In the final three games against the San Francisco Giants, the Mets allowed five total runs en route to three wins to culminate a 4-3 road trip. Even in their losses, New York allowed three runs or fewer in two of them and for the most part has gotten superior starting pitching two times through the rotation.
On Sunday, it was Kodai Senga's turn to deliver a quality outing and the right-hander handed in five scoreless innings before getting tagged for two runs in the sixth where only one ball was hit particularly hard.
Senga finished his outing by going 5.2 innings and allowing two earned runs on five hits, two walks and striking out seven on 88 pitches (55 strikes). Early on, he even struck out five in a row and looked great for a second straight start, this one on four days rest.
"It wasn’t perfect today, but good enough to make the game winnable," Senga said after the game through an interpreter.
It's the same kind of mentality that Senga used to have with himself when he was going good, often being hyper critical of things that he could improve on and fix for the next one.
Still, manager Carlos Mendoza was much more effusive of the right-hander's performance, saying "he pretty much dominated that lineup… Overall I think he was outstanding."
Senga is the latest of Mets starters to pitch well, following Clay Holmes' seven scoreless innings on Saturday and Nolan McLean's five hitless innings on Friday. As a unit, New York's starting rotation has a 3.13 ERA, eighth in MLB and third in the NL.
What's also encouraging? The Mets rank third in total innings pitched by their starters at 54.2 -- a year after their staff was routinely unable to go deep into games. As the season progresses and the temperature gets warmer and pitchers become more stretched out, hopefully that number continues to go up as well.
"I think it’s a really strong group," Senga said of the starting rotation. "As long as we stay healthy, stay out on the mound, we can be a stabilizing force for the team. That goes for everybody and myself. I don’t want to be the one lagging behind, I want to be up there with them."
Of course, after his incredible first half last season, Senga returned from a hamstring injury and had a dreadful end to the year. It became such a problem that New York sent him down to the minors to try and restore his stuff and his confidence.
The team even entertained trading the 33-year-old during the offseason but decided to keep the right-hander who then rewarded the Mets with a strong showing in spring training that has continued into the regular season.
It's obviously still very early into the season, but the signs are good for Senga and if he's able to keep it up he can certainly be a part of a Mets staff that has all the makings of a top rotation in baseball and be that stabilizing force that he was talking about.
Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard, left, kicks a pass by Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, center, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, April 5, 2026,...
SAN FRANCISCO — Steph Curry was triumphant in his long-awaited return to the court and, against all odds, nearly were the Warriors.
There was a renewed energy inside Chase Center on Sunday night, a buzz that had mostly been absent since Curry went out more than two months ago, that reached an apex in the final minute of 117-116 loss to Kevin Durant and the Rockets.
The defeat could have dealt a cold dose of reality on Curry’s big day, but instead it only emphasized what hadn’t been possible in the Warriors’ 27 games without him since Jan. 30.
Golden State trailed by as many as 15 points in the second half and was still behind by double digits with as little as 4:51 remaining. Curry scored eight of his team-best 29 points from then on.
Curry converted a driving layup to cut the Rockets’ lead to a 112-111 with 87 seconds to play, then one-upped himself by pulling up from 32 feet and draining an answer to Houston’s 3-point play on the other end. With 11 seconds left, Curry had the ball in his hands, down one.
He crossed over and pulled up from the top of the key. It wasn’t to be.
The return of Curry wasn’t enough to overcome the Warriors’ defensive deficiencies. APCurry scored 29 points in 26 minutes. AP
But the performance was an encouraging sign for the Warriors’ prospects, given that Curry’s scoring total in 26 minutes off the bench trailed only Durant’s 31 that required 37 minutes.
The supporting cast that had gone 9-18 without Curry over the past two months didn’t do enough to pull out their first game with their north star back on the floor.
Kristaps Porzingis fouled out with more than 10 minutes left in the game, Brandin Podziemski scored only three of his 18 points in the second half, and the Warriors’ next-leading scorer, Gui Santos, was completely shut out after putting up 15 in the first half.
What it means
Curry looked like himself and finished the game in good health. For a Warriors team locked into the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference, that’s all that really mattered.
Turning point
It was a two-point game at halftime, but Durant completed a four-point play on the Rockets’ first possession of the third quarter, and the Warriors spent the rest of the second half trying to get it back to that margin.
The foul on Durant came courtesy of Kristaps Porzingis, who went on to pick up three more within the first four minutes of the second half and fouled out for good with 10:13 to play.
Not only did Porzingis’ foul trouble keep the Warriors’ second-best player off the floor for most of the second half, it robbed coach Steve Kerr of valuable time to assess his pairing with Curry.
The duo’s limited action Sunday was their first time ever sharing the court, including in practice.
Porzingis’ foul trouble robbed Coach Steve Kerr of valuable time to assess his pairing with Curry. AP
MVP: Kevin Durant
Durant finished with eight rebounds and eight assists to go with a game-high 31 points. He drained his third 3-pointer of the night immediately after De’Anthony Melton sank a 3 that cut the Rockets’ lead to 109-107.
Golden State hosts the Lakers on Thursday. Curry will reportedly be limited to around 25 minutes. AP
Stat of the game: 55/44.8/84.2
The return of Curry wasn’t enough to overcome the Warriors’ defensive deficiencies.
Golden State provided little resistance to the Rockets, who were only prevented from a vaunted 50/40/90 shooting split by missing one too many of their 19 free-throw attempts.
Up next
With four games left on the Warriors’ schedule, all that’s left to be determined is how much Curry will play leading into their No. 9/10 play-in matchup. Golden State hosts the Kings on Tuesday before LeBron James and the Lakers pay a visit Thursday for its final home contest of the regular season.
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Pearl River native Drew Fortescue and his homecoming for his debut provided one of the more feel-good moments of this lost 2025-26 season.
In the grand scheme of this evaluation period for the organization, however, the prospects who have been longing for their moment are making up for lost time with the Blueshirts. Each day is an opportunity for Matthew Robertson, Jaroslav Chmelar, Adam Sykora and Dylan Garand to finally work on carving their path at the NHL level — and they have each treated it as such.
After years stewing in the American Hockey League, the four have made notable impressions.
Sykora may be the most recent recall from the organization’s AHL affiliate, but the 21-year-old has arguably made the most lasting impression in the shortest amount of time. The 63rd overall pick in 2022 was in the midst of his third full season in Hartford when the Rangers called.
Adam Sykora #38 of the New York Rangers during the first period at Madison Square Garden, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in New York, NY. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
He has everyone rooting for him. No one’s demeanor has been more infectious.
His best buddy and Hartford roommate, Chmelar, has been in Hartford since making the jump from Providence College in 2023-24. Since the 144th overall pick in 2021 earned brief recalls in November and December, the 22-year-old has adjusted to the speed of the NHL and been much more effective in his fourth-line role.
It’s allowed Chmelar to position himself in the dangerous areas of the ice more, which has led to more offense. He earned the secondary assist on Sykora’s second-period score Sunday.
Between his 6-foot-4, 226-pound frame and his commitment to finishing checks, Chmelar hasn’t looked out of place on the ice.
Robertson has been with the Rangers since opening night, but he didn’t become a serviceable every-night defenseman until mid-November. The 2019 49th overall pick spent the previous four full seasons in Hartford without a call-up until the second-to-last game last season.
Rangers defenseman Matthew Robertson #29 scores the game winning goal during the overtime. The New York Rangers defeat Boston Bruins 4-3. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Now, Robertson has appeared in 59 of the last 60 games. He’s even gotten top four minutes at times, logging the fifth-most ice time among all Rangers defensemen so far this season.
There’s no question Garand earned at least one more game after his first two NHL performances. He is 1-0-1 with a .954 save percentage and a 1.44 goals-against average.
The early numbers are encouraging, but head coach Mike Sullivan said he felt completely comfortable with Garand between the pipes just based on what he was seeing from the rookie netminder.
Selected 103rd overall in 2020, Garand made his Wolf Pack debut in 2020-21 and was in the midst of his fourth full AHL season at the time of his recall last month. The Rangers have continuously maintained third-string goalies over the years — such as Louis Domingue and Keith Kinkaid — that have filled in whenever Igor Shesterkin and/or whichever backup was injured.
Even this season, the Rangers signed Spencer Martin out of the Kontinental Hockey League in November. He appeared in six games for the Rangers this season amid injuries to Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick.
But it was finally time for Garand, who expressed just how much he’s been clamoring for the opportunity after his first win on March 27.
Dylan Garand #33 of the New York Rangers defends the net during the second period when the New York Rangers played the Winnipeg Jets. Robert Sabo for NY Post
While Noah Laba could be considered among the long-awaited prospects, the 111th pick in the 2022 draft essentially jumped from college to the NHL. He played 11 games for the Wolf Pack at the end of the 2024-25 campaign before making the Rangers lineup straight out of training camp.
In Sunday’s win, Laba was a goal shy of a Gordie Howe hat trick after notching an assist on Sykora’s goal and dropping the gloves with Washington’s Hendrix Lapierre.
Laba hasn’t spent extended time in the minor leagues like Robertson, Chmelar, Sykora and Garand have.
Those four have made the extended wait worthwhile.
Here's our rest-of-season Top 300. Expect this space to be updated every Monday. Players are ranked for 5x5 mixed leagues using a one-catcher format. I include the mixed-league disclaimer because I do reward upside, particularly past the top 200 or so.
⚾️ Baseball is back on NBC: MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason and much more.
2026 Fantasy Baseball Top 300 overall ranks
**Updated June 22**
June 22
Top 300
Team
Pos
Pos Rk
June 15
1
Yordan Alvarez
Astros
OF
1
3
2
Shohei Ohtani
Dodgers
DH
1
2
3
Bobby Witt Jr.
Royals
SS
1
1
4
Juan Soto
Mets
OF
2
5
5
Julio Rodriguez
Mariners
OF
3
4
6
Tarik Skubal
Tigers
SP
1
6
7
Nick Kurtz
Athletics
1B
1
7
8
Corbin Carroll
Diamondbacks
OF
4
8
9
Elly De La Cruz
Reds
SS
2
10
10
Cristopher Sanchez
Phillies
SP
2
9
11
Kyle Schwarber
Phillies
DH
2
14
12
Pete Alonso
Orioles
1B
2
12
13
James Wood
Nationals
OF
5
15
14
Jackson Chourio
Brewers
OF
6
16
15
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Blue Jays
1B
3
11
16
Kyle Tucker
Dodgers
OF
7
13
17
Junior Caminero
Rays
3B
1
17
18
Paul Skenes
Pirates
SP
3
18
19
Fernando Tatis Jr.
Padres
2B
1
20
20
Bryce Harper
Phillies
1B
4
21
21
Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Dodgers
SP
4
22
22
Zach Neto
Angels
SS
3
24
23
Gunnar Henderson
Orioles
SS
4
23
24
CJ Abrams
Nationals
SS
5
25
25
Jacob Misiorowski
Brewers
SP
5
29
26
Brice Turang
Brewers
2B
2
26
27
Logan Gilbert
Mariners
SP
6
27
28
Mason Miller
Padres
RP
1
28
29
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Cubs
OF
8
34
30
Sal Stewart
Reds
2B
3
32
31
Matt Olson
Braves
1B
5
33
32
Ketel Marte
Diamondbacks
2B
4
35
33
Michael Harris II
Braves
OF
9
30
34
Trea Turner
Phillies
SS
6
31
35
Freddie Freeman
Dodgers
1B
6
36
36
Cade Smith
Guardians
RP
2
39
37
Shohei Ohtani
Dodgers
SP
7
37
38
Cody Bellinger
Yankees
OF
10
38
39
Francisco Lindor
Mets
SS
7
58
40
Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Yankees
2B
5
40
41
Jordan Walker
Cardinals
OF
11
41
42
Bryan Woo
Mariners
SP
8
42
43
Chris Sale
Braves
SP
9
43
44
Ben Rice
Yankees
C
1
44
45
Ronald Acuna Jr.
Braves
OF
12
19
46
Zack Wheeler
Phillies
SP
10
45
47
Jhoan Duran
Phillies
RP
3
46
48
Joe Ryan
Twins
SP
11
47
49
Jacob deGrom
Rangers
SP
12
49
50
Cam Schlittler
Yankees
SP
13
59
51
Shea Langeliers
Athletics
C
2
48
52
Aroldis Chapman
Red Sox
RP
4
50
53
Gerrit Cole
Yankees
SP
14
52
54
Dylan Cease
Blue Jays
SP
15
54
55
Tyler Soderstrom
Athletics
1B
7
56
56
Austin Riley
Braves
3B
2
53
57
Jeremy Pena
Astros
SS
8
55
58
Josh Hader
Astros
RP
5
63
59
Bryce Miller
Mariners
SP
16
64
60
Jarren Duran
Red Sox
OF
13
57
61
Riley Greene
Tigers
OF
14
60
62
Ivan Herrera
Cardinals
C
3
62
63
Wyatt Langford
Rangers
OF
15
67
64
Cal Raleigh
Mariners
C
4
66
65
George Kirby
Mariners
SP
17
61
66
Byron Buxton
Twins
OF
16
71
67
Xavier Edwards
Marlins
SS
9
65
68
Logan Webb
Giants
SP
18
72
69
Andres Munoz
Mariners
RP
6
89
70
Bo Bichette
Mets
SS
10
70
71
Framber Valdez
Tigers
SP
19
68
72
Hunter Brown
Astros
SP
20
82
73
Seiya Suzuki
Cubs
OF
17
74
74
Alec Burleson
Cardinals
1B
8
73
75
Bryan Reynolds
Pirates
OF
18
85
76
Drew Rasmussen
Rays
SP
21
76
77
George Springer
Blue Jays
OF
19
77
78
Manny Machado
Padres
3B
3
75
79
Andy Pages
Dodgers
OF
20
69
80
Drake Baldwin
Braves
C
5
84
81
Nolan McLean
Mets
SP
22
79
82
Jackson Merrill
Padres
OF
21
80
83
Devin Williams
Mets
RP
7
81
84
Jose Ramirez
Guardians
3B
4
96
85
Maikel Garcia
Royals
3B
5
78
86
David Bednar
Yankees
RP
8
86
87
Josh Naylor
Mariners
1B
9
83
88
Jesus Luzardo
Phillies
SP
23
87
89
Yandy Diaz
Rays
1B
10
88
90
Chase Burns
Reds
SP
24
90
91
Corey Seager
Rangers
SS
11
107
92
Sonny Gray
Red Sox
SP
25
92
93
Louis Varland
Blue Jays
RP
9
94
94
Mike Trout
Angels
OF
22
51
95
Kevin Gausman
Blue Jays
SP
26
95
96
Nico Hoerner
Cubs
2B
6
93
97
Christian Yelich
Brewers
OF
23
97
98
Brent Rooker
Athletics
OF
24
99
99
Miguel Vargas
White Sox
3B
6
91
100
Willson Contreras
Red Sox
1B
11
98
101
Oneil Cruz
Pirates
OF
25
111
102
Jo Adell
Angels
OF
26
100
103
Kyle Stowers
Marlins
OF
27
105
104
Brandon Nimmo
Rangers
OF
28
101
105
Kyle Harrison
Brewers
SP
27
109
106
William Contreras
Brewers
C
6
102
107
Hunter Greene
Reds
SP
28
115
108
Rafael Devers
Giants
1B
12
103
109
Kevin McGonigle
Tigers
SS
12
108
110
Daylen Lile
Nationals
OF
29
106
111
Mookie Betts
Dodgers
SS
13
110
112
Ryan Helsley
Orioles
RP
10
112
113
Garrett Crochet
Red Sox
SP
29
117
114
Aaron Judge
Yankees
OF
30
125
115
JJ Wetherholt
Cardinals
SS
14
126
116
Geraldo Perdomo
Diamondbacks
SS
15
139
117
Raisel Iglesias
Braves
RP
11
114
118
Dylan Crews
Nationals
OF
31
131
119
Ranger Suarez
Red Sox
SP
30
119
120
Christian Walker
Astros
1B
13
118
121
Shane McClanahan
Rays
SP
31
113
122
Max Fried
Yankees
SP
32
129
123
Alex Bregman
Cubs
3B
7
120
124
Blake Snell
Dodgers
SP
33
127
125
Gavin Williams
Guardians
SP
34
121
126
Freddy Peralta
Mets
SP
35
116
127
Kyle Bradish
Orioles
SP
36
124
128
Ceddanne Rafaela
Red Sox
2B
7
122
129
Hunter Goodman
Rockies
C
7
128
130
Michael Busch
Cubs
1B
14
123
131
Carlos Rodon
Yankees
SP
37
134
132
Jose Altuve
Astros
2B
8
130
133
Shota Imanaga
Cubs
SP
38
137
134
Parker Messick
Guardians
SP
39
132
135
Trey Yesavage
Blue Jays
SP
40
133
136
Ian Happ
Cubs
OF
32
135
137
MacKenzie Gore
Rangers
SP
41
136
138
Teoscar Hernandez
Dodgers
OF
33
158
139
Alec Bohm
Phillies
3B
8
142
140
Konnor Griffin
Pirates
SS
16
148
141
Nathan Eovaldi
Rangers
SP
42
140
142
Wilyer Abreu
Red Sox
OF
34
141
143
Bryson Stott
Phillies
2B
9
146
144
Max Muncy
Dodgers
3B
9
145
145
Jonathan Aranda
Rays
1B
15
144
146
Spencer Steer
Reds
1B
16
138
147
Pete Fairbanks
Marlins
RP
12
155
148
Matt McLain
Reds
2B
10
149
149
Tanner Bibee
Guardians
SP
43
143
150
Munetaka Murakami
White Sox
3B
10
162
151
Brandon Marsh
Phillies
OF
35
150
152
Otto Lopez
Marlins
SS
17
151
153
Tommy Edman
Dodgers
2B
11
154
154
Brandon Woodruff
Brewers
SP
44
166
155
Kenley Jansen
Tigers
RP
13
160
156
Randy Arozarena
Mariners
OF
36
152
157
Jacob Wilson
Athletics
SS
18
157
158
Sandy Alcantara
Marlins
SP
45
167
159
Isaac Paredes
Astros
3B
11
165
160
Max Meyer
Marlins
SP
46
176
161
Daulton Varsho
Blue Jays
OF
37
194
162
Trevor Megill
Brewers
RP
14
147
163
Luis Arraez
Giants
2B
12
179
164
Travis Bazzana
Guardians
2B
13
173
165
Ben Brown
Cubs
SP
47
163
166
Jake Bauers
Brewers
1B
17
161
167
Braxton Ashcraft
Pirates
SP
48
164
168
Luke Keaschall
Twins
2B
14
172
169
Shane Bieber
Blue Jays
SP
49
180
170
Dansby Swanson
Cubs
SS
19
171
171
Kazuma Okamoto
Blue Jays
3B
12
175
172
Ozzie Albies
Braves
2B
15
182
173
Roman Anthony
Red Sox
OF
38
156
174
Payton Tolle
Red Sox
SP
50
170
175
Carson Benge
Mets
OF
39
188
176
Sam Antonacci
White Sox
2B
16
202
177
Colson Montgomery
White Sox
SS
20
184
178
Willy Adames
Giants
SS
21
174
179
Noelvi Marte
Reds
3B
13
169
180
Jung Hoo Lee
Giants
OF
40
181
181
Dillon Dingler
Tigers
C
8
185
182
Jackson Holliday
Orioles
2B
17
159
183
Luis Garcia Jr.
Nationals
2B
18
178
184
Michael King
Padres
SP
51
153
185
Eugenio Suarez
Reds
3B
14
168
186
Jakob Marsee
Marlins
OF
41
189
187
Jacob Latz
Rangers
RP
15
192
188
Chandler Simpson
Rays
OF
42
187
189
Josh Jung
Rangers
3B
15
186
190
Daniel Palencia
Cubs
RP
16
104
191
Taylor Ward
Orioles
OF
43
191
192
Bryan Baker
Rays
RP
17
195
193
Jose Soriano
Angels
SP
52
190
194
Xander Bogaerts
Padres
SS
22
193
195
Reid Detmers
Angels
SP
53
221
196
Paul Sewald
Diamondbacks
RP
18
198
197
Bryce Eldridge
Giants
1B
18
199
198
Eury Perez
Marlins
SP
54
NR
199
Jared Jones
Pirates
SP
55
183
200
Brandon Lowe
Pirates
2B
19
196
201
Gabriel Moreno
Diamondbacks
C
9
205
202
Garrett Mitchell
Brewers
OF
44
219
203
Blaze Jordan
Cardinals
1B
19
217
204
Ernie Clement
Blue Jays
SS
23
203
205
Bubba Chandler
Pirates
SP
56
202
206
Caleb Durbin
Red Sox
3B
16
213
207
Justin Wrobleski
Dodgers
SP
57
206
208
JJ Bleday
Reds
OF
45
207
209
Luis Robert Jr.
Mets
OF
46
211
210
Christian Scott
Mets
SP
58
237
211
Matt Chapman
Giants
3B
17
210
212
Cam Smith
Astros
OF
47
208
213
Riley O’Brien
Cardinals
RP
19
224
214
Tyler Glasnow
Dodgers
SP
59
177
215
Casey Schmitt
Giants
2B
20
223
216
Will Warren
Yankees
SP
60
214
217
Royce Lewis
Twins
3B
18
230
218
Salvador Perez
Royals
C
10
216
219
Emmet Sheehan
Dodgers
SP
61
209
220
Kerry Carpenter
Tigers
OF
48
218
221
Andrew Vaughn
Brewers
1B
20
222
222
Mickey Moniak
Rockies
OF
49
273
223
Josh Bell
Twins
1B
21
239
224
Ryan O’Hearn
Pirates
1B
22
225
225
Lars Nootbaar
Cardinals
OF
50
227
226
Jake Burger
Rangers
1B
23
228
227
Seranthony Dominguez
White Sox
RP
20
220
228
Trent Grisham
Yankees
OF
51
255
229
Jesus Sanchez
Blue Jays
OF
52
231
230
Steven Kwan
Guardians
OF
53
233
231
Matthew Boyd
Cubs
SP
62
246
232
Addison Barger
Blue Jays
3B
19
232
233
Caleb Kilian
Giants
RP
21
250
234
Jasson Dominguez
Yankees
OF
54
236
235
Dustin May
Cardinals
SP
63
290
236
Grant Taylor
White Sox
RP
22
234
237
Jac Caglianone
Royals
OF
55
275
238
Nick Martinez
Rays
SP
64
242
239
Nolan Schanuel
Angels
1B
24
249
240
TJ Rumfield
Rockies
1B
25
252
241
Edwin Diaz
Dodgers
RP
23
251
242
Ryan Weathers
Yankees
SP
65
244
243
Andres Gimenez
Blue Jays
SS
24
247
244
Kodai Senga
Mets
SP
66
235
245
Roki Sasaki
Dodgers
SP
67
262
246
Logan Henderson
Brewers
SP
68
261
247
Ezequiel Tovar
Rockies
SS
25
204
248
Emerson Hancock
Mariners
SP
69
229
249
Henry Bolte
Athletics
OF
56
263
250
Troy Melton
Tigers
SP
70
253
251
Tanner Scott
Dodgers
RP
24
248
252
Casey Mize
Tigers
SP
71
241
253
Gregory Soto
Pirates
RP
25
245
254
Nathaniel Lowe
Reds
1B
26
264
255
Brett Baty
Mets
2B
21
215
256
Masyn Winn
Cardinals
SS
26
259
257
Braden Montgomery
White Sox
OF
57
240
258
Spencer Torkelson
Tigers
1B
27
254
259
Brendan Donovan
Mariners
2B
22
271
260
A.J. Ewing
Mets
OF
58
266
261
Will Smith
Dodgers
C
11
267
262
Nick Lodolo
Reds
SP
72
238
263
Noah Cameron
Royals
SP
73
265
264
Jose Caballero
Yankees
SS
27
268
265
Adley Rutschman
Orioles
C
12
212
266
Shane Baz
Orioles
SP
74
256
267
Zack Gelof
Athletics
2B
23
NR
268
Cole Ragans
Royals
SP
75
258
269
Kody Clemens
Twins
2B
24
279
270
Spencer Horwitz
Pirates
1B
28
277
271
Curtis Mead
Nationals
3B
20
269
272
Gleyber Torres
Tigers
2B
25
200
273
Paul Goldschmidt
Yankees
1B
29
270
274
Heliot Ramos
Giants
OF
59
295
275
Colt Keith
Tigers
2B
26
298
276
Davis Martin
White Sox
SP
76
243
277
Abner Uribe
Brewers
RP
26
257
278
Chase DeLauter
Guardians
OF
60
226
279
Cole Carrigg
Rockies
OF
61
274
280
Samuel Basallo
Orioles
C
13
287
281
Jeff McNeil
Athletics
2B
27
280
282
Brayan Rocchio
Guardians
SS
28
282
283
Emilio Pagan
Reds
RP
27
297
284
Nolan Arenado
Diamondbacks
3B
21
284
285
Jake McCarthy
Rockies
OF
62
285
286
Marcus Semien
Mets
2B
28
286
287
Edward Cabrera
Cubs
SP
77
260
288
Clayton Beeter
Nationals
RP
28
NR
289
Sean Manaea
Mets
SP
78
NR
290
Gage Jump
Athletics
SP
79
299
291
Kyle Manzardo
Guardians
1B
30
NR
292
Dominic Canzone
Mariners
OF
63
NR
293
Bryce Elder
Braves
SP
80
272
294
Blaze Alexander
Orioles
SS
29
NR
295
Sal Frelick
Brewers
OF
64
283
296
Trevor Story
Red Sox
SS
30
NR
297
Michael Wacha
Royals
SP
81
289
298
Alex Lange
Royals
RP
29
300
299
Trevor Larnach
Twins
OF
65
NR
300
Lawrence Butler
Athletics
OF
66
NR
June 22 Notes
- Falling off: Jordan Lawlar (197th), Luke Raley (276th), River Ryan (278th), Angel Martínez (281st), Cedric Mullins (288th), David Hamilton (291st), Jack Leiter (292nd), Hogan Harris (293rd), Michael Soroka (294th), Heriberto Hernández (296th)
- With Bobby Witt Jr.'s leg issues becoming at least a little bit of a concern, there's a change in the top spot for the fourth straight week. Let's go with Yordan Alvarez, who is DHing the vast majority of the time and hopefully will get the chance to put in a completely full season for the first time at age 28.
- That Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is experiencing some back issues is a little scary, especially given his power outage. Still, as disappointing as he's been when it comes to hitting homers, his bat speed has held up just fine and he's pulling the ball in the air right at his career rate. I dropped him a few spots to No. 15, but I'm not panicking right now.
- One of the fun things about trying to rank players is you have the A's saying Brent Rooker, who was placed on the IL retroactive to June 9, should be back from the bone bruise in his left knee when first eligible and then just never mentioning him again, even though he was eligible to return on Friday. So, he essentially stays put at No. 98 for now, though the Joey Meneses callup on Sunday didn't seem like a great sign. Lawrence Butler has capitalized on Rooker's absence and is regained a spot at the bottom of the top 300, but the outfield will get crowded again once Rooker returns as the DH.
- For the last year or so now, I've thought the Rockies should send Ezequiel Tovar to Triple-A for a spell just to try to somehow motivate him and get him to stop swinging at everything. He's been just as hacktastic as ever this year, swinging at a league-high 61 percent of the pitches he sees, but the results have been worse than ever; he's hitting .213/.259/.327 with his weakest exit velocity numbers to date. His defensive numbers are also worse than usual. The kid who hit .269 with 26 homers and 45 doubles as a 22-year-old in 2024 is probably in there somewhere. Still, I dropped him to No. 247 this week.
- Spencer Arrighetti just missed the cut this week, but I seriously considered adding him for the first time. Giving up three homers to the Guardians on Saturday left him with a 6.50 ERA in his last three starts, but those outings have come with a 29 percent strikeout rate and a 3.34 xERA. He had a 1.94 ERA and gave up a total of three homers in his first nine starts, but since those came with a 21 percent strikeout rate, a 12 percent walk rate and a 5.06 xERA, I've had a hard time thinking of him as a reliable option.
June 15 Notes
- Falling off: Vinnie Pasquantino (119th), Spencer Strider (153rd), Adolis García (200th), Evan Carter (227th), Kris Bubic (246th), Ryan Waldschmidt (269th), Taj Bradley (270th), Mark Veintos (273rd), Randy Vásquez (287th), Tatsuya Imai (288th), Anthony Volpe (296th), Keaton Winn (298th), Jacob Gonzalez (300th)
- Bobby Witt Jr. returns to the top spot this week after being dropped to third because of some uncertainty about his knee last Monday. With injuries still wreaking havoc, Cristopher Sánchez has jumped into the top 10 for first time, while Elly De La Cruz moves back up to 10th as he makes his way back from a hamstring injury.
- Austin Riley opened the year 34th on the list. I'm placing him 53rd now, which I'm sure most believe is still overly optimistic. His strikeout rate, which was 24.6 percent from 2020-24, is 28.4 percent now after coming in at 28.6 percent last year. His exit velocity numbers are down some, too, though his bat speed has held up just fine. That his barrel and hard-hit rates held up so well even as his numbers declined in 2024 and '25 was the biggest reason I hadn't soured on him coming into this year. Right now, though, his barrel rate is at 10 percent and his hard-hit rate is at 44 percent, compared to 15 percent and 50 percent last year, and he's again underachieving versus his Statcast numbers, with a .348 SLG versus a .387 xSLG. Since the beginning of 2024, he has a .422 SLG and a .472 xSLG. He's still pulling flyballs at a decent clip. He really ought to be better than this, even if his ceiling has gotten lower. It just feels like that even if he's not going to help in batting average any longer, someone with 90th-percentile bat speed and his skills has to go on a homer binge at some point.
- I'll trust José Ramírez's powers of recovery and keep him in the top 100 in spite of the broken hamate bone he suffered Saturday. Hitting .239/.339/.418, Ramírez was in the midst of his worst offensive season since 2015, but it seemed like there was quite a bit of bad luck involved. Ramírez has an incredible history of overperforming his Statcast numbers, but that wasn't the case this year. He actually had a career-high 43.4 percent hard-hit rate at the time of the injury. His .355 xwOBA was his best mark since 2023 and above his career average of .347.
- I never felt the need to put Brayan Rocchio on the list in spite of his fine performance as the Guardians' No. 9 hitter. However, since it looks like he'll be batting higher in Ramírez's absence (he hit second against a lefty on Sunday), he makes the cut at No. 282 this week.
- Cardinals callup Blaze Jordan is this week's high debut at No. 217. That he showed improved power and collected 31 extra-base hits in 57 games while still maintaining at 11.5 percent strikeout rate in Triple-A was encouraging. I'm not sure he'll prove playable at third, but the bat seems major league quality, even though he hits too many groundballs.
- Six homers in 23 major league games for Colt Emerson is quite impressive, but it's pretty amusing just how little Statcast thinks of his start. He's currently batting .237 and slugging .566, but Statcast gives him a .159 xBA and a .271 xSLG. He has just three barrels and more hits (18) than hard-hit balls (15) so far. He's also not doing any running, so I'm continuing to leave him off the list for now.
Luka Doncic is headed to Europe for specialized treatment on his Grade 2 hamstring strain in hopes of a more rapid return to the court, reports Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin of ESPN. This came in consultation with the Lakers' team doctors, according to the report.
Doncic suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain against the Thunder on Thursday night, and the Lakers announced he will be out for the remainder of the regular season.
However, it's the playoffs that are the looming concern. The average time missed for a Grade 2 hamstring strain is more than a month, according to Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes (who maintains a database tracking NBA injuries). The playoffs start in less than two weeks, on April 18. If Doncic were out for a month, he would likely miss the Lakers' entire first-round series. Hence the effort to find a treatment that can help him return sooner.
The Lakers' Austin Reaves is also out for 4-6 weeks with an oblique strain and will miss the first round of the playoffs.
Without their two leading scorers and shot creators, Los Angeles would be heavy underdogs in any likely first-round matchup. The Lakers currently are tied with the Nuggets for the 3/4 seed in the West and could slide as low as the No. 5 seed. That would leave them with a first-round series against a quality opponent, such as Houston or Minnesota.
Without Doncic and Reaves, the Lakers lost to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday despite 30 points and 15 assists from LeBron James, who now becomes the focal point of the offense. The Lakers had no answer for rookie Cooper Flagg, who scored 45 against Los Angeles. Doncic being out for the remainder of the season also leaves him one game short of the league's 65-game threshold to be eligible for postseason awards — and he would be a lock top-five finisher in MVP voting and be First Team All-NBA. Doncic's agent, Bill Duffy, has said he would file an "extraordinary circumstances challenge." Written into the CBA, the exception states that if "it was impractical for the player to play in one or more of the [missed] games" and the player would have reached 65 games if he had played in those games, an independent arbiter (selected by the league and player's union) can grant him an exception. Doncic missed two games in December for the birth of his child.
The Nets have a staggering seven rookies — a record five of them first-round picks — and must develop every one they can to spur their rebuild.
For injured Danny Wolf, the work doesn’t end just because he’s been shut down for the season. If anything it gets more intense.
“Obviously losing sucks, and every time you ask anyone, they’re going to give you the same answer that losing is no fun.” Wolf said. “Everyone in the locker room from top to bottom thinks we could’ve had a much better season. But within that, you have to find things you can learn from, that you can gain from.”
After suffering a season-ending left ankle sprain March 22, Wolf will end his debut campaign averaging 8.9 points and 4.9 rebounds.
And from the moment the tanking Nets started leaning into their rookies on Feb. 5, the big man bumped those figures up to 10.8 points, 5.6 boards and 2.7 assists.
Danny Wolf the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket during the game against the Sacramento Kings on March 22, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NBAE via Getty Images
Wolf fell to 27th in the draft due to questions about his defense and shooting. He played defense at an NBA level, but his shooting is still very much in question, at a streaky 32.2 percent from deep.
What’s beyond question is that Wolf must learn to finish better at the rim.
“Defensively, there were definitely a lot of people questioning who I’d be able to guard. I took that as a chip on my shoulder to more than prove, but be a good defender,” said Wolf.
“The shooting and the offense, it was nowhere near what I know I’m capable of doing and that upsets me. I was able to shoot well at times, and there’d be times where I felt I couldn’t make a shot. That’s a rookie season; there’s going to be ups and downs.”
Nowhere near enough ups at the rim, figuratively and literally.
While Wolf is sizable at 6-foot-11, 255 pounds, his lack of vertical explosion has limited him. His 24-inch standing vertical was tied for third worst at the NBA Draft Combine, and has led to poor finishing against more athletic foes.
“Everyone’s bigger, faster, stronger, more athletic [at this level],” said Wolf. “What is it that you need to do to be able to match that, but also be better than that?”
Nets forward Danny Wolf (2) grabs his ankle in pain during the second quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Justine Willard-Imagn Images
Where Wolf has to be better is at the rim, where he shot just 54 percent. That’s just 12th percentile among forwards, per Cleaning The Glass. It’s an Achilles’ heel he needs to fix, offseason work that’s already begun.
“Obviously the numbers speak for themselves; I was nowhere near where I wanted to be or could have been. And finishing, I did an OK job at times getting in my spots,” Wolf said. “A lot of it is getting stronger. And the positive outlook of an injury [is] I’ve been able to really hone in on the weight room more than I would’ve been able to if I was playing.
“I have a good four or five months of weight room ahead of me and just being able to fill out my frame better. That’ll really help me, just getting stronger; and with that, more explosive. And I know my rim finishing next year, I’ll be able to look back on this year and see that it was something that really, really helped me.”
While Wolf is focused on his body, coach Jordi Fernández is counting on growth through reps and technique.
“It’s a combination of a lot of things,” said Fernández. “One is experience, right? The reps, the game slowing down. A lot of times you just rush. We tell guys, ‘Hey, just play off two feet and don’t leave your feet.’
“But he’s done a great job and he’s been able to implement a lot of stuff, power through, because you have better balance, finding a body first. This all comes with a lot of work, watching film and through the summer and then the real reps. So the process [has] already started. He’s already gotten better. We’re not concerned about his finishing. We know it has to get better, but we also know it will get better.”
With the St. Louis Blues still working to earn a wild card position in this year’s playoffs, and the Avalanche on the cusp of a Central Division title, there was plenty to play for, and Ball Arena was the scene on Easter Sunday evening.
Colorado comes in on the second of a back-to-back, having beaten the Dallas Stars 2-0 in regulation yesterday, and the Blues just secured two points over the Anaheim Ducks and are 6-2-2 in their last 10 games.
Valeri Nichushkin was listed as OUT with an upper-body injury ahead of puck drop, so the Avs would go without their best d-man and a very valuable forward.
Valeri Nichushkin (upper body) will not play tonight.
This game started strong with both clubs making their intentions clear with a focused defensive effort. It appeared the Avalanche would take the 1-0 lead if not for a coach’s challenge that deemed the play offside.
Shortly after Colorado’s goal was called back, the top line was unable to retrieve and break out of their own, resulting in a net front scramble that eventually ended with Robert Thomas’ one-timer over the shoulder of MacKenzie Blackwood.
The Blue note would establish an early 1-0 lead.
The team in dark blue and burgundy wouldn’t let the lead last long as Parker Kelly notched his 20th of the season and tied things at 1-1.
As mentioned in previous recaps featuring a Kelly goal, Guerilla Sports’ Meghan Angley vowed to adopt a whale if Parker Kelly scored 20 goals. Well, here we are. I wonder what its name will be!
Waffles coming soon to Avs nation in honor of Parker Kelly hitting 20 goals… I haven't abandoned opening things up to name a whale, but I told @jessemontano_ we needed to have whale right now. pic.twitter.com/V3HVvLBlnd
Nathan MacKinnon would earn a late power play in the first, but with too little time remaining in the frame to create. Breaking the 1-1 tie would have to wait until period number two.
The tie breaker wouldn’t come on the opening power play for the Avalanche; in fact, they didn’t have a single shot on net.
Instead, it was Brent Burns who sent a shot from the blue line toward a screening Landeskog. Hofer couldn’t fight through the Swedish distraction and was beaten on the far side by Burns’ shot from distance.
Colorado’s newly minted lead would last all of 29 seconds with Robert Thomas scoring his second of the evening on a perfectly executed two-on-one. Things were tied at 2-2.
Both Hofer and Blackwood would make some timely saves in the middle portion of the second period to keep things tied.
The same would be true for most of the third until Robert Thomas put away the game-winner and hat-trick clinching goal with 2:30 seconds left.
The Avalanche would not overcome the deficit, and winning the division will have to wait.
Blues win 3-2.
Takeaways
Parker Kelly scoring 20 goals is an incredible feat, and he should be proud. Kelly is signed through the 2030-31 season, and if he can consistently be a 20-goal scorer, his $1.7M AAV contract will look like money in the bank.
St. Louis lurking in the wild card conversation is a bit of a suprise but they have been one of the hottest hockey teams in the league since the Olympic break.
I’d presume most Avalanche fans would be okay with Jordan Binnington on St. Louis not making a playoff appearance in 2025-26.
We saw a classy and special honoring of Brent Burns’ 1,000 consecutive games played, and Colorado’s iron man was clearly appreciative but appeared a bit shy in the moment. He’s never come across as a ‘me’ guy, so that makes sense.
Upcoming
A home-and-home will travel to St. Louis for a Tuesday night game between these two clubs yet again.
Let us know what you thought of this contest in the comments!
LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 27: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on March 27, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena...
DALLAS — Lakers star Luka Doncic will seek special medical treatment in Europe for his left hamstring strain with the hopes he’ll be able to return to the court quicker, his agency shared on Sunday night.
Doncic suffered the hamstring injury during the third quarter of the loss, with an MRI on Friday revealing a Grade 2 strain, which typically comes with a recovery timeline of 3-6 weeks.
InStreetClothes, which is an NBA injury database run by certified athletic trainer Jeff Stotts, stated that the average time lost for the type of injury Doncic suffered is about 35 days.
The Lakers didn’t provide a timeline for Doncic’s expected return to the court.
Three weeks from when Doncic suffered the hamstring injury was April 23, which would be around Games 3 or 4 of the Lakers’ first-round playoff matchup.
Doncic had an MRI on Friday revealing a Grade 2 strain. NBAE via Getty Images
A timeline closer to 35 days, let alone six weeks, would likely take Doncic out of the Lakers’ entire first-round playoff series, even if it lasted seven games.
“I just know that he’s gonna do everything he can to try to be back,” coach JJ Redick said. “I talked to him Friday, I talked to him again [on Saturday], I talked to him again [Sunday] morning. He’s going to go through all the necessary things to be back at some point, and it’s our job again to extend the season so both those guys can get back.”
Redick said internal medical data didn’t show any signs of overuse for Doncic or Reaves, who’s sidelined with a Grade 2 left oblique strain, before their injuries.
Both grabbed at their respective injured areas during the first quarter of Thursday’s game but played through the third quarter before Doncic left the matchup with his hamstring injury and Reaves was subbed out.
“As a coach, you go on the information you have,” Redick said.
“[Reaves] was medically cleared. When Austin came back, I asked directly, I thought he was hurt. [I was told], ‘No, he’s medically cleared.’ The group wanted to go for it in the second half. Talked about it at halftime. And I think for both those guys, the nature of playing heavy minutes, that’s certainly a part of any equation when you’re trying to manage workloads.
“We also rely on the tracking data, and we’re looking at that after every game. And there have been a few times this year where it’s gone away from the standard deviation of whatever their baseline is, and we make the proper adjustments. There was nothing leading into that game that would suggest either those guys were ‘running hot’ as we call it.”
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The New York Rangers scored a season-high eight goals in their 8-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Sunday night.
The overwhelming victory was headlined by Will Cuylle recording his first career NHL hat trick, as he reached the 20-goal benchmark for the second consecutive season.
Cuylle went through a difficult offensive stretch for practically the entire month of March, going on a 13-game scoreless drought before finally finding the back of the net on Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens.
The 24-year-old has voiced disappointment in his own play this season, and Mike Sullivan referred to Cuylle’s play as a “mixed bag,” indicating that there have been inconsistencies in Cuylle’s game.
In his first two NHL seasons, Cuylle mostly played a bottom-six role, but throughout the 2025-26 campaign, he’s been elevated into a more prominent top-six position, with his minutes increasing from 15:05 to 16:57.
Over the Rangers’ most recent stretch of games, Sullivan believes Cuylle is beginning to find his game again and play to his strengths, which is allowing him to create more offense.
“I think it was trending in the right way,” Sullivan said of Cuylle’s game. “He went through a stretch there where he hadn't scored in like 12 games, but we felt like he was getting a lot closer, just getting inside more, going to the net, getting more looks. We think that's when he's at his best. He's a great athlete, he's big, he's strong, he's fast. I think he's hard to handle.”
On Sunday night, Cuylle had his blueprint all over the game. He generated a team-high six shots on net and was also active on the physical front, specifically when he laid a big-time hit on Ryan Leonard, followed up by a fight against Jakob Chychrun.
Cuylle recorded his first hat trick just one day after Gabe Perreault accomplished the same feat in the Rangers’ 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings.
“I'm happy for him because I know how hard he's working, so to get rewarded with a hat trick tonight is great,” Sullivan said of Cuylle notching his first NHL hat trick. “It'll be a good boost of confidence for him and hopefully he can build on moving forward.”
Sunday night certainly marked the high point of Will Cuylle’s season.
In a year filled with ups and downs, Cuylle expressed his excitement to be able to have this special moment in front of the home fans at Madison Square Garden.
“It's cool. First hat trick in the NHL, it's kind of a dream come true,” Cuylle said. “It's great to have it in a game like today, where we had a full 60-minute effort from everyone, everyone contributing. I'm just happy with the result.”
To close out the season, the Rangers have been playing a much more consistent brand of hockey, contrary to much of this tumultuous year.
New York has won five of its last six games, with the past two coming against two teams pushing for a playoff spot.
What is going into this sudden resurgence from the Rangers?
“I think our guys have something to play for, and that’s how they’re approaching it. We’re playing some pretty good teams that have a lot at stake,” Sullivan said. “I think we beat some pretty good teams lately. I think that’s just a testament to how hard our players are competing out there.
“I think we’re trying to build a team game and we’re trying to stack some wins on top of each other where we can continue to define, refine what Rangers hockey looks like...I think they're embracing these challenges. I just think it speaks volumes for the character of the guys we have that they continue to compete as hard as they do and we're continuing to try to build that team game.”
It’s promising to see the Rangers string these wins while many of the team’s young players have come in and contributed, including Gabe Perreault, Drew Fortescue, Noah Laba, Jaroslav Chmelař, and Adam Sýkora.
The games at this point are meaningless in terms of standing implications, but regardless of how it impacts their lottery odds, the Blueshirts are looking to build momentum to carry into the summer and ultimately into next season.
“There's no easy games, but obviously teams that have that sense of desperation and really something to play for, I think, shows that we haven't really gave up on the year and packed it in,” Adam Fox said.
“Like we said, we're still trying to build on something and gain momentum and establish something here that we can take positively into the summer and build on that. It's great to see. I think the group's done a great job since the break of just being focused, trying to come out and compete and just play hard and try and build on that.”
Jazz Chisholm Jr. was back in the lineup Sunday after his mental gaffe at second base in Saturday’s win, when he turned a routine grounder into a single in the top of the ninth.
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Otto Lopez reached on the play and scored before David Bednar and the Yankees held on for the victory.
Boone said Sunday he spoke with Chisholm following Saturday’s game “a little bit.”
“He laid back on the ball,” Boone said. “Fundamentally, he was fine with it. He’s just got to be a little more aware of the guy getting down the line. It’s a play we’ve got to make.”
Chisholm — also slumping at the plate — came through with a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth in Sunday’s 7-6 loss to Miami.
He acknowledged his mistake from Saturday, with the caveat that plays like that are going to happen.
“We all know how I play baseball,’’ Chisholm said. “The guy caught me with my head down and [made] a good play. I do it to other teams all the time. Someone caught me. It’s no big deal.”
Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) hits a two-run RBI double during the 9th inning of the Yankees and Miami Marlins game at Yankee Stadium. Bill Kostroun/New York Post
He also was in a 4-for-31 rut before his double.
Chisholm isn’t the only infielder struggling, as José Caballero made another error at shortstop and has been invisible on offense.
“He’s swinging through some pitches,’’ Boone said, adding of his recent throwing issues: “He’s so good at getting rid of it… We trust him.”
Carlos Rodón reported some soreness Sunday after throwing a side session Saturday.
Boone called Rodón’s discomfort “to be expected” as the left-hander rehabs from offseason elbow surgery.
His comeback has been delayed a bit by right hamstring tightness he experienced last week, but it didn’t stop Rodón from throwing.
Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón #55, throwing in the outfield before the game. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Boone said he’s expected to throw another side session “early in the week.”
Gerrit Cole, coming back from last spring’s Tommy John surgery, is scheduled to throw a simulated game Monday.
The Yankees missed on a pair of automated ball-strike system challenges again Sunday, leaving them with none during their ninth-inning rally.
Boone said he doesn’t want them to lose their aggressiveness, even as it’s cost them in recent games.
“We’re gonna trust our knowledge of it,’’ Boone said. “There are gonna be games you don’t have them at the end.” … The Yankees recorded 30 walks in their series against the Marlins, their most in a three-game series in franchise history.
After a promising start to the season, Camilo Doval has pitched poorly in his past two appearances, retiring just three batters and allowing five hits, four earned runs and a walk.
Boone noted Doval has faced some “really tough left-handed hitters” and not executed well or been able to put batters away.
That’s resulted in lefties reaching base in five of 10 plate appearances against Doval, who is expected to serve in a setup role to David Bednar.
As for the closer, Boone said he’s not comfortable working Bednar as much as he has in his past two appearances, when Bednar threw 40 and 33 pitches.
LeBron James lets son Bronny hear it after on-court error
There’s nothing quite as embarrassing as getting yelled at by your parents in public.
Try being Bronny James on Sunday night in Dallas.
Late in the third quarter of the Lakers’ loss to the Mavericks, Bronny went to send a high chest pass to his teammate, and dad, LeBron James but had the attempt knocked out of bounds by a Dallas defender.
LeBron immediately signaled to his son that he should have given him a bounce pass, and then gave him a stern look that only a dad would give to his kid.
“Kind of looks at his son and says, ‘give me a bounce pass,’ Mike Tirico said on the NBC broadcast. “I love that look because that look was not just LeBron the veteran. That was also LeBron the dad.”
LeBron James gestures with his arms crossed while talking to his son, Bronny James Jr. during the Lakers game of the Mavericks on Sunday. NBC
Bronny is in his second season and played nine minutes off the bench for the Lakers in the 134-128 loss to the Mavericks in the Lone Star State.
Bronny finished the game with five points on 2-of-3 shooting and was 1-for-2 from 3-point range, and also registered an assist.
LeBron ended the night with a team-high 30 points on 12-for-22 shooting.
Bronny James attempts to throw a pass to his father, LeBron James, during the Lakers’ game against the Mavericks on Sunday. NBC
The Lakers have been reeling from injuries lately with the loss of Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and Marcus Smart.
Dončić will be out indefinitely with a left hamstring strain and then on Saturday, the Lakers announced that Reaves was diagnosed with a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury and would be out the rest of the season.
“It was a shot to the heart and the chest and the mainframe with Luka,” LeBron told reporters after the game regarding the injury news about Dončić and Reaves. “I woke up from my nap and saw that [Reaves] news and was like, ‘s–t’”
The injuries will allow Bronny to get some extended playing time and make a case for a bigger role on the Lakers.
In a playoff stretch where a lot of other teams - particularly the ones chasing playoff spots - are doing a whole lot of losing, the Pittsburgh Penguins just keep on winning hockey games.
And they're not just winning them - they're winning them comfortably.
On Sunday, the Penguins beat the Florida Panthers by a score of 5-2, sweeping the weekend series between the two teams and earning their fourth win in five games. With five goals on Sunday, the Penguins have now scored 280 times this season, which is second in the NHL only to the Colorado Avalanche's 285.
The scoring depth on this team is something that continues to win them hockey games, and it's some of the best depth the Penguins have had in recent memory.
"100 percent," said Bryan Rust, who registered his 500th NHL point when he assisted on a Sidney Crosby goal in the first period. "On any given night, there's guys who are scoring goals, guys who are stepping up and bringing the offense. It's not just one line or the top-six, you see all four lines doing it, and a lot of the defensemen doing it, too.
"I think it's been a group effort this year, and I think with how good the league is and how tight everything is, that depth's going to give you a few extra wins, a few extra points that - sometimes, if you don't have that - kind of get lost."
The Penguins got the first goal in this one when Connor Dewar pressured Florida goaltender Daniil Tarasov and forced him to commit a turnover. The puck ended up right on the stick of Elmer Soderblom on the left wall, and he buried for his sixth of the season and sixth point in his last six games to put the Penguins up, 1-0.
The Panthers responded a little more than five minutes later when Cole Schwindt shot a puck square into the mask of Penguins' goaltender Arturs Silovs - starting in his second straight game due to a Stuart Skinner upper-body injury - and it trickled through his five-hold to tie the game. But then, just 35 seconds later, Crosby took a feed from Egor Chinakhov down the left wing, and he put away a shot from the left circle to restore the Penguins' lead.
And they were able to add on. The Penguins got a late power play opportunity at the end of the first period, and after a beautiful passing play, Rickard Rakell - parked in the slot - one-timed a perfect pass by Crosby to give the Penguins a 3-1 lead.
WELCOME TO RAK CITY.
Rickard Rakell is riding an eight-game point streak (9G-3A) with goals in five straight 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Mn803paAd9
There was a bit of pushback by Florida for parts of the second period, but Silovs stood strong - and Rakell struck again. With less than two minutes remaining in the middle frame, Rakell pounced on a chip pass from Evgeni Malkin, who was parked behind the net, and chopped it past Tarasov to put Pittsburgh up, 4-1.
Rust tacked on another goal less than four minutes into the third period after Crosby fed him for a breakaway opportunity, squeaking it underneath Tarasov for his 28th of the season. Carter Verhaeghe added a goal for Florida with less than six minutes left in regulation, but the Penguins were able to cruise to a relatively comfortable 5-2 victory - one night after beating Florida, 9-4.
When you think of "unbreakable" NHL records, there are very, very few. One thought to be unbreakable was broken last season when Alex Ovechkin broke Gretzky's goal record. Gretzky's points record probably is untouchable, especially with the amount of talent on both sides of the puck in the league right now.
Crosby's point-per-game seasons record is near-untouchable. Yes, Connor McDavid is going to be an all-time great player and doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
King of Consistency 👑
With his 70th point, Sidney Crosby, who can play in a maximum of 70 games this season, has clinched his NHL-record 21st-consecutive point-per-game season. pic.twitter.com/S12jxQOFQ0
But you just do not see this. Of all the greats in NHL history, Crosby is the only one ever to have been point-per-game for more than two decades. And, heck, he can build on his own record even more, depending on how long he plays.
And Penguins' head coach Dan Muse reminded everyone not to take anything for granted with Crosby.
"I really hope nobody's taking it for granted. I really do," Muse said. "The fans, media, everybody in the community, to be able to see this firsthand - like, it's amazing. Twenty-one seasons, a point-per-game, NHL record. And that's a big one."
Folks, we're witnessing all-time greatness. I'd take Muse's advice.
- Skinner's injury - although nothing is confirmed about the nature of it other than it being designated as "upper-body" - appeared to have occurred during Saturday's game against the Panthers when he was struck with a puck on the bench.
Although it was unfortunate for Skinner, the timing of everything did lend to an unexpected call-up. With the start time for the game designated for 3:00 p.m. ET - and Skinner being designated as unavailable the same morning - the Penguins wouldn't have been able to bring one of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's goaltenders because there was no way for them to get to Pittsburgh in time.
And Gauthier quite literally missed the call at first.
"I had just walked into church with a bunch of my teammates for Easter service," Gauthier said. "I went to put my phone on 'do not disturb', and I had four missed calls from 'Spez'... so, I figured it was probably something pretty important."
Even though Gauthier - who went undrafted and has a .932 save percentage for Wheeling this season - didn't have a chance to appear in the game, he did dress as the backup - and getting the call to the NHL is something he will always cherish and that he wants the chance to do again.
"It's just - it's surreal," Gauthier said. "You know, especially with the pedigree of guys that are in this room. I think I speak for every Canadian kid that grew up watching Sid play... you know, he's a hero to all of us."
He added: "It's something that I'm really going to cherish for a long time, and I might take that jersey home and make sure I put it up in a frame, for sure."
- With Skinner's injury, Muse decided to run back Silovs, who struggled Saturday despite the win.
Well, he bounced back in a big way and was very solid for the Penguins Sunday.
He stopped 29 of 31 Florida shots on goal and was especially good in the second period, when Florida had a few waves of chances. There are times when Silovs looks like the goaltender that led the Abbotsford Canucks to a Calder Cup last season, and this was one of those starts.
Sergei Murashov was in the building, but not in time for puck drop, which is why Gauthier got the call. I imagine Silovs is well aware that he is under a microscope on the stretch run to the playoffs, and he struggled before this.
We'll see where Skinner is at this week. But, if Murashov being in Pittsburgh is any indication, it appears they might be preparing to be without Skinner for at least a few games. If that's the case, Silovs needs to perform like he did Sunday the rest of the way. Otherwise, someone else might be in the mix for a playoff job.
- There's not much more to say about Rakell at this point. He has 10 goals in his last eight games. He has an NHL-high five-game goal-scoring streak. He scored seven goals just last week.
What a tear he is on. He is now up to 24 goals, and he missed 21 games this season. If he continues the recent pace he has been on for the four games remaining this season, he could flirt with 30 goals.Just incredible stuff from him.
- The Penguins now have 96 points, which puts them six points ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers, who leapfrogged the New York Islanders for third in the Metropolitan Division. So, you do the math.
If the Penguins win one more game this season, they clinch a playoff berth.
They have the New Jersey Devils on Thursday before playing the Washington Capitals in a home-and-home back-to-back over the weekend and, finally, the St. Louis Blues on Apr. 14. None of these teams currently sit in a playoff spot. And, should others behind them continue to lose, they may not even need to win another game.
Things are looking good, Penguins' fans. Just enjoy the ride.
Oh, and there's a very good chance that there could be a Penguins-Flyers first round this year.
SAN FRANCISCO — Jared Young didn’t know for sure he would be in the Mets starting lineup Sunday, but took the approach that it was best to think in those terms.
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He knew that Brett Baty’s left thumb was barking following a dive into second base a day earlier. Baty was scheduled to start the series finale against the Giants, but Young was Plan B.
“It was kind of like, ‘Let’s come in today and prep like I’m going to play,’” Young said. “It’s always easier to wind down than it is to ramp up.”
It was Plan B the Mets exercised, going to Young for the start in left field as Baty took a day to rest his thumb.
Young’s 3-for-3 performance offensively and strong defense were a significant component in the team’s 5-2 victory at Oracle Park that gave the Mets a winning series and road trip.
Young’s running catch on Patrick Bailey’s line drive in the third stood out, along with his play off the carom on Jerar Encarnacion’s shot that hit the left field fence in the fifth. Young threw out Encarnacion attempting to stretch a single into a double.
The three-hit performance was the first of Young’s career, as was the outfield assist. Most of Young’s major league playing time has come as a first baseman.
Jared Young of the New York Mets catches a fly ball hit by Rafael Devers #16 of the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the third inning at Oracle Park on April 04, 2026 in San Francisco, California. Getty Images
“Not only the at-bats for Jared, but his ability to play the outfield the way he’s doing it, he just adds more to it,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “It’s not only a pinch hitter or a guy that can play first, now you feel good with him playing the outfield as well.”
Mendoza’s original lineup before Baty was scratched had Carson Benge in left field and Baty in right. The manager said the decision to move Benge from right was based on Benge’s overall familiarity playing the various outfield positions compared to Baty, who is a converted infielder.
Baty is expected to be available for starting duty Tuesday.
Mendoza indicated nothing had changed with Juan Soto, who will be reevaluated before the Mets begin their next homestand Tuesday. The All-Star outfielder is dealing with what he’s termed a “minor” right calf strain and the Mets face a decision on placing him on the injured list.
The Mets had a third straight game with at least 12 hits. The franchise record is five straight such games, established in 1976 and tied in 1990.
Luis Robert Jr. stole two bases, giving him multiple steals in a game for the first time since May 4 of last season with the White Sox.
Luis Torrens is in his ninth season in the league and his third with the Mets. During that time he has not been known for his offense and has played the role of backup catcher for most of his career.
Yet, on Sunday against the San Francisco Giants, with New York down 2-1 in the eighth inning but threatening, Torrens was called upon as a pinch-hitter against a left-hander.
The move was a bit surprising. Not only was Torrens replacing Jared Young who was already 3-for-3 on the day, albeit against right-hander Logan Webb, but with a thin bench the Mets could ill afford to lose their backup catcher should the game go to extra innings or anything unforeseen happening.
But according to manager Carlos Mendoza who spoke after the game, that was the exact moment the Mets were hoping to use Torrens.
“I gotta give credit to [bench coach] Kai Correa there,” Mendoza said. “...He brought it up to me way before the game started – like in a big spot, Luis Torrens against one of those lefties… Sure enough, the situation presented itself and we [used] him and he was ready to go from the very beginning and he executed it.”
Facing LHP Erik Miller with one out and runners at second and third, Torrens fell behind in the count but fouled off some pitches and was able to work the count full. On 3-2, Torrens got a changeup off the plate that would’ve been ball four, but the catcher swung at it and poked it down the right-field line for a two-run double that put New York ahead, 3-2.
The Mets scored twice more in the inning and went on to win 5-2 thanks to the four-run eighth inning, but the big hit came from Torrens who had been ready for that scenario since before the game even started.
“For me, to put the ball in play there I was prepared even before the game,” Torrens said through an interpreter. “Mendy told me there might be a situation where I come in, but for me it’s about being focused and trying to execute in a situation like that.”
Torrens continued: “I really appreciate to be told that earlier on in the game or even before the game just because I’m able to prepare myself the way that I know that I can prepare myself and with whatever situation arises in the game, I’ll be prepared and do my job.”
So, why specifically Torrens, a career .228 hitter, in that moment?
“He slows the game down, he’s got the ability to use the whole field, he’s not afraid to go the other way, he’s not afraid to work counts,” Mendoza said. “He gets to two strikes and you feel good that he’s going to put the ball in play, he’s gonna take what the pitcher is giving him.
“This is a guy that’s been in baseball for quite a bit now, a lot of winter ball. So I was happy for Luis in that situation.”
A nine-year veteran (as a catcher no less), Torrens has used all of that experience to his advantage. It’s why the Mets have loved having him around for the past three years. In fact, even though he isn’t known for his bat, the 29-year-old is now batting .352 in 54 at-bats as a pinch-hitter, one of the most difficult jobs to do in baseball.
On top of that, Torrens is and continues to be elite at stopping the running game, even throwing out a runner trying to steal second base in the bottom of the ninth inning.
It’s plays like that, his hit in the eighth and the communication between him and the coaches before the game that had Mendoza commending “the small details” New York made on Sunday that resulted in an impressive win and taking three out of four in San Francisco.
“That speaks to how we prepare as a team,” Torrens said. “I think every single one of us before the game, during the game are all preparing ourselves to do the best that we possibly can and I think that speaks volumes to the group that we have here.”
After a rough stretch offensively to start the season, the Mets have completely turned it around, scoring 24 runs over their last three games. Almost all of that has been without Juan Soto, too.
“It’s special,” Mendoza said. “We’ve got good players, up and down. Dealing with a few guys there with injuries and you still feel really good with not only the guys that are in the lineup or who are getting the opportunity to play more, but [with] what’s on the bench as well and we saw it today.
“There’s a lot of versatility. There’s a lot of things that we could do because of the flexibility. It goes to show you that it’s a deep roster and it’s fun.”
New York will look to keep the good times rolling back at Citi Field starting on Tuesday when it hosts the Arizona Diamondbacks for a three-game set.
The third baseman’s plate production is becoming an issue.
Even after an offseason tinkering with his swing, McMahon hasn’t slowed his swing and miss and the occasional power the Yankees hoped he’d flash has mostly been absent.
Despite a high-powered top half of the lineup, McMahon is one of several players slumping at the bottom, along with José Caballero and Austin Wells.
He had a couple of hard-hit balls on the West Coast trip, as well as one in Saturday’s win over Miami, but it was on the ground.
He finally snapped an 0-for-22 skid with a single in the sixth inning of Sunday’s 7-6 loss to Miami and walked in the eighth.
Those free passes have offset some of McMahon’s struggles, but not all of them.
And most distressing has been McMahon’s strikeout rate.
Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon (19) reaches first base on an error during the third inning against the Miami Marlins at Yankee Stadium, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Bronx, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
McMahon whiffed 40 percent of the time heading into Sunday’s game, higher than his 32.3 percent career mark.
A year ago, his 32.3 percentage was the highest among qualified hitters.
Boone pointed to some positive signs in recent games, but acknowledged the slump.
“I like the ball he hit to left and his at-bats were better than we saw in Seattle, [when] I felt like he was in-between a lot,’’ Boone said. “I thought his intent was good on his swings on a couple of fastballs [by Eury] Pérez. … Hopefully he builds on that.”
McMahon narrowed his stance before the season to reduce his swing-and-miss rate.
It hasn’t worked, and he also seems to have lost power.
“He’s a little bit in-between,” Boone said. “He doesn’t want to chase or make bad decisions, which is great, but you’ve also got to go up there and let it rip. It’s an early-season scuffle. He’s really talented, [has] pop [and] does know the strike zone.”
Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon (19) hits a two-run RBI single during the second inning. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
The Yankees don’t have a clear alternative at third base, since they prefer Amed Rosario to play more of a utility role — especially with Caballero playing shortstop every day due to Anthony Volpe being sidelined following offseason shoulder surgery.
But there’s also no getting around the fact that McMahon — who singled in his first plate appearance of the season Opening Day in San Francisco — didn’t have another hit until Sunday.
With the Yankees having won eight of their first nine games before Sunday’s defeat, they could live with McMahon finding his way at the plate, but that won’t last forever.
