Chicago Cubs @ Texas Rangers
Sunday, May 10, 2026, 1:35 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / Rangers Sports Network)
The Shed
RHP Jameson Taillon vs. RHP Jacob deGrom
Go Rangers!
Game 40 Game Day Thread – Chicago Cubs @ Texas Rangers
Mother’s Day Orioles live game chat: vs. Athletics
The Orioles season is once again in danger of spiraling out of control, sinking close to a point beyond which one cannot reasonably hope that they will revive their fortunes even if they improved their play. Last year’s Orioles did manage that revival, of sorts, since they ended up being just about .500 under interim manager Tony Mansolino. The 2026 Orioles have won two games more than the 2025 team did through the same number of games. That’s probably not enough to make good things happen this year.
All that we can do as fans is wonder what in the world is going on. The problems are apparent almost on a daily basis. Solutions are not so easily found. If it was simple, they surely would have figured it out already. Nothing is simple in baseball! The best teams just make it look that way sometimes.
The result of all of this is that the Orioles enter this Mother’s Day game looking to avoid being swept by the Athletics. The Athletics! They’re one of the many teams muddling along around .500 this year. For a little while, the Orioles were one of those teams. Over the last week and a half or so, they’ve fallen out. It sucks.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms of Birdland.
Orioles lineup
- Gunnar Henderson – SS
- Taylor Ward – LF
- Adley Rutschman – DH
- Pete Alonso – 1B
- Samuel Basallo – C
- Leody Taveras – CF
- Dylan Beavers – RF
- Weston Wilson – 3B
- Blaze Alexander – 2B
The Orioles changed things up on the morning of this game by deciding to employ Keegan Akin as an opener ahead of Chris Bassitt in a bulk innings role. Neither one of these pitchers has been good in their outings so far this season.
Athletics lineup
- Nick Kurtz – 1B
- Shea Langeliers – C
- Brent Rooker – DH
- Tyler Soderstrom – LF
- Jacob Wilson – SS
- Carlos Cortes – RF
- Lawrence Butler – CF
- Nick Gelof – 3B
- Jeff McNeil – 2B
Sacramento’s starter is Luis Severino. At least he’s not left-handed.
Game #40 GameThread: Angels @ Jays
Passing the quarter post on the racetrack of the season.
And Addison Barger, is out of the lineup with a ‘sore elbow’. That was an amazing throw, but maybe not the best move in his first day back.
Addison was to lead off today, but now it is Ernie Clement. I’m a fan of lead off men who will take walk when offered. But maybe he’ll get on four times and score each time.
And Tyler Heineman has apparently, been let out of the doghouse. Brandon Valenzuela homered yesterday. I guess it is a day game after an afternoon game?
GO JAYS GO!
NBA Draft Lottery team reps: Who'll be their team's good luck charm?
The odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NBA draft are known ahead of time, but there are any number of ways teams will look to get an extra push from Lady Luck.
The NBA Draft Lottery is set to take place Sunday, May 10, with each of the 14 eligible NBA teams sending its own delegation in hopes of bringing home the top prize. The teams with the three worst records this past season – the Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets – each have 14% odds to receive the No. 1 selection.
Team executives, former players and current stars will be in attendance with the hope that they'll bring their teams the coveted top pick.
So who will be repping each NBA team during today's draft lottery? Here they are:
NBA Draft Lottery team reps
The teams who will take part in the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, along with their odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick and each team's representative.
- Atlanta Hawks (6.8%): General manager Onsi Saleh
- Brooklyn Nets: (14%) Franchise legend Vince Carter
- Charlotte Hornets (0.5%): Forward Kon Knueppel
- Chicago Bulls (4.5%): Toni Kukoč, Special Advisor to the President & CEO
- Dallas Mavericks (6.7%): Franchise legend Rolando Blackman
- Golden State Warriors (2%): Larry Harris, Assistant GM and Director of Player Personnel
- Indiana Pacers (14%) : Guard T.J. McConnell
- Memphis Grizzlies (9%): Tayshaun Prince, Vice president of player affairs
- Miami Heat (1%): Alonzo Mourning, Vice president of player programs
- Milwaukee Bucks (3.9%): Mallory Edens, daughter of Bucks co-owner Wes Edens
- Oklahoma City Thunder (1.5%): Nick Collison, Special assistant to the GM
- Sacramento Kings (11.5%): General manager Scott Perry
- Utah Jazz (11.5%): Guard Keyonte George
- Washington Wizards (14%): Franchise legend John Wall
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA Draft Lottery 2026 team representatives list
Game 41: Twins at Guardians
First Chuck: 12:40 PM CDT (new anthem each week!)
The Tube: Twins.TV
The Dial: Treasure Island Baseball Network
Spies ‘R Us: Covering The Corner
If everything has gone to plan, I will have arrived back in Minneapolis last night from my Washington, D.C. jaunt. I’m sure I’ll have some pics/stories in a later post, but for today: a book club recommendation.
Unhittable by Rob Friedman.
Any baseball fan plugged into the National Pastime in the current age gets a sense that the pitchers are way ahead of the hitters. Batting average is down, contact is down, and strikeouts are up. In Unhittable, Friedman (of PitchingNinja fame) provides some great context for why/how this came to be and what exactly pitchers are doing to refine their movements and arsenals so perfectly.
There are basically two trains of thought that run through Unhittable:
First is Friedman’s in-depth explanation of the various technological and analytical tools that pitchers currently use to maximize velocity, perfect their delivery, sequence their pitches, and all the while try to keep their golden appendages healthy. Friedman cites programs like Driveline and technology like Edgertronic cameras, Rhapsodo, Trackman, & Trajekt (among many others) that are being used to dig into the fine details of why the ball moves like it does and how to repeat that over and over again. Though perhaps slightly over the head of even a dedicated baseball fan like me from a technical perspective, all these concepts are fascinating. Friedman even goes so far as to delve into physics concepts like seam-shifted wake and pitch tunneling. He makes a compelling case that pitchers in the modern era are as much scientists as artists.
A second thread running through Unhittable is the historical context. Friedman essentially starts by explaining how pitching used to be coached/taught on “feel” and abstract concepts. Building the body or strengthening the arm via weight training was even discouraged. But then hurlers like Tom Seaver and Nolan Ryan (using the then-unorthodox methods of pitching guru Tom House) broke the mold by showing how conditioning & deep analysis could extend both velocities and careers. The advent of full-capture stadium cameras in the 2010s spurred this on even further, with pitchers like Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes representing a new wave who are actively studying all aspects of their craft in ways previously unimaginable. The really strong writing here is a welcome break from the more technical aspects of the narrative.
Yes, there is a significant chapter devoted almost solely to Trevor Bauer. This will immediately turn some readers off, but I hope it doesn’t. For all of Bauer’s personality and off-field foibles, his story absolutely deserves (needs, really) to be recounted here. He truly was on the cutting edge of pitching analytics and in some senses paid a price for being first through the gate (a lot of criticism and scorn). Not that anyone is really feeling sorry for Bauer the individual at this point, but I’m glad he wasn’t excluded entirely from this story.
Overall, I found Unhittable to be a fascinating explanation of why pitchers continue to dominate batters in Major League Baseball. In one of the only major sports where the defense controls the ball, pitchers have the ability to always be a step ahead of their offensive counterparts–and that is exactly what is happening at the moment.
The Cleveland Guardians have established a pitching pipeline nearly second to none in MLB over the last decade or so. But let’s hope the Minnesota Twins can scratch out a few safeties and maybe dent the big Progressive Field wall a few times this early-afternoon.
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Lakers should let Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander try to beat them
The Lakers made it clear from the beginning of their second-round playoff series against the Thunder what they would be willing to live with.
What they weren’t willing to live with: Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander going 1-on-1.
Which led to automatic double teams in the first two games of the series in Oklahoma City, getting the ball out of Gilgeous-Alexander’s hands and forcing the other Thunder players to beat them.
The problem for the Lakers: The Thunder’s “others” did beat them.
And even in Game 3, with the Lakers being less aggressive with their defensive coverages against Gilgeous-Alexander on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena, it was still the non-Gilgeous-Alexander Thunder players who stepped up in the Thunder’s 23-point win.
Chet Holmgren, the Thunder’s leading scorer for the series, was a difference-maker. Second-year guard Ajay Mitchell continued his breakout season, recording playoff career highs of 24 points and 10 assists in the Game 3 victory. Instead of Jared McCain, as in the first two games, Isaiah Joe provided the scoring punch off the bench for the Thunder, and Cason Wallace continued his stellar two-way play.
The Lakers have dared everyone on the Thunder except Gilgeous-Alexander to beat them.
Which is why it’s time for the Lakers to challenge Gilgeous-Alexander to beat them.
And Gilgeous-Alexander is perfectly capable of doing so.
The reigning MVP, who’ll likely win the award again this season, is arguably the NBA’s best player.
But it’s time for the Lakers to live with more of Gilgeous-Alexander being the driving force behind the Thunder’s success. Through three games, it’s become clear the rest of the team is more than good enough to beat the Lakers, even with 2025 All-NBA honoree Jalen Williams sidelined.
“You’ve seen them over the years: They have a lot of bodies, and they got a lot of guys that can do multiple things on the floor,” LeBron James said. “It helps to have that depth.”
What would it look like for the Lakers to challenge Gilgeous-Alexander to beat them?
It starts with allowing Marcus Smart, who’s been the Lakers’ best defender this season and best defensive matchup against Gilgeous-Alexander, to guard Gilgeous-Alexander without help.
Smart is up to the task.
Toward the end of the third quarter of Game 3, with the Lakers trailing 87-79, Smart pressed up on Gilgeous-Alexander’s isolation near half court before backing up and putting his left hand up to signal to his teammates that he had Gilgeous-Alexander.
But rookie forward Adou Thiero showed gap help one pass away. Gilgeous-Alexander passed to Wallace (whom Thiero was guarding), and Wallace drove into the paint to put the Lakers in rotation during a possession that ended with a Joe catch-and-shoot 3-pointer that put the Thunder up by 11.
The Lakers trailed by double digits the rest of the game.
Let Smart see if he can stay in front of Gilgeous-Alexander and test his jumper. Gilgeous-Alexander is shooting 11-of-28 (39%) outside of the paint in the series.
Gilgeous-Alexander will get the best of Smart. That’s what league MVPs do. There isn’t one player who can stop Gilgeous-Alexander. Smart wouldn’t be expected to shut down Gilgeous-Alexander.
But Smart has the best chance of disrupting Gilgeous-Alexander 1-on-1. He’ll get the best of Gilgeous-Alexander, too.
And having less aggressive defensive coverages will lessen the likelihood of the Thunder getting 100-plus points from the non-Gilgeous-Alexander players on the roster.
This doesn’t mean the Lakers should completely go away from what worked.
Their flooding — man-to-man defense with zone principles in which a team loads up the strong side on wing isos — was effective in the first half of Game 3. It kept Gilgeous-Alexander out of the paint, the No. 1 priority.
But Gilgeous-Alexander was more comfortable in the second half against a worn-down Lakers defense that showed fatigue from being put in rotation while also trying to score on OKC’s league-best defense.
Letting Smart take Gilgeous-Alexander 1-on-1 more often should reduce the burden for everyone else. This could help the Lakers’ offense, which has averaged 45 points in the second half (the Thunder have averaged 63 second-half points) after averaging 56.7 points in the first half (the Thunder have averaged 58.3 first-half points).
If Gilgeous-Alexander has Austin Reaves or Luke Kennard guarding him after a switch or crossmatch? Flood and show gap help.
Switch less, allowing Smart to stay on Gilgeous-Alexander more and keep the defense’s backline bigger for rim protection and defensive rebounding. Be more aggressive with the defensive coverages on Mitchell.
And dare Gilgeous-Alexander to beat you.
It’s the last option that hasn’t been tested.
SunsRank: The Cornerstones
We’ve arrived at the final stop on our journey to understanding how the community at large ranks each player of the Phoenix Suns roster relative to the term “best.”
Typically, I don’t like to use words like greatest, best, or worst. They sound decisive. In sports, they usually create more confusion than clarity. They rely on subjective criteria. What counts as “best”? Stats, leadership, longevity, impact, or performance in clutch moments? Everyone weighs those differently. One fan leans on availability, another leans on impact or advanced metrics. Without clear criteria, it becomes opinion dressed up as analysis.
I throw all that out of the door when I look at the SunsRank conversation. Because I want the subjectivity. I like reading how people ended up where they did. Speaking of which, here’s where we are through the first 15 players that you’ve been asked to SunsRank:
| # | Community SunsRank | Writers SunsRank |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Collin Gillespie | Collin Gillespie |
| 5 | Grayson Allen | Mark Williams |
| 6 | Jordan Goodwin | Grayson Allen |
| 7 | Mark Williams | Jordan Goodwin |
| 8 | Oso Ighodaro | Oso Ighodaro |
| 9 | Rasheer Fleming | Royce O’Neale |
| 10 | Khaman Maluach | Rasheer Fleming |
| 11 | Royce O’Neale | Ryan Dunn |
| 12 | Ryan Dunn | Khaman Maluach |
| 13 | Jamaree Bouyea | Haywood Higsmith |
| 14 | Haywood Highsmith | Jamaree Bouyea |
| 15 | Koby Brea | Amir Coffey |
| 16 | Amir Coffey | Isaiah Livers |
| 17 | Isaiah Livers | Koby Brea |
| 18 | CJ Huntley | CJ Huntley |
I knew there would be a difference of opinion in the Pillars tier, and we sure received it. Outside of Oso for 8th, the percentages were all over the board. That’s what made that tier so intriguing, because it truly personified the SunsRank conundrum. You likely ranked on attributes you deemed most important, and thus the variance occurred.
Consensus brought us to where we are, but not everyone saw it the same way. While the majority believed Mark Williams was the 7th best player on the Suns, we still had 20% vote him 4th. Jordan Goodwin recevied 18% of his votes for 4th. It’s a reminder that, while we all watch this team and this sport, we see it differently.
And now, on to the final tier, the Cornerstones. These are the players the franchise rests on, the names etched into the season’s story before the first tip. They set the tone, and if the Suns succeed, it’s because these players delivered.
Devin Booker
On the surface, when you look at the total points and percentages, it feels like a down year for Devin Booker. Then you look around him and see how many players had career years, and you can point directly to the gravity he creates as part of the reason why.
Was he great late in games toward the end of the season? No. Absolutely not. That’s what makes evaluating him this year feel different. Not difficult, different. It feels like some of the edge wasn’t there.
| GP | MIN | PPG | RPG | APG | STL | FG% | 3PT% | FT% | OFFRTG | DEFRTG | +/- (TOTAL) |
| 64 | 33.5 | 26.1 | 3.9 | 6.0 | 0.8 | 45.6% | 33.0% | 87.3% | 115.9 | 112.0 | +201 |
Dillon Brooks
If you want to talk about edge, Dillon Brooks brought it in abundance. He delivered one of the more surprising seasons I can remember in recent years. We all had expectations for what he could be as a member of the Phoenix Suns, still, I don’t think many of us expected the scoring production he provided.
That’s why he lands in the Cornerstone tier.
| GP | MIN | PPG | RPG | APG | STL | FG% | 3PT% | FT% | OFFRTG | DEFRTG | +/- (TOTAL) |
| 56 | 30.4 | 20.2 | 3.6 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 43.5% | 34.4% | 84.2% | 113.7 | 114.8 | -49 |
Jalen Green
The young player with all the upside, the kind of upside that could genuinely alter the trajectory of the Phoenix Suns if everything clicks. Jalen Green gave us an incomplete season, and that’s disappointing considering he entered with a reputation for being available and durable.
The status still exists. The talent still exists. The question becomes whether the lack of availability changes how you rank him overall.
| GP | MIN | PPG | RPG | APG | STL | FG% | 3PT% | FT% | OFFRTG | DEFRTG | +/- (TOTAL) |
| 32 | 25.9 | 17.8 | 3.6 | 2.8 | 1.1 | 42.2% | 31.3% | 74.7% | 114.2 | 113.5 | +33 |
And now, your final SunsRank votes of the spring.
NBA Draft Lottery and Playoff Sunday discussion
Happy Mother’s Day! Here are four events to keep you busy today.
- 2026 NBA Draft Lottery — 3 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC (WJLA-TV)
- Washington Mystics vs. New York Liberty — 3 p.m. ET on Monumental Sports Network
- New York Knicks at Philadelphia 76ers Game 4 — 3:30 PM ET on ABC (WJLA-TV)); Knicks lead series 3–0
- San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves Game 4 — 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN and Peacock; Spurs lead series 2–1
Let’s hope the Washington Wizards come out ahead in the lottery. And enjoy the basketball!
Astros vs. Reds Game Thread: Game 41, 5/10/2026
TODAY’S GAME: The Houston Astros (16-24) and Cincinnati Reds (21-19) play the final game of a three-game series this afternoon at Great American Ball Park with first pitch scheduled for 12:40 p.m. CT.
RHP Kai-Wei Teng (1-2, 2.35 ERA) will be on the mound for the Astros, opposite LHP Andrew Abbott (1-2, 5.13 ERA) and the Reds.
ABOUT TENG: RHP Kai-Wei Teng makes his second start of the season today after spending a majority of the season in the Astros bullpen.
In his 13 relief appearances, he’s gone 1-1 with 1.80 ERA (4ER/20IP).
Tough To Hit: Teng has posted a .183 opponent batting average, allowing 15 hits in his 23.0 IP.
Last App: Allowed one hit and struck out two in two scoreless innings on May 4 vs. LAD.
Last Start: Allowed two runs on five hits with two strikeouts in three innings on April 28 at BAL.
Fun Facts: With his first Major League win on Aug. 8, 2025 vs. WAS, Teng became the 8th Taiwanese-born pitcher in MLB history to earn a victory. Teng is also the second Taiwanese-born player to play for the Astros, joining RHP Chien Jen-Lo (2013).
VS. THE REDS: The Astros have faced the Reds 859 times in their history, their most games played against any other Major League franchise, going 404-454-1 in the all-time series.
The Astros went 2-1 against the Reds in 2025 at Daikin Park. On Friday night, the Astros secured the first win at Great American Ball Park since Sept. 9, 2012.
NO. 600: IF Isaac Paredes played in his 600th career game on Friday night at CIN. He became the 14th Mexican-born player to reach this milestone, joining players like IF Vinny Castilla, IF Hector Torres and C Alex Treviño.
THE ORDER: The Astros have used 40 different batting orders in their 40 games so far this season. Only LF Yordan Alvarez has started every game in the same spot in the lineup (second).
YESTERDAY’S WAIVER CLAIM: The Astros claimed OF Rhylan Thomas off waivers from the Seattle Mariners and optioned him to Triple A Sugar Land. To make room for Thomas on the 40-man roster, the Astros transferred RHP Hunter Brown to the 60-day IL.
ON THE MEND: LHP Josh Hader allowed one hit and struck out two in one scoreless inning last night in a rehab appearance with Triple A Sugar Land. He has tossed two scoreless innings in his two rehab appearances this season.
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 1992 – Jeff Bagwell homers in the pinch in the top of the 8th to tie the Astros with the Pirates, 4-4. Two innings later, Bagwell hits the game-winner, a two-run shot in the top of the 11th. This marked the first time in club history for a player to homer twice in a game after entering as a pinch-hitter.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Sunday, May 10, 12:40 p.m. CT
Location: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, OH
TV: Space City Home Network
Streaming: SCHN+
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
West Ham United 0-1 Arsenal: Premier League – as it happened
Leandro Trossard’s late goal – and an even later VAR intervention at the other end – moved Arsenal to the brink of glory
There’s a cracking atmosphere at the London Stadium. Alas, no sign of Danny Dyer yet. The players look ready for action; they jolly well need to be. This is huge.
A quick reminder of the teams
Continue reading...Game 41: Reds vs. Astros (1:40 PM ET) – Abbott vs. Teng
The Cincinnati Reds, believe it or not, have a chance to win a series on Sunday in Great American Ball Park. After stumbling their way through one of the more painful losing streaks in recent memory, they finally found their way back into the win column on Saturday, and on Sundy they’ll send a 2025 All Star to the mound to help them wrap things.
Of course, it’s been a far different 2026 for lefty Andrew Abbott than 2025. Still, he’s potentially begun to maybe perhaps round back into form, and he’ll take his talents up against a Houston club that has posted a collective 111 wRC+ against southpaws so far this season. Gulp!
The Reds, meanwhile, are finally shuffling up their lineup a bit. Will Benson has posted a 1.042 OPS over his last 9 games and will slot in atop the order today, with Spencer Steer – who owns an .843 OPS over his last 125 PA dating back to April 3rd – is moving up to the #2 spot in the order.
First pitch is set for 1:40 PM ET. Lineups for both clubs are listed below.
Yankees' Luis Gil placed on injured list with shoulder inflammation
Yankees right-hander Luis Gil was placed on the injured list Saturday with shoulder inflammation and isn’t expected to throw for three weeks.
Gil had been with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after he was optioned by New York following four major league starts this season where he struggled and pitched to a 6.05 ERA.
After his demotion in late April, Gil did not appear in a game for the RailRiders. He did make one start for them at the beginning of the season after not making the Opening Day roster and allowed three runs in 4.2 innings, while walking four and striking out six.
The AL Rookie of the Year in 2024, Gil hasn’t been able to sustain the success he had a few years ago and has been injured a few times. The 27-year-old began last season on the 60-day IL with a right lat strain before returning in August.
Addison Barger Out Of Lineup With Elbow Soreness
You know……
Baseball isn’t always a good thing. It didn’t even twig on me that Addison Barger’s 100+ mph throw from right field may not have been the smartest move from a fellow just off the IL. And it should have. There should have been a big flashing warning sign. There should have been an alert on my phone, with that scary noise that Rogers uses when they are ‘testing the system’.
We were in South Korea for a day on our holiday and the warning alert went off a few times. Our guide said ‘oh that happens all the time, they use the alert for anything’. Meanwhile, I was thinking that North Korea had decided to attack at that moment. There is nothing like sitting on a bus in a faraway land and hearing everyone’s cell phone start screeching.
Sending Yohendrick Piñango is starting to look like a dumber idea.
Anyway, the revised lineup has Ernie Clement leading off (because what you want from a lead off man is an allergy to taking a base on balls).
Colorado Rockies game no. 41 thread: Tomoyuki Sugano vs Cristopher Sánchez
The Colorado Rockies had a rough week last week. Heck, it’s been a rough month of May so far. The Rockies have won just two games. However, now is a good a time as any to turn things around, right?
After an extra-innings brawl on Friday, the Rockies dropped game two against the Philadelphia Phillies last night in a game that ended up not being particularly close. However, they still have the chance to walk away with a series win and potentially some momentum before heading across Pennsylvania to Pittsburgh.
Tomoyuki Sugano 菅野 智之 will make the start for the Rockies as he looks to continue a string of solid starts. Sugano has an ERA of 3.41 through his first seven starts in a Rockies uniform. He has allowed more than one earned run just three times, and more than two just twice.
His line against the New York Mets his last time out is deceptive. Sugano allowed four earned runs, but all four of those came in his sixth inning of work—and after he left the game. Sugano had actually been pitching a no-hitter after the first five innings and his only baserunner came via a walk in the top of the third.
Dominant lefty Cristopher Sánchez will toe the rubber for the Phillies. Sánchez has an ERA of just 2.42 coming into today’s contest and is off to a solid start following a truly excellent 2025 campaign. Last season he finished second in Cy Young voting with a 2.50 ERA and 212 strikeouts in 32 starts.
Sánchez’s last time out against the Sacramento Athletics was his best start of the season so far. He pitched eight shutout innings with ten strikeouts and had just five combined baserunners.
In five career starts against the Rockies over 27 innings, Sánchez has a 3.00 ERA with 31 strikeouts. This season he is using a three-pitch mix consisting of a mid-90s sinker, a slider, and his excellent changeup.
To top it all off, today is Mother’s Day, and here is a message to the moms from your Colorado Rockies:
First Pitch: 11:35 AM MDT
TV: Rockies TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)
Phillies SB Nation site:The Good Phight
Lineups:
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Chicago Cubs vs. Texas Rangers preview, Sunday 5/10, 1:35 CT
Sunday notes…
- STACKING WINS: The Cubs have won eight and lost four of their previous series. They are 3-3 in rubber games of three-game series, including 2-2 on the road.
- HOLIDAY WINS: The Cubs are 54-72-2 on Mother’s Day since it became an official holiday in 1914. Their .430 winning percentage in those games is exactly one percentage point above their .429 (24-32) on Easter, which is their lowest on any holiday or special day since 1876 or when a holiday became official: .564: Fourth of July (126-97-3). .540: Opening Day (80-69-2). .520: Closing Day (77-71-2). .511: Memorial Day (113-108). .505: Friday the 13th (52-51). .462: Father’s Day (61-71-1). .445: Labor Day (95-119-4). .430: Mother’s Day (54-72-2). .429: Easter (24-32). On all of those days combined, their percentage is .508 (712-690-14). The 1,416 games are 6.3 percent of games the Cubs have played since 1876, about one of every 16. In all other games since 1876, their percentage is .514.
- STREAKING: Despite Saturday’s loss, the Cubs are 20-4 since April 14. That’s still the best record in MLB since that date (Braves and Rays, 17-6, are next).
- TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Hector Cruz hit a two-out, game-tying home run in the ninth inning in Atlanta. The teams played five more innings before rain came and ended play after the 14th with the score tied 5-5. The tie was supposed to be made up as part of a doubleheader July 21, but because of the players’ strike that year, the makeup game was cancelled. The Cubs/Braves tie game happened 45 years ago today, Sunday, May 10, 1981.
Cubs lineup:
Rangers lineup:
Jameson Taillon, RHP vs. Jacob deGrom, RHP
Jameson Taillon’s numbers are decent enough, not too far out of line from his career norms — 4.24 ERA, 1.192 WHIP.
The problem is home runs — 11 of them in 40.1 innings. Believe it or not, that’s not leading the league. Zack Littell of the Nationals has allowed 13 homers in 32.1 innings this year, yikes.
So, basically, if Jamo can keep the ball in the yard, he should do well enough. Last year against the Rangers, April 8, 2025 at Wrigley Field, he allowed three runs in six innings, with only one HR. That would work.
At age 38, Jacob deGrom is still pitching well, striking out lots of hitters and not issuing walks. He’s not the dominant force he was several years ago with the Mets, but still a perfectly good MLB starter.
deGrom has not faced the Cubs since 2022 and thus most current Cubs have not seen him much. One who has is Dansby Swanson (7-for-34, but with three doubles and two home runs). Ian Happ has also homered off deGrom.
Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network.
Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation Rangers site Lone Star Ball. If you do go there to interact with Rangers fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
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- Comment on articles, community posts
- Rec comments, community posts
- New, improved notifications system!