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Phillies make spirited late comeback but can't overcome untimely mistakes

Phillies make spirited late comeback but can't overcome untimely mistakes originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies’ offense mounted a late comeback with seven runs in the sixth inning or later Sunday afternoon but a series of small moments prevented them from pulling out a sweep over the Diamondbacks.

There was Ranger Suarez’ inability to stop the bleeding in the third and fourth innings of his season debut. His start began as smooth as possible with a pair of 1-2-3 frames but he allowed three runs in the third and four in the fourth, both rallies beginning with a walk of eight-hole hitter Garrett Hampson, not much of an offensive threat.

There was Alec Bohm bobbling a difficult grounder that cost Suarez and the Phils at least one run, maybe two.

There was J.T. Realmuto’s split-second decision to try to take third on a dropped third strike in the bottom of the seventh. He was nailed on a perfectly applied tag by Eugenio Suarez for the final out with the tying run on base.

And there was the slow exchange on a potential inning-ending double-play ball hit by Corbin Carroll in the top of the ninth. Carroll is one of the fastest players in the majors and it would have required a perfect flip from Bryson Stott to Trea Turner and an even better rocket to first base. Stott’s toss was high and Turner never got a grip on the ball, throwing it into the dirt. The next pitch was hit by Randal Grichuk for an RBI double. It would have been difficult either way, but if executed perfectly, the Phillies end the top of the ninth trailing by one rather than two.

The lineup — Bohm, Realmuto, Stott and Turner included — put together plenty of good at-bats, particularly late. Bryce Harper snapped a home run drought of 62 plate appearances in the first inning and Weston Wilson hit a three-run shot in the sixth when the Phillies trailed by five, his first big knock since coming off the injured list on April 23.

Realmuto singled in Harper in the seventh to bring the Phillies within a run. Kyle Schwarber did the same with a two-out home run off Shelby Miller in the ninth. Nick Castellanos, Realmuto and Bohm followed with singles to tie the game.

The Phillies extended Jose Alvarado to a second inning and Arizona scored three times to win, 11-9. Schwarber grounded out hard with two aboard to end it.

It has come from necessity but Alvarado is probably being used too much. Sunday was his 16th appearance in 34 games, putting him on pace for 76. The Phillies don’t want any of their relievers reaching 70. He has also made three appearances already of more than one inning after not doing it once last season.

The bullpen work before him was terrific. Orion Kerkering, Jordan Romano, Matt Strahm and Joe Ross combined for 4⅓ scoreless innings after Suarez allowed seven runs over 3⅔.

Making his first start in the Phillies’ 34th game after missing two months with a back injury, Suarez retired six in a row to begin the afternoon, striking out four. He was locating his sinker, fastball, changeup, curveball and cutter through two innings, missing bats with four of them and pitching almost artfully, the way things look for Suarez when he’s in sync.

It all fell apart once he had to pitch out of the stretch. Four consecutive Diamondbacks hitters reached base in a three-run third inning and five straight reached in a four-run fourth.

As rough as Suarez’ second half was last season, he didn’t have an outing quite this poor. The only time in his career he allowed more runs was his second start in the majors back in 2018.

His stuff looked fine, he just failed to command his pitches with men on base. Suarez averaged 92 mph with his sinker and four-seam fastball, his usual range. His slow hook was effective early, and he did a good job of pairing the mid-70s curveball with his low-90s fastball, at one point striking out Eugenio Suarez on a 93 mph heater after a 73 mph curve. The Phillies will hope this was just a matter of shaking off rust.

Suarez’ next start will be Saturday in Cleveland. He took the place of Taijuan Walker, who had been assuming a rotation spot in Suarez’ stead. Walker had a 2.54 ERA (plus five unearned runs) in six starts and is now the long man in the bullpen. He probably will find his way back into the Phillies’ rotation at some point given the fragility of starting pitching.

The Phillies won the series and have gone 6-3 since being swept by the Mets last week but still haven’t gotten on an extended roll in any phase — offensively, defensively or with full-game pitching performances. The flipside is they’re on pace for 91 wins without having played close to their best baseball.

The Phils are off Monday before playing three games in Tampa at Steinbrenner Field, the Rays’ home for 2025 because of the devastation to Tropicana Field from Hurricane Milton. Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez and Jesus Luzardo will pitch in the series. From there, the Phils head to Cleveland, which like Tampa Bay has a bottom-third offense in runs scored and OPS.

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Phillies make spirited late comeback but can't overcome untimely mistakes

Phillies make spirited late comeback but can't overcome untimely mistakes originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies’ offense mounted a late comeback with seven runs in the sixth inning or later Sunday afternoon but a series of small moments prevented them from pulling out a sweep over the Diamondbacks.

There was Ranger Suarez’ inability to stop the bleeding in the third and fourth innings of his season debut. His start began as smooth as possible with a pair of 1-2-3 frames but he allowed three runs in the third and four in the fourth, both rallies beginning with a walk of eight-hole hitter Garrett Hampson, not much of an offensive threat.

There was Alec Bohm bobbling a difficult grounder that cost Suarez and the Phils at least one run, maybe two.

There was J.T. Realmuto’s split-second decision to try to take third on a dropped third strike in the bottom of the seventh. He was nailed on a perfectly applied tag by Eugenio Suarez for the final out with the tying run on base.

“You never want to make the third out at third base and he knows that,” manager Rob Thomson said. “He came in and was mad at himself.”

And there was the slow exchange on a potential inning-ending double-play ball hit by Corbin Carroll in the top of the ninth. Carroll is one of the fastest players in the majors and it would have required a perfect flip from Bryson Stott to Trea Turner and an even better rocket to first base. Stott’s toss was high and Turner never got a grip on the ball, throwing it into the dirt. The next pitch was hit by Randal Grichuk for an RBI double. It would have been difficult either way, but if executed perfectly, the Phillies end the top of the ninth trailing by one rather than two.

“Stotty had a tough time getting it out of his glove and then Trea had a tough time getting it out of his glove too,” Thomson said. “Normally that’s a double-play ball.”

The lineup — Bohm, Realmuto, Stott and Turner included — put together plenty of good at-bats, particularly late. Bryce Harper snapped a home run drought of 62 plate appearances in the first inning and Weston Wilson hit a three-run shot in the sixth when the Phillies trailed by five, his first big knock since coming off the injured list on April 23.

Realmuto singled in Harper in the seventh to bring the Phillies within a run. Kyle Schwarber did the same with a two-out home run off Shelby Miller in the ninth. Nick Castellanos, Realmuto and Bohm followed with singles to tie the game.

The Phillies extended Jose Alvarado to a second inning and Arizona scored three times to win, 11-9. Schwarber grounded out hard with two aboard to end it.

Harper reached base three times but was annoyed with himself after striking out looking in the ninth and flying out to center as the winning run in the 10th.

“It got in on me a little bit. Just frustrated I couldn’t come through right there,” he said. “Obviously a big moment, big opportunity right there and couldn’t get it done.

“I’m just frustrated on a bigger level. Just want to come through for the team and play well. I’ve been through bigger ruts in my career, gone through ups and downs worse than what I’m on right now. Just frustrated for the fans, frustrated for the team. That last moment there against (Jalen) Beeks, not coming through right there, super frustrated for that. Just wanna play better, gotta play better. Just gotta be a better ballplayer.”

Harper did hit two balls hard and walk Sunday so he might be working his way out of the 6-for-42 slump he was in entering the afternoon.

It has come from necessity but Alvarado is probably being used too much. Sunday was his 16th appearance in 34 games, putting him on pace for 76. The Phillies don’t want any of their relievers reaching 70. He has also made three appearances already of more than one inning after not doing it once last season.

“It does (concern me) with all the guys, really,” Thomson said. “If we have to give him a couple of days after that, we will. That’s what we did the last time.”

The bullpen work before him was terrific. Orion Kerkering, Jordan Romano, Matt Strahm and Joe Ross combined for 4⅓ scoreless innings after Suarez allowed seven runs over 3⅔.

Making his first start in the Phillies’ 34th game after missing two months with a back injury, Suarez retired six in a row to begin the afternoon, striking out four. He was locating his sinker, fastball, changeup, curveball and cutter through two innings, missing bats with four of them and pitching almost artfully, the way things look for Suarez when he’s in sync.

It all fell apart once he had to pitch out of the stretch. Four consecutive Diamondbacks hitters reached base in a three-run third inning and five straight reached in a four-run fourth.

As rough as Suarez’ second half was last season, he didn’t have an outing quite this poor. The only time in his career he allowed more runs was his second start in the majors back in 2018.

His stuff looked fine, he just failed to command his pitches with men on base. Suarez averaged 92 mph with his sinker and four-seam fastball, his usual range. His slow hook was effective early, and he did a good job of pairing the mid-70s curveball with his low-90s fastball, at one point striking out Eugenio Suarez on a 93 mph heater after a 73 mph curve. The Phillies will hope this was just a matter of shaking off rust.

“It just looked like he lost his command getting out of the stretch, leaving his breaking ball up, changeup up,” Thomson said. “I don’t think he had many baserunners in his rehab starts. But he’s better than that and he will be.”

Suarez said it was less about rust and more about overthrowing out of the stretch, which he’ll work on in between starts. He will pitch next on Saturday in Cleveland.

The Phillies won the series and have gone 6-3 since being swept by the Mets last week but still haven’t gotten on an extended roll in any phase — offensively, defensively or with full-game pitching performances. The flipside is they’re on pace for 91 wins without having played close to their best baseball.

“I thought we fought,” Harper said. “It’s what you want. We could’ve just laid down and said we won the series already and we didn’t do that. Just really good, hard-fought. I know we lost but fought to the end.”

The Phils are off Monday before playing three games in Tampa at Steinbrenner Field, the Rays’ home for 2025 because of the devastation to Tropicana Field from Hurricane Milton. Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez and Jesus Luzardo will pitch in the series. From there, the Phils head to Cleveland, which like Tampa Bay has a bottom-third offense in runs scored and OPS.

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POSTGAME: Avalanche Season is Devastated in Game Seven Loss By Former Teammate

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (8) hugs Dallas Stars right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) after the Stars defeats the Avalanche in game seven of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

On the opening night of the 2024-25 season, Mikko Rantanen had a secure spot on the top line next to teammate Nathan MacKinnon with the Colorado Avalanche.

A full 82-game season and one playoff round later, Rantanen's third-period hat trick with the Dallas Stars puts an end to Colorado's season and aspirations for another Stanley Cup.

You can't make this up.

To many eyes around the league, the question begs: "How can you not be romantic about hockey?"

Fans of the Avalanche surely don't think so. Poetic? Sure. But games like this, where the season for one of the deepest rosters this team has had in a long time is ended by the player they traded away, might seem more like an ending meant for nightmares, not storybooks.

A three-goal, four-point performance from Mikko Rantanen in Game 7. A four-goal third period from the Stars. Nothing to say but the Colorado Avalanche fell apart after, arguably, playing the better game for 40 minutes.

The Timeline of the Game

Despite remaining scoreless, the first period tilted slightly in Dallas' favor. A double-minor high-sticking call on Dallas was a squandered opportunity for Colorado to find the lead. 

In the second period, things begin to pick up. In what should be an opportunity on the man-advantage for Dallas thanks to a Sam Malinski interference call, Colorado gets the first goal of the game shorthanded. Logan O'Connor creates a turnover just below the blue line, carries the puck into the O-zone, and locates Josh Manson cruising down the slot, who then scores. Manson's shot hits the post, banks off of Oettinger, and finds the back of the net.

Going scoreless the rest of the period, the Avalanche head into the third period up 1-0.

Colorado starts the third period drawing a tripping penalty from Dallas. As Mackenzie Blackwood heads to the bench, MacKinnon, like a rocket, skates on as the sixth player while they have possession. Lindgren finds him with a quick pass as he cruises down the left side, and MacKinnon finds a window through Oettinger's loose coverage of the post to put the Avalanche up 2-0.

After that, the floodgates opened for Dallas.

An offensive turnover by the Avalanche creates a rush from Dallas going the other way, Rantanen finds the puck, and loose coverage down the middle. The space gives him an open shooting lane, and he scores, cutting Colorado's lead in half.

Almost six minutes later, Rantanen also finds the game-tying goal on the power play.  Colorado's defense lets Rantanen skate through to create the opportunity, it falls off of his stick, and just as Sam Girard gets to the post to cover the open net, the puck goes off of his skate and gets past Blackwood to make the game 2-2.

Wyatt Johnston finds the game-winner for Dallas just over two minutes later, another power-play goal. Jack Drury gets a defensive-zone call for holding right after a faceoff, giving Dallas a man-advantage late in regulation. With scrunched coverage from Colorado's penalty-killers, Johnston finds himself all alone on Blackwood's blocker-side, and the Avalanche goaltender can't get over in time to cover the wide-open net, nor the cross-crease pass that turns into a goal.

With Blackwood pulled, Colorado couldn't seem to find consistent possession in the O-zone as the time ticked closer to zero. Dallas was all over them with pressure, which created a turnover near the blue line. Tyler Seguin finds an already-moving Rantanen heading toward Colorado's empty net, and with a quick neutral-zone pass, the former Colorado forward completes the third-period hat trick and puts a cap on the game for Dallas with three seconds remaining on the clock.

Takeaways from Game 7 and the Series

Put simply, Colorado's inability to convert on the power play cost them this series, only highlighted by tonight's 0-3 performance. With a four-minute man advantage early in the game, Colorado seemingly couldn't put a good enough sequence together to challenge the Stars' penalty-killers, or Oettinger, enough to find the net.

The power play was only successful 3/22 times this series. Head Coach Jared Bednar said postgame that he liked the first chance in last night's game, and the power play seemed dangerous to start the series, which he would've liked to see them continue.

Tough capitalizing on our chances, for sure. I think our first power play tonight was probably my favorite. The refs continued to call the game, we got a couple opportunities later in the game to get a lead, stretch out a lead, and we didn't capitalize. One of them we weren't that dangerous, they came down and put it in the back of the net, so it's obviously a big, big swing and turning point in the series. Obviously, you'd like it to be more dangerous than what it was at times in the series.
- Coach Bednar on the power play failures in this series.

The X-factor for Bednar was Rantanen, who was quiet for Dallas in the first four games, but woke up in the last three. Last night's performance capped off an 11-point (6 goals/5 assists) run in three games. Rantanen now leads among postseason skaters in points with 12.

That's the thing with Mikko, it's not about always just creating multiple chances like every time he touches the puck, but big moments. Look at that first goal, pretty nice individual effort, rips it off the bar down and finds a way to get the other one on the wrap around. Hits our skate, but it's still a high-quality play, and he capitalizes on it. He can capitalize, that's what he is. He's a pure goal scorer. He did that in the third.
- Coach Bednar on Mikko Rantanen

So... What's Next?

Though the season may be over, there's still lots to do for this Avalanche team over the next few days.

Avalanche Media Relations has not yet released any information regarding exit interviews, but that will be the next step. Most, if not all, of the roster and Coach Bednar should be available to talk about a season that will live on in NHL history books due to the chain of events leading up to and following the trade deadline.

The 2025 NHL draft is set to take place on June 27th and 28th. As of today, May 4th, Colorado has two draft picks in the 4th and 7th rounds.

July 1st marks the beginning of the 2025 Free Agency period.

After that, the next big thing to look forward to will be Colorado Avalanche Development Camp, which, if past years are anything to go by, should take place sometime early in July.

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'We Owe Vegas A Good Series': Connor McDavid's Oilers Look To Flip The Script From 2023

Connor McDavid and Shea Theodore (Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images)

Connor McDavid hasn’t forgotten that the Vegas Golden Knights ended the Edmonton Oilers’ Stanley Cup hopes in 2023.

“We owe Vegas a good series,” he told Sportsnet’s Gene Principe just minutes after the Oilers eliminated the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday, setting up the second-round rematch.

Two years ago, with the series tied 1-1, the Golden Knights turned to Adin Hill when Laurent Brossoit was injured in the first period of Game 3. They won that game 5-1 on the road, finished out the series in six and went on to capture the Stanley Cup.

Hill was solid in his 16 appearances that year, finishing at a .932 save percentage, 2.17 goals-against and 7.7 goals saved above expected. 

In Round 1 this year, the 28-year-old gave up 17 goals in six games to the Wild. He’ll start the series against Edmonton with an .880 save percentage and minus-2.0 goals saved above expected, per moneypuck.com.

The Oilers’ path to the second round cleared after a goaltending switch of their own. After helping to save Edmonton’s season with a two-game cameo against the Vancouver Canucks while Stuart Skinner was struggling last year, Calvin Pickard took the net with his team in an early 0-2 hole and ran with it. 

His .893 save percentage and minus-0.9 goals saved above expected may not be dazzling. But he made the saves that Edmonton needed, his numbers are better than Hill’s this spring, and it’s hard to argue with a 4-0 record.

Skinner may return at some point, but McDavid has been effusive in his support for Pickard.

“He’s a guy who’s just been a battler his whole career,” he told Principe. “Couldn’t be a better guy. We love playing for him. We love battling for him. Does a great job, giving us a chance.”

McDavid and Pickard first joined forces nearly a decade ago, winning gold with Team Canada at the 2016 World Championship in Russia. Pickard served as Cam Talbot’s backup, getting into two games, then earned silver when he returned as the starter in 2017.

After playing 50 games with the Colorado Avalanche in 2016-17, Pickard got just 30 NHL games over the next five seasons, with four different teams. But after joining the Oilers organization, he saw 23 games of action in 2023-24 and 36 this season, for a regular-season record of 51-34-17 and a .903 save percentage as an Oiler.

'He's Overcome So Much': Journeyman Calvin Pickard Answers The Call As Oilers Eliminate Kings Again'He's Overcome So Much': Journeyman Calvin Pickard Answers The Call As Oilers Eliminate Kings AgainIn 2017, Calvin Pickard was known as the prototypical journeyman goaltender who was traded by the Vegas Golden Knights without ever playing a game for them as their first expansion draft pick.

Going into Round 2, Pickard has a legitimate chance to outduel Hill. He’ll have to do it behind a defense that isn’t as pedigreed as the Golden Knights’ but is showing some promising signs.

Vegas is healthy on the back end and has made only one change from its Cup-winning blueline from 2023: Noah Hanifin replaced Alec Martinez. 

With Mattias Ekholm still sidelined and potentially unavailable for all of Round 2, the Oilers leaned hard on Evan Bouchard, Darnell Nurse and Brett Kulak in Round 1. 

But give credit to Jake Walman and John Klingberg. After Klingberg entered the series in Game 2, the pair controlled over 71 percent of expected goals during their shifts and did not get scored on at 5-on-5 against L.A. 

In the regular season, the Golden Knights averaged 3.34 goals per game, although that slipped to 3.00 against the Wild. They can get scoring from throughout their lineup, so Edmonton will need Walman and Klingberg to continue to deliver those strong shut-down minutes.

After finishing with 4.5 goals a game against Los Angeles, the Oilers must prioritize even-strength scoring again in Round 2. 

To their credit, they got five power-play goals on just 13 chances over six games against a Kings penalty kill that was eighth-best in the league in the regular season. Vegas ranked 26th. But the Golden Knights were the NHL’s least-penalized team during the regular season and also gave Minnesota just 13 power plays over six games in Round 1. 

Vegas enjoyed 18 power plays against the Wild but scored five goals and gave up one shorty. So their net power-play impact was lower than Edmonton’s, despite more opportunities.

The season series between the Oilers and the Golden Knights was dead even this year. All four games ended in regulation, with each side winning once at home and once on the road. All time, Edmonton is 15-9-2 against Vegas in the regular season. 

The Oilers and Golden Knights series will kick off on Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. ET at T-Mobile Arena.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

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How Coronato's Contract Extension Impacts McTavish's Negotiations with the Ducks

Apr 13, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish (23) skates with the puck against the Colorado Avalanche in the first period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Mason McTavish enters the 2025 offseason as one of two (Lukas Dostal) high-profile restricted free agents (RFAs) on the Anaheim Ducks’ roster.

Report: The Ducks Ongoing Search for Next Head Coach

McTavish (22) has now played out the entirety of his ELC and finished the 2024-25 season, his third full season in the NHL, with 52 points (22-30=52) in 76 games, good enough for second on the Ducks in scoring behind Troy Terry (55 points). He has eclipsed the 40-point mark in each of his three seasons and has increased his point-per-game average year over year (.54, .66, .68).

The Calgary Flames announced on Saturday that they’ve inked forward Matt Coronato (22) to a seven-year contract extension that carries an AAV of $6.5 million.

Apr 7, 2025; San Jose, California, USA; Calgary Flames right wing Matt Coronato (27) shoots the puck during the third period against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

Coronato was drafted ten picks (13th overall in 2021) behind McTavish (3rd in ’21) and just wrapped up his first full season in the NHL with 47 points (24-23=47) in 77 games after splitting the previous year between the AHL and NHL.

When entering contract negotiations, players and agents will often scour the league for recent signings of players with a similar pedigree with whom to compare themselves. McTavish’s resume eclipses Coronato’s in every way.

The NHL announced their projections for where the salary cap ceiling will likely be heading over the next three seasons. It’s set to increase from $88 million in 2024-25 to $113.5 million by the 2027-28 season.

Prior to that announcement, several players comparable to McTavish after or nearing expiry of their ELCs (Alexis Lafreniere, Dylan Guenther, Matty Beniers, etc.) signed contract extensions with their respective teams. However, it would be a fool's errand to project McTavish’s next contract based on the raw salary of those players, as the landscape of the salary cap has shifted significantly.

Another detracting factor when considering McTavish’s next deal is Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek’s philosophy regarding bridge vs long-term contract extensions for young players. He engaged in notably tough negotiations with Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale in the summer of 2023 that lasted well into training camp.

“Part of my philosophy is, I like to do bridge deals with players,” Verbeek said when asked at the ‘Ducks Migration’ post-trade deadline event for season ticket holders. “It allows the players two things: it allows them to have no pressure to grow and get better before they have the long-term contract. It also allows the team to assess them over the three years of how good they are really going to be.

“From a team approach, I prefer to do bridge deals, 2-3 years, and then, if it warrants, a 7-8 deal after that.”

For relatively proven players like McTavish, bridge contracts can be a risky play from a team perspective, given the projected landscape of the salary cap. He could easily outperform a two or three-year contract at a diminished AAV and require a sizable raise upon expiry. Locking a young player up to a long-term deal before they’ve realized their potential (like Lafreniere, Guenther, Beniers) can benefit the team in the long run, as they could be playing at a bargain rate for the majority of the contract.

“They’re priorities, obviously,” Verbeek said at his post-season media availability on April 19 when asked about Dostal and McTavish. “They're very important players to our organization, and the hardest thing is going to be to figure out what the contract looks like

“We're going to go through our due diligence. Obviously, we've got lots of time to work through this. The offseason's just starting, and I’ve actually had conversations with both agents before the season had ended.

“We're just going to pick up where we had left off before. I spoke to the two young players as well, and they're excited. They're excited to get going. Hopefully, we can work through this expeditiously.”

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Monster game from red-hot Adames fuels Giants' win vs. Rockies

Monster game from red-hot Adames fuels Giants' win vs. Rockies originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Willy Adames was at the center of the Giants’ offensive outburst on Sunday at Oracle Park.

The star shortstop blasted not one, but two home runs, while collecting three total extra-base hits and driving in three runs in five at-bats in San Francisco’s 9-3 win over the Colorado Rockies, who fell to 6-28.

Adames’ first homer, a solo shot in the bottom of the first, was his first at Oracle Park as a Giant. He followed it up with a second solo homer in the bottom of the third.

Adames’ third hit of the game was an RBI double that hit off the top of the center-field wall and scored Mike Yastrzemski from second base, extending San Francisco’s lead to 5-1.

After struggling mightily to begin the 2025 MLB season, Adames has turned it on as of late. Over his last 15 games, Adames is batting .296/.391/.500 with 16 hits, three home runs and nine RBI.

Speaking to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Laura Britt and Rod Brooks on “Giants Postgame Live,” Adames was asked how it felt to hit his first Oracle Park home run.

“Great, obviously we got the win, that’s the most important thing,” Adames told Britt and Brooks. “But it definitely felt really good to hit that one out of the park here. It’s been a minute. It was much needed.”

Adames was asked about his recent hot stretch and what has changed after his slow start to the season.

“I feel like for me, it was more getting my confidence back and let the game come to me and not try to force anything,” Adams explained. “I feel like in the first few weeks, for me, I was trying too much, trying to force everything to happen.”

Giants manager Bob Melvin certainly agrees.

“It’s just really calm at-bats now,” Melvin said postgame about Adames’ success at the plate. “His bat’s really getting through the zone, and when he tends to get going, he gets going pretty hot … every game now it just seems his at-bats are better. Couple home runs today, it feels like he’s off to the races now.”

The Giants (22-13) started the season hot despite Adames’ slow start, and now that he’s producing consistently at the plate, the lineup certainly feels deeper heading into the summer stretch.

And that is very good news for a San Francisco team in the thick of both the NL West and wild-card races.

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The Mentors and Early Lessons of the Carolina Hurricanes

Mar 28, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis (24) and center Jordan Staal (11) talk during the warmups before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

Being a rookie in the NHL is never easy.

Not only are you having to prove yourself at the highest level of hockey, but you're also having to learn how to fit in, carry yourself, be a professional and if you're coming over from Europe, then there's also the added burden of language, culture and so much more.

It can be a lot for a young guy, but everyone who's played has been there before so many are willing to lend a hand or take a guy under their wing.

I went around the locker room and asked each Carolina Hurricane who was the player(s) that helped them the most and some of the lessons they've carried with them. Here are their answers:

Feb 1, 2018; Raleigh, NC, USA; Carolina Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho (20) skates with the puck with forward Teuvo Teravainen (86) against the Montreal Canadiens at PNC Arena. The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Montreal Canadiens 2-0. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

Sebastian Aho

First NHL Season: 2016-17 (CAR)

“I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of good people around me. Coming into the NHL, honestly, probably Turbo [Teuvo Teravainen] was the guy. I wouldn’t say a mentor, but it was more so a guy I could lean on for a lot of stuff, not just hockey. It was a new culture for me. Everything was new really, so having somebody who had been in the league a few years already who knew how things rolled was obviously huge for me."

"There were also so many other guys. I want to say Jordo [Jordan Staal], I want to say Willy [Justin Williams], obviously Roddy [Rod Brind'Amour]. Roddy was huge too especially early on in my center career. Just a lot, a lot of video, a lot, a lot of details. Sometimes it felt like he was always on me, but at the same time, you know the guy wants to help you and he wants to make our team better. It was good stuff. Honestly guys that had been here, like Slavo [Jaccob Slavin], Pesc [Brett Pesce]. All these guys since day one have been great to me. It’s been a real pleasure to be a part of this group.”

May 17, 2015; Anaheim, CA, USA; Anaheim Ducks goalie Frederik Andersen (31) and center Andrew Cogliano (7) celebrate the 4-1 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks following the third period in game one of the Western Conference Final of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. (Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)

Frederik Andersen

First NHL Season: 2013-14 (ANA)

“The first guy on the team that kind of took me under their wing was Andrew Cogliano out in Anaheim. He was pretty young at the time too relatively, but he was still a veteran and had a lot of seasons under his belt. He was able to take me in as a rookie and make sure I felt like a part of the group and kept an eye on me a little bit. Bringing me out to dinners and all that type of stuff."

"His wife, Allie, is awesome. Just a great person. His family is great too. Saw them in Toronto a little bit and got to experience their Italian Sunday dinners. He just made me feel welcome and in the group right away. For me, I’m pretty shy as it is and was even more so as a young 23 year old. Not really knowing how much you belong yet or if you can hold your own and all that stuff. So just having chances to get to know some of the veterans and that type of stuff is big for young people just to feel welcome and feel like you can open up a little bit and be yourself."

"He was such a good pro and when he played, he was so dialed in and a true lead by example kind of guy. That rubs off on you and so you see how guys like that do it and you pick up certain things.”

Hurricanes Sign Frederik Andersen To Contract ExtensionHurricanes Sign Frederik Andersen To Contract ExtensionThe Carolina Hurricanes have announced that they have signed goaltender Frederik Andersen to a one-year, $2.75 million contract extension. The Canes also shared that Andersen can earn bonuses of $250,000 for 35 games played, $250,000 for 40 games played, and $250,000 if the Hurricanes make the 2026 Eastern Conference Final and Andersen makes appearances in at least half of their post-season games. 
Oct 26, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Carolina Hurricanes right wing Jackson Blake (53) and left wing William Carrier (28) and center Jack Drury (18) celebrate after a goal scored by Drury during the second period against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena. (Steven Bisig-Imagn Images)

Jackson Blake

First NHL Season: 2024-25 (CAR)

“Jacko [Jack Drury] was great, but I feel like everyone has helped me out. I know I can go to anyone and ask questions or stuff like that. You kind of have to do a little bit on your own because guys have their own things going on and stuff like that, but I feel you can always watch guys and stuff like that. I feel like everyone has been a big help."

"I sit next to KK [Jesperi Kotkaniemi] in the locker room so I talk to him probably the most out of anyone on the team and if I ever have questions, I’ll probably ask him since he’s right next to me and he’s easy to talk to.”

Rod Brind’Amour

First NHL Season: 1989-90 (STL)

“For me, it wasn’t necessarily one guy. When I got to St. Louis, I was this young kid and back then, the league was older. They had the veteran guys and there weren't a lot of young, young guys. So I had a lot of guys and guys that I still see today."

"I remember Greg Millen was the goalie in St. Louis and I see him all the time because he’s still in the business. But he was always good. Paul MacLean was one of my first roommates. They stick the young guy with the old guy and he obviously had been around forever. So those guys help you and just take care of you. Dave Lowry, who, it’s funny now, because his kid is playing [Adam Lowry] and I remember him coming out onto the ice."

“Hully [Brett Hull] just yelled at you and made you feel bad. But then would take you out and laugh and be like, ‘What are you talking about?’ He was a great personality and you learned a lot from him too just by the way he played. But he was an interesting guy.”

"Those guys really took care of you and made sure you were in the right places and made sure they took you out to eat. Just little things that as a young kid, you don’t know what’s going on. When I was in St. Louis, those were the guys and then eventually, I became an older guy. When I got to Philly, it was a little different, but still Rick Tocchet was one of the veteran players and he was like, ‘Okay, you come hang out with me.’ That’s just the progression of it. I was fortunate that way.”

Did the veterans ever take you out on the town back then?

“It was interesting. I don’t know what it was, but they were always like, ‘You don’t need to come with us.’ They’d leave me out of it, or if I came, they’d make sure you got home. It was kind of weird, and I don’t know what it was about me, but they just said, ‘You’re not one of us in this regard and you don’t want to be.’ I guess they looked after me that way too. And like I said, by the time I got older, those days were done. Everything had changed. It was charter flights, so you’re not staying overnight in cities, which is where the trouble was. Now, they just eliminated all of that and the athletes coming up just had a way different mindset. It’s changed for the better in every which way.”

Did you have guys that you mentored?

“There’s certain guys that you take under your wing more. A guy that always comes to mind for me is [Chad LaRose] but that was just because he was so out there and he needed a lot of help. To me, it was always about guys' habits. Making sure they’re doing it right. I felt like by the time I became an old guy, these young guys were much better prepared. It was different. They’d been training all their life. It turned, so they didn’t need as much advice like, ‘Hey, you should be in the gym.’ They knew they had to be in the gym more, do a little extra, whatever. It was kind of already starting to turn by the time I got older.”

Hurricanes' Rod Brind'Amour Makes NHL HistoryHurricanes' Rod Brind'Amour Makes NHL HistoryWith their 5-4 double overtime win over the New Jersey Devils on April 29, the Carolina Hurricanes have officially moved on to the second round. The Hurricanes are now set to face off against the Washington Capitals in the next round, which should be a great series between the two Metropolitan Division rivals.
Oct 20, 2007; St. Louis, MO, USA; Minnesota Wild defenseman Brent Burns (8) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a goal against the St. Louis Blues during the third period at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, MO. (Scott Rovak-Imagn Images)

Brent Burns

First NHL Season: 2003-04 (MIN)

“I had a lot of different guys. I learned a lot from Wes Walz, Andrew Brunette, Willie Mitchell, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Marian Gaborik. I mean all these guys. Tried to learn from all kinds of different people. Some of them were younger and some of them were older.”

What's the biggest thing you learned from them that you still think about today?

“That’s a secret.”

Jan 17, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Buffalo Sabres forward William Carrier (48) celebrates his goal with defenseman Cody Franson (6) and forward Brian Gionta (12) against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre. Toronto defeated Buffalo 4-3. (John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images)

William Carrier

First NHL Season: 2016-17 (BUF)

“Matt Ellis. When I was in Rochester in the American League, he played a lot of games — I think he’s coaching in Buffalo now — but he just took me under the wing. I was more of a point-per-game guy coming out of junior and my role kind of had to change to make it in the NHL and he was a big part of showing me how to play safe defensively in your own zone and try to create loose pucks and create offense, but without turnovers and sacrificing defense and stuff like that. He was a big part of it.”

What was the biggest lesson you learned as a young guy breaking into the league?

“Just that you have to leave it in the locker room. I got a family back home and kids. You have some bad days and some days where you got scored on, you made a mistake and it cost the team, but you have to make sure you leave it there. You don’t bring it home and dwell on it. When 12 o’clock comes, you turn the page. You’re only as good as your last game and you just have to focus on the next one and keep it rolling. I think a lot of young guys get caught up in 10, 15 game goal droughts and then they start getting in their own heads. So just leave it at the rink. When you show back up, give it your best.”

Sep 19, 2018; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Jalen Chatfield (63) skates with the puck during the third period at Rogers Arena. (Anne-Marie Sorvin-Imagn Images)

Jalen Chatfield

First NHL Season: 2020-21 (VAN)

“I got nobody. It was the COVID year and to be honest, I just had to figure it out on my own. Personally, I watched a lot of players and kind of picked up things they’ve done, but I never had anybody really mentor me. Maybe because I came into the league a little bit older. In the AHL, it was the same thing. Nobody really."

"Here, the whole D, I think we’re a pretty tight group. There’s a lot of good players back here. I wouldn’t say I have a mentor, but I’ve talked to Burnsie [Brent Burns] and the way he’s trained throughout his career and the stuff he used to do and Slavo [Jaccob Slavin] too. My biggest thing that I learned though was probably taking more rest because it’s a long season. That’s the biggest thing. But other than that, I didn’t really have a mentor or anything like that.”

Dec 15, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (53) celebrates scoring the game winning goal with center Claude Giroux (28) against the Carolina Hurricanes during overtime at Wells Fargo Center. The Flyers defeated the Hurricanes, 4-3 in overtime. (Eric Hartline-Imagn Images)

Shayne Gostisbehere

First NHL Season: 2015-16 (PHI)

“I had some great older guys in Philly. Whether it was Wayne Simmonds or Claude Giroux or Jake Voracek, I really leaned on those guys as a young guy, especially with just being on the power play at such a young age. It was such a big role to have and they really helped me evolve and find that confidence to play in the NHL and show me what it takes to play every day in the NHL.”

What was the biggest thing you learned?

“The day-to-day, nobody really prepares you for it until you’re really in it. It’s a different thing with pressure too. When you lack confidence, you have to find a way out there to find your game. Sometimes you just have to simplify things and dumb it down and do a lot of easier things out there and not try to do too much. It’s just finding that. It’s something that I’ve probably done my whole career, just finding that consistency of being the same player night in and night out.”

March 12 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Shawn Horcoff (10) and Edmonton Oilers left wing Taylor Hall (4) and Edmonton Oilers right wing Ryan Jones (28) and Edmonton Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) react to the fourth goal of the game in the third period of the game against the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center. The Oilers defeated the Avalanche 4-0. (Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images)

Taylor Hall

First NHL Season: 2010-11 (EDM)

“If I had to pick one guy from my first couple of years, it would be Shawn Horcoff. He was our captain in Edmonton and he was a guy that was a really good pro, but he also liked to have fun and there were lots of laughs and lots of good times like that. So I think that’s what I took from him."

"As a younger player, there’s a lot of different ways that you can go and what kind of professional you’re gonna be and I think I looked up to him as well as a couple of other guys like Sam Gagner, Ryan Whitney, Ales Hemsky, Jason Strudwick. All the older guys that were good to me, but also pushed me and held me accountable when I needed it.”

'I Feel Very Fortunate To Be A Hurricane': Taylor Hall, Eric Tulsky On New Extension, Playoff Success'I Feel Very Fortunate To Be A Hurricane': Taylor Hall, Eric Tulsky On New Extension, Playoff SuccessThe Carolina Hurricanes signed Taylor Hall to a three-year contract extension earlier today, less than 24 hours after they eliminated the New Jersey Devils to advance to the second round.
Dec 15, 2018; Saint Paul, MN, USA; (L-R) Calgary Flames defenseman Mark Giordano (5) celebrates with center Mark Jankowski (77) and center Elias Lindholm (28) after scoring a goal against the Minnesota Wild in the first period at Xcel Energy Center. (David Berding-Imagn Images)

Mark Jankowski

First NHL Season: 2017-18 (CGY)

“My first captain in pro hockey would be Mike Angelidis. We had a good, veteran group down in Stockton. But my first NHL captain was Mark Giordano. He was great and somebody that you could really model yourself after. He was just a great pro and his career trajectory, from being undrafted to a Norris winner is just incredible and I was able to see him that season. So to just watch those guys when you’re such a young guy, it’s just someone to model yourself after."

Oct 31, 2021; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis (24) sits along side center Derek Stepan (18) center Steven Lorentz (78) and center Jordan Staal (11) in his 1st NHL game against the Arizona Coyotes at PNC Arena. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

Seth Jarvis

First NHL Season: 2021-22 (CAR)

“Stepper. Derek Stepan. Him and Marty [Jordan Martinook] probably were the first two guys when I was on that kind of bubble of making the team that were talking to me on the ice. I wasn’t saying anything, I was just minding my own business and trying not to get in the way of anything. But Stepper was unbelievable for me and made me feel comfortable. He was the first guy to start joking around with me and chirping me and I think when he started chirping me, other guys started chirping me and that made me feel more comfortable and like a part of the team. So he did an unbelievable job. He was also part of my first goal, had an assist on my first hat trick. He was a sprinkle in my career and is someone that means a lot to me. It’s been great to be friends with him.”

Apr 14, 2018; Nashville, TN, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) celebrates with center Tyson Jost (17) and defenseman Tyson Barrie (4) after a goal during the second period against the Nashville Predators in game two of the first round of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bridgestone Arena. (Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images)

Tyson Jost

First NHL Season: 2017-18 (COL)

“I came in with Colorado so it was a really good group that I had. Nathan MacKinnon was one guy who really helped me out a lot and just seeing his dedication, the way he worked at his craft every day and me and him would go out on the ice early and whatnot. I also had Gabriel Landeskog, Erik Johnson and Tyson Barrie. Those three guys too were just outstanding. They were such great guys and I was just a 19 year old and didn’t even really know what to expect with the NHL."

"So all four of those guys were outstanding and they were really the core of Colorado, especially Landeskog and EJ, they were just such standup guys and I’ll have friendships with those guys for the rest of my life. We still talk every once in a while and shoot texts back and forth to each other. That core group of four really helped me get into the league. It’s not easy when you’re 19. There’s a lot of moving parts and you really don’t know what to expect, but they were awesome to me, for sure.”

Dec 17, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) and goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov (52) celebrate their victory against the New York Islanders at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

Pyotr Kochetkov

First NHL Season: 2022-23 (CAR)

“It’s a different time. We have a 10-hour change from Russia. Then there’s also food. When I came, I had to adapt to a smaller rink too because the KHL has different sizes everywhere.”

“There's a lot of different roles, mentalities and it's different when you're just adapting to work and life here. Three years I play here and every year, every month, I learn something new. It's an interesting process.”

May 22, 2021; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Montreal Canadiens center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (15) celebrates with right wing Joel Armia (40) after scoring a goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the first period in game two of the first round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoff at Scotiabank Arena. (Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images)

Jesperi Kotkaniemi

First NHL Season: 2018-19 (MTL)

“Probably just all the Finnish guys, mostly. I didn’t know the language that well when I got in the league so Joel Armia, Artturi Lehkonen and Antti Niemi, they taught me pretty well. Told me how all the things worked like the hotels and the restaurants and stuff. That was nice of them. The game here is a lot different than back home. We discussed a lot about hockey when I was there. Took a little bit to get going, but they were good teachers.”

What was the biggest challenge or culture shock for you coming over to North America?

“The biggest challenge really was learning the language. I understood stuff pretty well, but speaking-wise, it was a little tougher. You just kind of pick up daily habits, how they say 'good morning' and 'how are you?' That’s how you get started pretty much. They helped me a lot and I really appreciate it.”

"Going to restaurants too. We didn’t really do that too much back home. Mostly just cooked at home and ate homemade food. So going out pretty much ever night was a big change, but you get used to it. Now I pretty much do it all the time.”

Jesperi Kotkaniemi Dodges Catastrophe; Will Be Ready To Go For Round 2Jesperi Kotkaniemi Dodges Catastrophe; Will Be Ready To Go For Round 2Obviously the play of the game, and the series, Tuesday night at Lenovo Center was Sebastian Aho's double-overtime winner.

The Finnish center one-timed the puck past Jacob Markstrom on the power play for a 5-4 win and to eliminate the New Jersey Devils in five games.

But to even get that power play opportunity in the first place, Jesperi Kotkaniemi had to take one for the team.
Dec 17, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Coyotes left wing Jordan Martinook (48) celebrates with right wing Shane Doan (19) and center Brad Richardson (12) after scoring a goal in the second period against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Gila River Arena. (Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images)

Jordan Martinook

First NHL Season: 2015-16 (ARI)

“Shane Doan. He was obviously the captain when I came in and just the way he treated people. He had been around for 15, 16 years when I got in the league and he treated everybody like he was a first or second year. I just admired that about him. It didn’t matter if you were the traffic guy that would help you park your car or a security guy or a rookie or a 12-year vet. It didn’t really matter to him which I respected a ton."

"I think another guy I just respected and is a good friend of mine is Brad Richardson. He came to work and did what he had to do. In the NHL, you have to take over a role and when you’re given the role, you have to want to do it to the best of your ability. Watching him do the role that he did, I just admired that and tried to bring that into the way I play every night.”

Jan 23, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov (9) celebrates with Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) after scoring a goal against the Carolina Hurricanes in the first period at Verizon Center. The Capitals won 6-1. (Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)

Dmitry Orlov

First NHL Season: 2011-12 (WSH)

“Obviously I didn’t speak English my first year, but I had both Alex Semin and Alex Ovechkin. I just tried to learn from them and try to understand American life. Tried to learn some English and try to figure on my own some things. It wasn’t easy, but every year you play, you learn more. I learned a lot too when I missed a full year with my injury recovery. How you have to respect the game and how you have to love it and miss it and be around your teammates. It’s important. I’m not the loudest person, but I still like the time when everybody is talking, chatting, joking around. When you’re done, you’re going to miss that. So you have to take the time and enjoy it all the time.”

Mar 4, 2021; Dallas, Texas, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Nick Foligno (71) and left wing Eric Robinson (50) and center Boone Jenner (38) and defenseman Gabriel Carlsson (53) celebrate a goal scored against the Dallas Stars during the third period at the American Airlines Center. (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)

Eric Robinson

First NHL Season: 2018-19 (CBJ)

“When I first got to Columbus, I had a really good group of guys there that kind of showed me the way. It was older guys like Cam Atkinson, Nick Foligno and David Savard. Really good pros that had been doing it for a while. And then guys who were closer to my age, but had been around a bit, like Boone Jenner, Seth Jones and Josh Anderson. Those are names that come to mind for when I first got to Columbus. They had a good culture there and a good team when I got there. So those were kind of the guys that I leaned on to learn a lot of stuff from.”

What were the biggest things you took from those first few weeks and months?

“There’s lots of stuff. On ice, you obviously learn pretty quickly how to play the right way. In the NHL, if you make a mistake or turn the puck over, it can end up in your net pretty quick. So stuff like that on the ice, but off ice, just how to handle yourself, how to be a professional. How to compose yourself in the proper way to be a true pro.”

Jan 13, 2018; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Winnipeg Jets forward Mathieu Perreault (85) celebrates his goal with forward Blake Wheeler (26) and forward Jack Roslovic (52) against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. (Brad Rempel-Imagn Images)

Jack Roslovic

First NHL Season: 2017-18 (WPG)

“There were a couple guys. Matt Hendricks was really good. I think there were also just a lot of guys that led by example on my team in Winnipeg. As a young guy, it’s nice to come into an older group that has that wisdom and to be able to pass around and just be able to watch those guys every day. Those were probably my core mentors. In a couple years, maybe I can start to mentor a couple of guys, but I’m still trying to learn stuff.”

Oct 16, 2018; Tampa, FL, USA; Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (74), right wing Justin Williams (14) left wing Warren Foegele (13), center Jordan Staal (11) during the second period at Amalie Arena. (Kim Klement-Imagn Images)

Jaccob Slavin

First NHL Season: 2015-16 (CAR)

“From an overall, welcome to the league, this is kind of what you need to do perspective, Jordo [Jordan Staal] was that guy for me, even though he wasn’t a defenseman. Same position, my rookie year, it was John-Michael Liles. He helped me out a lot and made me feel welcome.”

May 11, 2008; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Jordan Staal (11) celebrates his empty net goal with line mates Brooks Orpik (44) and Sergei Gonchar (55) and Sidney Crosby (87) and Marian Hossa (18) during the third period of game two of the Eastern Conference finals against the Philadelphia Flyers at Mellon Arena. The Penguins beat the Flyers 4-2. (Jerry Lai-Imagn Images)

Jordan Staal

First NHL Season: 2006-07 (PIT)

“Mark Recchi would be my number one, for sure. When I first got to Pittsburgh, he actually took me in and I was able to hang out with his family for a couple of years. No better guy to be around hockey-wise. I learned a lot from him. Just talking hockey and understanding the game and trying to get better and really what it took to be a pro."

"He had an amazing career and I just kept an eye on whatever he was doing and how hard he worked and realized that it’s never easy, no matter how old you get and how long you go. There’s really no time off. You’re just always puck committed and I learned that right from the start. That if you want to have a long, successful career, you’re going to have to work and it’s going to be everyday and in every moment. He was definitely a big one for me.”

Feb 27, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Dallas Stars center Logan Stankoven (11) celebrates his goal with center Wyatt Johnston (53) in the first period against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena. (Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images)

Logan Stankoven

First NHL Season: 2023-24 (DAL)

“Joe Pavelski. When I first came into the league, in my first month or so, I got to live at his place. He opened up a spare room for me and Wyatt Johnston. That was really nice of him to do that and I enjoyed his company."

Apr 4, 2019; Raleigh, NC, USA; Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) skates with the puck against the New Jersey Devils at PNC Arena. The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the New Jersey Devils 3-1. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

Andrei Svechnikov

First NHL Season: 2018-19 (CAR)

“To be honest, it was a lot of guys. All of the guys who have played throughout the years."

"One moment though that I’ll never forget, it was my first year and I made a mistake in overtime [that cost us the game]. Faulker [Justin Faulk], he was on the team that year, he told me, ‘Hey, don’t worry. You’re going to make lots of mistakes, but just be positive. Don’t go in your head. Don’t think about it.’ Because that was my biggest thing that year. He just told me to be positive and not dwell on it.”

'Playoff Time Is My Time': Andrei Svechnikov Bouncing Back, Making Huge Postseason Impact For Carolina'Playoff Time Is My Time': Andrei Svechnikov Bouncing Back, Making Huge Postseason Impact For CarolinaIt's no secret that this past regular season wasn't a good one for Andrei Svechnikov.
Nov 12, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (8) celebrates with center Jeff Carter (77) after an empty net goal by defenseman Sean Walker (26) to defeat the Minnesota Wild 3-1 at Staples Center. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images)

Sean Walker

First NHL Season: 2018-19 (LAK)

“I was lucky enough to be in LA where there were obviously so many great guys. Some of the standouts are guys like Drew Doughty, Anze Kopitar, Alec Martinez, Jake Muzzin. Great guys that have done it for a long time and done it at such a high level too. It was great to see just the way they worked every day. Even guys who had won multiple Stanley Cups were on the ice after practice working on stuff and getting better. It was great to see and it was a great first experience for me.”

What was the biggest thing you took away from them?

“I think it’s just about cherishing every day. Especially when you’re young and you’re just making it into the league, you don’t really know how long or if you’ll make it or stick, so I really tried to enjoy every day and I still enjoy every day. I think that’s something that’s really important for a lot of the guys.”

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Tommy John surgery recommended for Mets LHP Danny Young

The Mets transferred left-handed reliever Danny Young to the 60-man injured list on Sunday morning, as the 30-year-old could be headed for Tommy John surgery.

According to manager Carlos Mendoza, the procedure has been recommended by team doctors, but the Mets are waiting to see what course of action Young will take.

Young, like A.J. Minter, has been a valuable lefty reliever for the Mets this season, pitching to a 4.32 ERA in 8.1 innings. Young also appeared in 42 games last season for New York, posting a 4.54 ERA.

Dealing with a forearm issue for a few weeks, per Mendoza, Young has not pitched in a game since April 27.

Meanwhile, Dedniel Núñez has joined the team, and expects to be active for the second game of Sunday's scheduled doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals, with game one starter Blade Tidwell likely being optioned back to Triple-A Syracuse.

"Physically, I feel like I'm prepared for any situation," Núñez said.

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Canadiens Send Reinforcements To The Rocket

Apr 14, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens center Oliver Kapanen (91) tracks a play beside Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Wyatt Kaiser (44) in the second period at Bell Centre. Photo Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

The Laval Rocket may be 2-0 up in its division semi-final series against the Cleveland Monsters, but the Montreal Canadiens’ elimination by the Washington Capitals means that the big club could now send some reinforcements to its farm team.

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On Saturday morning, the Habs assigned goaltender Cayden Primeau and center Oliver Kapanen to Laval. The move isn’t surprising since Primeau spent the entire second half of the season in the AHL after struggling mightily in the NHL from October to December. By the time he was sent down, his goals-against average had reached 4.70 and his save percentage was down to .836.

The Canadiens were forced to call up Primeau in the playoffs when goaltender Samuel Montembeau tore two muscles in his groin. Montreal needed someone to backup Jakub Dobes. Newly signed goaltender Jacob Fowler was ineligible since he only has an amateur tryout contract with the Rocket to finish this season, and his ELC kicks off at the start of next season.

Primeau saw no action against the Capitals, with Dobes getting the nod for every game. In the second half of his season in the AHL, the former seventh-round pick's stats were much better, with a 1.96 GAA and a .927 SP. Even though Fowler has won the first two games of the Rockets' series against the Monsters, it’s likely Primeau will be getting the top job back.

As for Kapanen, he has never played with the Rocket. The young center made the Canadiens out of camp, but after 18 games in the NHL, in which he picked up two points, the games looked to be a bit too fast for the youngsters. He was loaned back to Timra IK in the Swedish hockey league for the rest of the season. In 36 regular-season games, he picked up 35 points and added three points in six playoff games.

Kapanen could prove very useful to the Rocket. He played the top-six minutes in Sweden while also being used on the power play and the penalty kill. Pascal Vincent’s team did very well in the regular season, but having depth in the playoffs is always a plus.

The third game of the division semi-final will take place on Sunday at 3:00 PM in Laval. A win would send the Canadiens’ farm team to the division final.

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GP2 to miss Warriors vs. Rockets Game 7 with illness

GP2 to miss Warriors vs. Rockets Game 7 with illness originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors will be without a key player for their win-or-go-home Game 7 matchup against the Houston Rockets on Sunday at Toyota Center.

Golden State guard Gary Payton II will not play due to an illness, the team announced Sunday afternoon.

“He’s just sick as a dog,” Steve Kerr told reporters 90 minutes before tip-off. “Woke up ill and didn’t go to shootaround. Hasn’t eaten. No way he can play.”

Payton has started and come off the bench in the series against Houston, averaging 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 16 minutes per contest.

Golden State has struggled on the glass against the Rockets in this series, and Payton certainly could have helped the Warriors close the offensive and defensive rebounding gap in Sunday’s big game.

The 32-year-old is an energizing two-way force on both ends of the floor, something Golden State, losers of consecutive games, certainly could use in a hostile environment on the road in Game 7.

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Şengün claims Rockets have ‘no reason' to lose Game 7 vs. Warriors

Şengün claims Rockets have ‘no reason' to lose Game 7 vs. Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Both the Warriors and Houston Rockets are confident they will walk out of Toyota Center on Sunday night with a series-clinching Game 7 win if they are able to execute their respective game plans.

However, only one team can move on to the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Rockets’ star center Alperen Şengün and his teammates are extra confident heading into Sunday’s big game after winning both Games 5 and 6 to force the win-or-go-home contest on their home court, and believe if Houston does the little things right, it will successfully complete the rare three-games-to-one series comeback.

“I don’t think they have beaten us yet, we have beat ourselves this series,” Şengün told reporters at Rockets shootaround on Sunday. “We missed free throws, easy shots. When we’re locked in, we were locked in defensively and offensively. We have all the talent in the world. There’s no reason for us to lose this game.”

Of course, the gravity of the game against an experienced team like the Warriors, is not lost on Şengün, who recognizes the moment will not be too big for Warriors stars Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green.

“We know it’s going to be tough. They have so much more experience than us, but we’re ready for it, we’re going to play hard,” Şengün added. “We’re going to do what we do, but we know it’s not going to be easy. Just go and do what we did the past two games, play hard, get the 50/50 balls, offensive rebounds and then get the win.”

Golden State has lost consecutive games after jumping out to a commanding 3-1 series lead, and is looking to avoid unfortunate history on Sunday night.

The only thing standing in the Warriors’ way are Şengün and the Rockets. And perhaps themselves.

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Why Miles McBride is Knicks' X-factor in NBA playoff matchup against Celtics

The Knicks' bench is thin. It’s a challenge the team has dealt with all year, as they finished last in bench scoring. The starting lineup played more than any five-man unit in the NBA during the regular season, and the playoffs have only increased the burden on the starters. The Knicks' bench averaged 11.5 points in their six-game first round series win against the Detroit Pistons.

Heading into their second-round playoff matchup with the Boston Celtics, the Knicks will need a bench player to step up and be an X-factor. That reserve has to be combo guard Miles McBride.

McBride’s playoff experience this year has been difficult -- in the first round, he averaged just 3.8 points. The guard shot an ugly 26.7 percent from the field and 26.3 percent from behind the three-point line.

Creating depth off the bench has been a challenge for the Knicks in the playoffs, as only McBride and Mitchell Robinson averaged double-figure minutes. Cam Payne found a rhythm with 14 points in Game 1, but scored only eight combined points over the last five games.

While McBride had a series to forget, he offers the Knicks solid two-way play on the floor that is needed in a series against an elite Celtics team. Despite standing just 6-foot-2, he has a near 6-foot-9 wingspan, and he’s also a career 36 percent shooter from beyond the arc.

The first round was a shocker. McBride has been productive and a quality rotation piece since the Knicks first transformed the roster and sent away Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett to the Toronto Raptors to acquire OG Anunoby. The Knicks’ sixth man this season, McBride was solid with 9.5 points in 24.9 minutes. In last year’s playoff run, he was a vital contributor, averaging 11.0 points on 43.5 percent from the field in 13 games.

McBride only averaged 16.0 minutes in the first round. But as the Knicks prepare for the Celtics, he should see a larger role. He has been an above average three-point shooter the last two seasons.

Making a positive impact

One issue for the Knicks will be getting up threes. They're currently dead last in three-point attempts per 100 possessions among the 16 playoff teams. Against a Celtics club that had the highest three-point attempt rate in the regular season, the Knicks are going to need to let it fly.

McBride leads the Knicks in three-point attempts per 36 minutes in the postseason. That could be crucial in helping push the team into more shots from long distance.

If the Knicks can create some opportunities in transition, that could be helpful to open up three-point looks for shooters like McBride, who opens up different lineup options for them. This season, teams have put their centers on Josh Hart, while having a smaller player guard center Karl-Anthony Towns. The Celtics went to that strategy in all four regular season matchups.

If opponents play non-shooters on the perimeter, the Celtics have no problem putting big men like Kristaps Porzingis on them. Having a willing shooter in McBride is important for spacing on the floor to give Knicks stars Jalen Brunson and Towns room to operate.

Having McBride on the floor has usually worked for the Knicks. In 1,593 minutes, the Knicks were a plus-7.79 points per 100 possessions with him, according to PBP Stats. Even in his disappointing 96 minutes on the floor during the first round, the Knicks outscored the Pistons by 6.1 points per 100 possessions.

The Knicks are now underdogs in their upcoming series. But if McBride can re-discover his outside shooting, it can give New York a boost off the bench and provide the club with a better chance of competing with Boston.

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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Lucas Giolito and Tyler Stephenson return to action

Welcome to Waiver Wire Watch, where I review my favorite waiver wire adds and drops for each week of the MLB season.

The premise is pretty straightforward. I’ll try to give you some recommended adds each week based on recent production or role changes. When I list a player, I’ll list the category where I think he’ll be helpful or the quick reason he’s listed. I hope that it will help you determine if the player is a fit for what your team needs or not.

For a player to qualify to be on this list, he needs to be UNDER 40% rostered in Yahoo! formats. I understand you may say, “These players aren’t available in my league,” and I can’t help you there. These players are available in over 60% of leagues and some in 98% of leagues, so they’re available in many places and that can hopefully satisfy readers in all league types.

MLB: New York Yankees at Cleveland Guardians
2025 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani & Bobby Witt Jr. lead Top 300 rest of season ranks
There’s a new No. 1 in Judge, and Roman Anthony makes his Top 300 debut.

Waiver Wire Hitters

Tyler Stephenson - C, CIN (40% rostered)
(RETURN FROM IL, POWER UPSIDE)

Tyler Stephenson made his season debut on Friday night after missing the first month of the year with an oblique injury. We know that Stephenson is a strong hitter for a catcher, and he was routinely drafted among the top 8-10 players at the position in all league types. He's a .260-ish hitter with .20+ home run power in a great home ballpark and good lineup. The Reds have said they will play him at 1B/DH as well, so he should be in the lineup for around 80% of the Reds' games. That's enough for me to roster Stephenson in one-catcher formats if I don't have a stud at the position. In two-catcher leagues, you can still add Edgar Quero - C, CWS (2% rostered), who is hitting .327 with seven RBI in his first 15 games. The comes with no home runs and no steals in a bad lineup, which is the primary concern with rostering Quero, who was the 62nd-ranked prospect in baseball and the 6th-ranked prospect in the White Sox organization. I would rather add Dillon Dingler - C, DET (6% rostered), who is playing most every day in Detroit with Jake Rogers hurt. Dingler is hitting .269 in 20 games over the last month, but has three home runs and 10 RBI over that span as well. He was a top prospect in the Detroit system, so he's worth a shot if you're hurting with your second catcher.

Rhys Hoskins - 1B, MIL: 36% rostered
(POWER UPSIDE, HOT STRETCH)

I bought in on Rhys Hoskins in spring training because he talked about being fully healthy after ACL surgery in 2023 and had also changed his stance to quiet his head and improve his contact. The results didn’t come right at the start of the season, but we're starting to see them now with Hoskins going 22-for-76 (.289) over his last 25 games with three home runs and 11 RBI. We know he's not going to be a major batting average asset, but he likely won't be a drain either. I like his ballpark, and I like his lineup, so I have no problem adding Hoskins anywhere he's available right now. A deep league option for power is Rowdy Tellez - 1B, SEA (1% rostered), who is 7-for-25 (.280) over his last 10 games with two home runs and eight RBI. He will only play against righties, but the Seattle lineup has been heating up lately, and Tellez is still making a lot of quality contact.

Kyle Manzardo - 1B, CLE: 33% rostered
(POWER UPSIDE, HOT STREAK COMING)

Manzardo has been here for the last two weeks because I've been highlighting that his quality of contact is really strong, and the surface-level results are going to start to catch up to that. Over the last 12 games, he's gone 10-for-40 with four home runs and eight RBI. That's solid production from a corner infield spot. I think he's a .260+ hitter with 25+ home run power in a solid lineup. If you don't care as much about power, you can still add Ty France - 1B, MIN (9% rostered), who has continued to hit all season long. He's hitting .271 with three home runs on the season and has gone 12-for-29 (.414) with six RBI over the last week. He's going to play every day in Minnesota, so the average and RBI should be solid but not spectacular.

Sal Frelick (OF, MIL: 33% rostered
(EVERYDAY ROLE, SPEED UPSIDE)

Frelick is playing every day in Milwaukee and hitting .307 in his 33 games with seven steals and 16 runs scored. He hasn't been running as much over the last week or so, but I don't believe that's a long-term concern for his stolen base output. He hits fifth or sixth in the Brewers' lineup, which should lead to decent counting stats as the season goes on, but he's unlikely to hit more than five home runs this season. This play is essentially about batting average and speed, but if you need those two things, Frelick is a solid option for you.

Victor Scott II - OF, STL, 32% rostered
(EVERY DAY ROLE, SPEED UPSIDE)

You can add Victor Scott II for the same reasons you'd add Frelick. This week, I posted an article about hitters who could be worth adding/trading for based on their contact rates and swing rates. Scott popped for me in that article. There's more detail in the article, but I like a lot of what he’s doing in terms of his swing decisions, and he's hitting .273 on the season with 11 steals while playing every day. I need him to focus more on line drives and hard groundballs, and I think we could see a strong stretch of production in the coming weeks.

Roman Anthony - OF, BOS: 28% rostered
(PROSPECT STASH, POWER UPSIDE)

The Red Sox will need to clear up some space in the outfield for Anthony, but he's off to a strong start in Triple-A. Realistically, he should be up soon, especially if Ceddanne Rafaela continues to struggle to make consistent contact. Rafaela could move into a super utility role with Jarren Duran in CF and Anthony in LF. If the Red Sox consider moving Rafael Devers to 1B with Triston Casas out then that would free up the DH spot to be used for an extra outfielder, which means Anthony could come up and they could rotate the outfielders around. Nothing is imminent, but it feels like the time could be coming. The same could be said for Jordan Lawlar - SS, ARI (29% rostered), who is tearing up Triple-A. The Diamondbacks have started to play him at 3B recently, which means they could call him up, move Eugenio Suarez to DH, and create a LF platoon with Pavin Smith and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. That might be the smartest decision for the team.

Jordan Beck - OF, COL: 26% rostered
(POST-HYPE PROSPECT, POWER UPSIDE)

Beck had no home runs this week after hitting five last week, but that's to be expected. He didn't produce in 55 MLB games last year and then failed to produce early this season, and was demoted for Zac Veen. Beck has the potential to be a solid fantasy contributor, and he plays his home games at Coors Field, which is going to be a major boost for him, but he also has a 17% swinging strike rate and 34% strikeout rate with poor contact rates. His aggressive approach will lead to lots of hard-hit pulled baseballs, but he is going to remain inconsistent. You can expect similar inconsistency from Trent Grisham - OF, NYY: 22% rostered, who has been playing more regularly for the Yankees after hitting .235 over his last eight games with four home runs and five RBI. He plays good defense in the outfield, and Jasson Dominguez has been struggling, especially against lefties, so Grisham may continue to produce decent power numbers when he plays. We just never know when he will play.

Kyle Stowers - OF, MIA: 26% rostered
(POST HYPE BREAKOUT?, POWER UPSIDE)

When I started writing this article on Saturday morning, Kyle Stowers was 12% rostered in Yahoo formats. Then he went and hit two home runs, including a game-winning grand slam, and his roster rate has more than doubled. This week alone, Stowers went 7-for-15 with four home runs and 10 RBI. That's unfortunate because we've had Stowers on here for a couple of weeks as a low-cost add, and now the price is going to skyrocket above what you probably want to pay. Yes, Stowers has power with a 20% barrel rate and 91.3 mph average exit velocity; yet, he also has an 18% swinging strike rate and just a 67% contact rate overall. He is swinging out of the zone less this season, which is nice, and Stowers is aggressive enough in the zone that he can make up for some of that swing and miss, but he's also sporting a career low 31% fly ball rate. He sprays the ball all over the field, which should help keep the batting average high, and the low fly ball rate could be solid in a pitcher-friendly park, but this feels more like a .250 type of hitter who will be limited to 15-20 HRs due to park and approach. A cheaper but less explosive deep-league outfield option is Eli White - OF, ATL (3% rostered), who continues to get consistent playing time as Ronald Acuna Jr. remains out in Atlanta. Since coming to Atlanta, White has cut his fly ball rate by over 10% and gotten more aggressive with his swing rates. Focusing on groundballs and line drives seems to have helped because the swinging strike rate is down significantly from his early-career numbers, and the overall contact rates have pushed up near 80%. Pairing that with a 10% barrel rate is kind of nice. It's not going to lead to plenty of fantasy juice, but White could continue to post a solid batting average while hitting in a good Atlanta lineup, and that could be worth something if you need an outfielder.

Connor Norby - 2B/3B, MIA: 15% rostered)

(EVERY DAY JOB, SPEED UPSIDE)

Connor Norby has been off the IL for almost two weeks now, but his roster rates remain pretty low. He's gone just 11-for-50 (.220) in 14 games with one home run, two steals, and 10 runs scored, but he's playing every day for the Marlins, and we know there is some power and speed in there. He's chasing out of the zone a lot, and his swinging strike rate was high last season as well, so he's highly unlikely to be a batting average asset, but if you want a 20/10 type of player who will play every day, then Norby is for you. Another Marlins hitter of note is Eric Wagaman - 1B/3B/OF, MIA (7% rostered), who came up for me on a random search of players who are making solid swing decisions, making a lot of contact, and making authoritative contact. He’s always made a fair amount of contact and doesn’t lift the ball a lot, which will limit his home run upside, but his strong understanding of the strike zone means he gets his pitch often and has the chance to run a decent batting average with 15 HR power. He’ll just need to hit to keep getting at-bats. With Jonah Bride now gone and Griffin Conine injured, Wagaman has a chance to carve out some playing time at 1B/3B/DH. I’d only take gambles in deep leagues, but it might be worth a shot.

Zack Gelof - 2B, ATH: 12% rostered
(IMPENDING RETURN FROM IL, SPEED UPSIDE)

Zack Gelof is at Triple-A for his rehab assignment after offseason surgery on his wrist. He's only had 12 plate appearances coming into today, and the A's have said they wanted him to get 35 before being activated, so he's unlikely to return from the IL this upcoming week, but should be back the week after. Adding him now would likely save you some FAAB. Even in a down season last year, Gelof hit 17 home runs and stole 25 bases, so if he can go back to being even a .230-.240 hitter, you're looking at a guy who could easily go 15/15 in the remaining games this season. That's without even factoring in what playing in a minor league ballpark in the middle of the hot summer months in Sacramento could do for Gelof's power. I've already stashed him in a few places, and I'll try to add a few more.

Hyeseong Kim - 2B/SS, LAD: 11% rostered
(RECENT CALL UP, COUNTING STAT UPSIDE?)

With Tommy Edman landing on the IL, the Dodgers finally called up Hyeseong Kim. However, Chris Taylor started Saturday's game at second base, and Miguel Rojas also started two games at second base this week before Kim was called up, so just keep that in mind when you set your bids tonight. Kim is the exciting new player, but he was hitting just .252 in 131 plate appearances at Triple-A with a 12% swinging strike rate. His overall contact rate of 75% at Triple-A is fine, but suggests there will be some swing and miss at the big league level, and even though he had a few huge home runs that we saw on Twitter, his average exit velocity at Triple-A was 87.3 mph. The 13 stolen bases are very real, and I think that's going to be the majority of Kim's value at the big league level this season, but I'd rather stash Gelof if you're choosing between the two.

Javier Baez - 3B/SS/OF, DET: 11% rostered
(EVERY DAY PLAYING TIME, NOTABLE IMPROVEMENTS)

Yes, it's the year 2025, and I'm recommending adding Javy Baez. The veteran has now homered in three straight games and has gone 24-80 (.300) over the last month with three home runs, 12 RBI, and 10 runs scored. We know he had surgery in the off-season, so much of this could just be that he's healthy again; however, we should also acknowledge that he has the lowest chase rate and swinging strike rate of his career. In fact, his 12.8% swinging strike rate is WAY below his career 18% mark. He's swinging at the lowest rate he ever has and posted his highest zone contact rate and overall contact rate. He has not all of a sudden become an elite contact hitter, but he has made clear improvements to his approach. When he does swing, he's pulling the ball more than he ever has and hitting it on the ground a decent amount, which is helping that batting average. Given that he's playing nearly every day in center field and playing really good defense out there, I'm inclined to believe that a lot of this value is real. Just keep an eye on his plate discipline stats because if he starts getting overly aggressive again, a cold streak is coming. Another multi-position infielder is Brooks Lee - 2B/SS/3B - MIN (4% rostered), who has turned it on a bit of late, going 13-for-44 (.295) in his last 13 games. The downside is that he only has one home run and three RBI with no steals over that stretch. He's not much of a power/speed threat, so I think he's a better real-life player than a fantasy player, but he could produce a solid batting average in regular at-bats, and that's worth something in deeper formats. Just keep in mind that Royce Lewis is likely back on Monday, and we don't know what that will do to Lee's playing time.

J.P. Crawford - SS, SEA: 11% rostered
(BATTING AVERAGE ASSET, REGULAR PLAYING TIME)

As I mentioned last week, Crawford may be a boring veteran, but he's a solid option as a player who could help your batting average. He's hitting .287 on the season but has gone 16-for-40 (.400) with three home runs and 13 RBI over his last 10 games. He's being a little more aggressive this season, which is fine for Crawford because he has an 84% contact rate for his career. He's expanding the zone a bit more this season, but is still making elite levels of contact, and the batting average bump of late feels partially real. Chase Meidroth - 2B/3B/SS, CWS (4% rostered) returned from the IL this week and has gone 4-for-12 with four runs scored and an RBI in three games. He's going to hit leadoff and play shortstop for the White Sox every day. The power isn't great, and the counting stats will be impacted by the poor lineup around him, which is why he's mainly a deep league option.

Daulton Varsho - OF, TOR: 10% rostered
(RETURN FROM IL, SPEED UPSIDE)

Varsho came off the IL this week and had two good games against the Red Sox, but is 3-for-14 overall with two home runs, three RBI, and a steal. He also has seven strikeouts in five games. Varsho is a career .225 hitter, and while he has 20/20 upside in a full season, you're likely getting that with a worse batting average than somebody like Gelof would give you. It's a solid profile for a player who's on the wire in a lot of formats right now, but you're not adding a "league winner" or somebody who is going to drastically impact your standings.

Coby Mayo - 3B, BAL: 8% rostered
(RECENT CALL UP, POST HYPE BREAKOUT?)

With Ramon Urias battling a hamstring injury, the Orioles finally called up Coby Mayo. Mayo is hitting .255/.353/.539 with six homers in 27 games at Triple-A this season, but has been swinging a hot bat lately. There remains plenty of upside in Mayo's bat, but there are a few concerns. For starters, Urias and Jordan Westburg don't figure to be out more than a couple of weeks, so how long will the Orioles keep Mayo up? His overall contact rates remain below average, but he's been crushing lefties (.529/.579/1.471 slash with four HRs), BUT HE DIDN'T EVEN START ON SATURDAY AGAINST A LEFTY! At this point, I just don't trust the Orioles to make the right decisions with their roster construction, which is an odd thing to say.

Trevor Larnach - OF, MIN: 7% rostered
(STARTING JOB, HOT STREAK)

I wrote about Larnach a few times in the off-season as a post hype player I was targeting in deeper formats since we knew he'd be on the bench against lefties. He got off to a slow start to the season, but has gone 14-for-51 (.275) over his last 13 games with three home runs and 10 RBI. He's beholden to the whims of Rocco Baldelli and won't play against lefties, but his overall batted ball profile is interesting enough in deeper formats if you need an outfielder. A player in a similar situation is Max Kepler - OF, PHI (4% rostered), who the Phillies said would be their everyday left fielder but is still sitting against lefties this year. Kepler has three home runs this week and has gone 13-for-41 (.317) over his last 12 games with six RBI. He's in a great lineup, in a good home ballpark, makes a good amount of contact, and is not striking out a lot. That will lead to decent results in that lineup.

Miguel Vargas - 3B/OF, CWS: 3% rostered
(MINI HOT STREAK, POTENTIAL BREAKOUT COMING)

Like Victor Scott II,Miguel Vargas appeared in my article this week on hitters to add based on their plate discipline and contact rates. Vargas is chasing at a super low rate, making 83% contact overall and rarely swinging and missing. He's pulling the ball slightly less this season and has focused less on lifting the ball, which is a good change. He doesn't smoke the ball, but a 90.3 mph average exit velocity is pretty good, and he's playing every day in Chicago. Another multi-position option for deeper formats could be Romy Gonzalez - 1B/2B/3B/SS, BOS (1% rostered). Now that Triston Casas is out for the season, it seems that Romy, Abraham Toro -2B/3B, BOS (0% rostered), and Rob Refsnyder - OF, BOS (0% rostered) will primarily split the reps at 1B. With Refsnyder mainly playing against lefties, I think Gonzalez will get the first chance at 1B. It's a small sample size, but he does have a 93.3 mph average exit velocity and 9.1% barrel rate this season. He also has career-high pull and fly ball rates, and while he's making less contact than he has before, his approach could be intriguing at Fenway Park. I just can't imagine he's the first baseman for that long.

Jon Berti - 3B, CHC: 1% rostered
(STARTING JOB, SPEED UPSIDE)

Berti has been the regular third baseman for the Cubs with Matt Shaw in the minors. He's hitting .288 on the season with seven steals and 10 runs scored in 58 plate appearances. We know who he is at this point in his career, but the 3B spot is such a dump in fantasy right now, so the fact that Berti has his stolen base upside and is playing regularly in Chicago is worth noting for deeper formats. Another deep league infield option is Jorbit Vivas - 2B, NYY (0% rostered), who looks to be the regular second baseman with Jazz Chisholm Jr. on the IL. I recorded a video on Jazz Chisolm and Vivas this week, so I'd encourage you to check that out for more of my thoughts.

Waiver Wire Pitchers

Ranger Suarez - SP, PHI: 40% rostered
Suarez is set to come off the IL today. We know who Suarez is at this point in his career, but he's a valuable pitcher in the midst of all this chaos, so just check your waiver wire. Another pitcher nearing a return to MLB action is Ryan Weathers - SP, MIA (9% rostered), who threw 62 pitches at Triple-A Jacksonville on Friday. He's set for one more rehab assignment this week, where the Marlins can get him up over 70 pitches, and then he's likely to return the week of May 12th. The only issue is that he'd likely line up for a first start against the Cubs, which you're not using him for.

Griffin Canning - SP, NYM: 38% rostered
I spoke to Canning last week about the changes he’s made since coming to the Mets, and I don't think this early hot start is 100% flukey.

Tony Gonsolin - SP, LAD: 34% rostered
Tony Gonsolin made his return to the Dodgers' rotation this week and struck out nine batters in his six innings. It was against the Marlins, so take that into consideration, but it's nice to see Gonsolin back and going six innings. He is not likely to miss bats at this rate, but he has always been a solid ratio started,r and the team context is obviously great, so he's worth a bid in most formats, but I think he's just a streamer in 12-team leagues.

Tommy Kahnle - RP, DET: 32% rostered
I guess people don't want to add Kahnle because he doesn't throw hard and the Tigers mix and match their late-inning relievers, but Kahnle has looked good so far, and Detroit has no problem running out a closer who doesn't have elite strikeout upside or a big fastball. Kahnle has five saves and a 0.71 ERA in 12 appearances so far this year, so I'm scooping if he's available. However, just note that the Tigers like to use Kahnle in high-leverage situations, which will also mean save opportunities for Will Vest - RP, DET (11% rostered), who is worth an add if you need saves as well. I know Vest blew an opportunity this week, which made him one of the most dropped players in Yahoo formats, but he has allowed just four runs on eight hits in 13 innings this season. He'll still be back in high-leverage innings and will get some save chances.

Matthew Liberatore - SP, STL: 32% rostered
I covered Liberatore in detail in my Starting Pitcher News article, so check that out for a more detailed breakdown, but I think Liberatore is a fine option for decent ratios and a low strikeout total.

Brayan Bello - SP, BOS: 30% rostered
Bello has been good in his return to the Red Sox rotation, posting a 2.55 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 17.2 innings across three starts. The slider has looked good at times, and I like that he's been attacking with the sinker more and using the four-seam fastball upstairs to try and get swings and misses. However, the command of his slider and changeup remains inconsistent, which has hurt him in two-strike counts and has made him a bit frustrating. I still see Top-40 upside in that arm, but he's not putting it together right now.

Shelby Miller - RP, ARI: 25% rostered
I spoke to both Shelby Miller and Kevin Ginkel - RP, ARI (7% rostered) this week before the Mets game and wrote up my thoughts on the Arizona bullpen situation here. I would be prioritizing Miller on the waiver wire, but I'll have bids in for Ginkel too. Also, just remember that Justin Martinez's MRI came back clean, so we're not dealing with a major injury here. There's a chance Martinez is back in a few weeks and pitching like himself after a brief reset.

Gunnar Hoglund - SP, OAK: 23% rostered
I watched Hoglund's debut, and I came away thinking it was solid. The four-seamer is only 92 mph, but he gets elite extension on it and has good vertical movement, which allows him to get whiffs up in the zone. He also features a solid sinker with tons of arm-side run and a changeup that's seven mph slower than the sinker and darts low and out of the zone. He had no problem throwing the changeup to righties and lefties, but I didn't love either the cutter or the slider. My worry is that this isn't a package that will lead to many strikeouts when he's not facing the Marlins, but I liked the foundation of it enough to add him and see how this pans out.

Lance McCullers - SP, HOU: 19% rostered
I felt the need to cover McCullers here because he's a big name and is making his season debut today, but I can't tell you to run out and grab him right now. We have no idea how effective he'll be or how long Houston will let him pitch in games. I could easily see a situation where he's piggybacked with Ryan Gusto so the Astros don't strain McCullers too much.

Lucas Giolito - SP, BOS: 14% rostered
Giolito returned to the mound for the Red Sox this week, and I think he looked better than Bello, which is why I made that direct one-for-one swap in a few leagues. He was pretty good for the first half of the season in 2023 before the White Sox traded him across the country, and the wheels fell off. I think we've written his obituary too early. His four-seam fastball had more juice again, and the fastball/changeup combination is a good one. The Red Sox are clearly working to re-shape his slider back to his older version, and if he can unlock that too, you might get a great season from Giolito. As is, he's a solid Top-50 arm. You could also roster his teammate, Hunter Dobbins - SP, BOS (4% rostered), who seems likely to hold down a rotation spot as long as Walker Buehler is sidelined. Dobbins has seen velocity gains this year, turned his splitter into a splinker that he can command, and separated his slider into a slider and a sweeper. That has given him a six-pitch mix with decent command. I kind of like Dobbins, and I'm not worried about his start against the Royals this week.

Porter Hodge - RP, CHC: 14% rostered
Another option who I think scared people off because of one horrible outing against Arizona last week. Ryan Pressly has looked average in Chicago and had fluid drained from his knee last week, which is not ideal. Hodge is a solid reliever who posted an elite 1.88 ERA last season. He's the guy if Pressly is hurt, and the Cubs are a really good team, so you're going to want whoever is closing games for them.

Luis L. Ortiz - SP, CLE: 12% rostered
This guy is always going to pull me back in. The Guardians have made some clear changes to try and get more swing-and-miss into Ortiz's pitch mix, and while that has led to inconsistency, it has presented some clear long-term upside for him as well. He is utilizing his changeup far more than he has before and has switched up the locations on his cutter to get more swinging strikes. I'm still expecting inconsistency as he gets comfortable with the changes, but I love the roadmap here.

Ben Casparius - RP, LAD: 8% rostered
I covered Casparius in detail in my Starting Pitcher News article this Wednesday, so check that out for more detail.

PLAYERS TO DROP

I was asked last week if I could mention some players that I think it might be time to move on from in shallower formats, so below are a few players I would be cutting in 10-12 team leagues. Most of the names will be hitters because I believe those fringe SPs should always be on and off your roster in shallower formats based on their upcoming matchups.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. - OF, ARI: 46% rostered: He hasn't been hitting, and I'm starting to think the only way the Diamondbacks can call Jordan Lawlar up is to play him at 3B, move Eugenio Suarez to DH, and make Gurriel and Pavin Smith a platoon in LF. It makes the most sense for the team. Lawlar can't stay in AAA much longer.

Jonathan India - 2B/3B/OF - KC: 42% rostered: I was never a huge fan, the ballpark is going to take all of his power away, so you're looking at a .260 hitter with minimal speed and no power in a fairly average lineup. That's just not for me.

Carlos Correa - SS, MIN: 33% rostered: He doesn't run, he's clearly playing through an injury, and he just might not be healthy until they put him on the IL.

Alec Burleson - 1B/OF, STL 32% rostered: He just barely plays for St. Louis anymore. He's starting two, maybe three, games a week, and I can't hold him until he starts to play and produce again.

Luis Rengifo - 2B/3B, LAA: 27% rostered: His value was in his speed, but he's had multiple soft tissue injuries this season and is not running.

STREAMING STARTER PITCHERS

(ranked in loose order)

Week of 5/5

Strong Preference

PitcherRoster%Opponent
Michael Wacha32%vs CWS
Tony Gonsolin34%at MIA
Matthew Liberatore32%vs PIT
AJ Smith-Shawver6%vs CIN, at PIT
Lucas Giolito14%vs TEX, at KC
Shane Smith15%at KC, vs MIA
Edward Cabrera3%at CWS

Fairly Confident

Steven Matz5%vs PIT
Miles Mikolas3%vs PIT
Jefferey Springs22%vs SEA
Grant Holmes29%vs CIN
Luis Severino42%vs SEA, vs NYY
Matthew Boyd36%vs SF, at NYM
Griffin Canning38%at ARI, vs CHC
Jose Soriano26%vs TOR
Tyler Anderson24%vs TOR
David Peterson34%at ARI
Jake Irvin29%vs CLE
Brayan Bello20%at KC
Hunter Dobbins4%at KC
Jordan Hicks13%at MIN
Cade Povich3%at MIN, at LAA
Luis L. Ortiz12%at WAS, vs PHI
Ben Lively7%at WAS
Sean Burke4%at KC, vs MIA

Some Hesitation

Justin Verlander36%at CHC
Landen Roupp24%at CHC, at MIN
Jose Quintana31%at TB
Gunar Hoglund18%vs SEA
Jameson Taillon24%at NYM
Nick Martinez17%at HOU
Colin Rea25%vs SF
Quinn Priester11%vs HOU
Lance McCullers19%vs CIN
Emerson Hancock4%at ATH
Will Warren7%at ATH
Patrick Corbin4%at DET
Michael Soroka1%vs CLE
Bryce Elder2%at PIT
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Mets at Cardinals game one: How to watch on May 4, 2025

The Mets (22-11) play the first game of a split doubleheader against the Cardinals (14-19) in St. Louis on Sunday at 1:15 p.m. on PIX11. Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...

Mets Notes

  • Blade Tidwell, the Mets' second-round pick in the 2022 draft, makes his major league debut
  • LHP Danny Young has been transferred to the 60-Day Injured List, and RHP Austin Warren has been optioned to Triple-A and appointed as 27th Player for both doubleheader games
  • Brandon Nimmo is heating up, posting a 1.110 OPS with 12 RBI in his last seven games
  • Pete Alonso leads the National League with a .664 slugging percentage and is second in RBI with 33
  • Cardinals starter Erick Fedde has a career 6.51 ERA in 17 career games (12 starts) against the Mets
METS
CARDINALS

Francisco Lindor, SS

Lars Nootbaar, RF

Juan Soto, RF

Alec Burleson, DH

Pete Alonso, 1B

Brendan Donovan, LF

Brandon Nimmo, DH

Nolan Arenado, 3B

Jesse Winker, LF

Willson Contreras, 1B

Luis Torrens, C

Nolan Gorman, 2B

Jeff McNeil, 2B

Pedro Pages, C

Luisangel Acuña, 3B

Victor Scott, CF

Jose Azocar, CF

Jose Barrero, SS

How can I watch the game online?

To watch Mets games online via PIX11, you will need a subscription to a TV service provider and live in the New York City metro area. This will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone browser.

To get started on your computer, go to the PIX11 live stream website and follow the site's steps. For more FAQs, you can go here.