The Mets are at an interesting crossroads with David Peterson.
After turning in another solid outing from the bullpen on Monday against the Colorado Rockies where he allowed two earned runs in four innings while striking out six, Peterson now has a 2.45 ERA in three appearances this season as a reliever. In five games as a starter, his ERA is 8.10.
So what should New York do with the left-hander?
Obviously, Peterson is more valuable to the Mets as a starting pitcher and if given the choice he would choose to be a starter. However, the numbers don't lie and so far this season Peterson has been more effective as a reliever.
"That’s how I expect myself to pitch and that’s how I expect myself to attack hitters so that’s why it is disappointing when it has gone the other way a couple of times this year," Peterson said. "Great win today and one to build off of."
Actually, this isn't Peterson's first instance with pitching in relief. In his career he's made 18 relief appearances, albeit none since 2023 (although he did predominantly pitch out of the bullpen during New York's 2024 postseason run). Interestingly enough, Peterson's career regular season ERA as a reliever is 2.41 in 33.2 innings pitched. In the postseason? 3.14.
Pretty elite numbers.
As a starter, Peterson is 34-34 with a 4.33 ERA with his best year coming in 2024 when he had a 2.93 ERA in 21 starts after he began the season on the IL. Last year, after a terrific first half that made him an All-Star for the first time in his career, Peterson fell apart in the second half while reaching a career-high 168.2 innings pitched.
Despite the pretty noticeable difference in numbers between starting and relieving, as well as Peterson's inability to prove he can either stay healthy for an entire season or be effective the whole way through, the Mets and manager Carlos Mendoza still view the 30-year-old as a starter.
"It’s easy [to think Peterson pitches better in relief] because of three outings now where he’s been really, really good, but I keep saying it, he's a starter," Mendoza said. "He’s very good when he’s at his best and we saw it today. I think the key is attacking the strike zone. He pounded the strike zone today with everything."
The question becomes why hasn't Peterson pitched like he did on Monday or in his two other relief appearances this season when he starts a game?
When asked what the difference was between this relief outing and his last start where he allowed seven earned runs in 3.2 innings, Peterson pointed to examining his pitch-usage and finding that he wasn't using his slider enough, instead opting for other pitches like the curveball in similar spots.
"The slider is one of if not my best pitch and the curveball, overall, is towards the bottom of the list," he said. "So kinda switching that today and really being able to attack with the fastball and the slider off of it felt like gave us a really good chance."
If it's really that simple and Peterson can take what he did against the Rockies into his next start and beyond then the Mets will be ecstatic. If not, then the case for Peterson to remain in the bullpen grows.
Regardless of what New York decides to do with the left-hander, it's clear that Peterson plays an important role on the team.
"He’s too good of a pitcher and I know he’s gonna continue to help us," Mendoza said.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 02: Manager Craig Counsell #11 of the Chicago Cubs looks on during the team celebration after defeating the San Diego Padres in game three of the National League Wild Card Series at Wrigley Field on October 02, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome back to BCB After Dark: the coolest spot for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in and sit with us for a while. There’s no cover charge. The dress code is casual. We still have a few tables available. Bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
The Cubs beat the Reds tonight 5-4 in dramatic fashion. Trailing 4-3 going to the bottom of the ninth, Pete Crow-Armstrong led off with a triple and after a Dansby Swanson strikeout, Nico Hoerner got him home on a sacrifice fly. Then Michael Conforto pinch hit off the bench and knocked it into the left-center field stands for his first career walk-off home run.
Last week I asked you if you to grade the Cubs’ first month of the season. Sixty-two percent of you gave the Cubs a “B” and 34 percent gave them an “A.” Some of you made a point that I should have put in plusses and minuses and well, maybe I should have and maybe I should not have. But I lot of you apparently wanted to give the Cubs a “B+” since they were in second place at the time. But they haven’t lost since then. Maybe it the Cubs were in first place like they were now, the number of top grades would be higher.
Here’s the part where we listen to music and talk movies. You can skip ahead if you want.
I feel like I play too many of these Emmet Cohen videos, but in my defense, he’s one of the top jazz pianists at the moment, he releases new stuff on a regular schedule, he brings in a lot of other top jazz talent to play with him and most of them are pretty darn great.
So here is Cohen playing “On the Street Where you Live” by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Lowe from My Fair Lady. Joining Cohen is vocalist Stella Cole, Philip Norris on bass and Hank Allen-Barfield on drums.
This is from 2025.
The only movie I’ve seen over the past week is Filipino director Lav Diaz’s historical epic Magellan (2025), starring Gael García Bernal as the titular explorer. I’m unfamiliar with the previous works of Diaz and I found this film a bit tough to get through, although I don’t regret having watched it because there is some good stuff in there.
Diaz is one of the forefront directors in the field of “slow cinema” and it might have helped me to have known that going in. From the reviews, I’ve discovered that at two hours and 45 minutes, Magellan is perhaps the most accessible of Diaz’s movies. Most of his earlier films go four or five hours. One of his movies is over ten hours long. So while I found Magellan to be slow, it’s apparently a sprint compared to his other films.
I also came into Magellan knowing just the bare-bones of the historical event for which the title character is known for. He led the first circumnavigation of the globe, although he didn’t make it all the way back to Spain because he was killed in the Philippines. I knew only one of the five ships and a handful of the men made it all the way back.
I mention this because Diaz doesn’t spend a lot of time explaining things in this film. Nor is there a lot of connective tissue from one scene to the next. Not that I recommend being on your phone while watching a movie, but I found Magellan much easier to follow along after I decided to open up the Wikipedia summary of the Magellan Expedition to follow along with. The good news here is that the film appears to be fairly historically accurate.
That’s not to say that choices weren’t made. Even at two hours and 45 minutes, there was a lot of stuff about Magellan that I was interested in and Diaz wasn’t. But he’s understandably concerned about two things—what motivates Magellan and his relationship to Diaz’s native Philippines. The six-month voyage across the Pacific is reduced to about five minutes. The mutinies all get scenes, but they just appear out of nowhere with no build up. Until we get to the Philippines, the scenes lack a narrative cohesion. I’m guessing that’s intentional.
You would think a Filipino director would be unsympathetic to Magellan, but Diaz tries to be fair to the man while still portraying him as kind of a monster. García Bernal’s Magellan is a deeply-religious man who sees the mission of colonization as one of bringing about the second coming of Christ. He seeks forgiveness from the Church for the terrible crimes that he commits. He gives a Filipino child dying of scurvy some quince jelly, which cures him. He longs for the touch of his wife back in Seville, who visits him often in a dream.
But Magellan also has the brutality of a fanatic, striking out at all of his enemies, real or perceived. He executes several of his own men during the voyage. He rampages through a village because of their refusal to give up the idols of their old gods after Magellan baptized them. His downfall comes over his decision to go to war against a tribe that refuses to convert. Diaz also reveals the real hero of his story at the end, Magellan’s translator/slave, Enrique of Malacca (Amado Arjay Babon).
García Bernal’s Ferdinand Magellan is probably the best reason to watch Magellan. He’s certainly a man of contradictions, full of both small acts of goodness and tremendous atrocities, and García Bernal makes us believe that they could all come from the same person. He also learned to speak Portuguese to accurately portray Magellan, who sailed for Spain only after being rejected by the King of his native Portugal. Don’t ask me about his accent, however.
While I’m sure the film was a big-budget film for a Philippine film, Diaz does have to do a lot with less. Things like the death of Magellan, which would have been the climax of any American film, ends up happening offscreen. That’s part of the reason I had trouble following it. A lot gets elided between scenes and you’re just expected to pick it up.
Unsurprisingly for a Filipino director, Diaz treats the island wilderness and its inhabitants tenderly. It’s certainly not a paradise and the islanders fight amongst each other, but they also are real people who have hopes, dreams and weaknesses. There are certainly a few stunning images at sea as well.
Overall, I found Magellan to be a mixed bag. Even though I now know it’s intentional, I found it slow. I needed a reading guide to follow along with it. But it also wa a film with a clear point of view and a couple of great performances by Gael García Bernal and Amado Arjay Babon. I’m not sure I’m going to go on and watch more Lav Diaz films after this one though. I don’t think I could get through a ten-hour movie.
Welcome back to everyone who skips the music and movies.
The Cubs have now won six in a row, 16 of their last 19 and 12 straight at home. The team is clicking on all cylinders at the moment.
The players are clearly the ones most responsible for the winning, but how much credit do you give to the coaching staff?
Three years ago, the Cubs fired manager David Ross, whom we got to see in the pregame rain delay theater if you weren’t at the game, in order to hire Counsell away from the Brewers. The hope was that Counsell, who had been a thorn in the Cubs side with the “Far-North Siders,” would be the difference in getting the Cubs over the hump.
The Brewers promoted Counsell’s bench coach and finished ahead of the Cubs in each of the past two seasons. To add insult to injury, Milwaukee knocked the Cubs out of the playoffs in five games during the Division Series last year.
But this year the Cubs are rolling to a 23-12 start, which is their best start since 2016. The players all praise Counsell for his leadership. Of course, a lot of players on last place teams praise their manager too.
So grade Counsell’s two-plus years as the Cubs manager. And in the comments, tell us how many wins do you think Counsell is worth. No one knows how much impact a manager can have on a team. Certainly a bad one can mess a team up, but can a good one actually help win a significant number of games? No one knows. So give us your guess. And if you want to give plus and minus grades in the comments, be my guest.
Just get home safely, OK. Thanks for stopping by. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again next time for more BCB After Dark.
Dec 23, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) moves to the basket on Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) during the 4th quarter at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
The Lakers and the Sonics/Thunder have plenty of history between them in the playoffs throughout the decades. LA has had memorable battles in both Seattle and Oklahoma City with title-winning teams picking up wins en route to the Finals.
Let’s look back before moving forward and take a Dip in the Lake with the Sonics/Thunder playoff history.
1978 Playoffs – First Round
In this best -of-3 series, it was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Adrian Dantley and Norm Nixon against Dennis Johnson, Jack Sikma and Gus Williams.
Game 1 was a loss for the Lakers with Don Ford starting, so a change was made for Game 2 with Jamaal Wilkes replacing him. Game 2 tied the series and in Game 3, Kareem scored 31 points, but it was not enough.
The Sonics would go on to the Finals, losing to the Washington Bullets, led by Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes, in seven games.
1979 Playoffs – Second Round
In this next matchup, Johnson was a thorn in the Lakers’ side, which would continue later on in his career in Boston.
Games 1 and 2 were pretty similar to last year’s matchup, with the Sonics winning both. The Lakers grabbed Game 3, and in Games 4 and 5, it was the Sonics defense and balanced approach that was too much as the Sonics won the series 4-1 and went on to win the title over the Bullets in a rematch.
1980 Playoffs – Conference Finals
With the arrival of Magic Johnson and the Showtime era, there was a change. Game 1 went down to the wire with the Sonics winning by one after a late Jack Sikma free throw.
In the next four games, the Lakers would handle things and gentleman sweep the Sonics on the way to a title against the 76ers, including the memorable Game 6 with Magic playing center.
1987 Playoffs – Conference Finals
Still firmly in the Showtime Era, the Lakers saw James Worthy dominate the series by averaging 30.5 points per game. The Lakers would go on to sweep the Sonics before eventually beating the Celtics in six games to win another title.
1989 Playoffs – Second Round
As the two-time defending champions, the 1989 semifinals would create a unique challenge with the decline of Kareem. Up to this point in the playoffs, Kareem would play less than 30 minutes per game with Magic and Worthy taking up more prominent roles.
Sound familiar?
It became a balancing act of ensuring Kareem was ready for the latter part of the playoffs. This series would be a sweep once again as the Lakers would eventually face the Bad Boy Pistons at the peak of their powers, who ended any chance of the Lakers getting more rings in the ‘80s.
1995 Playoffs – First Round
In Del Harris’ first season as head coach, he had former Sonic Sedale Threat in tow with a brand new young core of Nick Van Exel, Eddie Jones, Cedric Ceballos and Vlade Divac. But it would be a challenge out of the gate.
Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp would be the main duo for Seattle in the ‘90s. Game 1 did not go according to plan, but the remaining three games went the Lakers’ way.
1998 Playoffs – Conference Semifinals
With the departure of Kemp to the Cavs, there would be no Shaq and Kobe Bryant against Kemp and Payton matchup.
The Sonics won the first game of the series, but that was a flash in the pan as the Lakers took the next four games despite Kobe being limited throughout the series.
2010 Playoffs – First Round
This was the era of the young Thunder in Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, and they would turn out to be one of the hardest matchups in the later years of Kobe’s career.
In the first few games, the Lakers couldn’t stop Durant. The two teams split the first four games. Games 5 and 6 would be different as the Lakers blocked off the middle with their twin towers of Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol.
The series is best remembered, though, for Pau’s heroics to win Game 6 late.
The Lakers would go on to win the title in seven games against the Celtics.
2012 Playoffs – Conference Semifinals
An aging Lakers core led by Kobe came up against an ascending Thunder side led by Durant, Westbrook, and Harden. It was a 5-game series with the Lakers were on the tail end of their dynasty.
The Thunder would go on to the Finals to face the Heatles and lose in five games.
A dip is all it takes to soak yourself in history.
"If you can't be at Madison Square Garden watching the Knicks ... this is a great second choice," said Stiller, who added the Knicks will win the semifinal series in six games. "This is an incredible event supporting the Costume Institute and the arts in New York. And we've been here a couple of times."
Stiller and his actress wife Christine Taylor, however, paid homage to the Knicks by wearing orange and blue.
"We are representing for the Knicks. We are wearing our Knicks colors," Taylor said during an interview with Vogue.
While Stiller was full of regret for missing Game 1 between the Knicks and 76ers, actor Timothée Chalamet was in attendance at Madison Square Garden.
Chalamet was in his customary courtside seats for the Knicks' 137-98 Game 1 rout ... even while girlfriend Kylie Jenner made an appearance at the fashion spectacle across town.
The stars are out at MSG for Sixers/Knicks Game 1!
Jenner is typically a courtside staple alongside Chalamet at Knicks playoff games, but the Met Gala created a scheduling conflict for the couple. There was precedent for Chalamet, meanwhile, as he skipped the Met Gala last year, too, so he could watch the Knicks on TV in a playoff game against the Boston Celtics.
Karl-Anthony Towns attempts a shot over Joel Embiid during the Knicks' May 4 win.
The spotlight was on Joel Embiid from the opening tip.
The first “f–k Embiid” chant came immediately afterward.
Several more followed.
The sellout crowd at Madison Square Garden picked up where it left off two years ago, screaming when the Sixers’ 7-footer flopped and erupting every time Jalen Brunson burned him.
But unlike the intense first-round matchup in 2024 — when the reigning MVP delivered a series of timely buckets, cheap shots and verbal jabs — the Knicks now may have the most impactful big man in the series.
While Embiid failed to make much of an impact in the series opener — scoring 14 points while shooting 3-for-11 from the field and recording a minus-24 rating — Karl-Anthony Towns continued his incredible all-around postseason, finishing with 17 points (7-for-11 shooting from the field, including 3-for-5 on 3-pointers), six rebounds, six assists and two blocks in just 20 minutes of the 137-98 win.
Karl-Anthony Towns attempts a shot over Joel Embiid during the Knicks’ May 4 win. Charles Wenzelberg
In the first-round win over the Hawks, coach Mike Brown helped swing the series when he put the ball in Towns’ hands, asking the 7-footer to facilitate the offense.
He responded with his first pair of playoff triple-doubles, finishing the six-game series averaging 18.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.7 steals while shooting nearly 57 percent from the field and over 44 percent on 3-pointers.
“I just love that I get to get my teammates involved and I get a chance to quarterback the offense and put them in positions where I feel they can succeed,” Towns said. “They’re trusting me more with the ball right now, and I want to continue to repay their trust with the right plays and make the right decisions.”
Towns, a six-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection, never has taken fewer shots and rarely made so much of an impact, helping put the Knicks three wins from another conference finals appearance after helping the team end its 25-year drought last year.
During the regular season, Towns averaged a career-low 13.8 field goal attempts.
In the first round, he averaged 9.7.
On Monday, he took only one shot in the first quarter — hitting a 3-pointer — before his worst habit emerged.
Karl-Anthony Towns attempts a shot during the Knicks’ May 4 win over the 76ers. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
After stripping Embiid on back-to-back possessions, Towns headed to the bench with two fouls in barely more than five minutes of play.
But when Towns returned in the second quarter, he immediately made noise, attacking Andre Drummond to score inside.
He followed with a beautiful backdoor pass to Jose Alvarado.
By halftime, Towns had 10 points, five assists, four rebounds and one block.
Before the third quarter was done, Towns left the floor for the final time, with the Knicks leading by 27.
“I think we’re doing a good job of executing what we want to do and a better understanding of the new system,” Towns said. “We’re doing a great job of cutting and bringing energy to our cuts and putting ourselves into positions where we can succeed.”
“We’re playing well, but it doesn’t mean anything if we can’t find a way to get three more wins.”
Emilio Pagan took the mound in the 9th inning for the Cincinnati Reds on Monday, and he did so in a save situation for the first time in some two weeks. The Reds had scratched and clawed their way back to a 4-3 lead after earlier watching a 3-0 lead evaporate, yet the powers that be in Wrigley Field simply weren’t having any of it on the night.
Pete Crow-Armstrong sent a laser to the wall in center field that Dane Myers badly misplayed in the ivy, and the end result was a leadoff ‘triple’ that later scored on a sacrifice fly. That had the bleachers in the venerable stadium rocking, rocking that only got mightier when Pagan later served up a meatball to Michael Conforto that the veteran lefty bat mashed into the stands in left-center for a homer that won the game for the Chicago Cubs and sent the fans who had waited out the rain delay into a frenzy.
It was an obviously frustrating end to an evening that had, at times, shown ample promise. Chase Petty was recalled to start for the first time in 2026 after being bashed all over the place in his trio of appearances last year as a 22 year old, and despite Seiya Suzuki blasting a 3-run homer off of him Petty looked otherwise very, very much ready for the show.
The Reds also got offense from Ke’Bryan Hayes, who walked before later swatting a 2-run dinger. JJ Bleday also kept his hot start going with a homer of his own, and Elly De La Cruz was on-base four times on the night. Positives abounded before, y’know, the 9th inning meltdown, but that’s somewhat the issue for the Reds at this juncture of the season – they’ve built a team that, for whatever reason, ends up in tight ballgames almost every single night.
On Monday, it backfired in the most spectacular way, and the end result is their second consecutive defeat in a 1-run game and their fourth straight loss on this road trip through NL Central foes.
This one burned. It will burn tomorrow. It will likely burn in August, still.
Rotations are always cut a bit shorter as teams get deeper in the NBA playoffs, but depth players have to stay ready in case their number is called.
For the Knicks, that was Ariel Hukporti in Game 1 on Monday night.
Hukporti saw the floor just three times in New York’s first round meeting with the Hawks, but they were forced to turn to him early on this time around.
Karl-Anthony Towns ended up being okay after an early injury scare, but the big man was forced to the benched after picking up two early fouls against Joel Embiid.
Mitchell Robinson came on, but quickly picked up a foul of his own then Philadelphia turned to the Hack-A-Mitch strategy to try to slow the Knicks down, so he was pulled as well.
Ariel Hukporti entered into his most meaningful minutes thus far these playoffs.
The youngster was ready for the big moment, though, giving New York the big man they needed and holding his own in the tough matchup with Embiid downlow.
He went into the half as a +10 across his three minutes of action.
Hukporti saw even more time with the game out of reach down the stretch, and he ended up finishing the blowout victory with five points, a game-high nine rebounds, and a +22.
“I gotta give Ariel credit,” Mike Brown said. “We were in early foul trouble and Ariel came off the bench and he wasn’t expected to play, obviously, and he did a pretty solid job.
“You’re not going to stop a guy like Embiid or [Tyrese] Maxey, you just hopefully make them work without fouling them, and I thought Ariel did a really good job in that area.”
Hukporti will need to stay ready moving forward, as New York may have to turn to him again as they look to keep Embiid in check during this second round series.
Playing in the conference semifinal round for the first time in his career, Wembanyama, the Spurs phenom forward-center, swatted away 7 blocks in the first half Monday, May 4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, marking the most ever by a San Antonio player in a playoff half since 1997.
That total was just one shy of Dwight Howard’s record for most blocks in any postseason half in the play-by-play era.
Wembanyama's block party didn't stop there. He was up to 10 before the end of the third quarter.
7 SWATS FOR WEMBY IN ONE HALF!
Most blocks in ANY postseason half in the PxP era:
The 7-foot-4 All-Star now has a unique opportunity to reach a rare points-rebounds-blocks triple-double. He has 8 points and 10 rebounds to go along with his 10 blocks with 2:36 remaining in the third.
Wembanyama started the second half much like he did the first; he dashed past Rudy Gobert for a dunk and minutes later blocked an attempted layup from Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels.
San Diego Padres DH/1B Nick Castellanos (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Diego Padres Nick Castellanos has been trying to dig himself out of a slow start to the 2026 season. He is hitting .164/.215/.279 with one home run and nine RBI over 62 at-bats. His statistical numbers do not offer much confidence that Castellanos can get out of this slump.
The Friar Faithful envisioned him as a lethal righty bat from the DH/1B position in the lineup. But that has not developed in the season’s first month. At 34, it may be time to question if Castellanos will ever be a serviceable run-producer again.
The Padres’ next move should be to designate him for assignment (DFA), so he can catch on with another ballclub. It would allow the Friars to replace him with a better option on the roster.
Castellanos failing to adapt to bench role
Castellanos’ struggles at the plate have mirrored some of his teammates for the first month. He has failed to make consistent contact, as his strikeout rate is at 26.2%, the highest of his career. Castellanos has only five extra-base hits this season.
All the blame cannot be placed on him, as the Friars have not given Castellanos the playing time needed to find his stroke. Throughout his 14-year major career, the right-handed slugger has averaged 130 games a season. The lack of playing time has adversely affected his offensive production.
His glove does not merit more starts, and the Padres cannot wait for Castellanos to figure it out offensively. Unfortunately, walking back to the dugout after an at-bat has been the pattern all season.
What is next?
Such a roster move allows the front office to add a player who is more familiar with the bench role. Any candidate must be versatile to play multiple positions, but more importantly, have the ability to hit in the clutch. This void has been an issue for the last several seasons.
The Friars have other roster issues to settle, but as we get deeper into the season, a deal to upgrade the bench must happen. With the trade deadline looming, the front office may have to sacrifice versatility to add a proven bat to the bench.
Acquiring a seasoned veteran might be more valuable than versatility as we inch toward October.
The signing of Castellanos has not worked out for either side. The Padres expected more power, and he largely has failed to deliver.
The organization cannot wait much longer to revamp the bench.
Taylor Hall scored the overtime winning goal to give the host Carolina Hurricanes a 3-2 comeback victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Nikolaj Ehlers scored once and added an assist, while Seth Jarvis tallied once for the Hurricanes, who lead the Eastern Conference semifinal series 2-0.
With time ticking down in the first overtime period, Hall drove to the net during a rush led by Sean Walker, had his first attempt stopped, but during the ensuing scramble pounced on a loose puck and got it past Flyer goalkeeper Dan Vladar at 18:54 of overtime.
It was Hall's first career playoff overtime goal during his seven seasons of post-season play.
Goaltender Frederik Andersen make 34 saves for the Hurricanes, who erased an early two-goal deficit. Jackson Blake collected a pair of assists.
Jamie Drysdale and Sean Couturier tallied for the Flyers, while Vladar stopped 39 shots.
The Flyers had a golden chance to win with an early overtime power play but could not convert.
The series shifts to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Thursday.
The Flyers competed much better than in the series-opening 3-0 loss.
Drysdale's power-play goal opened the scoring at 4:02. Amid a flurry at the net, the puck came out to the high slot and Drysdale stepped in from his point position to bury the chance.
The score marked the first time during this year's playoffs that Carolina has trailed in a game.
It was also Philadelphia's first goal during the opening period of the playoffs, and the first time the Hurricanes surrendered a goal in the first period.
Couturier doubled the lead 39 seconds later with his first tally of the playoffs. From behind the net, Carl Grundstrom slipped a pass to the top the crease and Couturier was on the spot to slip home the chance.
That sparked the Hurricanes and they were rewarded when Ehlers netted his first goal of the playoffs with a power-play tally of his own. Ehlers set up at right face-off dot and hammered a one-timer set up by Blake and K'Andre Miller at 10:21 of the first period.
Jarvis tied the clash with 8:39 remaining in regulation time, joining an odd-man rush and finding the mark after a drop pass from Ehlers as he reached the right circle.
Carolina outshot the visitors, 35-21, through 60 minutes, but the Flyers pumped 15 shots on goal to eight for the Hurricanes in overtime.
Freed from the clutches of Hawks defensive ace Dyson Daniels, Jalen Brunson terrorized the 76ers. He scored 27 of his 35 points in the first half and missed only six shots in 18 attempts. It was reminiscent of Brunson’s postseason brilliance two years ago against the 76ers, when he averaged 35.5 points in the series victory.
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson #11 drives to the basket as Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George #8 defends. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Zero
The 76ers need Joel Embiid at his best to pull the upset in this series, and he struggled in the opener at both ends of the floor. Embiid managed only 14 points on 3-for-11 shooting and was minus-24 in 25 minutes. He was also a defensive liability, as the Knicks used him in the pick-and-roll, which led to open looks all evening.
Unsung hero
OG Anunoby is unconscious of late. He was 7-for-8 from the field Monday for 18 points and is 23-for-30 over the past three games. He also has was 8-for-11 from deep in that span. The exceptional two-way wing is playing the best basketball of his career at the right moment.
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns #32 puts up a shot over Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid #21. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Key stat
63.1: The Knicks’ field goal percentage, setting a franchise playoff record. The previous mark was 63.0, set in 1995 against the Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs.
Quote of the day
“Honestly, you got to take this game with a grain of salt. I don’t think we’re going to see that team that we saw in Game 1 in Game 2. They’re going to be ready to go,”
It was the kind of game Knicks fans loved. It may not have been as big a blowout as New York's last game, but it also may have been more meaningful.
New York blew out visiting Philadelphia in Game 1 of their second-round series, 137-98, on a night they looked like clearly the best team in the East. Game 2 is Wednesday night in Manhattan.
The Knicks are a team in a groove, winning their last three games by at least 29 points, and in the last two they have shot 61% overall and 44% from 3-point range.
Part of the Knicks fast start and dominance was that the 76ers played like a team with a Game 7 hangover — they looked gassed a quarter into the game. Embiid started 1-of-6 and Maxey 1-of-4. If it wasn't for Paul George hitting 3-pointers, Philadelphia could have been in a much deeper hole earlier.
And that hole was already 23 points at the half, 74-51, leading to an ecstatic crowd reveling in it at Madison Square Garden. Things were going so well that Josh Hart had time to untie Jimmy Fallon's shoe courtside.
In the third quarter, the Knicks just added to their lead out of the gate, and Nurse, wisely, decided to rest his tired stars early and start thinking ahead to Game 2.
In addition to Brunson's hot hand, OG Anunoby had 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting, while Karl-Anthony Towns had 17 points and five assists, playing well as the hub of the offense. Mikal Bridges added 17 points as well.
George was the only 76er with a hot hand all night, and while he played just 26 minutes, he led the team with 17 points. Joel Embiid finished with 14 points on 3-of-11 shooting, while Tyrese Maxey had 13 points on 3-of-9 shooting.
Expect a better outing from Philadelphia in Game 2, but if the Knicks are shooting like this there might be nothing the 76ers can do.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 04: Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives around Og Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks during the third quarter in Game One of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 04, 2026 in New York City. 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 Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sixers Bell Ringer Season Standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 23.5 VJ Edgecombe – 16 Joel Embiid – 14.5 Paul George – 9 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 5 Justin Edwards – 4 Andre Drummond – 3 Quentin Grimes – 3 Jared McCain – 3 Dominick Barlow – 2 MarJon Beauchamp – 2 Adem Bona – 1 Porter Martone – 1 Cam Payne – 1 Jabari Walker – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
Bad news — the Sixers lost the first game of their conference semi-final matchup against the Knicks 137-98.
Good news — the Sixers escaped in one piece, and none of the starters played 30 minutes just 48 hours after an exhausting Game 7 dogfight in Boston.
Jalen Brunson led the rested Knicks with an innocuous 35 points on 66% shooting (12-of-18 FG), while Karl Anthony-Towns, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby combined for 52 points on 72% shooting (21-of-29 FG).
The Sixers, however, struggled to produce offense from the head of the snake. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey tallied only 27 points combined on 30% shooting (6-of-20).
The Knicks defensive consistency in the halfcourt will be the Sixers’ biggest hurdle this series. Getting out in transition more would help open things up, but that can only happen if the Sixers force a miss on defense and grab the rebound. Both prerequisites did not happen often on Monday.
Weeding through the mess of this game reveals a couple Bell Ringer-worthy performances.
George continues to be a constant presence, and was the one of two Sixers to carry over their offensive efficiency from Game 7 against the Celtics through the quick turnaround. He found his rhythm early, sinking a three off the catch after a Joel Embiid double team. He drilled another in the first off the dribble attacking Mitchell Robinson on a screen, and then opened the second quarter with a deep ball from the left wing.
George found Kelly Oubre Jr. multiple times in the first half. Once on a post pass to a cutting Oubre for a dunk, and then kicking out to Oubre after an effective drive for an open three.
Later in the first half, after an extended Knicks run, George found Embiid in the post with a perfect entry pass that lead to a tough finish at the rim. The next possession he would nail a pull-up jumper over Josh Hart after creating space with his dribble.
George was the only Sixer making shots by the time the third quarter started, nailing another three and a floater before Nick Nurse pulled the starters midway through the frame. The Sixers were down 31 points.
Kelly Oubre Jr. 12 points, 5-of-8 FG, 1-of-2 3PT, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block
Oubre finally hit a three and played with a high energy level on both ends throughout the game, even starting the contest with a block on Hart. He had a couple frustrating turnovers, but showed he can be a factor offensively as a cutter in this series. Multiple dunks off timely backdoors cuts helped keep the offense afloat through most of the first half. He was the team leader in rebounds, which is an unsustainable gameplan moving forward, but noteworthy in a team-wide effort deprived of energy.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 04: Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a home run in the third inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on May 04, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The home run drought is over, and it only took facing one of the shakiest pitching staffs in baseball for it to happen, as the Dodgers thoroughly outhit Houston in an 8-3 win. It was a win with the particularly sweet taste of seeing Kyle Tucker leave the yard in his old stomping grounds, hitting one out to right field, a place he patrolled for so many years.
Although Tucker had his home run, the first of them—the one that broke the streak—came from an unlikely source. It was Alex Freeland who left the park in the second inning, then tying the game at 2-2 after an eventful first inning in which the offense failed to capitalize on a pop fly from Tucker that dropped for an RBI single, ultimately seeing Andy Pages strand the bases loaded against Ryan Weiss. Set to be the bulk man after Steven Okert dealt with the big bad lefties in the Dodgers lineup, Weiss came in already with a big mess in the first—although he got out of it unscathed, the rest of his performance gave the Dodgers the ideal platform for a badly needed slugfest for a team that hadn’t had one of those away from home since they visited the Rockies a couple of weeks ago.
A Shohei Ohtani walk followed Freeland’s home run in the second, and he was driven in on an RBI double from Smith, then giving the Dodgers a 3-2 lead. The big damage, though, came in the following inning with a four-run spot. By the time Freddie Freeman hit a two-run single, all nine of the Dodgers’ hitters had reached base at least once, signaling a complete performance from top to bottom. In the middle of that complete performance, it’s impossible not to highlight Freeland’s reaching base safely in four of his five plate appearances with three hits and a walk.
Almost used to the idea of not a lot of run support, Yamamoto took advantage of the eight runs his offense scored and delivered yet another terrific outing, especially for a pitcher who had as much trouble as he did in the first inning, in which Houston scored two. Yordan Alvarez lived up to his outstanding reputation and track record early this season with multiple hits, but beyond him, Yamamoto kept the home bats in check outside a Zach Cole home run in the fifth, finishing six innings with three runs allowed and eight strikeouts.
It would’ve been nice to see Ohtani sprinkle in a hit and end this, what is now a 0-for-17 run, but the MVP can only do so much when he’s not really given much to hit. At the end of the day, the two walks he earned both led to runs and played an important role in this offensive outburst.
Following Yamamoto, the bullpen was dominant, earning eight of their nine outs via strikeout, with a scoreless inning each from Kyle Hurt, Blake Treinen, and Jack Dreyer, the latter two striking out the side.
Game particulars
Home runs— Alex Freeland (2), Kyle Tucker (4), Zach Cole (1)
The National League Pitcher of the Month in April gets the starting assignment against Peter Lambert, as Shohei Ohtani will also look to keep the offensive momentum going—Dave Roberts has already said that Ohtani will start and hit in Tuesday’s matchup with the Astros. The start time is exactly the same, at 5:10 p.m. (PT).
Apr 29, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Mason Miller (22) walks off the field after pitching during the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
In losing five-of-eight games, starting with the split against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Mexico City, the San Diego Padres had their first losing streak since the first week of the season. Coming home from Mexico, without a day off to recover, the Padres played six games against the Chicago teams. Losing both series 1-2, the Padres showed a sagging bullpen and an anemic offense most of the time.
You won’t catch the players or the manager using altitude or fatigue as an excuse. They won’t even use the flu that affected Fernando Tatis Jr. for most of the week. Fans are not likely to use those reasons to excuse some of the poor play, poor pitching or lack of offense. Maybe it’s just baseball but the Padres have to figure this out and get better quickly.
Luckily, the beleaguered San Francisco Giants are up next on the schedule. If the Friars don’t play better and score more runs for the next three games then we can discuss having a real problem.
A couple highlights from an otherwise forgettable week:
Mason Miller, who had his scoreless streak broken by the Cubs with an assist from the umpires, won March/April Reliever of the Month for the NL. His 10 saves, 1.17 ERA, 29 strikeouts, three hits allowed and .118 average against far outpaced anyone else in the NL.
The Padres sale to José E. Feliciano and his wife, Kwanza Jones was officially announced on Saturday. It is expected the sale will become final at the next MLB owner’s meeting in early June, unless they hold a virtual vote before then. Feliciano/Jones will reportedly own approximately 40% of the team with other partners investing. Both Dennis Lin of The Athletic and Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported that Alfredo Harp Helú, as well as multiple members of the Seidler family, will retain ownership stakes.
Griffin Canning made his Padres debut and helped pitch the Friars to a victory over the White Sox in the final game of the series, salvaging a game after losing four in a row. The Padres called him up to replace Germán Márquez, who was placed on the injured list. Randy Vasquez was pushed back a day in his normal spot in the rotation.
The Padres sit at 20-13 and are 0.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.
Injuries and owies
Both Manny Machado and Miguel Andujar had limited playing time during the eight games with Machado experiencing cramping in his left calf and missing a game and used as DH in another. This required Jake Cronenworth to play third base for the first time since his inaugural season with the Padres. Normally, Miguel Andujar would have replaced Machado but he was held out of a couple games with hamstring tightness.
David Morgan has battled command issues recently and was sent to El Paso when Jeremiah Estrada was called up after his IL stint. In his 15 days away from the team, Estrada gained weight and strength as well as allowing the inflammation to subside in his throwing arm. His velocity was back to normal on his return.
Tatis Jr. does not have an injury, but he has played the better part of the home stand with the flu. He was given an off day on Sunday.
Márquez experienced tingling in his pitching arm in his last couple starts (per Mark Grant in the Padres broadcast on Sunday) and was placed on the IL as a precaution in hopes that some rest and rehab will improve his results.
Griffin Canning adds a sinker
In 2025, before his injury, Canning featured six pitches and used his four-seam fastball and slider most predominantly. He was obviously working on some things during his time with Triple-A El Paso but was needed by the Padres and didn’t get to his goal of 70-80 pitches before being called up.
In his first start as a Padre, Canning used four pitches in his five innings of work. He struck out seven and had a ground ball rate of 55.6%. His 51.6% ground ball rate last year was the highest of his career, and it seems he is doubling down on that strategy.
Canning used his changeup 34% and his four-seam fastball 33% of the time in his start against the White Sox. In his 73 pitches, he mixed in his slider 26% of the time and then flashed a sinker 7%. Canning has not thrown a sinker since 2024. He also never threw his cutter, curve or sweeper (according to StatCast) in his outing on Sunday.
It will be interesting to see what pitch mix is utilized going forward and whether he mixes all seven pitches he throws into his future starts.
Lucas Giolito
The Padres have until May 16 to get Giolito ready to join the Padres rotation. He has made two starts with the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm with seven innings pitched. He has allowed seven hits and five runs with four walks and 10 strikeouts. His command was improved in the last start versus the first. The most telling factor regarding his lack of Spring Training reps is that his fastball is sitting 89-92 and he normally rides in the 93-94 mph range.
Building arm strength and endurance will be the goals for his remaining time in the minor leagues, attempting to replace a normal Spring Training with two more starts against minor league hitters. It has not been stated whether he will complete his progression with Lake Elsinore.
Yuki Matsui
The Padres either have to reinstate Matsui on today or get his permission to keep him in the minor leagues. He has completed all the goals of his rehab. He has 12.2 innings and a 4.97 ERA with 14 strikeouts and three walks. He has pitched back-to-back games and multiple innings.
Sad offense
Jackson Merrill is hitting .211, Jake Cronenworth is hitting .147, Freddy Fermin is hitting .170 and Nick Castellanos is hitting .164. The Padres’ two best hitters, Miguel Andujar and Luis Campusano, don’t play fulltime. Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts are tied for the team lead in home runs with five each. Bogaerts, Ramon Laureano and Machado each have 18 RBI to lead the Friars.
The Padres rank 23rd in batting average (.234), 25th in OPS (.686), 23rd in home runs (31) and 22nd in slug (.379). It isn’t sustainable to keep a winning record with the offense struggling this way. Oh, and Tatis Jr. still doesn’t have a home run.
Bullpen struggles
In the last two weeks, the Padres bullpen has dropped from being the fourth best in baseball to being the 14th. The ERA has slid from 2.95 to 4.01. Adrian Morejon is still being hit hard at times and even Mason Miller gave up some hits and a run.
The starting staff has slipped from 18th (4.18) to 21st (4.54) in that same time. Overall, the pitching staff is ranked 18th with a 4.30 ERA.
