Royals lose 6-2, swept by White Sox

May 14, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox left fielder Randal Grichuk (34) crosses home plate after hitting a two-run home run against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

With tonight’s 6-2 loss, the Royals were swept by the White Sox for the first time in three years.

The Royals dominated the White Sox for the past couple of seasons, but that hasn’t been the case through the first seven games of 2026. The teams split their first series of the year, in Kansas City, before this sweep.

With the loss, the Royals fall to six games under .500 at 19-25 while the White Sox become only the second American League Central team with a winning record.

The Royals jumped to a quick 1-0 lead as Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. both singled to start the game with the former moving to third on the latter’s hit. Lane Thomas then drove in Garcia with a sacrifice fly. Salvador Perez, who ended the night 2-for-4, had an ugly strikeout for the second out. Nick Loftin then took one off the foot before Vinnie Pasquantino fanned to end the threat.

Kris Bubic takes the loss, falling to 3-2 on the year. He struggled through a 30-pitch first inning in which he only allowed one hit, but it happened to be a two-run home run by ex-Royal Randal Grichuk. Grichuk, already on his second team of 2026, was just getting started.

Bubic’s final line: four innings, five hits, five earned runs, three walks, and four strikeouts.

Chicago’s starting pitcher, Anthony Kay, gets the win, improving his record to 3-1 with two of those wins coming against the Royals. Both on Thursdays! Bully for me. Kay went six innings, allowed six hits and two earned runs while striking out four and walking two.

The White Sox put the game out of reach in the bottom of the third when Grichuk struck again, this time with a two-run single. It was his 17th career 4-RBI game. After retiring Jarred Kelenic, Bubic walked Chase Meidroth and allowed a single to Miguel Vargas before walking Munetaka Murakami, who recorded three tonight. Grichuk then poked one up the middle, scoring Meidroth and Vargas.

4-1, White Sox.

The Royals next threatened in the fifth inning when, with one out, Witt walked and Thomas singled. Then, naturally, Salvy grounded into an inning-ending 5-4-3 double-play. The heart of the order should not be considered rally killers, but here we are.

Meidroth drove in Luisangel Acuna in the fourth to enlarge Chicago’s lead to 5-1. The Royals scored another run in the top of the 7th. Kyle Isbel led off with a triple, forcing Kay from the game. Garcia brought him home on a groundout, but that would pretty much be it for Kansas City’s offense. Salvy singled in the eighth but was stranded at second. The Royals then went quietly in the ninth.

Final score: 6-2 White Sox.

Fumbled series. Last year, the Royals finished with a winning record in large part because they manhandled the White Sox, beating them in 10 of their 13 meetings. Sure, the White Sox improved over the offseason—hard not to when a team’s that bad—but the Royals supposedly also improved.

Ugly series, ugly outcomes, ugly four-game losing streak.

Now the Royals head back to Missouri but on the other side of the state to take on the surprising St. Louis Cardinals. After defeating the Nomadics earlier today, the Cardinals are 25-18, which would give them the third-best record in the American League, but since they play in the National League, they’re only third in their division.

The Royals look to former Cardinal Michael Wacha to stanch the bleeding.

Roque’s OT goal lifts Victoire to 3-1 win over Charge in Game 1 of Walter Cup Finals

LAVAL, Quebec (AP) — Abby Roque scored her second goal of the game 2:29 into overtime as the Montreal Victoire defeated the Ottawa Charge 3-2 in Game 1 of the Walter Cup Finals in the Professional Women’s Hockey League on Thursday night.

Maggie Flaherty’s point shot pinballed in the crease and hit Roque before going into the net.

Nicole Gosling scored the tying goal late for Montreal, and Ann-Renee Desbiens made 23 saves.

Rebecca Leslie scored both goals for the Charge, and Gwyneth Philips made 23 saves.

Montreal forced overtime with 2.1 seconds remaining in regulation. Marie-Philip Poulin threw the puck on net, and after Maureen Murphy’s attempt was blocked, Gosling made a sprawling attempt to put the puck past Philips.

The goal came with the extra attacker on for Montreal, and right after Victoire forward Laura Stacey left the game after a collision with Ottawa forward Gabbie Hughes that put the faceoff outside the Charge zone with 18 seconds remaining. Stacey returned to the game for overtime and earned an assist on the winning goal.

Ottawa came close to sealing the game when Brianne Jenner hit the outside of the post with Desbiens on the bench with less than two minutes remaining in the third period.

Leslie’s second goal of the game came with 4:04 remaining in the third period when she had the puck entering the zone and moved laterally to open the five-hole, beating Desbiens.

Montreal had 1:12 of a 5-on-3 power play early in the third period. The Victoire mustered one shot on goal on the advantage but their best chance came when Erin Ambrose’s shot rang off the post.

Game 2 is Saturday afternoon in Montreal.

___

AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

Canadiens goaltending steadies, Buffalo's falters as Montreal wins Game 5

The Colorado Avalancheturned momentum around in their last game with a goalie change.

The Montreal Canadiens showed on Thursday, March 14, that being patient with a goaltending performance can also be beneficial.

Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes gave up three goals on three consecutive shots in a wild first period and coach Martin St. Louis stuck with him. He steadied and stopped every shot afterward to lead the Canadiens to a 6-3 victory and a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven second-round series against the Buffalo Sabres.

And now the Sabres are the team concerned about their goaltending.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was pulled after two periods in which he gave up five goals on 23 shots. He was replaced by Alex Lyon.

Dobes, trailing 3-2, made a save on a Tage Thompson breakaway early in the second period. Luukkonen gave up goals to Josh Anderson, Jake Evans and Nick Suzuki to fall behind 5-3. The goalie allowed an Ivan Demidov shot to squeeze through his pads before Evans poked in the puck.

Lyon gave up a power play goal to Demidov, the first goal of the playoffs for the rookie of the year finalist.

Coach Lindy Ruff will have a goaltending decision to make for Game 6 in Montreal on Saturday night.

If the Sabres don't get better goaltending there, especially with Montreal's top players starting to connect, the Canadiens will head to the Eastern Conference finals against the Carolina Hurricanes.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sabres' goaltending falters as Canadiens win Game 5

Karl-Anthony Towns staring down tougher challenge — regardless of who Knicks face

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) looking for an opening as Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) defends in the 4th quarter, Image 2 shows Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley dribbling the ball while defended by Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren, Image 3 shows Tobias Harris of the Detroit Pistons shoots over Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers
Karl-Anthony Towns will have a difficult task for the Knicks in the next round of the playoffs.

More change is awaiting Karl-Anthony Towns. 

He’s already experienced significant change this postseason in his role in the offense.

In the Eastern Conference finals, there will be notable change in his matchup, regardless of whether it’s the Cavaliers — who are up 3-2 with the series heading back to Cleveland — or the Pistons. 

Towns primarily had the smaller Onyeka Okongwu guarding him in the first round and the hobbled Joel Embiid guarding him in the second round.

When it wasn’t Embiid, it was the past-his-prime Andre Drummond. 

There will be more talented defenders for Towns to deal with as the Knicks look to make their first finals appearance since 1999.

The Cavaliers and Pistons present different challenges. 

If it’s the Cavaliers, who are now favored to win their series, they have more finesse options in Evan Mobley — the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year — and Jarrett Allen.

Karl-Anthony Towns looks to pass during the Knicks’ May 8 game. Charles Wenzelberg

Both are lengthy and strong shot-blockers — they are second and third, respectively, in blocks per game (behind Victor Wembanyama) in the postseason.

Allen is at 2.0 blocks per game, while Mobley is at 1.8.

In the final regular-season matchup — an ugly 109-94 Knicks loss in February for which the Cavaliers had their current roster (with James Harden) — Towns was uninvolved in the offense.

He took just five shots and only recorded two assists.

He had five turnovers.

Evan Mobley defends during the Cavaliers’ May 11 game. AP

It came at a time when Towns’ usage — or lack thereof — was a central storyline. 

“No matter what we did, we either turned the ball over or we had a tough shot,” Brown said at the time regarding how to get Towns more involved. “We made some play calls [for Towns] tonight, but we didn’t generate anything from the calls that we made.”

That feels like a completely different universe. 

Karl-Anthony Towns looks to pass the ball during the Knicks’ May 6 game. Jason Szenes for the NY Post

Now, the Knicks don’t have to call plays for Towns as they are running their offense through him.

Their adjustment midway through the first round has been well documented — letting Towns facilitate from the elbow and having the four other players, notably Jalen Brunson, cut and set screens around him.

It’s been the biggest factor in unlocking the best version of the Knicks offense. 

In the regular season, Towns shot just 3-for-11 from the field with three turnovers when Mobley guarded him, per the NBA’s tracking stats.

When it was Allen, he went 5-for-10 with five turnovers.

They did a solid job of disrupting him and limiting his impact. 

But that was in the old system, when the ball was largely in Brunson’s hands and Towns had to wait for scoring opportunities.

The new system should help him better handle the defense of Mobley and Allen. 

They are excellent shot-blockers and rim protectors, but Towns will still have a height advantage on both. His ability to see and pass over his defender at the elbows is critical to this newfound system.

Towns is not asked to post up as much as he was, which allowed Mobley and Allen to use their shot-blocking acumen. 

Jalen Duren (0) defends during the Pistons’ May 5 game against the Cavaliers. Imagn Images

And Mobley and Allen are wiry and not particularly strong.

Two years ago in the first round, their lack of strength allowed the Knicks to torment them on the glass.

Jalen Duren, if it’s the Pistons, would be a whole different story.

He certainly isn’t finesse.

He would represent the brawn side of the spectrum. 

He is not the level of shot-blocker Mobley and Allen are.

But he is much stronger and denser.



He tries to bully opponents and make them feel his physicality.

He was a first-time All-Star and the anchor of what was an imposing defense in the regular season. 

But Duren has had a nightmarish postseason, potentially costing himself millions in the process.

In Game 5, he was benched for the entirety of the fourth quarter and overtime.

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Paul Reed and Isaiah Stewart, his backups, are similar in their bruising style.

That physicality was a big problem for Towns and the Knicks, who lost all three regular-season matchups in decisive fashion. After the second loss, Brown said, “They kicked our behind.” 

Towns, however, won’t be asked to overpower Duren — or Stewart or Reed — in the post, like in the regular season.

He will be dragging them out of their comfort zone, closer to the perimeter.

Mobley’s and Allen’s shot-blocking ability and Duren’s strength mean they are all best in the paint.

And since this Knicks offense took off, Towns has been primarily operating at the elbows and on the perimeter. 

They’ll present different types of challenges from what Towns experienced in the first two rounds.

They had success against Towns in the regular season.  

But that was the old Towns.

The new Towns is better positioned to win that battle. 

It’s become obvious just how important that is to the Knicks.

Montreal Victoire rally to defeat Ottawa Charge in Game 1 of PWHL Finals: Takeaways

Montreal Victoire rally to defeat Ottawa Charge in Game 1 of PWHL Finals: TakeawaysLAVAL, Que. – There weren’t a ton of positives for the Montreal Victoire in the final minutes of Thursday’s opening game of the PWHL Finals.

The top-ranked team trailed the Ottawa Charge 2-1, and while pressing for a tying goal with Ann-Renée Desbiens pulled for the extra attacker, Laura Stacey looked badly injured on a play along the boards.

The sight of a heart-and-soul player in agony on the ice, then being helped off it — by captain Marie-Philip Poulin, Stacey’s wife — was a shock. With 18 seconds remaining, there was the immediate question of how Montreal — which was about to be down 1-0 in the finals — could come back to win a Walter Cup with both Poulin and Stacey battling injuries.

Then things took an unexpected turn.

Poulin skated into the zone and placed a perfect puck into the middle of Gwyneth Philips’ crease that rookie defender Nicole Gosling hammered home with just 2.1 seconds left on the clock.

“It’s a group that certainly does care for each other and Pou did find another level in that moment,” said Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie. “Once the puck was pushed into the front of the net, I knew anything was possible, and honestly, I didn’t believe it. I got hit in the face with a stick, they jumped on the bench, I thought my ear was bleeding, I didn’t know what was going on.”

Nobody on the Victoire had any idea about Stacey’s status, either. Not until she jumped on the ice for a few laps at the start of overtime to a chorus of cheers.

Stacey was on the ice again, less than three minutes into overtime, hunting a puck down and helping to set up Abby Roque’s game-winner — her second of the night, which bounced in off her cage.

“When Stace goes down, everybody knew we wanted to put our best foot forward for her,” Roque said after the game. “Obviously, we wanted (to) try to score with those last couple seconds and it got it done.”

On her game-winner, Roque said she “saw the puck go right between my eyes,” and “it somehow went in.”

“It was quite the crazy last four minutes of play.”

It was the fifth straight game between Ottawa and Montreal in the playoffs that required overtime, dating back to last postseason. All four games in last year’s final between Ottawa and Minnesota also required overtime.

“Welcome to the Walter Cup Final,” said Ottawa coach Carla MacLeod. “That’s the reality. It’s hard-fought. It’s two elite teams. Nobody’s wanting to give an inch and everyone’s playing as hard as they can until every buzzer and whistle.

“There’s nowhere else on the planet we wanna be.”

The Victoire now have a 1-0 series lead in the PWHL’s first all-Canadian final. Game 2 of the best-of-five series is scheduled for Saturday afternoon (2 p.m. ET) back at Place Bell.

Ottawa’s strong start

The Charge were outshot by double digits in all four games of their semifinal series against the Boston Fleet. But they came out strong in the first period on Thursday, outshooting the Victoire 10-5 — the first time Ottawa put 10 pucks on net in a single period during this year’s playoffs.

The team did a nice job getting to the inside of the middle of the ice, with nearly all of those looks coming from between the faceoff dots. Once again, though, Desbiens was able to keep Montreal in the game, stopping all 10 shots.

A diving cross-crease save on Fanuza Kadirova, who has the co-lead in playoff scoring, was among the highlights. She also denied Ottawa captain Brianne Jenner’s breakaway chance in the latter half of the period.

It was the first time the Charge failed to score in the first period of the 2026 postseason. That’s all credit to Desbiens, who finished the game with 23 saves and a .920 save percentage.

“In big moments, she’s up to the task,” said Gosling. “She’s the best goalie in the world. I might be biased, but I’m going to say it.”

Leslie breaks through

For the second year in a row, it was Ottawa’s own Rebecca Leslie who opened the scoring in the PWHL Finals. Last year, against the Minnesota Frost, was a bit more of a pleasant surprise after a one-goal regular season campaign by Leslie, who spent two seasons between Toronto and Ottawa as a useful depth player.

A lot can change in a year, though. Leslie is now one of the breakout stars of the season, a legitimate top-line winger and Ottawa’s top goal scorer; only Minnesota’s Kelly Pannek (16) had more goals than Leslie (14) league-wide this season.

“The purpose that she brings to her practices and her training, she’s always looking for ways to get better, and I think I saw that training with her this summer,” Jenner said before the playoffs. “The way that she came into the season, the way that she was skating, the accuracy with her shot, so many pieces to her game were just so dialed in I think from the start of the season.”

A lot of that was on display on Leslie’s second-period goal.

Montreal defender Nadia Mattivi, who was signed to a 10-day contract on Thursday afternoon to make her playoff debut, failed to hold the line on a pass to the point and Leslie jumped on the loose puck and used her speed to lead a rush chance the other way for the Charge.

Leslie did well to wait out a sliding Erin Ambrose, and dragged the puck around Ambrose’s outreached stick to get an initial shot off. After Desbiens made the initial save, Leslie gathered her own rebound and scored with some chaos in the crease.

Leslie added a second goal, which looked like the game-winner, late in the third period.

Roque has her playoff moment

Initially, Montreal’s draft-day trade for Roque last year was a shocker. When the deal was announced, there were audible gasps throughout the crowd in Ottawa. But it didn’t take much thought to understand general manager Daniele Sauvageau’s vision.

Roque, 28, had built a reputation as the kind of player opponents hate to play against but would love to have on their team. She had some down years on the New York Sirens, and had yet to hit her ceiling in the PWHL. With a mix of skill and sandpaper, Roque also offered a style of hockey the Victoire had lacked in back-to-back first-round losses.

“That’s where I like to come alive,” Roque said in the offseason. “I want to compete. I show up in those moments and make it difficult on the other team.”

Finding a home on the top line with Stacey and Poulin, Roque hit career highs in goals (8) and points (22) this season and made her long-awaited postseason debut in the semifinals against Minnesota.

In the first round, Roque had three points in the first two games of the series and made her presence known in a physical — and highly penalized — series against the Frost.

On Thursday, Roque put her offensive ability on display, scoring Montreal’s first goal to tie the game late in the third period, with an incredible shot blocker side on Philips. And, of course, she was the overtime hero.

“This is the meaningful hockey that I want to play, that we all want to play,” Roque said after the game. “I’ve been so grateful to have this playoff run to be able to play in these big games. I mean they’re fun, they’re physical, they get heated. It’s the way hockey is meant to be played.”

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Montreal Victoire, Ottawa Charge, NHL, Women's Hockey

2026 The Athletic Media Company

Purple Row After Dark: What former players should join the booth?

PITTSBURGH, PA - JULY 21: Cory Sullivan of the Colorado Rockies looks on from the dugout before a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on July 21, 2005 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pirates defeated the Rockies 8-1. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Last week, I offered up the discussion about who the best color commentator in Colorado sports is. When it comes to the Colorado Rockies broadcasts, Ryan Spilborghs garnered plenty of support. It’s understandable since Spilly is a humorous individual, but what I’ve always enjoyed is the perspective he brings as a former player and fan of the game. Spilly has consistently adapted to the modern game and has done a good job of breaking down plays and helping viewers understand the game. There is a reason that former players can make such great color commentators.

Personally, as much as I like Cory Sullivan and Jeff Huson, they grow tiresome for me during games. There is a lot of resistance to how the current game is played (see Sully’s crusade to not acknowledge the sweeper) and a lot of “back in my day” reminiscing. I do acknowledge that some of the exhaustion is due to listening to the two of them on broadcasts for a good number of years now.

This got me thinking about what former players, particularly former Rockies, I’d pick to join the team as color commentators.

There are a few former Rockies currently working as analysts across the league. Justin Morneau has been in the Minnesota booth for eight years now. Adam Ottavino and Dexter Fowler are working with NBC Sports this season, with the former as an in-game analyst and the latter as a pre-game analyst. There are likely some others sprinkled around, but these are some notable ones.

If I had the choice of any former Rockie to join as a broadcaster, I think Michael Cuddyer would be a fun one. Yes, he would probably fit in better with Minnesota, but I recall a time during his Rockies stint that, while injured, he joined the pre- and post-game crew (remember when we had both on a daily basis?) because he wanted something to do. Cuddy was insightful, humorous, and may have done a magic trick or two. He was one of my favorite players and had a fantastic career, and I think he’d bring a great dynamic to a broadcast, especially with his experience working with the 18U Team USA squad.

So that’s tonight’s discussion topic: What former Rockie(s) do you think would be a good color commentator for the broadcasts?

Let us know below!


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Dodgers vs. Giants game VII chat

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 13: Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers doubles during the second inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images

One more game to finish off the homestand.

Thursday game info
  • Teams: Dodgers vs. Giants
  • Ballpark: Dodger Stadium
  • Time: 7:10 p.m.
  • TV: SportsNet LA
  • Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

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Return of the Ranger: Phillies 3, Red Sox 1

May 14, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) runs out the bases after hitting a two run home run against the Boston Red Sox during the eighth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

You don’t really appreciate what you have until it’s gone. I used to get to recap Ranger Suárez starts all the time. Now I get to do that once a season at most. Unless I defect to Over the Monster, which is unlikely, on account of me growing up in a Yankees fan family, and still retaining some lingering fondness for the pinstriped rich kids. Anyway.

The Phillies wasted no time in trying to make their old friend sweat , with Trea Turner grounding to the hot corner, then seemingly beating out a great spinning throw from Caleb Durbin. But the call was overturned on review. Suarez, too, showed no mercy, striking Kyle Schwarber out with a low curveball, and inducing a lineout from Bryce Harper. And then he got the next six out too, half of them coming on strikeouts. He made J.T. Realmuto look foolish by inducing a swing on a low curve for strike three ; Realmuto realized it wasn’t his pitch and tried to hold off, but broke the plane. Baseball is a cruel thing, pitting former batterymates against each other.

Ranger’s counterpart in today’s proceedings, Jesús Luzardo, blinked first. He allowed a double to Carlos Narváez in the bottom third on a softly hit ball that dropped in front of a sliding Felix Reyes, then scooted behind him as he missed it. A sacrifice bunt advanced Narváez to second. But the next two Bosox bowed before the Lizard King, and the score remained tied.

The Phillies finally got a baserunner against Ranger when Harper worked a walk on seven pitches, but couldn’t advance him. The Boston nine did a little more at the plate, but remained similarly stymied in the scoring section. Wilyer Abreu singled in the bottom fourth, but was picked off— which proved costly for the Beantowners when Willson Contreras doubled in the next at-bat.

The Phillies got themselves their first hit at the hands of Alec Bohm in the fifth, who smacked a cutter into the left-side gap. Realmuto joined him with a single to the right side. Reyes imitated Realmuto, and the Phillies had the bases loaded. But Suarez, characteristically, was not particularly fazed. He made Edmundo Sosa whiff for a forwards K, then got Turner to pass on a cutter at the bottom of the zone for a backwards one. The fifth inning came to naught for the visitors.

The same was true for the Sox, who put a pair on via HPB and walk, but couldn’t bring either of them as far as third. The game thus entered the sixth at an even score, brought about by evenly-matched pitcher and evenly-frustrated batters.

But frustration can come for pitchers, too. Bryce Harper hit a seeing-eye single that slipped perfectly past a pair of diving Sox, and Suarez was sent to the showers, despite his overall strong performance. With two righties up next, right-handed reliever Justin Slaten was his replacement. Adolis García struck out, but Bohm singled to put runners on the corners. That brought up Brandon Marsh, who hit a liner to center that looked to all the world like it might drop— all the world, that is, except for Ceddanne Rafaela, who chased it down and sent the frame to bed.

The Red Sox threatened again in the bottom of the sixth when Reyes misplayed a ball from Andruw Monasterio off the Green Monster, trying to grab it with his free hand, then bobbling it. Monasterio ended up on second with none away. But the Phillies would once again mirror their Junior Circuit counterpart, with Luzardo inducing a trio of ground balls to keep the Sox scoreless.

Brad Keller took over for Luzardo in the bottom seventh, with Bryson Stott (who had pinch-hit for Reyes in the top, popping out), taking over at second base. For the second straight inning, the Sox put a man on second with a double, then failed to bring him home. This time, though, the double came with two outs, making the subsequent fizzling of the opportunity significantly less painful.

In the end, it wasn’t a former Phillie-turned-Red Sock that decided this game. It was a former Red Sock-turned-Phillie. Trea Turner singled to lead off the eighth, and Kyle Schwarber then smacked a pitch over the bullpen in Fenway’s right field to score the game’s first runs. That bullpen belongs to the visitors, and the gopher ball was visibly appreciated by the Phillies relief crew, necks craned upwards as if they were watching a meteor shower. The Red Sox got the next two Phillies out, but put the next three on via single, error, and HBP. That brought up Bryson Stott, who grounded to third. Durbin moved to throw to second, but the base was sockless. He instead threw to first, where Stott was called out; the Phillies challenged. The review proved that Stott had made it to base safely, and the Phillies had a 3-0 lead. Justin Crawford was called in to pinch hit for Edmundo Sosa, grounded out, and the frame was concluded, with the game taking a decidedly Philadelphian tilt.

José Alvarado took the eighth. The Sox hitters, awoken from their slumber by the reverberations of the Schwarber homer, plated their first of the game thanks to a double from Monasterio and a single from Abreu. Alvarado hit Rafaela, putting two on with two away, but made Trevor Story whiff to end the inning.

The Phillies went quietly in the ninth, then asked Jhoan Duran to ensure the Red Sox did the same. He struck out Mickey Gasper, walked Masataka Yoshida (pinch-hitting for Durbin), struck out Marcelo Mayer, then struck out Jarren Duran. The Phillies won, and old friend Ranger pitched well. Everyone goes home happy.

Well, not Red Sox fans. But everyone else.

The Phillies are 21-23. They return to action tomorrow night for a cross-state clash in Pittsburgh.

Cubs foil Braves’ sweep plans with a shutout win

ATLANTA, GA - MAY 14: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves takes the field before the game against the Chicago Cubs at Truist Park on May 14, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

In the preview for tonight’s game, I mentioned that this game might come down to who could find the big hits in the latter stages of the game. The Braves have made a good living when it comes to either turning games around or finishing things off during the money innings (seventh, eighth and ninth), and it appeared that that was likely what this game was going to come down to.

Unfortunately for us Braves fans, it was the Cubs who managed to get the timely hitting — or any real hitting at all, as they ended up keeping Atlanta completely quiet with a 2-0 shutout win to avoid getting swept.

Chris Sale did end up going six innings in this one and while he did get into some trouble during the first five frames, he was able to deftly dance around those problems like he usually does and kept the Cubs quiet for the most part. Sale eventually finished the night with eight strikeouts, which is just about what you’d expect from the veteran hurler even at this stage of his career.

The only real issue came in the sixth inning, which is when Sale walked Ian Happ to lead off the inning. It sure seemed like the next batter was going to hit a ground ball that could’ve been a double play. Instead, the Braves got none as Ha-Seong Kim’s flip to second was a poor one that went into the outfield for an error. The Cubs cashed in runners at the corners with a productive ground ball out from Matt Shaw that broke the 0-0 deadlock and gave Chicago the lead.

While this was going on, the Cubs were already having to dip into their bullpen — though it wasn’t because of lack of success on Ben Brown’s part. He was on a strict pitch count limit and he was certainly effective during the 65 pitches that he did throw. The Braves were only able to muster one hit and one walk off of Brown while he was out there and they didn’t look particularly close to pushing across a run during that stint.

It also didn’t help matters that Chicago’s bullpen kept the pedal to the metal once Brown left the game. Hoby Milner pitched two clean innings and then Phil Maton got a measure of redemption with his scoreless outing as well, which meant that the Cubs were holding on to a precious one-run lead once the game got into the latter stages.

That ended up being two runs once the eighth inning rolled around, as Ian Happ sent one to the Chop House at the expense of Reynaldo López for a solo shot that made it 2-0 Cubs. Old friend Jacob Webb pitched a scoreless eighth inning in order to keep it a two-run deficit, ensuring that it would take a dramatic rally from the Braves in the ninth inning to potentially turn things around.

Credit has to be given to Aaron Bummer to making sure that the Braves only had a two-run deficit to attempt to overcome in the ninth inning. Unfortunately, this night was all about Chicago’s pitching staff, as Daniel Palencia was absolutely electric to close this one out and doom the Braves to their second shutout loss of the season so far.

Instead of picking up a series win and a sweep against two of the best teams in the National League so far, the Braves will have to “settle” for just the two series wins — still a very positive result for this run of six games. Atlanta will now try to bounce back tomorrow night at 7:15 p.m. ET against their traditional Interleague rivals, the Boston Red Sox. If you’re going to the game, wear your red since it’s a red-out, and all.

Phillies 3, Red Sox 1; Kyle Schwarber sinks Boston in finale

BOSTON, MA - MAY 12: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates with third-base coach Anthony Contreras after hitting a solo home run in the first inning during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Rutherford/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Red Sox had another installment of regularly-scheduled programming: the pitching staff gives them a chance to win and the offense offers another lifeless performance. Boston scored just one run in the eighth inning and could not match Philadelphia in the 3-1 loss.


Kyle Schwarber changed the game with one swing to move Philadelphia to 12-4 under interim manager Don Mattingly. 

Here’s three takeaways from Thursday’s series finale.

RANGER IS ROLLING

He may have missed time with hamstring issues, but Ranger Suarez is pitching like the guy the Red Sox paid for this month. He’s tallied 9 ⅓ scoreless frames to start the month of May. 

Against his former club, Suarez struck out eight Phillies through 5 ⅓ innings Thursday night. In fact, the left-hander hasn’t allowed a run since April 22 against the Yankees. Since then? He’s posted 17 ⅓ innings of shutout ball across his last three starts. 

KYLE SCHWARBER IS INEVITABLE

The Phillies slugger offered another sour reminder of the shortcomings of Boston’s lineup. Home runs change games and the Red Sox just don’t hit enough of them.

Schwarber launched his 18th home run of the year, his seventh in seven games, off of Tyler Samaniego in the eighth inning to break the scoreless tie. Boston deployed a left-on-left matchup. Just not one good enough to hold Schwarber in the yard on Thursday night.

One of the sport’s greatest home run threats is fully in powerful form by mid-May. 

FENWAY FAILS

The Red Sox have just one series win at Fenway Park to their names through the opening six weeks of the season. That came in early April when Boston took two of three games from the Milwaukee Brewers.

How to watch San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 09: Landen Roupp #65 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the top of the third inning of a major league baseball game at Oracle Park on May 09, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The San Francisco Giants wrap up this four-game road series against the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight.

Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Landen Roupp, who enters tonight’s game with a 3.09 ERA, 2.51 FIP, with 51 strikeouts to 19 walks in 43.2 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 13-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, in which he allowed one run on three hits with eight strikeouts and three walks in four innings.

He’ll be facing off against Dodgers right-hander Emmet Sheehan, who enters tonight’s game with a 4.79 ERA, 3.81 FIP, with 43 strikeouts to 10 walks in 35.2 innings pitched. His last start was in the Dodgers’ 3-1 win over the Atlanta Braves on Friday, in which he allowed one run on six hits with seven strikeouts and a walk in four and two thirds innings.

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Game #44

Who: San Francisco Giants (18-25) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (25-18)

Where: UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California

When: 7:10 p.m. PT

Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area

National broadcast: MLB Network

Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM

Former Blackhawks First-Rounder Lands Extension With Bruins

A former Chicago Blackhawks first-round pick will officially be staying with the Boston Bruins. 

Former Blackhawks forward Lukas Reichel has signed a one-year, two-way contract extension with the Bruins for the 2026-27 season. At the NHL level, Reichel will have a $950,000 cap hit.

This new deal is a pay decrease for Reichel, as he had a $1.2 million cap hit over each of the last two seasons. While this is the case, Reichel will now be looking to take that next step and cement himself as a key part of the Bruins' forward group after landing this new one-year deal. 

Reichel had an eventful 2025-26 season. He was first traded by the Blackhawks at the beginning stages of the campaign to the Vancouver Canucks. He then was dealt to the Bruins by Vancouver at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. With this, he played on three NHL teams in one season. He also made appearances at the AHL level with both the Abbotsford Canucks and Providence Bruins this season. 

Now, Reichel will be looking for more stability next season with Boston. The young forward has had trouble breaking out in the NHL, but the 23-year-old will be aiming to change that with the Black and Gold after landing this new deal. 

Reichel was selected by the Blackhawks with the 17th overall pick of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and was once one of their top prospects. In 174 games over five seasons with Chicago, he had 22 goals, 36 assists, and 58 points. 

Panthers Will Have 5 Players, 5 Staff Members Participating At 2026 IIHF World Championship

There will be a plethora of Florida Panthers participating in the IIHF World Championships this month.

As players are making their way to Switzerland for the annual hockey tournament, several members of the Panthers, to include five players and five staff members, will be representing their respective countries.

Florida captain Sasha Barkov and fellow centerman Anton Lundell will be suiting up for Team Finland.

For Barkov, the tournament will be some of the first true game action he’s seen since last year’s Stanley Cup Final.

Barkov suffered a serious knee injury during training camp in September and missed the entire 2025-26 NHL season while recovering from surgery.

Representing the United States will be Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk.

Tkachuk will be seeking to become the first American hockey player to join the Triple Gold Club.

The three ‘golds’ are an Olympic gold medal, a Stanley Cup win and an IIHF World Championship gold medal.

Earlier this year, Tkachuk helped the United States win their first Olympic gold since 1980. In the two Junes before that, he won a pair of Stanley Cup titles with the Panthers.

Now we’ll see if he can help Team USA win their second straight World Championship gold.

If they do, Tkachuk will also become the first player in NHL history to win all three legs of the Triple Gold Club in a 12-month span.

Joining Tkachuk with Team USA are Panthers Assistant General Manager Brett Peterson, who is the GM for the US at the tournament, along with Florida Head Equipment Manager Teddy Richards and Head Athletic Trainer Dave DiNapoli.

Panthers GM Bill Zito is serving on the team’s advisory group.

Representing Latvia at Worlds will be 22-year-old Panthers forward Sandis Vilmanis.

Coming off an impressive 19-game NHL debut this season, Vilmanis will suit up for his country for the second time this year, also playing for Team Latvia during the 2026 Winter Olympics.

He earned three goals and five points during those 19 games in the NHL while racking up 17 goals and 38 points in 48 games for AHL Charlotte.

Another Panthers prospect who made his NHL debut this season and is also heading to the World Championship is Marek Alscher.

The 22-year-old will be representing Czechia after playing his first four games in the NHL earlier this season, dishing out three assists for the Panthers during his time with the club.

Team Canada tapped Panthers AGM Gregory Campbell to assist team executives with evaluating players and constructing their roster.

The tournament begins on Friday and runs through May 31.

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Photo caption: Feb 12, 2026; Milan, Italy; Matthew Tkachuk of United States in action with Renars Krastenbergs of Latvia in men's ice hockey group C play during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. (Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)

5 takeaways from the Bob Myers-Josh Harris presser

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 5: Bob Myers and Josh Harris of the Philadelphia 76ers look on against the Denver Nuggets at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 5, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Nuggets defeated the 76ers 125-124 in overtime. 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. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It’s been a tumultuous few days for the Sixers’ organization.

Then again, those days all ended in “y.”

Two days after the ownership group made the decision to part ways with Daryl Morey after six seasons, managing partner Josh Harris and HBSE president of sports and former Golden State Warriors executive Bob Myers spoke to reporters.

The pair spoke about what the franchise is looking for in its next lead executive, what Myers’ role looks like moving forward and the fallout of the Jared McCain trade. Here are five takeaways from the availability.

Where do they go from here?

If you were hoping for answers as far as the direction the team is going, you didn’t get much. Several questions were asked about the futures of Joel Embiid and Paul George, and how those older veterans mesh with the young backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.

Myers didn’t divulge much, basically insinuating the new executive the team hires will have major input. He acknowledged how early it is in the process and how there’s still much fact-finding to be done and people within the organization to speak to about what went wrong this season.

Harris was asked specifically about Embiid and his future. Take his answer how you will.

“I think that he’s an important player on our roster,” Harris said, “and he’s a warrior. … some of the things that you said are also true [about his injury history]. So, I think we’re looking forward to welcoming him back on our team.”

If you were looking for a ringing endorsement for Embiid, it wasn’t provided. Nor was there any clear indication of how the team views the plausibility of its current dual timeline.

But Myers’ answer to Derek Bodner’s question about the viability of the three-star model in today’s CBA was interesting.

“Well, we didn’t get it done this year with three guys, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. … I think it’s a smart question in that, ‘what’s the modern roster supposed to look like with the second apron, really? Which oftentimes operates as kind of a hard cap. The truth is, depth may be more important than it’s ever been. Maybe that’s the pace of play. Maybe that’s what we require of our players more. Not to say that this model doesn’t work, but we have to look at what happened this year and be honest about it. We got to be honest about can this model work, right? And that’s really the question, and also understanding the depth is key, and you only have certain amount of resources to spend. So that’s all part of the questions. It’s all part of what we need to figure out going forward.”

For what it’s worth, it didn’t seem like Myers was being evasive in the availability. Morey was just let go on Tuesday and Myers’ search hasn’t even really begun. Perhaps when the draft comes around, those answers will start to materialize.

This answer from Myers was another interesting one, though:

“It was fascinating to hear from the current staff that I saw yesterday in Chicago, what was said at the exit interviews. I find that very impactful. I’m not going to tell you [what was said] — that’s not fair. All of it matters, all these conversations, all the things you learn about an organization when the game is over and you go in the locker room and you talk to the players, you talk to the coach, talk to the training staff, what happened this season, and until we get all of that, I’m not going to say we’ve got the answers to that question, but I do know this: we have to get better.”

Myers’ role moving forward

When Morey was let go, folks wondered if Myers would simply take on the role of president of basketball operations. That does not appear to be the case.

However, some eyebrows were raised when ESPN’s Shams Charania said Myers would “partner” with the team’s next lead executive. Given Myers’ success as an NBA exec, it’s fair to wonder if he’ll have a bit more say with the Sixers than, say, the New Jersey Devils or Washington Commanders, HBSE’s other franchises.

While the person the team hires will be in charge of day-to-day operations, it certainly sounds like Myers will weigh in on the franchise’s bigger decisions.

“They’ll have a lot of authority here, which they should,” Myers said. “What they’re going to get, and our fans are going to get, is them, plus me. I won’t be on a day-to-day level, but on the high-level decision-making, which is being here at the draft, being here leading up to the trade deadline, being available for free-agency discussions, free-agency meetings, things like that. I’m going to be involved at that level, and I can tell you that I imagine — and I’m not saying this lightly — I’ll be communicating with that person daily, if not five out of seven days a week.”

Could Myers one day go full Pat Riley mode and take things over? Who knows?

A comfort to Sixers fans concerned about the draft is that Myers is hoping to have someone in place by then and is allowing a front office group that’s drafted quite well to do its thing.

“… the goal would be to have someone in place for the draft to get acclimated with the new group. But by the way, the group is working now, and whoever we hire, not sure who that will be, will likely, possibly already be evaluating the draft, where they’re coming from. So that’s a benefit, in some ways, but, yeah, I’d like to, and I hope to, but it’ll be as much time as required to get the best person. Because again, sure, have someone by the draft, but the goal would be to have someone that’s the right person for a long amount of time after.”

On his draft philosophy:

“This group’s done a pretty good job drafting, to be honest. I don’t want to come in and run over anybody in this existing group, including Daryl. He’s drafted some good players — Maxey, VJ, good examples of very successful players that were picked. So I’m not an expert in that. I’ll give my opinion. I want to meet with the group, hear what they say. Each year is a little bit different as to what you’re looking for, see who might be available at that pick and partner with new leadership and see what their philosophies are on the whole thing.”

The Jared McCain trade

There was no way this one wasn’t coming up.

Myers was asked about it first. His answer was diplomatic, praising Morey in general, while saying the true analysis of trades for the organization doesn’t happen until we see all the results.

Harris confirmed the ownership group — including Myers — gave the OK on the deal.

“So, the way these things work generally with something like that is the front office makes a recommendation,” Harris said, “and then ownership, which included Bob at that point, and we OK’d it. So, I think we were involved in it. It was part of a bigger plan. … As Bob said, we don’t know the outcome of that trade right now. We are sitting here with the 22nd pick, but I understand what you’re saying, and I understand the question, and …obviously, I understand the view of it here.”

Well, here’s hoping they nail pick No. 22.

What are they looking for?

Myers was asked right off the bat what he’s looking for in an executive.

“I’m a big believer in character and leadership, and I’m looking for a person that embodies those things. But there’s many characteristics under that that I believe kind of qualify in making a modern GM a success. There’s front-facing responsibilities, there’s responsibilities of managing star players, there’s responsibilities of managing up to ownership, there’s contract negotiations, there’s draft process, there’s evaluating analytics, there’s medical staff.

“You go down the line, and these jobs have an enormity to them, so I’m looking to find someone that can check as many of those boxes as possible, but also raise their hand and say, ‘You know what? I’m actually not good in this space. I’m going to need some support.’ Because the misnomer about these jobs is … I had some success in my previous job, but it wasn’t me by myself. There are teams of people that make a team and organization successful, so making sure we have the right person to lead them, but also the right people underneath them, which is important.”

Harris faces tough questions

It goes without saying the Sixers fan base isn’t pleased with Harris and the organization. A decent example of that is how New York Knicks fans were able to take over Xfinity Mobile Arena last week. There is also a growing contingent of the fanbase who’d like Harris to sell the team, noting how his other teams are direct competitors with Philadelphia franchises.

Despite being asked a question about him not addressing “off-court things,” Harris kept his answers strictly to basketball and the Sixers.

“I think I’m very focused on setting up the team and the club to push through the second round and go to the NBA championship, achieve our goals,” Harris said. “I care deeply for the team. No one’s more frustrated than I am. I understand people’s frustration. And … going out and getting someone as talented as Bob to kind of help Philly achieve its goals — this is the next step and our evolution.”

Interesting nugget to add: Harris was asked directly if the front office is under a directive to stay below the luxury tax. Harris said no, and that the ownership group is investing in a new arena, which will cost much more than any tax penalties, and has signed multiple max players, at times going over the tax in the past.

Series Preview: Milwaukee Brewers @ Minnesota Twins

Jun 22, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Trevor Megill (29) celebrates the win with catcher William Contreras (24) against the Minnesota Twins after the game at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images | Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers are back on the road, and this time, they won’t have to travel too far. Beginning this weekend, the Brewers are on a two-series trip through the Twin Cities and Chicago, as they’ll take on a pair of rivals in the Twins and Cubs. First up is Minnesota, as the Brewers will face the Twins for three games beginning Friday night.

The Crew is coming off a 5-1 homestand that featured a three-game sweep of the Yankees and a 2-1 series against the Padres — the only loss of the series came on a go-ahead three-run homer in the ninth inning of a 3-1 Padre win. Milwaukee is now 24-17 on the season, tied with the Cardinals for second in the NL Central.

On the opposite side, the Twins are 20-24 on the year, right in the middle of what has been a weak AL Central thus far. They took two of three from the Marlins this week, giving them four wins in their last five games after taking the final two games in Cleveland over the weekend.

In terms of injuries, the Brewers currently have a few players shelved and a few who are considered day-to-day. The day-to-day group includes Christian Yelich and Jacob Misiorowski. Yelich has been held out of the lineup for the last two games as he deals with minor back tightness, a lingering issue that has affected him for the last few years, while Misiorowski exited his start on Wednesday night after only the seventh inning as he once again dealt with cramps. He’s reportedly set to make his next start on schedule. Outfielders Brandon Lockridge and Akil Baddoo are both out with leg injuries, with Baddoo scheduled to begin a rehab assignment this weekend and Lockridge expected to be out until at least mid-June. On the pitching side, Rob Zastryzny (late May), Brandon Woodruff (late May), Jared Koenig (late May/early June), Quinn Priester (early June), and Angel Zerpa (out for the season) are all on the IL.

The Twins IL several key players, so I’ll give the quick-ish rundown. The list includes starting pitcher Pablo López, who is out for the season with a torn UCL, as well as Garrett Acton, Cody Laweryson, David Festa, Mick Abel, Cole Sands, and Taj Bradley. Outfielder Byron Buxton is day-to-day with hip soreness, while Wisconsin-native Alan Roden is on the IL with Triple-A St. Paul. Top prospects Walker Jenkins (team No. 1, MLB No. 12), Emmanuel Rodriguez (team No. 4, MLB No. 54), and Charlee Soto (team No. 9) are all on the IL in the minors.

Offensively, the Brewers are led by Brice Turang, who seemingly gets better every game. He’s hitting .298/.422/.511 with six homers, 10 doubles, 27 RBIs, 33 runs, and eight steals this season. Jake Bauers adds six homers, and Gary Sánchez has five. Other key contributors include William Contreras, Andrew Vaughn, Jackson Chourio, and Yelich (when healthy). Rounding out the position player group, those guys are joined by Sal Frelick, Garrett Mitchell, Joey Ortiz, David Hamilton, Luis Rengifo, and Blake Perkins. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .245/.336/.359 (.695 OPS ranks 19th), with 27 homers (last), 209 runs (eighth), and 43 steals (fifth).

Buxton leads Minnesota’s offense with 15 homers this year, and he’s hitting .260/.319/.580 over 40 games. Ryan Jeffers has added six homers, while Brooks Lee ranks third with five. Austin Martin has quietly been one of the better hitters for the Twins, hitting .333/.454/.429 over 38 games, and Luke Keaschall leads the team with 10 steals this year. Victor Caratini, Kody Clemens, Royce Lewis, Tristan Gray, Josh Bell, Ryan Keidler, Trevor Larnach, and James Outman round out the Minnesota offense. As a team, the Twins are hitting .236/.325/.385 (.710 OPS ranks 13th), with 49 homers (tied for 12th), 211 runs (seventh), and 40 steals (tied for sixth).

The Brewers bullpen is anchored by the fireman duo of Aaron Ashby and DL Hall, as Ashby leads the majors with a perfect 7-0 record across 20 appearances, with a 2.00 ERA and 43 strikeouts across 27 innings. Hall has a 1.80 ERA with 22 strikeouts over 20 innings. Grant Anderson hasn’t appeared as often recently, though he still ranks second on the team with 19 appearances. Abner Uribe has now blown two saves with a 4.96 ERA, though he’s still one of the best pitchers on the team when he’s playing well. Trevor Megill has bounced back after an ice-cold start, allowing just two earned runs over his last 10 innings (1.80 ERA). Jake Woodford, Shane Drohan, and Brian Fitzpatrick round things out. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.35 team ERA (third), including a 3.27 starter ERA (fourth) and a 3.44 bullpen ERA (seventh). They’ve struck out 402 batters (fourth) over 365 1/3 innings.

As you’ll see with the team stats below, the Twins’ bullpen hasn’t been great this season. Former Brewer Justin Topa leads the team with 21 appearances, and Anthony Banda is right behind him with 20 appearances, though both have ERAs over 7.00. Kody Funderburk (who is now at Triple-A, thanks to some control issues) was probably the best pitcher, at least statistically, with a 2.81 ERA over 16 innings. The current group of Eric Orze (4.26 ERA), Taylor Rogers (4.41 ERA), Andrew Morris (4.67 ERA), and Luis García (10.57 ERA) has all had their share of troubles this season. The newest bullpen edition, Kendry Rojas, has been solid through three appearances, with a 2.45 ERA over 7 1/3 innings. As a staff, the Twins have a 4.49 team ERA (23rd), including a 3.88 starter ERA (ninth) and a 5.38 bullpen ERA (29th). They’ve struck out 332 batters (26th) over 387 innings.

Probable Pitchers

Friday, May 15 @ 6:10 p.m.: TBD vs. RHP Joe Ryan (2-3, 3.43 ERA, 3.04 FIP)

The Brewers have not yet announced a starter for game 1 or game 3 of this series. Friday night’s starter would be lined up as Chad Patrick, but the Brewers have used him in a bit more of a bullpen role lately, as he went three innings in relief against the Yankees on Saturday before tossing a perfect inning against the Padres on Tuesday. I’d expect that whether or not he’s the starter, we’ll see him at some point in this one, and likely for multiple innings. The 27-year-old righty has a 3.06 ERA, 3.81 FIP, and 26 strikeouts over 35 1/3 innings this season. Patrick made a start against the Twins last May, taking the loss as he allowed three runs on eight hits and a walk with two strikeouts over six frames.

Ryan, 30 in June, is in his sixth MLB season, all with the Twins. An All-Star last season, Ryan has a similar stat line so far in 2026, with a 3.43 ERA, a 3.04 FIP, and 45 strikeouts over 44 2/3 innings. The former seventh-round pick went six innings against the Guardians in his last appearance, allowing one run on two hits and three walks while striking out five in a no-decision. Ryan has made four appearances against Milwaukee in his career, with a 1-1 record, 3.18 ERA, and 25 strikeouts over 22 2/3 innings. He went 1-1 against Milwaukee last season, with the win coming in the same game that Patrick lost.

Saturday, May 16 @ 6:10 p.m.: RHP Logan Henderson (0-1, 4.15 ERA, 2.11 FIP) vs. LHP Connor Prielipp (1-1, 3.32 ERA, 4.37 FIP)

The only officially announced starter for Milwaukee, this will mark Henderson’s fourth start of 2026. He’s allowed exactly two runs in all three of his starts this year, including two runs over five innings against the Yankees on Mother’s Day, striking out five and taking the no-decision as Brice Turang ultimately played hero. One thing of note: each of Henderson’s last two starts ended before the 80-pitch mark (76 on May 3 against the Nationals, 74 on Sunday). This marks Henderson’s first career appearance against Minnesota.

Prielipp, 25, was born and raised in Tomah, Wisconsin. A second-round pick out of the University of Alabama in 2022, he made his MLB debut just a few weeks ago, as this will mark his fifth career start. Ranked as Minnesota’s No. 5 team prospect by MLB Pipeline, he has a 3.32 ERA, 4.37 FIP, and 21 strikeouts over 19 innings this year. He went five innings against the Guardians in his last appearance, allowing four runs (just one earned) on four hits and two walks, striking out six in his first loss. This marks Prielipp’s first career appearance against Milwaukee.

Sunday, May 17 @ 1:10 p.m.: TBD vs. RHP Bailey Ober (4-2, 3.46 ERA, 3.84 FIP)

Rookie right-hander Brandon Sproat would be lined up to take the ball in the series finale if the last turn through the rotation holds. Sproat is coming off a decent start on Tuesday night against the Padres, earning his first MLB win in appearance No. 12 as he went 5 1/3 innings with three runs allowed on six hits and two walks, striking out six. For the season, he has a 5.75 ERA, 5.74 FIP, and 36 strikeouts over 36 innings. This would mark Sproat’s first career appearance against Minnesota.

Like Ryan, Ober, 30, is in his sixth MLB season, all with Minnesota. The former 12th-round pick has turned in a few solid seasons during his career, but he’s coming off his worst season to date, as he had a 5.10 ERA and 4.90 FIP over 146 1/3 innings in 2025. He’s looked better thus far in 2026, though, with a 3.46 ERA, 3.84 FIP, and 39 strikeouts over 52 innings. He’s coming off a complete game shutout performance against the Marlins, in which he threw just 89 pitches and allowed just two hits (no walks) with seven strikeouts in a 3-0 win. This marks Ober’s third career start against the Brewers. Both of his previous starts came in 2023, when he totaled 11 innings with four runs allowed (3.27 ERA) and 10 strikeouts, picking up a win and a no-decision.

How to Watch & Listen

Friday, May 8: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Saturday, May 9: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Sunday, May 10: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Prediction

Despite entering the season predicted to finish at the bottom of the AL Central (and possibly the entire AL or even MLB), the Twins have held their own thus far, as they’re just a few games under .500. Still, the Brewers seem to be playing some of their best baseball right now, which makes me confident they can take two of three here.