GAME THREAD: Guardians at Yankees, game 62 of 162
Let’s go!
Walt Weiss: Drake Baldwin could return for Braves “next time we’re at home”
The Atlanta Braves are back in town, which means that the incredibly informative events that are Walt Weiss’ pregame press conferences are back in full swing. Fresh off the heels of Braves President of Baseball Operations/General Manager Alex Anthopoulos providing a bit of a nebulous update on Drake Baldwin’s injury status and being the first to talk about Hurston Waldrep’s rehab assignment, Weiss piggybacked on those comments when discussing the two injured youngsters for Atlanta.
Weiss reportedly told the media in attendance that the next homestand (June 16-18 against the Giants and June 19-21 against the Brewers) served as a reasonable time span for a potential return for Baldwin. Mark Bowman of MLB.com was the first to write up the story.
If that’s the case, then that falls in line with AA’s thinking that mid-June (aka around four weeks from the date of Baldwin’s oblique injury) would be when we’d start to hear rumblings about Baldwin potentially returning to the fold.
Heading into today’s action, Baldwin is still tied for the team lead in fWAR (2.2, alongside Matt Olson) as he has gotten off to a blistering start in 2026. Before he went down with the oblique injury, Baldwin was hitting .303/.389/.543 with a .405 wOBA, 161 wRC+ and 13 home runs. Needless to say, getting Baldwin back as soon as possible (and hopefully having him hit the ground running upon returning) would be huge for a lineup that is really starting to click. Assuming Ronald Acuña Jr. can keep up his current level of production, a 1-2 punch of Acuña and Baldwin would prove nightmarish for opposing pitchers to face.
So now that we have both the General Manager and the Manager stating that Drake Baldwin could be back in mid-June, I guess it’s safe to go ahead and circle the next homestand after this one on your calendar. Baldwin won’t be back in action for his Braves hockey jersey giveaway night but he’ll be back in action on the field soon, so stay tuned.
Canucks Sign Forward Ilya Safonov To One-Year, Two-Way Contract
Shortly after a report from RG Media broke earlier this week, the Vancouver Canucks have officially announced that they have signed forward Ilya Safonov to a one-year, two-way contract. This is the first player signing that new Canucks General Manager Ryan Johnson has made since being brought on as GM in May.
“Ilya had a solid year in Russia and a strong playoff,” Johnson said in a press release earlier today. “We like his size and player profile, and he will be given every opportunity to compete for a spot at training camp.”
Vancouver acquired Safonov's rights last season after the 2025 NHL Draft in exchange for future considerations. The forward attended the Canucks' development camp last year before heading back to the KHL for the 2025-26 season. After the KHL season ended this year, reports indicated that Safonov would be seeking out an NHL deal with the Canucks.
In 68 regular season games with Ak Bars Kazan this year, Safonov scored 16 goals and 17 assists. During the post-season, he put up two goals and seven assists in 20 games, with Ak Bars making it to the KHL Final but losing to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in six games.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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The key moments on the ride that brought the Knicks to NBA Finals heights
The Knicks are giving their fans one of the greatest rides of their lives.
But even in an unforgettable season, it is difficult to remember everything that’s happened over more than seven months of play.
These are some of the top moments from the Knicks’ best season this century:
Knicks hire Mike Brown
The decision to fire Tom Thibodeau — fresh off the Knicks’ first conference finals appearance in 25 years — was controversial. More questions arose when the Knicks whiffed on multiple targets under contract (Jason Kidd, Ime Udoka, Chris Finch, Billy Donovan, Quin Snyder). Then came the announcement of the replacement, Mike Brown, who had won four rings as an assistant, but had been fired four times as a head coach. If you were underwhelmed, you weren’t alone.
Opening night
In a season-opening matchup billed as a potential conference finals preview, the Knicks used a 14-0 fourth-quarter run to power past the Cavaliers for a 119-111 win at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 22. “We won the game and we had some good moments, but we don’t feel like we’re anywhere near what we’re capable of,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. “That’s what makes it exciting. Everybody has expectations.”
The first Landry Shamet game
Six months before “The Bounce,” fans at the Garden were chanting “Lan-dry Sha-met,” as the veteran came off the bench to score 30 of his career-high 36 points in the second half of a 140-132 NBA Cup win over the Heat on Nov. 14. With Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby sidelined by injuries, Towns scored 39 points, Jordan Clarkson added 24 and Josh Hart recorded a triple-double.
Knicks win NBA Cup
Brunson was named the NBA Cup MVP, but the 124-113 title game victory over the Spurs in Las Vegas on Dec. 16 wouldn’t have been possible without a unique late-game lineup, featuring Clarkson (15 points), Tyler Kolek (14 points, five rebounds, five assists) and Mitchell Robinson (15 rebounds). “Don’t it look good when it says Knicks champions on the shirt?” Towns said.
Knicks hammer Nets by 54 points to turn the season the season around
Brown had challenged his team to “Lock in and do your f—ing job.” Brunson asked his teammates to “care” more. The Knicks had lost four straight — including double-digit defeats to Sacramento and Dallas — and nine of their previous 11 games before embarrassing Brooklyn in a 120-66 blowout at the Garden on Jan. 21. This marked the largest margin of victory in franchise history and the beginning of an eight-game winning streak.
Knicks beat Denver is 2OT for eighth straight win
The Knicks looked like contenders again in a potential NBA Finals preview, defeating the Nuggets 134-127 in double overtime at the Garden on Feb. 4 to earn their eighth straight win. While three-time MVP Nikola Jokic struggled with his shot down the stretch, Brunson took over late, finishing with 42 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.
Jose Alvarado arrives
The New York City native’s trade from New Orleans put the final touch on a team that’s ceiling was easier to see during his debut in the Knicks’ 111-89 win in Boston on Super Bowl Sunday. Alvarado was as advertised, a sub-6-foot nuisance who brought instant energy off the bench, frustrating Jaylen Brown, and finishing with 12 points, two steals and six deflections in 25 minutes.
The comeback kings
The Knicks returned from the All-Star break and suffered their third blowout loss to the Pistons of the season. Two days later at the Garden, they fought back from an 18-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat Kevin Durant and the Rockets 108-106 as Brunson — who had two points at halftime — went 4-for-4 in the fourth quarter, hitting the game-tying and go-ahead jumpers.
Road warriors
The Knicks began the final week of the regular season with a much-needed reminder of their toughness on the road. Following five straight losses against teams with a winning record, the Knicks rode another clutch Brunson performance to a 108-105 win in Atlanta — which had won 18 of its previous 20 games and hadn’t lost at home in two months — after CJ McCollum’s game-tying heave from half court was ruled to have been released after the buzzer.
Hart test
In Jayson Tatum’s much-anticipated return to the arena where he suffered a torn Achilles, Hart stole the show, making the Celtics pay for repeatedly leaving him open. Hart scored 15 of his game-high 26 points in the fourth quarter, leading the Knicks to a 112-106 win over the Eastern Conference favorites, just over a week before the playoffs began.
First round (Knicks 4, Hawks 2)
After Brunson dribbled into a double-team and threw away the final possession of Game 3, the Knicks were on the verge of crisis, having suffered their second straight one-point loss. Then, Brown began running the offense through Towns, and everything began to click as the Knicks won the final three games of the series by 96 points, including a historic 51-point blowout in the Game 6 clincher in Atlanta.
Eastern Conference semifinals (Knicks 4, 76ers 0)
Instead of a rematch with the Celtics, the Knicks got another swing at Joel Embiid. A 39-point win in Game 1 set the tone for their first playoff sweep in 26 years. Despite losing Anunoby to a hamstring injury in Game 2, the Knicks kept dominating both ends of the floor and enjoyed their fans’ surreal road invasion in Philadelphia, capping the series by tying an NBA postseason record with 25 3-pointers in a Game 4 blowout.
Eastern Conference finals (Knicks 4, Cavaliers 0)
Playing for the first time in nine days, the Knicks finally cooled off in Game 1 of the conference finals and fell behind by 22 points with less than eight minutes left before Brunson led the greatest postseason comeback in franchise history. Hart played the hero in Game 2 and the Knicks closed it out with a 37-point win in Cleveland, celebrating the team’s first conference championship in 27 years.
The Knicks-Spurs Connection: 40 players who wore both the Orange and Blue and the Silver and Black
It’s crazy to think Jeremy Sochan is about to receive an NBA championship ring regardless of how the Finals play out, despite likely never seeing the floor in the series. Waived by the Spurs midway through the season and later signed by the Knicks, Sochan has been used sparingly by New York. Yet thanks to a bizarre twist of timing, he’ll walk away with championship jewelry no matter which team ultimately raises the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
The Knicks and Spurs might be the last two franchises you’d expect to share a long history together.
Sure, they famously met in the 1999 NBA Finals, when the eighth-seeded Knicks shocked the basketball world by fighting their way through the Eastern Conference before running into Tim Duncan and David Robinson. But outside of those five games, the two franchises have spent most of the last three decades living in completely different worlds.
One spent years collecting Hall of Famers, championships, and 50-win seasons like they were participation trophies. The other spent much of that same period trying to figure out how to stop stepping on rakes.
And despite spending most of the last 30 years in completely different basketball universes, 40 players have somehow ended up playing for both teams. Some were stars. Some were fan favorites. Some were role players who quietly carved out long NBA careers.
The Headliners
David Lee is probably the biggest Knicks success story on the list. Before becoming an All-Star, Lee was one of the few reasons to watch some truly dreadful Knicks teams in the late 2000s. Across 368 games in New York, he averaged 13 points and nearly 10 rebounds while becoming one of the league’s best double-double machines. By the time he landed in San Antonio late in his career, he wasn’t the same player, but he still gave the Spurs a reliable veteran big man who shot 59 percent from the floor during the 2016-17 season.
Kurt Thomas is another obvious one.
Knicks fans still love Kurt Thomas. The man played 569 games in New York, averaged 10.6 points and 7.5 rebounds, and spent most nights looking like he’d happily fight an entire opposing frontcourt by himself if necessary. He later became one of Gregg Popovich’s favorite veteran role players and spent parts of four seasons with the Spurs.
Rod Strickland also stands out.
Many younger fans probably associate him more with Washington, but Strickland started his career with the Knicks before eventually averaging over 14 points per game during two productive seasons in San Antonio. Few point guards from that era could get into the paint whenever they wanted quite like Rod.
Then there’s Trent Tucker.
Most Knicks fans know him because the NBA literally created a rule named after him. Tucker spent eight seasons in New York before eventually becoming part of San Antonio’s first championship team in 1999. That’s a pretty unique NBA résumé.
The Players Who Thrived in Both Places
Charles Smith averaged over 11 points per game in New York and later posted similar production for the Spurs. Maurice Cheeks, long before becoming one of the league’s most respected coaches, spent time with both organizations and remained a steady floor general everywhere he went. J.R. Reid quietly put together nearly 350 combined games between the two teams.
Wait, He Played for Them Too?
Then there are the names that make you stop and do a double take. Tracy McGrady, arguably the biggest name on the entire list, somehow played for both franchises and accomplished virtually nothing with either. Doc Rivers and Antonio McDyess are here too, although McDyess probably deserves an asterisk after averaging 12.3 points and 12 rebounds during New York’s brief but memorable 2001 playoff run. Then you have Charlie Ward, Steve Novak, Nazr Mohammed, Beno Udrih, Roger Mason, Doug McDermott, and Luke Kornet. Some were fan favorites. Some were valuable role players. Some probably had you saying, “Wait, he played for the Spurs too?”
The deeper you go, the stranger the list gets.
Eventually you find yourself staring at names like Billy McGill, Mo Layton, Howard Fisley and Len Chappell. What makes the list interesting isn’t necessarily the star power. It’s how many different eras of Knicks basketball are represented.
You’ve got players from the late 1960s sharing a list with members of the 1999 Finals team, the Melo era, the lean years, and now the Jalen Brunson era.
Some arrived in New York after learning how to win in San Antonio. Others left New York and found themselves playing meaningful basketball for championship contenders. A handful barely unpacked before moving on.
But every one of them became a small part of both franchises’ histories. And considering how dramatically different those histories have been over the last 30 years, that’s actually pretty remarkable.
Every Player to Play for Both the Knicks and Spurs
- Willie Anderson
- Anthony Bowie
- Shannon Brown
- Jackie Butler
- Anthony Carter
- Len Chappell
- Maurice Cheeks
- Terry Cummings
- Mamadi Diakite
- Howard Fisley
- Sidney Green
- DerMarr Johnson
- Luke Kornet
- Mo Layton
- David Lee
- Brad Lohaus
- Roger Mason
- Doug McDermott
- Antonio McDyess
- Billy McGill
- Tracy McGrady
- Nazr Mohammed
- Pete Myers
- Steve Novak
- J.R. Reid
- Doc Rivers
- Malik Rose
- Charles Smith
- Jeremy Sochan
- Felton Spencer
- Rod Strickland
- Kurt Thomas
- Trent Tucker
- Ime Udoka
- Beno Udrih
- Charlie Ward
- James White
- Monty Williams
- Ray Williams
- David Wingate
The AAtJ Preview and Open Post for the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals
Good evening, everyone. Tonight starts the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights. I cannot say I am excited for hockey to be done for the offseason, but it does bring us one step closer to the New Jersey Devils being back on the ice. So, there’s that.
The Schedule: You can see the NHL’s schedule here.
The Preview: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Vegas Golden Knights
Well, I cannot say that I expected Vegas to get this far.
Sometimes, coaching changes can be underestimated. John Tortorella is a very good coach who has an unfairly negative reputation among media members, and it certainly seems like he has gotten Vegas into shape real quick. In the Conference Finals, they were certainly aided by Colorado’s injury situations, but they are a good team. They underperformed under Cassidy and now look more like what they were expected to be coming into this season.
The Golden Knights have gotten excellent scoring from their top guys these playoffs. Mitch Marner has 21 points in 16 games. Jack Eichel sits at 18. Both Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden have 10 goals. Shea Theodoore has been a two-way monster with 11 points while playing great defense. What we are seeing in Vegas is a bunch of guys in the middle or latter stages of their prime years firing on all cylinders under a fresh coach. Through 16 games played, they have been outshot to some extent, but their shooting percentage is through the roof at over 13 percent.
The big question is whether they can keep that up against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Since quality of scoring chances began being tracked in 2007, no series has been more lopsided by expected goals percentage than the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals between the Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes. You think it’s good that Vegas has gotten to the Stanley Cup in just 16 games? Carolina got there in 13. With the signings of Nikolaj Ehlers and the acquisitions of Taylor Hall, Jackson Blake, and Logan Stankoven since the 2025 trade deadline, Rod Brind’Amour has finally gotten the kind of team that can take his system and go to the Stanley Cup Finals. They are a machine. Taylor Hall has spoken to the extent they are a different beast because of Brind’Amour.
Freddie Andersen is currently sporting a 1.41 goals against average with a .931 save percentage. The Hurricanes are only allowing a bit over 22 shots against per game. Taylor Hall leads them with 16 points, followed by Jackson Blake at 15. They are the only two players on the Hurricanes to have over a point per game these playoffs, though they have gotten contributions from the first to fourth lines and first to third pairings. Additionally, K’Andre Miller has seen some spotlight with outstanding on-ice results as he has really come into his own as a defenseman in Carolina. This series is a battle of two outstanding coaches who have inspired their teams to reach new heights. Who will prevail: the team that has brutally stifled all three of their opponents so far, or the team shooting at ridiculously high rates?
Ice Time Leaders(ATOI, Top Three Each Team)
- Shea Theodore, VEG — 25:29
- K’Andre Miller, CAR — 23:55
- Noah Hanifin, VEG — 23:52
- Rasmus Andersson, VEG — 23:37
- Jaccob Slavin, CAR — 23:13
- Jalen Chatfield, CAR — 22:12
Former Devils in the Finals
- Taylor Hall, CAR
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NHL bringing new format with international flair to 2027 All-Star Weekend at UBS Arena
The NHL’s All-Star Weekend is coming to Long Island — and with a new format.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL Players Association executive director Marty Walsh announced the official plans for UBS Arena, the home of the Islanders, to host the 2027 All-Star Game and skills competition next season from Feb. 5-6.
Both events will feature completely new formats, with the All-Star Game notably adopting an international element.
The Feb. 6 All-Star Game will feature five teams representing Canada, Finland, Sweden, the United States and a “World” team comprised of international players from countries outside of the other four teams.
Each team — made up of nine skaters and two goalies — will participate in a three-on-three, round-robin exhibition tournament.
The NHL and NHLPA are responsible for selecting 30 players from each of the participating teams for an NHL All-Star Fan Vote. When the voting opens in December, fans will be able to choose eight players from each team. The remaining roster spots — one forward, one defenseman and one goaltender — will be selected jointly by the NHL and NHLPA.
Teams will play four five-minute games during the round-robin portion. There will also be no overtime period or shootout in the event of a tie.
The top two teams from the round robin will advance to a 10-minute final based on a point system that counts two points for a win, one for a tie and zero for a loss. A $2 million cash prize will be awarded to the winning team.
On Friday, there will be eight events as part of the All-Star Skills Competition. The NHL and NHLPA will select 10 “young stars ages 25 or younger” to be featured in the event.
Each of the 10 players will participate in four of the first six events: Fastest skater, hardest shot, passing challenge, one-timers, stick handling and accuracy shooting. They will earn points depending on where they place in each event.
The top four players will advance to a Shootout and must face one of four All-Star goaltenders.
The top two players from the Shootout will advance to the final event, the Obstacle Course.
Whichever player finishes with the highest cumulative score will be named the All-Star Skills champion and take home a $1 million prize.
The All-Star Skills Competition will be broadcast on ESPN, while the game can be found on ABC. Event times are still to be announced.
This will mark the second time the Islanders have hosted the NHL’s All-Star Weekend. The Isles held the 1983 event at the Coliseum.
Blue Jays vs. Braves Game Thread
Game one of three in Atlanta. There is some rain in the forecast, but it sounds like the game should happen.The Braves have been through several ballparks, in the last few years, none with a roof. But it sounds like the game should happen.
There is hockey tonight too, which may make my decision to watch at the bar a bad one. But, the bartenders will generally turn on the game for me. My wife will tell you that my tips have put them through college, but she exaggerates some.
There is a note that Austin Voth has chosen free agency after being DFAed.
Kevin Gausman gets the start tonight, looking for his fifth win, but then Bryce Elder is looking for his fifth win too.
Stanley Cup By The Numbers: Random And Useless Numbers Involving the Golden Knights and Hurricanes
1 - With just one loss, Carolina (12-1) is the first team to reach the Stanley Cup Final with fewer than two losses since 1987, when all four playoff rounds went to the best-of-seven format.
1.41 - Carolina goalie Frederik Andersen leads the postseason pack of goalies with his stifling goals-against average.
2 - The Golden Knights and Carolina have two Stanley Cup titles between them, each winning one in their franchise history. The Knights won their title in 2023, while the Hurricanes secured their only title in 2006.
2.22 - Vegas netminder Carter Hart has been red-hot with his goals-against average, allowing two or fewer goals in 10 of his 16 playoff appearances.
4 - The Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes have been to a total of four Stanley Cup Finals, each winning one and losing one during their franchise history. The Knights lost their first trip to the Cup Final in 2018 and won their title in 2023. The Hurricanes also lost their first trip to a Cup final, in 2002, before hoisting it in 2006.
7 - Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour is the seventh individual in NHL history to reach the Stanley Cup Final with the same franchise as both a captain and head coach.
8 - Vegas has been to the postseason in eight of its first nine seasons in the league.
9 - The Golden Knights are in just their 9th season.
10 - Goals scored by Vegas against Carolina this season.
16 - Carolina's Taylor Hall leads the team with 16 points (5 goals, 11 assists).
17 - Vegas is the 17th team in NHL history, and fifth since 1998, to enter the Cup final with multiple 10-goal scorers. Pavel Dorofeyev (10 goals, 4 assists) and Brett Howden (10 goals, 2 assists) have been the offensive catalysts for the Golden Knights this postseason.
21 - Vegas' Mitch Marner (7 goals, 14 assists) leads the playoffs in scoring with 21 points.
46 - The Hurricanes are competing in their 46th season.
73.2 - The average height of the Hurricanes.
74.1 - The average height of the Golden Knights.
309 - The Golden Knights have scored 309 playoff goals, compared to Carolina's 242.
1,431 - Playoff games played by the Hurricanes players.
1,640 - Playoff games played by the Golden Knights players.
2015 - Three of the top five picks in the 2015 Draft will be on the ice for the Knights: Jack Eichel (Sabres, 2nd), Marner (Maple Leafs, 4th) and Noah Hanifin (Hurricanes, 5th).
Game 61 Game Day Thread – Texas Rangers @ St. Louis Cardinals
Texas Rangers @ St. Louis Cardinals
Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 6:45 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / Rangers Sports Network)
Busch Stadium
RHP Nathan Eovaldi vs. RHP Dustin May
Go Rangers!
Game Thread: White Sox (32-28) at Twins (28-33)
After a five-game winning streak to end the month of May, the Chicago White Sox found themselves on the wrong end of the result yesterday as they lost the first of three games in Minnesota. Monday night was an outlier compared to recent results, as it was the first time in a week they surrendered more than five runs. After taking two of three from the Twins just last week, the Good Guys look to do the same again, starting with a win tonight.
For a White Sox team looking to continue distancing itself from the rest of the AL Central, they have the best possible pitcher on the mound tonight. Davis Martin gets the ball today, and fans should have plenty of confidence in him. Martin has an 8-1 record with a 2.00 ERA so far this season. He hasn’t taken a loss in eight straight outings and has recorded a win in five of his last six starts. He should again get plenty of run support from an offense that currently ranks ninth in MLB in runs scored.
The Twins will look to get to Martin early while countering with Connor Prielipp. The rookie had a good start to the season through his first five starts, but has since struggled. In his last two outings, he’s allowed 12 runs in just over eight innings of work. Most notably, his last start came against the White Sox on May 27, when he allowed eight hits, six earned runs, and three walks before being chased midway through the fifth inning. While he didn’t give up the long ball, the South Siders found plenty of success playing small ball against Prielipp.
With Chicago having a massive advantage in the pitching matchup and the better offensive team, tagging the Twins for a few runs early will be key, as the longer the game stays close, the hairier it will get. The Twins are a much better squad when they score first, as they struggle to come from behind no matter the margin.
Here is the starting lineup for the South Siders:
And here is the lineup for the Minnesota Twins:
First pitch is 6:40 p.m. CST. You can watch on CHSN or listen on ESPN Chicago 1000. Let us know your thoughts and predictions below!
Game 62: White Sox at Twins
First Pitch: 6:40 PM CDT
TV: Twins.TV, FOX9 KMSP, Gray Media
Radio: TIBN, WCCO 830, The Wolf 102.9 FM, Audacy App, LosTwins.com
Know thine enemy: South Side Sox
Connor Prielipp is on the mound for the Twins today. His last time out he gave up 6 runs in a game the Twins lost 15-2 to these very same White Sox. Let’s hope for a better start today.
New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Guardians: Cam Schlittler vs. Joey Cantillo
You still have to play the game, of course, but when you have a pitcher having as fine a season as Cam Schlittler is, you expect to win all of his start. The American League’s best pitcher will look to keep the Yankees on this nice little roll they’re on, with the potential to push New York to 7-1 since that walk-off win over the Rays. Back under the lights in the Bronx, we kick off this three-game set with the Cleveland Guardians.
The young righty makes his 13th start of the year tonight against the Guardians, with an eight-outing streak of allowing two runs or less and failing to throw six innings in just one of those games. Cleveland is closer to the bottom of league-wide offensive production than the top, so on paper things are set up to potentially go very very well for Cam. You still have to play the game, of course.
Going for Cleveland is lefty Joey Cantillo, and it feels like the bottom is doomed to drop out for this guy. He walks 12.7 percent of batters faced while sitting down just 21.2 percent of hitters himself. I’m not saying expect a 13-run inning anytime in this contest, but the Yankees have clobbered lefties to the tune of a 124 wRC+ this season, the best mark in baseball. Between that and Cam’s stuff, we may get something special tonight.
On the lineup side of things, Amed Rosario is off the paternity list and back with the team, hitting cleanup against the southpaw Cantillo. But the biggest note is Aaron Judge getting his first day off of the year.* I actually think this is a pretty good idea because of the context of this game — your team already hits lefties well, your ace is on the hill, and you can give your most important player an additional day to refocus on some of the little problems he’s been dealing with at the plate this year. Cleveland is no pushover, they currently lead the AL Central by 1.5 games over the White Sox, but we also know what a salve the AL Central can sometimes be for that which woes the Yankees.
*Update: We now know that Judge is also dealing with a bone bruise in his shoulder area that’s been bothering him. So that’s swell.
Today is of course the anniversary of Lou Gehrig stepping away from baseball, so expect plenty of memorializations and retellings of the Iron Horse’s great, tragic story from the YES booth and in the Stadium.
How to watch:
Location: Yankee Stadium
First pitch: 7:05 pm EDT
TV Broadcast: YES Network (NYY) | Guardians.TV
Radio Broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY) | WTAM 1100, WMMS 100.7, Guardians Radio Network (CLE)
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Game #60: Athletics at Cubs Game Thread
It’s almost time folks. The A’s are set to begin their road trip with the series opener in Chicago against the Cubs. We need a win desperately and to shake these bad vibes off. A big road trip, which includes a trip to Houston later, would help wipe away these tough past couple of weeks and that begins tonight at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs enter this series like the A’s: having started the year strong before going through a tough past couple of weeks. They’ve dropped 11 of their past 16 games and fallen to fourth in a competitive NL Central. Their pitching has taken a step back during their recent downturn but the Cubs’ offense has gone completely missing. They’re still above .500 at 32-28 thanks to a huge April but things are trending down for them right now. That’s a similar story to the A’s and now these two desperate teams will hope to right the ship during this series.
Before we get to the game, the A’s made a few roster moves just a few hours before first pitch:
Not as extensive as many thought after Mark Kotsay’s comments the other day. The promotion of Kade Morris and the demotion of Jacob Lopez was widely reported. The A’s will also swap out righty reliever Michael Kelly in exchange for fellow righty Mason Barnett. We may be seeing Barnett in a relief role if needed over the next few days, but if not there is always a chance the team uses him to start Thursday’s game if Morris comes on in relief over the next two games. To make room on the 40-man roster relief pitcher Brooks Kriske lands on the 60-day IL, putting him officially out of action for the foreseeable future.
Back to the game. The starting pitcher for the A’s tonight will be Gage Jump, who is set to make his second career big league start. The left-hander had an up-and-down big league debut last week when he pitched five innings of four-run ball against the Seattle Mariners. It wasn’t the best debut as he allowed nine hits but he also only walked one batter while collecting the first five strikeouts of his career. The Cubs’ offense has been struggling against breaking balls in recent weeks so we may see a steady stream of those from Jump tonight. The team will be hoping that he got his debut jitters out of the way and can improve upon that first start in this one.
Here’s how the Athletics’ lineup looks for the series opener in Chicago:
It’s all the regulars in there tonight. Carlos Cortes is leading off and in right field while Lawrence Butler will be available off the bench.
On the other side of the pitching matchup, it’ll be a veteran taking on the rookie in Jameson Taillon. Now in his 10th big league season the right-hander has begun showing his age. The right-hander has a 5.37 ERA in 11 starts and has gotten hit especially hard in recent outings, allowing 16 earned runs over his past 14 2/3 frames. The A’s may be catching Taillon at the perfect time.
And the Chicago starting lineup tonight:
Both teams are in a rut and need a win. Only one will claim victory tonight. Will it be the Green & Gold? Let’s go A’s!
Follow the Game:
Watch:
Athletics – NBCSCA
Listen:
Athletics – Talk 650 KSTE, A’s Cast