Worldwide Sports News

May 18, 2026

WHO WORE IT BEST: 0/00

Mar 16, 2026; Miami, FL, United States; Venezuela second baseman Andrés Giménez (0) scores in the seventh inning against Venezuela during a semifinal game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

At the start of the 1929 season, the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians innovated baseball, starting the season with numbers on the back of their players jerseys for easy identification. While numbers had been experimented with prior to the season, they were mostly smaller and located on the arms, meant primarily for umpires and the official scorers. The numbers on the back of the jersey were for fans in the stands to clearly tell who each player was, a move that scorecard salesmen had been pushing for years.

Some current baseball traditions remain from that era. The Yankees famously assigned numbers based on the lineup, with the backup catchers taking 9-10 respectively. Pitchers and bench players wore higher numbers, which is why pitchers generally don’t take single digit numbers. Blake Snell (no.4) became the first pitcher to play in the All-Star game and win a Cy Young award while wearing a single digit number in MLB history in 2018. Higher numbers were long assigned to fringe invitees to Spring Training or marginal players, although that tradition has declined sharply over the last twenty years.

0 and 00 is the least assigned player number below 50 in the history of the MLB. To date, no team has ever retired 0 or 00. The reasons are relatively simple. Youth baseball is loathe to give out 0 or 00 because it is easy to apply a derogatory connotation to it, and many MLB players chose their number based on earlier team numbers from their youth. However, that seems to be changing recently. In 2026, 10 players wore 0 or 00 at the major league level, down from 13 in 2025. In fact, more players have worn 0 or 00 since 2020 than in other 91 seasons combined.

Who is the most successful player to wear 0 or 00 as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays?

WWIB: Andrés Giménez 2025-2026 (1.3 bWAR)

Giménez was a former Mets top prospect who was traded to Cleveland as part of a package for Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco in 2021. He had a breakout season in 2022, hitting .297/.371/.466 while earning a Gold Glove at second. It prompted the Guardians to sign him to a backloaded 7 yr/$106.5M contract in the offseason. He won two more Gold Gloves, but his offense significantly declined. The Jays acquired him and Nick Sandlin in December 2024 for Spencer Horwitz and Nick Mitchell. The move was highly questioned at the time, especially considering that the main issue the 2024 last place Jays suffered from was a lack of offense. Giménez’ offensive woes continued in 2025 but his defense was as good as advertised. When Bo Bichette was injured following a collision at home plate against the Yankees on Sept 6, Giménez became the primary shortstop for the remainder of the regular season and the post-season. Many Jays commentators saw the Giménez trade as a harbinger that the club was ready to move on from Bichette, and with the emergence of Ernie Clement as an elite defender and everyday starter, the Jays were able to deploy elite defense up the middle. Giménez has three more years and a club option remaining on his contract.

Other notable Jays to wear 0 or 00 were Taijuan Walker in 2020 (1.0 bWAR), Al Oliver in 1985 (-0.6 bWAR) and Cliff Johnson also in 1985 (-0.1 bWAR).

May 18, 2026

Washington Nationals look for repeat result as they host New York Mets

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 16: CJ Abrams #5 and Nasim Nuñez #26 of the Washington Nationals celebrate after defeating the Baltimore Orioles at Nationals Park on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

After winning the first 2 games of the series against the Orioles, the Nationals squandered their opportunity to push above the .500 mark in a 7-3 loss in the series finale. They now have another chance to accomplish that, as they’re set to square off against the New York Mets in a 4-game series.

The Nats took the last 2 games of their 3-game series against New York to end April, and will now look to replicate that result this week. Facing a Mets team that still sits 6 games below .500, Washington undoubtedly enters as the premier squad. The Mets have, however, won 5 of their last 6 games, and there’s more than enough talent on their roster to make for an intriguing mid-week matchup in the Nation’s capital.

Game 1 – Monday 6:45 PM EST

WSH: RHP Jake Irvin (1-4, 5.91 ERA)

NYM: RHP Christian Scott (0-0, 3.45 ERA)

Irvin’s subpar month of May continued in his last start, surrendering 5 earned runs over 3.0 innings against the Cincinnati Reds. His ERA has crept back up close to 6.00, and well-timed offensive explosions have been the only thing keeping him from having a worse record than 1-4. It’s odd to call this a “get-right game” when looking at the Mets’ lineup on paper, but their struggles could give him a chance to get him going in a good direction.

The young Scott hasn’t worked deep into games, with just one start eclipsing 5.0 innings so far in 2026. Run prevention has been a strength so far, however, with the most runs he’s allowed in a start being just 2 against the Tigers and Angels. He’s found a solid blend of missing bats and working around hitters’ sweet spot, with his 93rd percentile Barrel% and 84th percentile K% two pillars the Nats will have to overcome.

Game 2 – Tuesday 6:45 PM EST

WSH: LHP Foster Griffin (4-2, 3.53 ERA)

NYM: RHP Nolan McLean (2-2, 2.92 ERA)

Griffin now faces the first bounce-back chance of his MLB return after getting shelled by the Reds, in his first outing where he failed to reach 5.0 innings and gave up 9 runs. The advanced metrics certainly don’t support the southpaw, but the results have been there outside of his last start. Overall inconsistency with the Washington rotation makes his return to form even more important, making this a must-see appearance for the 30-year-old.

One of MLB’s top prospects has lived up to the hype and then some, replicating the success he showed after his call-up in late 2025. He’s racked up strikeouts, has only allowed 3 runs 3 times, and maintains an ERA below the 3.00 mark. He’s emerged as one of the best starters in baseball with a disgustingly good arsenal, and the Nats’ lineup will need to get to him early if they want a legitimate chance of winning.

Game 3 – Wednesday 6:45 PM EST

WSH: RHP Zack Littell (2-4, 6.10 ERA)

NYM: TBD

Littell was stellar against Baltimore, delivering a much-needed scoreless outing for the first time in his 2026 campaign. He let just 4 batters reach base, cruising to 5.0 shutout innings en route to his second win of May. He’s now coming off 3 consecutive starts where he’s been at least serviceable, and extending that streak to 4 would be a phenomenal sign for the rotation.

An unfortunate injury to starter Clay Holmes has the Mets’ standard rotation fully off-schedule, and they currently have no projected starter for either of the last 2 games of this series. Whether they call someone up, utilize an opener, or go to a full-on bullpen game remains to be seen, but it will be a patchwork solution for New York no matter how they approach it.

Game 4 – Thursday 4:05 PM EST

WSH: RHP Cade Cavalli (2-2, 4.05 ERA)

NYM: TBD

Cavalli’s frustrating season continued with a mixed bag against Baltimore, where he continued to flash swing-and-miss stuff but dealt with some ill-timed hits that saw his line finish with 3 earned runs in 6.0 innings. Searching for consistency has been the theme of his season, and it’s not something he has found on a regular basis. Finding results no matter how he goes about it should be the goal for Cavalli and the Nats’ coaching staff, and Thursday will be another test of his mettle.

May 18, 2026

Clean Laundry: Mariners vs. White Sox Series Preview

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MAY 16: Munetaka Murakami #5 of the Chicago White Sox reacts in a game against the Chicago Chicago Cubs at Rate Field on May 16, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Great news: Gavin Sheets is not (any longer) on the White Sox. He can’t hurt you anymore.

Bad news: If you’re reading this, you’re probably going to be watching some more Mariners baseball.

If you told me in January that the Mariners would be one game out of the Wild Card and just two games back of the division in mid-May, I would have been a little disappointed but still feeling pretty decent. It has, instead, been a remarkable case of horrific process and exceptionally weird results. There has been very little pleasure in this season and the most consistent thing they have to offer is their baffling inconsistency. Fresh off a truly brutal sweep at the hands of their most fearsome rivals, Seattle welcomes the plucky White Sox into T-Mobile Park. The chance to rise to .500 will have to wait, but as we’ve learned over these past 50 years, there is always the possibility of new horrors.

Game	Time	Mariners Starter	White Sox Starter	Mariners Win%	White Sox Win%
Game 1	Monday, May 18 \| 6:40 pm	RHP Bryan Woo	LHP Noah Schultz	65.1%	34.9%
Game 2	Tuesday, May 19 \| 6:40 pm	RHP Luis Castillo / RHP Bryce Miller	LHP Anthony Kay	61.3%	38.7%
Game 3	Wednesday, May 20 \| 1:10 pm	RHP Emerson Hancock	RHP Sean Burke	59.7%	40.3%

*Game odds courtesy of FanGraphs

Overview	White Sox	Mariners	Edge
Batting (wRC+)	107 (3rd in AL)	104 (4th in AL)	White Sox
Fielding (FRV)	3 (5th)	-13 (14th)	White Sox
Starting Pitching (FIP-)	102 (11th)	98 (9th)	Mariners
Bullpen (FIP-)	107 (12th)	87 (2nd)	Mariners

These are not your 2025 White Sox. Nor your 2024 White Sox. Nor your 2023 White Sox. Would you call them “good”? Well, that’s entirely up to you. But they do have higher upside and much more interest than they have for the vast majority of this decade. You saw that when they wriggled their way into a series win against the M’s barely a week and a half ago. They’re coming off of a walk-off win against the Cubs to secure the Windy Winsome Cup or whatever they pitched the Chicago rivalry to be called (it’s the Crosstown Classic), are one game back in their division and would be leading in the West. Something, something, no religion.

Player	Position	Bats	PA	K%	BB%	ISO	wRC+
Sam Antonacci	LF	L	109	12.8%	6.4%	0.132	130
Munetaka Murakami	1B	L	199	33.2%	18.1%	0.327	155
Miguel Vargas	3B	R	198	16.2%	15.2%	0.259	146
Colson Montgomery	SS	L	188	28.7%	9.0%	0.287	136
Chase Meidroth	2B	R	189	23.3%	10.1%	0.110	101
Andrew Benintendi	DH	L	146	28.8%	7.5%	0.153	92
Jarred Kelenic	RF	L	44	27.3%	11.4%	0.103	88
Tristan Peters	CF	L	118	22.0%	7.6%	0.086	90
Drew Romo	C	S	47	21.3%	17.0%	0.368	147

There’s Munetaka Murakami, of course. Transcendent Surf’s Up penguin that he is. Their 2021 first rounder, Colson Montgomery has been playing like how you’d hope a first rounder would. Miguel Vargas has found his stride and may be the platonic ideal of the White Sox aesthetic. Sam Antonacci is running with that Team Italy energy and is on base constantamente. Tristan Peters is having a career year (it’s all relative), Andrew Benintendi is there for a millennial jump scare, and I will not address Chase Meidroth, because it’s important to have a for-no-good-reason nemesis.

As you’ll see below, it’s the offense that continues to be a primary driver, and drive they will. I’m just hoping they don’t run over Seattle’s bedraggled pitching corps.

Probable Pitchers

Updated Stuff+ Explainer

Stuff+ scores for Mariners starters

Pitcher	IP	K%	BB%	HR/FB%	GB%	ERA	FIP
Noah Schultz	29.1	20.8%	16.8%	5.9%	35.1%	4.91	4.36
Bryan Woo	53	22.3%	4.7%	7.5%	30.3%	3.91	3.47

Pitch	Usage vRHB	Usage vLHB	Velocity	Stuff+	Whiff+	BIP+	xwOBA
Four-seam	38.7%	21.7%	95.4	96	122	132	0.317
Sinker	28.7%	52.2%	95.3	82	68	121	0.351
Cutter	21.0%	26.1%	89.5	101
Changeup	11.6%	0.0%	89.7	82
Sweeper	26.8%	63.0%	82.9	116	98	94	0.341

Noah Schultz entered the season as the White Sox top pitching prospect. The organization had handled him pretty carefully after drafting him out of high school in the first round of the 2022 draft. He’s also dealt with shoulder, forearm, and knee injuries over the last few years that have stunted his development a bit. The scouting report is impressive, however. He throws from a low slot and gets a ton of horizontal movement on all of his pitches. That doesn’t help his fastball, which grades out merely average, but his sweeper has flashed plus plus potential. All those injuries have taken a toll on his ability to command his repertoire, but the raw stuff looks promising and he’s got a very high ceiling if he can put everything together.

Pitcher	IP	K%	BB%	HR/FB%	GB%	ERA	FIP
Anthony Kay	41	15.3%	10.0%	12.5%	41.4%	4.61	5.49
Luis Castillo	44	21.3%	7.9%	12.3%	34.1%	6.34	4.57

Pitch	Usage vRHB	Usage vLHB	Velocity	Stuff+	Whiff+	BIP+	xwOBA
Four-seam	35.3%	29.4%	95.7	91	64	87	0.467
Sinker	14.9%	47.9%	95.0	112	137	142	0.377
Cutter	23.7%	21.0%	91.0	99	77	142	0.425
Changeup	23.7%	0.0%	85.8	111	85	104	0.248
Slider	2.4%	1.7%	84.4	109
Sweeper	19.8%	52.1%	82.6	109	84	86	0.330

From a previous series preview:

After a few years of riding the Triple-A shuttle for the Blue Jays, Anthony Kay signed a two-year deal with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of NBP. He excelled in Japan and returned to the US this offseason, signing a two-year deal with Chicago. He developed a sinker and a sweeper overseas, giving him a much deeper repertoire to keep batters off balance. Unfortunately, that revamped arsenal hasn’t helped him find much success against batters this year. The stuff models really like his sinker and a few of his secondary pitches, but he’s throwing a thoroughly mediocre four-seam fastball 30% of the time right now. That pitch is getting absolutely crushed. He simply isn’t working deep enough into counts to properly utilize his secondary pitches, his strike out rate has cratered to just 14.0%, and his ERA and FIP are both approaching six.

The Mariners haven’t officially announced their starter for Tuesday’s game, but it’s expected that Luis Castillo and Bryce Miller will combine to pitch the majority of the game in piggyback fashion. I suspect Castillo will be given the “start” and work through the lineup once before handing things off to Miller.

Pitcher	IP	K%	BB%	HR/FB%	GB%	ERA	FIP
Sean Burke	48.1	20.3%	5.4%	8.3%	36.8%	4.10	3.61
Emerson Hancock	53.2	27.1%	4.8%	14.5%	44.6%	3.02	3.62

Pitch	Usage vRHB	Usage vLHB	Velocity	Stuff+	Whiff+	BIP+	xwOBA
Four-seam	29.9%	43.1%	94.2	112	83	101	0.322
Sinker	21.6%	9.3%	94.3	89	48	170	0.315
Cutter	2.1%	6.9%	90.0	86
Changeup	0.3%	5.8%	85.8	87
Curveball	14.9%	29.4%	79.4	87	67	108	0.298
Slider	31.1%	5.4%	86.8	90	96	105	0.299

From a previous series preview:

Sean Burke showed some flashes of promise in his first full season in the big leagues last year. His 4.22 ERA was perfectly acceptable for a rebuilding Chicago club, though his 4.92 FIP wasn’t nearly as encouraging. Still, there was a stretch in May and June where he ran a 3.33 ERA and a 4.06 FIP across nine starts. Things are looking up for Burke this year. He’s dramatically improved his command and cut his walk rate by more than half, down to 5.1%. He doesn’t strike out that many guys, but simply reducing the amount of traffic on the bases has helped him dramatically improve his topline results.

The Big Picture:

Team	W-L	W%	Games Behind	Run Diff	Recent Form
Athletics	23-23	0.500	—	-13	W-L-W-L-L
Rangers	22-24	0.478	1.0	+3	W-W-L-L-W
Mariners	22-26	0.458	2.0	+6	L-W-L-L-L
Astros	19-29	0.396	5.0	-51	W-L-W-W-L
Angels	16-31	0.340	7.5	-60	L-L-L-L-L

The Mariners didn’t fall too far behind the A’s and the Rangers because those two teams lost their rivalry weekend series too. Nothing really changed in the AL West standings beyond Texas gaining a single game to jump over the Mariners into second place. The Athletics will head to Anaheim to face the miserable Angels this week while the Rangers head to Colorado to face the Rockies. The Astros will look to build off their series win against their cross-state rival in a series against the Twins in Minnesota this week.

May 18, 2026

Opposition research: Sal Stewart

CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 15: Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (27) looses hit batting helmet on a swing during the fifth inning of the Major League Baseball interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians on May 15, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Sal Stewart was drafted by the wrong team. He was taken by the Cincinnati Reds with the 32nd overall pick of the 2022 draft and has now graduated to become their starting first baseman

But this guy would have been an instant fan favorite in Philadelphia. First off, I have a feeling Phillies fan would love to root for a guy named Sal, even if he is of Cuban descent, and not Italian. If you recall, former backup catcher Sal Fasano had his own fan club and that was based on nothing more than his name and mustache:

Happy 51st birthday to longtime catcher and prodigious mustache owner Sal Fasano, who I saw play for the Columbus Clippers as a kid. Phillies fans started a cult following for him called "Sal's Pals." He probably wins the award for "baseball player most likely to be a Mob boss." pic.twitter.com/Vd4NvyXtRh
— Ben Blotner (@BrainofBennyB) August 10, 2022

And look at this guy:

There’s a face a lot of Phillies fans could get behind.

Prior to this season, he was rated as the 26th best prospect in baseball and got off to a strong start, with a .373 on-base percentage and nine home runs in April, earning him NL Rookie of the Month honors.

Sal Stewart is crushing it this season! This rookie is making a serious case for Rookie of the Year with his standout performance. #MLB #RookieOfTheYear pic.twitter.com/b6AszdDCA9
— The Skippers View Podcast (@SkippsviewPod) April 30, 2026

But May has been a different story. He’s batting .175 with just one home run so far this month. He seemed to break out of the slump a bit on Sunday with two hits, except he also helped kill a Reds rally by getting picked off second base.

Sal Stewart man… you can't get picked off there screwing around.

This isn't weekend travel baseball. Dancing around off 2nd base is just stupid.
— Lewis, William… William (@WillLewis_1976) May 17, 2026

Player development in baseball is rarely linear, but the Reds have to be hoping that Stewart’s line starts pointing upward again soon.

Pennant year song battle

It’s a Mistake by Men at Work wins yet another week, taking down You and I.

To celebrate the Phillies getting back to the right side of the .500 mark, this week’s contender is Right Round by Flo Rida from 2009.

Vote for the winner:

Additional thought about the series

The Reds are two games above .500, but that’s due to a blistering month of April in which they went 17-9. Since then, they’ve cooled off considerably and appear to be playing down to the level of talent on the roster.

Elly De La Cruz might have the easiest path to the All-Star Game of any player in baseball because he seems to be much better than every other offensive player on the team. JJ Bleday is hitting well after starting the season in the minor leagues, but on the other hand, it’s JJ Bleday. Maybe the former top prospect is finally putting it together, but two organizations have already given up on him.

Wasn’t sure about the signing at first, but he has quickly grown on me and I’m impressed by his growth with the Reds https://t.co/J6Id3JaBq2
— Ricky Logan (@ItsRickyLogan) May 17, 2026

Some Phillies fans wanted the team to sign Eugenio Suarez in the offseason, but he was underwhelming (.663 OPS) even before he went on the IL in late April.

Joe Giglio on the Phillies missing out on Free Agent 3B Eugenio Suarez: “This was the final nail in the coffin for this is the team entering spring training.” pic.twitter.com/6JUjUoVLzX
— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) February 2, 2026

The pitching staff has been a weakness, and the team ERA is second highest in baseball behind only the Rockies. Every starter save rookie Chase Burns has disappointed to some degree, and the bullpen has been bad. They had optimism about the relief corps headed into the season, but it’s been a complete disaster since closer Emilio Pagan went on the IL with a hamstring injury.

The Reds bullpen in the series versus Cleveland:

11 IP, 13 H, 15 R (14 ER), 14 BB, 4 HR

Good for a 11.45 ERA and a 2.45 WHIP. pic.twitter.com/ekJKyfuxQn
— Chatterbox Sports (@CBoxSports) May 17, 2026

The Phillies took advantage of a bad Pirates bullpen in their last series, and if they find themselves down again, they should have an opportunity to make another comeback. (Although it would be preferable that they do not find themselves trailing by multiple runs to begin with.)

May 18, 2026

Yankees vs. Blue Jays prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for May 18

The Yankees (28-19) and the Blue Jays (21-25) open a four‑game series tonight at Yankee Stadium. It is the first meeting between these teams since the Jays defeated the Yankees in the postseason last year.

New York arrives home after a 2-7 road trip that saw them most recently lose two of three over the weekend to the Mets. Despite their recent run of poor results, the Yankees are just three games back of the surprising Tampa Bay Rays. The Jays are climbing out of a rude start to their season. Winners of two straight over the weekend in Detroit and five of their last ten, Toronto is now third in the AL East but still 9.5 games out of first place. The matchup carries extra narrative weight after last season’s tense battles, including Toronto’s decisive ALDS victory and the viral “start spreading the news” moment that fueled the rivalry’s intensity.

On the mound, the Yankees turn to left‑hander Ryan Weathers, who has been excellent of late, allowing two earned runs or fewer in each of his last four starts and posting a 1.88 ERA over that span. Toronto counters with veteran lefty Patrick Corbin, who has delivered at least 15 outs in four of his last six outings and continues to provide surprising stability in the rotation. Both pitchers lean heavily on fastballs, setting up intriguing matchups against power hitters on each side.

Offensively for Toronto, all eyes will be on Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who broke out of a slump yesterday with a two‑hit performance, including his first homer in nearly a month. His career numbers at Yankee Stadium are strong, and analytics suggest he’s primed for continued positive regression. Toronto will also look to Kazuma Okamoto, who leads the team in home runs with ten and matches up well against the fastball‑heavy pitching of the Yankees. For New York, stars like Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger have historically hit Corbin well.

There will be energy at Yankee Stadium as New York looks to exact a small bit of revenge against the Blue Jays who dominated the Yankees last season.

Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game Details and How to Watch: Yankees vs. Blue Jays

Date: Monday, May 18, 2026
Time: 7:05PM EST
Site: Yankee Stadium
City: New York, NY
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Sportsnet One, YES

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

The Latest Odds: Yankees vs. Blue Jays

The latest odds as of Mondayday courtesy of DraftKings:

Moneyline: New York Yankees (-175), Toronto Blue Jays (+144)
Spread: Yankees -1.5 (+114), Blue Jays +1.5 (-138)
Total: 9.0 runs

Probable Starting Pitchers: Yankees vs. Blue Jays

Pitching matchup for May 18:

Yankees: Ryan Weathers
Season Totals: 45.0 IP, 2-2, 3.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 54K, 13 BB
Blue Jays: Patrick Corbin
Season Totals: 34.1 IP, 1-1, 3.93 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 22K, 10 BB

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Yankees vs. Blue Jays

Anthony Volpe has walked 7 times in 4 games since being promoted from the minors
After a blistering start to the month, Cody Bellinger is just 2-22 over his last 6 games
Aaron Judge has not gone yard in 7 games
Vlad Guerrero Jr. homered yesterday for the first time since April 20 against the Angels
After going 8-17 earlier this month, Ernie Clement is 1-11 over his last 4 games

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top Betting Trends & Insights: Yankees vs. Blue Jays

The Blue Jays are 8-14 on the road this season
The Yankees are 14-6 at home this season
The Yankees are 25-22 on the Run Line this season
The Jays are 19-27 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 21 times in Toronto games this season (21-23-2)
The OVER has cashed 20 times for the Yankees this season (20-24-3)

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions: Yankees vs. Blue Jays

Rotoworld Bet Best Bet

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s game between the Yankees and the Blue Jays:

Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Yankees on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Yankees on the Run Line
Total: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play of the Game Total BUT is recommending a play on the Yankees Team Total OVER 4.5.

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May 18, 2026

Munetaka Murakami looks right at home with young Chicago White Sox

CHICAGO — Munetaka Murakami has a fun handshake with fellow infielder Miguel Vargas. He playfully agreed that a magic wand routine with teammate Mike Vasil helped him slam another homer. His No. 5 jersey dots the stands at Rate Field.

The Japanese slugger wasn’t supposed to end up with the Chicago White Sox. But it’s working out quite well at the moment.

Murakami looks right at home with a promising group of young position players in Chicago, and they have been mashing the ball so far this season. Murakami has an AL-leading 17 homers and a team-high 32 RBIs, and the surprising White Sox are tied for second in the majors with 66 homers overall.

“It’s the full lineup, one through nine. Feeding off each other,” Murakami said through his interpreter, Kenzo Yagi. “It’s a great confidence builder, seeing other players get good results. I just want to be that contributor and contribute to the lineup and contribute to the team’s wins.”

Murakami’s 17 homers are tied for third-most by a player in major league history in his first 45 games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He went deep in a record eight consecutive series openers from April 14 to May 8.

When Murakami strides to the plate, one of baseball’s three true outcomes likely is the result. He also ranks among the major league leaders with 36 walks and 66 strikeouts.

“He’s a superstar. There’s no other way to do it,” White Sox pitcher Davis Martin said. “You play against guys like (Mike) Trout, you play against guys like (Aaron) Judge and Yordan Alvarez and he’s doing the same things that they are. It’s an incredible thing to watch.”

Murakami is the fourth Japanese-born player to play for the White Sox, joining Shingo Takatsu (2004-05), second baseman Tadahito Iguchi (2005-07) and outfielder Kosuke Fukudome (2012). Takatsu managed Murakami in Japan.

“He’s had to make a ton of adjustments to get comfortable,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “And I know that probably is not easy for him. So yeah, he’s just a guy who has that flexibility to come into different environments and then get comfortable and I think this speaks a lot to his character and who he is.”

The 26-year-old Murakami was Central League MVP in 2021 and ’22. He was limited to 56 games last season because of an oblique injury, but he batted .273 with 22 homers and 47 RBIs.

He entered MLB’s posting system in November. When the market was lighter than expected — there was some exaggerated concern about his ability to handle velocity — the White Sox signed the slugger to a two-year, $34 million contract in December.

During Murakami’s fast start this season, White Sox general manager Chris Getz has fielded some laudatory calls from other GMs.

“One GM said ‘Congratulations, you beat the industry on this one,’” Getz said, “so that was nice to hear, and it’s worked out and you know we feel really excited about having him in a White Sox uniform and he’s helping us win baseball games.”

Murakami was a late arrival for his first spring training game after he got caught in some traffic. But it has been smooth sailing most of the time.

He hit a solo homer in his first three regular-season games. He crushed a 431-foot grand slam in a 9-2 victory at the Athletics on April 17, beginning a five-game homer streak. He connected for a three-run shot in an 8-7 victory over the Angels last month.

With Vasil continuing to wave a magic wand in the White Sox dugout, Murakami went deep twice in his first career multihomer game against the crosstown Cubs.

He isn’t sneaking up on anyone anymore.

“He’s a dangerous hitter and a guy you definitely have to be careful with,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said.

Murakami wants to get better, too. He said his biggest challenge has been adjusting to new pitchers every day, and he is growing more comfortable at first base.

Asked about his biggest challenge in moving to the majors, he paused and smiled.

“Compared to Japan, here, the environment’s totally different,” he said. “The space, the fields and everything is really nice. That’s the ... biggest surprise.”

May 18, 2026

Canadiens & Sabres Are Proof That Patience Is Required For Blackhawks Rebuild

The Chicago Blackhawks haven’t made the playoffs in a non-COVID year in a long time. However, the rebuild, as it is known today, didn’t begin until 2022. No team with the accomplished version of Patrick Kane or Jonathan Toews on it was truly rebuilding.

It wasn’t until they started moving off all their top players that the rebuild was in motion. The two franchise icons, along with players like Alex DeBrincat, Brandon Hagel, Kirby Dach, and Seth Jones, amongst others, were all traded away for assets that help build towards the future.

Across the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2026 is proof that the Blackhawks can take their rebuild to new heights. On Monday night, two teams that are out of a long rebuild will face off in a winner-take-all game seven. This match will decide whether the Buffalo Sabres or Montreal Canadiens will meet the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final.

For Buffalo, they haven’t been in the postseason since 2011, but their current success stems only from the rebuild that mostly began after they traded Jack Eichel. Their disagreements over how to handle his injury forced him out, which in turn forced them to change their organizational plans.

Buffalo made some big-time additions to their lineup over the year via trade and free agency, like Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, Josh Doan, Bowen Byram, and Ryan McLeod.

There were also a couple of number one picks to bolster their roster in Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power, who are two very different defensemen that bring an element of the game that the team needs. Other top-ten picks like Zach Benson and Jack Quinn make a difference as well.

On the Montreal side of things, they had a similar path when it comes to the roster. Juraj Slafkovsky was the first overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, one year after Buffalo selected Power first. Other first-round talents like Cole Caufield and Ivan Demidov play a key role in their prolific play.

Montreal has also made big trades for players like Kirby Dach, Noah Dobson, and Philip Danault, amongst others, who help them win. Even their captain, Nick Suzuki, was acquired via a trade before he became a star NHL player, and now he's one of their main catalysts. Like Buffalo, all of this talent acquisition was the result of a strong rebuild.

When it comes to coaching, the two sides couldn't have taken a more opposite approach. The Sabres brought back their old coach and franchise icon, Lindy Ruff, while the Montreal Canadiens hired former NHL superstar Marty St. Louis.

With Jeff Blashill, the Blackhawks have a strong-minded coach leading the way who takes a calculated approach to his handling of the team.

In terms of the roster, you can see the similarities between these two game seven clubs and the Blackhawks. With Connor Bedard, Anton Frondell, Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore, Artyom Levshunov, and Sam Rinzel, amongst others, all developing, they could become a winning core as they gain experience.

There is also a 4th overall pick coming into the mix this summer, which could add another contributing piece if they select and develop wisely.

For each of these teams, Buffalo and Montreal, it clicked at different rates. For Montreal, there was a slow and steady climb. For Buffalo, it went from being horrible to elite in the middle of the 2025-26 season.

The Blackhawks seem to be emulating the former after an 11-point improvement this year. As long as they keep adding talent, developing it, and making smart hockey moves to supplement their roster, they will have a turnaround like this eventually.

Game seven between Montreal and Buffalo can be seen on ESPN at 6:30 PM CT.

Buffalo Sabres - Montreal Canadiens Game 7 Preview: Lineups, Stats, How To WatchStanley Cup Playoffs - Eastern Conference Semi-Final

Canadiens Must Put The Pedal To The MetalThe Montreal Canadiens and the Buffalo Sabres will face off for the last time in these playoffs in a do-or-die Game 7 in Buffalo at 7:30 PM.

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay up to date on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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May 18, 2026

Crawfish Boil: Pena & Meyers Returning? Altuve to IL, Brown Return Mid-June & More

SEATTLE, WA - APRIL 11: Jeremy Peña #3 of the Houston Astros looks on during batting practice prior to the game between the Houston Astros and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Saturday, April 11, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Connor Jalbert/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The latest news on the Houston Astros and from around MLB:

Jeremy Pena is looking forward to re-joining the Astros:

Last night Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña made his 3rd rehab appearance in Corpus Christi. In 3 games this week, Peña recorded a pair of doubles as he recovers from a hamstring strain suffered on 4/11. Following the game, Peña discusses his rehab and playing at Whataburger Field. pic.twitter.com/obWsoSx2y3
— Corpus Christi Hooks (@cchooks) May 18, 2026

Jeremy Peña is in the clubhouse and will travel with a team to Minneapolis tonight
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) May 17, 2026

Jake Meyers said he is ready to get back:

Last night, Jake Myers made his fourth rehab appearance with Corpus Christi. Myers recorded a double as he looks to return to Houston for the first time since April, 8. pic.twitter.com/jIqdJEzjg2
— Corpus Christi Hooks (@cchooks) May 18, 2026

Another double by Jake Meyers sends Encarnacion home! pic.twitter.com/JCmua1jH24
— Corpus Christi Hooks (@cchooks) May 18, 2026

Meanwhile, Jose Altuve is IL bound:

Jose Altuve is headed to the IL with a Grade 2 Left Oblique Strain. Joe Espada had this update after today's #Astros game@astros start a 10-game road trip tomorrow in Minnesota pic.twitter.com/EUifNVTrtv
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) May 17, 2026

While no two players or two injuries are identical, Brian McTaggart did give a reasonable case for how long Altuve may be out:

Every player is different, but Jake Meyers suffered a Grade 2 left oblique strain April 9 an could be activated tomorrow. That's 5 1/2 weeks.
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) May 17, 2026

The Astros don’t expect Hunter Brown back until mid-June:

Astros GM Dana Brown said the plan is for Hunter Brown to return "some time in mid-June." Hunter Brown will throw a live BP on Tuesday and he could be on his first minor-league rehab appearance by the weekend, Dana Brown said.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) May 17, 2026

Braden Shewmake, who stands to be the primary replacement for Jose Altuve, had a solid week last week vs. Mariners & Rangers:

Shewmake showed up. 🔥#ChaseTheFight x @budweiserusa pic.twitter.com/xFLTgavhRY
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 18, 2026

What’s wrong with Cam Smith? Astros hitting coach Vic Rodriguez thinks he knows (maybe with an assist from Jose Altuve):

Victor Rodriguez on Cam Smith: "In there, I can put the machine at 110 (mph), and he’s like whack, whack. What he does there in that cage is completely different than what he does here. What doesn’t allow him to take what he does there to here is mental.” –https://t.co/dnkCPMxOve
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) May 17, 2026

Brice Matthews flashed some leather yesterday:

Get fancy with it. pic.twitter.com/L6chYLO93a
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 17, 2026

It has only taken the Phillies 23 days to get from 10 games under to a winning record. Here’s how it happened:

The Phillies have a winning record again. Some things I think I think: https://t.co/twIVsuF9C0
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) May 18, 2026

The Padres just swept the Mariners and are neck and neck with the Dodgers in the NL West:

Fair Territory!

*LAD-SD preview

*Colt Emerson promotion

*Phillies’ surge

*Mighty White Sox

*Mets/Bichette

*Your questions

*More

YouTube: https://t.co/E96Mb4Arfk
Apple: https://t.co/Ajt20f2Kau
Spotify: https://t.co/fDrTiKZCxS

On the Padres: pic.twitter.com/QNkAAASfix
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) May 18, 2026

Bo Bichette signed a massive deal this offseason. He’s had a tough start, but wants to live up to his deal:

Bo Bichette discusses his slow start and “wanting to be the player that the Mets signed.”https://t.co/JFGYcSZewu
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) May 18, 2026

May 18, 2026

Report: Survey indicates NBA players don’t want a trade to Wizards

Apr 5, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Washington Wizards forward Anthony Davis (23) talks with forward Leaky Black (14) during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Washington Wizards have the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. They recently acquired Trae Young and Anthony Davis who will be around a young core that features Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly and the No. 1 pick. But let’s say that the Wizards are a team that players do NOT want to get traded to. In fact, when polled about the No. 1 team they wish they would NOT go to, the Wizards ranked No. 2. The Memphis Grizzlies were the runaway … winners with 35.8 percent of the vote of a 120 player survey.

You can read more about it here by Sam Amick, Josh Robbins and Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

NBA players voted on their number one team they do NOT want to get traded to

• Memphis — 35.8%
• Washington — 11.7%
• Sacramento — 10.8%
• New Orleans — 6.7%
• Brooklyn — 5%
• Utah — 5%
• Charlotte — 4.2%
• Portland — 4.2%
• New York — 3.3%
• Detroit — 2.5%
• Indiana… pic.twitter.com/nz41kaYjnh
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) May 18, 2026

Despite the Wizards’ front office trying to rebuild the team from the ground up, it’s clear that Monumental Basketball President Michael Winger and Wizards General Manager Will Dawkins have work to do. Here are some hypothetical reasons why players wouldn’t want to be traded to the Wizards:

The Wizards have a losing culture (until I hope the 2026-27 season) — Washington hasn’t won 50 games since 1978-79. They have gone through their worst three year losing stretch since Winger came to town. Even if the tear down WAS intentional, the end result is a team that loses and loses. We’re optimistic that that changes next season. But given the last few years, it’s harder to argue that Washington doesn’t have a losing culture.
A player who gets traded to the Wizards is likely a stepping stone for someone or something else — Since Winger took over, there have been some notable players in Wizards uniforms like Jonas Valanciunas or CJ McCullom. But they were traded out when a pick became available. If you’re an existing NBA player and you get traded, you want to feel valued by the team who acquires you. Given Washington’s tank-at-all-costs philosophy over the last three years, if you’re a veteran or even a player in his mid 20s who gets traded to Washington, you already have a feeling that you’re only playing here for a few weeks to a season before Dawkins trades you again for something else. Players, even role players, want to feel valued for more than as a tuture trade chip.
Political environment of DC — Well, there is always the perception that D.C. is about political drama.

Now, look. Do I honestly think that the Washington area is undesirable to live in or work in? No. But there are costs to the strategy the Wizards took since Winger and Dawkins took over. And here’s an excerpt of the Amick/Robbins/Vardon article on that:

The Wizards finishing second [in this survey] is not a surprise. The team has not won 50 games in a season or reached the Eastern Conference finals since 1978-79. Its 17-65 record as it tanked this season likely perpetuated the losing-franchise narrative.
Washington’s current front office has attempted to change perceptions over the last three years, investing heavily in basketball-operations staffing and franchise infrastructure and overseeing a long-overdue renovation of Capital One Arena, beginning with the home and visitors’ locker rooms.
Anthony Davis, who was traded to the Wizards in February, said during a news conference last month that outside views of the franchise are inaccurate.
“I can personally say now it’s not what people think or what people make it seem,” Davis said. “Yes, the losing is part of it, so people kind of tie that with the organization. But the organization within itself is totally different from what people think they’re seeing.”

Hopefully, the Wizards will be a team players want to play for (or get traded to) in the not-too-distant future.

May 18, 2026

What The Blueshirts, Islanders And Devils Have In Common

As Met Area fans enjoy the thrilling playoff matches, it also must give each and every one of us pause to reflect on this question:

Can any of you recall a hockey springtime like this one when the Rangers, Islanders and Devils all were out of the postseason before it ever began?

It's weird because say – just for the sake of argument – that the Blueshirts did make it.

At least Devils and Isles fans would have some emotional involvement – rooting for the Rangers TO LOSE!

But even that little bit of joy has been removed. Which means that we root for either Buffalo or Montreal in this do-or-die game tonight in Sabreland.

The Mave picks the Sabres to win at home and I'll be rooting hard for Lindy Ruff's amazing sextet.

After that we have more classic hockey ahead, starting Wednesday.

Who do you pick between the Avalanche and Vegas on Wednesday; and I grant you that that's a tough one to call which means that it looms as a gem of all gems.

The Maven imagines that Isles fans will support the Avs because of Brock Nelson.

I'm pulling for Vegas because of John Tortorella and – get this – the formerly much-maligned but now heroic. Mitch Marner.

May 18, 2026

Monday Morning Minnesota: The “Austin Martin Leadoff Experiement” Edition

MINNEAPOLIS, MN. - APRIL 2026: Minnesota Twins center fielder Austin Martin (16) scores on a triple hit by catcher Ryan Jeffers (27) in the first inning of an MLB interleague game between the Minnesota Twins and the Cincinnati Reds Saturday, April 18, 2026 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minn. Twins' third base coach is Ramon Borrego. (Photo by Anthony Souffle/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images) | Star Tribune via Getty Images

The Twins had a 3-3 week (stop me if you’ve heard this before), taking a 2-1 series against the Marlins, which included an incredible Bailey Ober “Maddux”, and then dropping two games to the Brewers during “Rivalry Weekend” in the MLB. We might have seen the last of Matt Wallner in a Twins uniform after he was sent down to Triple-A, and Simeon Woods-Richardson’s scheduled start today is getting skipped in favor of a bullpen game, so things are slowly changing in the Twins dugout. With Byron Buxton’s absence in the last few games due to an injury, Austin Martin has batted leadoff for the last four games with mixed results. A three-game series against the equally hapless Houston Astros and a weekend series in Fenway await the Twins this week.

The Past Week on Twinkie Town:

Check out The Feed, where you can add your discussions about the Twins!
We’re starting a new segment called Daily Questions! Provide your opinion on the Twins and debate with the community!
Game threads and recaps are back! Commiserate with your fellow fans as we experience the season together.
Zach Koenig evaluates Ryan Jeffers’ place among catchers in Twins history.

Elsewhere in Twins Territory:

Dan Hayes at The Athletic provides his thoughts on what the Twins should do with Royce Lewis.
Betsy Helfand at the Pioneer Press looks at how Austin Martin’s role is growing this season.
Theo Tollefson at Zone Coverage checks in on Aaron Sabato’s development in St. Paul this year.

In the World of Baseball:

The Rays have increased their lead to 3.0 games over the Yankees. The Guardians and White Sox are a game apart in the AL Central competition, while the A’s have a one-game lead in the AL West over the Rangers.
Atlanta has also increased their gap over the Cubs and Dodgers to 3.0 games.
The Mets broke a 96-game losing streak in games where they trailed after eight innings after rookie Carson Benge hit a walk-off single in the 10th to lead the Mets over the Yankees.
In one of the more interesting baseball plays this week, Double-A Biloxi gave up an inside-the-park home run after right fielder Damon Keith landed on top of the ball and got it stuck in the outfield grass.

May 18, 2026

Bobby Witt Jr. is scorching. Why can’t the Royals turn it into wins?

A couple years ago, the Kansas City Royals were in the playoffs as a wild card and won a round. With Bobby Witt Jr. signed to a lengthy contract, their future looked pretty interesting.

Then the Royals slid back in 2025 — but only slightly, to 82 wins. This year’s start is more concerning.

Witt remains an MVP-caliber player. In fact, he’s hit .395 with four homers over his last 10 games. Problem is, Kansas City lost seven of them. With the AL Central looking as winnable as ever, the Royals still can’t get any traction. They’re tied with Detroit for last place. That’s a crisis for the Tigers, with Tarik Skubal due to hit free agency after this season, but Kansas City has its own problems.

It’s mostly the offense, which right now is Witt and a lot of mediocrity. Vinnie Pasquantino is batting .202. Carter Jensen and Jac Caglianone have been OK, but neither is having a major breakout and the jury remains out on whether those two — age 22 and 23 — will provide what Kansas City needs alongside Witt over the next several years. Maikel Garcia only has three homers in 200 plate appearances.

Meanwhile, veteran Salvador Perez is batting .205.

The pitching has been a little better, but after spending over a month alternating good outings and bad ones, Cole Ragans left the game on May 6 with elbow soreness and ended up on the injured list.

The Royals can afford to be patient — to a point. Witt’s contract actually could go all the way through 2037 if both sides pick up various options. But he has player options beginning with the 2031 season, meaning he could actually become a free agent then.

Right now, Kansas City only has three prospects ranked in Baseball Pipeline’s top 100. All are outside the top 50 and all are in Class A at the moment. So the pressure is on players like Caglianone and Jensen to step up. That’s the easiest path for the Royals to get better.

Walk this way

The Milwaukee Brewers are dead last in the majors in home runs, yet they rank sixth with 4.95 runs per game. How are they pulling that off? Well, clutch hitting is part of it. Milwaukee is fourth in baseball in batting average with runners in scoring position, hitting .281. And the Brewers are fourth in steals with 49.

Another big factor is walks. Milwaukee ranks fourth in bases on balls and third in on-base percentage. It’s unusual for a team that’s shown such little power to have such a high walk rate, but the Brewers are doing it. Their 7-1 win over San Diego was a good example. Milwaukee drew seven walks — including four in a row in the first inning — but didn’t hit any homers.

Trivia time

The Brewers are one of five teams in the majors with more steals (49) than home runs (30). Who are the others?

Performance of the week

Philadelphia’s Christopher Sánchez went the distance, striking out 13 in a 6-0 win over Pittsburgh. His now has a scoreless streak of 29 2/3 innings.

Sánchez was the third pitcher to throw a shutout this year. Minnesota’s Bailey Ober did it earlier in the week, and Miami’s Sandy Alcantara did it April 1.

Comeback of the week

The Mets had a big one against the Yankees, but Philadelphia’s was even more impressive in Pittsburgh. The Phillies trailed 6-0 in the fourth and 8-3 in the seventh. They still were down 8-5 in the ninth when Kyle Schwarber — who already had homered twice — drew a bases-loaded walk with one out. Then Bryce Harper’s drive off the top of the wall tied the game.

Philadelphia scored three times in the 10th and won 11-9. Pittsburgh’s win probability was 97.9% in the seventh, according to Baseball Savant.

Trivia answer

Cleveland (51 steals and 50 homers), Tampa Bay (51-38). Miami (57-36) and Boston (35-33).

May 18, 2026

Monday Bantering: Jays Notes

May 16, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) hits a single in the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Jays start a four-game series with the Yankees at Yankee Stadium tonight.

Tonight it is Patrick Corbin (1-1, 3,93) vs. Ryan Weathers (2-2, 3.00).

Tuesday: Dylan Cease (3-1, 2.41) vs. Will Warren (5-1, 3.42).

Wednesday: Trey Yesavage (1-1, 1.40) vs. Cam Schlittler (6-1, 1.35)

Thursday: Bullpen Day, likely with Spencer Myles (1-0, 2.55) doing the bulk of the work vs. Carlos Rodón (0-1, 5.63).

As much as it has been all doom and gloom around the Jays, they are only one game back from the last Wild Card spot. On May 18th last year they were 22-24, three games out of the Wild Card spot. So there is hope, but they better start hitting soon. I’ve been in New York when the Jays were swept in a four-game series, it isn’t much fun.

Kazuma Okamoto, after a really hot stretch, has two hits in his last five games (.111/.227/.167) and is .225/.319/.375 in his last 11. I said, yesterday, that maybe he should move up in the batter’s box again.

Vladimir Guerrero is .136/.231/.273 in his last six games and .143/.229/.214 in his last 12. As much as the home run was great to see, we really need him to start hitting.

Ernie Clement is .158/.200/.158 in his last 6 and .256/.267/.326 in his last 12. And he seems to be taking his hitting issues out to second base. Fangraphs has him at a -5 Outs Above Average (last year he was a +5 at second base) and he’s made 4 errors.

Davis Schneider is .182/.308/.182 over his last six games. His playing time has dropped with his batting average below a buck fifty this year.

George Springer is .100/.182/.100 in his last five. I’d say it was his toe but he wasn’t hitting all that much better before that. His bat speed is still good, but he seems to be popping everything up.

And, even with the two home run game Andrés Giménez isn’t hitting a lot, .200/.238/.550 (slugging is good because of the homers) in his last six and .179/.195/.359 in his last 12.

Myles Straw is .143/.250/.143 in his last five, but that’s limited playing time.

Brandon Valenzuela is .167/.333/.167 in his last six games.

On the good side:

Daulton Varsho is one of the few who is hitting, .310/.383/.476 over his last 12 games.

Jesús Sánchez is also hitting .429/.400/.500 in his last 6 and .290/.324/.419 in his last 12.

Yohendrick Pinango is hitting .227/.292/.409 in his last six and .286/.324/.429 in his last 10. Not quite what he was doing when he first came up, but not bad.

Shi Davidi has a nice profile on Pinango on the Sportsnet page. Yohendrick’s father was killed when he was a young boy and he has a tattoo on his arm of his father with fu en cielo, yo en la tierra, un solo comazon written underneath. You are in heaven, I’m on earth, one heart.

His father played profession basketball.

Pinango also said:

“I had in my mind that this year I was going to be in the big-leagues – I wasn’t expecting to be here this soon,” said Pinango. “But my goal was to be here at some point this year.”

The lips on his neck? “When you are young, you do things”. I’d imagine alcohol was involved.

Dan Bellino had a bad day yesterday, but the teams didn’t do any better on the challenges:

May 18, 2026

Zegras, fresh off career year, would love to be with Flyers for ‘long time'

Zegras, fresh off career year, would love to be with Flyers for ‘long time' originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

As Trevor Zegras screamed to the boisterous crowd at Xfinity Mobile Arena, you could see the enjoyment on his face.

He had just sent the building into a frenzy, tying Game 3 of the Flyers’ first-round series against the Penguins.

The 25-year-old was experiencing something he had not yet experienced in his NHL career.

Playoff hockey.

And that feeling was the punctuation on his career resurgence in Year 1 with the Flyers.

“To find that passion for winning and success as a team was big,” Zegras said last Tuesday at his end-of-the-season press conference. “I think I had lost a little bit of that, the drive and the passion to win and be a really good team. We definitely had, in my opinion, a great, successful season.”

Zegras never made the playoffs in parts of five seasons with the Ducks. He came to the Flyers in a trade last June after two injury-riddled, disappointing seasons. The change of scenery did wonders.

In a contract year, Zegras answered Rick Tocchet’s challenge with a career season of 26 goals and 67 points. He had five multi-goal games after having none the season prior with Anaheim.

“The one thing with Trevor I love is you can give it to him,” Tocchet said earlier this month. “It has been like that all year. Doesn’t pout, takes it. … He’s the last guy I’m worried about. He’s a very coachable kid.”

When Christian Dvorak signed a five-year extension with the Flyers in January, Zegras mentioned how he’d like to stay. He has a chance to sign long term with the Flyers this offseason.

“Personally, I would love that, I would love to be here for a long time,” Zegras said. “I hope that that would happen over the next couple of months or whatever the timeframe would be. I love playing here, I love the fans, I love the group that we have. That would be something I’d be excited for.”

Zegras is a restricted free agent coming off a three-year, $17.25 million deal ($5.75 million cap hit). Jamie Drysdale is also due a new contract as a restricted free agent. Dan Vladar has one more year left on his deal, but he’ll be eligible to sign an extension starting July 1.

“Negotiating contracts is a process, it takes time,” Danny Briere said last Thursday at his end-of-the-season press conference. “I don’t negotiate in public. But there’s not an order. When it can get done, it gets done. It all depends on sometimes the synergy. Sometimes you make ground faster with one than the other, things change along the way. It depends on the traction.

“I have nothing really that worries me at this point to say we’re not going to see those guys come back. I have no worries at this point in that regard. Hopefully it keeps going in that direction and we get them done later this summer.”

Trevor Zegras said what he appreciates about Rick Tocchet is that he’ll get in your face, but then he gets you back out there on the ice and gives you a chance to make up for stuff. pic.twitter.com/gDr2KzkCxm
— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) May 8, 2026

Zegras led the Flyers with six points in the playoffs. He had two goals and four assists in 10 games. He was one of 13 players on the Flyers to appear in their first postseason. The Flyers beat the Penguins in six games before being swept by the Hurricanes.

“Excited for what’s ahead with this team,” Zegras said. “Such a good learning experience for myself and a lot of the other young guys that had never played a playoff game, kind of what it’s like to play a series, win a series, have a series against a team that maybe you shouldn’t beat. Know what to expect now. I think it’ll be good moving forward.”

The big question facing Zegras will be his position next season. Can he be a full-time center? Tocchet had Zegras on the wing earlier in the season to build his confidence, but the head coach moved him back to center as the Flyers made their playoff push.

“I’m fine with playing both,” Zegras said. “I liked playing in the middle down the stretch just because there’s a little bit more space and you can kind of pick and choose where you want to go a little bit more. I think playing center in the playoffs was a good experience for me just in terms of how different it was, how hard the battles are and all that type of stuff. But I thought it was good.”

May 18, 2026

Avs' Nicolas Roy puts Vegas friendships on hold as he meets his old team in conference finals

DENVER — Nicolas Roy still has his place in Las Vegas. He still has plenty of friends on the Golden Knights. He still has those cherished memories, too, from helping them win a Stanley Cup title three years ago.

Roy, who was traded from Vegas to Toronto last summer as part of the Mitch Marner deal, landed in Colorado two months ago — through another deal — and now is facing his former team.

At stake, a spot in the Stanley Cup Final. So, yeah, those friendships developed over six seasons in Vegas are on pause.

“Just how it goes,” Roy said as the Avalanche get set to host Vegas in Game 1 of the Western Conference final. “The excitement’s already pretty high.”

Off to Toronto

Roy was caught off guard by the deal that sent him to Toronto and brought Marner to Vegas. Marner has been a big contributor for the Golden Knights in the playoffs, with a team-leading 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) through playoff series wins over Utah and Anaheim.

“As a player, you expect (a trade like this) more at the deadline than right there in the middle of the summer,” said Roy, who’s renting out his Vegas place to a member of the Golden Knights. “But again, you never know. It’s part of the business. It can happen at any given day. I just got surprised a little by it.”

Roy played in 59 games for the Maple Leafs with five goals and 15 assists, before going on the move again. The Avalanche picked him up on March 5 for draft picks.

It hasn’t taken long for Roy to settle in with Colorado. He’s been a steady contributor through the opening two rounds of the playoffs, with three goals and three assists.

“All the other guys here made it so easy from the first day,” the 29-year-old Roy said. “The coaches did a good job with me, of letting me know how to play the system. The guys talk to me a lot on the ice as well.”

Avalanche coach Jared Bednar knew what they were getting in Roy — a skilled veteran player with plenty of poise. Bednar and the staff studied film of Roy from his Vegas days and his stint in Toronto, just to brush up on his skillset. Roy had three goals and eight assists when the Knights won the Stanley Cup in 2023.

“We tried to figure out how we would deploy him, and could we get him back to playing as well or better than he did in Vegas. Because he was a highly effective player for them,” Bednar said. “The one thing that I’ve been impressed with is his patience with the puck. He never throws the puck away. ... He’s got a lot of patience for a guy with the production that he has.”

Roy’s already come up big for the Avalanche, scoring his second career playoff OT winner in Game 2 during a first-round sweep of the Los Angeles Kings.

“I’m in a great situation right now,” said Roy, a fourth-round pick by Carolina in 2015 who played in seven games over two seasons with the Hurricanes before being traded to Vegas in 2019. “Just trying to keep doing my best.”

Helpful hints

Need a scouting report on the Golden Knights? Roy’s your forward to ask.

Sure, the Vegas coach may be different — John Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy — but the system is virtually the same. Roy’s still friends with everyone from captain Mark Stone to Jack Eichel to linemate Keegan Kolesar.

“Obviously, I know their system and I know a little bit their player tendencies, as they know mine,” Roy said. “I don’t think it’s a big advantage. The game is just so fast, you don’t want to overthink, you just want to play your game.”

He recalled the time his Vegas team rallied to beat the Avalanche in the second round of the 2021 playoffs. The Golden Knights trailed 2-0 in the series before winning four straight to advance.

This time, he’s on the other bench.

“It’s going to be some really good hockey,” Roy said. “It’s going to be a good series.”