Missing on draft selections is the primary reason the Philadelphia Flyers have had to rebuild for so long, and even recently, they still can't seem to get things right.
The last four years, in particular, have been uneven for the Flyers when it comes to first-round picks.
Cutter Gauthier would have been a great draft choice in 2022... if he actually remained with the Flyers, and Matvei Michkov and Oliver Bonk were chosen after him in 2023.
In 2024, the Flyers picked Jett Luchanko, and in 2025, they scooped up Porter Martone and Jack Nesbitt.
The Nesbitt and Luchanko selections were especially head-scratchers, and the Luchanko one has not aged well so far. At least, not when you look at Buffalo Sabres prospect Konsta Helenius, the Finnish center everyone expected the Flyers to draft.
Helenius, 20, has been playing professional hockey since the 2022-23 season, and he certainly plays like he has that experience.
In his second full season in North America, Helenius scored 63 points in 63 games for the AHL Rochester Americans and added two goals and an assist in three Calder Cup playoff games.
The 2024 14th overall pick also got a taste of some NHL action, playing in nine regular season games for the Sabres, scoring a goal, three assists, and four points. Oh, and he also chipped in two goals in four playoff games.
— Built in Buffalo (@BuiltInBuffalo_) May 30, 2026
Having already played 79 games this season between the AHL, NHL, and AHL and NHL playoffs, Helenius went back for more, joining Finland at the 2026 IIHF Men's World Championship in Switzerland upon the end of his season here.
Well, in five games, Helenius has two goals, three assists, and five points, finding the score sheet in all but one game in the tournament thus far.
The 20-year-old helped the underdog Finns sink a loaded Canada team in the seminfinals on Saturday night, potting the game-winning goal in a stunning 4-2 win over Macklin Celebrini, Sidney Crosby, Porter Martone, and more. Helenius was also +3 in that game.
In contrast, Luchanko, 19, has played 25 professional games between the Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms and has yet to score a goal, despite his nine assists at the AHL level.
The Flyers' 2024 13th overall pick hasn't exactly lit up the OHL, either, scoring 74 points in 68 games in his draft year, 56 points in 46 games last year, and 43 points in 38 games this year, not including just seven points in 15 playoff games with the Brantford Bulldogs.
Luchanko scored just seven goals in the OHL this year, and his 43 points in 38 games ranked 33rd in the league amongst all draft year +2 players, which includes 13 undrafted players.
Luchanko will turn pro this fall and begin turning the page on an unconvincing end to his junior career, but it has to be hard for Flyers fans to see Helenius in the Stanley Cup playoffs and World Championship and feel good about the team's drafting.
Time will ultimately tell the story, but Helenius is looking more and more like yet another one who got away from the Flyers.
Arte Moreno has owned the Angels for 23 years, his stewardship taking a World Series champion to the worst record in baseball this season while missing the playoffs for more than a decade. (Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
He showed up 23 years ago as the lovably grounded steward of one of baseball’s soaring sports franchises.
“I’m not going to think about it,” he said boldly and decisively. “I’m going to.”
The second thing he did was hand out sombreros in honor of his Mexican heritage and status as the first Latino majority owner in America’s major professional sports.
“Being Mexican American, I’d like to reach out to Mexican Americans,” Moreno said. “But also to everyone.”
The third thing he did was answer a question about the Dodgers with a question.
Angels fans wave signs and urge owner Arte Moreno to sell the team to an ownership group willing to invest more in winning during a pregame protest Saturday at Angel Stadium. (Joaquin Ruiz / For The Times)
“Who?” he said, “The Angels won the World Series. We are the No. 1 baseball team in the world. There is no reason for us to look over our shoulders.”
It was the most delightful introductory news conference I’ve ever attended, Moreno saying all the right things, doing all the smart things, and ultimately embracing his new purchase’s greatest asset.
“My responsibility is to take care of the Angel fan,” he said. “My job is to make sure we live up to the tradition. My job is to make people comfortable here.”
Twenty-three years later, those first impressions have long since been replaced by lasting erosions.
On nearly every weighty promise, with the exception of those beer prices, Arte Moreno has failed.
Take care of the Angels fans? Those fans profanely chant at him, loudly protest against him, universally despise him.
Make sure the team lives up to its tradition? He has taken a glittering inherited World Series championship culture and frittered it into an unrecognizable lump that is undeniably the worst in baseball, 11 straight years out of the playoffs, 10 straight sub-.500 seasons, nobody that bad.
Make people comfortable at Angel Stadium? The only way that is happening now is if Moreno isn’t there.
Arte, please, listen to your customers, heed your record, recognize the inherent sadness of a 79-year-old man being chased out of his own home.
Sell the team.
You’ll make a ton of money while escaping a ton of heat. You can buffet your ownership legacy by handing this civic jewel to someone who will appreciate it. The reputation rehabilitation that once worked for Shelly Sterling in selling the Clippers to Steve Ballmer, it can work for you.
Sell the team.
You made Shohei Ohtani disappear, you made Mike Trout anonymous, you made bright hopes vanish by betting on broken former stars like Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton and Vernon Wells and Anthony Rendon.
Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani is honored by owner Arte Moreno, who presented him with the team awards as most valuable player and pitcher of the year in 2021. (John McCoy / Getty Images)
Now it’s time for you to go.
Sell the team.
The experts will say the Angels should not be sold until a new labor agreement is signed, potentially increasing their value. C’mon, the worst franchise in baseball still has an estimated worth of $2.75 billion, a 1,400% increase from the $183 million Moreno originally invested.
Wouldn’t it be worth it to sell as soon as possible before the stands empty and the chants grow and commissioner Rob Manfred gets involved?
Just ask Frank McCourt what happens when a commissioner gets involved.
Sell the team, and here’s guessing at least one local titan would be interested, that being Rams owner Stan Kroenke. Under the daily leadership of Kevin Demoff, Kroenke’s well-run Rams have joined the Dodgers as this city’s two premier sports operations, and just think about what SoFi Stan could do with a storied baseball franchise in baseball-loving Orange County.
The Angels were once the Rams. Heck, the Angels were once the Dodgers.
Angels owner Arte Moreno signs autographs and poses with fans as he attends Angel Fest in 2004. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Moreno, who declined to be interviewed for this column, bought the Angels shortly after they won the 2002 World Series, and watched them win five American League West titles in the next seven years, twice finishing one step from the World Series.
But, following the 2007 season, the great Bill Stoneman retired from his general manager position and the direction of the club slowly began to change. Moreno, once satisfied with being just another suds-loving die-hard, became more involved in player acquisition while surrounding himself with inexperienced general managers who struggled along with him.
Every time Moreno tried to make a big splash, he wound up soaking wet. Pujols couldn’t reverse aging. Hamilton couldn’t stay clean. Wells couldn’t play, period.
In a brief moment of clarity in 2014, they won the West, but were swept out of the division series by the Kansas City Royals as Pujols and Trout combined to go three for 24.
They haven’t sniffed the playoffs since while undergoing seemingly constant leadership changes that have allowed their culture to slowly rot.
The team has gone through four different general managers since Stoneman, and five different managers since Mike Scioscia left the team eight years ago, and this lack of stability points directly at the owner who just can’t let people do their job.
An owner, by the way, who several years ago personally canceled a trade that would have brought them the Dodgers’ Andy Pages.
But nothing is more damning to the Moreno era than the handling of arguably the greatest player in baseball history. When Ohtani joined the Dodgers two seasons ago everyone celebrated him as the new kid in town, yet he had previously played in Anaheim for six years! It’s as if those six years never existed! This, even though Ohtani spent them alongside a guy who was once nearly as accomplished.
Ohtani and Trout never synced their skills between various injuries and surgeries, but still … years from now historians will still marvel how two of the greatest players ever could play together for a half dozen years and never once step on an October stage.
Only in Anaheim. Then, to complete arguably one of the most wasted tenures in the history of sports, Ohtani was unconscionably allowed to walk to Chavez Ravine as a free agent with the Angels getting nothing in return.
They should have traded Ohtani during his final season there, but Moreno wanted to squeeze every last dollar out of his marketing power. Then, once Ohtani became a free agent, he reportedly would have considered returning to Anaheim, but Moreno wouldn’t match the Dodgers offer.
The departure of Ohtani for zero prospects, zero young stars, nobody … seriously damaged the remaining shreds of trust between their many loyal fans and the team.
That bond was further strained this winter when the Angels settled a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of the late Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs, who died in 2019 of a drug overdose. The settlement was reached during jury deliberations after a trial that jurors later indicated showed the Angels’ negligence. The jurors were simply trying to determine the amount of punitive damages when the settlement was announced.
The belief that the Angels could have done more to save Skaggs’ life was yet another giant crack in Moreno’s crumbling foundation.
As a final insult in this downward spiral, this spring Moreno amazingly told the Orange County Register that for his fan base, winning wasn’t their priority.
“They want affordability,” Moreno said. “They want safety, and they want a good experience when they come to the ballpark. Believe it or not, winning is not in their top five.”
The Angels have since contextualized that quote to point out that Moreno was talking about what fans were seeking in deciding to attend a specific game, not about their fandom in general. And over the years, even his biggest critics have acknowledged that Moreno is a hardcore fan who wants to win.
But, again, still, the sound bite sizzled. Winning not in the top five? Are you kidding me?
To be fair, the Angels’ fan experience is still generally outstanding. Parking is easy, food is good, ushers are nice, it has the potential to be great fun. Then again, there was a recent rodent infestation in a concession stand, painting even the best parts of their operation as Mickey Mouse.
All told, the Angels are a glorified minor league team with no apparent vision and no obvious hope for the future and not worth the money at any price.
Arte Moreno has taken a crown jewel and turned it into a punch line.
The Halos have gone to halo, the Big A is now the Big L and, somewhere, a rally monkey weeps.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Randy Guzman #39 of the New York Mets bats during the third inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Clover Park on March 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Syracuse rallied late but came up short, ultimately unable to come back from Jack Wenninger’s rough outing. Errors from Christian Pache and Nick Morabito didn’t help matters either.
Another walkoff win for the Rumble Ponies, this time in regulation. Chris Suero scored the winning run, stealing third then scampering home on a throwing error. Vincent Perozo went deep in the win, while the rehabbing Jorge Polanco struck out twice in his two plate appearances.
An absolute shellacking by the Cyclones in this one. Homers from Mitch Voit and John Bay highlighted an eight-run outburst, more than enough to support Irving Cota and Tanner Witt’s piggy-backed outing.
Annoyed they missed out on the extra-inning fun on Friday, St. Lucie got in on the action with a 6-3 win over the Marauders. The Mets had a 2-0 lead that they blew in the seventh and eighth, but they managed to score four in the top of the tenth on a triple, a fielder’s choice, a single, and an RBI groundout. Christian Rodriguez gave up a run but made the lead stand up in the bottom half. Randy Guzman was the offensive star, homering and driving in two as part of a three-hit day.
BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 30: Pete Alonso #25 of the Baltimore Orioles runs to first base after hitting a walk-off RBI single in the ninth inning during the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Saturday, May 30, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Alyssa Piazza/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Hello, friends.
We were right on the verge of the Orioles really kicking us in the teeth there, weren’t we? If they followed up on sweeping the Rays by losing the first three games to the Blue Jays all in extremely excruciating fashion, that would have started to feel like the season was over again. No way they could come back from that, could they? Then, another miracle comeback and they managed a 6-5 walkoff win over the Blue Jays. Check out Andrea’s recap of the game for more of the lovely totals.
It’s extra fun that the Orioles pulled off the bulk of the rally against Jeff Hoffman, the reliever who went out of his way to beef with them not long ago. This was probably because the Orioles backed out of signing him to a contract two offseasons previously over medical concerns. In some ways, that attempted contract is another indictment of Mike Elias’s free agent judgment. Hoffman has largely stunk with the Jays, a 4.44 ERA not counting yesterday’s disaster.
The Orioles still need to find a way to win today in order to salvage a series split. That would have been a decent outcome even before the series began, and after the way the first two games went it feels essential in some ways, for the team to show that they can pick themselves back up after a pair of morale-draining (at least for many fans) losses.
Don’t forget that this is a weird start time game of 12:15. That’s because this one will be on the streamer Peacock. If you don’t subscribe, tough luck! You can’t watch the Orioles today. Maybe you can still get the radio broadcast. Kyle Bradish is set to start for the Orioles, with righty Spencer Miles starting for the Jays. Miles has been used mostly in relief but it’s been a 3+ inning bulk role, so they might be looking to use him for starter-ish innings instead of merely as an opener.
This team has its share of problems. It has also shown that, at least on the basis of a game or three here and there, it can overcome enough of its problems to win. Can they manage this consistently enough to ascend closer than two games back in the wild card race? That’s the question that stands before them until they either win enough to answer yes or lose enough to make it clear that the answer is no. Although many of their losses have made it feel like the answer must be no, so far they have done just enough to hang around on the periphery.
I think we can all agree we haven’t seen the best possible version of these guys. There’s just no guarantee the best version will ever show up or stay for long if it does.
Orioles stuff you might have missed
Orioles rotation must show more than flashes (The Baltimore Sun) The jumping-off point for this article was specifically Trevor Rogers’s start from Friday’s game. You could just as easily make the same comment about the offense and the bullpen. And also the defense, which hasn’t even really shown flashes.
Updating on Helsley and Cano (School of Roch) The closer will be starting a rehab assignment soon. It won’t fix all of the Orioles problems to have him back. It should help stabilize the bullpen a bit. Hopefully! As for Cano, he doesn’t think there’s anything lingering from Wednesday.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
In their 59th game of the 2025 season, the Orioles beat the Mariners, 5-1, to raise their record to 23-36 for the season. This was the fourth straight win in what ended up being a six game winning streak. Tomoyuki Sugano allowed one run in seven innings, and for the hitters, Adley Rutschman led the way with three hits and two runs scored. The Orioles are four wins ahead of those guys. It would be nicer if that was more like seven or eight. Hopefully they get to that point eventually.
There are a few former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2024-25 pitcher Matt Bowman, 1988-92 outfielder Joe Orsulak, and 1976-86 pitcher Tippy Martinez. Today is Martinez’s 76th birthday, so an extra happy birthday to him.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you as well! Your birthday buddies for today include: poet Walt Whitman (1819), actor Clint Eastwood (1930), Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham (1948), and rapper DMC (1964).
On this day in history…
In 1669, notable historical diarist Samuel Pepys ceased keeping his diary, claiming his eyesight had grown too poor – though Pepys lived until 1703. His diary is famous for chronicling both the Great Fire of London and the Great Plague of London.
In 1889, a dam failed near Johnstown, Pennsylvania, leading to the deaths of over 2,200 people as the water raced down through the town.
In 1921, white supremacists in Tulsa, Oklahoma began a two-day terror campaign that killed at least 39 Black people and destroyed what was, at the time one of the wealthiest Black communities in the country, dubbed “Black Wall Street.”
In 2005, an article in Vanity Fair revealed the identity of Watergate’s “Deep Throat” – W. Mark Felt, who at the time of Watergate was Deputy Director of the FBI.
**
And that’s the way it is in Birdland on May 31. Have a safe Sunday. Go O’s!
It is a terrible time to be a Detroit Tigers fan, clear and simple. After a 7-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox at Rate Park on Saturday afternoon, the team has just six wins in May and is burying themselves in the league cellar before summer even begins.
On Sunday, AJ Hinch will send right-hander Keider Montero to the mound to try and prevent a sweep at the hands of their hated intradivision rivals. The 25-year-old has been solid filling in the void for Justin Verlander but has struggled recently, putting up a 6.46 ERA and 6.72 FIP over his last three starts, stretching across 15 1/3 innings with a win, a loss and a no-decision in a team loss.
The last time Montero faced the Southsiders was last year on Sept. 5, when he surrendered two runs on four hits (one home run) and a walk while striking out a pair over 3 1/3 innings in a 9-6 loss.
He will be up against fellow righty Sean Burke, who has been solid — but a bit wild — in his third major league campaign. The 26-year-old’s last outing was a seven-inning effort that saw him surrender a pair of runs on three hits and two walks while striking out eight Minnesota Twins in a 5-3 11-inning loss.
Funny enough, Burke’s last start against Detroit last summer on June 5 yielded similar numbers. He threw seven frames of two-run ball on seven hits (one home run) and one walk while striking out five in a 3-2 victory that took 10 innings.
Here is how the two match up on Sunday.
Detroit Tigers (22-37) vs. Chicago White Sox (31-27)
Time (ET): 2:10 p.m. Place: Rate Field, Chicago, Illinois SB Nation Site:South Side Sox Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 60: RHP Keider Montero (2-3, 4.09 ERA) vs. RHP Sean Burke (2-3, 3.90 ERA)
May 30, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) warms up before the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
I’m generally ambivalent about the City Connect uniforms, but the Dodgers’ version has to be one of the worst ones out there right now. Why would Freddie Freeman have a uniform that has an “05” on it instead of just “5”?
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 19: Julian Champagnie #30 of the San Antonio Spurs talks to the media on May 19, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 (Photos by Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After last night’s Game 7 victory in Oklahoma City, Julian Champagnie reminisced about honking and driving with the fans after the Spurs elimintaed the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of playoffs.
“Yeah, I mean, my wife had told me she was like, ‘you know, they honk,’ I mean, they honk, she’s like, ‘they honk downtown,’ I might as well go see it. I want to go see it earlier when we won, but I figured, let’s win a series, and then I can go down there and kind of just see what’s going on, but it was great. The energy is crazy. I’m, I’m, I’m a little pissed at me, not over there right now, and see what’s going on, because I’m in downtown right now too. But energy is great, and I love the fans. We love you guys to them, right? We love you guys. We don’t go this far without you guys. We’re looking forward to seeing you guys in the finals in San Antonio and in New York, but yeah, we don’t get this far out, you guys. Shout out to y’all too. Y’all have just as much of a part in this as we do.”
De’Aaron Fox also had some kind words for the fans.
“Probably one of the most loyal fan bases that you’ll ever be around in any sport. And me being from Texas, I’ve actually gone to a Finals game in San Antonio when they played Miami, I’m seeing that the crowd can be like seeing how loud it can get. It’s just we’re continueing to get better every day and we’re bring a championship back to San Antonio.”
The Spurs, who really enjoy spending time with each other, branched out in their gratitude, The fans weren’t the only ones called out for their support. Victor Wembanyama shared some admiration Gregg Popovich, who visited the locker room after the Game 3 loss and spoke to the team.
Dylan Harper also shared gratitude for Pop. El Jefe spoke directly to the rookie guard and Harper credits him with getting refocued for his Game 6 output. He scored 18 points, with 6 rebounds and four assists. In the closeout, he scored 12 points including a clutch 3-pointer that helped the Spurs secure the win.
Spurs will host the New York Knicks on Wednesday in their first Finals appearance in a dozen years. The Spurs/Knicks Finals harkens back to 1999, when the two met and the Spurs won their first NBA Championship. Coincidentally, that 1999 series was the last time the Knicks made it all the way to the NBA Finals.
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May 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Mark Tatum the NBA Deputy Commissioner and Washington Wizard (left) guard John Wall pose for photos after Wizards won the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery at Navy Pier. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images
Well, after years of faffing about, the NBA has finally implemented a major overhaul of the draft designed to discourage tanking.
It is quite complex, and yet, in some ways, quite simple-minded.
The gist is that the highest odds for the number one pick will no longer be held by the team with the worst record.
Instead, the teams with the fourth through tenth worst records in the draft will have the highest odds of getting the first pick.
Teams will not be allowed to land the number one pick in back-to-back years (this has happened twice in NBA history, not counting the 2017 draft in which the C’s traded their number one pick to the Sixers, giving them back-to-back number one picks).
Teams will not be allowed to have top five picks in three consecutive years.
The odds have also been significantly flattened overall.
Finally, the bottom three teams will have two lottery balls, the fourth through tenth teams will have three lottery balls, and the eleventh through sixteenth teams will have one ball each.
I am not a fan of making the lottery this complex, but if the league is going to go into this, I think they need to actually make it more complex.
I don’t like flat odds for the number one pick running from positions four to ten. I don’t like that drop off from tenth to eleventh. This is an area where the league certainly has the ability to add a gradient rather than a drop off.
Now, I’ll grant you, this reform package had to be sold to team owners, who are, I suspect, short of attention span for a lot of these things, so adding a smoother gradient by increasing the number of lottery balls was possibly a non-starter because it would take too long to explain (in fact, I think the lottery rules already take too long to explain, but, hey, in for a penny, in for a pound).
In my scheme, you wouldn’t have a setup with 21 balls for 4-10, 6 balls for 1-3, and 6 balls for 11-16 (total 33 balls). You’d do the setup the same way it’s done now, with balls numbered 1-14 and four number combinations that are mapped out to percentages that scale more smoothly.
I think it’s rather problematic that the tenth worst team has a better chance of landing the top pick than the third worst team.
That brings us to the oddly named ‘relegation zone.’
Frankly, it’s unnecessary.
If the three worst teams are given equal odds of getting the top pick as the teams that finish fourth through tenth in the lottery ranking, there is already no incentive to tank!
Mind you, I don’t think that the lottery odds should be flat from one to ten, but if that’s how the NBA is going to play it, then it makes no sense to pretend that teams are still going to try to be awful in search of more lottery balls.
All you’re doing now is punishing extremely bad teams.
Now granted, extremely bad teams tend to squander their picks, so maybe this isn’t such a big deal, but it seems rather silly that a bad team with the third worst record in the league is going to get robbed of a lottery ball because they weren’t good enough to finish fourth.
The NBA is basically just running an experiment at this point, though. The new lottery rules are only approved until the 2029 season, so we’re going to get three bites at this apple to see how it tastes.
Mazzulla wins Coach of the Year
Honestly, this seemed a foregone conclusion after the C’s got bounced in the first round.
It had too much humor mixed with chagrin to be anything other than a “consummation devoutly to be wish’d,” It was the perfect epitaph — or coffin lid, perhaps — for a season that began in gloom and ended the same way.
Of course, Mazzulla was going to win an award that he publicly scoffed at rather than pilot the C’s into the later rounds of the playoffs.
Did he deserve it?
Well, that depends. If you’re the kind of person who thinks that Jaylen Brown only had a Second Team All-NBA season, then you’re dang right Mazzulla deserved a Coach of the Year nod.
If you rate Brown and the C’s supporting cast higher, then I think you can make arguments for other coaches, but the league’s media in general seem to think rather poorly of the talent on the C’s team, and that makes their regular season achievements look more and more like brilliant coaching, and less like the expected performance of great players.
But that’s not the real question.
The real question isn’t whether Mazzulla deserves it, it’s whether the award should be given to a single individual.
I tend to think that Mazzulla is right, and that it should be a staff award.
Why?
Because, for example, Mazzulla isn’t single-handedly responsible for the marked improvement of Neemias Queta, and the marked improvement of Queta was a major factor in the C’s overachieving regular season.
SACRAMENTO, CA – JANUARY 1: Head Coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics coaches Neemias Queta #88 during the game against the Sacramento Kings on January 1, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
I mean, I think Mazzulla sets a tone, and he’s very good at getting players to buy into their roles—and the flexibility and sacrifice that those roles occasionally require—but he’s not working with Neemias day in and day out to make him a better player.
It’s the rest of Mazzulla’s staff that helped these guys become better players, players that Mazzulla can put his trust in.
The league has given Mazzulla an award for being smart enough to trust these guys, and it’s given Stevens an award for assembling the roster, and both of them have been awarded for assembling the coaching staff, but what about the coaching staff itself?
I mean, if a big part of the awards for Executive of the Year and Coach of the Year hinge on the work of the coaching staff, then they should be recognized as well.
Throughout basketball, coaching staffs have grown in size and importance. We’ve come a long way from the days where Red used to roam the sidelines by himself.
Boston, MA – December 19: Boston Celtics assistant coach Tony Dobbins, head coach Joe Mazzulla, and assistant coach Sam Cassell react to a technical foul call on Mazzulla in the fourth quarter. (Photo by Andrew Burke-Stevenson/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
It’s time, I think, to dispense with the cult of the ‘romantic genius’ in coaching, to stop looking at coaches as ‘auteurs,’ and to start looking at the position as an essentially collaborative one.
Yes, head coaches need to have the last word and the loudest voice at the table; they need to have the confidence to lead and they need to be decisive.
But these days, there is so much going on with analysis, with player development, and with game prep, that the NBA really should acknowledge that the achievements of a team that are currently attributed to the coach should be attributed to coach and staff.
In any case, Mazzulla’s response to winning the award is exactly what you would like to see.
It shows that he’s deeply aware of the work that his staff puts in, and the dividends that work has paid out.
Ultimately, the NBA might follow Joe’s suggestion, but given how long it took them to reform a lottery system that’s been abused for decades, I’m not holding my breath.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 30: Victor Wembanyama #1 and Kelly Olynyk #8 of the San Antonio Spurs talk after the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 30, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
No matter what the outcome from this Western Conference Finals was going to be, a proven seven-foot big man from the Gonzaga Bulldogs program was going to end up on the winning side of this all-time Western Conference Finals series. A matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Chet Holmgren and the San Antonio Spurs’ Kelly Olynyk. How cool is that?
Yes, Olynyk doesn’t show up in the box score compared to the much younger, much more influential Holmgren in the future basketball landscape. His impact won’t appear to the naked eye, but his San Antonio teammates in the locker room and during a huddle in a hostile road environment understand what he brings to the table. An experienced journeyman who has been around the block throughout his 13-year NBA career.
Olynyk has now reached the biggest NBA stage for the second time. His first chance at a ring fell short as a member of the Miami Heat against the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2020 COVID-version of the NBA Finals.
With his No. 13 jersey hanging in the rafters of the McCarthey Athletic Center, Olynyk was the early start of a proud Canadian-American citizen turned Gonzaga success story. Impactful players like Kevin Pangos, the Nembhard brothers, were paved a path by the 2013 consensus First Team All-American.
Our neighborhood friends from the North always have guys, and coach Mark Few’s rotating staff over the years are continuously aware of it because of Olynyk.
2x Finals appearance for the Canadian/Raptor legend Kelly Olynyk. 🇨🇦
As for Holmgren, his chance at a title repeat has failed. Oklahoma City doesn’t play a fun form of entertaining basketball with all the flopping, understood. But Holmgren also didn’t put together a full stretch of physical and energetic defensive stances against the now face of the league, Victor Wembanyama. Holmgren’s presence was nearly non-existent in the Game 7 loss at home in the PayCom Center. Thunder’s Isaiah Hartenstein was more of the primary ask to be the potential ‘stopper’ for Wembanyama throughout this entire Western Conference Finals.
Holmgren, only 24 years old with already 226 games under his belt, is still on track to be the most accomplished talent to have ties to Spokane, Washington. Even more than the firstborn and raised poster child, John Stockton, who never could reach the mountain top with the Utah Jazz.
Kelly Olynyk really showed up to Game 1 of Spurs vs Blazers in ankle socks 😭💀
All I ask from Olynyk in the NBA Finals… Please, no more ankle socks. It’s a strange basketball attire decision, especially on that worldwide platform. All love, of course.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
OKLAHOMA CITY — Poise. Maturity. Answering the opponents runs by knocking down big shots, or getting a key block. Digging deep when tested and finding a new level of performance and execution. Doing it all in the highest stakes game in a hostile environment.
That's what veteran teams do, what tested teams do. What champions do.
Except, in Game 7 on Saturday night, it wasn't the champion Thunder, it was the young and untested Spurs who did all those things in the Western Conference Finals. They kept their heads about them, at least until the final buzzer, when Wembanyama could be seen in tears. "This feeling, I can't explain it," Wembanyama said. "It's so powerful."
It’s Wembanyama, Spurs world
Early in the season, when the Thunder started 24-1, how this season was going to play out felt inevitable. It was going to be Thunder dynasty talk.
By Christmas, the Spurs had punctured that narrative and started to build one of their own.
San Antonio got to this moment — and to the NBA Finals — faster than anyone projected — even themselves.
At media day prior to the start of training camp, Wembanyama talked about making the playoffs as a top-six seed and avoiding the play-in tournament. There wasn't one "ah-ha" moment where San Antonio suddenly realized they could be this great or contend, Wembanyama said, they just focused on building good habits and stacked those one on top of the other. That's what built the confidence, the belief.
It also helped that the Spurs have a tight-knit and mature locker room. The off-court connectivity carried over to the hardwood.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson had been downplaying the idea of Oklahoma City's championship experience mattering since before this Western Conference Finals started. He said his team has the experience that matters.
"Experience, a lot of times, is used in the form of 'best use' or the lack thereof when you need it the most. And people don't talk about as much the habits, the character, the togetherness, the competitive response..." Johnson said. "And this team has now been pretty damn consistent for a long time...
"I don't know who has as much experience as we do this year in the season of 2025-26."
Full Spurs team effort
Wembanyama was good in this game — 22 points, seven rebounds — and with that was named the Western Conference Finals MVP.
But he wasn't elite in Game 7 (Shai Gilgous-Alexander was the best player on the court). What the Spurs and Wembanyama had was poise and depth as a team. Julian Champagnie made six 3-pointers, some of them back-breaking for the Thunder. Stephon Castle continued his ascent and scored 16. Dylan Harper was making everyone forget he is a rookie, scoring a dozen off the bench.
It wasn't just the kids in San Antonio. One of the veterans on this team, Luke Kornet, was forced into action in the fourth quarter when Wembanyama picked up his fifth foul of the night. Then Kornet went out and made maybe the play of the game.
"I think, in a way, it probably saved me from myself... in terms of he probably needed a break," Johnson said of Wembanyama's foul trouble. "I probably wouldn't have given him one if I didn't have to because of the fouls. And, obviously, playing Monday morning quarterback, Luke was awesome, so it feels good now."
It felt good to Wemby, who was emotional on the podium.
"There's just so many big-time plays, so many guys stepping up," an emotional Wembanyama said. "Oh my god, it's an unreal chance [to play in the Finals]. My life is amazing, and being with these guys, living these things with these guys that I love so, so, so much. It's amazing."
That buzz from winning the Western Conference Finals will wear off, but the Spurs have gained all the experience they needed to reach and win the NBA Finals, showing off their poise and maturity along the way.
Anyone who doubts the Spurs are ready for that bigger stage has not been paying attention the past two weeks. This team has all the poise, maturity, and most importantly, talent it needs.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 29: (EDITORS NOTE: Image has been digitally enhanced.) Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees walks out of the dugout during their game against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on May 29, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A month ago at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees won the first game of their three-game set against the A’s before dropping the next two in a row for a disappointing series loss. More recently, they won on Friday in West Sacramento and then lost last night thanks to an up-and-down Ryan Weathers and an offense that once again refused to give him run support. So the Yanks must win this afternoon with Will Warren on the bump to avoid history repeating itself. The A’s aren’t a bad team, but the Yanks really should fare better. We’ll find out soon enough.
Today on the site, Jake will pinch-hit on the minors recap, Scott will interview Triple-A Scranton reliever Danny Watson on his Yankees fan roots and unusual delivery, Peter will run through the Rivalry Roundup, and John’s Yankees Birthdays post will focus on Kenny Lofton, who spent a year in pinstripes as his career wound down in the mid-2000s. Later, John will return for the weekly Social Media Spotlight.
Today’s Matchup
New York Yankees at Athletics
Time: 4:05 p.m. EST
TV: YES Network, NBCSCA
Venue: Sutter Health Park, Sacramento, CA
Questions/Prompts:
1. How damaging do you think the decision was last night to leave Ryan Weathers in to face Nick Kurtz late? Or do you think it wasn’t that consequential because the Yankees’ offense did so little on the whole?
2. Have you been watching any of the College World Series regionals this weekend?
Sawyer Gipson-Long posted his best outing of the season, but the Hens’ bats slumbered on Saturday.
The right-hander has been up and down since rehabbing a preseason injury, and is still not far removed from rehabbing the Tommy John surgery that cost him the 2024 and most of the 2025 seasons. If he was back throwing 93-95 mph we’d be pretty enthusiastic about giving him a look, but his fastball is still sitting around 92 mph this spring.
Gipson-Long gave up three singles that led to two runs in the top of the first inning on Saturday, and then locked down the Clippers entirely the rest of his outing. He went five innings, allowing just two more hits and no walks, while striking out eight. He racked up 12 whiffs on 44 swings, getting them with his fourseamer, slider, and changeup for the most part.
In the bottom of the first, Gleyber Torres led off by lining out to second baseman Juan Brito. Kerry Carpenter drove a ball 380 feet to center field, but Kahlil Watson was there to haul it in.
Ben Malgeri led off the second with a solo shot, his seventh homer of the season. 2-1 Clippers.
Torres struck out on a high fastball in the third, while Carpenter walked. The latter was then pinch-run for by Tyler Gentry, and appears set to return to the Tigers on Sunday. Torres grounded out in the fifth and took a called third strike in the seventh.
In the top of the seventh against the Hens’ Matt Seelinger, Nolan Jones tripled and then scored on an Angel Genao sacrifice fly to make it 3-1. Tanner Rainey spun the final two innings for the Hens, allowing just a walk while striking out two.
Malgeri: 2-3, R, RBI, HR, BB, K
Gipson-Long (L, 2-3): 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 8 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 2:05 p.m. ET start on Sunday.
Sean Hunley tossed a good short start, while Izaac Pacheco provided the power as the SeaWolves won on Saturday.
The SeaWolves got started in the bottom of the second when Justice Bigbie led off with a walk. Andrew Jenkins singled him to second, but Pacheco grounded into a force of Jenkins at second. E.J. Exposito walked to load the bases, and Bigbie scored on a Bennett Lee ground out. That was all they got but it was 1-0 SeaWolves.
Hunley went 4.1 innings of scoreless ball, scattering four hits and no walks, while striking out three. Tyler Owens followed with five straight outs, three by strikeout.
In the bottom of the fifth, Seth Stephenson, who has been scuffling the past week since returning from injury, singled with one out and the Baysox’s third baseman threw the ball away. The lightning fast Stephenson raced all the way around to score on the play, as the Baysox right fielder had to collect the ball and then fired wildly for his own throwing error.
In the bottom of the sixth, Bigbie was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Pacheco smashed towering shot to right center field for his fifth homer of the season, and it was 4-0, where it would end.
Yosber Sanchez, Trevin Michael, and Wandisson Charles were all solid in relief, allowing no hits the rest of the way.
Pacheco: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, HR, K
Bigbie: 1-2, 2 R, BB
Graham: 1-3, BB, 2 K, 2 SB
Hunley: 4.1 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 0 BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: The SeaWolves can split the series with a win on Sunday. First pitch is set for 1:35 p.m. ET.
Lansing Lugnuts 7, West Michigan Whitecaps 6 (box)
The West Michigan Whitecaps are, like their parent club, a disaster area. Winners of just four games in May, they dropped another one on Saturday, and also parroting the Tigers, they were yet again walked off. The Whitecaps bullpen has been the major culprit all along.
The ‘Caps lineup got right to work. Ricardo Hurtado walked with one out, and Garrett Pennington singled. Bryce Rainer smashed a missile high off the big wall in right center field for a two-run double. That ball was estimated to have flown 435 feet if not interrupted by said high wall. The double was undercut by the fact that Mr. Rainer had never hit a ball like that and not gotten a home run out of it, and he should have been standing on third base on the play instead. A Clayton Campbell single got Rainer to third, and a Jackson Strong sac fly made it a 3-0 lead.
Bryce Rainer crushes an RBI double high off the wall in right center. Left his bat at 113MPH and went an estimated 432 feet 😬 pic.twitter.com/K7UUZ8yXyx
In the top of the second, Woody Hadeen drilled a single to right field and Hurtado doubled him to third. Pennington stepped in and roped an opposite field double to score both runs and make it 5-0.
Rayner Castillo was better in this one as well. The right-handed sinkerballer hasn’t recovered the mid-90’s velo on his sinker fully yet, but he allowed a solo shot in the third and no more. Castillo punched out six, walking two and allowing three hits total in his outing.
Preston Howey, freshly rehabbed in Lakeland, handled the fifth and sixth, allowing a solo shot in the latter that made it 5-2. He got the first two outs of the seventh before departing.
In the top of the seventh, Hadeen, also freshly rehabbed, led off with a single and Hurtado was hit by a pitch. The Lugnuts went to Luis Carrasco out of their pen, and he punched out Pennington and Rainer. However, Campbell and Strong both drew walks to force in another run. 6-2 Whitecaps.
The ‘Caps Juanmi Vasquez took over in the eighth. The lefty was the return from the Blue Jays for Connor Seabold. He gave up two unearned runs in the inning after a Pennington error.
In the bottom of the ninth, Jalen Evans took over for the save. He gave up a leadoff single, and with one out, wild pitched the runner to second. Still, it was a 6-4 lead, and he struck out the next hitter. Needing one more out, Evans surrendered an RBI single, and then a two-run walkoff shot from Dylan Fien.
Pennington: 2-5, R, 2 RBI, 2B, 2 K
Hadeen: 2-5, 2 R
Rainer: 1-5, R, 2 RBI, 2B, 2 K, SB
Castillo: 4.0 IP, ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 6 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 1:05 p.m. ET start on Sunday with the Lugnuts up 3-2 in the series.
Palm Beach locked up a series victory, walking off the Flying Tigers on Saturday.
Caleb Leys was shaky in his start, giving up three runs over the first 2.1 innings of work. Jan Carabello cleaned up the third, threw a scoreless fourth, and then allowed two runs in the fifth.
At that point it was 5-2 Palm Beach after the Flying Tigers scored two in the fourth. Zach MacDonald had led off with a single, then stole second and third base. Jude Warwick plated him with a sacrifice fly. Edian Espinal then followed with a solo shot to right. The second baseman turned catcher has been an interesting story to follow in Lakeland this spring.
From earlier, Edian Espinal cracks a 2-run homer to left to tie the game for Lakeland. pic.twitter.com/xvKAsGvOY3
Jordan Yost walked to start the sixth inning and MacDonald was hit by a pitch. They were each given 90 feet on a balk, and after Nick Dumesnil struck out and the Cardinals went back to the bullpen, Warwick came through with a lined single to center to plate both runners and took third on an error on the play. Espinal lifted a sac fly to score Warwick and tie the game 5-5.
Carson Rucker was then hit by a pitch and left the game. Jack Goodman was plunked next, and Javier Osorio walked to load the bases with two outs. Unfortunately, Jesus Pinto grounded out to strand all three.
In the seventh the Flying Tigers seized the lead briefly when Yost walked to start the inning and took second on a wild pitch. MacDonald and Dumesnil both struck out, but once again it was Warwick with an RBI single to center to give them a one run lead.
Unfortunately, Eliseo Mota allowed a run in the seventh that tied things at 6-6, and in the ninth, Luke Hoskins blew the save.
Warwick: 2-3, R, 3 RBI
Yost: 0-2, 2 R, 3 BB, SB
MacDonald: 1-4, 2 R, 2 K, 2 SB
Leys: 2.1 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 0 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 12:30 p.m. ET start on Sunday with the Cardinals up 4-1 in the series.
The Boston Celtics selected big man Amari Williams with the 46th pick of the 2025 NBA draft. Williams would become the first-ever British-born player for the Boston Celtics in franchise history.
Amari played four years at Drexel before a single season with the Kentucky Wildcats and being selected in the 2nd round. Brad Stevens said of Williams in a July 8th press conference that Amari “has a great chance to be impactful here.” Stevens would also praise his knack for passing and cited that Williams “has a high upside.” Williams had a lukewarm debut in Las Vegas. The 7-footer appeared in four of the team’s Summer League games, averaging a modest 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per outing.
He was solid enough, but didn’t break out in the same way that other rookies have previously in Vegas. That all changed in Maine, though, as Amari impressed the fans and coaches with some eye-popping stat lines. The two-way player recorded multiple double-double outings while dominating the paint for Maine. His best performance came against Sioux Falls with 26 points, 12 boards, and eight assists in an overtime win.
UNIONDALE, NY – MARCH 19: Amari Williams #77 of the Maine Celtics looks to pass the ball during the game against the Long Island Nets on March 19, 2026 at The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Evan Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Amari Williams earned minutes for the Celtics after impressing in the G-League, Joe Mazzulla and co. trusting in the young big enough for him to see the court in 22 games in his rookie campaign. Amari started two games for the Celtics and held his own against NBA competition.
Amari’s best game of the season for the Celtics came on January 27th against Portland. Luka Garza was injured, and Amari was the first big off the bench for Boston as he spelled Neemias Queta with 9 points, 7 boards, and 2 blocks in 26 minutes of action against Donovan Clingan and former Celtic Robert Williams III.
On February 7th, 2026, Brad Stevens gave a glowing assessment of Williams, saying that “I think Amari has a real chance to be a player.” With the roster in flux and the Cs in cap management mode, Amari was converted from his two-way contract to sign a two-year, $2.7 million deal, a decent team-friendly deal for a third-string frontcourt player.
Most of his points came on dunks or layups during the regular season, but Amari did show off a baby hook shot in a few games. In his limited NBA minutes, Amari also showed that he is not just a willing passer, but a pretty good one for a seven-footer, quickly spraying passes out to the three-point line from inside the key.
Defensively, Williams has shown one distinct attribute that shows he can hang in the NBA: blocking shots. Amari has tremendous leaping instincts with good timing and really long arms to swat the ball away. He has shown this past season that he can help from the weak side and also get up quick in 1-v-1 situations.
Jan 26, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Amari Williams (77) blocks the shot of Portland Trail Blazers guard Caleb Love (2) during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
He’s still got room to develop further, but the tools are there to become a decent backup big man for many years. Boston has developed really serviceable big men recently in Queta and Kornet. Hopefully, Amari will follow the same developmental trajectory.
Carlos Lagrange of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders exits the field during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on May 22, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Sports Illustrated | Joseph Randazzo: The Yankees bullpen remains the team’s most wobbly unit and it could be getting an exciting internal reinforcement soon. Relaying a report from Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Randazzo noted that Brian Cashman is considering calling up top pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange to provide a boost to a relief corps that could use some more swing-and-miss. Lagrange dazzled in spring with a fastball that reaches as high as 103 mph as well as a much improved slider and changeup. He still has a ways to go in the command department with just a 46.5-percent first-pitch strike rate and 11.5-percent walk rate in 11 appearances at Triple-A, but his high-octane raw stuff is certainly MLB-ready, and his potential call-up is being likened to Joba Chamberlain’s 2007 debut.
MLB.com | Thomas Harrigan: Much of the Yankees’ success this season can be tied to the performance of three homegrown stars. Cam Schlittler, Aaron Judge, and Ben Rice are currently the three most valuable players in baseball by fWAR. Since the start of free agency in 1976, the Yankees have only ever had one season where three homegrown players eclipsed the 5.0 fWAR mark: Andy Pettitte, Alfonso Soriano, and Jorge Posada in 2003. Judge, Schlittler, and Rice are well on pace to eclipse five wins each and could wind up with the greatest ever season by a trio of homegrown Bombers.
NJ Advance Media | Randy Miller: The Yankees raised eyebrows when they decided to bring back Paul Goldschmidt on a one-year, $4 million pact, but so far they have been vindicated in their decision. The 38-year-old has stabilized the DH role with Giancarlo Stanton and Jasson Domínguez out injured (enabling Rice to slide over to the DH spot, if not occupying it himself), with six home runs, 18 RBIs, and a 146 wRC+ in 32 games. For his part, Goldschmidt says he is learning to enjoy the small moments of what he called the back nine of his career, and relished the opportunity of getting to suit up for a World Series contender, one of the few prizes that has eluded him in his long and distinguished career.
The Sacramento Bee | Sean Campbell: Last Thursday, Sacramento officials lodged their proposal for an expansion MLB team, and Aaron Judge is a fan. Judge was born outside Sacramento and grew up 40 miles south in Linden, and has enjoyed the opportunity to play in front of family in friends with the A’s playing in West Sacramento the last two seasons. He met with Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarthy prior to their current series against the A’s and learned some of the details of the city’s proposal, Judge calling West Sacramento “great baseball town” deserving of an expansion franchise after the A’s complete their move to Las Vegas.
The heavily favored New York Yankees look to secure a series win against the Athletics on Sunday.
Will Warren takes the mound after a strong start to the season, and our Yankees vs. Athletics predictions expect his ground-ball profile to help produce a low-scoring game and a comfortable Yankees victory.
Warren owns a 3.17 xERA through 11 starts, with his newly optimized 29-degree vertical release slot allowing his 3,005 RPM sweeper to break an elite 17.3 inches horizontally away from right-handed barrels.
Athletics starter Jacob Lopez carries a 3.90 xERA and has struggled to miss bats consistently.
With New York's bullpen leading the majors with a 54.2% rolling groundball rate to insulate the late innings, the cushion is there. Play the Yankees -1.5 to -105.
COVERS INTEL:Jacob Lopez (3.90 xERA) sits in the bottom fifth percentile for fastball velocity at 90.5 MPH. A Yankees lineup running a 128 rolling wRC+ will punish that early and often.
Yankees vs A's Over/Under pick: Under 10.5 (-130)
Warren's 29-degree release slot doesn't just generate horizontal break; it suppresses launch angle.
His ground ball profile, combined with New York's bullpen leading the majors at 54.2% rolling groundball rate, means the score is built to stay low.
Lopez sits in the bottom fifth percentile for fastball velocity at 90.5 MPH, but allows soft contact, not hard damage. His slider-heavy approach produces the same result from the other side.
Two ground-ball-oriented staffs, two contact-suppressing starters, and a 10.5 total that assumes both offenses perform at peak level. They won't on this pitching. Play the Under to 9.5.
Phil Naessens' 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 7-11, -2.19. units
Over/Under bets: 7-9, -3.40 units
Yankees vs A's odds
Moneyline: Yankees -144 | A's +138
Run line: Yankees -1.5 (-100) | A's +1.5 (-104)
Over/Under: Over 10.5 (+108) | Under 10.5 (-122)
Yankees vs A's trend
The Yankees are 9-2 when Will Warren starts a game in 2026. Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. A's.
How to watch Yankees vs A's and game info
Location
Sutter Health Park, West Sacramento, CA
Date
Sunday, May 31, 2026
First pitch
4:05 p.m. ET
TV
YES, NBCSCA
Yankees starting pitcher
Will Warren (6-1, 3.55 ERA)
A's starting pitcher
Jacob Lopez (4-2, 5.73 ERA)
Yankees vs A's latest injuries
Yankees vs A's weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
COVERS INTEL: