappointed. I’m not trying to smooth over that. We wanted to pick, but we’ll be okay,” Pritchard said. Just over 30 seconds later, a repeat. “Again, I wanted to pick. We wanted to pick, and I know people are going to be disappointed. But you have to remember, our top seven or eight players are still with us. So today it stings. But wait till next season. Let’s give this group an opportunity to go compete for a championship. Because they’ve proven they can do it.”
Indeed they have. The Pacers made the NBA Finals in 2025, then upgraded at center from Myles Turner to Zubac. A top-four would have been a perfect addition to round out the team for the next few years.
Many Pacers players couldn’t sleep before Game 7 of that series. They were nervous for the big stage. That was identical to Pritchard on Sunday, who had a ton of anticipation and wanted the lottery win for his owner, longtime Pacers governor Herb Simon.
“My heart hurts for Mr. Simon, if I’m honest. He’s such a good person and he wants it for Indiana like we all want it. In a way, I feel like I’ve let the organization down,” Pritchard said.
He and McConnell shared that emotion. The lottery brings out the hope in everybody. But instead, the Clippers will pick fifth, a painful twist of fate. It’s why Pritchard couldn’t sleep the night before and why the Pacers trade was viewed as risky. This risk didn’t pay off, but the Zubac trade still can. If Pritchard has his way, his next sleepless night will come before an NBA Finals game with Zubac leading his team’s defense. But there could be more tossing and turning in store for him if Zubac isn’t a perfect fit right away or, worse, the fifth pick turns into a star for the Clippers. Time, as with all trades, will tell if Pritchard’s future sleepless nights will be for positive or negative reasons. He’ll just have to hope for better than 52.1% odds of positive outcomes this time.
And it looks like a key reinforcement will be added to the fold in order to help them do just that.
After his QMJHL team was eliminated from the playoffs, 2025 first-round pick (22nd overall) Bill Zonnon recently joined Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate on an amateur tryout (ATO). While other players were released from their ATOs on Sunday, Zonnon and forward Ryan Miller were kept around.
After being injured at the start of the 2025-26 season - causing him to miss all of training camp - the 6-foot-2, 190-pound forward overcame that injury trouble and put together a solid season for the Blainville-Broisbiand Armada, registering 14 goals and 46 points in 35 games. He was also one of their best players in the playoffs, putting up two goals and 15 points in 17 games.
The most intriguing thing about Zonnon is how well-developed his all-around game is. He plays a formidable two-way brand of hockey, is physical, has a strong playmaking acumen, and thrives in the danger areas of the ice. He also plays a gritty game, winning puck battles with strong wall play and in open-ice one-on-one matchups.
His mature game gives him a pretty high floor at the NHL level, even if his ceiling isn't sky-high. Still, this is a player who should be a really solid middle-six contributor for the Penguins for years to come.
WBS opens its best-of-five Atlantic Division Final series against Springfield on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. ET at Mohegan Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
The Boston Celtics need to be a more dangerous team in the paint. They shot the most 3-pointers and ranked second-to-last in points in the paint per game among the 16 NBA playoff teams in the first round.
A lack of depth/talent in the frontcourt was a concern coming into the 2025-26 campaign, but in the regular season, Neemias Queta and Luka Garza did a good job alleviating those fears. The playoffs revealed that Boston really did have issues at center, especially against an opponent like the Philadelphia 76ers that had an elite big man in Joel Embiid.
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens talked after the playoffs about the need to be better around the rim and generate more good shots (dunks) in close.
“One of the things that we’ve got to figure out is how to have more of an impact at the rim, and I think we do need to add to our team to do that,” Stevens explained at a May 6 press conference. “Everybody plays a role in that, but at the end of (Game 7), (Sixers big man Joel) Embiid is standing at the rim on all those possessions, or a lot of those possessions.”
Stevens also added: “I think the biggest thing is, can we generate looks at the rim? Yeah, everybody wants to do that, and every one of us would prefer a dunk over a 3. Every single one of us. Those are hard to get, and we struggle to generate them.”
The Celtics could look at the trade or free agent markets to add a player who can create good looks at the rim. The 2026 NBA Draft is another place to find that kind of player, whether it’s a center with imposing size or a wing capable of attacking defenders and finishing at the basket.
The Celtics have the No. 27 pick in the first round. The chances of finding an impact player in this range aren’t great, but you can absolutely find a valuable role player. The C’s have drafted several of them in the 20s in recent years, including Robert Williams (No. 27, 2018), Payton Pritchard (No. 26, 2020), Baylor Scheierman (No. 30, 2024)) and Hugo Gonzalez (No. 28, 2025).
Which specific players should the Celtics target in Round 1 of the upcoming draft? Here’s a roundup of post-draft lottery predictions from expert mock drafts.
“Allen’s positional versatility and ability to augment lineups on both sides of the ball give him a path to finding a long-term NBA role. While he is not likely to create his own shot at a high level and shot a middling 34.1% from 3, his playmaking flashes and defensive instincts give him a good role-player baseline to build on if his scoring ability can catch up. Whether he can work up the board from here or ultimately winds up back in college remains to be seen, as an older Freshman who was unheralded to begin the season.
“The Celtics value taller perimeter players in Allen’s mold who can fit in alongside their stars, and they could afford him time to develop.”
“The 7-foot Veesaar transferred to North Carolina after two seasons at Arizona, taking on a larger role for the Tar Heels. His production jumped significantly as a starter, putting up 17 points per game. The Celtics are in a position where they can afford to strengthen the center position, even with Neemias Queta enjoying the most productive season of his career.”
“I’ve had more of a ‘pumped brakes’ mentality when it comes to López, because I think where he lands will be really important.
The ability to pinpoint useful skills and maximize them is an advantage that some organizations have and some don’t. We’ve seen what Boston has done with Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, and Sam Hauser, and I think that Lopez—a power wing whose rim pressure makes him an intriguing prospect—would similarly benefit from the time and structure that the Celtics could give him.
If they tidied up the details surrounding his downhill strength and helped his percentage from 3 climb a few points, Lopez could become an asset.”
“Another prospect who could return to school, Allen is a versatile wing who has both skill and toughness. He can handle, pass, and is a better shooter than his numbers indicate. Allen is a high-volume wing rebounder who is the type of competitor who should mesh well with Joe Mazzulla and ultimately realize his defensive potential.”
“Ejiofor is a great mover for someone with a 245-pound frame. The St. John’s senior big man isn’t super tall or long, but he adds a level of physicality to any frontcourt while also intriguing with his connective passing ability. Ejiofor is really good on the glass at both ends, and he can offer some rim protection while also having pick-and-roll coverage versatility. His rim finishing and playmaking are solid, but he might need to develop a three-point shot to stay in the NBA.”
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 09: Steven Kwan #38 of the Cleveland Guardians bats in the fifth inning during the game between the Minnesota Twins and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Saturday, May 9, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Leigh Bacho/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Yesterday’s loss to the Minnesota Twins looks like an inflection point for the Cleveland Guardians’ leadoff hitter, Steven Kwan.
In the bottom of the 8th inning, with the Guardians trailing 5-3, David Fry and Brayan Rocchio singled to leadoff an inning against right-handed reliever Luis Garcia. For his career, Garcia has been a very serviceable relief pitcher with a 4.20 ERA. However, he is 39 years old and, as of today, has an ERA of 10.50 and an FIP of 6.12. So, to be clear, while potentially a competent middle reliever, not someone that an all-star hitter hitting leadoff should feel anything less than fully confident to get a hit or a walk.
Enter Steven Kwan. As of today, he has a 67 wRC+. He is having an awful year, no doubt. But, it’s May and he has a career wRC+ of 109. He also has a career 117 wRC+ vs. RHP. He also has a 213 wRC+ for his career in 3-1 counts. And, guess what? Steven Kwan worked a 3-1 count.
NOW enter Tony Arnerich, acting manager of the Guardians yesterday as Stephen Vogt dealt with what I hope is simply a nasty cold (he sounded TERRIBLE in interviews on Saturday). Arnerich put the sacrifice bunt sign on for Steven Kwan. He clarified this was the case after the game, as reported by Cade Cracas of Sports Illustrated on Twitter:
#Guardians acting manager Tony Arnerich on the decision to have Steven Kwan bunt:
"No, that came from me. Yeah. I mean, you got DeLauter, who's really tough to strike out coming up behind him, and he's been hot, and if they decide to put him on, you have a future Hall of Famer…
Are you curious how often a team’s leadoff hitter has been asked to lay down a sacrifice bunt in a 3-1 count with his team down 2 runs late in the game and at least one runner in scoring position? Well, I can tell you that from 2023 until yesterday, it did not happen one time. Let’s look further back… oh, ok, in the past decade prior to yesterday, it happened exactly ONE time… for the Chicago Cubs in 2022.
Here’s the thing… I don’t even know that having Kwan bunt was 100% the wrong call. I mean, aside from the fact that I am fundamentally opposed to sacrifice bunts except in situations where one run wins the game and the sacrifice bunt is with no outs to get a runner to third by an offensively-challenged hitter who knows how to execute a bunt, I think I understand why Arnerich decided his best hope was sacrificing Kwan’s chances for a hit and punting things to Chase DeLauter and Jose Ramirez. It’s because Arnerich recognizes that Kwan is nowhere near a 109 wRC+ or 117 wRC+ hitter as he currently exists.
We can’t say “Oh, Arnerich is new to the team, he doesn’t know about good Kwan.” Arnerich has to know these players inside and out, their present and their past and projected future. He knows Kwan has traditionally handled RBI opportunities well and has been very effective in 3-1 counts. If he didn’t know that, well, to be honest, he should be fired for lack of preparation. But, I think he did know that. I think he made the very pragmatic assessment that Kwan was more likely to provide a 67 wRC+ output in that situation which would make advancing the runners to get to actual good hitters a much riskier proposition.
Last night needs to be the flare fired off by the Guardians’ bench coach to the team to say “Hey, it’s time to move Steven Kwan from the leadoff spot.” It’s time to platoon Kwan vs. LHP. It’s time to let Kwan have more room to breath to figure out if he can get back to the hitter he was before June 2025. From June 2025 until now, Kwan has a 77 wRC+. He’s still walking at a good rate and striking out at a low rate. He’s just simply not hitting the ball well at all with a 15.6% hard-hit rate and an average exit velocity of 85 mph, and a 1.4% barrel rate. He is Austin Hedges (well, prior to this season) who strikes out a lot less. And, yes, that is the kind of player you can justify asking to sacrifice bunt to give your actual good hitters a chance to win you the game, even though a sacrifice bunt down two STILL seems insane.
After last night, the Guardians cannot have it both ways. Either Kwan is a leadoff hitter and should be trusted to figure it out and HIT. OR, he is what Arnerich told us last night… a bottom of the order hitter who should only be looking to flip the order over to hitters who can actually imapct the baseball. I know it’s a hard conversation and I know Kwan is a selfless player who volunteered to switch to centerfield to help the team, even having won four consecutive gold gloves in his previous position. You hate showing any lack of confidence in him, Vogter. But, there is absolutely nothing wrong with telling a struggling veteran, “We are taking some pressure off you and batting you 7th for a while. We’d love to have you back in the leadoff spot as soon as possible. We are going to give you more days off to try to fix what’s wrong and work with our supposedly competent hitting staff. We believe in you and this is a chance to take a deep breath and get back to being you.”
Will moving Steven Kwan down in the order solve the Guardians’ hitting issues? Of course not. But, it’s a simple, straight-forward way to try to help solve KWAN’S hitting issues, who remains a key to getting this offense humming. I would immediately install Travis Bazzana as the leadoff hitter and let him, DeLauter and Ramirez do their absolute best to drive pitchers insane for three batters for a while. But, after the message your bench coach sent last night, you simply cannot continue to bat Kwan leadoff and hope things magically change.
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - JANUARY 10: Malachi Moreno #24 of the Kentucky Wildcats looks up during the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Rupp Arena on January 10, 2026 in Lexington, Kentucky (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s looking more and more like Kentucky Basketball freshman Malachi Moreno could remain in the 2026 NBA Draft.
On Monday, The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor reported that Moreno will not take part in this week’s NBA Combine 5-on-5 scrimmages. That’s usually a sign that a player likes where his NBA stock is and doesn’t want to risk damaging it in scrimmages.
In addition, O’Connor now says there’s a “pretty strong chance” Moreno would be drafted in the first round this year.
Between this development and the surprise addition of Washington center Franck Kepnang, it’s safe to think there’s now a very real chance Moreno is staying in the draft, which would be a brutal development for Mark Pope and his rebuilt roster, which was banking heavily on the Great Crossing product manning the 5 spot.
While Kepnang is a suitable big man when healthy, he’s missed far too many games in his college career to count on him staying healthy for the duration of next season.
In other words, if Moreno stays in the draft, then Kentucky will be in desperate need of another big man, and there aren’t exactly many good options available at this point.
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 09: Byron Buxton #25 of the Minnesota Twins hits a solo home run in the first inning during the game between the Minnesota Twins and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Saturday, May 9, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Leigh Bacho/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Twins had a 3-3 week, dropping two to the Nats, taking two from the Guardians, and currently sit last in the AL Central with an 18-23 record. First, the good news: after a slow start to the season, Byron Buxton is back to being a menace at the plate. Since April 13, Buxton has hit 13 homers, with 21 runs and 20 RBI, slashing .299/.342/.701. The bad news: the bullpen has been a revolving door of pitchers, and ranks second-to-last in the league in ERA (6.05), second-to-last in strikeout rate (17.9%), and second-to-last in WHIP (1.61). But more good news: the bullpen didn’t completely suck against the Guardians. Eric Orze picked up the save on Saturday, and new Twin Yoendrys Gómez got the save on Sunday. But more bad news: Taj Bradley has now hit the 15-day IL with pec inflammation. So y’know, a very normal Twins week. The Twins now have a nine-game homestand against the Marlins (19-22), Brewers (22-16), and Astros (16-25).
The Past Week on Twinkie Town:
Check out The Feed, where you can add your discussions about the Twins!
We’re starting a new segment called Daily Questions! Provide your opinion on the Twins and debate with the community!
Game threads and recaps are back! Commiserate with your fellow fans as we experience the season together.
Aaron Gleeman, formerly of The Athletic, has announced his departure from the news organization and is starting a new independent site to cover the Twins.
We have a new leader in the American League, with the Rays having two fewer losses than the Yankees (in two fewer games). These two teams have slowly pulled away, as there’s a 4.5-game gap to the next best team, the A’s.
Atlanta has a 1.0-game gap over the Cubs, and then the Dodgers, Padres, Brewers, and Cardinals are all within 3.5 games of the Cubs.
Bobby Witt Jr. had a slow start to the season, not hitting his first homer until April 26th. However, on Saturday, Witt hit an inside-the-park homer on a grounder for his fifth of the season.
There’s been plenty of reporting and discourse around Antetokounmpo’s future over the last several weeks, culminating with Charania’s latest insights. So here’s a breakdown of when a deal might be consummated (if it happens), which teams could be involved and what it all means for the Celtics.
“I just think before the draft is a natural time,” Haslam said. “Because if Giannis does play somewhere else, we’ve got to have a lot of assets.”
Blockbuster trades rarely happen until after the NBA Finals, as clubs typically want the option of negotiating with every other team for leverage purposes. This year’s finals could end as early as June 10 (Game 4) and as late as June 19 (Game 7).
So, if a Giannis trade goes down, it will likely be sometime between June 10 and June 23.
Which teams could be involved in Giannis trade discussions?
Charania noted the Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat are both expected to pursue Antetokounmpo this offseason.
Charania also added that playoff teams such as the Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers all had interest in Antetokounmpo ahead of the 2026 NBA trade deadline in February, and that how those teams finish in this year’s playoffs “will play a major factor in their aggressiveness to trade for Antetokounmpo.”
Boston, of course, is the only team on that list that lost in the first round. So, perhaps that means Brad Stevens and Co. are more aggressive in their pursuit of Antetokounmpo this summer.
Another wrinkle: Antetokounmpo reportedly wants to sign an extension with his future team and may have some leverage in choosing his desired destination.
“The conversation will be simple: Where does [Giannis] want to be moved and where will he sign long term?” a source told Charania.
Will the Celtics be a legitimate suitor for Giannis?
It certainly appears that way.
Antetokounmpo clearly has respect for the Celtics and recently praised their ability to maintain success this past season despite losing several key members of their rotation in the offseason.
“Everything about my decision is based on winning; culture,” Antetokounmpo told Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel in April. “Like, you saw I talked with [Boston] coach Joe Mazzulla. I said, ‘You had so many opportunities to make excuses, but you didn’t.'”
The Celtics also have a need for a player like Antetokounmpo. In his end-of-season press conference, Stevens expressed a desire to have “more of an impact at the rim,” and Giannis fits that mold on both ends as a former Defensive Player of the Year who leads the NBA in dunks per game over the past two seasons.
Any Celtics trade for Antetokounmpo likely would involve dealing Jaylen Brown, which would be a monumental move that the franchise would have to weigh carefully. But at the very least, it seems like Stevens and Co. are leaving all options on the table after a premature playoff exit.
DENVER, CO - MAY 04: Carson Benge #3 of the New York Mets celebrates in the dugout with Freddy Peralta #51 after hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning during the game between the New York Mets and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Monday, May 4, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Casey Paul/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
MONDAY
Carson Benge’s 436-foot homer off Tomoyuki Sugano is the Mets’ longest homer of the season thus far.
The Mets only recorded four hits at Coors Field in their win. It was just the Mets’ third nine-inning game at Coors Field in which they’ve mustered four hits or fewer, with the other two both coming in 2008.
WEDNESDAY
The Mets saw six different players record multi-hit performances for the first time since September 2, 2025 in Detroit. Brett Baty is the only player who contributed multiple hits to both games, and only one of the other players with multiple hits on Wednesday (Francisco Alvarez) was on the 2025 Mets at all.
Marcus Semien recorded 4 hits including a home run, becoming the first Mets second baseman to do so since Javier Báez in Washington on September 5, 2021.
Freddy Peralta became the ninth Met to put up a scoreless start of at least five innings at Coors Field. Only one Met, Mike Pelfrey, did it twice (June 22, 2008 and April 15, 2010).
The Mets won their seventh consecutive game at Coors Field, a streak dating back to August 7, 2024. The Mets have also won six of their last seven series at Coors Field, dating back to 2019.
The Mets scored 10+ runs on 15+ hits at Coors Field for the fifth time since 2015. That’s tied for the most such games the Mets have had at any road ballpark in that span, matching their total at Citizens Bank Park and Truist Field.
THURSDAY
Christian Scott generated eight whiffs on his four-seam fastball, tying a pair of Freddy Peralta outings for the most whiffs via four-seam fastball by a Met in a game this season.
The Mets surrendered their fourth grand slam of the season when Jake McCarthy took Craig Kimbrel deep. That’s the most any MLB team has allowed so far this season.
It was also the third grand slam the Mets have given up in the eighth inning this season. Since 1969, only one MLB team has given up more eighth-inning grand slams in a single season: the 2024 Mets, who gave up 4. In the past three seasons, the Mets have now given up a fitting total of eight eighth-inning grand slams. No other MLB team has allowed more than three in that span.
FRIDAY
THE WEEKLY MCLEAN UPDATE: Nolan McLean now has a 2.41 ERA and 114 strikeouts through his first 16 career games. The only other pitchers with that low an ERA and that many strikeouts through their first 16 games are: Hideo Nomo (2.10 ERA, 139 K), Matt Harvey (2.26 ERA, 116 K), Masahiro Tanaka (2.10 ERA, 127 K), and Paul Skenes (2.30 ERA, 121 K).
The Mets played their seventh extra-inning game of the season. The Pirates (7) are the only other team to have played that many extra-inning games this year.
The Mets won their seventh straight series opener at Chase Field, a streak dating back to May 31, 2019.
SATURDAY
Clay Holmes allowed two runs or fewer for the eighth straight start this year, overtaking Nolan Ryan (7 starts in 1971) and Johan Santana (7 starts in 2009) for the most consecutive starts allowing two runs or fewer to begin a season in Mets history. (source: MLB.com)
The Mets lost while hitting four balls with an exit velocity of 105 mph or higher for outs. This was their second loss of the season in which they hit four balls for outs at 105+ mph, and no other National League team has more than one such loss.
SUNDAY
Since April 23, Carson Benge has 15 hits, a .352 OBP, and a .500 SLG. All 3 of those marks lead the Mets’ offense during that span.
Eduardo Rodríguez racked up his second start of at least six innings pitched without allowing more than one run against the Metsthis season. The only player to have multiple starts of that variety against the Mets in 2025 was Rodríguez’s teammate, Zac Gallen.
The Mets recorded five hits or fewer for the 13th time this season, tying them with the Reds for the most such games in 2026. The 1963 Mets are the only team in franchise history with more games of five hits or fewer (14) through their first 40 games of a season.
The Mets scored two runs or fewer through nine innings for the 21st time this season, leading MLB in 2026 and tying an unfortunate franchise mark set by the 1967 Mets for the most such performances through 40 games of a season.
Miscellaneous Mets stat of the week: The last Mets player to steal three bases in a game was Juan Lagares, who did so on September 7, 2014 in Cincinnati. Four of the first six batters in the Reds’ lineup that day would go on to play for the Mets in the following six seasons: Billy Hamilton, Todd Frazier, Devin Mesoraco, and Jay Bruce.
No Met has stolen three bases in a game yet at Citi Field. But Jon Berti has done it on three separate occasions.
After Green’s comment was widely labelled as disrespectful towards Barkley, he provided clarification on his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show,” denying that he meant any disrespect.
“Don’t lie and don’t put words in my mouth,” Green said. “If you want words, I always give you the words out of my mouth. [At] no point did I say, ‘Oh man, I’m better than Charles Barkley.’ Stop it. Again, to try to build it as disrespect. There’s no disrespect from me to Charles Barkley. That’s just not how I roll.”
Draymond provides clarity Charles Barkley interaction
“The reason that I would even say that is what Chuck makes fun about in his career is actually the last 2 years in Houston… everybody tried to make it like this whole 'Ahh man Draymond think he better than Chuck'… the… pic.twitter.com/lXrTY7Umk9
— The Draymond Green Show (@DraymondShow) May 9, 2026
Green explained that he admires Barkley’s career and meant no disrespect towards his accomplishments and skill.
“We’re not on the same level. Yeah, I’m not an NBA MVP. I’m not at all,” Green said. “But I hope to walk in the Hall of Fame. And if I do that, if I’m lucky enough to do that, fingers crossed. Hopefully I will be. Then that would stamp us on the same level. So he’s right. I’m not there. And that’s okay. Still constructing. Still working at it. Still trying to get there.”
Green also explained that, in the context of the show, the analysts take jabs at each other and current NBA stars. He notes that Barkley has frequently criticized stars like Steph Curry or LeBron James, despite their careers, on paper, being better than Barkley’s.
“It’s a very interesting concept because some of Chuck’s funniest things that’s made him the media personality he is , is kind of him taking digs at people,” Green said. “Some of the best moments on the show is him taking a dig at Kenny, or him taking a dig at Shaq…
“…That’s what makes that show great. And so, I find it very interesting when people say [I] can’t say nothing about Chuck because [I don’t] have a better career…”
In saying that he did not intend any personal disrespect towards Barkley, he apologized for the public’s perception of his comments being disrespectful.
“I am also a man of accountability, and in telling a joke — the way it was received — I don’t think it should have been received that way, but it was …” Green said. “If it’s received the way I see it being received, I am not too big to say — if that was viewed as disrespect publicly, I can say sorry publicly.”
In the end, it doesn’t seem that Barkley took much disrespect from the comment, and Green added that the two have a great working relationship on the show and that there is no tension.
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ struggling offense will get a spark this week as the rival San Francisco Giants come to town.
Mookie Betts, who has been out since April 4 with a strained oblique, is scheduled to come off the injured list and be in the No. 2 or 3 spot in the lineup.
My Giants vs Dodgers predictions and MLB picks have the Dodgers getting a home win with Mookie back in the fold on Monday, May 11.
Who will win Giants vs Dodgers today: Dodgers moneyline (-177)
Shohei Ohtani is hitting .241, had more strikeouts (four) than hits (two) in the last series, and has one homer in the last 22 games. The top half of the lineup has struggled, and Betts allows everyone to return to their usual spot in the order.
The San Francisco Giants took two of three from L.A. last month but are 5-10 since. They traded MLB’s top defensive catcher in what looks like a restart. The lineup has scored fewer than two runs four times in the last nine games.
Giants vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Over 9.5 (+100)
In addition to Betts’ return, the Dodgers’ offense will get a boost from playing the fourth-place Giants.
They’ll face Giants rookie starter Trevor McDonald, making just his sixth major-league start. He relies heavily on a slider, which plays into the Dodgers' hands. Freeman, Ohtani, and Teoscar Hernandez all have a hard-hit rate over 60% against that pitch.
The Dodgers start Roki Sasaki, who has struggled with control (27th percentile walk rate) and hard contact (12th percentile in barrel rate and 23rd in hard-hit rate) this year. The Giants scored 15 runs in the last three games and are getting hot just as they face the struggling Sasaki.
Shawn Krest's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 12-13, -0.26 units
Over/Under bets: 14-15, -1.83 units
Giants vs Dodgers odds
Moneyline: Giants +163 | Dodgers -170
Run line: Giants +1.5 (-140) | Dodgers -1.5 (+115)
Over/Under: Over 9.5 (+100) | Under 9.5 (-120)
Giants vs Dodgers trend
The San Francisco Giants have only hit the Moneyline in 8 of their last 25 away games (-9.05 Units / -34% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Giants vs. Dodgers.
How to watch Giants vs Dodgers and game info
Location
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Monday, May 11, 2026
First pitch
10:10 p.m. ET
TV
NBC Sports Bay Area, SportsNet LA
Giants starting pitcher
Trevor McDonald (1-1, 1.29 ERA)
Dodgers starting pitcher
Roki Sasaki (1-3, 5.97 ERA)
Giants vs Dodgers latest injuries
Giants vs Dodgers weather
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COVERS INTEL: Young has no pitch outside of the fastball that is competitive, that’s best indicated by his 
