SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 09: Mason Miller #22 of the San Diego Padres reacts after striking out JJ Wetherholt #26 of the St. Louis Cardinals to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 in a game at Petco Park on May 09, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres entered the top of the eighth inning with a 3-1 lead over the St. Louis Cardinals at Petco Park. Padres reliever Adrian Morejon was on the mound and manager Craig Stammen was following the blueprint to a San Diego win. Randy Vasquez started the game and pitched five innings of one-run ball scattering six hits without allowing a walk and striking out six. Jeremiah Estrada worked a scoreless sixth and Jason Adam followed with a scoreless seventh. Morejon was supposed to pitch a scoreless eighth before handing the ball to Mason Miller to close out the win. It did not happen that way.
Instead, Morejon hit JJ Weatherholt to put a runner on with one out. He then allowed a double to Ivan Herrera, which scored Weatherholt and cut the Padres lead to one run. Morejon faced lefty Alec Burleson and got him to ground out for the second out of the inning, but then Stammen called on Miller for a four-out save. The right-hander did his job in the top of the eighth and got one of the Cardinals’ hottest hitters in Jordan Walker to ground out to end the inning, stranding the tying run at second base.
Manny Machado launched a one-out solo home run to left-center field in the bottom of the eighth inning to push the lead to 4-2, but San Diego did not score any additional insurance runs. Miller returned to the mound in the top of the ninth inning and looked less than dominant… kind of. Miller allowed a leadoff walk, recorded a strikeout and then allowed the second walk of the inning to put runners at first and second base. Miller then recorded his second strikeout of the inning and followed that with his third strikeout, but Freddy Fermin was unable to keep the ball in front of him and Yohel Pozo was able to reach first base safely to load the bases. Miller then faced Weatherholt and froze him with a fastball down the middle for the fourth strikeout of the inning, earning the save and the win.
Ty France opened the scoring for San Diego with a one-out solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the game at 1-1. Fernando Tatis Jr. came up with two out and runners at second and third and dumped a shallow fly ball in right field, which allowed two runs to score to put the Padres ahead, 3-1.
The Padres will play for the split when they host the Cardinals in the fourth game of the series at 1:10 p.m.
Padres News:
Yuki Matsui was being stretched out during his minor league rehab assignment and he wants to continue to work toward helping the Padres cover multiple innings out of the ’pen.
Tony Gwynn would have turned 66 on Saturday, but he died far too young. The man they called Mr. Padre was a legend in San Diego and beyond. Kirk Kenney of the San Diego Union-Tribuneshared his thoughts on Gwynn.
May 9, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz (15) swings a sledgehammer in the on deck circle before batting against the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
The boos started to boil over from the stands in the 6th inning. A walk, a wild pitch, and two consecutive RBI singles allowed by Ryan Walker set off audible mutterings of a mutiny. The fan uprising grew louder after Heliot Ramos couldn’t pick a line drive out of the lights, turning what should’ve been a flyout into a RBI double that ultimately beget a six-run 7th for Pittsburgh.
The boos became physical, dark winged omens that crow-hopped around the infield, shrieking expletives and crawing curses as more baseballs collided with Giants defenders. A routine grounder that should’ve ended the inning jumped out of Willy Adames’s glove, leading to a 2-run triple off the bat of Brandon Lowe. A comebacker to Gregory Santos off the bat of Ryan O’Hearn hit the palm of his glove and ejected itself without the reliever knowing it. Another run scored.
What was an exchange of scoreless frames for four innings between starters Landen Roupp and Braxton Ashcraft devolved into an ugly exposé for the Giants once the bullpen took over.
Rampant and pervasive ills were on full display: their impatience at the plate, their inability to build rallies, hit for power, stress-out opposing arms, as well as their unstructured, unproven, and unreliable relief corps.
This bunch in a nutshell:
The Pirates plated 10 runs over the 5th, 6th, and 7th frames.
On a day that the Giants off-loaded an offensively-challenged catcher, another discarded backstop in Joey Bart collected four hits and two RBIs while scoring thrice. His infield knock to start the 5th chased Roupp from the mound, kickstarting Pittsburgh’s offensive takeover. They go on to collect 13 runs and 17 more hits off six different relievers. The hits weren’t blasts either. The Pirates picked and pecked on the Giants. They singled them out — in a sense, beating them at their own game (if it’s even fair to say this team has “a game”).
15 of Pittsburgh’s 20 hits on the night were singles (and two of their extra base hits came with Christian Koss on the mound in the 9th). Why were those measly one-baggers so meaningful. Quantity helps, but the main difference was clearly in the quality of the at-bats. A single on the second pitch of the at-bat versus the seventh or eighth? That wears on an arm. The Pirates took to the plate with a mortar-and-pestle, grinding the baseball down into a fine powder with foul balls and disciplined takes. They managed just a pair of hits off Roupp but forced him to throw 90+ pitches over 4 innings. 8 strikeouts, while cool, didn’t help his efficiency. Nor did his 44% first pitch strike rate. Pittsburgh’s starter Ashcraft’s rate: 65%. He ended up throwing 80 pitches over 7 complete. Pirates eventually worked five walks to go along with their 20 knocks, they took advantage of over-enthusiastic relays home, capitalized on errors, and went 10-for-22 with runners in scoring position.
Meanwhile, as the top half of innings labored on, the bottom half of innings went by in a blink of an eye, and there seemed to be no willingness by Giants hitters to change their approach until the 9th inning, when, down by a dozen runs, Ramos earned San Francisco’s first walk in 130 batters. They had gone nearly four games, 34 straight innings, without managing a base-on-balls.
Of course, Ramos bat-flipped it. The irony of the gesture had never been more apparent. It actually led to the Giants most productive rally of the game: an RBI single from Eric Haase, and three walks and a hit batter. Go figure.
In Mike Krukow’s words, the loss was a “burnt pizza,” a phrase taken from his time playing for the Cub affiliate Key West Conchs in the early 70s. The wisdom here is you don’t over-analyze a “burnt pizza.” Sometimes you make a dumb mistake, the oven temp is too high, or you forget to set a timer, and the pizza becomes a charred saucer in an instant. There’s wisdom in that story. But burning a pizza could reveal some obvious executive functioning problems that need to be addressed. Sometimes you can’t just throw a mistake out like that and move on — an autopsy might be necessary; a good and long, soul-searching look in the mirror in which you ask yourself, through gritted teeth, how did you burn the pizza?
Or we could just bin it, and distract ourselves. Oh, look over there! Bryce Eldridge’s first career homer!
The sluggers are out in full force today with 15 games on the MLB docket.
Yordan Alvarez went yard already this weekend, and he’ll headline my home run picks and MLB player props for Sunday, May 10, alongside Kazuma Okamoto and Kyle Schwarber.
UPDATE: Added another HR pick + parlay.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Kyle Schwarber
+239
Kazuma Okamoto
+430
Yordan Alvarez
+256
💲Today's HR parlay
+6296
Home run pick: Kyle Schwarber (+239)
Kyle Schwarber is coming off a career year where he hit 56 home runs, and the Philadelphia Phillies slugger is looking to top that number in 2026.
Schwarber is already up to 14 dingers in 40 games and has gone yard in three consecutive contests.
Rockies starter Tomoyuki Sugano has surrendered six dingers in seven starts, while the Colorado bullpen has allowed 24 homers — third most in the MLB.
Schwarber has hit 11 of his 14 home runs vs. right-handed pitching, so he’s got a perfect matchup today.
The Japanese import has been on fire in May with five dingers in his last eight contests to go along with a .355 batting average and .871 slugging percentage.
L.A. Angels starter Jose Soriano has impressive numbers, but he’s fallen off heavily over his last two outings.
The southpaw has allowed two homers in each of those starts, while the Angels' pen has the MLB’s third-worst ERA (5.42) and the fourth-most home runs surrendered (22).
Time: 1:37 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Sportsnet One, Angels Broadcast Television
Home run pick: Yordan Alvarez (+256)
Yordan Alvarez snapped a six-game home run drought on Friday, and the Houston Astros star has a good opportunity to add to his lofty totals on Sunday.
Cincinnati Reds starter Andrew Abbott has given up at least one homer in four of his last seven appearances, while Alvarez has launched six of his 13 dingers against southpaws in just 56 at-bats vs. lefties.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
DALLAS, TEXAS - APRIL 03: Klay Thompson #31 of the Dallas Mavericks gestures after sinking a three-pointer against the Orlando Magic in the first half of an NBA game at American Airlines Center on April 03, 2026 in Dallas, 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. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Coming out of a December that started off well but ended poorly, the Mavs were looking to build on the momentum of an ever-growing Cooper Flagg, all the while hoping Anthony Davis would finally string together a run that could help propel Dallas to a PlayIn berth or better. For the most part, Flagg was playing his more natural position and while still shaky, the team was beginning to show they were going to hang in almost any game.
January Record: 7-8 (19-30 overall)
January began with the Mavs splitting their first six games. Another loss was followed by what proved to be a season-long winning streak of four games. Two of the victories came against the Utah Jazz, with the other two against the New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors. All of that momentum was immediately lost however, as they closed out the month with an equally long losing streak.
Anthony Davis goes down with season-ending injury
Although we didn’t know it at the time, January 8, 2026 was the last time Anthony Davis would play as a Dallas Maverick. Any remaining holdouts hoping that Davis was finally going to put a run together most likely knew that was now not to be the case. Those hoping he would stay healthy long enough to be traded were also holding their breath. The injury looked so mundane yet elicited such a visceral reaction from Davis, that you almost knew it was going to shelve him for a while, despite a variety of conflicting reports in the following days. When it was all said and done, Davis only played in 29 regular season games and two PlayIn games for the Mavericks.
Naji Marshall finally sits one out
In yet another injury-plagued season, though not nearly as bad as the prior year, Marshall proved to be the Mavericks’ ironman in the early going. On January 28, Marshall had played in all 47 games of the season to that point, before sitting out the following night. He came on strong to start the new year, scoring in double figures in all but a single game in January leading up to his first absence. His best outing of the month was a 30 point, 7 rebound, 9 assist game in a win over the Warriors on January 22. By season’s end, Marshall logged 74 games played, second on the team to only Max Christie.
Klay Thompson drains his 2,800th three-pointer
Thompson will go down as one of the very best shooters in the history of the NBA. Despite missing more than two full seasons straight, he joined elite company as only the fifth player to ever to hit 2,800 three-pointers. In the January 12 matchup against the Brooklyn Nets, Thompson connected on 3-for-7 from downtown. By the end of the season, he drained 99 more three-pointers for a solid hold on fourth all-time in three-point makes.
After the calendar turned on January, things got very rocky for the Mavericks, but more changes with an eye on the future were soon to come as well.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
The NBA’s worst team this season was rewarded with some lottery luck on Sunday, winning the top pick in a loaded draft.
The Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls filled out the top-four picks, in that order. Now, it’s time to start scouring mock drafts and studying some of the top players in this potentially historic class.
Here are some winners and losers from the lottery:
Winner: Wizards
Starting with the obvious, winning the lottery is monumental for the Wizards.
The team has won fewer than 20 games in three straight seasons, but lottery luck hasn’t given them the first overall pick since 2010. John Wall, who was their representative at Sunday’s drawing, was the pick that year. Washington, in 2025, fell from second to sixth, where it selected Tre Johnson.
There isn’t an obvious No. 1 player in this class, but that’s only due to the glut of talent at the top. BYU forward AJ Dybantsa projects as a potential pick, but you could make the argument for Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Duke forward Cameron Boozer or North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson. For a roster that just added Trae Young and Anthony Davis in mid-season trades, perhaps a wing talent like Dybantsa is the pick.
Loser: Nets
Lottery luck hasn’t been on Brooklyn’s side recently.
Last year, the Nets dropped from sixth to eighth. This year, they fell from third to sixth. These results come after years of surrendering their own first-round picks to teams like the Celtics and Rockets — where they picked players like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Reed Sheppard.
The Nets can still add talent at No. 6, but they will miss out on the top-four talent that seems to be on another tier. Arkansas guard Darius Acuff, Houston guard Kingston Flemings, Illinois guard Keaton Wagler and Arizona guard Brayden Burries could be options for Brooklyn.
Winner: Trades shake up the order
Four trades were revisited during this lottery, with the results impacting the Pacers, Clippers, Pelicans, Hawks, Bucks and Thunder.
The Pacers-Clippers trade this season involving Ivica Zubac meant that Indiana kept its pick if it was top-four, or else it went to LA. Well, it was fifth — so the Clippers now have a premium pick after losing in the Play-In Tournament. The reigning Eastern Conference champions, meanwhile, have nothing to show for their 19-win campaign — although they will get Tyrese Haliburton back from injury next season.
The Pelicans gave up their unprotected first-rounder to the Hawks last year during the draft, but the Hawks could also swap picks with the Bucks if Milwaukee’s pick jumped over New Orleans’. Neither pick moved into the top four, so the Hawks will take the Pelicans’ No. 8 pick and the Bucks will keep their No. 10 pick.
The Thunder, who are rolling through the playoffs and seem poised to win consecutive titles, own the Clippers’ unprotected first from the trade that also gave them reigning (and potentially repeat) MVP winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. For the rest of the NBA, it was a sigh of relief that their pick stayed put at No. 12.
Winner AND loser: Tanking
It was tough to watch for most of the season, but fans of many bad teams were rewarded Sunday. Others, not so much.
The Wizards had the worst record in the NBA, blatantly resting Young and Davis and letting their young talent play extended minutes. The Jazz and Grizzlies had a similar strategy, with Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant missing time and both teams opting for development over victories in 2025-26.
Other teams that tanked weren’t as lucky. The aforementioned Pacers and Nets fell just outside of the top-four despite their year-long losing effort. The Kings dropped from fifth to seventh despite going 22-60, which was their worst record since 2008-09.
The good and the bad of tanking were on full display Sunday, and it’s unclear how these results will impact the NBA’s potential plans to revamp the lottery odds moving forward.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 8: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs looks to pass the ball as Jaden McDaniels #3 of the Minnesota Timberwolves plays defense during the game during Round Two Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 8, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. San Antonio Spurs Date: May 10th, 2026 Time: 6:30 PM CDT Location: Target Center Television Coverage: NBC, Peacock
On Friday night, the Minnesota Timberwolves entered Target Center entrenched in a tug-of-war with the San Antonio Spurs. With a victory, they could seize control of the Western Conference Semifinals, wash away the stench of that Game 2 disaster, defend home court, remind the young Spurs that playoff experience actually matters, and turn Game 4 into a chance to put San Antonio on the brink.
Instead, they spent the first seven minutes of Game 3 acting like someone had unplugged the offense.
For over half of the first quarter, the Wolves managed one point. One. A single Anthony Edwards free throw. That was it. No rhythm, no flow, no composure, no ability to finish, no ability to breathe offensively. It was the basketball equivalent of trying to start a lawn mower in March after leaving it in the garage all winter. Pull the cord. Nothing. Pull again. Nothing. Everyone starts looking around awkwardly. Maybe this thing is broken.
By the time Minnesota finally woke up, San Antonio had already built a 15-point hole. And yes, to their credit, the Wolves clawed back. They showed fight. They turned what could have been a first-quarter burial into a real game. But that opening stretch mattered. In a playoff game that came down to the wire, you cannot give away seven minutes and expect the basketball gods to refund them later.
The cruel part is that once the Wolves stopped hitting the snooze button, they were right there. They competed and held leads. They had moments where it felt like the veteran team was about to take control. But every time Minnesota seemed ready to tilt the game, San Antonio had an answer: a better look, a cleaner possession, or Victor Wembanyama acting like a cheat code with a jump shot.
Ultimately that was the difference. The Spurs got easier offense. The Wolves had to work for almost everything. San Antonio attacked the rim with purpose. Minnesota too often ran into Wemby’s shadow and started negotiating with itself. San Antonio generated better looks closer to the basket. Minnesota had too many possessions that felt forced.
So now the series sits in the exact place Minnesota absolutely did not want it to be.
Spurs 2, Wolves 1.
Game 4 at Target Center.
Win, and this becomes a 2-2 series where both teams have shown they can hurt the other, where the Wolves still have every reason to believe their experience and toughness can carry them forward. Lose, and suddenly they are down 3-1, needing three straight wins against Wembanyama, including two in San Antonio, while still nursing injuries and searching for answers.
That is not a hill. That is Everest with a Spurs logo painted on it.
So let’s call this what it is: Game 4 is a must-win in everything but the mathematical sense. The Wolves do not technically go home if they lose. But if they drop this one, the series starts feeling like a funeral procession with a Game 5 tipoff time.
This is the desperation game. This is the bite-back game. This is where Minnesota either reasserts itself as the battle-tested, bruising, playoff-hardened team that just knocked out Denver, or it lets a young Spurs team start believing this whole thing belongs to them.
With that, here are the keys to the game….
1. Body Victor Wembanyama
Game 3 was too easy for Wembanyama. He got to his spots. He impacted the rim. He punished Minnesota from multiple levels. The Wolves talked a lot about physicality after Game 1, but in Game 3, they didn’t deliver enough of it. That has to change immediately.
This is where Julius Randle becomes one of the most important players in the series. We have seen him body Wemby before. We have seen him put a shoulder into that narrow frame, move him off his spot, and make him look like a baby giraffe fighting a lion. That version of Randle has to show up.
Every Wembanyama catch needs contact. Every drive needs bodies. Every rebound needs someone putting a forearm into his chest. The Wolves cannot let him float through this game like he is playing in open space. They need to make him feel the weight of the series.
Rudy Gobert has to do his part. Naz Reid has to do his part. Randle has to do a lot of it. This has to be a collective effort built around one simple idea: no comfort.
If Wemby gets comfortable, San Antonio becomes incredibly difficult to beat. If he gets battered, pushed, forced to work, forced to play through bodies for 48 minutes? Then the Wolves have a chance to tilt the game back toward their strengths.
2. Lock Down Everyone Else
Wembanyama is going to get his. That’s the starting point. You do not beat San Antonio by pretending you can make him disappear. But the Wolves absolutely cannot let the rest of the Spurs get comfortable around him.
This is where Minnesota has to borrow from the Denver series, even if the matchup is completely different. Against Denver, the Wolves made life miserable for Jamal Murray. Jaden McDaniels snatched his soul. Rudy battled Jokic, but the perimeter pressure was what allowed the whole defense to breathe.
Against San Antonio, the assignment is less obvious but just as important. De’Aaron Fox cannot be allowed to bend the defense at will. Stephon Castle cannot be handed easy lanes and confidence. Devin Vassell cannot be allowed to get into rhythm. Champagnie cannot be gifted clean catch-and-shoot looks.
The Wolves need connected perimeter defense. McDaniels, Edwards, Dosunmu, Shannon, Clark, whoever is on the floor, has to hound the ball, fight over screens, cut off penetration, and close out with purpose. They cannot allow the Spurs guards to waltz into the paint, force Gobert into impossible decisions, and then spray the ball out to shooters.
And yes, this might be a Jaylen Clark game. If the Wolves need chaos, put in the rabid wolverine. Let him pick up full court. Let him make someone uncomfortable. Let him blow up a possession or two. Sometimes in a playoff game, you don’t need elegance. You need disruption. You need someone who makes the other team say, “Why is this guy guarding me like I owe him money?”
3. Dominate the Glass
The Wolves technically outrebounded San Antonio in Game 3, but that number does not tell the whole story. Some of that came from Minnesota missing so many first looks and cleaning up its own mess. The bigger issue came on the defensive end, where the Wolves had multiple chances to finish possessions and simply didn’t. Three different times, balls that should have been secured by Minnesota ended up back in San Antonio’s hands, eventually turning into Spurs threes. In a seven-point game, that is basically the whole thing.
This is where playoff basketball becomes cruel. You can defend for 20 seconds, force a miss, and do almost everything right. But if you don’t finish the possession, none of it matters. Against a team with Wembanyama, Fox, Castle, Vassell, and shooters waiting around the arc, you cannot hand out second and third chances.
Everybody has to rebound like the ball is the series, because once Minnesota secures those boards, it can run. And that is the second half of the equation. Defensive rebounds are not just about preventing Spurs points; they are Minnesota’s best pathway to easier offense. Get the ball, push, attack before Wemby gets set, make San Antonio defend in transition. None of that happens if the ball keeps bouncing back to silver and black jerseys.
Finish possessions. Or get finished.
4. Make Shots, But Stop Letting Wemby Scare You Out of Good Ones
Minnesota’s offense in Game 3 started as a horror show and eventually became merely inconsistent. That’s not good enough. The Wolves shot 35% from three, which is around the target range they probably need in this series. But it still felt like too many important shots rattled out, too many possessions died late, too many looks near the rim got rushed, altered, or outright abandoned because Wembanyama was nearby.
That is the Wemby effect. He doesn’t have to block every shot. Sometimes he wins just by existing. The Wolves have to fight that.
This does not mean driving blindly into him and getting the ball slapped into the 15th row. It means attacking with a plan and not making the defensive play for him. If you have a lane, take it. If he commits, make the pass. If he stays home, finish strong. If the defense collapses, kick out. But the Wolves cannot allow his presence to turn good offensive opportunities into awkward, off-balance, self-defeating attempts.
There has to be a balance between respect and fear. Respect Wemby’s length. Do not fear it so much that you stop playing basketball.
From deep, the Wolves need to be more than adequate. They need to be timely. They need to hit the shots that stop runs, the shots that punish help, the shots that make San Antonio think twice about collapsing. This team has lived and died by the three all season.
Find a way to live.
5. Treat This Like the Season Is on the Line
The Wolves have spent the entire season playing with the switch. On, off, on, off… In Game 2, it was off. In the first seven minutes of Game 3, it nearly fell off the wall. That cannot happen again.
Not for a quarter. Not for five minutes. Not for two careless possessions. Game 4 demands full desperation from the opening tip.
The Wolves need to come out like the more urgent team, because they are the more urgent team. They need to defend 94 feet. They need to run back. They need to hit people legally, preferably. They need to box out. They need to attack. They need to play with the kind of edge that tells San Antonio immediately, “You are not walking into our building and taking this series from us.”
Target Center will be ready. The crowd will bring it. But the crowd cannot make the first shot, keep Wembanyama off the glass, or stop the Spurs in transition. The players have to bring the force.
This is where experience matters. This is where two straight Western Conference Finals runs are supposed to matter. This is where the Wolves are supposed to look like the team that has been through playoff wars and knows exactly how much a Game 4 can swing a series.
If they treat this like just another game, they will lose. If they treat it like a fight for survival, they can even the series and make this a best-of-three.
Bite Back
The Wolves were bitten in Game 3. They cornered the Spurs with Game 1, got mauled in Game 2, and then let Game 3 slip because they started too slowly, defended too inconsistently, and failed to make San Antonio feel the full weight of a desperate veteran team protecting its home floor.
Now it is time to bite back.
This series is not over. The Wolves have enough talent, enough toughness, enough playoff scar tissue, and enough defensive weaponry to beat San Antonio. But they cannot keep waiting until the game starts slipping away before they decide to fight. They cannot keep giving away stretches and asking themselves to climb back uphill. They cannot let Wembanyama and the Spurs grow more confident by the quarter.
Game 4 is the response game. Win, and the series is tied 2-2. Home court is technically gone, but momentum is alive. The Wolves head back to San Antonio having restored order and reminded the Spurs that this is going to be a long, painful, physical fight.
Lose, and everything changes. Down 3-1. Two games left in San Antonio if it gets that far. Wembanyama and this young team smelling blood and gaining belief. A battered Wolves team staring at the edge.
That cannot be the outcome.
The Wolves need to land their shot. They need to play with force. They need to turn Target Center into a place San Antonio wants no part of. They need to show, from the opening tip, that this series still runs through their defense, their physicality, and their refusal to go quietly.
SAL LAKE CITY - JUNE 14: Michael Jordan #23 of the Chicago Bulls shoots the game winner against the Utah Jazz in the 1998 NBA FINALS of Game 6. The shot gave the Bulls their sixth NBA title, 87-86 at the Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 NBAE 2002 (Photo by Scott Cunningham/ NBAE/ Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
We’re fully into the month of May on the calendar, which means a few things in the sporting world. Several of the college sports are getting down to the nitty gritty, with lacrosse soon crowning champions and the baseball and softball NCAA Tournaments soon to start. Meanwhile, in the pros, the MLB season is in full swing, the WNBA season is just getting underway, while two other leagues are only partway through their playoff journeys.
The spring and summer months feature the multi-week long battles that are the NBA and NHL playoffs. Around here at Tar Heel Blog, we have several Carolina Hurricanes fans on staff and probably as readers, there aren’t really any obvious UNC connections other than them being another local team. (It would be very cool if UNC sponsored an NCAA hockey team at some point, though).
However, there are plenty of connections to the NBA playoffs, as many Tar Heels have gone on to NBA careers following their time in Chapel Hill. Many of those names have also had notable moments and careers in the playoffs. It’s with that in mind that I ask today’s Question of the Day. What’s your most favorite or most memorable moment from a Tar Heel in the NBA Playoffs?
Several Carolina alumns had their moments in the NBA Playoffs, but of course, Michael Jordan has an abnormally large amount of them. Whether it be his shot over Craig Ehlo, his “flu game” in the 1997 NBA Finals, or winning the 1998 Finals with the shot over Bryon Russell, there are plenty to choose from. There are plenty I didn’t even get to in those examples.
However, I’m going to go a little off the board for my answer. One of my favorite ever Tar Heels whose time in Chapel Hill I can actually remember is Danny Green. It was especially fun watching him go from a second round pick and somewhat of an afterthought in the pros to a legitimate option for the Spurs, including in 2013.
While his San Antonio team didn’t end up winning that particular championship over the Heat — they did get revenge the following year — Green was incredible in the 2013 Finals. Including a 27-point, 6-10 from three effort in Game 3, Green led San Antonio in scoring in two games in the series and may very well have won Series MVP had the Spurs held on to finish off the series in Game 6. He ended up shooting an incredible 55.5% from three over the course of the seven games.
That’s my answer, but we want to hear from you! What is your favorite game or memory from a Tar Heel in the NBA Playoffs?
Seriously, the headline tells pretty much the story of the Cubs’ 6-0 loss to the Rangers, a defeat that ended their 10-game winning streak, the second such Cubs streak this season.
Well, not the entire story. Here’s most of the reason for the loss:
I’m not going to complain too much about this, because the team has done so well and this game was an aberration compared to many of the games during the winning streak. Yes, they have had RISP issues at times this year, but not during the streak. Nevertheless, the Cubs did have plenty of baserunners in this game, four hits, six walks and one runner reaching on an error, but they simply could not capitalize. At all. This despite again forcing the Rangers starter, this time Jack Leiter, to throw 28 pitches in the first inning, and got him out of the game before the fifth inning had ended.
These kinds of things happen, all the time, even to very good teams. I don’t think this is going to start some sort of trend.
Edward Cabrera had an easy first inning, then didn’t really have much the rest of the way. He served up a pair of solo homers and five runs overall in five innings. It wasn’t a terrible outing, but it wasn’t really a good one, either. Jacob Webb and Ethan Roberts finished up, throwing three innings combined and allowing one run. That saved the higher-leverage arms for the series finale Sunday.
Usually, even in a loss like this, I sometimes have good defensive highlights to show you. Not from this one, there was nothing out of the ordinary. So here, let me break up this wall of text with a summary of Cabrera’s start [VIDEO].
Ian Happ’s on-base streak remained alive when he drew a walk in the first inning. That puts his streak at 30 games, if you’re keeping track of such things. The Cubs’ only hits were singles by Seiya Suzuki and Michael Busch, and doubles by Michael Conforto and Dansby Swanson. Moisés Ballesteros got a couple of innings behind the plate, so I suppose that’s useful.
A couple of notes from BCB’s JohnW53 on the end of the streak:
This was the 11th winning streak by the Cubs since 1901 that ended after 10 games. The loss to the Rangers was the fifth in which the Cubs were beaten by at least six runs.
The previous two were by eight: 8-0 at Minnesota in 1998 and 12-4 at Los Angeles vs. the Dodgers on April 25.
They fell to the Giants at home by seven runs, 7-0, in 1906 and by nine runs, 18-9, in 1910.
The Cubs also were shut out, 3-0, at home vs. the Superbas, today’s Dodgers, in 1909, so four of the 11 streaks ended in a shutout defeat.
Two of the losses were by one run and two more by two. A 1938 streak was halted by a 7-7 tie at St. Louis.
And more from John regarding interleague competition:
Last night’s loss was the 42nd in which the Cubs were shut out by an American League team. It was their 586th interleague game. They have won 304 and lost 282, for a winning percentage of .519.
None of the earlier shutouts had been against the Rangers. In the 28 previous games between the teams, the Cubs had averaged 5.18 runs, while winning 15 and losing 13.
They had scored one run in two of the losses, at Texas in 2010 and at home in 2016.
The only AL team that has not shut out the Cubs at least once is the Orioles, whom the Cubs have played 25 times.
Oddly enough, during the three-game losing streak that came in between the 10-game winning streaks for the Cubs, one of the losses was by this same score, 6-0, to the Dodgers on April 26.
So, as the saying goes: Flush this one and move on, and hopefully start another winning streak Sunday afternoon.
It will not be an easy task, as the Cubs will be facing Jacob deGrom. Jameson Taillon gets the start for the Cubs. Game time is 1:35 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
The Toronto Blue Jays' bats erupted last night, and I expect the party to keep on rolling into today’s matchup against Jose Soriano.
Read on to see why with my Blue Jays vs. Angels predictions and MLB Picks on Sunday, May 10.
Angels vs Blue Jays predictions
Angels vs Blue Jays best bet: Jose Soriano Over 5.5 hits (+120)
Jose Soriano was looking like a Cy-Young favourite a couple of weeks ago, but he’s been roughed up in back-to-back outings as reality is setting in for the veteran right-hander.
This regression was expected as his 1.74 ERA didn’t match up with his 3.58 xERA, while ranking in the 62nd percentile in xBA.
Soriano has now allowed six or more hits in three straight outings, which includes a start against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 22, where he surrendered seven hits to Toronto.
I expect the Jays' bats to roll again this afternoon after waking up yesterday with a 20-hit performance.
It’s a good matchup for Toronto’s offense, too, which ranks 6th against the sinker, Soriano’s most utilized pitch, with a .304 team batting average.
Death, taxes, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hitting singles. It’s just what he does now. He ranks 3rd in singles hit this season and is 2-for-4 lifetime against Soriano, with both hits being for one base. I’ll add O 0.5 singles for Vlad to my SGP.
For the final leg of the SGP, I’m taking Daulton Varsho to go Over 0.5 hits tonight. He’s 3-for-6 against Soriano in his career and has recorded at least one hit in seven of his last nine games.
Angels vs Blue Jays SGP
Soriano Over 5.5 hits
Guerrero Jr. Over 0.5 singles
Varsho Over 0.5 hits
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Angels vs Blue Jays home run pick: Daulton Varsho (+700)
After giving up just one home run through his first five starts of the season, it’s starting to unravel for Soriano, who’s given up four dingers in his last two starts.
Soriano has a three-pitch arsenal, but utilizes the sinker the most.
Varsho has handled the sinker pretty well this season with a .391 average and a .565 slug rate with a home run against the pitch.
Additionally, Varsho is 3-for-6 against Soriano with a 1.166 OPS against him.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 17-21, -0.15 units
SGPs: 8-30, +3.70 units
HR picks: 8-30, +8.65 units
Angels vs Blue Jays odds
Moneyline: Los Angeles -110 | Toronto -110
Run line: Los Angeles -1.5 (+150) | Toronto +1.5 (-175)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 | Under 8.5
Angels vs Blue Jays trend
The Toronto Blue Jays have hit the Run Line in 5 of their last 6 games at home (+5.20 Units / 74% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Angels vs. Blue Jays.
How to watch Angels vs Blue Jays and game info
Location
Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Date
Sunday, May 10, 2026
First pitch
1:37 p.m. ET
TV
SN1, ABTV
Angels starting pitcher
Jose Soriano (5-2, 1.74 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Eric Lauer (1-4, 6.03 ERA)
Angels vs Blue Jays latest injuries
Angels vs Blue Jays weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
JUPITER, FL - MARCH 19: Joshua Baez #27 of the St. Louis Cardinals walks to the dugout prior to the game between the Washington Nationals and the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Jared Blais/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to those in your lives!
By almost all accounts, the 2026 St. Louis Cardinals have surpassed expectations so far this year and are well on pace to blow past preseason win projections, which has made my wallet happy. It has been a full team effort so far, with the lineup coming with plenty of surprises and great performances, and the pitching staff chipping in with solid games here and there, although less consistent than we would like to see. Regardless of those frustrations, the Cardinals are still above .500 and in playoff contention as we approach the 1/4 mark of the season. If the offense slumps, though, is there anyone in the organization that can jolt the lineup back into what we have come to expect from an electric top of the lineup?
To answer that question, though, that means someone is going to have to be removed from the overachieving lineup, an offense that currently measures as 4% above league-average and top-10 in the league in power stats. As with every team’s lineup, there are holes in the Cardinals’ normal alignment. Outside of the top half of the order, the bottom 4-5 players have had runs of good, followed by longer, more painful runs of bad. By measure of wRC+, spots 1-3 in the order all fall in the top 10 of baseball, while only the seven-spot in the lineup ranks among those top teams. In the other five lineup spots, none are greater than 14th-best in baseball.
Who will be the first Cardinals player to lose their regular playing time?
The starting lineup is a point of conversation literally every game, with fans wondering how Oli Marmol could bat someone in a certain spot or why another player is getting an off day despite “getting paid millions to play a game for three hours a day”. I do my best to stay out of those unintelligent conversations, having been in a clubhouse and see the day to day for how a baseball team works, of course nowhere near the level these guys grind everyday. And yes, it is a grind. Okay, stepping off the soapbox and moving along.
To avoid talking more about the spots in the order, let me shift to talking about the actual players and their production at the plate. I think we are all in agreement that JJ Wetherholt, Ivan Herrera, Alec Burleson, Jordan Walker and Masyn Winn are written in pen, barring injury, of getting the starter at bats for the entire season and beyond as they look to cement themselves as the core of the next great Cardinals team. That makes sense as each of those five players has rated as above-average offensive contributors and could be fixtures in figuring out what the next step is in this rebuild.
Of the remaining four spots, the players with the most at-bats so far this year are catcher Pedro Pages, center fielder Victor Scott II, outfielder Nathan Church, and third baseman Nolan Gorman. Now, as I figure out which of these players will be the first to lose out on their playing time, I will try to keep my personal emotions and expectations for them aside and attempt to be realistic in who is out first. In my preseason expectations, I had Victor Scott II nowhere near the starting lineup for this season or beyond, but the word around the organization was that he had changed his swing and the staff was excited for what he was going to bring this year. Nathan Church was truly just an afterthought for me, a placeholder until the next bus from Memphis came up or Lars Nootbaar became healthy. There was never a doubt that Pages was going to remain the starting catcher, even as they kept Yohel Pozo on the roster and had Herrera working his way back behind the plate. And Nolan Gorman, the one I was highest on coming into the year, was supposed to finally get his runway (no his 1500 PAs coming into the year was not enough, in my opinion) and get his at-bats against righties and lefties while slotting in the middle of the order.
So, where are we now?
Victor Scott II has turned it on the last couple of weeks, finally tallying his first barrel of the year with his first homer, but his current “hot streak” still has him hitting below .200 with an OPS that starts with a four. The whole idea was that VSII was going to find ways on base, with a punch and Judy single, bunt, or a walk, but he is currently reaching base just 25% of the time, severely limiting his premier speed tool. Because of his inconsistent on-base skills, Scott has six stolen bases (off pace from his preseason goal of 70) but caught thrice after being thrown out just four times in 38 attempts last year. His defense has also fallen below his normal Gold Glove levels, settling in as simply above-average, but there are plenty of solid defensive center fielders who can provide more at the dish. Because of this, he is my first man out in terms of the lineup. The issue with this whole exercise, though, is that there has to be someone ready to take that spot. For me, that moves Nathan Church over to center, leaving left field open for the next man up.
The fun answer would be that Joshua Baez gets his shot to play left field in the bigs, at least until Lars Nootbaar is healthy and ready to return. That would give Baez a low-risk opportunity, albeit with a timeline, assuming that Noot returns at the end of May as has been reported. It would also give him consistent at-bats, which is the biggest reason I am against top prospect promotions unless there is an everyday spot open. Baez was off to a slow start with Memphis, but has found another level in recent weeks, raising his overall season line to .250/.336/.500 with seven homers and six stolen bases, but has seen his strikeout rate back at pre-2025 levels. For me, I am saying lets wait on a Baez promotion for another couple of weeks.
With Chaim Bloom stating at the beginning of the year that he wants to keep guys around without having to jump through the 40-man hoops, that means it would likely be Jose Fermin as the next man up for the daily left field reps. It is not attractive, fun, or really even exciting, but he is already on the roster and has performed better than VSII in his limited opportunities. The team obviously is high on Fermin, keeping him around rather than Thomas Saggese (before calling Saggese back up) as Fermin is out of options and done well so far. Whether they are worried about another team claiming him, or they truly think he’s a viable major league player remains to be seen, but for now, he is the next man up in the outfield for the Cardinals. I was hoping Saggese could flash something with the bat like he did as a Texas League MVP, but that has not come to pass just yet.
Nolan Gorman has unfortunately been much of the same with the bat so far this year despite the lower strikeout rate. That improved discipline has not resulted in more power, as his OPS is in line with his past three seasons. What has been impressive, though, is his above-average defense at third, which I expected after bouncing between third, second, and the bench with irregularity while Nolan Arenado was in town. I have constantly called him a “more athletic Kyle Schwarber”, hoping that he could hit 30+ homers while actually contributing on the defensive end, but I may be willing to admit those hopes were too high, even though Gorman is still just 25-years-old. I am not ready to pull the plug on him since he still has the chance to do some damage with the bat and has at least shown some improvements in his approach. There is also the fact that nobody is ready to take over for him at third just yet.
My preseason pick to click was Blaze Jordan and I am still feeling good about that with his scorching start to the Triple-A season after ending last year with a whimper. Currently, Blaze is hitting .322 with a 148 wRC+ with eight homers and stellar strikeout rate. His has spent more time at third base then first so far and has yet to make an error at the hot corner, so he could be getting closer to that major league debut. Like I just mentioned, if Blaze were to be called up, I want it to be for everyday opportunity, otherwise I could see his career going the same way as Luken Baker. A Gorman injury or complete incompetence would open up that shot, but beyond that, we may have to continue waiting on the Jordan promotion to St. Louis.
Onto Pages. The Ivan Herrera move back to catcher has been as expected, solid receiver with an inability to throw runners out but a spectacular knowledge of the strike zone and ABS challenges. Because of Herrera’s arm, the organization’s infatuation with Pages’ game calling, and Pages’ knack for the random clutch hit, the split behind the plate should be expected to continue, even with Jimmy Crooks playing well in Memphis. Despite the mid-.600s OPS for the entirety of his career, Pages continues to see time as the starting catcher, a role best suited for any of the other top catching prospects in the organization, but Pages profiles as a just fine backup catcher on a contending team. As a placeholder while Herrera hopes his arm bounces back and the next level of catchers approach the bigs, Pages is doing his job with the Cardinals.
The whole idea of the 2026 season was for the Cardinals to get answers on the vast majority of their roster. As we approach the quarter mark of the year, it looks like they are on their way of doing just that. However, even if the team continues to outperform those preseason expectations, we should not expect major turnover with the big league roster as the fact-finding mission continues. A worst-case scenario for Chaim Bloom would be if he were to give up on one of these youngsters too early and Cardinal Nation would get unfair flashbacks of Randy Arozarena. The next man up will likely have to continue waiting for their next opportunity.
May 4, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Brad Keller (40) and catcher Garrett Stubbs (21) celebrate after the game against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Last night, the Phillies’ bullpen held the Rockies without a baserunner over 4 1/3 innings. Colorado isn’t exactly a titan of offensive production, but this season, they’ve also been no slouch. Holding them down like that is still rather impressive.
It got me thinking: other Jhoan Duran, who is this team’s best reliever this season? Naturally my mind went to Brad Keller, but he’s been merely good instead of his otherworldly self he was in 2025. Chase Shugart has opened some eyes so far, but would we really put him second behind Duran? There are other options to choose from, but I still think it might be Keller.
SAN ANTONIO, TX -APRIL 10: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks drives by Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs in the second half at Frost Bank Center on April 10, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You may or may not remember this, but a while back, Kelly Flagg counseled Cooper not to go crazy when he bought his first car.
From all reports, he listened.
She also counseled him to hold off on a girlfriend. And on that point, he may not have listened. And while we can’t be sure, he may have ignored that particular piece of advice for a while now, as he is apparently dating Duke Basketball player Arianna Roberson.
They were both freshmen last year, and Roberson is from San Antonio, which is about 250 miles from Dallas. And by Texas standards, that ain’t bad, more or less a Sunday drive.
We will say this, though. We would never suggest that someone date an NBA player, because, well, they’re generally players, as Megan Thee Stallion recently discovered with Flagg’s teammate Klay Thompson.
In Flagg’s case, we wouldn’t worry nearly as much. Why?
Because he’s a very loyal guy, and he’s already proven it.
He could’ve taken a much bigger deal from Nike, rather than signing with home-state shoe company New Balance. And when he signed that deal, he explicitly mentioned being loyal to Maine.
Given what we’ve seen from Flagg so far, the state is going to profit from that decision – already has, really. Nike is roughly 5 times the size of New Balance, but Nike has been struggling lately, while New Balance is coming on. A lot of people back home are very grateful to Flagg for looking out for them.
And there has always been speculation about Flagg signing with the Boston Celtics when his rookie contract is up. This spring, though, someone asked him about that, and he said that he was in Dallas, and that he’s a very loyal person.
Given those public examples, he seems like a good man to bet on romantically.
In the third game of their second-round series on Friday against the Vegas Golden Knights, the Anaheim Ducks and head coach Joel Quenneville made the move to pull starting netminder Lukas Dostal after a first period where he allowed three goals on eight shots.
It was the second time Dostal had been pulled from the Ducks’ net this Playoff season, as the first was in Game 5 of their first-round series against the Edmonton Oilers, where he allowed three goals on nine shots in the first ten minutes of the Ducks’ 4-1 loss.
“Both,” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said after Game 3 against Vegas, when asked if Dostal’s pull was based on his performance or the team’s in front of him.
“It’s tough because it’s on everyone,” Ducks forward Jeffrey Viel said on Saturday. “You never want to see it happen, and we just weren’t ready as a team yesterday (Friday).”
Any public metric, both underlying and traditional, will suggest that Dostal has been poor in Anaheim’s crease this postseason. In nine starts, he has a 5-4 record, a 3.48 GAA, an .876 SV%, and has saved -4.32 goals above expected.
In his first season as the Ducks’ full-time starting goaltender and fresh off inking a five-year contract extension that carries a $6.5 million AAV, Dostal posted a 30-20-4 record, a 3.10 GAA, an .888 SV%, and 12.02 GSAx.
The 18 skaters in front of him, adjusting to a new system, coaching staff, and key personnel, provided Dostal and the Ducks’ goaltenders with one of the least optimal or stable defensive environments.
They allowed a total of 288 goals and 291.28 expected goals in all situations in the 2025-26 regular season (both placing them 29th in the NHL), and have allowed 3.43 goals against per 60 minutes and 2.99 expected goals against per 60 in the playoffs.
However, as was the case for the regular season, his poor numbers don’t paint the entire picture of his performance in these playoffs.
Public expected goals models are a resource for determining how the flow of a game or games play out vs the eye test, and are more detailed when it comes to determining which team got more shots off from higher quality areas of the ice.
It becomes a bit murkier when using those stats to evaluate goaltending. Public expected goal models don’t take into account aspects of play like pre-shot puck movement, player locations (outside of the shooter), screens, tips, breakaways, etc., and these are all areas where the Ducks have “left Dostal out to dry” this season and playoffs.
Typically, over a long sample, these aspects will even out with enough weaker shots or easier saves. However, seven and a half playoff games in the current Ducks’ defensive environment is not a large enough sample to declare Dostal’s impact, and the eye test may need to be relied upon more heavily.
Through nine games of the 2026 playoffs, Dostal has allowed 26 goals on 210 shots. When evaluating all 26 of those goals, just three of them could be classified as “soft” or “ones he wanted back,” and (including those three) five are goals he could have played more effectively and had the capability to save. Average to above-average starting goaltenders in the NHL aren’t or wouldn’t be relied on to stop the remaining 21 goals (author's opinion/evaluation).
Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
At this point in his career, Dostal can be considered an above-average NHL starter, and as the current 10th-highest-paid goaltender, that’s exactly what he’s expected to be for the Ducks. His talent or pay grade doesn’t place him among the NHL’s elite goalies like Igor Shesterkin, Sergei Bobrovsky, Andrei Vasilevskiy, or Connor Hellebuyck.
More often than not, he makes the saves he’s supposed to and gives the Ducks a chance to win nearly every game, as his job and role require. The Ducks’ locker room still has the utmost faith in their starter, and players remain quick to support him.
“It just happens in hockey,” Ducks star forward Leo Carlsson said of the team’s reaction to their starter getting pulled. “It’s hard to be our best player on the ice every game. He’s an amazing goalie still, so nothing really changed there.”
Dostal is a positionally sound goaltender, smart on his angles, efficient on his lateral pushes, tracks pucks well, plays pucks effectively, and displays quality rebound-control tendencies. His movements often don’t require him to make spectacular athletic saves, though he has the ability to on occasion, and visually, he makes many difficult saves seem easier than they are.
“It’s great. He’s been solid all year,” Viel said when asked about the team’s confidence level in Dostal. “He made key saves at the right time against Edmonton. So, we trust Lukas as much as we can. He’ll bounce back. I’m not worried about it at all. We just didn’t play well in front of him. As a team, everyone needs to raise their level.”
Though the majority of the goals he’s let in during this Ducks playoff run aren’t goals he’s likely required to stop, he has appeared shakier in his crease than usual. On the whole, his movements haven’t been as quiet, his decision-making not quite as sharp, and he’s spat out more rebounds to the middle of the ice than has been typical for him throughout his career.
In Games 1 and 2 of the Ducks’ second-round series against the Knights, Dostal was spectacular, and it appeared that he and the team in front of him had begun to turn a corner. He saved 40 of 43 shots, many, again, more difficult than they appeared, and many exactly as difficult as they appeared.
Game 3 was a step back for Dostal and the Ducks, as he was pulled after the first period, a period where he allowed three goals on eight shots. Only one of them, Vegas’ second, could be considered soft, but a reset and change in net was required, regardless.
Quenneville and the Ducks coaching staff will remain with Dostal in their net for Game 4, maintaining the status quo and sticking with the goaltender who has put the team firmly on his back for the majority of his NHL career, as the Ducks would not be in the playoffs were it not for Lukas Dostal between the pipes.
“Dosty’s playing,” Quenneville said quickly on Saturday when asked if he had made a decision in goal for Sunday.
“He came back and had three very solid games, real good games,” Quenneville concluded when asked if he expects Dostal to respond as he did after Game 5 of the first round. “I just think that sometimes it can help settle things down and get refreshed and get ready to go.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 02: Justin Slaten #63 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during the fifth inning against the New York Yankees in game three of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium on October 02, 2025 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With all of the consternation about Greg Weissert’s performance lately, it’s worth remembering that he’s not supposed to be a high-leverage reliever. But the mercurial nature of bullpens means that the Red Sox frequently have no choice but to use pitchers who don’t inspire the utmost confidence. But at least the Sox can now knock Weissert down a spot in the pecking order, because Justin Slaten is officially back. “It felt like the longest month of my life,” he said of his recovery form an oblique strain. (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)
Had yesterday’s game not been rained out and had Slaten pitched, he would’ve found himself throwing to a surprising catcher: Mickey Gasper, who was penciled into the starting lineup despite the fact that there were no injuries to either Carlos Narvaez or Connor Wong. Here’s Chad Tracy on why he did it:
Pedro Martinez also found himself throwing to a surprising catcher at Fenway recently. Back in town to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, Pedro reflected on the strange fact that the recently fired Jason Varitek wasn’t behind the plate to receive it. “To be honest, I’m not gonna go into details without knowing why because I haven’t really been inside the offices. I’m pretty sure they’re gonna let me know. There’s gotta be a reason because Tek means so much to this city just like every one of us.” (Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic)
Speaking of former Red Sox catchers, David Ross was also recently back in town, and he spoke about his time in Boston. (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
Pedro certainly sounds dismayed about Varitek’s parting, but he hasn’t given up on the 2026 Red Sox. Nor have many of the players. “I think we’ve been playing pretty good baseball lately,” said Ceddanne Rafaela. “I think it shows we’re a pretty good team and we’re going to be in a pretty good spot in September.” (Ian Browne, MLB.com)
They’ve certainly looked like a pretty good team when Payton Tolle is on the mound and on his game. He’ll get the start today on what will likely be an emotional mother’s day for him. (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - APRIL 18, 2026: Oswaldo Cabrera #95 of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders bats during the third inning of the first game of a doubleheader against the Syracuse Mets at NBT Bank Stadium on April 18, 2026 in Syracuse, NY. (Photo by Leah King/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
May 12th marks an anniversary that Oswaldo Cabrera isn’t necessarily celebrating. It was on that day last year that the Yankees infielder suffered a gruesome injury during a play at home plate in Seattle against the Mariners.
In the ninth inning of a Yankees 11-5 win, Cabrera was on third base when he tagged up on a fly ball by Aaron Judge to right field. He ran wide to avoid the tag attempt of Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh on the throw up the line, but overran the plate. When he tried to stop, he slid awkwardly and his left leg got caught underneath him and twisted, causing him to suffer a fractured ankle and ligament damage.
Cabrera stayed on the ground in obvious pain and medical personnel from both teams immediately rushed to his aid. He was taken off the field in an ambulance to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Now, one year later, Cabrera is recovered and playing with the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
“It’s crazy and interesting to look back and see all the time that I lost, but also see all the maturity that covered in my mind in a good way,” Cabrera said. “Trying to see another perspective of baseball, that it can be worse. I was in the bottom worse, when you’re hurt and can’t do anything about it. After that, I’ve come in with the right energy every single day coming to the field.”
Video of the play is difficult to watch, definitely not for the squeamish. Cabrera said he has never looked at the replay, although he did see some photos of the incident.
“Even when I got hurt that day, I didn’t look at my foot at all,” he said. “Since I got hurt until they fixed it, I never looked at my foot. I’m not strong now to watch the video again.”
He credits Yankees head trainer Tim Lentych with getting him through the initial moments after the injury.
“They came in right away and put a towel on it,” Cabrera said. “Timmy came and he was my angel at that time, talking with me and trying to calm me down. Of all the bad things, that was a beautiful thing for sure.”
After the game, many of his teammates — including Aaron Judge and Anthony Volpe — went to the hospital to visit him. Cabrera said that meant a lot to him.
“That’s all that matters. That’s why I love those guys so much,” he said. “In the good times, they are there, but also in the bad times, they are there, too.”
The next day, Cabrera flew back to New York. He underwent surgery to repair the ankle on May 15th, thus ending his season. At the time, he was playing well, batting .243 (26-for-1o7) in 34 games with four doubles, one home run, 11 RBI, 11 walks and 17 runs. He was starting at third base, but also saw action at second base, left field and right field. Rehabbing the injury was hard, even for the always-upbeat Cabrera. But he worked his way back and continues to do so.
“Obviously, it was a lot of things with the ankle and we are trying to fix it and get it better every single day,” Cabrera said. “Every day is much better, but at the same time, the tough part is getting my rhythm back after a year of not doing baseball stuff. That’s the challenge that I have right now. It’s nothing I cannot do. That’s why I come here every day and try my best every single day.”
Often in football, running backs who are returning from a knee injury must make that first cut or take that first hit to know mentally that they are fully recovered. For Cabrera, the biggest obstacle at spring training he had to overcome in his mind was sliding.
“I was running 100 percent, I was doing everything 100 percent. Now let’s see how it feels sliding the bases,” he said. “That was the biggest step. I was in a short distance and coming in slow and sliding. After the first one or two, I was like, ‘No, I have to do it real.’ So I went and ran like normal and sliding. After that, it was like, I’m good.”
Perhaps the biggest thing the 27-year-old Venezuelan gained from going through the injury was a greater appreciation for baseball.
“It’s made me feel blessed every single day to play,” Cabrera said. “Pitch by pitch I feel blessed.”
The Yankees optioned Cabrera to the RailRaiders in March. He appeared in 32 of the team’s first 36 games and batted .217 (26-for-120) with six doubles, one triple, two home runs, 12 RBI and 13 walks.
While it is not exactly the start to the season he hoped for, Cabrera is starting to show signs of breaking out. He has hit safely in seven of his first eight games in May, including a combined 5-for-6 effort with four doubles in a doubleheader on May 1st against the Buffalo Bisons.
One thing Cabrera is not doing is using his injury as an excuse for his slow start.
“I’m just trying to find the best version of what I am,” he said. “We’ve been trying different things at the plate. That’s why we are maybe not at the spot we want. But I know I’m going to get there. I’ve been there before, so I’m not worried. I know I can make it happen.”
Kyle Schwarber
Kazuma Okamoto
Yordan Alvarez
COVERS INTEL: Jose Soriano has allowed an 
