NEW YORK, NY - MAY 15: Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees walks back to the dugout after being relieved in the seventh inning during the game between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Friday, May 15, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Yankees’ 2-7 road trip left a sour taste in all our mouths, the club following up a stellar stretch of play with a frustrating week and a half that saw a number of bullpen blowups and close losses. New York now trails the Rays by three games in the AL East despite pacing the American League in run differential, ERA, wRC+, and a host of other measures.
These periods of time are grating, but they happen to every team, even good ones, over the course of the season. As we wait for the Yankees to pull out of this current skid, let’s try and focus on the positives and ask: what has been the most positive development so far in 2026?
I think there are two obvious choices that will pop first into everyone’s heads, those being the play of Ben Rice and Cam Schlittler. Rice enjoyed a breakout 2025 campaign, but every last piece of underlying data we had available to us from Rice’s first two seasons suggested that he was capable of even more. This year has been proof of concept, Rice leading the majors in wRC+. For almost every team in baseball, there’d be no question that a player like Rice, in his prime, blossoming into one of the finest players in the league would be the best development of the early season.
And yet, it’s possible to argue that Schlittler’s ascension is not only the most positive development of the Yankees’ season, but of any team’s campaign thus far. Somewhat similar to Rice, Schlittler had a great 2025 that hinted at even greater promise, and just like Rice, Schlittler has fulfilled that promise and then some. He’s been the AL’s best pitcher so far and, even if it’s still early, is the current favorite to take home the Cy Young award. A year ago, many Yankee fans wouldn’t have even known Schlittler’s name; now, he is the premier name to watch in the Junior Circuit.
In truth, the most positive development of this season probably has to come down to one of these two, but I do want to highlight some other positive things we’ve seen this year that were far from guarantees. It might seem strange to note Aaron Judge here, with Judge’s metronomic excellence take for granted at this point, but the fact that at age-34 he’s still producing a 172 wRC+ even while slightly underperforming some of his underlying numbers, and while also just feeling like he hasn’t even really gotten going yet, has to qualify as a positive. And, though he has yet to debut in the majors and thus we can’t yet say anything all that definitive, the fact that Gerrit Cole has progressed has far through his rehab both healthy and flashing elite velo is also a nice development for this Yankees club. Just like Judge, Cole is at an age where precipitous physical decline could be around the corner at any moment. The fact that the team’s two superstar veteran cornerstones have not fallen off an athletic cliff yet is a positive that can’t be taken for granted at this point in their careers.
What do you think? What’s been the most positive development so far out of these 2026 Yankees?
On the site today, we’ll get Michael’s recap of the week that was down on the farm for the Yankees, while Matt sums up Monday night’s American League action. Josh will wonder whether the Yankees’ apparent sense of urgency early this season will translate to the trade market, Peter’s At-bat of the Week features some good work from Anthony Volpe (!), while Jonathan profiles Gil McDougald, one of the driving forces behind the Yankees’ 1950’s dynasty.
On the 553rd Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including MSG’s plans to separate the New York Knicks and New York Rangers into independent publicly-traded companies.
MSG Sports on Monday filed a Form 10 Registration Statement with the SEC, the latest step in its plan to spin off its NHL team from its NBA team. The push comes amid an open question about how the public markets value both franchises. MSG Sports, which currently houses both teams and their minor league affiliates, has a market cap of about $8.5 billion, while Sportico values the Knicks and Rangers alone at a combined $13.5 billion.
The hosts also debate what this might mean for the future of the two franchises. This restructuring would make it easier to take on minority investment in either team. It also might also make it easier to sell the Knicks or the Rangers, and a change to the federal tax code is impacting one team a lot more than the other.
Next, the hosts talk about a work stoppage on the Long Island Rail Road, the country’s largest commuter rail system. The shutdown started on the weekend of a Mets-Yankees subway series, and with the Knicks set to host Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday night. They discuss how much added leverage the unions may receive via frustrated sports fans.
Next they talk about the potential relocation of Gotham FC, which is in advanced talks to move from New Jersey to the new NYCFC stadium in Queens in 2028. It’s a move that will impact many Gotham fans, and could be a nod toward the continued expansion of the league.
They close by talking about the upheaval in youth and college hockey.
(You can subscribe to Sporticast through Apple, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts.)
Victor Wembanyama made no secret of it: He wanted to win the Most Valuable Player award. He made his case to the media, based on his defensive impact and scoring.
Then, before Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, he got to watch Shai Gilgeous-Alexander get handed that MVP trophy by Adam Silver.
"(Wembanyama is) competitive. If you're a competitor and you see another competitor get rewarded with what you want... we all get motivated by different things," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "As a competitive person, that would be my approach and perspective."
For the next 58 minutes on the court after the award was handed out, Wembanyama made the case that it's time to pass him the torch — not the MVP trophy, but the mythical "best player in the world" award. He lifted his young team to a double OT win, 122-115, and a 1-0 series lead. "The best player in the f****** world," Spurs guard Stephon Castle said of Wembanyama in an interview on NBC.
For the past few years, the conventional wisdom has been that Denver's Nikola Jokic is the best player walking the face of the earth — and with good reason, we've never seen a player like him. However, in the last couple of seasons, Gilgeous-Alexander has staked his claim for that mythical award: Two MVP awards, an NBA title, a Finals Most Valuable Player, and SGA has been a better defender, too.
Wembanyama took over that narrative with one epic game on Monday night.
He scored 41 points on 14-of-25 shooting, grabbed 24 rebounds, blocked three shots and either altered or made Thunder players reconsider taking a shot more times than we could count. Wembanyama made just one 3-pointer all game, but there wouldn't have been a second OT without his shot from the logo.
WEMBY PULLS UP FROM THE PARKING LOT TO TIE THE GAME! WHAT A SHOT!!!
In the second overtime, Wembanyama got a second wind, scoring 9 points, blocking a shot, and just taking over the game. Wembanyama was clearly the best player on the court. Did seeing the MVP trophy get handed out motivate the 22-year-old Frenchman?
"I've still got a lot to learn," Wembanyama said, via the Associated Press. "And I want to get that trophy many times in my career."
So is Wembanyama the best player in the world?
"The world is 8 billion people," Wembanyama said. "That's 8 billion opinions."
Wembanyama made his statement in a game where Gilgeous-Alexander did not look like an MVP much of the night. The San Antonio defense bottled him up. The Spurs learned from the Lakers' relative success in the last round and double-teamed SGA, forcing him to give up the ball. The result was that through three quarters Monday night, SGA had just 10 points on 3-of-10 shooting.
The problem for the Thunder was that when the Lakers did that, other players like Ajay Mitchell and Chet Holmgren stepped up. On Monday, Holmgren and Mitchel combined for 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting. The only other Thunder player who stepped up was Alex Caruso, who had 31 on the night, plus made a number of critical defensive plays. Gilgeous-Alexander did better when the game got tight, stepping up in the fourth quarter and two overtimes with 14 points and six assists on 4-of-13 shooting.
In that same window, Wembanyama was just better — 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting with 11 rebounds and two blocks. Wembanyama was the best player on the floor and San Antonio now leads the series 1-0 — if the Spurs just win only their home games the rest of the playoffs, they will be NBA champions. However all that plays out, Wembanyama has made his statement — he's the best player in the world. Right now. At age 22, while he is still experimenting on the court and figuring everything out.
May 15, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitchers Paul Skenes (left) and Bubba Chandler (middle) and Jared Jones (right) talk in the outfield before the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Over the last couple of seasons the starting pitchers for the Pittsburgh Pirates have grown into some of the best pitchers in baseball and have cemented themselves as one of the best overall units. Between strong scouting, good use of draft picks and player development, the Pirates have established themselves as an organization with a knack for creating a strong rotation.
The Pirates offseason strategy in recent years has been reliant primarily on the draft and not in free-agency or on the trade market. With this being the case, the crop of pitchers they have are all home grown talent. Mitch Keller serves as the veteran of 2026’s rotation, was drafted back in 2014, and made his MLB debut in 2019. Keller was drafted by Joe DelliCarri who ran the Pirates’ drafts from 2013-2023. DelliCarri was the Senior Director of Amateur Scouting before being promoted to Vice President of Scouting, and had a hand in selecting every one of the pitchers in Pittsburgh’s rotation, to include Jared Jones who is currently on rehab assignment.
In that 10-year span DelliCarri and the Pirates selected several of the best pitchers in baseball. Keller in 2014 was just the start as Braxton Ashcraft was drafted in 2018, Jared Jones was a second round pick in 2020, Bubba Chandler was selected in the third in 2021 and Paul Skenes was taken first overall in 2023. Carmen Mlodzinski who has seen work as a starter off and on in his career was selected by the Pirates in 2020.
#MLBTonight talks about the NL Cy Young race with Shohei Ohtani currently at the top, Cristopher Sánchez second and Paul Skenes third ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Adn0rrbwtC
To be clear, those are just the names that have seen consistent Major League action, because there are several names in the organizations top 30 prospect list that were also drafted in that span. Hunter Barco has been up and down and has been primarily used as a bullpen pitcher was drafted by the organization in 2022 is Pittsburgh’s third highest ranking prospect. Thomas Harrington is in Triple-A and is the organization’s 12th highest ranked prospect was picked in 2022, while Low-A 13th ranked hurler Levi Sterling was selected in 2024. Kristian Curtis was picked in 2023 and is the 21st highest ranked prospect for the Pirates and the 23rd overall prospect for Pittsburgh, Zander Mueth, was selected in 2023 by the club.
In 2024, following the promotion of DelliCarri, the Pirates hired Justin Horowitz to be their director of amateur scouting. Horowitz oversaw the Pirates’ draft from 2024-2025 before taking a job with the Washington Nationals to be their Assistant General Manager. While with the Pirates, Horowitz selected Sterling in 2024 and then in 2025 he drafted Seth Hernandez. In his first season of professional baseball Hernandez has blossomed into Pittsburgh’s top prospect, the third highest rated prospect in baseball and the best pitching prospect in baseball.
2025 was a breakout season for Pittsburgh’s pitchers. The Pirate’s led Major League Baseball in shutouts with 19, while allowing the third fewest home runs of any team. The Pirates also ranked tied for fourth in WHIP (1.22), and seventh-best in ERA (3.76). Skenes was named to his second All-Star game and won the NL-Cy-Young award.
The Pirates in the span that DelliCarri has been with the organization has also had a fairly consistent cast of pitching coaches. Oscar Marin was hired by manager Derek Shelton prior to the 2020 season to be the team’s pitching coach. Marin had previously worked with the Texas Rangers as a bullpen coach and two previous years in Seattle serving as a minor league pitching coordinator. For five seasons, Marin helped to develop what are now some of the top pitchers in baseball, but was ultimately not brought back following the 2025 season, with pitchers citing that they thought they were not getting all they could from his coaching.
Jared Jones strikes out the side in the first inning! See all three strikeouts here! pic.twitter.com/4uLVF9KXSW
With the departure of Marin Pittsburgh went out and signed some top tier pedigree talent in pitching coach Bill Murphy. With the Houston Astros Murphy started as a rookie ball pitching coach, but was brought onto the major league staff in 2019 as a pitching coordinator. In 2021, Murphy was named the assistant pitching coach and helped the Astros win a World-Series title in 2022. While under Murphy, Houston led MLB in ERA (3.61) and the club finished eighth in team pitching WAR (18.0) in his last season with the club.
In his first season with Pittsburgh, Murphy and the Pirates currently rank in the top 10 in baseball for K/9 (10), HR/9 (4), BABIP (10), HR/FB (3) and WAR (7). The Pirates also have the 11th lowest ERA in baseball (3.86). Paul Skenes leads the staff as he is currently tied with eight other pitchers for the most wins in baseball with 6, and is 11th in K/9, first in BB/9, second in BABIP and seventh in WAR.
Overall, the organization hasn’t had the results in the win column that fans would like, but it is undeniable that they built one of the best rotations in baseball and have several more young pitchers waiting in the wings.
HOUSTON, TX - MARCH 31: Fred VanVleet #5 of the Houston Rockets looks on during the game against the New York Knicks on March 31, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Yes, we know that Fred VanVleet didn’t play for the Houston Rockets this season. But given that GM Rafael Stone stayed quiet at the NBA Trade Deadline and cited VanVleet’s absence for why team management wasn’t making any moves to improve, which became a huge part of this season’s narrative, we wanted to include FVV here in our recaps.
So how important is VanVleet? We do know he was part of the Rockets culture change, teaming with now-Sun Dillon Brooks to add a veteran presence to the Houston locker room and a steady hand on the court. That was pretty dang important. But I think we can all agree that he’s probably not quite as important as Ime Udoka and Stone want us to believe (you know, for job security and all).
This is a guy who was coming off of a year in which he averaged 14.1 points and 5.6 assists, but he also shot just 37.8 percent from the field and 34.5 percent from deep on high volume (7.7 three attempts per game). There were nights when VanVleet downright shot the Rockets out of a game. Houston had more than enough of that this season. What would adding another inconsistent shooter have done? Yes, Houston really needed his steady hand, and yes, quality true point guard depth behind FVV was also an issue — but that job of securing depth by definition falls on Stone and Udoka. It’s their resonsibility to make sure the Rockets can weather such storms and that one injury doesn’t completely derail a season. And not only did they not do it, they came to us and told us they intentionally did not do it. Then tried to gaslight us into thinking it was all for the best.
The Kevin Durant window is limited. The Rockets gave up real player assets for KD. If Houston were ready to punt a full year just because of a VanVleet injury, it made no sense to go after KD, because you’re basically admitting that your team isn’t ready. If they’re not ready, it made more sense to take the long game and not trade for a limited-window Durant. But they made the move, signifying to the league and to the players that they thought they were going to make a real push. Then decided against it and told us that not making a push was the real plan all along. It honestly feels a little bit toxic.
Will I be happy to have VanVleet back? Yes, absolutely. Do I think he solves Houston’s issues? No, I do not. This team needs more shooters, more backcourt playmakers, and better locker room chemistry. FVV helps with the playmaking and the locker room issues (though certainly doesn’t solve them), but he’s no one’s answer to three-point shooting woes at this stage of his career.
He’s also 32 years old and coming off of a major surgery. Who knows how he looks when he comes back or how much time he’ll need to round into form. It’s possible he never does return to form. If so, the Rockets have some serious franchise-direction pivoting to discuss. Either way, they need more than VanVleet alone can provide. But hey, if he never does quite return to form, at least Stone and Udoka still have their built-in excuse.
But Wembanyama had been looming nearby. His pull and gravity, the knowledge that he can extend his reach to swat just about any shot, forced Gilgeous-Alexander to hesitate and recalculate — in a fleeting instant — the possibility that Wembanyama might erase the shot.
The Thunder were down seven and time was running out.
Wembanyama grabbed the board and all Gilgeous-Alexander could do was to wrap Wembanyama and foul him in obvious frustration.
This was when Wembanyama shooed Gilgeous-Alexander away and laughed at him. This was when Wembanyama became the best basketball player in the world.
Wembanyama played nearly 49 minutes and dropped 41 points on a 14-of-25 night, hauling in 24 rebounds, nine of which were offensive. He blocked 3 shots, dished out 3 assists and picked up 1 steal.
He went 5-of-6 in both overtime periods, scoring 14 points and scooping 7 rebounds after regulation.
He became just the second player to drop at least 40 points and 20 rebounds in a conference finals debut … joining all-time legend Wilt Chamberlain.
He became just the second player aged 22 or younger to reach those figures. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the only other to do so, and it came when he was called Lew Alcindor.
Wembanyama also sent the clear and distinct message that no other player on the planet impacts the game the way he does.
In the 48:42 that Wembanyama played, the Thunder shot 31-of-84 from the field, or 36.9%.
In the 9:18 he was on the bench, Oklahoma City’s shooting splits swelled to 10-of-17, or 58.8% – a 21.9% swing.
“I think that young man has a rare desire to step in every moment that’s in front of him,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said after the game. “I think he has shown in his three years, in a lot of different situations and a lot of different circumstances that he’s going to attack those moments.”
Wembanyama is maniacal in his competitive spirit, and that’s intended to be a high compliment. He appears consumed by the pursuit of excellence in a way that’s probably not healthy. But it’s what drives the all-time greats to the heights they eventually reach.
After the game, a reporter asked Wembanyama if there was any additional motivation to show out on the night Gilgeous-Alexander accepted the MVP trophy, becoming just the 14th player in NBA history to win the honor in consecutive seasons. The reporter asked if Wembanyama, who openly campaigned for MVP late in the regular season, took it personally.
“Yeah, for sure,” Wembanyama said. “Everything you just said.”
When pressed about the matter, Wembanyama did not shy away from his pursuit.
“I still got a lot to learn,” Wembanyama added. “I want to get that trophy many times in my career.”
This is the scary part about Wembanyama, at least for the rest of the NBA. He has been transparent (if not vulnerable) about publicly admitting how inexperienced he and his Spurs are, about how much they still have to learn. He has led the charge in San Antonio embracing this beginner’s mind.
At this point, it seems like a near certainty that Wembanyama will win MVP in his career. The more interesting question appears to be how many.
Wembanyama also has the immeasurable gift of shining brightest in the highest-pressure situations.
Monday night, with San Antonio down by three with 26.3 seconds left in the first overtime, Wembanyama pulled up for a transition 3 from the logo, 28 feet away from the basket.
“Pshhh confidence through the roof,” Spurs rookie guard Dylan Harper told reporters after the game. “I was stunned, a little bit. But once the ball went up, I was like, ‘Oh that’s going in.’ It’s kind of just who he is. He’s one-of-a-kind.”
Game 1 was special, and Wembanyama is singular; that much became clear. But he’ll be measured by how San Antonio fares the rest of the way.
Oklahoma City is an excellent team, one that will adjust and respond. He can start crafting this legacy he wants with a trip to the NBA Finals. Monday night showed it’s well within reach.
“The message would be that we, as a team, are ready to go in any environment, in any place, against anybody — and even though we still got a lot to learn — our effort should be (more) than anybody else’s. Tonight we were relentless,” Wembanyama said.
Kevin Garnett found comfort in snacks and cartoons during his playing career. Photograph: Brian Babineau/NBAE/Getty Images
For Jason Terry, everything changed in 1997. It was the night before the NCAA national championship game and Terry’s Arizona Wildcats were set to take on the University of Kentucky. Terry shared hotels rooms with teammate Mike Bibby on road trips and the pair understandably had trouble sleeping before the biggest game of their lives so far.
“Mike Bibby and I were anxious for the game,” Terry says. “So, we both put our full uniforms on – socks, everything. And we slept in them. The next day, we ended up winning the national championship. After that, I was like, ‘OK, I think I’m superstitious and I need to keep this thing going.’”
When it comes to basketball and superstitions, there may be no clearer expert than Terry. He has won at every level of the game: as well as his college title he became an NBA champion with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011. He’s also seemingly embraced quirk after quirk, both on and off the court.
In college, he started to wear long, high socks with “CATS” – a reference to the team’s nickname – written down the side of each leg. In the NBA, he continued the fashion statements, donning a headband every game to honor his former mentor and fellow Seattleite Slick Watts. But most striking of all, every night before an NBA game Terry put on the shorts of the opposing squad and wore them to sleep.
“For instance,” Terry says, “if we’re playing the Miami Heat, I’d wear the Heat shorts the night before each game.”
But how would he even get the shorts? Well, he’d go right to the source.
“I would hustle equipment managers and see if they had an extra pair,” says Terry, who was NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2009. “I think the most famous shorts I was able to get was a pair of Utah Jazz shorts that belonged to John Stockton.”
And how did he know they belonged to the NBA’s all-time steals and assists leader?
“Number one: they were short,” Terry says. “Number two: they had his No 12 on the inside tag.”
Eldridge Recasner, another former NBA guard, played for a number of teams during his eight-year career, including stints as a starter with the Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks in the mid-1990s. He says sleep and practice were important to him prior to a game’s tipoff.
“My main thing was that I had to take a nap on gameday and do my same pregame warmup routine,” Recasner says. “The nap was mandatory. And the ball-handling and shooting drills I did had to be the same routine all the time.”
But more than any dribbling or shooting drills, Recasner says he remembered his father, Eldridge Sr, before each contest, too.
“My dad was in the Army,” says Recasner, who is now a college basketball broadcaster in the Pacific Northwest. “He passed away when I was 18. So, I always looked at the flag during games. I counted off five stars to the right, five stars down, five stars to the left and five stars back up to the starting star and salute my dad. I still do it today as an announcer.”
Tim Hardaway, who battled Recasner on the hardwood during the 90s, had his own superstitions. When he played at home, Hardaway says he’d drive the same route to the game every time with no deviations. But when he was on the road, the five-time All-Star says, “I ate the same thing every day – caesar salad with baked chicken and vegetables.”
Superstitions have affected play throughout NBA history. Ray Allen would shave his head at the exact same time of day before every game. His fellow Hall of Famer, Michael Jordan, used to wear his University of North Carolina shorts under his Chicago Bulls uniform throughout his career. Rajon Rondo liked to shower five times on gamedays. LeBron James used to clip his nails during contests, while the sight of the star throwing clouds of chalk dust in the air before tip-off became a familiar sight.
But some superstitions are even more specific.
“Kevin Garnett had to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich before every game,” Terry says. “And it had to be on a certain type of bread. And he watched Family Guy while he ate those sandwiches. His other superstition was that he always had to be the last guy on the team plane if we were traveling. Every time.”
In 2010, at the start of the Mavericks’ championship season, Terry was inspired. He was at a team function and there was a tattoo artist onsite. He decided to show his teammates his devotion to them and his high hopes for the upcoming season. So, he got a tattoo of the Larry O’Brien Trophy on his right biceps.
“Once we won, it basically said I proved it,” Terry says of the tattoo.
But when he tried to make tattoos into a winning routine, it didn’t work out.
“Superstitions don’t always work out,” he says. “I tried it again. Once I signed with the Celtics as a free agent [in 2012], I went and got the Celtics logo tattooed on my other biceps with the Larry O’Brien Trophy. But we lost in the first round. I only played one year with the Celtics, so I don’t think I’ll do the tattoo superstition any more. It has to work multiple times to be a true superstition.”
In fact, there has only been one occasion when Terry couldn’t practice one of his many superstitions during his 23-year basketball career. It happened way back in college during the season after his Arizona team had won the title against Kentucky.
“There was only one time when I wasn’t able to do my superstition,” says Terry. “That was the equipment manager in 1998. In the first round of the NCAA Tournament, he forgot my signature CATS socks. We tried – we got regular white socks. My roommate put a sharpie pen to them and wrote “CATS” down each side. But it didn’t work.”
Terry went 0-9 in that particular game against Nicholls State.
“I didn’t score one bucket,” he says. “But the next day, they Fed-Ex’d my socks for the second round and I had double-digits. We won the game by 33.”
Gerrit Cole returns to the dugout after pitching in the third inning for the Hudson Valley Renegades during their game versus the Winston-Salem Dash on May 5, 2026. | Patrick Oehler/Poughkeepsie Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: In Gerrit Cole’s most recent rehab outing, the former Cy Young winner touched 99.6 mph on the gun, velo that would impress even among the best in MLB. Given that pitch-level success, it’s been debated within the Yankee org whether it would be better to let Cole have one more rehab outing, or activate him in time to pitch on regular rest during this current homestand Friday night. While the Yankees will be understandably careful after Tommy John at Cole’s age, adding a player of his caliber to both replace Max Fried and spell the bullpen a bit must be awfully tempting.
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: As I said above, adding someone like Cole could eat up innings that are currently being taken by the bullpen, and generally those are not well pitched. While the club has continued to shift payroll allocation away from the relief unit, avoiding the bloated contracts that kept people like Aroldis Chapman around for longer than he probably should have been, the replacements brought in have yet to impress, particularly in high-leverage spots. Part of this is the lack of swing and miss, for all the value of a groundball — and the Yankees boast a 50 percent GB rate — when you really, absolutely need an out, a strikeout is preferential to anything else.
NJ.com | Bob Klapisch: While discussing how underwhelming the bullpen as a whole has been, David Bednar in particular has become a problem. We can debate the exact value of a true, ninth-inning closer, but when you’re handed a three-run lead in the ninth, you really need to come out of that game with the win. While his FIP is significantly lower than his ERA, which should indicate some positive regression coming your way, those kind of splits can last for longer than you think because of how little closers pitch, and the impact two or three bad outings can have — both on a pitcher, and in a close division race.
MLBTR | Darragh McDonald: We close with a couple of “in case you missed it” posts. The Yankees optioned Elmer Rodríguez back to Triple-A after a meh start Sunday, bringing righty Yovanny Cruz up as pitching depth while Max Fried will continue to be evaluated on the IL.
MLBTR | Darragh McDonald: Happy trails to Gio Urshela, one of the big pieces of the 2019 Yankees, putting up three-plus wins in a year that saw the Yanks make it to the ALCS. The ten-year vet announced that he was hanging up the spikes yesterday, unable to find an MLB job this season. Best of luck going forward, Gio!
RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA — Despite winning the 2026 national championship, Michigan basketball coach Dusty May doesn’t “feel like we’re national champions.”
The Wolverines beat UConn on April 6 to win their first title since 1989, ending a 26-year Big Ten drought with a dominant run through the NCAA Tournament. Michigan had a parade and celebration the weekend after the Final Four, but now more than a month after winning it all, May doesn’t feel any different than before.
“There have been times like that when it’s been just a really cool moment to take a step back, but overall, I don’t really feel any different,” May told USA TODAY Sports at the Big Ten spring meetings. “I don’t feel like we’re national champions.”
The reason for that? Because May quickly turned his attention to next season.
The college basketball calendar lives up to the saying of when one door closes, another opens. Less than an hour after the buzzer sounded inside Lucas Oil Stadium on April 6, the transfer portal officially opened at midnight ET on April 7.
May and his staff could have soaked in the celebration, but getting a roster assembled was a priority. He said it doesn’t make sense to complain about the quick turnaround since coaches agreed with the date, so he instead got to work.
“You finish that and you immediately turn to what’s next,” May added. “We chose to start the next day because we wanted to have an opportunity to be as good as we could possibly be the next year, and timing is incredibly important. The urgency in the portal was paramount.
“We were mentally fatigued, but it’s part of our job.”
The Wolverines have a roster well-positioned to defend their crown. Even with departures like Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara, May has a recruiting class that includes highly rated guard Brandon McCoy Jr., as well as transfers Moustapha Thiam (Cincinnati) and J.P. Estrella (Tennessee). Also back is NCAA Tournament most outstanding player Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney.
There’s one more spot left, and it all depends on Morez Johnson Jr. The Big Ten all-defensive team member entered his name in the NBA Draft but maintained his eligibility. However, he may not be back as he has reportedly generated big buzz that could result in a first round selection.
While stressful, May said he’s ready to approach whatever outcome happens, with an upcoming roster he is highly complimentary of.
“We’ll have a team that’s — I don’t say equally as talented — but in the same ballpark. I think we’ll have an opportunity on another special team.”
Dusty May hasn’t signed contract extension yet
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said during the championship celebration on April 11 May had reached an agreement on a contract extension. Details weren’t released, but Manuel said it would make his coach “the leader of this basketball team for many years to come.”
May had signed a new contract with Michigan in February 2025. The deal ran through 2030 with a base salary of $4.6 million, and offered a $250,000 increase each season, according to his contract obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
As of May 18, the new contract hasn’t been signed yet, May confirmed. He said there are “minor details” being adjusted between both parties, but he’s committed to staying with the Wolverines.
“We’d like to build one of the most consistent, greatest basketball programs in the country,” May said.
When you're in as loaded of a conference like the Big 12, the transfer portal can be the difference between swimming or sinking.
Whether it's the NBA Draft or looking for a new program, prominent names are out and there's a need to restock. Like how does Final Four participant Arizona get back after losing its core players? There's also teams under new coaches like Kansas State and Cincinnati looking for a complete rebuild. Every team went into the portal, but it won't work perfectly for everyone.
So how did every Big 12 team fare in the transfer portal? We assess all 16 squads and look into how these additions — and losses — affect the 2026-27 season.
Best add:Derek Dixon (North Carolina). It took some time, but Dixon really showcased how valuable he is when he started the final 16 games for the Tar Heels. He was lighting it from deep, and despite not being in the top five of minutes played, he made the second most 3-pointers (50) for North Carolina.
Worst loss: Dwayne Aristode (Oregon). Arizona didn't have many transfers, so Aristode isn't a huge loss, but he still held up his end on a loaded roster. His defensive presence to help take the burden off the starters will be missed.
Biggest remaining need:Replacing Koa Peat. When someone that can do everything on a court leaves, it's hard to replicate it. Peat really was a freak of nature and trying to find another forward that can produce nearly as much as him will be difficult.
Best add: Paulius Murauskas (Saint Mary's). Randy Bennett gets an essential player to follow him to Arizona State. The first-team all-West Coast Conference selection is a matchup problem after he led Saint Mary's with 18.4 points and 7.6 rebounds. The competition gets tougher, but Murauskas can thrive.
Worst loss:Massamba Diop (Gonzaga). The Senegal native had a terrific transition to college hoops as the enforcer for the Sun Devils. He put up 13.6 ppg while his 2.1 blocks were top 25 in Division I, but a new regime was going to make it tough to convince the 7-1-inch center to stay.
Biggest remaining need:Guard depth. Bennett is leaning heavy into veteran size and that should help the Sun Devils, but there's plenty needed in the backcourt. Joel Foxwell (Portland) is the only legitimate option at the position, with a bunch of inexperienced guys vying to get more minutes.
Baylor basketball transfer portal analysis
Best add:Kayden Mingo (Penn State). Mingo delivered as the highest-ranked Penn State recruit ever, dropping 13.7 points and 4.3 assists while averaging over 2 steals a game. He's excellent at getting inside the arc, and he really found a rhythm in the second half of the season.
Worst loss: Tounde Yessoufou. An absolute unit, Yessoufou broke a bunch of freshman records at Baylor. There was a good chance he was a one-and-done player, but the possibility of returning somewhere else hurts a Baylor team sinking in the Big 12.
Biggest remaining need:Rim protection. Defense was a big liability, especially protecting the glass by limiting second-chance opportunities. Baylor addressed the holes in the offense, but there needs to be a dominant big able to go up against other imposing forces.
BYU basketball transfer portal analysis
Best add:Collin Chandler (Kentucky). A breakout star on a middling Kentucky team, Chandler returns to his home state ready to take over the shooting needs the Cougars need. Making 41% of his 3-pointers puts him in the top 35 of deep-range shooters, and he had a hot streak where he had three games with at least five 3-pointers.
Worst loss:Kennard Davis Jr. (Missouri): BYU has to really start from scratch with another starter leaving Provo. He didn't command the attention, but he was hard to miss considering the hustle he brings on the court. Sure he wasn't the primary ballhandler, but he didn't turn the ball over much.
Biggest remaining need:Bigs. One of the downfalls of BYU's season was it didn't have a big man that could hold down the fort. The Cougars are still without one, and given the increased importance in the position, Kevin Young needs a center that can stop the leaks in the roster.
Cincinnati basketball transfer portal analysis
Best add:Myles Colvin (Wake Forest). Jerrod Calhoun is bringing a whole new squad, and Colvin looks like the one tasked as the leader for the Bearcats. The wing averaged 11.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game last season, and he's a reliable free throw shooter at 87%, a welcome sight for fans after being so bad from the charity stripe.
Worst loss: Moustapha Thiam (Michigan). The writing was on the wall for Thiam to leave, and he's now onto Ann Arbor after putting 12.8 points and 7.1 rebounds a game. His size jumps out, but he moves so well you forget he's over 7-feet tall. He was a big reason Cincinnati's defense was so good, limiting teams to under 50% shooting in the interior.
Biggest remaining need:Defensive stalwarts. Calhoun is going for an offensive-minded team as he had at Utah State, but he has to remember you got to play defense in the Big 12 to make some noise. Several players will be going up against size they haven't seen much of.
Colorado basketball transfer portal analysis
Best add:Justin Neely (UNC Wilmington). What better way to fix the rebound struggles than getting a premier player on the boards? Neely's 11.5 rpg last season was second-best in Division I, and he can also score (17.9). He really carried the Spartans on his back, so he has no problems being the star for the Buffaloes.
Worst loss:Isaiah Johnson (Texas). Colorado was actually decent offensively last season thanks to Johnson doing about everything to keep the team afloat. He had nine games with at least 20 points. There was potential to build around him, but it left Tad Boyle having to find replacements that can strike on both sides of the ball.
Biggest remaining need: Guards. Johnson's departure leaves Colorado in desperate need of a backcourt that can produce and not leave it to the bigs to get the job done. Barrington Hargress can take on a bigger load, but it's a risk leaving it all to him.
Houston basketball transfer portal analysis
Best add: Dedan Thomas Jr. (LSU). A dynamic point guard, Thomas has always put up solid scoring numbers (14.6 career ppg) to go along with an impressive assists numbers, which included 6.5 assists at LSU. His season was limited to 15 games due to a foot injury.
Worst loss: Isiah Harwell (Gonzaga). With such a talented roster last season, Harwell wasn't able to get as much playing time as he could, but he performed well when he got on the court. The minutes dwindled as the season ended, but there was an opportunity for his role to expand and give Kelvin Sampson some continuity.
Biggest remaining need:Shooters. There's no doubt Houston will remain an elite defensive unit, but it will need an offense to help ease the stress. It's top three 3-point shooters are gone, and there's not a lot of proven deep threats on the roster.
Iowa State basketball transfer portal analysis
Best add: JaquanJohnson (Bradley). An absolute perfect fit for Iowa State, Johnson can do just about everything. He averaged 16.9 ppg and 3.6 apg while being able to score from anywhere on the court. As his nickname "Bully" suggests, he's a bully on defense, with his 2.5 steals per game a factor in him earning MVC defensive player of the year.
Worst loss: Milan Momcilovic. What a tremendous loss for the Cyclones as Momcilovic became college basketball's deadliest shooter. He led the country with an astonishing 48.8% 3-point field goal percentage, a major reason Iowa State was a top 15 team from behind the arc. There is no way to replicate Momcilovic's productivity on the court, leaving a big hole in Ames.
Biggest remaining need:3-point threats. T.J. Otzelberger did all he could to replenish his roster, but it's going to be so tough to maintain the elite offense it had with Momcilovic leading the charge. Joshua Jefferson is also gone and he was dangerous from everywhere, so the Cyclones also need a big man that can score at that clip.
Kansas basketball transfer portal analysis
Best add:Keanu Dawes (Utah). The transfer portal isn't something Kansas heavily relies on given the high school talent it consistently draws, but it doesn't hurt to get some complementary help. The Jayhawks didn't get a program-changer, but Dawes is a solid addition after averaging 12.5 points with 8.8 rebounds at Utah. His athleticism is his best trait, able to stretch the floor and cause some mismatches for opponents.
Worst loss: Flory Bidunga (Louisville). There may be no bigger portal loss than Bidunga, who was a monster for the Jayhawks that dominated the interior by swatting away about any shot near him (2.6 per game, fourth in Division I). His offense took a great leap last season and Kansas could be a real national contender had he stayed.
Biggest remaining need: Scoring guards. The question remains of who replaces Darryn Peterson? The Jayhawks relied on him heavily when he did play, and it looks like Bill Self will rely on Leroy Blyden Jr. and Taylen Kinney right out of the gate.
Kansas State basketball transfer portal analysis
Best add: Brandon Rechsteiner (Colorado State). Casey Alexander is bringing a whole new group to Kansas State, and the most intriguing addition is Rechsteiner. The son of the Steiner wrestling family, he's an excellent 3-point shooter (40%) that is best suited not handling the ball, getting open and starting offensive flurries.
Worst loss: PJ Haggerty (Texas A&M). A new staff made it obvious Haggerty would leave, but Kansas State could have used his offensive prowess. His 23.4 ppg was fourth-best in the country, and he still found ways to score against elite defensive teams, making him such a highly touted player.
Biggest remaining need:Playmakers. The Wildcats have the roster, but can any of them command the ship? There's a lot of unknowns into how this team will perform since there isn't a sure-fire leader, meaning someone is going to have to step up and take on that role.
Oklahoma State basketball transfer portal analysis
Best add: Julius Halaifonua (Georgetown). Someone who showed flashes of potential will get a chance to flourish in Stillwater in Halaifonua. The 7-footer from New Zealand saw his minutes go down late in the season with the Hoyas, but he was still efficient with 19.1 points per 40 minutes, all while shooting 60.8% from the field.
Worst loss: Vyctorius Miller. Oklahoma State's fast-paced offensive identity was aided with Miller, who was a solid 3-point shooter (37.5%) for the Cowboys out of the gate before he struggled in the second half as conference play was in full swing.
Biggest remaining need:Perimeter defense. It doesn't matter how much you score, it won't matter when you can't stop anyone, like Oklahoma State when it was 350th in scoring defense (83.2 ppg). Specifically, opponents were able to hit deep shots against the Cowboys. Reigning Conference USA defensive player of the year Kashie Natt (Sam Houston) will be the one tasked to help.
TCU basketball transfer portal analysis
Best add: Gavin Sykes (Long Beach State). The Big West freshman of the year certainly knows how to score. Sykes put up 19.4 ppg, and had a run of five straight games with 20+ points, primed to be to go-to guy for TCU and help revive the offense.
Worst loss: David Punch (Texas). It was a huge blow for Jaime Dixon to lose his true leader, who was tops in about every statistical category, including scoring (14.1) and rebounding (6.8). Punch knew how to step up his game against top tier opponents, and him leaving means TCU has to start from scratch.
Biggest remaining need:Consistent offense. Dixon really has to find the right blend to make a solid offense after the Horned Frogs were one of the worst shooting teams in the country. Sykes and JUCO transfer Trent Lincoln will carry a much bigger burden than their previous stops.
Texas Tech basketball transfer portal analysis
Best add:Cruz Davis (Hofstra). This may be the most underrated transfer in the country. Davis is ready to command the national attention after he was the CAA Player of the Year with 20.1 points with 4.7 assists last season. He proved he can compete against Power conference programs, a strong sign it will be a seamless transition in Lubbock.
Worst loss:LeJuan Watts (Washington). The forward earned his way into the lineup and had to step up when JT Toppin went down. Watts made good on his end, playing as forward that can do more than just play in the interior, and Texas Tech could have used the versatility.
Biggest remaining need:Frontcourt. There's uncertainty of when Toppin will return, meaning Texas Tech needs to fill the void until he comes back. That side of the roster has very limited experience, and asking someone to suddenly command the frontcourt is easier said than done.
UCF basketball transfer portal analysis
Best add:Dior Johnson (Tarleton State). A familiar face is back in Orlando after Johnson spent a season with UCF in 2024-25. At Tarleton State, he was one of the best sixth men in the country, averaging 24 points per game — second in the country — all while coming off the bench and averaging just 26.3 minutes a game.
Worst loss:Jordan Burks. UCF was the spot where Burks finally could flourish, and he was the catalyst for the Golden Knights making the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019. He knows how to score and will do just about anything to get to the bucket, helping him develop a clutch mentality that made a big difference in tight games.
Biggest remaining need:Paint presence. The Golden Knights defense was a major concern, particularly how opponents didn't have much trouble getting to the basket. John Bol should be able to fix some of it, but UCF needs more reliable players to turn the tables.
Utah basketball transfer portal analysis
Best add: Jackson Holcombe (Utah Valley). The third year at Utah Valley was the charm for Holcombe. He really stepped up his game to become an all-around player, leading the Wolverines with 16 points and 7 rebounds per game while also generating steals (2.2) and blocks (1.3) defensively. His willingness to get down and dirty will be something the Utes need after they were last in the Big 12 in defensive field goal percentage and steals.
Worst loss: Terrence Brown (North Carolina). There was a mass exodus in Salt Lake City, but no departure hurts more than Brown. The former Fairleigh Dickinson guard led Utah in scoring (19.9) and combined with Don McHenry gone, the team loses 48.7% of its shot attempts on the season.
Biggest remaining need:Continuity. After finishing last in the Big 12 in his first season with midseason departures, Alex Jensen learned quickly how much you need to be well-rounded to survive this league, and Band-Aids won't just fix it. Utah was neither good on offense or defense, and it's going to take finding building blocks for the Utes to get out of the cellar.
West Virginia basketball transfer portal analysis
Best add: Finley Bizjack (Butler). Offensive reinforcements are on the way with Bizjack coming off a campaign where he led Butler with 17.1 ppg. His 3-point shooting wasn't as strong last season compared to 2024-25, but he can still drill it from deep, bringing in a breath of fresh air to a team that was last in the Big 12 in scoring.
Worst loss:DJ Thomas (TCU). A freshman off the bench, Thomas showed a promising future in several spots that indicated he would have a heavier role coming into 2026-27. He made 49.5% of his shots and put up consistent performances in the second half, including a 13-point outing in an upset win over BYU.
Biggest remaining need:Wings: There's some solid additions with the guards and Mouhamed Sylla anchoring the post, but there's a need for someone to fill in the gap that can stretch the floor. The current roster has guys that are mostly unproven, and getting someone that can play that forward role could be the difference in being a tournament team.
Vegas Golden Knights (39-26-17, in the Pacific Division) vs. Colorado Avalanche (55-16-11, in the Central Division)
Denver; Wednesday, 8 p.m. EDT
LINE: Avalanche -196, Golden Knights +163; over/under is 6
STANLEY CUP SEMIFINALS: Avalanche host series opener
BOTTOM LINE: The Colorado Avalanche host the Vegas Golden Knights to start the Western Conference finals. The teams meet Saturday for the fourth time this season. The Avalanche went 2-1 against the Golden Knights during the regular season. In their last regular season matchup on April 11, the Golden Knights won 3-2 in overtime. Pavel Dorofeyev led the Golden Knights with two goals.
Colorado has a 31-9-6 record in home games and a 55-16-11 record overall. The Avalanche have a 54-6-6 record in games they score three or more goals.
Vegas is 23-16-8 in road games and 39-26-17 overall. The Golden Knights have gone 45-7-11 when scoring at least three goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: Brock Nelson has scored 33 goals with 32 assists for the Avalanche. Nathan MacKinnon has seven goals and six assists over the last 10 games.
Mark Stone has 28 goals and 44 assists for the Golden Knights. Dorofeyev has nine goals and two assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Avalanche: 9-1-0, averaging 3.9 goals, 6.2 assists, 3.9 penalties and eight penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game.
Golden Knights: 7-3-0, averaging 3.8 goals, 6.1 assists, 3.7 penalties and 8.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.
INJURIES: Avalanche: Artturi Lehkonen: day to day (upper-body), Brent Burns: day to day (undisclosed), Cale Makar: day to day (undisclosed), Sam Malinski: day to day (upper-body).
Golden Knights: Jeremy Lauzon: out (upper-body), Mark Stone: day to day (lower-body).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Victor Wembanyama was third in the voting for this season's MVP - behind Nikola Jokic and winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander [Getty Images]
Victor Wembanyama delivered a 40-20 performance as the San Antonio Spurs opened the NBA's Conference finals with a double-overtime win at the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The match-up between the first and second seed in the Western Conference features Wembanyama, this season's defensive player of the year, go up against Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has been named the NBA's Most Valuable Player for a second straight year.
And the best-of-seven series got off to a thrilling start on Monday as San Antonio had the chance to win it at the end of regulation time, and then Oklahoma City in overtime, before the Spurs prevailed 122-115.
Wembanyama's alley-oop dunk with 22 seconds left in the second period of overtime put the Spurs up by six and meant the France forward finished with 41 points and 24 rebounds.
At 22 years and 134 days old, he is the youngest player in NBA history to reach 40 points and 20 rebounds in a play-off game, and joins Wilt Chamberlain (1960) as the only players to do so on their Conference finals debut.
"He has a rare desire to step into every moment that's in front of him," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said of the 2023 first overall draft pick.
"I think he has showed in his three years in a lot of different situations with a lot of different circumstances that he's going to attack those moments. He has some rare God-given ability."
San Antonio's rookie guard Dylan Harper claimed 24 points and 11 rebounds as Thunder suffered their first loss of the play-offs having swept the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers in the previous two rounds.
Alex Caruso led the top seeds with 31 points off the bench, while Jalen Williams added 26 and Gilgeous-Alexander claimed 24 points and 12 assists.
"We knew it was going to be a dog fight," said Gilgeous-Alexander, who received his MVP award before the game. "We've just got to be better, me in particular."
Game two is also in Oklahoma City on Wednesday, while the New York Knicks open the Eastern finals at home to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.
Gilgeous-Alexander is the 14th NBA player to win back-to-back MVP awards [Getty Images]
To start off the evening, we had a patented dome field advantage at One Trop Drive. There was a thunderstorm that passed directly over Tropicana Field for about the first hour of tonight’s contest, and had it been 2025 we might not have got the ballgame in.
Tampa Bay placed seven right-handed hitters in tonight’s lineup against southpaw Trevor Rogers, and boy did it pay off.
Yandy Diaz had quite the night to say the least, finishing with four hits including two doubles, four runs, and four RBI on the night, and just missed a leadoff home run to start tonight’s ballgame.
Junior Caminero delivered the proverbial dagger with a three run homer to right field, right after a Gunnar Henderson miscue led to Baltimore only getting one out instead of two in the fifth inning. Caminero would also score two more times and walk twice tonight.
Junior Caminero’s 13th HR of the season is a 105.8 MPH EV, 380 FT opposite field shot.
He already had a 116.8 MPH EV earlier in the game and is now posting a 138 wRC+ over his 200 PAs. pic.twitter.com/Pb3sPVVLoO
— Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) May 19, 2026
Are you sensing the pattern here? The righties swung it, and swung it well. The Flappy Boys went 9/20 with runners in scoring position, and had 15 runs by the sixth inning.
The Vilade Brigade, the new manta started by DRaysBay’s own Ben Whitelaw for the Rays’ right-handed utility man, kept on trucking. The Oklahoma native had a three-hit, three RBI night that included a triple, and Taylor Walls helped himself to three runs scored and a pair of doubles.
BIG RIG DOESN’T STOP
Vilade continues to do everything this team asks of him and make the most of his opportunities. pic.twitter.com/TwXLpWPu50
— Garbage Time Rays (@garbagetimerays) May 18, 2026
It would behoove me to not talk about Shane McClanahan’s efforts, as he not only got the win, but collected his 500th career strikeout.
If you thought 16 runs on 18 hits was enough to satisfy Rays fans’ palates, about 250 of the announced 13,633 fans gathered in the left field corner in the 8th inning, took their shirts off, and swung them around their heads, even prompting Raymond to hop in and participate.
The Rays conclude the night 16 games above .500, and with a 12-0 drubbing of the Braves from the Marlins, Tampa Bay is the best team in baseball.
If you don’t know by now, this team is for real. They love being around each other, they play for one another, and most importantly, they win for one another.
May 18, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners third baseman Colt Emerson (4) celebrates with fans after hitting a 3-run home run and his first MLB hit against the Chicago White Sox during the eighth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
We have a running joke around these parts about how the Mariners and White Sox are incapable of playing a normal game with one another, but tonight’s game really stretched the bit thin. At the end of it, though, the Mariners emerged with a 6-1 victory, shaking off the doldrums of their series sweep at the hands of the Padres this weekend with an electrifying finish.
The game didn’t start out seeming like it would be the vibes-changer it would grow into. Bryan Woo had a shaky first inning, fighting with his command and issuing two walks. Although he threw first pitch strikes to all five batters he faced, he then fell behind, needing 25 pitches to clear the inning and only throwing fourteen of them for strikes. He got helped out by The First Weirdness of the evening: a truly bizarre TOOTBLAN where Sam Antonacci, who had led off the game with a hard-hit line drive single, attempted to steal third after Woo had issued a walk, apparently trying to catch the Mariners defense napping? But Woo and Colt Emerson were having none of that, no sir, cutting down Antonacci as he attempted to sneak into third. (Colt also made a nice play at third deep to the third-base line right after that, snapping off a quick throw to Cole Young to get the lead runner that I don’t think Leo Rivas makes. Competent third-base defense! Perhaps I can finally take that photo of Ben Williamson off my mirror.)
After fighting through the first, Woo’s pitch count was saved by a lightning-fast second inning, needing just eight pitches to mow down the bottom of Chicago’s lineup. But he scuffled again against the top of the lineup, again needing 21 pitches to clear the inning, although this time the damage wasn’t of his own making – just a pair of singles, one where Antonacci threw his bat at a changeup and a rare single from Munetaka Murakami that snuck just past a diving Josh Naylor. Woo bounced back with a sharp fourth, though, striking out the side, and then was in cruise control the rest of the night. Postgame, manager Dan Wilson pointed to the fifth inning, in particular, as lengthening Woo’s outing: he needed just eight pitches to get through the 8-9-1 hitters, allowing him a sixth inning of work.
Woo said postgame that it wasn’t necessarily that he was overcompensating trying to set the tone after the disappointing weekend sweep, but thought he was maybe trying to “do too much” in the first inning. He was pleased with his ability to clean it up after, though, simplifying the game and going right at hitters.
The Mariners got their first run of the evening in normal fashion. Julio Rodríguez was able to leverage some right-handed power off the lefty Noah Schultz, working a long, eight-pitch at-bat that ended in his eighth homer of the season, getting his arms extended on a sinker on the outer edge of the plate.
But the next run came via our old friend Chaos Ball. Jhonny Pereda was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. It looked a little like the Mariners wouldn’t get anything out of the inning, when with one out Julio lined out hard to Antonacci at second; he dropped the ball and attempted to play it off like a double play, which is smart, but the umpire ruled he had caught the ball on a lineout. Arozarena then doubled deep into the left field corner, and Pereda found himself trying to get to third only to find Antonacci standing in the middle of the basepath as a spectator. Pereda trucked Antonacci out of his way, but the delay was enough to get him thrown out at home – but the umpires ruled that Antonacci did interfere with Pereda and awarded the run. This obviously upset White Sox manager Will Venable, who found himself escorted to an early shower. Postgame, Wilson said the interference was obvious from the dugout, and praised Pereda for his heads-up baserunning and third base coach Carlos Cardoza for the aggressive send of Pereda, scoring what would have been enough to win the game.
But the Mariners would add on. Randy Arozarena led off the sixth with a double, advanced to third on a passed ball, and then Josh Naylor said “Canadians don’t do silliness” and stroked an efficient RBI single through the right side of the infield to make it 3-0 Mariners. He then easily swiped second base because Canadians might not do silliness but Josh Naylor does do Basepaths Chaos. Naylor ended his night with three hits and two stolen bases, because another thing Josh Naylor doesn’t do is Bobblehead Night Curses.
More chaos ensued when Connor Joe hit a ball at Chicago shortstop Colson Montgomery that he just kinda…lost the handle on, and then Joe and Naylor executed a double steal, because at this point, why not? Unfortunately, the two young lefties at the bottom of the lineup, Young and Emerson, couldn’t capitalize on it against White Sox reliever and fellow lefty Brandon Eisert, although each put up a good battle. Poor Emerson, who had also suffered his own Weirdness earlier in the game, on a bizarre foul tip strike three that seemed to pop up over the catcher’s head like a wayward popcorn kernel before finding its way back into the glove. In retrospect, the popcorn metaphor is apt because tonight would end like a movie for Colt Emerson.
The White Sox were able to get back a run against Eduard Bazardo, who gave up a two-out solo shot to Tristan Peters, who sat on a first-pitch fastball and exploded it over the right field fence. But Bazardo made things rough on himself after that, giving up a fly ball single to catcher Drew Romo and walking pinch-hitter Chase Meidroth. José A. Ferrer came in to face pinch-hitter Randall Grichuk and needed exactly two pitches to mail the nascent rally back to the Windy City.
After the Mariners failed to score in the bottom of the seventh despite a very enthusiastic Pereda single, Ferrer continued on in the eighth. His curséd BABIP luck continued, though, as “Three True Outcomes” Murakami snuck an infield single past a diving J.P. Crawford for his second base hit of the night. But the narrative! Ferrer was able to close things up, though – despite making things a little interesting with a wild pitch – getting a flyout, striking out Montgomery, and then finally getting groundout off pinch-hitter Edgar Quero, because when you have a chance to put a guy hitting .174 into the lineup you gotta take it.
The White Sox put a righty on the mound for the first time in the eighth inning much to the delight of the Mariners lefties; Naylor recorded his third hit of the night, a single, and pinch-hitter Dominic Canzone worked a walk to put two on with none out. But Luke Raley didn’t fare as well as a pinch-hitter, striking out, and Young flew out harmlessly, putting the job of Insurance Man on Colt Emerson, who just to remind you would be just finishing up his sophomore year in college if he was actually studying to be an Insurance Man.
Facing Trevor Richards, who was finishing up his sophomore year in college when people were asking “What Does the Fox Say,” Emerson fell down 1-2 in the count before laying off a tough changeup. He fouled off another changeup and a fastball on the plate before finally dropping the barrel and golfing a changeup just over the right-field fence.
Somehow, in the middle of all that – 31,400 fans in the ballpark going crazy, his family in the stands for the first time, his first major league hit a storybook moment – Emerson remembers to acknowledge the bullpen as he’s rounding the bases. The crowd roared for a curtain call and he gave it.
“The discipline to be 20 years old and not just come out swinging right away says a lot about who he is,” said Woo, who said he re-watched the homer “ten times” before coming in for his media availability.
“He’s a two-pitch guy, but he’s got a really good fastball and a really good changeup” said Emerson postgame. “So I was just looking for something down the middle over the plate that I can hit for a base hit up the middle. Got to two strikes early, fought back, and then put a good swing on a good pitch and by the grace of God, it went out.”
The homer didn’t just put the game out of reach for the White Sox – who were mowed down in the top of the ninth by Andrés Muñoz – but also provided a lift to a Mariners clubhouse that badly needed one. Woo wasn’t the only one re-watching Emerson’s home run: postgame Andrés Muñoz’s wife Wendy walked by in the tunnel watching the home run on her phone.
“I think this is one of those games where you just felt something a little bit extra and the guys gave a little bit extra,” said Dan Wilson. “I think we’re going to be carrying this for a while.”
“We talked about wanting to bring more energy to start the game,” said Woo. “Regardless of how we’re playing, just having a much more controllable attitude of going out there and bringing the energy from first pitch. You’ve got to control the stuff that you can control.”
As far as a vibes-readjustment, you couldn’t ask for much more than this game.
“The energy was outstanding today,” said Wilson. “It was a tough series over the weekend, no question, but we turned the page, and we’re moving on, and this is a great effort to get started on that.”
San Antonio Spurs (62-20, second in the Western Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (64-18, first in the Western Conference)
Oklahoma City; Wednesday, 8:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Thunder -6.5; over/under is 215.5
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: Spurs lead series 1-0
BOTTOM LINE: The San Antonio Spurs visit the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference finals with a 1-0 lead in the series. The Spurs won the last matchup 122-115 in overtime on Tuesday, led by 41 points from Victor Wembanyama. Alex Caruso led the Thunder with 31.
The Thunder are 41-11 in conference play. Oklahoma City scores 119.0 points while outscoring opponents by 11.1 points per game.
The Spurs have gone 36-16 against Western Conference opponents. San Antonio scores 119.8 points and has outscored opponents by 8.3 points per game.
The 119.0 points per game the Thunder average are 7.5 more points than the Spurs give up (111.5). The Spurs average 11.9 more points per game (119.8) than the Thunder allow (107.9).
TOP PERFORMERS: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.1 points and 6.6 assists for the Thunder. Chet Holmgren is averaging 15.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks over the last 10 games.
Stephon Castle is averaging 16.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 7.4 assists for the Spurs. Wembanyama is averaging 20.4 points and 12.2 rebounds while shooting 53.4% over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Thunder: 8-2, averaging 118.8 points, 40.5 rebounds, 26.4 assists, 10.5 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.4 points per game.
Spurs: 8-2, averaging 119.4 points, 49.4 rebounds, 26.0 assists, 8.4 steals and 8.7 blocks per game while shooting 49.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 103.8 points.
INJURIES: Thunder: Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).
Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle), De'Aaron Fox: out (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
