WASHINGTON (AP) — James Wood hit the majors’ first inside-the-park grand slam since 2022, and the Washington Nationals rallied from an early five-run deficit Tuesday night to defeat the New York Mets 9-6.
José Tena also homered for Washington, which avoided its first three-game skid since April 22-24.
Bo Bichette homered twice and drove in four runs and Juan Soto also went deep for New York, which had won six of seven.
Down 5-0, the Nationals loaded the bases with two outs in the second inning. Mets starter Nolan McLean (2-3) threw a first-pitch sweeper to Wood, who lofted it to deep left.
It was the Nationals’ second inside-the-park grand slam since the franchise moved to Washington in 2005. Michael A. Taylor hit one on Sept. 8, 2017, at home against Philadelphia. It was the ninth inside-the-park grand slam since 1994 and the first since Toronto’s Raimel Tapia did it on July 22, 2022.
Tena led off the third with a homer to the Mets’ bullpen in left. CJ Abrams scored the go-ahead run on catcher Luis Torrens’ passed ball later in the inning, and Jorbit Vivas’ sacrifice fly made it 7-5.
Washington tacked on two unearned runs in the fourth thanks to errors by second baseman Marcus Semien and Torrens.
Bichette hit two-run homers off Washington starter Foster Griffin (5-2) in the first and second innings. It was Bichette’s 10th career multi-homer game and first since signing with New York in January.
Griffin allowed five runs in five innings and struck out five.
Richard Lovelady pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save.
McLean surrendered nine runs — six earned — in 5 2/3 innings.
Jacob Gonzalez launches his 15th home run of the season during Charlotte’s 5-4 win over Gwinnett. | (David Durochik/Getty Images)
Charlotte Knights 5, Gwinnett Stripers 4 The Knights (23-23) blasted their way to an early five-run cushion, then survived a late Gwinnett rally for a close win thanks to another shutdown appearance from Ben Peoples. Jonathan Cannon turned in a solid start despite some wild command, allowing just one run over five innings while working around four walks and punching out four.
Offensively, the Knights brought the thunder early, with Jacob Gonzalez launching his 15th homer in the second before Oliver Dunn, Korey Lee, and Austin Hays all went deep in a span of two innings to bury Gwinnett under a pile of baseballs leaving the yard. Braden Montgomery kept his heater alive as well, ripping an RBI double in the third after Rikuu Nishida swiped second following a bunt single. Montgomery’s bat keeps looking more and more ready for the next challenge.
Things got unnecessarily sweaty late when Gwinnett came back within one against Tyler Schweitzer, but Peoples once again looked like the steadiest arm in the building, escaping ninth-inning trouble with the help of a gorgeous game-ending relay from Gonzalez and Lee to cut down the tying run at the plate.
Biloxi Shuckers 4, Birmingham Barons 3 The Barons (16-24) let a winnable game slip away, falling in walk-off fashion after Biloxi pieced together a messy ninth inning against Jairo Iriarte. Birmingham struck out 12 times and managed just five knocks, with Alec Makarewicz responsible for two of the Barons’ five hits. The DH crushed his eighth homer of the season in the fourth while Calvin Harris chipped in with a game-tying RBI single in the fifth. Their final tally came in the sixth on an RBI single by Anthony DePino.
Lucas Gordon battled through five innings, surrendering three runs on five hits. The bullpen nearly bailed everybody out, as Phil Fox and Jackson Kelley combined for three scoreless innings to keep the game tied entering the ninth. Then came the unraveling: a hit batter, a walk, a bunt single, and finally a soft liner that dropped into left to end it. Birmingham had chances late, including runners at second and third in the seventh and the tying run in scoring position again in the ninth, but the bats couldn’t deliver the one clean swing they needed.
Winston-Salem 13, Greensboro Grasshoppers 9 The Dash (24-16) treated Greensboro pitching like a batting-practice machine, piling up 16 hits and three homers. After starter Gabe Davis labored through 3 2/3 innings filled with traffic and wild pitches, the Dash offense simply decided to outscore the problem.
The avalanche started in the third when Alex Ungar launched a two-run shot before Grant Magill punched a two-run single and George Wolkow demolished a three-run homer to cap a seven-run explosion. Wolkow stayed scorching hot all night, finishing a double shy of the cycle, while Boston Smith added a three-run nuke of his own in the sixth after Greensboro gifted the Dash extra baserunners with a pair of hit batters. Winston-Salem went 4-for-12 with RISP, with Caleb Bonemer, Ely Brown, Smith, Wolkow, and Ungar all collecting multi-hit games.
The bullpen wasn’t exactly stress-free, but Seth Keener brought some badly needed order to the madness through the middle frames, firing 2 1/3 hitless, scoreless innings to stabilize the game and earn the win. Even after the Grasshoppers made some noise with a pair of homers and nine runs, the Dash offense had already done enough damage to survive.
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 3, Myrtle Beach Pelicans 1 Riley Eikhoff was the early headline, slicing and dicing the Pelicans for six innings of one-hit, shutout work, earning himself a quality start. He only allowed a double, gave up no walks, and struck out three.
The Ballers’ (19-21) offense broke through in the fourth when Abraham Núñez walked, swiped second and third like he owned the place, and jogged home on a Stiven Flores sac fly. Ballers up 1-0.
In the sixth inning, Kanny tacked together a few insurance runs when Núñez drew another walk, Billy Carlson slapped a single to right, and Javier Mogollón smoked an RBI double. Then Stiven Flores added on another tally with a fielder’s choice. Myrtle Beach finally got on the board in the seventh off Choyce Diffey, but the Ballers’ defense helped him out when Jaden Fauske gunned down Jose Escobar trying to stretch an RBI single. Landen Payne and Jordan Morales handled the rest, locking down the win.
ACL Royals 6, ACL White Sox 4 (7 innings) KC spent the first two innings turning free baserunners into runs thanks to walks, hit batters, and stolen bases, grabbing an early 2-0 lead. Efren Teran got things rolling for the Sox (4-8) with a solo homer in the fourth, then Alejandro Cruz’s bunt single and hustle forced an error that helped tie the game 2-2 in the fifth.
The Sox had a golden opportunity to take control in the sixth after loading the bases with two outs, but everybody was left stranded, and the game was still tied. Naturally, the Royals immediately made them pay. A backbreaking three-run triple was the key to a four-run inning that flipped the game for good. To the Sox’s credit, they didn’t completely fold. Teran crushed his second homer of the night — a two-run shot in the seventh to cut the deficit to two, but the late rally fizzled there. The lineup finished with just five hits, while the pitching staff handed out eight walks and two hit batters.
ACL Athletics 2, ACL White Sox 1 (Monday, May 18 — 7 innings) The ACL Sox managed just five hits and spent most of the night knocking baseballs right into gloves. After the A’s scratched across a first-inning run, José Mendoza answered immediately in the second by launching his second homer of the year to left center, briefly tying things up. That would be the Sox’s lone breakthrough, though, as the offense went ice cold the rest of the way, closing the night with 13 ground-ball outs and only one baserunner after the fourth inning.
The Athletics took the lead in the third on an unearned run after a pair of Sox errors and an RBI single. Despite Orlando Suarez and Reudis Diaz combining for 3 2/3 scoreless relief frames after that, the lineup couldn’t do anything. A few Sox positives are that Jurdrick Profar flashed some leather with several smooth plays at second, while catcher Landon Hodge cut down a runner on the bases in an otherwise frustrating night for the offense.
Forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, the first round (15th overall) pick of the Detroit Red Wings in the 2024 NHL Draft, demonstrated a flair for the dramatic on Tuesday evening.
Brandsegg-Nygård came through for the Griffins in a do-or-die Game 3 against the Chicago Wolves, scoring the overtime game-winning goal in dramatic fashion.
He took the puck in the neutral zone, skated over the blue line and then dangled around Wolves defenseman Ronan Steely before beating goaltender Cayden Primeau with a backhand shot, giving Grand Rapids the 4-3 win.
— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) May 20, 2026
It was his fourth tally of the playoffs.
The Griffins are now 1/3 of the way toward winning the series, and they have no choice but to win two more consecutive games to remain alive in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Brandsegg-Nygård was one of three rookies to make the Red Wings' roster out of Training Camp and the pre-season in 2025-26, along with Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Emmitt Finnie; he played in 12 games and registered an assist before being returned to the Griffins.
Both Carter Mazur and John Leonard, both of whom played multiple games this season with the Red Wings, gave Grand Rapids a 2-0 lead in the first period. However, Chicago would knot the score courtesy of goals from Domenick Fensore and Justin Robidas before taking the lead in the second period after a tally from Felix Unger Sorum.
But Tyler Angle responded less than two minutes later with his first goal of the postseason, re-tying the game.
Picking up the win in net was Michal Postava, who made 17 saves and also picked up a secondary assist on Mazur's goal. Meanwhile, Primeau was strong for Chicago, making 42 saves.
Game 4 between the Griffins and Wolves is scheduled for Thursday evening at Allstate Arena.
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Do Cavaliers fans have Dave Portnoy to blame for their team’s implosion in the fourth quarter as the Knicks defeated Cleveland in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals?
Cleveland held an extensive lead when the Barstool Sports founder seemed to tempt fate, posting a sarcastic message on X, telling Knicks fans to “keep your head up.”
“As somebody who won a ton of Eastern Conference finals I want to tell Knicks fans not to give up,” wrote Portnoy, who is a well-known Celtics fan. “That looked like a rust game to me. Plus probably over confident after beating a pathetic Sixers team. Long series. Keep your head up. I knew it wouldn’t be easy. You guys aren’t that good but you can still win this thing. Chin up.”
Knicks fans react outside Madison Square Garden as they watch a televised broadcast of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. James Keivom for NY Post
Portnoy later followed up the post with one noting that the Knicks had gone on an 18-1 run “since this tweet by the way.”
“I’d also like to point that many people would delete the below tweet, but that is not my style. I will own it. Leaders lead. Credit to me for being accountable,” Portnoy later wrote on X.
Dave Portnoy started celebrating the Knicks’ demise in Game 1 a little too early. Dave Portnoy/X
The Knicks’ miracle kicked off the team’s second consecutive trip to the conference finals after not having reached the series since 2000.
Dating back to the 1996-97 season, the Knicks were 0-277 when they trailed by at least 22 points in the fourth quarter of a regular season or playoff game prior to Tuesday’s Game 1 win.
Jalen Brunson drives to the basket during the Knicks’ comeback win against the Cavaliers. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Jalen Brunson finished the game with 38 points as he helped lift the Knicks to victory and a 1-0 series lead.
Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 19: James Harden #1 and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high five during the game against the New York Knicks during Game One of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on May 19, 2026 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers just had a total meltdown in Madison Square Garden. They did a whole lot of great things before the final seven minutes. That will make it hard to grade, so bear with me here.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
It must feel nice to get away from the wrestling matches that Mitchell had to endure against Toronto and Detroit. Mitchell nestled into a comfortable rhythm against a skilled but less physically imposing defense in New York.
Mitchell was in a groove. He scored 26 points by the third quarter by getting to his spots and pushing the Knicks’ shoddy rim protection to the brink. They had no answer for him once he got to the basket and couldn’t contain him at the point of attack. Mitchell made good reads as a playmaker (for the most part) and also racked up 6 steals in a fantastic three quarters.
Then the fourth quarter happened.
Mitchell’s process went out the window as the ball stopped moving. He dribbled, or stood in the corner motionless, as the Cavs offense sputtered out of control. He didn’t contribute to their collapse defensively, but he didn’t help either
Even before the fourth quarter, Harden had started this game on shaky ground with some unbelievably lazy turnovers. A 30-foot pass that was easily picked off by Mitchell Robinson. Another cross-court bomb that went straight out of bounds. And, being loose with the ball at halfcourt and getting ripped for a layup.
But it only got worse.
Harden was the primary target of New York’s comeback. The Knicks put him in action and scored seemingly every time. Jalen Brunson didn’t even notice he was there. That’s partly because Harden himself didn’t look interested in being there himself.
Grade: F–
Evan Mobley
15 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks
Mobley played one hell of a game before the fourth quarter. He took Karl-Anthony Towns out of his rhythm and helped the Cavs set a strong defensive tone. What happened during the collapse was largely outside of Mobley’s control. He couldn’t help on Brunson’s drives, and had nothing to do but watch as Harden and Mitchell drained the shot clock on the other end.
The Cavs grew stagnant in the fourth quarter. That’s always been the worst version of them. The ball hardly touched Mobley’s hands unless it was a bail-out three-point attempt. That’s not what you want to see happen. But he also can’t control what Harden and Mitchell choose to do with the ball.
Madison Square Garden is where this nightmare first started for Allen. Since then, he’s had quite a lot of success, in my opinion. But this building was always where he’d have the most to gain or lose. So far, Allen has held up his end of the bargain.
Allen grabbed 5 offensive rebounds through the first three quarters, more than the entire Knicks roster. Totally flipping the tables on what happened to him in 2023 by beating everyone else to the ball over and over again. He dominated the paint and had New York searching for answers.
Similar to Mobley, what happened in the fourth quarter is far more on the guards and coaching than anything the bigs could have controlled.
Grade: B-
Dean Wade
10 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists
For a guy who sometimes goes multiple games without looking at the basket, this was a pretty sweet performance.
Wade has always been a good shooter. It’s part of the reason why it’s frustrating when he doesn’t shoot. Tonight, however, Wade was appropriately aggressive and let it fly for three three-pointers, including a four-point finish. That should have been more than enough to win.
However, the Cavs failed to reap any of the rewards of having Wade out there for his defense. They conceded the switch, allowing Brunson to draw the switch on Harden. The rest is history.
This is more on Kenny Atkinson for the game plan than it is on Wade for allowing the switch. For that, I won’t dock him.
Grade: B+
Max Strus
8 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Strus would have blown the lid off this game if he had it going from downtown. His 2-6 shooting is tough considering the quality of looks he had. But make no mistake, Strus brought his usual impact on all of the margins. He arguably should have been out there in place of Harden during the fourth quarter.
Grade: C+
Dennis Schroder
3 points, 5 assists, 1 steal, 0 turnovers
Schroder’s first stint was a disaster. The Knicks were completely ignoring him, and he shot just 1-6 on those opportunities.
But the Cavs adjusted in the second half. Schroder wisely cut into open space when he was ignored, and that caused the Knicks to panic once he caught the ball. This led to timely assists to Sam Merrill and Jarrett Allen. Schroder finished with 5 assists and 0 turnovers
Still, a 1-9 shooting night isn’t going to cut it.
Grade: D-
Sam Merrill
12 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 steal
The Knicks played with fire by helping off of Merrill multiple times, and he let them feel the heat. It wasn’t a barn burner or anything, but Merrill hit timely shots and pushed the Cavs to a dominant third quarter that should have given them a large enough cushion to close things in the fourth.
Again, what happened after was not his fault. Merrill fought like hell and nearly hit the winning shot at the end of regulation. It should have never even gotten to that point.
Grade: B
Keon Ellis
2 points, 2 turnovers
Ellis only played a brief stint and looked out of sorts. He settled in a bit towards the end, but never got back on the floor to truly test that.
The Cavaliers led the Knicks by 22 points with less than eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter on Tuesday night.
Somehow, someway, that lead did not hold. And the Cavaliers did not win.
The Knicks mounted a rally for the ages in a 115-104 overtime win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals at Madison Square Garden. And after the game, Charles Barkley tore the Cavaliers to shreds for their performance.
“Oh yeah, hell yeah, that was a choke job. Hell yeah. Hell yeah, that was a choke job. No, that was a choke job. Come on, man,” Charles Barkley said on the “Inside the NBA” postgame show on ESPN. They started taking the air out of the ball with six minutes to go like dummies.”
Cleveland led by two at halftime and then outscored the Knicks 35-23 in third quarter.
After James Harden hit the first of two free-throw attempts with 7:52 left in the fourth, the Cavs led 93-71 and looked well on their way to taking Game 1 on the road.
Whether Harden’s missing the second shot from the line changed the momentum or not, the Knicks rallied to tie the game with 19.3 seconds left.
Mikal Bridges and the Knicks rallied to a 115-104 overtime win over James Harden and the Cavaliers on May 19, 2026 at Madison Square Garden. Jason Szenes for the New York PostJalen Brunson goes up for a layup during the Knicks’ Game 1 win. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Knicks then outscored the Cavs 14-3 in overtime as an overjoyed crowd seemed as if it would blow the roof of the Garden.
Harden finished the night with 15 points on 5-of-16 shooting and just 1-for-8 from 3-point range. As a team, Cleveland went 16-of-50 from beyond the arc.
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The Cavaliers can try to get over this “choke” in Game 2 on Thursday night.
Quiet for three quarters, Jalen Brunson threw on his Superman cape when the situation was its most dire.
He scored 17 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, carrying the Knicks to a comeback from 22 points down.
His jumper with 19.3 seconds left in regulation forced overtime, and his assist on a Landry Shamet 3-pointer with 1:49 to go iced the dramatic Game 1 victory.
Brunson finished with 38 points on 15-for-29 shooting — his fourth 30-point effort of this postseason.
He also had six assists.
Zero
James Harden had more turnovers (six) than field goals (five).
He also shot 5-for-16 from the field and came up small late in regulation and overtime.
James Harden, who had a rough Game 1, reacts after scoring during the third quarter of the Knicks’ 115-104 overtime win over the Cavaliers on May 19, 2026 at the Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
OG Anunoby’s return didn’t result in Shamet being glued to the bench.
With Josh Hart struggling, coach Mike Brown called on Shamet, and he provided a major jolt with nine points on three 3-pointers, and terrific defense on Mitchell.
In the 16 minutes Shamet was on the floor, the Knicks outscored the Cavaliers by 20 points.
Key stat
22: The Cavaliers lead in the fourth quarter.
Quote of the night
“I’m definitely thankful, because they could’ve walked out if they wanted to,”
— Jalen Brunson on the Garden crowd’s role in the comeback.
There are going to be a lot of interesting storylines surrounding the Pittsburgh Penguins in the summer of 2026.
For one, the NHL Draft is a little more than a month away, and that means draft boards and predictions are already making their rounds. The trade market will also be an intriguing point of emphasis, especially after Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas's comments during his season-ending press conference. Also, Evgeni Malkin is still without a contract, meaning his future in Pittsburgh is still up-in-the-air.
But one of the quieter topics of discussion that is bound to surface at some point or another is the one involving extension talks with, arguably, the team's two best players.
Dubas did confirm in his presser that talks with extension-eligible players Sidney Crosby and Erik Karlsson are on the back-burner a bit as of now since the Penguins' priority is on the draft.
“They’re not eligible until Jul. 1, so it’s not been a front-burner topic for us," Dubas said. "I think with both of them, [it may be] something later in the summer as we get back in the fall.
"Sid is in a different category. I think most players start to get into their late 30s, and it tends to become a year-to-year thing. I don’t know if that’s how each of them will handle it. That’s just how most players handle it. We’ll discuss that as we get through the summer and into the fall, for sure. In Karl’s case, obviously, players voted him Team MVP. We’re very happy with him. And Sid is Sid.”
While a Crosby extension seems like a given as long as he wants to keep playing, a Karlsson extension is certainly no guarantee.
Karlsson, who turns 36 at the end of May, has one year remaining on his contract that pays him $11.5 million annually, with $10 million being paid out by the Penguins. He is coming off his best season in Pittsburgh, as he thrived under Dan Muse and the new coaching staff on both sides of the puck and wound up with 15 goals and 66 points in 75 regular season games.
Of course, teams should always tread carefully when it comes to extensions to players who will be 37 years old when the new deal would kick in. Even if the Penguins made tangible progress toward becoming a contender in 2025-26 by making the playoffs, Dubas admitted during his press conference that the team is still a "long way off" from being a contender the likes of the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, and more.
So, it's fair to wonder whether or not a Karlsson extension would fit their timeline. The Penguins could probably trade him for a pretty nice return this summer and use those assets to help acquire someone younger in the trade market.
However, there are a few things worth considering here:
This is the biggest point of emphasis. Karlsson entirely controls if he goes and where he goes, so any possibility of a potential trade would need to be cleared by him and his camp first.
In addition, the Penguins and Karlsson need to be aligned. If the Penguins want to trade Karlsson, that doesn't mean he wants to go, and if the Penguins want to keep Karlsson, that doesn't mean he wants to stay. He has expressed how much he likes playing in Pittsburgh, but the reality is that he'll be 36 years old and, still, without a Stanley Cup.
Would Karlsson want to go to a more surefire contender? Or do he and the Penguins mutually agree that they'll be able to legitimately contend if he signs on for another couple of seasons?
Apr 9, 2026; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) passes the puck against the New Jersey Devils during the first period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Luther Schlaifer-Imagn Images
2. The Penguins do not have the right-side depth to effectively replace him
Yes, Harrison Brunicke is an intriguing prospect. He's an elite skater, but there is still a lot of rawness to his game that he needs to harness and refine a bit before hitting his stride in the NHL.
And he certainly won't be ready for top-four minutes at the start of next season, let alone top-pairing minutes. Kris Letang's game is declining, as he is not really an option on the top pairing, either, and is more than three years Karlsson's senior.
Beyond them? Well, Jack St. Ivany, who hasn't shown much promise in the last couple of years between a plethora of injuries, too, is the next guy on the depth chart, followed by Finn Harding - playing in his first full professional season in WBS - who is not only not quite NHL-ready but also someone with a pretty low NHL ceiling.
Even though the Penguins are almost certainly not tanking next season, even if they wanted to remove Karlsson and "tank," they can't even do that because they literally do not have the personnel who can take on his minutes as of now.
So, if Karlsson isn't extended, the Penguins need an immediate plan to replace him.
3. If the Penguins "go for it" on the trade market this summer, it makes sense to keep him around in the short-term
There's no way around it: The Penguins are a much better hockey team with Karlsson on it, and he was the single-most crucial player to their playoff berth this season.
It's becoming clearer that the Penguins intend to compete with Crosby still around. They plan to compete post-Crosby, too - hence why they're rebuliding the way they are - but if there is a real chance at building a true contender within the next two years because of bigger swings in the trade market, savvy drafting, good asset management, and smart free agent signings, then extending a bona fide No. 1 defenseman who played some of the best hockey of his NHL career last season seems like a worthwhile gamble.
Plus, it would give Brunicke - and, potentially, another young blueliner acquired in the trade market or in free agency - the opportunity to learn and grow under Karlsson and in roles that won't demand too much of them too quickly. So, really, a shorter-term Karlsson extension beyond next season does actually make a lot of sense for the Penguins, especially if they plan to improve, not regress.
While folks may have to wait a bit for an answer to the Karlsson extension conundrum - possibly even through the 2027 NHL trade deadline - it's clear that Dubas and the Penguins still see a lot of value in the three-time Norris Trophy winner, regardless of how they ultimately decide to channel that value.
Billy Donovan is also being considered for the position, vacant after Orlando fired Jamahl Mosley on May 4 after the Magic fell to the Pistons 4-3 — blowing a 3-1 lead — in their first-round playoff series. Mosley was hired by Pelicans on Monday.
Jeff Van Gundy has been the Clippers assistant coach the past two seasons. NBAE via Getty Images
Van Gundy, who was the head coach of the Knicks from 1995-2002 and led them to the NBA Finals in the 1998-99 season, has a 430-318 career record during his 10 seasons as a head coach with New York and the Houston Rockets.
Before becoming the Knicks coach, Van Gundy was the team’s assistant coach for nearly seven seasons, many under the leadership of Pat Riley.
After being a top NBA TV analyst for ESPN, Van Gundy returned to the sidelines as a Clippers coach for the past two seasons under Tyronn Lue.
He made headlines earlier this season for allegedly confronting star Chris Paul on the Clippers’ team plane over a changed coaching assignment before the point guard’s exit from the franchise.
Top Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney is also expected to interview for the Orlando opening, as well as the vacant Bulls job.
Per The Stein Line, former Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau is “not involved” in the process at this point.
May 19, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; General view behind home plate during the first inning between the Texas Rangers against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
When the Colorado Rockies welcomed the Texas Rangers to Coors Field for Game 2, their hope was to pick up where they left off after getting a Monday night win. After all, it was “Bark in the Park,” so the vibes (and the dogs!) were good.
However, by the time the game ended, there was nothing to be heard but howls of disappointment from the Rockies side of Coors Field as the Rangers racked up a decisive 10-0 win.
The hits, they kept coming — for the Rangers
The Rangers got on the board first after a rough first inning from opener Sammy Peralta.
He opened by walking Andrew McCutchen on four pitches and then hitting Brandon Nimmo. Ezequiel Duran hit a double to bring them home. After that, Peralta issued yet another walk, loading the bases with one out for Alejandro Osuna. After Peralta struck out Osuna, bulk reliever Tanner Gordon entered the game to get the final out, which he did with just one pitch.
Still, the Rockies were down two runs before even sending a batter to the plate. Worth noting is that the Rangers are 17-3 when scoring first, and that trend continued tonight.
In their half of the first, the Rockies did not get a hit. Adding to the bad news, Brenton Doyle left the game after attempting a diving catch with a left-side contusion.
E1: Rangers 2, Rockies 0
That would be as good as it got for Gordon with the Rangers hitting him hard for the rest of the game.
The second inning saw the Rockies falling further behind as a Nimmo RBI single scored Joc Pederson. Following that, Duran singled to bring home Nimmo, and then a Jake Burger single brought home Josh Jung. When the Rockies finally got the third out, the Rangers had a 5-0 lead.
Rockies pitchers had already issued three walks before the top of the second had ended.
Kumar Rocker took over pitching duties for the Rangers in the second inning and never looked back. Troy Johnston — the second hitter Rocker faced — hit a single, the Rockies’ first hit of the game. Tyler Freeman, fresh off paternity leave, followed that with another single, but the Rockies failed to capitalized.
E2: Rangers 5, Rockies 0
After a scoreless third inning, the Rangers got back to work in the fourth. They scored two more runs — seven runs on 10 hits with the game not yet half over.
Although Ezequiel Tovar walked in the bottom half of the inning, he was unable to advance.
E4: Rangers 7, Rockies 0
The hits kept coming in the fifth inning as Pederson scored his third hit despite entering the game in the second inning. Justin Foscue hit a sacrifice fly to bring him Evan Carter, and the score was 8-0 Rangers.
In contrast, the Rockies did not have a single baserunner in the fifth.
E5: Rangers 8, Rockies 0
This is a pretty grim game recap, so please enjoy this catch from Mickey Moniak in the sixth:
Also worth noting is that the Rockies got three outs on four pitches. The sixth was that rare inning when the Rangers failed to put a runner on base.
In the seventh inning, the Rangers scored again on a — stop me if you’ve heard this one before — Joc Pederson single that scored Danny Jansen. Pederson went 4-for-4 with one RBI.
The Rockies managed a baserunner in the bottom of the inning after a Johnston single, his second of the evening and the Rockies third hit, but they were unable to score.
E7: Rangers 9, Rockies 0
Seth Halvorsen entered the game in the eighth and promptly surrendered two hits, two walks, and a run.
Catcher Brett Sullivan was preparing to enter the game to relieve Halvorsen when Willi Castro caught two quick line-outs to end the inning.
E8: Rangers 10, Rockies 0
The Rockies sent Sullivan to pitch the ninth. Things were grim, but watching the Rockies turn a double play never gets old, and the Rockies turned a nice one to end the inning for Sullivan. (Unfortunately, no video was available.)
Ezequiel Tovar drew a two-out walk in the ninth — worth noting, he walked twice in this game. They were unable to score in the ninth.
E9: Rangers 10, Rockies 0
For the Rangers, this marked a season high in terms of hits (16) and runs (10). Add to that, an excellent performance from Kumar Rocker who absolutely muzzled the Rockies.
“The slider was devastating,” said manager Warren Schaeffer after the game.
On the flip side, it marked an offensive wasteland for the Rockies. They had just three hits and no runs. They walked three times and had and had seven Ks.
The Rockies pitching, it was not good
This will not go down as the best-pitched game in Rockies history.
Opener Sammy Peralta went 0.2 IP giving up two runs (both earned) on two hits. He also walked to and struck out one on 23 pitches. Tanner Gordon did his best, but the Rangers dinged him for hits throughout the game.
He went 6.1 IP, allowing seven runs (all earned) on 12 hits. He walked one and struck out five while throwing 81 pitches. Although Gordon was not effective on the mound, he saved the bullpen.
“The length was extremely valuable to us tonight, ” Schaeffer said.
The eighth inning went to Halvorsen, who struggled much as Gordon did. When the inning ended, he had thrown 25 pitches and allowed one run (earned) on two hits. He also walked two and did not strike out a hitter.
Sullivan pitched the ninth inning as the Rockies waved the white flag. He went one inning, allowed no hits or runs, and walked one.
“He’s willing to do it, and he saved the ‘pen,” Schaeffer said. “That was big for us and good job by Sullivan.”
Up Next
Join us tomorrow for the rubber match when Jack Leiter will face Kyle Freeland. First pitch is at 1:10.
It’s not often that the Mets score a bunch of runs in games started by Nolan McLean this season, but that’s exactly what they did on Tuesday night against the Washington Nationals after scoring five runs in the first two innings.
However, this time it was McLean who let his offense down after the right-hander allowed nine runs (six earned) in 5.2 innings. The six earned runs given up by McLean are a career-high and four of them came on one swing.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the second inning, James Wood attacked McLean’s first pitch sweeper and sent it deep to left center field, where the Mets couldn’t make a play on it, which resulted in an inside-the-park grand slam.
In fact, all three hits allowed by McLean in that second inning came on the first pitch. All three were on different pitches.
“They were ultra aggressive, especially that first time through,” manager Carlos Mendoza said about the Nationals. “… They were hacking first pitch, they were looking hard. The sinker, the cutter, 1-0 [count] and they were aggressive. Balls found holes, they attacked him.”
With how aggressive Washington’s hitters were, McLean found it difficult to make the necessary adjustments on his pitches because they wouldn’t allow him to get settled or find a rhythm.
“Sometimes it’s tough to make adjustments when they’re putting the first pitch in play on multiple different pitches,” McLean said. “… They were just up there pretty aggressive, so sometimes it’s tough to get to the adjustment as quick as normal.”
To make things more difficult for McLean, he clearly didn’t have his best stuff and had to battle with every pitch. On top of that, his fastball, which usually sits around 96 to 97 mph, was hovering around 94 mph for most of the night, perhaps due to the high heat and humidity.
It’s also possible the 45-minute rain delay at the start of the game threw off the right-hander.
“They made some pretty good swings on some decent pitches,” McLean said. “Obviously, I didn’t have my best stuff, but that’s no excuse for not going out there and competing better than I did.”
In the end, McLean went 5.2 innings before handing it off to Daniel Duarte, who saved the bullpen by finishing the game with 2.1 scoreless innings.
Still, it’s not the outing that McLean expects out of himself.
“Obviously, the bullpen’s been getting after it these last couple of days, but my job every time, whether we have a full bullpen or not, is to go out there and get at least seven, so I’m disappointed I didn’t do that,” he said.
But back to the biggest swing of the night, that inning actually began with McLean retiring the first two batters. A double kept the inning going, but after that McLean got ahead 0-2 to No. 8 hitter Drew Millas before hitting him with a curveball.
That mistake elongated the inning and proved costly as an infield single loaded the bases before Wood jumped the rookie.
“In that second inning there, with two outs, even after the double, the 0-2 hit by pitch was kinda like the killer there,” Mendoza said. “… The 0-2 hit by pitch ended up costing a lot in that inning. Overall, especially in those early innings, like I said, he wasn’t able to go to his secondary, make that adjustment… It was a battle for him.”
As someone who has made much of his devotion to science, Bryson DeChambeau isn’t foolish enough to fall for any old conspiracy theory. But he does believe the moon landings may not have been all they seemed. And that interdimensional beings may be visiting Earth.
The two-time major champion appeared this week on a podcast hosted by Katie Miller, the wife of White House senior adviser Stephen Miller. During the interview DeChambeau spoke about conspiracy theories, golf and his friendship with Donald Trump.
Iowa Cubs' James Triantos (4) swings at the ball on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Principal Park in Des Moines. | Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Right-hander Kaleb Wing was promoted from rookie ball ACL Cubs to Low-A Myrtle Beach.
Right-hander Luis A. Reyes went from the Pelicans down to Mesa.
If you want some more bad news, Iowa starter Connor Noland had to be carted off the mound in this game after he was hit in the ankle by a line drive comebacker. Noland’s line on the game was one run on four hits over 1.1 innings. Noland struck out two and walked one.
If you want some good news, Ryan Jensen relieved Noland, stranded two runners and went on to pitch 2.1 scoreless innings. Jensen allowed two hits and walked two while striking out four.
The loss went to Yacksel Rios, who pitched two innings of relief and gave up one run on two hits. Rios walked two and struck out two.
Iowa pitchers walked a season-high 13 batters. Memphis got two runs with bases-loaded walks and two on sacrifice flies.
Left fielder Justin Dean hit a solo home run in the eighth inning, his third on the year. Dean was 1 for 3 with a walk.
James Triantos tripled in a run in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the game 2-2. Triantos went 2 for 4.
Pedro Ramirez missed this game because of illness.
Nazier Mulé made his first start since returning from the Development List and got the loss. Mulé allowed one run on one hit over 1.1 innings. He walked four batters and struck out three.
Center fielder Kane Kepley was most of South Bend’s offense tonight as he hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning. It was Kepley’s second home run this year. Kepley went 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored.
Shortstop Ty Southisene continued to hit for average in South Bend. Tonight he went 3 for 5 with a stolen base. Southisene is hitting .373 over 13 games in the Midwest League.
Kepley’s three-run home run.
Them: You can't have a .490 OBP, lead the league in stolen bases, and hit bombs!
Pierce Coppola was terrific for the Birds even if his final line doesn’t completely show it. He no-hit the Cannon Ballers through five innings, although he did give up a run in the fourth inning on a walk, two stolen bases and a sac fly. He came out to pitch the sixth and exited after giving up a one-out walk and a single. Both of those runs scored off of reliever Mason McGwire, although to be honest, it was more an issue with the Pelicans defense than McGwire.
So Coppola ended up getting the loss after being charged with three runs on one hit over 5.1 innings. He walked three and struck out nine.
McGwire pitched 1.2 innings and allowed two hits and no runs of his own. He walked one and struck out one. But the two runs scored because of a high infield chopper that both shortstop Alexis Hernandez and third baseman Derniche Valdez just whiffed on, so it rolled into shallow left field for a double.
The only Pelicans run came on a single in the seventh inning by second baseman Jose Escobar. Escobar was 2 for 3 with a double.
Will Sanders made a rehab start in this game and got battered for five runs on six hits over 1.2 innings. Sanders struck out two and walked one. That’s not good, but as I always say, the only thing that matters about a rehab appearance is how the player feels afterwards. It’s about health, not results.
May 19, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran (16) runs to first base after hitting a three-run home run in the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images | Peter Aiken-Imagn Images
With Kris Bubic out with some elbow discomfort, the Kansas City Royals turned to ye olde “bullpen game” against the Boston Red Sox. While the bullpen held for most of the game, the Royals offense stayed sleepy and the Red Sox eventually did their damage, beating the Royals in a 7-1 slog.
Kansas City turned to Bailey Falter, whose ERA entering tonight’s game was an eye-watering 10.13. Falter did nothing to dispel the implication that his ERA suggested, immediately walking leadoff hitter Jarren Duran on four consecutive pitches.
Somewhat miraculously, Falter only gave up two runs in his two innings of work. A Willson Contreras single poked across one run in the first inning, and Falter escaped a bases loaded jam in the second inning while only allowing one run thanks to a Wilyer Abreu double play.
In the clubhouse, a visibly frustrated Falter answered the first question from our press corps simply and directly: “I haven’t been good since being acquired.” He took responsibility for not being good, but it sure doesn’t seem like he has any answers, unfortunately.
On the offensive side, the Royals drew blood quickly. Bobby Witt Jr. hit a bouncing single to opposite field. Salvador Perez—who was briefly possessed by Juan Soto during this game—challenged a strike call! At the plate! And won! And then walked! Lane Thomas then hit a hustle double (a questionable send, TBH, but that will be a theme) to tie the game at the time.
Then, one of the turning points happened. Against a tough lefty, Cags hit a dribbler to the right side. It sure seemed that he beat it out on replay. But New York upheld the call, making it two outs. It really should have been one, but a questionable call shouldn’t sink a whole team.
The Royals challenged this play at 1st and the Call had STAND.. what do you think? pic.twitter.com/zzqSDBFySN
Oh, we should mention Duran here. Duran walked in the first inning. He also walked in the second inning. He also was flying everywhere on defense. In the second inning, Vinnie Pasquantino struck out looking bad against Red Sox starter Ranger Suarez, a lefty. But Nick Loftin came up to bat and swatted a beautiful line drive.
But then, Duran made a hell of a diving play. Out.
In the third inning, Salvador “Juan Soto” Perez walked, again, his second walk in three innings. Now, he didn’t score, but if Salvy can draw some walks, he can mitigate his declining hit tool a bit. Notably, Salvy was in the third spot in the order. Perez was the DH tonight, and Carter “Salvador Perez” Jensen threw out Isiah Kiner-Falefah on a delightful, perfectly thrown ball to second base.
Duran continued his night in the fifth inning with a booming double. But Lane Thomas scooped up the ball quickly and rifled a throw to Witt, who unleashed a beautiful laser of his own to third base and cut Duran down. It was ruled a double, but you should know.
Amusingly, one of the Boston beat writers to my left confidently said “triple” as the ball sailed to center field. Well, welcome to Kansas City. Witt is in charge here, and the only triples allowed here are his own.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, more baserunning bad happened. Jensen hit a leadoff double, a ground ball just fair down the first base line. A Maikel Garcia line drive moved him to third base, but Garcia was thrown out at second base after the relay went home; he had slowed down at first base and almost belatedly decided he would do it. It looked odd at the moment.
After the game, Garcia—through a translator, which is not his standard practice—answered some questions. “We made too many mistakes running the bases,” he said. He elaborated that he wasn’t running hard out of the box, and that first base coach Damon Hollis sent him when the throw came in high. “Honestly, it was a mistake. Coach said ‘go,’ but he didn’t see me coming out of the box.” To be clear, I think that Garcia blamed himself, and interviews through translators always have a sort of margin for error. But it was interesting nonetheless.
Anyway, nobody scored. A fly ball from Witt was too shallow, and a blistered line drive from Perez wasn’t quite high enough to go over the fence, instead finding its way into, of course, Duran’s glove. Duran made a…questionable route, but a leaping catch looked very snazzy.
In the sixth inning, this seemed like a turning point in the game. After failing to push a run in scoring position across with one out, and with John Schreiber coming into the game, things seemed prime to fall apart.
Now, while it didn’t fall apart immediately, it did fall apart—it just took some time, with a baserunning farse detour along the way. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Thomas led off with a single. Cags struck out, but Starling Marte singled to put men on first and second…until Thomas got picked off at third base, the Royals’ second. A Vinnie line drive then ended the inning.
The pitching took a little bit to topple. I mentioned Schreiber—he actually pitched a clean sixth inning. Nick Mears struck out a pair in his two innings of work, giving up one run in the eighth inning off a Rafaela double and some productive out shenanigans. But it was the ninth inning where things really fell of the rails. Fresh from Triple-A Omaha, the Red Sox greeted reliever Eli Morgan with a flurry of hits. And then Duran, capping off an excellent game, smashed a three-run shot to expand Boston’s lead to 7-1. Red Sox social media called it a “dagger,” but let’s be real—the true dagger came three runs earlier.
In the ninth inning, the Royals were blessed with not needing to face Aroldis Chapman. It didn’t matter; lefty Jovani Moran might as well have been, as he mowed down Caglianone, Marte, and Pasquantino with three strikeouts.
A halfhearted chorus of boos percolated through the crowd. The game ended. The Royals fall to 20-29, but are not yet alone at the bottom of the division because the Detroit Tigers are inexplicably also 20-29. So it goes.
