LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - May 11: Eric Haase #18 and Sam Hentges #31 of the San Francisco Giants prepare for the game at Dodger Stadium on May 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Suzanna Mitchell/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants had a good time in Southern California on Tuesday night, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2. In a statistic that almost defies reality, the Giants are now 4-1 against the two-time defending champions … and just 14-23 against the rest of the league.
But that wasn’t the only fun that was had, and it wasn’t the only reality that was defied. The Giants won with the long ball on Tuesday, with three solo home runs, all of which came from the eighth and ninth hitters.
That included a double dinger day for backup catcher Eric Haase, who did something that, when all is said and done, may go down as the least likely thing that happened to the Giants this year: he became the first player in the Majors to have a two-homer game against ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
The fun continued all game, but it was … uhh … restrained. After Monday’s win in the series opener, outfielders Harrison Bader, Jung Hoo Lee, and particularly Drew Gilbert (to the surprise of no one) celebrated with a little bit of consensual behavior normally reserved for incognito mode.
And indeed, the Giants fantastic beat reporters got to the heart of it … and it turns out that the call came in from somewhere higher up.
Now for the million dollar question: was it Buster Posey putting an end to the mild dose of homoeroticism, or the corporate folks at the league offices? We may never know, but at least the Giants are having fun.
Or as much fun as they’re allowed to have, at least.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 07: Jake Bennett #64 of the Boston Red Sox throws in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park on May 07, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pitching injuries happen. They have always happened, and they always will happen. That’s why when someone says “there’s no such thing as too much pitching”, they’re correct, regardless of how much pitching that team actually has. You could have a rotation of prime Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander, Pedro Martinez, Cy Young, and Randy Johnson, and that would still not be enough pitching (I don’t know why those are the five names that came to mind. It’s late. Leave me alone).
The Red Sox, despite having plenty of pitching, have proven that rule. Through the first month or so of the season, they’ve had eight different pitchers start games, and only one has been a scheduled opener. That also doesn’t include Johan Oviedo, who was injured before he could get a crack at the rotation. One of those pitchers was Jake Bennett, who most didn’t expect to debut in May. Thanks to a series of injuries, some major and some minor, he got his chance on May 1st. Since then, he’s made two starts, thrown 10.1 innings while registering a 4.35 ERA, 9.5% strikeout rate, and 9.5% walk rate. While those numbers are far from stellar, they’re not bad, and he’s held his own in those two games.
After Spring Training, I was excited about Bennett as a prospect. He’s a huge lefty who was throwing hard and using his frame to get down the mound. He’s also equipped with a plus changeup, a useful tool in neutralizing right-handed hitters. After two starts in the big leagues, I walked away underwhelmed, but not discouraged.
Bennett struggled to punch out hitters. Over his two starts, he only struck out four guys. He got to two-strike counts against 19 hitters. I actually don’t know what the league-wide conversion rate for two-strike counts into strikeouts is, but about 19% of two-strike pitches go for strikeouts, so it has to be above Bennett’s mark of 21%. Doing my best to be polite to Mr. Bennett, I’d say it’s because his stuff isn’t good enough. Here’s a look at his two-strike command against each side.
Against righties, it looks pretty good. The changeups are down and away, while the four-seamers are upstairs. Of those 37 pitches, however, just two returned whiffs, while 12 were fouled off to extend at-bats. While I can’t definitively give a reason for that, I’d say it’s because the four-seam fastball isn’t enough of a threat. Through two starts, it’s averaged 92.6 mph. The 7.1 feet of extension it’s thrown with helps it play up, but it only has about 11 inches of induced vertical break. The height-adjusted vertical approach angle is just 0.5 degrees, meaning it’s not an outlier at all in terms of shape.
It’s returned two strikeouts, but it feels to me like hitters aren’t threatened by it. His changeup is his best pitch, and he’s yet to strike out a right-handed hitter with it, depsite good locations. Almost half of his two-strike changeups to righties have been fouled off. It’s a good pitch; it’s generated whiffs earlier in counts, but it feels to me as if he’s missing a third pitch to prevent hitters from seeing a low pitch and identifying it as a changeup.
He has a curveball and a cutter, but neither has shown bat-missing ability so far. He doesn’t generate a ton of spin on any of his pitches, so finding a breaking ball to add to his arsenal could be a challenge. The low spin rate allows him to create depth on his changeup, which is a plus, but it makes it difficult for him to get lift on his fastball and move the ball to the glove side with a breaking ball. I think adding a quality breaking ball will be difficult, so his best path forward is likely to add velocity. It’s easier said than done, but his fastball was up to 98 mph in Spring Training, so there’s clearly room to grow in that department.
Against lefties, the story is similar. He does a good job locating his sinker on the arm side for weak contact and quick outs, but a breaking ball, something to throw away from lefties, is necessary to increase his strikeout rate. He uses his changeup against lefties, which can miss bats, but the downside is it’s often in an area where lefties can drop the barrel and tee off on it. That hasn’t happened for Bennett yet, but it happens to same-handed changeups when they’re poorly located.
It’s not all bad, though. Bennett hasn’t made many mistakes over the plate and has missed barrels as a result. It’s not overpowering, and he probably hasn’t been in the zone as much as he’d like, but he’s done a nice job living on the edges. With Sonny Gray and Ranger Suarez returning to the rotation, Bennett was optioned back to Triple-A. If the Red Sox need him, though, he’s a high-floor option, with the ceiling of an excellent pitcher. He’ll need to add some velocity and potentially a breaking pitch to reach that ceiling, but the bones of a major league rotation piece are there.
Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who hit 60 home runs last season and finished second in American League Most Valuable Player voting, is in a terrible slump. But last night he snapped an 0-for-38 streak with a single last night.
All it took to break out was getting smacked in the oompa-loompas with a foul ball the half-inning before.
Big oof and big ouch…
Cal Raleigh goes down after a hard foul tip directly between his legs and is understandably showing a ton of pain upon gathering himself.
Ken Rosenthal writes that Giants team president Buster Posey keeps making big, risky moves, but none of them are paying off at the moment. (The Athletic sub. req.) He also said that Posey grew frustrated with Bailey, feeling that his game management skills were lacking in addition to his weak bat.
The issues for Astros pitcher Tatsuya Imai continue. He came off the injured list yesterday and got rocked for six runs in four innings. Jack Baer examines what’s gone wrong for the Japanese rookie.
Yankees infielder Jose Caballero went on the IL after he broke the same finger! Well, not exactly the same finger. Caballero’s broken finger is attached to his hand and not Murphy’s. It would be weird otherwise. Anyways, that means that Anthony Volpe got recalled from Triple-A.
Astros Hall of Fame broadcaster René Cárdenas died at age 96. Cárdenas was the first ever Spanish-language team broadcaster when he called the Dodgers in 1958. He moved on to Houston to call the “Colt .45s” when the expansion franchise got underway.
And finally, thirty years ago director Spike Lee wanted a red Yankees cap to complete his outfit for the World Series, but there weren’t any in any color other than Black. Lee’s quest for a red Yankees cap opened up the current world of multiple caps in multiple colors for alls teams. The Yankees, Lee and New Era are celebrating the 30th anniversary of that with a a new Spike Lee line of Yankees caps.
Royals manager Matt Quatraro said Tuesday that Ragans (elbow) played catch two of the past three days and remains day-to-day, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Quatraro added that Tuesday’s throwing session was better than Sunday’s, and the expectation is Ragans will play catch again on Wednesday, as he deals with a case of pitcher’s elbow. Stephen Kolek is starting in Ragans’ place Tuesday night and will fill his rotation spot while Ragans heals up on the 15-day injured list. It doesn’t sound like Kansas City expects this to be a lengthy absence for its ace.
One reason to believe in this team: The veteran pitchers still have it
Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha migrated to Kansas City from San Diego ahead of the 2024 season and spearheaded the Royals’ first trip to the postseason in nine years. The unions were so fruitful that the team eventually signed both pitchers to contract extensions. Lugo and Wacha are in their mid-30s now, but they’re still as productive as ever — and at a critical juncture, with Cole Ragans on the injured list and Noah Cameron enduring a bit of a sophomore slump. Wacha owns a 2.63 ERA, as he’s held hitters to a .188 average. Lugo’s ERA is 3.21, and he has allowed a grand total of one home run in 47 2/3 innings.
Estevez won’t throw for three more weeks, and then he’s hoping to start working his way back — and given the volatility of bullpens around the game, it’s possible that he’ll get another chance to close games later this year. “I have hope,” he said. “I’ll be fine. I just have to keep working. I’ll be back, right on time, ready for the playoff hunt.”
With Estevez out, Royals manager Matt Quatraro turned to Lucas Erceg, who has been excellent, stabilizing the Kansas City bullpen and allowing just two hits and no earned runs over his past eight outings; he has compiled 10 saves this season.
The Royals might have found a temporary fix, but the closer roller coaster has been a popular ride throughout Major League Baseball this year.
The 2026 version of Squires is doing something more interesting. His .244 ISO is among the better power numbers in the Texas League, and a .538 slugging percentage from a first baseman who went undrafted out of college is not a small thing. His 139 wRC+ sits just six points below Kulasingam’s despite a vastly different profile. Squires swings more, walks less, and does his damage in larger doses. His 23.7% strikeout rate is the number skeptics will point to, and fairly so, but corner infielders with real power carry higher strikeout rates at every level of professional baseball. The contact he makes tends to travel.
The Royals feel fairly set at first base in 2026 with Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez handling the primary duties, and Squires knows it. That means the most realistic outcome for a strong season may not be a call-up but a deadline trade, a contender in need of corner infield depth acquiring a first baseman with a .538 slugging percentage and three stolen bases in a single game against Corpus Christi. That would be a reasonable outcome for both sides. In the meantime, Squires keeps hitting, keeps running, and keeps making the case that someone should have drafted him when they had the chance.
Mozzicato rose from No. 20 in the preseason rankings to No. 17 in our latest update. The ERA is brutal at 6.65, but he has a 21.7% K% and has shown some intriguing stuff on his pitches, though control and command have been less than stellar to begin the year. The sooner Kansas City moves Mozzicato to the bullpen full-time (he’s made six starts), the better his outlook (and current statline in Double-A) will be. Also in Double-A, Beam rose from No. 9 to No. 7, despite sporting a 4.88 ERA and 6.63 FIP in 27.2 IP. The strikeouts haven’t been there for Beam to begin the year, as illustrated by a 13.6% K%. However, he could be due for a positive bounce-back when the weather heats up, and he gets more settled against Texas League hitting.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 12: Jarren Duran #16 of the Boston Red Sox walks off of the field after striking out against the Philadelphia Phillies during the sixth inning at Fenway Park on May 12, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning! The Boston Red Sox have scored just four runs in their last three games. It is now abundantly clear that this is not a good offensive team. Moreover, it won’t be a good offensive team even if we see a little bit of a bounce back from Trevor Story, Caleb Durbin, Carlos Narvaez, Roman Anthony… from everyone except Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu, really. The lineup’s ceiling is… league average, maybe?
There are four major components of the game — hitting, fielding, starting pitching, and relief pitching — and it’s rare for any team to excel in each of them. But when a team is outright bad in one of those areas, it can make for some ugly watches. But I will say this: if your team has to be terrible at one of those components (note to Craig: it doesn’t!) then I think I’d take the ugly lineup. The Red Sox might be losing ballgames, but at least they aren’t losing lopsided, four-hour affairs that are out of hand by the fourth inning, which is what fans of teams with terrible starting pitching are forced to deal with.
So I suppose my question today is: what’s the most tolerable kind of bad baseball team?
Use this space to talk about that and whatever else you want and, as always, be good to one another.
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, determined to break out of a frustrating 10-game hitless streak, decided to take drastic action, showering in his full uniform Monday after another tough night at the plate. His unconventional approach paid off, as he broke his slump Tuesday night and helped lead the Mariners to a 10-2 win over the Houston Astros.
In Seattle's May 12 victory, Raleigh snapped his 0-for-38 skid with two singles. Last year’s American League MVP runner-up recorded his first hit since April 27 with a sharp line drive to center field in the seventh inning. Moments later, Randy Arozarena doubled to right field, allowing Raleigh to capitalize and score, pushing the score to 8-2.
“Logan (Gilbert) gave me some good advice to wash off the bad mojo or juju from the baseball gods,” Raleigh told the Associated Press. “So yeah, it worked. He was right, so I got to give him credit where credit’s due.”
Cal Raleigh singles to snap an 0-for-38 stretch, the longest hitless streak of his career and of any player this season pic.twitter.com/g0dOpJVqgN
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 13, 2026
Raleigh capped off his night with another single in the ninth inning, finishing the game with two hits and a much-needed renewed sense of confidence at the plate.
Last year, Raleigh led the American League with an impressive 60 home runs and 125 RBIs. However, this season has been more challenging for the slugger, as he has recorded only seven home runs and 18 RBIs over the first 40 games.
During the second intermission of the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabers' Game 4 matchup, it was shared that New York Islanders alumnus Josh Bailey will be enshrined in the New York State Hockey Hall of Fame this summer.
The announcement came as ESPN announced broadcaster Steve Levy will be a part of this year's class. Sharing the announcement on the air, Bailey was named one of eight inductees in this year's class.
Per ESPN, Josh Bailey will be inducted into the New York State Hockey Hall Of Fame this year.
Next up should be the New York Islanders Team Hall of Fame.
Bailey, a lifetime Islander, was drafted with the 9th overall pick in the 2008 NHL Draft. The forward became a mainstay after his debut on Nov. 11, 2008, playing in 1,057 games with the franchise. He is one of only three players to reach the milestone with the team.
He recorded 184 goals and 396 assists for 580 points in 15 seasons on Long Island. He sits in fourth and seventh in Islanders history in assists and points, respectively.
However, the playoffs were where Bailey truly made his mark. In 71 games, he recorded 16 goals and 34 assists for 50 points, helping New York to a pair of third-round appearances in his career. He also added a pair of overtime winners, both against the Pittsburgh Penguins, including his iconic Game 1 goal in the team's first postseason game back at Nassau Coliseum in 2019.
🎥 ISLES REWIND: 6️⃣ years ago, on April 10, 2019, Josh Bailey scored in OT vs. PIT and @brendanmburke emphatically declared that Game One went to the Island #Islespic.twitter.com/FQjE8qujQo
His Islanders career came to a close on June 29, 2023, when he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks with a second-round pick for future considerations. His contract was brought out later that afternoon, and Bailey didn't play another NHL game despite signing a pro tryout with the Ottawa Senators the following preseason.
Today, Bailey can be found in the broadcast booth, working alongside Alan Fuehring on Islanders broadcasts on the New York Islanders Radio Network.
He will become the fifth Islanders player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Forward John Tonelli was enshrined in 2023, and legends Ken Morrow, Denis Potvin and Ed Westfall joined him one year later. Hall of Fame journalist Stan Fischler was also inducted in 2023.
The Cleveland Guardians seek a series sweep when they host the Los Angeles Angels in Game 3 of their three-game set.
Cleveland starter Parker Messick has been a revelation, and my Angels vs. Guardians predictions expect a convincing Guardians victory today. Read on for my MLB picks for Wednesday, May 13.
Who will win Angels vs Guardians today: Guardians -1.5 (+156)
Messick owns a 2.30 ERA and 0.98 WHIP through eight starts, with his fastball-changeup combination generating elite run value on both pitches.
Three of the Angels' top four hitters rank among MLB's individual strikeout leaders, and Los Angeles owns the highest raw strikeout total in baseball with 419 on the season.
With Cleveland's bullpen pitching decently over the last two weeks, the plus-money value is there.
COVERS INTEL:The top of the Angels' lineup, Zach Neto (62), Mike Trout (49), and Jorge Soler (52) have combined for 163 strikeouts across 556 plate appearances.
Angels vs Guardians Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-108)
Two left-handed starters take the mound in Cleveland, and neither figures to allow much damage.
The Angels have struck out 115 times against left-handed pitching this season, while the Guardians lack much power against lefties, evidenced by their .148 ISO.
With two southpaws dealing and sharp money moving the total down to seven runs, a low-scoring affair is in the cards today.
Phil Naessens' 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 6-11, -3.75 units
Over/Under bets: 6-9, -4.30 units
Angels vs Guardians odds
Moneyline: Angels +133 | Guardians -138
Run line: Angels +1.5 (-170) | Guardians -1.5 (+163)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+127) | Under 7.5 (-133)
Angels vs Guardians trend
The Under is 3-7 in the Los Angeles Angels' previous 10 games. Find more MLB betting trends for Angels vs. Guardians.
How to watch Angels vs Guardians and game info
Location
Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH
Date
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
First pitch
1:10 p.m. ET
TV
Angels.TV, CLEGuardians.TV
Angels starting pitcher
Reid Detmers (1-3, 4.33 ERA)
Guardians starting pitcher
Parker Messick (4-1, 2.30 ERA)
Angels vs Guardians latest injuries
Angels vs Guardians weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Crawley dropped; Ahmed and Bashir selected as spinners
On a day when England named three uncapped players in their Test squad, brought Ollie Robinson out of cold storage and officially confirmed a new selector had joined the set-up, perhaps the most significant news was the identity of their fielding coach.
Sarah Taylor, the former England wicketkeeper, will be in charge of the fielding drills during the three-Test series against New Zealand that begins at Lord’s on 4 June – the first female coach to work in the men’s senior setup.
Understandably, Matvei Michkov is going to be the talk of the Philadelphia Flyers world this summer, but the team's captains all took moments to stand up for the sophomore forward after a challenging second season in the NHL.
Flyers captain Sean Couturier, as well as alternate captains Travis Konecny and Travis Sanheim, commendably offered words on Michkov's unique situation while being able to put themselves in his shoes, defending a young player who's been in the spotlight non-stop.
Michkov, 21, ended his 2025-26 season on the bench with the Flyers losing 3-2 in overtime to the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and whether we believe it to be right or wrong, it was what the coaching staff and team decided.
The Russian phenom still scored 51 points this season, though, and now knows what is expected of him and his game in the postseason.
This is all while barely being able to communicate with teammates and staff effectively, living in North America for not even two years.
"I remember when I was his age, trying to find my way. It's not easy, and I couldn't imagine with the language barrier. But he's a guy that's always putting in the work," Konecny said of Michkov at his exit interview Tuesday.
It was just last year that we would come out with stories of Michkov coming home from an afternoon game and going back to the rink, coming out for practice early, staying for practice late, so on and so forth.
He's still the same kid he was.
"He's always in the shooting room, he's always on the ice doing extra stuff. So that part of it's there. It's just trying to find where he's comfortable, at dinner, or wherever it is, to help him get to that next step," Konecny continued. "
I couldn't imagine going over and trying to understand Russian for two years. I'd be pretty lost at times, too. But when he's doing good things and he's scoring goals and he's making good plays, you just make sure you're there to pat him on the back, 'Hey, this is the good stuff. You do this over and over, you'll be a heck of a player.'"
Couturier, who broke in to the NHL himself as a teenager, shared Konecny's sentiment.
"I can't imagine the language barrier at a young age, coming overseas," Couturier said. "It's only his second year in the league, and I'm sure he's going to learn from this past year. Knowing him, knowing his character, I know he's going to be super motivated to prove everyone wrong next year. That's what you want to see."
"The pressure that's been put on him is a lot higher than anyone else has had. He's just like anyone else: we've all been through struggles and good times," added Sanheim. "Obviously, it's been difficult with the language barrier the last couple years. I think he's gotten better and understands a lot more. So, you can start to have more conversations with him, and better conversations... ones that feel like you're getting somewhere."
So, that about sums it up for the Flyers and Michkov through two seasons. The common denominators are age and inexperience, as well as the language barrier. This was anticipated well in advance, but it's something everyone has to work towards to collectively benefit the Flyers in the long term.
Michkov's KHL contract would have originally expired this summer, but the timeline for his arrival was instead sped up by two years by his own accord.
Going into 2026-27, Michkov will have two years of the NHL and North American life under his belt to build on and reference, which should only help him as the Flyers and his teammates learn to better work with him, and vice versa.
May 12, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) warms up before game five of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
The postseason has been tough for Keldon Johnson.
Ever since winning NBA Sixth Man of the Year, he’s struggled to maintain the vitality that earned him the league honor.
This season the Spurs had seven players average scoring in double figures. *Harrison Barnes was 5 points from the Spurs having eight players in double figs, which would have been an NBA first. Ever since then, Keldon’s scoring dropped off.
In his first playoff series versus the Portland Trail Blazers, KJ averaged just over 6 points per game.
Against the Timberwolves, he’s scored 11, 9, 11, and 4 in the first four games. Better, but not stellar.
Last night, Keldon reignited early, bringing a spark off the bench, which is saying a lot considering the game Victor Wembanyama was having.
Johnson’s signasture highlight came on his psterization of Timberwolves big man Rudy Gobert.
It was vintage KJ all night as he scored 21 points on 8 of 11 shooting. He hit one three-pointer and added two steals to that viral block.
Johnson’s emergence couldn’t have come at a better time.
After sitting out the majority of three quarters in Game 4, Victor Wembanyama came out swinging, scoring 18 of his 27 points in the first quarter. He cooled considerably in the latter half of the game, leaving the Spurs looking for scoring.
Although De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper played, their participation was a game time decision. With so much uncertainty coming out of the locker room, KJ was a driving force.
It was Keldon who embraced the moment, riding that patented high energy into timeouts and ramping up his team and the crowd, just as he has done all season.
Look for Keldon to continue to bring passion to Game 6, where the Spurs head into hostile territory, returning to the City of Lakes.
A Game 6 win sends the Spurs into the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2017.
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Feb 17, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Mikel Brown Jr. (0) looks on during the second half against the SMU Mustangs at Moody Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
We are fully in draft season now.
With a lauded class of athletes entering the draft this cycle — barring some unexpected withdrawals — there will surely be differing opinions for the Hawks at number eight overall.
Let’s do a quick check-in on who different media members project the Hawks to take, pre-combine edition:
Jeremy Woo of ESPN gets us started with a popular Louisville guard:
8. Atlanta Hawks (via New Orleans)
Mikel Brown Jr., PG, Louisville Freshman
The Hawks’ shrewd decision to trade away the 13th pick in last year’s draft for this one — the better of New Orleans’ and Milwaukee’s selections — didn’t result in a top-four pick but still moved them up five spots in a strong draft. Selecting this early after winning 46 games last season was a positive outcome for Atlanta, no matter where this pick fell. The Hawks lack a true point guard after moving on from Trae Young, and Brown’s perimeter playmaking makes him an intriguing fit if they opt to go in that direction.
Brown’s back injury made it difficult for him to boost his stock in-season, making the predraft process critical for showing teams he is healthy and reminding them of his significant offensive talent. His positional size, shooting ability and passing skills should stand out in workout settings, but he needs a positive spring to work his way further up the board in a guard-heavy lottery, with Darius Acuff, Keaton Wagler and Kingston Flemings all having outstanding seasons. There are still scouts who view Brown’s upside as the highest of the group, but it might take some work for him to leap ahead of the other top guards.
Mikel Brown Jr. | 6-4 guard | 20 years old | Louisville
Brown’s best flashes were those of a top-five pick. He dropped 45 points with 10 made 3s in a game against NC State, then followed it up with 29 points, six assists and three rebounds against Baylor and 29 points, five rebounds and four assists against SMU. When Brown had it rolling, there was no more dynamic ball-screen playmaker in college basketball. He has range out to 30 feet, and his vision as a playmaker for others exceeds everyone in the class when playing in a screen. If anyone in this deep draft class could average nine or 10 assists per game in the NBA, it’s Brown.
So why does he slip to No. 8? Some negative aspects of his game resemble the issues LaMelo Ball has, while he’s not quite as dynamic as Ball is in his best moments. First and foremost, Brown is extremely wild. The turnovers are an issue. He hasn’t figured out how to moderate his decision-making. Second, his defense is a work in progress. He’s a serious negative in switch situations against stronger players, and his off-ball instincts are hit or miss. Brown’s back injury recurred later in the season, too, causing him to miss the postseason. He got very little time off from the end of his high school season to the start of his college season, going from the all-star circuit directly into the under-19 World Cup and then into Louisville’s preseason. Scouts want to know if Brown’s back is merely a short-term issue from overuse or if it could be a long-term problem.
For a team that moved Trae Young at the deadline and has some pressing questions at the lead guard spot, Brown makes a ton of sense. He’d fit next to players like Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and his shooting ability would help accentuate Jalen Johnson’s driving skills.
And third and finally, J. Kyle Mann of The Ringer’s NBA coverage tapped a different guard prospect:
8. Atlanta Hawks (via New Orleans)
Kingston Flemings (Guard, Houston)
Many in the basketball world cackled at New Orleans’s decision to trade its 2026 pick for the 13th spot in last year’s draft because they saw two things on the horizon: the talent in the 2026 class and the losses that were inevitably in store for the Pelicans. Atlanta didn’t ultimately find a golden ticket, as NOLA avoided the catastrophe of finishing at the bottom of the standings, but it still has a chance to fill a need in a draft chock-full of skilled guards. You could argue that it would be hard for the Hawks to go wrong with the guards that are likely to be available in this range, but in this scenario, Flemings would make the most sense to me. For one, he is greased lightning with a basketball in open space, and the Hawks excel at creating fast-break opportunities with their defense. For another, he’s an underrated playmaker who is just as happy flowing within an offense as he is creating for himself.
Do you agree with either of these selections? Who else would be a better pick for the Hawks? Please let me know in the comments below.
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MARCH 14: Arseny Gritsyuk #81 of the New Jersey Devils skates off the ice after a NHL game against the Los Angeles Kings at Prudential Center on March 14, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
A new name in the front office:
Added a new Assistant General Manager to the front office roster.
“It’s hard to view this addition as anything but a big positive. Birch served as the director of hockey operations and salary cap management for the league’s most successful team in recent years. As noted when rumors first surfaced, his fingerprints were all over a lot of crafty contract work with the Florida Panthers.” [Infernal Access]
“After nearly five seasons in the KHL, Arseny Gritsyuk made his way to North America and played his first NHL season with the New Jersey Devils in 2025-26. His counting totals weren’t overly impressive, but a peek underneath the hood shows Gritsyuk was one of the Devils’ best forwards. Since he signed a one-year entry-level contract with the Devils for 2025-26, he will need a new deal as a restricted free agent this offseason. What could the Devils pay Gritsyuk? And does it make sense to go long-term?” [Devils on the Rush]
“With a new regime underway in New Jersey, one run by a progressive-thinking, analytics-fluent individual in Sunny Mehta, we can anticipate quite a few changes to philosophies with the Devils. One such area in which the Devils will need to shift the paradigm to have more success is in drafting.” [Devils’ Advocates]
Hockey Links
A six-game suspension for Charlie McAvoy:
Boston’s Charlie McAvoy has been suspended for six regular season games for slashing Buffalo’s Zach Benson. https://t.co/j90GKNYbMe
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) May 12, 2026
An interesting little tiff:
League sources say #Oilers have sought permission to interview Bruce Cassidy as they contemplate significant coaching staff changes.
To this point, sources say @GoldenKnights have withheld permission from division rival.
Gamesmanship? Perhaps. Mostly unprecedented for role.
Charlie Coyle's 6-year, $36M contract with #CBJ comes with a full no-movement clause in Years 1-4, a 20-team no-trade list in Year 5 and a 10-team no-trade list in Year 6.
On the potential Stanley Cup Final matchups we could see: “Let’s look ahead to what June could bring, ranked from the least to the most enticing, based purely on the narratives that people like me will beat into the ground.” [The Athletic ($)]
“Owen Tippett did not play for the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference Second Round because of an internal bleeding issue, the forward said Tuesday. Tippett sustained the injury during the Flyers’ six-game series win against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round.” [NHL.com]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
WASHINGTON - MAY 13: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals is stopped by Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during first period action in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Verizon Center May 13, 2009 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Seventeen years ago today, the Penguins blew past the Washington Capitals in a series-deciding game on the road, sending Pittsburgh to the Eastern Conference Final for a second straight season.
It was 2009. The Penguins and the Capitals were putting on a show for the hockey world with six games of what felt like uncontrolled chaos where no lead was safe.
From dueling hat tricks to overtime thrillers, Pittsburgh and Washington were facing off in a Game 7that would help define the legacy of their team — and the pressure was intense.
Three of the six games in the series had gone to overtime and this night in D.C., it was win or go home.
Alex Ovechkin had scored seven goals in six games, so who better else to have an early breakaway with a chance to ignite the home crowd?
Marc-Andre Fleury thought otherwise.
Fleury’s save may have been a wakeup call for the Penguins, who responded with two hectic periods of hockey as they coasted to victory.
Two goals eight seconds apart from Sidney Crosby and Craig Adams broke the scoreless tie in the first period.
Three goals in quick succession from Bill Guerin, Kris Letang, and Jordan Staal made things 5-0 and put the game on cruise control.
SURPRISE, AZ - OCTOBER 24: Nick Morabito #3 of the Scottsdale Scorpions runs to first base during the game between the Scottsdale Scorpions and the Surprise Saguaros at Surprise Stadium on Friday, October 24, 2025 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
With nearly even records coming into this game, Syracuse held the lead for most of the early portions of the game, but it was a thin lead. Jack Wenninger went unscored upon, lowering his ERA to 1.08, but sure enough, Scranton not only tied things up but then took control after he was taken out of the ballgame. The Mets came into the ninth inning down 4-2, but Ryan Clifford and Yonny Hernandez tied things up with an RBI double and single, respectively. With the adoption of the ghost-runner-starts-at-second rule, you don’t see extra-inning games go too long, but this one made it into the thirteenth inning and since these things are not too common anymore, you gotta appreciate it.
Nick Morabito led off the thirteenth with a sac bunt to move ghost runner Matt Rudick over to third, but old friend Ali Sanchez bungled the play- considered a sure-handed catcher, he was playing first base after having been pinch hit into the game. A few batters later, Christian Arroyo drove in two more runs with a single into left. Mike Baumann, thankfully, was able to throw a 1-2-3 inning for the save, and that was that.
The Rumble Ponies fell to the Patriots to kick off the Double-A Subway Series, their fifth loss in a row and their second consecutive shutout. Nick Lorusso and JT Schwartz were the only Ponies to log hits, while Eli Serrano and Jacob Reimer drew a walk apiece and the indomitable Wyatt Young drew two. Brendan Girton made the start for Binghamton and was solid, allowing one run over five innings, but even if the bullpen hadn’t allowed two more, he would’ve been the losing pitcher in this contest.
The Cyclones fell to Rome to kick off their series, their third loss in a row. Mitch Voit and Daiverson Gutierrez were the only Cyclones to log hits, while Ronald Hernandez drew a walk. Joel Diaz made the start for Brooklyn and was decent, allowing two runs over four innings, but even if he cut that in half, he still would’ve been the losing pitcher in this contest.
COVERS INTEL:
