The St. Louis Cardinals hold an annual event for “non-traditional” media types who cover the team, including yours truly, where we have the opportunity to have access to whoever the current sitting POBO of the team is. Historically, that’s been John Mozeliak, but this year we had our first opportunity to ask Chaim Bloom about his thoughts on the current state of affairs. He did not disappoint. Chaim Bloom was very thoughtful and engaging with his style of answer, and even after his obligation concluded, he stuck around for about an hour afterwards to talk with and elaborate further on his thoughts with anyone who wished to hold court with him.
Unfortunately, this event does not allow for video recording, but we are allowed to audio record the conversation and some of the topics included: extensions, trade talk, roles of new front office personnel, and how they are providing the Cardinals with an additional edge as they continue to try and rebuild the franchise, how the team can utilize AI, the process he uses when determining a players readiness for promotion, and so much more!
I will look to finalize June’s podcast schedule this week and announce ASAP. Be on the lookout for this announcement, as I have some VIP level Cardinals guests lined up.
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Adam Gretz discussed one move that each team in the NHL should make. When it came to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Gretz argued that they should look to add a young defenseman with good upside.
Gretz then named Buffalo Sabres defenseman Michael Kesselring, Boston Bruins blueliner Mason Lohrei, and New Jersey Devils defender Simon Nemec as three potential trade targets for the Penguins to consider.
With the Sabres having limited cap space and Kesselring struggling during his first season in Buffalo, he has come up in the rumor mill often now that their season is over. While Kesselring had a quiet 2025-26 season with Buffalo (two assists in 34 games), he has shown in the past that he can be an impactful top-four defenseman. Just back in 2024-25 with Utah, he had seven goals and 29 points in 82 games. Perhaps he could bounce back in a more significant role in Pittsburgh.
We here at The Hockey News Penguins recently discussed Lohrei as a potential fit for Pittsburgh, and it would make sense if they targeted him. The 6-foot-5 defenseman has shown promise early on in his career with Boston and could break out if given a fresh start on a team like the Penguins. In 73 games this season, he scored a career-high seven goals and recorded 26 points.
As for Nemec, he would be the biggest pickup out of the three. The 22-year-old defenseman was the second-overall pick of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and has the potential to emerge as a legitimate star. He took a notable step forward in his development this season with New Jersey, posting new career highs with 11 goals and 26 points in 68 games.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 27: Dave Roberts #30 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates a solo home run from Shohei Ohtani #17,to take a 1-0 lead, during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on May 27, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Yoshinobu Yamamoto faces Andrew Painter as the Dodgers look to take two of three against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Fans in the left field premium seats at Tropicana Field can access a buffet right up against the wall to the field. There, they can grab a hot dog, popcorn or some wings and watch all the action up close and personal.
On Sunday, May 31, Angels outfielder Jose Siri got so close that he almost wound up with wing sauce on his glove.
The Los Angeles Angels left fielder, and former Rays center fielder, robbed his former teammate Taylor Walls of a grand slam in the bottom of the third inning. Siri, known for his athletic defense, reached well over the left field wall, just above the buffet, and pulled the home run back.
The Angels are building a reputation as the most entertaining outfield in baseball. Jo Adell robbed three home runs in a single game against the Mariners on April 4, something that had never been seen in a major league game before. He has five robberies total nearly 10 weeks into the season and made a sliding catch in the outfield to escape a bases-loaded jam on Saturday.
And then Siri made his dramatic play on Sunday, reminding everyone at Tropicana Field of what he did there for years. The 30-year-old spent parts of three seasons in Tampa Bay before the Rays traded him after the 2024 season.
The 2025-26 season was a tough year for Buffalo Sabres defenseman Michael Kesselring. He had trouble finding his fit with the Sabres, and questions about his future in Buffalo have been coming up because of it.
Now, Kesselring is only continuing to be the subject of trade speculation with June just about here.
"Michael Kesselring was acquired in last year’s J.J. Peterka trade but managed to play just 34 games. He is also an arbitration eligible RFA this summer and the Sabres might be in tough to even live with his qualifying offer, putting the possibility of a trade on the table," Kypreos wrote.
Given how this season went for Kesselring and the Sabres having some notable players due for new contracts, it would be understandable if they moved the right-shot defenseman during the off-season. He would have the potential to get the Sabres a decent return, too, as NHL clubs are always on the hunt for big right-shot defenseman like him.
In 34 games this season with the Sabres, Kesselring had zero goals, two assists, and 50 penalty minutes. This is after he set career highs with seven goals, 22 assists, and 29 points in 82 games during the 2024-25 season with the Utah Mammoth.
May 30, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) stands in the dugout during the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh made a cameo appearance in the dugout during last night’s 5-1 win against the Diamondbacks, marking the first time he’s been in Seattle since going to the Mariners’ facility in Arizona a week ago to rehab his injured oblique.
Despite a plan to have him at the park pregame, Raleigh was delayed getting into town and only popped up in the dugout in the sixth inning, surprising his teammates, who had been asking where Cal was all day.
“I was glad I got to come watch a good one last night, and see the boys, and hang out in the dugout,” Raleigh told the media during a pregame scrum on Sunday.
It was a brief respite for Raleigh from what he describes as “a lot of nothing” in his rehab in Arizona, getting to be close to his team again and in a game situation, even if it wasn’t one he was playing in.
“It was good to get down there and focus on what I needed to focus on, but I miss the guys. I miss being here each day. It’s tough, watching these games on TV.”
Raleigh is progressing steadily in his rehab, doing tee work and flips at moderate intensity, standing in (no swings) on bullpens and against the Trajekt machine, and even caught a bullpen while in Arizona. A complicating factor in Raleigh’s rehab is the fact that he’s a switch-hitter, so he feels the injury differently from each side: more at the beginning of the swing when hitting right-handed and more at the end of the swing when hitting lefty. Yesterday he hit off a tee, fifteen swings per side, and said it went well.
“Felt really good, really promising. Didn’t feel anything. Obviously you’re not going as hard as you can but it felt good to get in there, take some swings, and feel the ball off the bat, see where we’re at.”
Today’s plan involves mostly monitoring, checking in with the training staff and doing light rehab, before attempting to dial up the intensity tomorrow. Raleigh is hoping to have a better idea by Wednesday of what the next steps will look like, saying rehab games are “still up in the air,” but he seems optimistic that the bulk of his Arizona time is over, saying “I think for the most part I’ll probably be up here for good.” (Source: Cal Raleigh, notably not GM Justin Hollander, head athletic trainer Kyle Torgerson, or any of the other stakeholders.)
“These next two days will be pretty telling as far as how things are going. Ramping up the baseball slowly but surely, checking boxes, and from there it’ll just be communication with the staff and trying to set a plan up to get back as soon as I can.”
‘As soon as he can’ comes with caveats. For as anxious as Raleigh is to get back on the field, he’s aware of the specific nature of an oblique injury and the challenges rehabbing one can present. From talking with good friend Luke Raley, who dealt with a similar injury last year, Raleigh knows how temperamental oblique muscles can be in the rehab process.
“The hard part about it is you can’t really replicate in-game swings, having that same kind of energy and percentile and that adrenaline going, it’s hard to replicate. So everything can feel great now, and then you get into a game and you might feel it, or have a little setback. So I’m just hoping with all the work I put in it’ll get there. I’m trying to be smart about getting back as quick as I can, but making sure this thing doesn’t linger for the rest of the year. It’s definitely been a topic we’ve talked about a lot.”
So Raleigh is attempting to practice patience. He’s trying to take things day-by-day, but for a player who is used to being one of the first to the park and one of the last to leave, with every free moment tightly scheduled in between, the sudden shift in schedule has been a sudden and unwelcome adjustment, requiring Raleigh speed-run the stages of grieving his injury straight to “acceptance.”
“The first couple days didn’t feel real, didn’t feel right. And then once I got to Arizona, it was kind of like, the acceptance stage, I guess. Once I got there, I was able to accept it and realize I had to try to get back as quick as I can. Control what you can control.”
Still, that doesn’t make it fun. Raleigh dryly describes his daily schedule at the complex:
“It’s been rehabbing, rehabbing some more, and then training, lifting weights and running, trying to stay on top of that. And then more rehab stuff. So you get home early, you don’t really know what to do with yourself, just waiting for the games to come on.”
Watching the Mariners from afar for the first time has been both a pain point and a source of introspection, and even inspiration, for Raleigh.
“It’s really hard watching the games on TV. It’s weird, watching it and not being there – it’s like a Twilight Zone kind of feeling. But I think it makes you appreciate it a little more when you’re that far away and you realize you don’t get to do it every day, the thing you love. So it gave me a little more appreciation for getting to play every day, being around the guys. It’s eye-opening…Realizing how much I miss it, how much I enjoy playing the game and being with the guys, it’s very eye-opening.
And it makes me never want to go back on the IL again.”
That bird’s-eye view of the team has also allowed him to take a step back and gain a new perspective on the team: one that maybe wasn’t available to Raleigh as he was mired in his own struggles at the plate.
“The biggest thing I noticed is how talented this team really is. It’s so much fun to watch. Me not being here stinks, and I hate it, but sitting back and realizing, I’m like, oh my gosh, this is a really good team. And the team seems to be hitting a really good stride right now. It’s a lot of fun to watch when we’re doing all three facets of the game like we’re doing it – pitching, hitting, and defense.”
“Watching them do it from afar and seeing them do it without you, you kind of notice a few more things that you don’t really notice when you’re in it. Sometimes you’re so close that you don’t see certain things, or it just takes a while to notice things like that. So it’s been a different kind of perspective.”
Without being able to contribute in games, Raleigh has still found a way to impact his team from afar, even if he rolls his eyes about it.
“I feel like that relative that texts you after every game. Like if anyone hits a home run I’m like, ‘nice swing, dude.’ I feel like such a loser right now, sitting on the bench. So I’m a big cheerleader from afar. I was trying to stay in touch, trying to keep it light and be funny with the guys as much as I could.”
But praise only – any critiques Raleigh has, he’s keeping to himself for now.
“I’m not saying a word. They’re on a five-game winning streak. I don’t want to do anything to mess it up.”
The Colorado Avalanche’s 2025–26 campaign, despite finishing atop the NHL standings with a Presidents’ Trophy, concluded in disappointment after a postseason exit that has placed several roster decisions and pending free agents under scrutiny heading into the offseason.
Zakhar Bardakov (Forward)
Bardakov appeared in 60 games for Colorado during the 2025–26 regular season, contributing one goal and nine assists while operating primarily in a depth role. He averaged 7:12 of ice time per game and registered 35 shots on goal. In the faceoff circle, Bardakov recorded a 42.4% win rate, which is less than ideal. However, he's still young and developing. His usage increased during stretches when injuries affected the Avalanche lineup.
Nick Blankenburg (Defenseman)
Blankenburg joined the Avalanche via a mid-season acquisition from the Nashville Predators and went on to play 12 regular season games with Colorado. He produced two goals and one assist in that span. Listed at 5-foot-9 and 177 pounds, Blankenburg was deployed in a depth defensive role while contributing offensively in limited minutes.
Brent Burns (Defenseman) (UFA)
Burns played the 2025–26 season on a one-year contract with Colorado, appearing in all 82 regular season games. He recorded 12 goals and 23 assists while continuing a consecutive games streak that has reached 328 appearances since last missing time in the 2020–21 season with the San Jose Sharks. Over the course of the season, he also accumulated more than 100 turnovers. Burns’ role included regular minutes on the blue line, and he provided veteran presence throughout the campaign.
Will he return? There is belief within the organization that Brent Burns could return for the 2026–27 season, potentially continuing his pursuit of Phil Kessel’s iron-man streak of 1,064 consecutive games. Beyond durability, his value to the Avalanche is also tied to his presence in the locker room and the energy he brings to the team on and off the ice. Prior to the start of the Western Conference Final, Nathan MacKinnon explained to reporters why the 41-year-old is such a great asset to the team and also had a funny explanation for his longevity.
"He sleeps a lot. More than anybody. He's like a big bear."
"He'll nap from 3-6 pm and then go to sleep for another 10 hours. It's crazy."
“He sleeps a lot. More than anybody—he’s like a big bear. He’ll nap from like 3 PM to 6 PM and go to sleep for another ten hours. It’s crazy. I think that’s a big reason why he’s played so long. And also, he’s got such a great attitude. He’s like—everyone says it—he’s like a little kid. With three kids, himself. He’s a special guy, super positive, just super great to be around. He comes to the rink with a smile on his face, and I think that’s the biggest reason why he’s played so long."
Jack Drury (Forward)
Drury was utilized across multiple forward roles during the season and finished the year with 10 goals and 17 assists in 82 games, both representing or approaching career-high production marks. He logged 969 faceoffs and posted a 58.1% win rate, ranking 12th among NHL players with at least 200 faceoffs taken. Drury’s role shifted during the season following roster adjustments that included the addition of Nic Roy, after which he moved into a fourth-line center position.
According to DNVR's AJ Haefele, Drury turned down multiple offers this season to remain with the Avalanche, so it'll be interesting to see what happens. Drury is one of the best 4C's in the NHL, and his faceoff win percentage was well over 60% during the postseason. Can they afford to let him walk?
Joel Kiviranta (Forward) (UFA)
Kiviranta appeared in 51 games during the 2025–26 season, recording three goals and six assists. Across his previous seasons with Colorado, he had produced 56 games played with three goals and six assists in 2023–24, followed by a career-high 16 goals and seven assists in 79 games during the 2024–25 campaign. In 2025–26, he also posted a 62.5% goals-for percentage and a 59% Corsi For rate, both representing career-best marks.
From our perspective, it's very unlikely we see #94 back in Colorado next season.
Brett Kulak (Defenseman) (RFA)
Kulak was acquired during the season in a trade involving Samuel Girard and appeared in 27 games for Colorado. He registered three assists while averaging just over 19 minutes of ice time per game. During his time with the Avalanche, Kulak skated with multiple defensive partners across six different pairings. He also scored the series-clinching goal in Colorado’s playoff series against the Minnesota Wild, contributing to the team’s advancement in the postseason.
Who do you think the Avalanche will retain? Who do you think will get traded and/or released?
May 25, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Will Warren (29) pitches during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
May has been a hit-or-miss month for the Yankees, and so has this series. They dominated the Athletics on Friday, only to lose behind a trio of homers last night. With Will Warren on the hill, they stand the chance today to win a game, win a key series, and hopefully put the messiness of the last 30 days behind them.
The soon-to-be 27-year-old Warren has taken a step forward so far this year, with a solid 3.55 ERA and very impressive 3.27 FIP, built upon significant cuts to his walk and home run rate. The strikeouts are still there, to be sure, but Warren’s progress has been buoyed by him making fewer mistakes. Warren is for now the No. 5 starter in the rotation, but he’s top 40 by ERA and 27th in all of baseball. If that’s the way the supposed weakest link in your rotation is going, you’re eating pretty good. For what it’s worth, Warren had his career-best outing by Game Score last May in this very ballpark, dominating the A’s with 7.1 innings of four-hit, one-run ball with seven strikeouts.
Jacob Lopez goes for “Sacremento,” and he is exactly the kind of pitcher the Yankees should feast on. He gives up 2+ HR/9 while walking 13.5 percent of batters faced, while seeing a BABIP that’s not quite league average but isn’t far off. He’s not a victim of bad luck — he struggles to find the strike zone and when he does its hittable. That should appeal greatly to a team trained to attack mistakes and let border pitches go, but then again we’ve seen more than one 5+ ERA hurler toss blanks against this team in previous seasons.
We have a couple changes to the ordinary lineup today, with José Caballero batting fifth (and I triple-checked) and manning the hot corner, while Max Schuemann gets the start at second while he’ll hit eighth. Paul Goldschmidt is once again penciled in for a start, leading us off in front of the familiar Ben Rice-Aaron Judge-Cody Bellinger trio.
Yes, we have one more afternoon start to endure.
How to watch:
Location: Sutter Health Park — West Sacramento, CA
As we recap the individual best performances from Golden State Warriors from this past season, there’s a lot of heartbreak to parse through. The week before February 5 had been genuinely ugly for the Golden State Warriors. Jimmy Butler had the horrific ACL injury. Then the emotional whirlwind of a trade deadline as the team shipped out Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield, two players the locker room genuinely spoke well of and cared for. Stephen Curry was watching from the bench in street clothes again. Head Coach Steve Kerr was so disgusted by how his team played against Philadelphia two days earlier that he promised changes in Phoenix, and the emotional weight of everything sitting on that roster was real and visible.
Then Pat Spencer walked into Mortgage Matchup Center and decided this was a good night to have the best game of his career.
Spencer scored a career-high 20 points on six threes, added six rebounds, four assists, and two steals, and provided the kind of high-velocity offensive juice that Golden State had been missing since Curry went down. He was doing it at a moment when his two-way contract was about to become a standard NBA deal, a promotion he had earned through the kind of steady, unspectacular professionalism that doesn’t always get its flowers.
Spencer was genuinely having fun out there, shooting with the looseness of a man who understood exactly what this night meant and refused to let the weight of the week land on him. The enthusiasm was real; the gratitude was visible. And six threes into the fourth quarter, the building knew it too.
He gobbled up every minute Kerr gave him, knocked down open threes with the confidence of a guy who had been waiting for this night to arrive, and gave a crowd in Phoenix something to watch that it had no particular reason to care about. That kind of performance is contagious in a way that’s hard to quantify, and the Warriors needed someone to play loose and free and unafraid on a night when the entire roster had every reason to feel heavy.
The Warriors were down 14 in the fourth quarter and came back to win 101-97 on a 25-7 run to close it, with De’Anthony Melton tying the game and Gui Santos hitting the go-ahead layup in the final minute. Kerr said afterward it felt like they had won a championship, which sounds like hyperbole until you understand what the previous ten days had actually felt like inside that organization. Spencer’s own postgame framing captured the week honestly. He acknowledged the human cost of what the trade deadline does to people, noted that most fans forget the human aspect of those decisions, and then said simply that you have a game to play and you have to find your head space and compete.
Spencer found his head space in Phoenix by shooting 6-of-11 from three and reminding everyone watching that joy is its own kind of fuel. February 5 was the night the rest of the basketball world found out.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 21: A general view of the Seattle skyline, Seattle Space Needle, the exterior of T-Mobile Park, home of the Major League Baseball Seattle Mariners and Lumen Field, home of the National Football League Seattle Seahawks, with Mount Rainier in the background on October 21, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today’s Lineups
DIAMONDBACKS
MARINERS
Ketel Marte – DH
J.P. Crawford – SS
Corbin Carroll – RF
Julio Rodriguez – CF
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Josh Naylor – 1B
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Randy Arozarena – LF
Ryan Waldschmidt – CF
Luke Raley – RF
Ildemaro Vargas – 2B
Cole Young – 2B
Jose Fernandez – 1B
Dominic Canzone – DH
Aramis Garcia – C
Jhonny Pereda – C
Tim Tawa – LF
Colt Emerson – 3B
Merrill Kelly – RHP
Luis Castillo – RHP
This has definitely been a season which, so far, has shown spending big is no guarantee of success. If you look at the top 10 teams by cash payroll, half of them – the Mets, Phillies, Blue Jays, Astros and Giants – would not be in the playoffs, if the season ended today. All but the Phillies are below .500. Conversely, the last-placed by payroll Guardians are leading their division, while Tampa and Milwaukee are other teams on top of their division, while in the bottom half by payroll. Of course, it’s still relatively early. But we’ve seen before how, well before the one-third point, the standings become a pretty reliable guide to the post-season.
While the D-backs stand lower in total payroll, the harsh fact is that the team’s spending has not been very productive so far either. If we look at their top contracts this year (and excluding Nolan Arenado, since the Cardinals are responsible for the vast bulk of what he’s getting paid), here’s what we find.
Corbin Burnes, $31.7 million, zero appearances
Eduardo Rodriguez, $21 million, 2.3 bWAR
Merrill Kelly, $20 million, 0.0 bWAR
Zac Gallen, $16.2 million, -0.5 bWAR
Ketel Marte, $15 million, 1.2 bWAR
Lourdes Gurriel, $13 million, -0.3 bWAR, currently injured
That’s a total of almost $117 million being paid to these six players this year, for a total of 2.7 bWAR thus far. Only two are living up to their contracts this season, and E-Rod is probably still in the red overall, after getting paid $34 million in 2024-25 for half a win. Now, the math may change when Burnes returns, but he’ll also be starting in an overdraft situation, after missing most of last season. I’m trying to think of the last multi-season contract Arizona gave a free agent player, that turned out to be worth the money. It’s certainly been a while. I’m increasingly inclined to feel player development is perhaps more important than big-ticket free-agents.
And we welcome PhoenixSportsFan to the site, for his first guest recap of 2026! May it be a sweep-avoiding one…
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 24: The sneakers worn by VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 24, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
May 31, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) turns a double play past Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jesus Sanchez (12) during the second inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
Orioles 9 Blue Jays 5
That was bad in so many ways.
Worst of which, Jesús Sánchez was hit in the wrist by a ball thrown from the stands. They are saying he has a contusion, which is pretty much the best possible news. It was weird. Apparently, a kid(?) or young person, thought that he could throw to Sánchez and it would be caught. But, Jesús had turned away and the ball hit his wrist. Unfortunate, but no one should be throwing things from the stands.
Spencer Miles has been so good. Today he wasn’t. He went 3 innings, allowed 5 hits, 6 earned, 3 walks with 2 strikeouts. Not his day, but John had to leave him out to get some innings, as it was our second ‘bullpen’ day in three days.
Beyond that, Hayden Juenger didn’t have a great first appearance in the majors, giving up 2 hits, 3 earned, 2 walks in his inning of work.
Adam Macko (2 innings), Yariel Rodriguez (1) and Mason Fluharty (1) all put up zeros.
We had trouble with Kyle Bradish, who went 7 innings allowing just 1 unearned runs. We did get 4 runs off reliever Tyler Wells, but it was too little too late.
We had 8 hits and 4 walks. The big hit was from Yohendrick Piñango (in the game because of Sánchez’s injury), who he a home run that went 421 feet, scoring 3 of our 5 runs. Piñango, Nathan Lukes and Ernie Clement had 2 hits each. Sánchez and Charles McAdoo had one each.
No JoD today, but lets give Lips an honourable mention.
Other Award: Miles (-0.30 WPA).
Tomorrow is an off-day, which I’m sure we can all use.
Mitchell Robinson did individual work at Knicks practice on Sunday, May 31 with his hand protected, but coach Mike Brown said the center is uncertain for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday. That decision will ultimately belong to the medical staff.
Robinson, 28, broke his right pinky finger during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Cleveland and had surgery to repair it. He plans to play against the San Antonio Spurs with a brace protecting it.
Brown said to reporters after practice that Robinson has to be cleared by the medical staff first.
He wouldn’t be the first player to will himself through something like this, and with Robinson, the bar for playing hurt is already set high. The longest-tenured Knick has battled through a broken right hand, a broken right thumb, a broken right foot and multiple surgeries on a stress fracture in his left ankle over eight seasons in New York. This year, he had finally gotten healthy enough to make a big impact. He played 60 games, his most since 2021-222, and has been one of New York’s most important role players in the playoff run.
During the regular season, Robinson led the team in blocks and was second in rebounding. His presence changes the game on the glass. New York’s offensive rebounding percentage jumps nearly 10 points with him on the court. In the playoffs, he's shooting 73.7% from the floor across 13 games off the bench and is fourth on the team in both blocks and rebounds.
If he can’t play on Wednesday, that creates a heavier burden for Karl-Anthony Towns and likely forces seven-footer Ariel Hukporti into more playing time.
BALTIMORE (AP) — Kyle Bradish pitched seven innings of four-hit ball, Colton Cowser homered and drove in four runs and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays 9-5 Sunday.
Pete Alonso had two hits, scored twice and drove in a run for the Orioles, who mounted a 6-0 third-inning lead against rookie Spencer Miles (2-1) and coasted to the finish.
It was a complete contrast to the first three games of the series, each of which was decided by one run after the winner staged a late comeback. In earning a split, the Orioles completed an uplifting homestand in which they won seven of 10, including a three-game sweep of first-place Tampa Bay.
Bradish (3-6) allowed an unearned run, struck out four and walked three. Although it was only his second win since April 8, the right-hander has a 1.72 ERA over his past five starts.
Cowser hit a run-scoring groundout in the second inning before Baltimore took control with a five-run fifth. Alonso singled in a run and Samuel Basallo hit an RBI double before Cowser launched a three-run drive to center.
The Orioles made it 9-0 in the sixth against Hayden Juenger, making his major debut after being recalled from Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday. The right-hander walked two and gave up two hits in his only inning of work.
Yohendrick Piñango hit a three-run homer for Toronto in the eighth.
Blue Jays right fielder Jesús Sánchez left the game in the sixth inning with bruised right wrist after apparently being struck by a ball thrown from the bleachers during a stoppage in play. X-rays were negative.
Up Next
Blue Jays: After taking Monday off, Toronto sends Kevin Guzman (4-3) to the mound in Atlanta on Tuesday night.
Orioles: Following a day off Monday, Baltimore starts Shane Baz (2-5) on the road Tuesday night in Boston.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 24: Jacob Lopez #57 of the Athletics prepares to pitch against the San Diego Padres during the sixth inning at Petco Park on May 24, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This afternoon, the Athletics and New York Yankees will match-up in the rubber-game of their three-game series at West Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park.
In the wake of dropping the series-opener 8-2, the A’s rebounded last night, evening up the series with a 6-4 victory. Home runs from left fielder Tyler Soderstrom, catcher Shea Langeliers and first baseman Nick Kurtz gave the hosts a 6-1 lead. It looked like the A’s would coast to the finish line, but the Yankees rallied for three runs in the ninth as A’s relievers Jack Perkins and Scott Barlow combined to walk five batters. Barlow replaced Perkins with the bases loaded and two outs. He proceeded to walk three straight batters before finally getting the final out. According to Associated Press writer Josh Dubow, Barlow became the first pitcher to get a save after walking three out of four batters faced in an outing.
Seeking the series win, left-hander Jacob Lopez will start for the A’s. The 28-year-old enters his 12th appearance and 10th start of the season with a 4-2 record, a 5.73 ERA, and 35 strikeouts in 48.2 innings pitched. Lopez will pitch from the outset today, a contrast to his last appearance when he followed opener Luis Medina. In that outing, he earned the win after holding the San Diego Padres to one run on six hits over 4 2/3 innings.
Lopez has struggled with his command at times this season, as reflected in his 1.77 WHIP. However, he walked just one batter against San Diego, a positive step that must continue this afternoon, especially after A’s pitchers recorded more walks than strikeouts last night. If Lopez’s command wavers and leads to free passes or mistake pitches that are driven for extra-base hits, the Athletics could find themselves in serious trouble and facing a third consecutive series loss.
Left-handed-hitting outfielders Carlos Cortes and Lawrence Butler replace right-handed hitters Henry Bolte and Colby Thomas in the A’s starting nine. Additionally, backup catcher Jonah Heim will start behind the plate in the series-finale while Langeliers gets the day off.
With Soderstrom showing signs of heating up, the Athletics will need slumping hitters Butler, designated hitter Brent Rooker and second baseman Jeff McNeil to provide more offensive production as the calendar turns to June.
The A’s offense will face Yankees’ right-hander Will Warren, who has emerged as one of New York’s most reliable starters this season. The 26-year-old enters his 12th start with a 6-1 record, a 3.55 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP and 65 strikeouts across 58.1 innings. Warren received a no-decision when he faced the A’s at Yankee stadium in April, limiting the team to two runs on five hits over 4 2/3 innings. The A’s offense will look to make a bigger impact against the talented right-hander as the team vies for its second straight win.
The Yankees meanwhile have this lineup set for today:
New York’s lineup becomes considerably less imposing after its fearsome foursome. Further down the order, former A’s infielder Max Schuemann gets the start at second base in place of Jazz Chisholm Jr., who made the final out in yesterday’s game.
