PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 07: Jordan Staal #11 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates with teammates after a 4-1 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers in Game Three of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on May 07, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Carolina Hurricanes have the opportunity to punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Final on Saturday in Game 4 of their second-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers.
If they can do it, they would become the first team since the NHL moved to having the postseason comprised entirely of best-of-7 series to open with two sweeps to start a playoff run.
Game 3 on Thursday was a close one until the Hurricanes’ advantage on special teams came up big, as a shorthanded goal from Jalen Chatfield gave Carolina a 2-1 lead it would not relinquish before Andrei Svechnikov buried his first of the postseason on a one-timer on the power play to make it 3-1.
Now, an overmatched (and banged up) Flyers team with its backs against the wall will take its best shot at forcing the series back to Raleigh.
Rick Tocchet’s crew will still be without key defensive forward Noah Cates, but it remains to be seen whether speedy winger Owen Tippett will be ready to draw back into the lineup for the first time this series or not. He’s been participating in morning skates, but has not been ready to go.
The Hurricanes announced on Friday that they would not hold a morning skate in advance of Saturday’s game, but that head coach Rod Brind’Amour would be available to the media a few hours prior to puck drop.
In terms of the lineup, Philadelphia’s attempt to mix things up after Game 3 was well out of hand could force Brind’Amour’s hand to dress Nic Deslauriers to serve as a deterrent against his former teammates.
When the Hurricanes were in a similar spot against a chippy Ottawa team in Game 4 last round, Deslauriers drew in for a banged up Nikolaj Ehlers, and it certainly didn’t hurt to have the veteran enforcer’s presence in the lineup on that day.
Frederik Andersen will most certainly get the nod between the pipes again today. The Great Dane leads the NHL in the postseason with a .957 save percentage and 1.02 goals against average.
A win today would make for a guaranteed lengthy rest ahead of the Eastern Conference Final. The Montreal Canadiens’ win over the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night means that series will last at least until next Thursday, and it seems unlikely that one of those teams is going to rattle off three straight wins over the other now.
Here’s how to check out the action…
Time: 6:00 PM EST
Location: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
TV: TNT, TruTV with Alex Faust and Colby Armstrong on the call.
Radio: 99.9 FM the Fan will carry the broadcast from Hurricanes TV voice Mike Maniscalco and color commentator Tripp Tracy on the call.
Streaming: HBO Max app
Odds: Hurricanes -188/Flyers +155 Moneyline, Hurricanes -1.5 +134/Flyers +1.5 -164 Puckline, Total Goals O5.5 +118/U5.5 -144, all per FanDuel Sportsbook.
The 76ers center said, “I guess it’s good when New York wins” after pointing out the Knicks tallied twice as many free-throw attempts as Philadelphia in their 108-94 road win in Game 3 of the second-round series.
Friday’s physical contest featured the Knicks notching their most free throw attempts in the series with 32, while the 76ers attempted their fewest with 16.
Joel Embiid reacts to a call in the third quarter. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
“Maybe [some potential fouls] was let go or not. They shot 32 free throws, we had 16. We’re not a team that shoots a lot of 3s. We attack, put the ball on the ground. I don’t know,” Embiid said.
“I guess it’s good when New York wins, so we’ve just got to have that mentality of just not fouling, I guess, and being smart enough to not put ourselves in a position where they’re going to take advantage of it.”
The 76ers find themselves in a 3-0 hole, and Embiid’s frustrations are seemingly boiling over after Philadelphia missed a chance to make this a series Friday night.
Philadelphia attempted more free throws in the first two games — 62 to 42, including a 34-17 edge in Game 1 — but did not receive the same advantage in what could have been billed as a must-win.
The Knicks’ high free-throw attempt total was boosted by Mitchell Robinson’s eight shots from the line, with the 76ers employing the Hack-a-Mitch strategy, but even if one were to exclude those from the Knicks’ total, they still would have finished with 50 percent more tries than Philadelphia.
Jalen Brunson, who has attempted at least eight free throws in all three games and 25 total, had more than half of Philadelphia’s total with his nine attempts.
Joel Embiid and the 76ers are in trouble. APJoel Embiid voicing his displeasure early. Reddit
Emibiid, who had attempted at least seven free throws in each of his five postseason games entering Friday, only had six tries in his 18-point, six-rebound performance.
Both Embiid and Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns — who played just 26 minutes due to five fouls — showed frustration with the whistle during the game.
Early in the first quarter, both Embiid and Towns fell to the ground while fighting for a rebound and Embiid could not believe the referees did not call a foul on the Knicks’ big man.
He then fouled Towns on the other end and demonstratively yelled at the referees.
Embiid was also surprised after being called for a moving screen in the second quarter while Landry Shamet ran through him with the Knicks ahead by 11.
One particular play that enraged the 76ers — and particularly their fans — came late in the third quarter a critical juncture.
After Philadelphia sliced the deficit to 80-76 with less than 50 seconds remaining, the referees called Quentin Grimes for a questionable foul on Brunson, who embellished the contact.
Brunson hit two free throws to push the lead to six, the 76ers missed two 3s on the other end and Landry Shamet then drilled a 3 to give the Knicks an 85-76 lead going into the fourth quarter.
The cruel reality for the 76ers is that even if one subtracts the extra free throw makes (10) from the final score, Philly still would have fallen short Friday.
And now they are one loss away from being eliminated by the Knicks for the second time in three years.
“Tough loss tonight,” Embiid said. “Got to take it one game at a time.”
BRONX, NY - CIRCA 1970's: Pitcher Jim Catfish Hunter of the New York Yankees pitches during a circa late 1970's Major League Baseball game at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York. Hunter played for the Yankees from 1974-79. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The date is October 2, 1978. With the Yankees down two in the seventh and two runners on, a light-hitting shortstop steps to the plate at Fenway Park. After fouling a ball off his foot, he turns on one.
Deep to left! Yastrzemski will not get it, it’s a home run! A three-run home run for Bucky Dent and the Yankees now lead by a score of 3-2. Bucky Dent has just hit his fifth home run of the year into the screen.
In a franchise whose history is chock full of indelible moments, this one ranks near the top. Dent’s soaring shot above the Green Monster keyed a Yankee victory in a one-game playoff against their most hated rivals, erasing what had been a 14-game division deficit and setting them on the path towards their 22nd title. Of course, Dent never would have been in position to make history if not for contributions up and down the Yankees’ roster all season long.
Here in 2026, Yankees’ starting pitchers are neck-and-neck with the Dodgers’ for the best rotation ERA in baseball. To be sure, we’re still in the early going, but with Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole set to reinforce this already exemplary group in the near term, we appear to have the makings of a special rotation. The last time the Yankees led MLB in rotation ERA? Nearly 50 years ago on that ‘78 squad. It was a top-heavy group, led by an all-world Ron Guidry. But the Yankees could neither have led baseball in rotation ERA nor mounted their historic regular-season comeback without the high floor provided by all the members of their pitching staff.
Let’s dissect the anatomy of a league-best rotation, starting with its ace. Guidry’s ‘78 season is the stuff of legend. After earning a starting role the year prior, going 16-7 with a 2.82 ERA, he transformed into the best pitcher in the game at the age of 27. He led baseball in wins (25), ERA (1.74), and shutouts (9). In particular, that ERA ranks third in club history behind a mid-World War II Spud Chandler season and a 1910 Deadball Era Russ Ford campaign aided by the emery ball. Gator also struck out 248 which slotted third behind Nolan Ryan and J.R. Richard that year but remained a Yankees record until surpassed by Cole in 2022 — a much more high-strikeout era.*
*For one point of comparison, when K% is weighted to adjust for the circumstances of the league at the time, 1978 Gator scored a 198 K%+, whereas 2022 Cole had a 146. It’s no shade on Cole, just a testament to Guidry,
This is the year Louisiana Lightning set a Yankees record with 18 strikeouts in a game (“holy cow!”), began a Yankee Stadium tradition with the two-strike clap, captured the Cy Young, and finished runner-up to Boston’s Jim Rice in MVP voting.
Tomes have and will be written about Guidry’s historic campaign (here’s a great piece by Mark Feinsand if you want a deeper dive). And while, of course, the lanky lefty’s utter dominance is the primary reason Yankees starters led the game in ERA, I’m going to focus more on the less-heralded supporting cast who made sure one of the greatest pitching seasons in baseball history was not for naught.
1975 was Bobby Bonds’ first season in pinstripes after coming over in a surprising trade for fan favorite Bobby Murcer. Despite going 30/30, it would also be Bobby’s last. Before the ’76 season, the Yankees made a controversial deal, shipping the established star off to the Angels for two promising youngsters who would become pillars of their late-’70s run: center fielder Mickey Rivers (an excellent player in his own right) and starter Ed Figueroa. Figueroa was a steady contributor throughout his time in New York who posted his best season in ‘78. The right-hander from Puerto Rico won 20 games while pitching to a 2.99 ERA, finishing seventh in Cy Young voting. And, in a season that saw injuries to some key starters, Figueroa joined Guidry as the only Yankee to stick in the rotation all season.
In what will become a trend, the 29-year-old performed much better in the second half than the first. He went 13-3 with a 2.46 ERA after the All-Star break. This included a season-saving performance in game 161. With the Yankees clinging to a one-game lead over the red-hot Red Sox, Figueroa twirled a complete-game shutout against Cleveland to help the Yankees keep pace, winning his 20th game in the process.
The mid-season boost may have come at least in part due to a change at manager. “(Billy Martin) treated me like dirt, a second-class citizen,” Figueroa recounted about his contentious relationship with the divisive Yankees skipper. “He has told people I’m gutless and cannot pitch under pressure. He never said anything good about me.” Conversely, he felt that Martin’s replacement, the mellow Bob Lemon, “treats me like a man. He lets me pitch to the hitters my way. I have more confidence with him.”
Behind the two stars at the front of their rotation, the man with the most starts in ‘78 was Dick Tidrow. A swingman who started just nine games the prior three seasons combined, injuries forced the 31-year-old into the rotation for nearly the whole year (he ended up starting 25 games). Despite going 7-10 in those starts, he pitched to a solid 3.83 ERA, keeping the train on the tracks as New York worked through quite a bit of turmoil. While Tidrow would pitch for six more seasons, he’d start just one more game, making the ‘78 season an unexpected but pivotal last hurrah for him as a starter.
Next up was a rookie named Jim Beattie, who ended up starting 22 games. Drafted in the fourth round in 1975 out of Dartmouth, the 6-foot-5 right-hander quickly ascended through the minor-league system, earning a spot in the starting rotation to begin the ‘78 season. And, while he was the weakest cog in the Yankees’ rotation for much the year, he was a more than capable number-five starter, posting a 3.73 ERA and 98 ERA+. Beattie’s shining moment came during the famed “Boston Massacre,” a four-game sweep from September 7-10 in which the Yankees outscored the Red Sox 42-9 and pulled even in the standings. Beattie started the second game of the set and, with two outs in the eighth, was on track for his first complete game and his first shutout. That’s when an error by backup catcher Mike Heath, who’d come on to replace Thurman Munson in the rout, led to two unearned runs and chased Beattie before he could finish the job. Beattie would go on to greater success with the Mariners before moving to the front office, serving as a GM with both the Expos and Orioles as well as a longtime scout with the Blue Jays.
The most ill-fated member of the ‘78 Yankees’ rotation was Don Gullett. A former first-rounder who’d burst on the scene with Cincinnati in 1970 at the age of 19, Pete Rose once said the fireballer was “the only guy who can throw a baseball through a car wash and not get the ball wet.” By the fall of 1976, he was a two-time champion and a seasoned veteran, signing with the Yankees on one of the first notable free agent contracts and posting an impressive 14-4 record. But his shoulder was starting to give out. He’d make just eight starts in ‘78 before undergoing shoulder surgery that would end his career at the age of 27. Years later, he continued to rue the premature end of his once-promising career:
“I’ll always wonder what I might have done with seven or eight more years. It’s the goal of every player to get into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. I’m not saying I would have or could have made it. But we’ll never know.”
Still, in those eight starts, Gullett went 4-2 with a 3.63 ERA. In a regular season that ended in a tie, it’s certainly possible that his efforts to persevere for as long as he did through his shoulder problems made the difference in getting to game 163.
Seven others started games for the Yankees in ‘78. Six of them appeared in six or fewer games and factored minimally into the rotation’s ERA crown. The seventh ended up in the Hall of Fame.
By 1978, Catfish Hunter was no longer the ace who’d finished top-four in Cy Young voting four years in a row. Diagnosed with diabetes that spring, he was also plagued by arm problems and developed a groin surgery along the way. His nadir came on July 27th, when he allowed six runs without getting an out against Cleveland. “I was doubtful at mid-season if I’d ever pitch again,” he conceded later in the year.
Amidst this crisis of confidence, the Yankees’ team physician performed some manipulations to break up adhesions that had formed in the eight-time All-Star’s shoulder. He was a man reborn. Catfish allowed no runs in 17 innings across his first two starts in August and, in 11 August and September starts, went 9-1 with a 1.71 ERA. “When he had to have it, he had great stuff,” said Lemon, a Hall of Fame pitcher himself, admiringly of Hunter’s resurgence. “He was in command and was getting the pitches where he wanted them. That was a pitcher out there.”
With the chance to clinch the AL East in game 162, Lemon handed the ball to Hunter. He reverted to his earlier form, allowing five runs in 1.2 innings en route to a trouncing that set up the one-game playoff. In that game, while not as unhittable as he’d been for most of the season, Guidry kept his team in the game with 6.1 innings of two-run ball.
After Dent keyed the victory that day, the rotation was up-and down in the playoffs. Figueroa allowed eight runs without making it out of the second in either of his first two starts, doing little to refute Martin’s cruel barb that the pitcher could not perform under pressure. Tidrow was bounced to the bullpen, allowing one run in 4.2 World Series innings. Beattie acquitted himself nicely in two starts, including a pivotal two-run outing in Game 5 of the World Series that staked New York to a 3-2 series lead and netted him his first career complete game.
Guidry was in typical form, allowing just one run in each of his two outings. And Hunter gutted out three starts, culminating in nailing down the World Series clincher in his 22nd and final playoff appearance.
While you can never anticipate the kind of season that Guidry put up in ‘78, the Yankees have the type of front-of-the-rotation talent in Cole, Rodón, Max Fried, and Cam Schlittler to go toe-to-toe with any rotation in the league. As we’ve already seen, though, as injuries take their inevitable toll, a rotation’s success also hinges on its depth. The likes of Will Warren and Ryan Weathers have significantly raised the floor that can be expected from Yankees’ starters. It’s a potent formula for regular-season dominance that mirrors one of the greatest staffs in franchise history.
PHOENIX — On a team littered with superstars, fat bank accounts and glossy resumes, there is first baseman Mark Vientos.
The New York Mets, with a payroll of $352 million, are led by Juan Soto’s MLB-high $61.9 million salary this year.
They have seven All-Stars.
And, here they are, heavily relying on their 20th-highest-paid player, earning only $33,750 more than the MLB minimum, to help lead them through these troubled times.
Vientos, the cleanup hitter out of necessity, almost singlehandedly won the game for the Mets on Friday night, a 3-1, 10-inning victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
It was Vientos’ leadoff homer in the second inning homer that not only produced the Mets’ lone run through the first nine innings – but half of their two hits.
And it was Vientos who hit the go-ahead, run-scoring double in the 10th inning for the game-winner, giving the Mets their fifth victory in seven games on this three-city, West Coast road trip.
“The cleanup spot, I love it," Vientos said. “It feels pretty good. I feel like I’ve been doing it for a while now.’’
The Mets, of course, still are in a world of hurt, thanks to a brutal 3-17 stretch that has them with a 15-23 record.
But, perhaps, they still have a pulse.
If they’re miraculously going to get back in the race, they badly need the 2024 version of Vientos, who hit 27 homers with 71 RBIs and an .837 OPS. He struggled last season, hitting .233 with 17 homers and 61 RBIs with a .702 OPS, and looked even worse this spring and in the WBC, playing for Nicaragua.
He came out of the gate hot hitting .476 in the first seven games of the season but when the Mets went into a tailspin after the 11th game of the season, Vientos went down too, hitting just .160.
Now, after hitting two, two-run homers on their trip against the Angels, and hitting the ball hard but little luck in Colorado, Vientos came to the rescue in the desert.
While the Mets’ top of the order with Soto, Bo Bichette and Brett Baty went 0-for-12 without drawing a walk, and the entire lineup producing just two hits and one walk in nine innings, Vientos stood tall.
And, suddenly, that confidence is surging.
“I feel good right now for sure." Vientos said. "I’ve just got to be stacking the days, and continue to be consistent."
Said Mendoza: “This is a guy that when he gets going, he gets locked in mentally, and it helps him big time. He’s a very good hitter, and it’s just good to see him continue to have good results."
The biggest difference, Mendoza says, is that when Vientos gets balls in the strike zone, he’s not missing them. He has struck out just five times in the last seven games, and drove the ball to the outfield in each of his four at-bats Friday.
“He’s not missing good pitches to hit," Mendoza siad. “When he’s getting pitches in the zone, he’s doing damage, and that’s what he does best. He’s driving the ball the other way, but staying in the gaps, staying short at times, and just controlling the strike zone.
“He’s pretty dangerous, and we’ve seen the power over the years."
Certainly, the Mets are going to need him and all their mega-stars to perform if they’re going to be relevant later in the season. Soto, their $765 million man who missed two weeks with a calf strain, has just four homers and 10 RBIs. He’s hitting .148 in the first seven games of this road trip with only two RBIs.
Bichette, who signed a three-year, $126 million contract, has just two homers and 16 RBIs. He doesn’t have an extra-base hit on this trip.
Francisco Lindor, the $341 million shortstop, was hitting just .226 with two homers and five RBIs when he injured his calf. He’s expected to be out at least another month.
Jorge Polanco, who signed a two-year, $40 million contract to replace Pete Alonso at first base, isn’t close to starting a rehab assignment with his right wrist contusion. He was hitting just .179 in 14 games until his injury.
And you wonder why the Mets have scored the second-fewest runs in baseball.
They’ll also need more pitching performances like the one Nolan McLean delivereed giving up just three hits and one run in six innings, with four different relievers pitching four shutout innings, yielding just two hits.
“Hopefully," Mendoza said, “we can get things going here."
Considering their dreadful start, they’ve got no choice.
World No 2 is not against return: ‘Just good business’
Circuit’s future is uncertain after Saudi withdrawal
DeChambeau has denied claims of PGA Tour talks
Rory McIlroy is no longer opposed to LIV Golf players returning to the PGA Tour, but he said Friday that “it’s a question of if they do want to come back”.
McIlroy said the answer will probably depend on what happens with LIV’s financial situation in the coming months.
VOORHEES, N.J. — The Flyers felt like they played a lot of must-win games down the stretch of the regular season.
Now they face the truest must-win scenario — an elimination game in the playoffs.
On Saturday night, the Flyers host the Hurricanes in Game 4 of this best-of-seven second-round series. Rick Tocchet’s club could not solve the Eastern Conference’s top seed through the first three games.
In fact, Carolina has yet to lose in these playoffs, going 7-0 and surrendering just eight goals.
The Flyers will try to change that.
Coverage begins at 5:30 p.m. ET with Flyers Pregame Live on NBC Sports Philadelphia+. Puck drop is scheduled for around 6 p.m. ET on TNT. Flyers Postgame Live will follow immediately after the game on NBCSP+.
Here are some updates and visuals from Saturday and the last few days.
"I know how you guys all felt during that Pitt series because we were feeling it, too. It's stressful. Get one win, you go there, you pull one out and then the pressure's on them. We felt it."
– Travis Konecny on Flyers trying to come back from 3-0 series deficit vs. Hurricanes pic.twitter.com/sen4fHGATT
Trevor Zegras said what he appreciates about Rick Tocchet is that he’ll get in your face, but then he gets you back out there on the ice and gives you a chance to make up for stuff. pic.twitter.com/gDr2KzkCxm
DALLAS, TX - MARCH 30: Head Coach Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks looks on during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 30, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, 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 (Photo by Cooper Neill/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks hired Masai Ujiri last Monday to lead the team as President and Alternate Governor. Naturally, questions abound as to what the organization will look like under the new regime. The Draft Lottery is mere days away and garnering much of the Mavericks-related attention. Where will they land? What type of player will Ujiri target? That all remains to be determined, but along with that comes questions about the leadership structure already in place, particularly in respect of head coach Jason Kidd. Since Monday’s hire, a few interesting tidbits have surfaced which are rife with speculation.
Kidd wanted the President role in Dallas
Tim MacMahon appeared on The Hoop Collective Wednesday with some interesting tidbits of information. MacMahon proclaimed unequivocally that Kidd lobbied for the role of President. There was suspicion of this for some time, but it is now all but confirmed.
Mavericks HC Jason Kidd tried to become team president, according to @BannedMacMahon but has known for months he wasn’t getting the job.
Kidd wasn’t involved in the search for Masai Ujiri & was informed of the move when the deal was done #MFFL
There are at least two layers to this particular onion. First, Kidd is apparently open to migrating away from the head coaching spot he’s held since 2021. Second, Kidd just watched someone else get hired into the role he wanted for himself. While the first isn’t necessarily an indication of imminent change, and the second isn’t a guarantee of resentment, the combination at least makes it plausible to believe Kidd could, of his own volition, be desirous of a change in scenery.
Patrick Dumont did not consult Kidd on his hiring decision
Marc Stein indicated that Mavs’ owner Patrick Dumont had a select few in his brain trust when it came to hiring Ujiri – namely, Mavs’ CEO Rick Welts, and President of Business Operations Ethan Casson. That’s it. Meanwhile, Stein also reported that Dumont wanted to hire an executive that was willing to keep Kidd in place. This is where things get interesting. It isn’t necessarily common practice to consult a coach on the hiring of whomever will eventually be their boss, but Kidd is now the only remaining person in the organization with some of the residue of the Luka Doncic trade on him. Gone are Nico Harrison and Anthony Davis, arguably the two biggest reminders of the trade. However, Kidd has also been implicated (by former majority owner Mark Cuban, no less), so it births some curiosity as to whether Dumont – and his new-found commitment to making things right – is more ambivalent than he once was when it comes to retaining Kidd, especially when viewed against the backdrop of saying “no thanks” to Kidd’s efforts to land the President role himself.
Looking at it “from head to toe”
During his introductory press conference, Ujiri was asked point blank about the ongoing status of Kidd. As he had done throughout the presser, Ujiri responded with aplomb, stating:
“I’m going to meet with Jason Kidd and hear his thoughts on everything. He’s done a great job. We’re going to look at this thing from head to toe and evaluate in every way that we can.”
In a way, this ties together all that we are seeing and hearing on the matter. Ujiri provided a politically correct yet sincere response, but stopped well short of committing to Kidd remaining head coach. In no uncertain terms, he made it clear that every aspect of the organization will be looked at, with the implication it will be done with a scalpel rather than a hacksaw. Nothing is guaranteed beyond a full and precise assessment of everything. This of course leaves every door open. Kidd may ask out. Ujiri may relieve him of his duties. The entire coaching staff may remain intact going into next season.
We close with an attempt to pull away from the speculative and focus on what we know. Kidd wanted the President role. Kidd was informed he would not be given said role. Ujiri holds the reigns. Change on all levels of the organization is a possibility under the new leadership. Going against Kidd is his 49.6% winning percentage as a head coach and quasi-involvement in the Doncic trade. Going for him is his incumbent status and apparent support of Dumont. Well-regarded as a player’s coach, Kidd still makes plenty of sense to guide the Mavericks into the future, but time will tell if that will be the case.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 14, 2026: Emil Morales #96 of the Los Angeles Dodgers warms up during a minor league spring training game against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch on March 14, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Ian Cundall at Baseball America recently watched Dodgers prospect Emil Morales with Ontario as well as San Francisco Giants prospect Jhonny Level, then compared and contrasted the two 19-year-old California League shortstops ranked in the top 100.
“Morales has the makings of a power-over-hit player and is likely a corner infielder. There’s considerable variance in his profile but also a very high ceiling if he can make enough contact to tap into his raw power,” Cundall wrote. “That’s why he’s ranked slightly higher at this point. He’s the type of player you can envision developing into a bat-first impact regular if everything breaks right.”
Old friend Josh Suchon, a longtime host of Dodger Talk who is in his 14th season calling games for the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes, dug into the history of minor league rehab assignments, and found that St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Silvio Martínez was very first player to appear in a minor league game on a rehab assignment, 46 years ago.
On May 23, 1980 … a new four-year agreement was reached between the MLB Players Association and the 26 clubs.
The two sides agreed to set aside the issue of free agent compensation for further study and negotiation. Ultimately, the two sides could not reach an agreement, which led to the two-month strike in 1981. Buried in the new agreement was a provision known as the “medical rehabilitation program.”
The city of Torrance is trying out a new shuttle service two and from Dodger Stadium, beginning this weekend, with trips costing $2 each way: “The pilot service will operate on Sunday, May 10; Sunday, May 31; Sunday, June 7; and Sunday July 5, 2026, offering direct service to and from the stadium.”
Welcome to Inside the Suns, your weekly deep-down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team. Each week, the Fantable — a round table of Bright Siders — gives their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.
Fantable Questions of the Week
Q1: How important do you think it is for the Suns to re-sign Mark Williams this summer?
GuarGuar: For the right price, I absolutely would bring Mark back next season. It was very apparent after the All-Star break that we were a different team, and his absence during that time is no coincidence. His size and presence are things Oso doesn’t have, and we sorely missed them during our OKC series. The health of Mark is a big concern for sure, so I wouldn’t commit too much to him, but I saw enough last year that I do want him back.
Diamondhacks: On the court, not even Dillon Brooks or Collin Gillespie was as integral to our early success as Mark Williams. But if you think he’s our center of the future, I have a bone to pick. The third metatarsal. It’s come to my attention (a year or so after Rob Pelinka’s) that this is a very important basketball bone, and further, that Mark Williams performing at the lofty standards he set is cumulatively bad to the bone.
Absent more hopeful orthopedic expertise, I guess Ishbia could foot the bill for a quality center, good for a thousand minutes or so, but more or less on the foot’s schedule.
Ashton: I can take it or leave it, but as it stands now, I think the Suns must do it. Giannis is not walking through that door anytime soon.
I was impressed with Oso’s development, but he needs another season, and I still question if he is a long-term piece. I really have no idea what affordable centers may be on the FA market to replace him.
And the draft to save the day? Centers are returning to school for big NIL paydays. Well beyond the money that the Suns could offer with their second-round pick.
Rod: At this point in time, I don’t think either Khaman Maluach or Oso Ighodaro should be starting at center for the Suns, so bringing back Williams is pretty important. That being said, it’s even more important to bring him back on a team-friendly deal because I believe Maluach could be ready to start in 2027-28 or perhaps even before next season ends.
I don’t want to let him walk this summer, but I also don’t see him as the Suns’ long-term answer at center, so if the price of bringing him back is too high, I would let him go rather than committing too much money to a contract longer than a year. Personally, I’d be fine with him returning to play on the 1-year qualifying offer of $9.6 millon.
Q2: There’s been talk of offering Dillon Brooks a 4-year contract extension worth up to $125 million this summer. What are your thoughts on this?
GuarGuar: I am okay with giving Dillon that type of contract. He isn’t a max player or close to one. I want to be clear about that. He’s a great culture setter and plays very hard and with so much energy, which I love. He can be a black hole offensively, though, and can really take us out of a rhythm at times. On the flip side, sometimes he’s the only one aggressive enough to keep our offense afloat, so you take the good with the bad with him.
I’d love to keep him here in Phoenix; he seems to get along really well with this group.
Diamondhacks: My thought is to do whatever the opposite of an extension is. Truncation? Swap Dillon for someone who does things the Suns actually and desperately need. Like pass and rebound the ball. Honestly, I’m not sure what Brooks does out there sometimes, other than miss a lot of shots and stare at people. He really is an exceptional starter. You have to go back a long way to find someone who stares like that. Kurt Thomas, maybe?
Brooks likely had a significant intangible influence early (i.e., in Flagstaff and beyond) on a younger, impressionable roster, and our FO appears to be “all in” on the idea that this will continue. My poker observation is that his performative intensity generated valuable returns but, eventually, trickled in, less of a river than the flop. Teammates modeled and internalized some of his toughness, which is great. Now seems like a good time for those cheaper and more active proteges (or possibly an outside ‘leader’ type) to run with the competitive culture Brooks instilled. Without some of his ‘thirtysomething’ basketball and adolescent excess.
Ashton: H-E-Double-Picks no. Four years?
Look, I realize that some fans want the Dillon Brooks Fanclub pinned to the sidebar conversations, and for good reason. He is a motivational speaker, and that is putting it politely.
I looked it up. Does everyone here know that Brooks led the charge in technical fouls last season? Sure, you did. But did you know Booker was third? These mouthy “shooting guards” are complaining about not getting the calls and what to you expect? Love Thy Ref and get the calls.
Personal fouls? Brooks is doing well in that area as well, ranking number four (Booker is 21st). I pulled my stats using team rankings if you want to double-check.
All of this to say that you want to extend a player who couldn’t even get through his first season without legal trouble. What is the encore? Buckeye prison system basketball team? You do not reward bad behavior in any system.
If an argument were to be made for Brooks, then consider him as future trade bait? I almost wish the Suns could do an incentive-based contract that stipulates staying out of the top 20 in both foul areas and making a million or two. That and it would save him fines,
But I am a solid pass.
Rod: I really like having Brooks on the team, but $125 millon over 4 years seems a bit too high to me. As important as he is to the team, I don’t want to insult him with a low-ball offer either. Hopefully they can come to an agreement closer to $100 million over 4 years instead or, my personal favorite, agree to put off talking about an extension until the 2026-27 offseason begins. By then, we should have a much better idea of whether the team is indeed headed in the right direction with the current core and really worth making big investments to keep it together.
Q3: Both Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin will be unrestricted free agents this summer. If the Suns could only afford to bring one of them back, which would you choose?
GuarGuar: This is a very tough question, but if we could only afford to bring back one, I would bring back Collin. He’s a true playmaking PG, and when he’s hot, he can literally take over games offensively, which Goody can’t do. Gillespie isn’t a starter for a championship team, but he is a very serviceable rotation guard on one. Would hate to lose either of those guys though!
Diamondhacks: No two Suns executed Ott’s up-tempo Chaos Culture better – or frankly, as well — as Gillespie and Goodwin. These G-stringers won’t win you a sexy championship, but they personify a timeless ethic about how basketball should be played. Relentless, physically courageous, unselfish, opportunistic – and self-controlled. And since we’re not winning a title anyway, I suspect that ethic and execution may have more currency to some fans — and perhaps even to Mat Ishbia — than the Illusory Trophy itself.
I would, with appropriate compensation, sooner move on from more established players like Green, Brooks, or one of Allen/O’Neale, than part with either Jordan Goodwin or Collin Gillespie. Sorry. I’m keeping them both.
Ashton: Some chatter about how some teams could really use Collin Gillespie, and I wonder if he is being over-valued. Loved Goodie, but in the same vein of trade conversations later down the line, it has to be Collin Gillespie. He is generating the most NBA interest.
Also, if you study mock drafts for 2026, you are going to scroll past a lot PGs and PFs in the first round. A playmaker position is valued this year.
Rod: In all the years I’ve been doing Inside the Suns, this is the first question that I’ve ever put forth to the Fantable that I didn’t already have some idea of how I would answer it. Goodie vs Gillespie is a tough one because I love having both of these guys on the team.
Of the two, Collin is the better point guard while Goodie is the better all-around player. They’re both very important to this team and losing either one would be a shame, but I’m going to have to give Collin the nod as being the more important of the two to keep…by a very narrow margin.
As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!
Quotes of the Week
“With the continuity of our players, with the continuity of our staff, with a huge focus and emphasis on development, we’re going to take big jumps this summer and you’re going to see it next year.” – Brian Gregory
“There’s never a point where we’re not always looking and having communication on are there players out there that fit what we’re all about .” – Brian Gregory
“I like this team, I like where we’re going, I like the direction of the organization, I like the culture that we built, I like the identity that we have and we’re not going to do anything silly to mess that up.” – Mat Ishbia
Suns Trivia/History
On May 9, 2010, the Suns defeated the San Antonio Spurs 107-101 in San Antonio to sweep the Spurs 4-0 in the Western Conference Semifinals. It was only the 2nd time in franchise history that the Suns had swept a team in a 7-game playoff series. The First occurred 5 years earlier when the Suns swept the Memphis Grizzlies 4-0 in a first round series.
On May 11, 1992, the Suns lost 153-151 to the Portland Trail Blazers in a double overtime Western Conference Semifinals game. Phoenix’s 151 points are the most ever scored by a Suns team in a single playoff game and the most points scored by the Suns in a loss.
On May 14, 2007, after defeating the San Antonio Spurs 104-98 to tie their Western Conference Semifinals series 2-2, Amar’e Stoudemire and Boris Diaw were suspended for one game by the NBA for stepping off the bench and onto the court after Robert Horry’s hit on Nash in the final minute of the game even though Stoudemire and Diaw never got close to the altercation on the court. Horry also received a two-game suspension from the league for his flagrant foul on Nash and for striking Raja Bell above the shoulders in the subsequent fracas.
On May 15, 1994, Kevin Johnson posterized Houston’s Hakeem Olajuwon.
May 10-17 – NBA Draft Combine (ESPN2/ESPNU/NBA App/YouTube TV) Mid-June (date TBD) – Teams can begin negotiating with their own free agents (following the Finals) June 23 – NBA Draft First Round, 8 ET (ABC/ESPN) June 24 – NBA Draft Second Round, 8 ET (ESPN) June 30 – Free agency begins July 6 – Moratorium ends, official free agent contract signings can begin July 9-19 – NBA 2K Summer League 2026 in Las Vegas
BROOKLYN, NY - APRIL 5: Nolan Traore #88 and Head Coach Jordi Fernandez of the Brooklyn Nets talk during the game on April 5, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The 2026 NBA Draft lottery feels like one of the most important in the recent history of the sport, and not necessarily because there’s a no-brainer future MVP candidate available at the top of the order. This draft is special because the top-four prospects all have the potential to be a franchise player down the line. Cameron Boozer is the No. 1 player in the class in our eyes, but A.J. Dybantsa feels like the favorite to be drafted with the first-pick, while Darryn Peterson will have plenty of fans as well. North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson has the potential to be as good as any of them.
The available talent is just one reason why this lottery is so important. The NBA is rushing through anti-tanking reform for next year’s draft that flattens the odds to such a degree that it will essentially randomize the draft order. The floor has also been taken out of the new rules, so while the worst team in the league can only fall to the No. 5 pick this year, next season they could fall as far as No. 12 overall.
No. Just no. If the Thunder cash in on their seven percent chance to move into the top-4, the rest of the league is in deep, deep trouble.
13. Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets already look like the Team of the Future in the East to me after posting the league’s best net-rating after Jan. 1. The Hornets are going to be good either way next year, and they’ll have a chance to add two solid long-term pieces to the draft in this draft with multiple picks in the teens.
12. Indiana Pacers
The stakes are higher for the Pacers than any other team. If their pick drops out of the top-4, it goes to the Los Angeles Clippers as part of the Ivica Zubac trade. It’s hard to see the Pacers as “desperate” for lottery luck though because they were just in the NBA Finals last time they had a healthy Tyrese Haliburton. Let’s hope the star point guard recovers quickly from his shingles, but he should be ready to go coming off the Achilles tear.
11. Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks took two games off the Knicks in the first-round this year, and they already have a nice young core in place led by Jalen Johnson. Atlanta is still searching for a true No. 1 option in this draft, but they have a bright future even if their pick remains in its expected range around No. 8.
10. Miami Heat
The Heat feel like they’re stuck in no-man’s land. The current team is just good enough to make the play-in tournament but not the playoffs, and they’ll never be bad enough to have decent odds for a top pick. Next year’s lottery changes really helps a team like Miami who is always in the middle. Lottery reform is basically a bailout package for the Heat, so they don’t need luck as badly this year as some other teams.
9. Dallas Mavericks
The Mavs needed a miracle to land Cooper Flagg last year, and now they really need to make this year’s pick count to find him a co-star. Dallas doesn’t control its pick from 2027-2030, so this chance is precious. Flagg is going to be an A1 star starting next season, so they already have a bright future just with him plus a top-10 pick this year even if they don’t move into the top-4.
8. Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies appear ready to trade Ja Morant after already trading Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. Memphis has a decent young core in place with Zach Edey and Cedric Coward, and I fully trust this franchise to keep uncovering hidden gems in the draft. They would love lottery luck, but they don’t need it.
7. Utah Jazz
The Jazz should be pretty good next season even if their pick falls out of the top-4. Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Keyonte George are a solid core, and Ace Bailey could also take a leap in his second season. Landing Dybantsa or Peterson would be the perfect final piece, and give Utah a real chance to be contenders in the future.
6. Golden State Warriors
The Warriors are staring down the reality that they’re just not going to be good enough to contend in Steph Curry’s golden years. Moving into the top-4 wouldn’t necessarily get the Warriors back on top, but it would at least give them a plausible exit strategy after Curry retires. I could see a big fall from Golden State coming soon if they don’t get lottery luck and/or nail this pick.
5. Chicago Bulls
The Bulls’ roster feels bottom-3 in the league for next year before the offseason gets started. Chicago does have a lot of cap space and two top-15 picks in this draft, and best of all Arturas Karnisovas isn’t calling the shots anymore. New EVP Bryson Graham seems prepared to take a long-term view of the franchise’s recent struggles, but the best way to turn things around is a little lottery luck. Chicago hasn’t picked in the top-3 since it moved up to No. 1 for Derrick Rose despite being one of the league’s worst teams over the last decade.
4. Washington Wizards
The Wizards traded for Anthony Davis and Trae Young to accelerate their rebuild, but AD doesn’t seem thrilled to be there. Washington has a decent young core led by Alex Sarr after a few years of tanking, but they still don’t have a young franchise player. If the Wizards fall in the draft lottery again and can’t get Davis to buy-in, they could be in danger of falling off the deep end when the new lottery odds begin.
3. Milwaukee Bucks
The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade saga continues to hold the Bucks hostage. It feels like we’re finally going to get some finality to the situation this summer as Milwaukee has the ability to offer their superstar a max extension. If Giannis turns it down, Bucks ownership has already said it will trade him. Getting lottery luck would change everything for the future of this franchise — whether that involved Giannis or not. The Bucks can pick as high as No. 2 — but only if the Hawks land No. 1.
2. Brooklyn Nets
The Nets had five first-round picks in last year’s draft, but none of them are likely to turn into the franchise player this organization desperately needs. Brooklyn has a bottom tier roster right now and really needs a young star to build around. The Nets also owe a pick swap to Houston next year, so this is their last chance to add a premium young talent until 2028.
1. Sacramento Kings
The Kings didn’t want to tank — they just built a terrible team on accident. Sacramento’s core is old and expensive, and somehow none of the main pieces are on expiring contracts. How are the Kings ever going to compete in the West if they don’t get lottery luck this year? The new odds are going to hurt them, and the roster probably has less young talent on it than any team in the league currently. I’d love to see more top picks land in the East to address conference imbalance, but the Kings are the most desperate team in the league for a little bit of luck.
They’ve had a non-Shai Gilgeous-Alexander problem.
Which is much worse, and one of the biggest reasons they’re trailing the Thunder, 0-2, in their best-of-seven second-round playoff series, which shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Saturday and Game 4 on Monday after the Lakers’ Game 2 loss Thursday.
Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren (7) has been pivotal in leading the Thunder to a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinals against the Lakers. AP
The Lakers are looking to avoid falling behind 0-3 — a deficit no team has overcome in a playoff series.
And if they don’t figure out how to win the minutes when Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP who’ll likely repeat, isn’t on the floor, they’re facing quick elimination at the hands of the defending NBA champions.
“I talked about it a little bit [on Wednesday], them being plus-nine in the non-SGA minutes [in Game 1],” coach JJ Redick said. “And then in the second half, we just got blitzed, 32-14, seven turnovers. They shot 14 free throws during that stretch. So we got to look at lineups, look at everything, try to figure out how we can be better in those minutes.”
The Thunder outscored the Lakers by nine points in the 13 minutes Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t play during Game 1.
They were even better without their best player in Game 2’s 125-107 victory, outscoring the Lakers by 13 points in the 20 minutes Gilgeous-Alexander was on the bench, giving the Thunder a combined 22-point advantage across 33 minutes in the first two games of the series when Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t on the floor.
The Lakers’ Austin Reaves (15) scored 31 points in Game 2, but LA still is looking for its first win in the series. AP
The Thunder have been a plus-14 in the 63 minutes he has played in the series.
“We got to keep up the intensity even when he’s out,” Rui Hachimura said. “When he got off the court, we kind of relaxed a little bit. We still have to keep our intensity up. All these guys, they can make plays. We can’t have those little mistakes.”
Those “little mistakes” Hachimura referred to were on full display during the third quarter the Lakers lost 36-22, including 32-14 in the final 10 ½ minutes of the quarter after Gilgeous-Alexander subbed out early after picking up his fourth personal foul.
Poor defensive rebounding also hurt LA; the Thunder had four offensive rebounds for nine second-chance points off those extra opportunities when Gilgeous-Alexander was on the bench during the third.
The Thunder scored 17 second-chance points off nine offensive rebounds in Game 2. OKC took advantage of the Lakers’ switching defense, having its big men create extra opportunities by grabbing offensive boards over the Lakers’ smaller players.
“We did a good job with our first defense,” LeBron James said. “But we got to clean the glass. We got to do a better job. We let Chet [Holmgren] get some offensive rebounds, get to the free-throw line or get some putbacks. Against a team like that, you can’t give up second-chance points. We got to do a better job of hitting and not allowing them to get second-chance points.”
OKC’s Jared McCain scored 18 points in Game 2 against the Lakers. Getty Images
Another issue was not staying attached to Jared McCain, who followed a 15-point performance on four 3-pointers in Game 1 with an 18-point showing on 4-for-5 shooting on 3s in Game 2.
Too many fouls. Too many turnovers.
Too many lapses that the Thunder took advantage of with ease.
Holmgren (22 points, nine rebounds, four steals, three assists and two blocked shots), Ajay Mitchell (20 points and six assists) and McCain combined for 60 points, including outscoring the Lakers 23-22 in the third.
“We need to up our physicality,” Luke Kennard said. “Obviously, we’ve been putting two guys on Shai a lot. And kind of let some of those guys get open looks. But when Shai’s off the floor, we really got to sit down and guard, and try to take some of those guys out. Our physicality has to go up another level, and we know that. And it’s something we’ll definitely talk about and, hopefully, figure out.”
And if the Lakers don’t figure it out, they won’t have any shot against the Thunder.
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May 1, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies infielder Edouard Julien (6) throws to first base for a double play ahead of the slide by Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin (30) during the first inning at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
At Coors Field, innings can become dangerous in a hurry.
A walk. A hit. A bloop. Suddenly, the inning is fraught with peril.
That is why a clean double play can feel like an escape hatch: one ground ball, two outs, crisis averted.
I love double plays.
Double plays have their own little language. 6-4-3. 4-6-3. 5-4-3. To the uninitiated, they just look like more numbers. To the converted, they are something closer to cheat codes. Every number is a position. Every dash is a throw.
The first number tells you where the trouble began. The last tells you where it ended.
The classic 6-4-3 is not the same as a 4-6-3. The 3-6-1 asks the pitcher to finish the job. The 1-2-3 is panic turned into process. The 7-6-3 is basically a practical joke.
The double play is not one play, really. It is a family of escape routes. And for years, the Rockies used them more than almost anyone.
A Rockies habit starts to wobble
So where did the double plays go?
The Rockies still have the main ingredient: ground balls. As of May 9th, they ranked 12th in MLB in ground-ball rate at 42.3%.
But grounders need the right setup. A ground ball with nobody on is just an out.
The easy explanation is actually good news: the Rockies are walking fewer hitters. Fewer walks can mean fewer double-play chances — a trade I would make every day.
That explains part of the drop. But not all of it.
The pivot stat
To be clear, the total double-play number includes more than the common infield turns. A strike-’em-out, throw-’em-out counts. So does a weird outfield double play.
rGDP is narrower. It is the pivot stat, aimed at shortstops and second basemen. It does not just count double plays; it asks whether a middle infielder completed the turn more or less often than an average fielder would, given the runner, batter, and batted ball.
For years, Colorado was good at this. Earlier this season, the Rockies dipped to -2 rGDP, which stood out against their recent history. They have since climbed back to league average, so the usual small-sample warnings apply. Still, that early dip suggested the issue was not only fewer opportunities. For a stretch, there was some efficiency wobble in the turn itself.
The counting stats help frame the question, too. FanGraphs splits double-play involvement into starts, turns, and finishes, and those buckets show how different the second-base profiles can be. Edouard Julien has started 10 double plays at second, but has been credited with only one turn. Willi Castro, in fewer innings at second, has been credited with four turns.
This is not a playing-time argument. Castro has been good at second, and he will still get reps there, but his value comes from moving around the infield. Julien is the bigger second-base question because the Rockies are giving him regular time there.
The second-base question
Julien’s bat explains his opportunity in the field. Through 113 plate appearances, he has a .363 OBP and a .741 OPS, and the underlying profile backs it up: strong expected production, hard contact, good swing decisions.
The glove is the question.
His defensive numbers at second have been uneven, including -2 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) in a small sample, and a few recent plays show why. Communication, the challenge of truly learning the position, and trouble on the turn have all worked against Julien — and against the double play.
One recent example against Atlanta stuck with me because the Rockies still got two outs. Julien fielded a grounder near second, started to take the bag himself, then hesitated as Ezequiel Tovar arrived expecting a feed. The throw to first was close enough for Atlanta to challenge, but the call stood. In the box score, it is just a 4-3 double play. The miscommunication does not show up.
These Mets clips show the other side of that coin: plays where not getting two outs becomes the story.
The first Mets clip shows the position-learning side of it. Julien fields the ball near second with Tovar moving to the bag, but instead of flipping to start the double play, he elects to chase the runner.
Maybe that was the read he trusted. Maybe the timing made the choice harder than it looked. Either way, it shows how much decision-making lives inside a play that seems simple.
The second Mets clip shows the turn itself. Tovar starts the play, but Julien loses his footwork on the pivot and spikes the throw well in front of T.J. Rumfield at first.
That is the margin: An unclear exchange, a forced rundown, a throw in the dirt, and the double play can break.
The turn can still come
While Julien is clearly still learning on the job in Colorado, that does not mean he is new to the position. Some of this is also physical — arm strength won’t drastically improve with more reps.
But the communication, timing, footwork on the pivot, and flow with Tovar can.
That is the part worth watching as the season moves along.
The Rockies still have ground balls. They still have Tovar. And Julien is getting real time at second. If the reps continue, if the rhythm sharpens, the double plays may return.
I hope they do. At Coors, this team could use more escape hatches. More clean turns. More innings that end before they become something worse.
Just don’t bring the walks back.
So, is this just an early-season wobble, or has one of the Rockies’ strangest little strengths actually changed?
Albuquerque improved to 22-15 with a 2-1 win over Sugar Land, which fell to 17-20. Keegan Thompson gave the Isotopes a strong but short start, throwing 3 2/3 scoreless innings with three hits allowed and one strikeout. Cole Carrigg (No. 4 PuRP) used his speed to score the first run in the sixth, coming home from third on a soft groundout by Sterlin Thompson (No. 13 PuRP). Vimael Machín added what would prove to be the deciding run with his third home run of the season in the top of the ninth. The Isotopes managed only six hits, but the pitching staff held Sugar Land to 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Overall, Thompson went 1-for-3 with an RBI, a walk, and his seventh stolen base, pushing his OPS to .984, and Carrigg finished 1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored and is now hitting .366 with a .948 OPS.
Roc Riggio (No. 14 PuRP) got the offense started late and turned a quiet night into a Hartford win. The Yard Goats beat Binghamton 4-2, moving to 14-16 while the Rumble Ponies dropped to 11-20. Riggio supplied most of the offense himself, hitting a solo homer in the seventh before adding a two-run shot in the eighth to put Hartford ahead for good. He finished 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI, raising his OPS to .823. Jose Torres added the final run with his fourth homer of the season in the ninth and also finished 2-for-4. Jake Brooks was solid in a no-decision, allowing two runs on three hits over 6 1/3 innings with four strikeouts.
Spokane rode its pitching to a clean 3-0 win over Tri-City, moving to 12-19 while the Dust Devils fell to 17-14. Brody Brecht (No. 3 PuRP) set the tone with four scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out six. Stu Flesland III did plenty of the heavy lifting from there, adding four scoreless innings with three hits allowed, one walk, and four strikeouts before Jack Mann finished the shutout. Alan Espinal supplied the big swing, hitting a three-run homer in the sixth to break a scoreless tie. Ethan Hedges (No. 29 PuRP) and Robert Calaz (No. 6 PuRP) each added two hits as Spokane finished with eight hits and no errors.
Fresno fought back, but San Jose had the final answer in a 4-3 Grizzlies loss. Fresno dropped to 17-14, while the Giants improved to 19-12. Riley Kelly gave the Grizzlies a strong start, allowing one run on three hits over 3 2/3 innings with six strikeouts and no walks. Fresno trailed 3-0 before getting RBI singles from Derek Bernard and Matt Klein in the sixth. Cameron Nelson then tied it in the seventh with a bunt single that scored Luis Mendez, helped along by a throwing error. San Jose retook the lead in the bottom half on Isaiah Barkett’s RBI triple off Jhon Medina, who took the loss.
Scott Roche frames the Rockies’ Pennsylvania road trip as a useful early measuring stick after a rough 1-5 homestand. The Rockies are still trying to prove this start has some staying power, and six games against the Phillies and Pirates should give everyone a better read. For a team trying to move from “interesting” to “actually improving,” this is the kind of week that matters.
Thomas Harding takes a softer turn with a look at Warren Schaeffer, his wife Callie, and the family life built around baseball. The piece makes clear that Schaeffer is more than happy to honor her, not just on Mother’s Day, as Callie has helped make the season work as a full-family adventure. It’s a sweet read about road trips, homeschooling, ballparks, and the people who keep things steady behind the scenes.
Tyler Miller checks in on Antonio Senzatela’s move into a full-time bulk relief role, where the early returns have been much better than last year’s rotation work. Senzatela picked up the save against the Mets with two strong innings and has a 1.11 ERA over 24 1/3 innings. For a Rockies pitching staff still trying to find functional roles, this is one of the cleaner success stories so far.
Syracuse got out to a 3-0 lead as Jonah Tong spun five scoreless innings to begin his outing, but a five-run sixth inning for Rochester saw the visitors get two runs against Tong and three against reliever Carlos Guzman. Syracuse scored one in the bottom of the frame and another in the bottom of the seventh to tie things up, but Mets reliever Dan Hammer gave up a pair of runs while recording just two outs in the top of the eighth.
Tong struck out eight, walked four, and now has a 4.46 ERA on the season. That might not sound impressive, but he has a 2.57 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 21.0 innings over his last four starts. He’s walked 11 over that span, which means there’s still room for improvement, but his recent work has been encouraging.
And Ryan Clifford had a three-hit night in the loss, notching a rare stolen base in the process.
Neither team scored until the Yard Goats got a run in the top of the seventh, and the Rumble Ponies came right back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. Unfortunately, the lead didn’t hold, as Hartford scored a couple of unearned runs against Ben Simon in the eighth before getting one more run in the top of the ninth against Zach Peek. Binghamton starting pitcher Jonathan Santucci was superb in this one, making it one of his best start of the young season.
The Cyclones got a rare win as they scored first with a pair of runs in the second inning, scored at least one run in three other innings, and never relinquished the lead. Mitch Voit drove in the majority of their runs as he went 2-for-4 with a double, a strikeout, and a stolen base, and Colin Houck had a two-hit night that included a home run. Brooklyn starter Channing Austin struck out ten in just four-and-one-third innings, an impressive tally—even if the rest of his line looks just okay.
An eight-run bottom of the third by Lakeland put this game out of reach very early, and all eight of those runs were charged to St. Lucie starter Cam Tilly. There wasn’t too much to get excited about in this one.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 08: Gunnar Henderson #2 of the Baltimore Orioles rounds the bases against the Athletics during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 8, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning Birdland,
The Orioles offense is a three-man operation at the moment: Pete Alonso, Adley Rutschman, and Samuel Basallo. All three of them contributed on Friday night, going a combined 4-for-9 with two home runs, three runs scored, and three RBI. That’s with Basallo beginning the day on the bench in order to catch today’s late afternoon game. The rest of the lineup went 0-for-22 with eight strikeouts.
It’s a widespread problem. Gunnar Henderson is in a deep cold spell. His season OPS is down to .674. Coby Mayo only got two at-bats before he was yanked on Friday. Colton Cowser is basically just a fourth outfielder at this point, kept around for his glove and speed. They don’t trust his bat at all. Tyler O’Neill isn’t having the bounce back they hoped for. Taylor Ward’s doubles are drying up, and that’s not because they are turning into home runs.
It’s a shame because Kyle Bradish put forth a pretty good start. He went deep, tossing seven innings, and the stuff looked good, striking out 10 in the process. The only runs he allowed all came in the fifth inning, and otherwise he shutout the Athletics offense down. Using Trey Gibson as a bullpen piece was an interesting choice, one likely done to keep the rest of the pen fresh in the middle of this long stretch without a day off. But that’s a lot to ask of a young pitcher, who rarely relieves, and will be making just his second career big league appearance.
But the pitching was the least of our concerns on this day. The lineup is struggling, and at this point we may just have to admit that it’s not very good. And those same players are also not doing well in the field either. It’s a mess with no obvious in-season solution other than holding on for dear life and praying it turns around.
Maybe the return of Jackson Holliday in the next week or two gives some minor boost to the bats, but it’s not as if he has ever shown the upside that was once raved about. The team simply needs more out of Henderson and Ward for starters. And they need some sort of legitimate solution at third base. It seems like the duo of Weston Wilson and Blaze Alexander is gonna get a chance to show what they can do. That doesn’t exactly instill a ton of confidence, but it has to be better than what the position has gotten to this point.
Singleton can appreciate Ward’s walks | Roch Kubatko Ward has been a good addition. The team does need him to hit more home runs, but he is walking at a ridiculous rate and doing his job as a table setter. There can’t be too many complaints about him with everything else going so poorly throughout the roster.
Pitcher Cade Povich becomes latest Oriole to go on the injured list | The Baltimore Banner In case you missed it, Povich is now on the IL with elbow inflammation. That usually spells bad news for a pitcher, but Povich’s discomfort is on the outside of the arm, not the inside. Tommy John often starts with pain on the inside of the elbow, so the Orioles are optimistic that he will be back rather soon. Yay?
Why Bradish’s ol’ reliable might be key to 2026 turnaround | MLB.com Bradish is still trying to figure out a successful formula on the mound. It seems like he is getting closer. The timing would be great as the Orioles need someone to step up in the middle of their current injury crisis.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
Jace Peterson turns 36 today. He was a utility-man for 11 years in the majors, including a stint in Baltimore from 2018 through ‘19.
Tom Chism is 72 years old. The first baseman played in six big league games, all of which came with the 1979 Orioles.
Ron Jackson is 73. He wrapped up his decade in the majors with a 12-game stay on the 1984 Orioles.
This day in O’s history
1961 – Orioles slugger Jim Gentile becomes the third player in major league history to hit grand slams in consecutive innings. As part of a 13-5 whooping of the Twins, Gentile hits a pair of slams in the first and second innings. A sacrifice fly later in the game makes it a nine-RBI day for him.
1962 – The Orioles trade Marvelous Marv Throneberry to the Mets for catcher Hobie Landrith and cash.
1962 – Brooks Robinson becomes the sixth player of the 20th century to hit grand slams in consecutive games. His homer on this day lifts the Orioles to a 6-3 win over the Kansas City Athletics.
1973 – Al Bumbry and Rich Coggins both club their first major league home runs, but the Orioles lose 4-3 to the Athletics anyway.
1987 – Eddie Murray homers from each side of the plate for the second straight game, the first time that this has been accomplished in major league history. The quartet of home runs helps the Orioles win two games against the White Sox, 7-6 and 15-6.
Giants starting pitcher Tim Lincecum, throws in the first inning, during game one of the National League Division Series between the San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday Oct. 7, 2010. (Photo By Michael Macor/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Good morning, baseball fans!
We are in the middle of a new feature for May that I’m calling the “12 Days of Mays-mas” because I won’t be around for this week, and I want to leave you guys with some fun things to watch while I’m gone.
For the ninth day of Mays-mas, I thought we’d continue with our Tim Lincecum love-fest, and take a look at Game 1 of the 2010 NLDS, arguably Lincecum’s best playoff start. He pitched a complete game with 14 strikeouts and showed the rest of the baseball world exactly why he was San Francisco’s beloved superstar.
So grab your coffee, settle in, and enjoy!
What time do the Giants play today?
The San Francisco Giants continue this three-game home series against the Pittsburgh Pirates tonight at 6:05 p.m. PT.
