Your 2026 New York Mets: We’ve been through a lot.
“We’ve been through a lot. It feels like when we went through that stretch — every time we got down a couple of runs, the game was over. That was the feeling. Now we’re down three in that first inning, and you still feel good.” -Carlos Mendoza [MLB]
But enough about the 18-25 Mets bad vibes…
“We’re better than that, especially the past couple of days. We needed to be better.” -Carlos Mendoza [MLB]
…let’s talk about the [insert Gerald voice] GOOD VIBES [Note: This is a reference who the only people that will get currently have a young child that they read aloud two ‘Elephant & Piggie’ books every night and use my very specific voice for the Elephant character named Gerald]
“[Regular celebrations in the home clubhouse have followed, featuring pumping music and, as Benge put it,] ‘definitely way better’ vibes.” -Anthony DiComo [MLB]
Speaking of vibes; Swaggy V[ibes] update
“I am always confident at the plate — I feel good right now for sure. I just have to continue to be consistent.” -Mark Vientos [New York Post]
The Mets are [fact checks by looking at data, does math, looks at dictionary] currently on a winning streak
“There’s a lot to like. We won in a lot of different ways. We swung the bat well. We created traffic. We ran the bases well. We got timely hitting. The pitching was outstanding. … Overall, the whole series, I thought we played complete, complete games.” -Carlos Mendoza [MLB]
Especially because the Mets have been, putting it nicely, ‘lackluster’ to start the year; I’m really getting R.A. Dickey vibes where, even if the team is not winning, McLean is just joy to watch every start because of how unique of a pitcher he is
“I’m pretty happy with getting into the seventh today. I just had to find what was working, get creative a couple times and find different pitches that were working.” -Nolan McLean [MLB]
Guys being bros
“I’ve already been treating [AJ Ewing] like a rookie.” -Carson Benge [MLB]
Benge might be a rookie but this is veteran-level response to a reporter asking you to ‘talk about the play where you did bad’…
“It’s baseball. It’s going to happen. It happens to the best of us. So being able to try and get the next play, try and get the next out, the next pitch, just really helps me keep my head on straight.” -Carson Benge [MLB]
…and this is Lucas Duda/Pete Alonso-level [complimentary] responding to be asked how your first big league walk off felt, yeah man, it was ‘definitely a first’…
“[Carson Benge on his first MLB walk off hit] felt amazing. Definitely a first. Indescribable.” -Carson Benge [MLB]
…though Christian Scott might the true new team Lucas Duda/Pete Alonso quote giver
“You’re obviously having a lot more fun when you’re winning baseball games.” -Christian Scott [MLB]
This is catnip for anyone who was into sabermetrics in the aughts
“That’s just part of my identity as a hitter. I’m patient. I see a lot of pitches, and I make pitchers work hard.” -A.J. Ewing [MLB]
I genuinely don’t know a lot about Freddy Peralta, but seems like a good teammate
“It reminds me of my debut and how proud you feel about yourself. I know that [Ewing] feels great about it, and I think that we made him feel better with a win.” -Freddy Peralta [MLB]
My read is this is a very polite and concise way of replacing a response that could be more aggressive, way longer, and include the word ‘runway’ a lot
“We look at [having two rookies in the OF with Juan Soto] and say that could be a really productive outfield for a long time.” -David Stearns
After being constantly burned by squinting at the stats and scouting reports of Mets OF prospects over the years, hoping they become full time >2+ WAR starters (e.g. Lastings Milledge, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, or Nick Evans if in LF), I’m getting my hopes up once again
“I’m confident in my ability. I’m just going to play the same game I’ve been playing and do what I do.” -A.J. Ewing
Jared Greenspan of MLB.com had a really nice post about Christian Scott’s pitch data but tl;dr below
Joe Lacob made it clear what his expectation is for the Warriors each and every season.
Which was, in part, why Steve Kerr was confident in his decision to return to Golden State for two more seasons.
The Warriors coach spoke to reporters for the first time since signing his new contract, and was asked about his relationship with Lacob over the years and currently, as the team navigates a difficult path back to playoff contention.
“Joe and I have great respect for each other,” Kerr said. “I was here as a player all those years at Oracle when the crowd was loving it and the team was lousy. It just was. The team did not have what it haves now, which is really strong leadership, incredible infastructure and a vision for winning. Everyone boo’d Joe when he said ‘We’re going to win a title’ or ‘We’re trading Monta [Ellis]’ or whatever it was, right? You can’t argue with the results.
“Joe came in here, and he built a pretty incredible organization, on the business side, on the basketball side. We’ve had a great partnership. It doesn’t mean we always agree, nor should we. We want to be pushing each other.”
In recent weeks, when Kerr was deciding whether or not he wanted to return and coach the Warriors, he spoke with both Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy on multiple occasions, and one thing Lacob said in those meetings stuck with him and gave him confidence that the organization still is dedicated to winning.
“The only thing I would reveal from our conversations, and I don’t think he would mind if I shared this, but we were talking about our injuries and how this is the first time where we can’t realistically just say, “Hey, let’s win a title next year,’ you know?” Kerr recalled.
“He just said, ‘You know, I’m the owner, and I can’t help but just say I expect to be in the playoffs every year and have a shot.’ Frankly, that’s one of the reasons why we have done that is because of his vision and his passion. I admire that. I love that. I think he sees the same thing in me. We’re both incredibly competitive. He’s going to be frustrated with things that I do, and I’m going to be frustrated with his reaction sometimes on the sideline if he’s upset with something.”
If winning was not Lacob and the Warriors’ No. 1 priority, there is no doubt in Kerr’s mind that he already would have called it quits by now.
“That’s all part of it, but we have great respect for one another, and we share the exact same goal,” Kerr explained. “That’s ultimately why I’m coming back, because if that didn’t exist, then this would have ended.
Worcester took the lead early in this one against the Bisons (TOR — and here’s your annual reminder that the plural of bison is “bison”) thanks to a solo shot by first baseman Nick Sogard. Sogard is heating up, with four multi-hit efforts in the last six games. Over the past eight games, his slash line is .379/.474/.724 with two home runs and seven RBI. I can think of a team that needs a spark who could use a Nick Sogard.
The Bison(s) got all of their runs in the second inning off of recently demoted starter Jake Bennett, who allowed seven hits and four runs in 3 ⅓ innings, throwing 70 pitches. Seth Martinez, Noah Song, Tayron Guerrero combined for 4 ⅔ shutout innings.
A Mikey Romero two-run shot in the ninth cut the lead to the final score of 4-3. Sogard and Nate Eaton each had two hit days and Kristian Campbell walked three times.
Ahbram Liendo had a monster day at the plate for the Sea Dogs on Thursday, hammering his first homer of the season, part of a three hit day with three RBI, and a stolen base.
Ahbram Liendo solo shot.
The Boston Red Sox prospect with his first home run of the season in Double-A. pic.twitter.com/pmqE8ayQJS
Marvin Alcantara also added a solo shot. Blake Wehunt started and went 3 ⅓ innings, striking out seven Yard Goats (COL). Reliever Max Carlson got the win and Cooper Adams a two inning save.
John Holobetz (1-3, 5.40) will get the ball for the Sea Dogs on Friday at 7:10.
Bowling Green Hot Rods 5, Greenville Drive 1 (BOX)
The Drive had eight hits on the day against the Hot Rods (TB) but couldn’t get any of them to the plate until a meaningless run in the ninth. Henry Godbout was 3-for-5, and Antonio Anderson had two hits and an RBI on the day.
Starter Dylan Brown struck out seven in his second start since the promotion to Greenville, allowing two runs in five innings.
The Drive will send Marcus Phillips (0-2, 7.64) to the mound at 6:45 on Friday.
Salem RidgeYaks 6, Fredericksburg Nationals 3 (BOX)
Enddy Azocar opened the scoring for the RidgeYaks with a solo shot, his sixth, in the third inning, part of a two-hit, two-RBI day. Azocar has a .279 average and a .846 OPS on the year.
Skylar King, Ty Hodge, and Avinson Pinto all contributed two-hit games as well for Salem, part of an 11-hit effort in the 6-3 win over Fredericksburg (WAS).
Starter Barrett Morgan was outstanding, allowing one hit in five shutout innings for the win. Morgan was an 11th-round pick for the Sox a year ago. Jose Bello picked up a four inning save.
Jason Gilman (0-0, 1.23) will take the bump for Salem at 6:35 on Friday.
Dane goes for broke 5km from top for stage seven win
Decathlon’s Felix Gall is only other rider to get close
Jonas Vingegaard, the pre-race favourite, proved his Giro d’Italia credentials by going alone to conquer the Blockhaus summit finish and win stage seven on Friday as the Dane made his first telling move of this year’s race.
The Visma-Lease a Bike rider, on his Giro debut, went for broke with just over 5km to the top, with the Austrian Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM) the only rider to get close as he came in 13 seconds behind the winner.
NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 25: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers defends Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during the game on December 25, 2025 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The National Basketball Association might have leaked the script for the upcoming conference finals, hasn’t it?
On Thursday evening, the NBA released all possible scenarios for the Eastern and Western Conference Finals, both of which have one team already locked into the matchups—OKC Thunder in the West, New York Knicks in the East—but their opponent still to be determined.
If Cleveland wins Game 6 Friday, Game 1 of the ECF between Knicks and. Cavs will be played: 3:30 pm EST on Sunday at MSG https://t.co/9vKQaa9PK1
Interestingly enough, the NBA announced the tip-off time for a potential Knicks-Cavaliers ECF, assuming Cleveland beats Detroit in Game 6 later today, setting Game 1 for 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.
The potential Pistons-Knicks tip-off time in case Detroit beats all odds and advances in seven games? Not even in consideration for the NBA!
Make of that whatever you want, but hey, I wouldn’t complain having the Pistons and the whole ridiculous Deeeeee-trooit baaas-keeet-baall chant the hell out of the picture.
The Cavs won Game 5 on Wednesday, bringing their semifinals matchup to a 3-2 balance with Detroit facing back-to-back win-or-go-home games going forward, starting today… in The Land. None of those teams had won away from home before the Cavs beat the Pistons on the road, taking a series lead for good and making it hellaciously tough for a postseason-underperforming Detroit squad to pull off the miracle and advance.
Tip-off today is at 7 p.m. ET. If you still have popcorn left, grab a whole bunch and enjoy this war while the Knickerbockers get back to practice in their Tarrytown facilities, patiently waiting for their next victim.
On top of that, it’s been announced that Knicks’ all-time great broadcaster Mike Breen will be on the call for all of New York’s ECF games, with ESPN holding the broadcasting rights for the Eastern Conference Finals and the NBA Finals.
All jokes, but good times all around, ain’t em?
🚨Knicks ECF SCHEDULE:
1️⃣ -Sun May 17 (if Det-Cle goes 6) -Tue May 19 (if Det-Cle goes 7) 2️⃣: -Tue May 19 (if Det-Cle goes 6) -Thu May 21 (if Det-Cle goes 7) 3️⃣Sat May 23 4️⃣Mon May 25 5️⃣Wed May 27 (if nec) 6️⃣Fri May 29 (if nec) 7️⃣Sun May 31 (if nec)
Cleveland has now won three-straight in the series and are at home for Game 6 up 3-2 with a chance to send Detroit packing. The Cavaliers' Game 5 win in Detroit was Cleveland's first road win of the playoffs.
Cleveland is 6-0 at home in the playoffs, but the Cavaliers are 1-1 in series clinching games this postseason after losing to Toronto in Game 6 and winning Game 7. Over the last three games versus Detroit, the Cavaliers average 115.0 points per game, shot 48.7% from the field, and 36% from three. James Harden scored a playoff-high and team-high 30 points with 14 free throws, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Detroit has its backs against the wall yet again. After falling behind 3-1 to Orlando in the first round, Detroit rattled off three straight wins to claim the series, so the Pistons are familiar with this spot. Cade Cunningham scored a personal series-high 39 points in Game 5, which was needed since Detroit was without Duncan Robinson and received minimal help from its role players. The Pistons have three players on the injury report ahead of Game 6 compared to zero for the Cavaliers.
Let’s take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
After 24 years, the NBA is back on NBC and Peacock, combining the nostalgia of an iconic era with the innovative future of basketball coverage. The NBA on NBC YouTube channel delivers fans must-see highlights, analysis, and exclusive and unique content.
Game Details and How to Watch Live: Cavaliers vs. Pistons
Date: Friday, May 15, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM EST
Site: Rocket Arena
City: Cleveland, OH
Network/Streaming: Amazon Prime Video
Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Game Odds: Cavaliers vs. Pistons
The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Detroit Pistons (+145), Cleveland Cavaliers (-175)
Spread: Cavaliers -3.5
Total: 209.5 points
This game opened Cavaliers -3.5 with the Total set at 210.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Cavaliers vs. Pistons
Cleveland Cavaliers
PG James Harden
SG Donovan Mitchell
SF Dean Wade
PF Evan Mobley
C Jarrett Allen
Detroit Pistons
PG Cade Cunningham
SG Duncan Robinson (questionable)
SF Ausar Thompson
PF Tobias Harris
C Jalen Duren
Injury Report: Pistons vs. Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
None
Detroit Pistons
Kevin Huerter (hip) is listed as QUESTIONABLE for Game 6. Huerter played 3 minutes in Game 5 and had one assist.
Duncan Robinson (back) is listed as QUESTIONABLE for Game 6. Robinson missed Game 5.
Caris LeVert (heel) is listed as QUESTIONABLE for Game 6. LeVert played 24 minutes and scored 7 points in Game 5.
Important stats, trends and insights: Pistons vs. Magic
Detroit is 49-45 ATS
Detroit is 23-23 ATS on the road and 9-3 ATS as a road underdog, ranking third-best
Detroit is 49-44-1 to the Under and 24-21-1 to the Under as the road team
Detroit is 6-5-1 to the Over as a road underdog
Cleveland has the second worst ATS record at 39-55
Cleveland is 21-26 ATS at home, ranking fifth-worst
Cleveland is 25-22 to the Under at home and 23-21 to the Under as a home favorite
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday’s Cavaliers and Pistons’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Cavaliers’ Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Cavaliers -3.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 209.5
Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
Former Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy has been regarded as the No. 1 candidate available to coach next season.
However, on Friday's episode of Sportsnet's 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman shared that he doesn't believe Cassidy will be the most likely candidate to be named the Maple Leafs' 42nd head coach in franchise history.
"I do think (Toronto will) reach out to talk to Cassidy," Friedman said. "But… I'd say it's extremely unlikely he's going to end up being the guy in Toronto."
The NHL insider continued to describe what the Maple Leafs organization may be looking into in terms of who their next bench boss will be.
"I do think they are prepared to go fresh," he said.
TSN's Darren Dreger made the same report on Thursday evening on OverDrive. Dreger said that Toronto's next hire could be in the realm of someone who is "young and relatively inexperienced from a professional perspective."
One candidate that fits the criteria of a young, inexperienced, fresh face is AHL Abbotsford Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra. Along with Malhotra, Friedman listed a couple of other new faces who could be considered.
"I think Malhotra, very legitimate candidate," he said. "I think Woodcroft, potentially a candidate. I do think, if David Carle wanted to talk to them, I think he would be a candidate, and there's going to be others."
He also mentioned Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden as someone who is having success, leading his team to the third round of the Calder Cup playoffs and winning Game 1 against the Cleveland Monsters.
But as for Cassidy, and what seems like any well-known veteran bench boss, reports indicate that won't be the path the Maple Leafs go down in this off-season.
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 below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Seattle Mariners welcome the San Diego Padres to T-Mobile Park tonight for the beginning of a three-game set. First pitch is scheduled for 9:40 p.m. ET.
I'm targeting San Diego to grab their fourth straight win against Seattle in my Padres vs. Mariners predictions, with Randy Vasquez on the hill for the visitors.
Who will win Padres vs Mariners today: Padres moneyline (+120)
The San Diego Padres are starting to turn things around, currently sitting in second place in the National League West. They've compiled a 12-8 record on the road this season, and the Padres swept the Seattle Mariners last month at Petco Park.
Randy Vasquez pitched in that series, and while he gave up four earned runs in only four frames, the righty has been a mile better away from Petco. Vasquez owns a 1.93 ERA on the road compared to a 3.86 ERA at home. He's only allowed three earned runs across his last two road outings.
Emerson Hancock, meanwhile, gets the ball for Seattle, and he allowed five earned runs last time out against the Chicago White Sox. Hancock gave up only two earned to the Padres last month, but he's surrendered seven earned across his previous three home outings.
COVERS INTEL: Seattle has lost four of their last six games at T-Mobile Park.
Padres vs Mariners Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 runs (-130)
When these two teams met in April, it was a very low-scoring series. Two of the three games cashed the Under, with just one contest going over seven runs scored combined. Considering the pitching matchup tonight, there is value again in that same play.
Vasquez continues to show his best when on the road, and he owns a 3.05 ERA overall. Although Hancock can get hit around at times this season, he still has a 3.21 ERA, and the right-hander has allowed more than three earned runs in a start just once in 2026, and that was in his most recent outing.
Also, we're looking at two very average offenses. The Padres are 24th in runs scored and 30th in average. The Mariners aren't much better, ranking 18th in runs and 24th in team average. Plus, both bullpens are relatively solid. Seattle's pen owns a 3.53 ERA, while San Diego's relievers have compiled an elite 3.03 ERA.
It won't be a high-scoring series opener at T-Mobile Park.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 10-11, -4.71 units
Over/Under bets: 12-9, +1.35 units
Padres vs Mariners odds
Moneyline: San Diego +122 | Seattle -127
Run line: San Diego +1.5 (-185) | Seattle -1.5 (+140)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+105) | Under 7.5 (-130)
Padres vs Mariners trend
The San Diego Padres have hit the Moneyline in 22 of their last 35 games (+6.35 Units / 14% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Padres vs. Mariners.
How to watch Padres vs Mariners and game info
Location
T-Mobile Park, Seattle, WA
Date
Friday, May 15, 2026
First pitch
9:40 p.m. ET
TV
NBC
Padres starting pitcher
Randy Vasquez (4-1, 3.05 ERA)
Mariners starting pitcher
Emerson Hancock (3-1, 3.21 ERA)
Padres vs Mariners latest injuries
Padres vs Mariners 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.
Myles Turner’s loose lips showed just how much of a sinking ship the Milwaukee Bucks were this season — with Giannis Antetokounmpo at the forefront of it all.
The Bucks’ star center, signed to a four-year, $108.9 million deal last offseason in a shocking move after the Pacers let him walk, told “Game Recognize Game” podcast co-host Breanna Stewart that Milwaukee had many problems under the hood, including tardiness.
“Bro, we literally — if the plane took off at 2 o’clock, we weren’t leaving until 4:30,” Turner said on the latest podcast. “I’m being so serious, bro. It was crazy. Guys were hours late to the plane. It got to the point where I just knew not to show up until like an hour after they said the plane was taking off. It was crazy.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo showed up whenever he wanted according to Myles Turner. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
When Stewart asked who the biggest infringer was, Turner had one name on the tip of his tongue.
“That’s easy: Giannis,” he said. “Giannis is gonna show up whenever he wants really, you know? I think that it kinda just came with the territory. And once I saw what was going down, I was like ‘Hey, man, more power to you. They ain’t gonna fine you. Do what you do.'”
When Stewart, star of the WNBA’s Liberty, said her new coach Chris DeMarco added a fine system that includes $25 penalties for missed free-throw box-outs, Turner added that now ex-Bucks coach Doc Rivers, who has since retired, “didn’t fine anyone ever.”
“Guys were showing up to film whenever they wanted to show up; guys were missing meetings. It was one of the craziest things I’ve personally ever experienced,” Turner said.
On other teams, he said, players were fined regularly.
Doc Rivers never gave out fines, players late for planes, and getting fined for not boxing out.
NEW EPISODE of Game Recognize Game with Stewie and Myles OUT NOW.
— Game Recognize Game (@gamerecgamepod) May 14, 2026
Taylor Jenkins, the Bucks’ new coach, will need to make changes following a horrific 32-50 regular season.
Antetokounmpo appears likely to be traded this offseason, given the extent of the dysfunction Turner described, as well as public comments from front office executives when the team introduced Jenkins.
Doc Rivers ran a rudder-less ship according to Myles Turner. NBAE via Getty Images
“We will do what’s best for Giannis and what’s best for the organization,” Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam said during a press conference to introduce Jenkins. “We don’t know whether Giannis will stay with us or not, but we’ll work through that with Giannis in the coming weeks.”
The expectation is that a solution to this incoherent situation will be found before the 2026 NBA Draft in June.
Antetokounmpo has been publicly upset with the franchise that held him out to end the season due to injuries, public stating that he was healthy enough to play.
His next team odds have the Celtics as the primary option to trade for his services, should he be dealt this offseason.
While there haven’t been many surprises in the NHL Trophy finalists announced over the course of the last 10 days, I was shocked to see that Montreal Canadiens’ GM Kent Hughes wasn’t a finalist for the Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award. Not that Bill Guerin, Pat Verbeek and Chris MacFarland are not worthy finalists, but it’s hard to imagine what the Montreal Canadiens GM could have done better in the 2025-26 season.
The executive started his summer with a slam dunk, finally acquiring a top-pairing right-shot defenseman at the draft in a deal with the New York Islanders. He had to sacrifice his two first-round picks in the process, but he made another trade with the Chicago Blackhawks to move up in the second round and get the 34th overall pick. With that pick, he drafted Alexander Zharovsky, the player Montreal wanted in the first round.
Then, on July 1st, he sent right-shot defenseman Logan Mailloux to the St. Louis Blues in return for Zachary Bolduc, a good young player to bring some much-needed depth up front and make some room on the blueline for other prospects.
A few days into the regular season, he signed star blueliner Lane Hutson to an eight-year contract with an $8,850,000 team-friendly cap hit, especially considering how the cap is set to go up in the coming years. That contract will soon become a steal for the Canadiens.
Five weeks later, he smelt a good opportunity when Alexandre Texier’s contract with the Blues was terminated, roughly 10 days after the Canadiens had lost Alex Newhook to an injury. Pleased with the early return on his $1 million investment, the GM signed him to a two-year contract extension on January 14, with a $2.5 million cap hit. The Frenchman finished the season with 20 points in 43 games and has proven more than capable of providing depth scoring in the playoffs.
Just before the Christmas trade freeze, Hughes went out and acquired veteran center Phillip Danault in return for a second-round pick. The Quebecer was struggling with the Los Angeles Kings, but Hughes figured he could use a fresh start at home. He finished the season with 12 points in 45 games, but he has proven invaluable to the Canadiens at the faceoff dot with a 56.2 winning percentage in the regular season. During the playoffs, he has recorded 3 assists in 11 games and maintained a 59.9% success rate on draws.
With those two acquisitions, the GM bolstered his roster and gave it some much-needed depth, even causing respected veteran Brendan Gallagher to be a healthy scratch at the tail end of the season and in the playoffs. A tough decision, but one Martin St-Louis had to make.
Perhaps Hughes’ candidacy was weakened by the fact that he didn’t get any reinforcements at the trade deadline, but the truth of the matter is that he had already gotten some earlier in the season.
Finally, the fact that the young Habs are in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs just four years into their rebuild speaks to how well this team has been put together. Voting for this award was conducted among the NHL general managers and a panel of League executives and media at the conclusion of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which is why the playoff run should have had an impact. However, the three finalists’ teams have also made it to the second round, which might have helped their own candidacy. I’m looking forward to the winner’s announcement to see how the voting went.
The Mookie Betts trade shook the baseball world. A century after dealing away a superstar who helped them win a World Series, the Boston Red Sox did it again. Worse, it seemed as though they didn’t get nearly as much in return as they probably could have for Betts, at that time a four-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner, three-time Silver Slugger, and 2018 American League MVP.
Since then, Betts has gone on to four more All-Star Game appearances and won four more Silver Sluggers, two more Gold Gloves, finished second in National League MVP voting twice, and, most importantly, won three more World Series to add on top of the one he won with Boston in 2018. However, while Betts has continued to pursue a place in Cooperstown (and likely already made enough of a case to be in the Hall of Fame), Alex Verdugo has slowly been pushed out of the major leagues. And in that frame came a brief stint with the Yankees.
Alexander Brady Verdugo Born: May 15, 1996 (Tucson, AZ) Yankees Tenure: 2024
Verdugo attended Sahuaro High School in Tucson, where he was drafted in the second round by the Dodgers in 2014. He hit only three home runs in his senior year, but he batted .532 and was a left-handed pitcher for his varsity squad, posting a 2.19 ERA. And after being selected, Verdugo decided to sign with LA rather than play college baseball at Arizona State University, where he had previously committed.
Over the course of three seasons in the minor leagues, Verdugo lit everything up, showcasing why he was considered such an elite prospect. In 2015 alone, he received multiple awards and honors from the Rookie ball Arizona League and was eventually promoted to High-A, hitting .385 in 23 games with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in the California League. He hit for the cycle in that span as well and was eventually named the organization’s Minor League Player of the Year.
In 2016, Verdugo began the season with the Tulsa Drillers in Double-A. He made the All-Star team and also played for Mexico’s team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, as his father Joe is originally from Hermosillo, a city in the northwestern part of the country, which made him eligible. Verdugo was then promoted to Triple-A, where he once again showed his prowess at the plate for the Oklahoma City Dodgers, batting .314 over the season, was named to the Pacific Coast League All-Star team, and was selected to represent the Dodgers at the MLB Futures Game.
Verdugo was promoted on September 1, 2017, and played his first game at the ripe age of 21 against the Padres, going hitless with a walk. He would play 14 more games for the Dodgers before his season ended, as he did not perform well enough in the short span to make the playoff roster.
The young Arizonan played more games for the Dodgers in 2018, but he spent most of his time in Triple-A, where he continued to develop. Overall, he played 37 games in a Dodgers uniform that season, slashing .260/.329/.377, a much-improved mark on all accounts, especially in the batting average category, where he was almost 100 points higher in a larger sample size.
Verdugo officially made the Opening Day roster for Los Angeles at 23 years old, and, once again, saw a jump in production as his playing time jumped as well. He only played 106 games due to an oblique injury (that would also keep him out of the postseason). He played 100 games for the first time in his career, and registered 101 hits in the 106 games he played with 44 RBIs and 49 strikeouts. Verdugo’s 113 OPS+ was more than enough to make him look to be an important piece of the puzzle moving forward, but, as we know, a trade would eventually happen that would change the trajectory of his career.
On February 10, 2020, the Dodgers and Red Sox made the trade official. Verdugo, infielder Jeter Downs, and catcher Connor Wong headed to Boston in exchange for Betts, left-handed pitcher David Price, and cash considerations. Although the names they received weren’t chopped liver at the time, the Red Sox seemingly placed a higher priority on moving Betts’ and Price’s contracts than getting the absolute best possible prospects.
With the 2020 season being cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone had to adjust. There were no bodies in the stands, only cardboard cutouts and fake noise pumped in from the sound systems. And in 53 of the 60 games that were played that season by the Red Sox, Verdugo was excellent, batting over .300 for a forgettable Boston team that finished 24-36. But with the Dodgers going on to win the World Series and the Fenway faithful still recovering from the scars of the Betts trade, there were, of course, some hard feelings.
Verdugo continued to produce in a Red Sox uniform, though, despite all of the outside noise. He wasn’t Betts, but he was enough to respectably fill an outfield spot both at the plate and in the field. He had some signature postseason moments for the Sox, too, including a three-RBI game against the Yankees in the 2021 AL Wild Card that was brought to life by a two-run single in the seventh inning that pretty much sealed the game. All of this occurred after he brought the fourth run of the game home for the Red Sox as well.
Verdugo played hero plenty of times in that postseason, specifically, saying to the media:
“I’m not nervous at all. I live for this. It’s still baseball, you know what I mean? The surroundings and fans and the noise outside of it are a lot different, with how much media is on the field before the games and all that, but for me — I just play my game. Baseball is baseball, and let’s not make it more complicated than that.”
Although Boston fell in the ALCS to Houston and missed the next two Octobers, tthe lefty outfielder became a staple on the Fenway grass over the next couple of seasons. In 2022 and 2023, he slashed a combined .272/.326/.413 with an OPS+ of 101, 24 home runs, and 128 RBIs in 294 games. However, 2023 would be the last time he donned a Red Sox uniform, as he was traded to the Yankees on December 5, 2023, as general manager Brian Cashman looked to fill a need both on defense and as a left-handed bat in an almost-strictly right-handed lineup.
However, the plan backfired. The outlook and potential versatility for the Yankees were exciting. And, of course, Yankees fans were thrilled when Verdugo hit a home run on the first pitch he saw back at Fenway following the trade.
Over the course of the season though, Verdugo dealt with lots of ups and downs. He began the season extremely slow at the plate, saying after the season in a quasi-post mortem that he was far too aggressive than he would’ve liked to be, and that he got away from his game. And not only that, but he also had continued issues developing with his hands. He was experiencing skin issues and pain in his hands, a problem that had been continuous since the 2021 season, and that led him to receive an allergy test over the All-Star break. The results showed that he had an allergy to materials in his gloves.
All in all, Verdugo still played in 149 games for the Yankees and slashed .233/.291/.356, and the Yankees were able to make the World Series against Betts and the Dodgers. His defense was good (as Octoberproved), but expectations were higher than an 84 OPS+, especially since he had at least had a league-average bat for Boston in his final two seasons at Fenway. Ultimately, Betts came out on top again, and Verdugo’s performance over the year wasn’t remotely enough to move the needle. It didn’t help that he made the last out of the season too, striking out against Walker Buehler to end the Game 5 collapse in the Bronx. Verdugo entered free agency shortly afterward, and there was little interest in a reunion from the fanbase.
Verdugo ended up joining the Braves in March 2025, where he was sent to Triple-A to get in shape after missing spring training due to his late signing. He would ultimately play 56 games for the Braves before being designated for assignment and released. Verdugo did at least register an impressive four-hit night in his debut, which helped the Braves defeat the Twins 4-3.
After being released, Verdugo was signed to a minor league deal by the San Diego Padres but was eventually released before requiring a season-ending surgery. In fact, that news just broke two days ago. This is unfortunate timing for Verdugo just before turning 30, but that is where the birthday lad’s baseball story ends — for now, anyway.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 12: Mikel Brown Jr. looks on during the game during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 12, 2026 at Wintrust Arena 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 Melissa Tamez/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
I had the incredible experience of being Brew Hoop’s eyes and ears at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago this past week. As much as I didn’t want to leave, I’m home now, but I left with plenty of thoughts on prospects the Bucks may be targeting with their 10th overall pick. There was a lot to take in at the Combine, and a laundry list of names have been linked to Milwaukee, so to make things easy, we’ll start with the guys Eric Nehm reported have met with the Bucks so far. Here are some notes on all of them:
Darius Acuff Jr.
Most of the concerns surrounding Acuff have involved his (lack of) size. It’s no secret that small guards are an endangered species right now. But Acuff measured better than some may have expected, slotting in at 6’2” barefoot with a 186-pound frame and a 6’7” wingspan. He plays smaller than his size to some degree, but those are still encouraging numbers. Ultimately, though, it feels pretty unlikely that the Arkansas stud will fall past Brooklyn and Sacramento, so scouting him is just due diligence for Milwaukee.
Nate Ament
Ament has all of the parts needed to build a good player, but he doesn’t come with an instruction booklet. The Tennessee forward came out for his athletic testing at the same time as some big guys, including Cam Boozer, Hannes Steinbach, Aday Mara, and Caleb Wilson, and he looked right at home beside them with his 6’9.5” barefoot height and 6’11.5” wingspan. He needs to fill out with more muscle, but he has a real NBA build. He fared pretty well in shooting drills, but the form will definitely need several tweaks if he’s going to be a real deep threat.
Mikel Brown Jr.
Brown killed it at the Combine. His measurements were great; at 6’3.5” barefoot with a 6.7.5” wingspan, he has real combo guard size, which is important if he’s going to be playing alongside Ryan Rollins. Brown also shot the leather off the ball in drills. His jumper is as effortless and clean as anyone’s in the class. It’s tough to imagine him falling to 10 unless teams get really scared about his noted back injury worries.
Brayden Burries
Burries was another standout performer at the Combine, even if he didn’t make quite as much noise as Brown or the guy we’ll touch on next. He tested well athletically, posting a 38.5-inch maximum vertical and some quick pro lane drill and 3/4 court sprint times while also measuring in at nearly 6’4” barefoot and 215 pounds. Burries also scorched nets in the shooting drills. He’s another guy who could fit next to Rollins in the backcourt pretty seamlessly.
Cameron Carr
No player helped their stock more at the Combine than Cam Carr. His athletic stuff was impressive, and then he came out and dominated the second scrimmage on Wednesday, going for a LOUD 30 points in 27 minutes. He’s one of the best true three-and-D wings in the draft, and he proved himself to be worthy of consideration at 10 for the Bucks if Giannis sticks around, as long as Yaxel Lendeborg isn’t still on the board.
Chris Cenac Jr.
Unless the Bucks know something we don’t, Cenac would be a reach at 10. He’s pretty raw and doesn’t have a defined role, but he does have some intriguing tools, which he showed off in Chicago. The Houston product is 6’10” with a 7’5” wingspan and a 37-inch max vert, and his jumper is a lot smoother than what most guys his size are working with.
In media availability, I asked Cenac how he thinks he’d be able to match up with centers early in his NBA career. He said “it’ll definitely be a challenge, but you know I’m never running from the fire, I’m definitely ready to jump in the fire and see what it’s like and go out there and compete.” He’ll probably be more of a power forward as a rookie, but if he can find some more consistency from deep, that would open up some enticing double big possibilities with him alongside Myles Turner or Giannis. Again, though, he’s not likely to hear his name called 10th overall.
Aday Mara
Not that it was a total shock, but Mara wowed the draft world when he got marked at 7’3” barefoot with an almost 10-foot standing reach. He shot the ball surprisingly well for a guy of his giant stature, specifically during the movement shooting drills, which is honestly pretty scary. However, his form isn’t NBA-ready: it’s slow, and he struggles to put enough arc on the ball. His stretch potential is something to keep an eye on if he’s going to be paired with the Greek Freak.
Labaron Philon
Philon didn’t do much to stand out in either direction at the Combine, which could be good or bad, depending on how you look at it. He’s firmly in the running for the 10th pick right now, given he’s a tier behind the Acuffs and Browns of the world on most boards. So, I asked him if he views himself as a true combo guard at the next level and what his favorite way to play offensively is because, again, he could be sharing the floor with Ryan Rollins. His answer: “I don’t really have a preference, I like playing on the ball, off the ball. I think I can do both at a great high rate, so being able to find a mix between playmaking and scoring, really.”
Keaton Wagler
Wagler’s measurements were a tad concerning, with a meh 36-inch max vert and a wingspan that only exceeds his height by an inch. On top of that, he shot surprisingly poorly during drills. This is a case where the larger sample size has to be trusted over the Combine results, although that should always be done anyway. Meeting with the Illinois star is mainly due diligence too, though, with steam picking up quickly for him to land with the Clippers at 5.
Tyler Tanner
Tanner broke the news during media availability that he met with the Bucks on Wednesday. Milwaukee’s interest here is interesting, because the Vanderbilt guard is only ranked in the top-10 by Twitter’s spreadsheet scouting battalion. He unfortunately tanked his stock this week, measuring in at 5’11” barefoot and failing to make an impact in scrimmages (although his decision to play in them as a projected first-round pick was commendable). Tanner will probably return to school, so maybe Jon Horst is doing his 2027 homework early.
Here are some brief notes on some other players worth talking about despite not officially being connected to the Bucks:
Yaxel Lendeborg: Tested not-so-well athletically, but no reason for worry here because he’s a proven awesome functional athlete. Shot it well in the spot-up drill specifically. Met with and worked out for Milwaukee last year, per Nehm.
Hannes Steinbach: Posted measurements of 6’10” barefoot with a 7’2” wingspan and weighed in at 248 pounds. He’s a big fella. The Bucks visited him at workouts recently, again according to Nehm.
Karim Lopez: Didn’t look good in the athletic testing, and his jumper is all over the place. He’s even rawer than Nate Ament.
Dailyn Swain: It was a rough week for the Texas wing. His shot looked clunky during drills, and he had a pretty quiet scrimmage on Wednesday. He opted to sit out of Thursday’s game, but many thought he should have played again.
Morez Johnson Jr.: Had a fantastic showing in every sense. The only blip for him was the spot-up shooting drill. The Michigan forward feels like a lottery party crasher that Milwaukee needs to have on their radar.
Jayden Quaintance: Didn’t do athletic testing. The jumper is gross (which is fine). When I asked him how he thinks he can fit alongside another big at the next level, he said “I feel like my versatility and the way that I move, I feel like it’s different than a lot of bigs, so I feel like we’ll be able to kinda occupy the same space and I’ll be able to do different things to play different roles, especially defensively, and offensively, spacing-wise as well with my quickness and the speed that I have.”
Ebuka Okorie: The Stanford guard’s measurements were better than those of some of his peers (6’1” barefoot, but a nearly 6’8” wingspan and a 37.5-inch max vert). Shot it really well. A potential late riser—he’s not at all significantly worse than other guards projected in the range of the 10th pick.
Stay tuned for more in-depth analysis of these prospects from Brew Hoop, both in written and podcast form!
While he engaged in productive conversations with team owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy, and even kept in touch with star players Steph Curry and Draymond Green, he also had several discussions with those closest to him, including his wife, Margot.
And one message from Margot helped change his entire perspective.
“She said, ‘You might coach again someday, but you’ll never coach the Warriors again,’ ” Kerr recalled Margot telling him while speaking to the media Friday after signing a new contract with Golden State. “That was really meaningful to me because I love this team, I love our players. That struck me.
“I couldn’t imagine walking away from the Warriors.”
"You might coach again someday, but you'll never coach the Warriors again."
So he agreed to a two-year contract extension to return as coach and continue his decorative 12-year tenure with the team, in which he’s helped bring four NBA titles to the Bay.
Once Margot helped get his emotions together, he turned to the Warriors brass to make the logical decision.
“So at that point, it was really, ‘What do you guys want to do?’ ” Kerr remembers asking Lacob and Dunleavy. “We had great meetings, and over the course of about a week, we agreed. Let’s do it. So here I am.”
The decision is just one of the many important ones Golden State leaders will have to make this offseason, as they will now shift their focus to roster construction with several key players, such as Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody, set to miss the start of the 2026-27 season.
Fresh off his Rookie of the Year award, Dallas Mavericks Cooper Flagg made things Instagram official with girlfriend, Duke women's basketball center Ari Roberson, on Thursday.
Fresh off his Rookie of the Year award, Dallas Mavericks Cooper Flagg made things Instagram official with girlfriend, Duke women’s basketball center Ari Roberson, on Thursday.
Flagg, who led Duke to the Final Four last March before Dallas took him first overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, shared a snapshot of the pair kissing while in Turks and Caicos on his Instagram Story.
Roberson, a 6-foot-4 redshirt freshman for the Blue Devils, reposted the photo with two black heart emojis.
Dallas Mavericks star and his girlfriend Duke women’s basketball center, Ari Roberson on vacation in Turks and Caicos. Instagram/Cooper Flagg
She also shared a TikTok video that showed them doing an online trend, which included moments from their vacation.
“Carry on…” she wrote with a kissing face emoji.
Roberson is the younger sister of former Oklahoma City Thunder forward Andre Roberson, who last played with the Nets in 2020-21 after six seasons with the Thunder.
Flagg and Roberson made waves online when they shared individual photos of themselves enjoying the same swings over the ocean at Noah’s Ark in Turks and Caicos last Friday.
Dallas Mavericks star and his girlfriend Duke women’s basketball center, Ari Roberson on vacation in Turks and Caicos. TikTok/Ari Roberson
Dallas Mavericks star and his girlfriend Duke women’s basketball center, Ari Roberson on vacation in Turks and Caicos. Instagram/Cooper Flagg
Roberson overlapped with Flagg for a year at the school when they were freshmen in the 2024-25 season.
Their vacation comes on the heels of Flagg winning NBA Rookie of the Year and edging his former Duke roommate Kon Knueppel, currently a Charlotte Hornets forward, for the honor.
The Atlanta Braves hope to keep rolling on Friday night when they open a three-game set with the Boston Red Sox.
The Braves have won four of their last five, and their pitching staff has allowed just nine runs in the last five games.
My Red Sox vs. Braves predictions and MLB picks for Friday, May 15 explain why Spencer Strider will keep that trend going.
Who will win Red Sox vs Braves today: Braves (-147)
Spencer Strider overcame a rocky first start back with a dominant performance against the Dodgers last week.
One noticeable change since his return is an increased usage of his curveball, which has induced an eye-popping 81% whiff rate.
The Boston Red Sox have the 10th-highest strikeout rate and fifth-lowest ISO of any club the past two weeks. They’ve also scored just six runs in four games.
Connelly Early has an ERA that is 1.53 runs below expected. He ranks in the 12th percentile in barrel rate and faces an Atlanta offense ranked seventh in SLG at home vs LHP this year.
COVERS INTEL:Boston’s lineup is making poor contact, posting the second-highest ground ball rate (49.3% ) and pull rate (47%) in the majors over the past two weeks.
Red Sox vs Braves Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-125)
The Atlanta Braves are still hitting the ball well of late, but the run production is down.
Having the seventh-highest strikeout rate and fourth-lowest walk rate the past two weeks probably doesn’t help.
That’s a main driver behind a run of seven Unders in the last eight games for Atlanta, but it’s not the main reason I’m backing that trend to continue.
Boston’s been baseball’s worst team the past week at bringing in runs, posting a .136 BABIP and a .000 ISO with RISP. That’s led to an abysmal 57 wRC+.
That’s why I’m backing Boston’s seventh straight game under the number.
Jason Ence's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 4-9, -5.94 units
Over/Under bets: 9-4, +4.96 units
Red Sox vs Braves odds
Moneyline: Boston +138 | Atlanta -144
Run line: Boston +1.5 (-150) | Atlanta -1.5 (+138)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+117) | Under 8.5 (-122)
Red Sox vs Braves trend
The Boston Red Sox have hit the Game Total Under in 10 of their last 15 games (+5.60 Units / 34% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Red Sox vs. Braves.
How to watch Red Sox vs Braves and game info
Location
Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
Date
Friday, May 15, 2026
First pitch
7:15 p.m. ET
TV
NESN, BravesVision
Red Sox starting pitcher
Connelly Early (3-2, 3.16 ERA)
Braves starting pitcher
Spencer Strider (1-0, 2.89 ERA)
Red Sox vs Braves latest injuries
Red Sox vs Braves 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.
COVERS INTEL: Seattle has lost four of their last six games at T-Mobile Park.
