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Robert Stock whacked around early as Mets fall to Brewers, 8-1

The Mets lost to the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday night, 8-1.

Here are the takeaways...

-- It was a difficult night for Robert Stock, who allowed seven earned runs on 10 hits and two walks in four innings after two consecutive starts of giving up one run, albeit in just 4.1 innings both times.

Stock’s troubles began in the first inning when the Brewers got two of the first three batters to reach base, but the right-hander stranded them with a groundout and a popout to keep Milwaukee off the board.

He wasn’t so lucky in the second when the Brewers did exactly what the Brewers do: play small ball and string together six straight singles to go up 4-0. The inning could’ve been worse for Stock, but Milwaukee ran itself out of a bigger inning, making two outs on the base paths.

After a relatively quiet third inning, the Brewers went back to work in the fourth with two more singles to bring up Brice Turang, who got the big hit for Milwaukee, a three-run shot to right-center to make it 7-0, Brewers.

Stock’s night was done after recording the final two outs of the fourth. He threw 87 pitches (59 strikes) and saw his ERA skyrocket from 5.40 to 7.40.

-- On the other side, the Mets were supposed to face right-hander Dustin May, but he exited the game after just one pitch after taking a 106 mph liner off the bat of A.J. Ewing off the shoulder blade.

May’s replacement was left-hander Robert Gasser, who gave New York’s left-handed heavy lineup fits through 5.1 innings of one-run ball.

-- The only run the Mets scored on the night came on Francisco Alvarez’s RBI single in the fourth. New York did scratch out nine hits, two apiece by Brett Baty and Marcus Semien, but couldn’t push across any more runs. Carson Benge went 1-for-4 to extend his hit streak to six games.

-- The good news: Ewing, back in the leadoff spot, stole two bases to give him 21 steals this season, the fourth time a Mets rookie has stolen 20 or more bases in a single season.

-- The bad news: Bo Bichette left the game in the fifth inning with a left foot contusion.

Game MVP: Robert Gasser

Coming into the game on short notice, Gasser mowed down the Mets' lineup and got the win.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets and Brewers close out their three-game series at Citi Field on Thursday night with first pitch set for 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

LHP Sean Manaea (4-5, 4.31 ERA) will face NL Cy Young frontrunner RHP Jacob Misiorowski (13-5, 1.68 ERA).

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Florida transfer guard Xaivian Lee commits to Gonzaga

Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Former Florida guard Xaivian Lee is officially headed back to college basketball. After going undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft and spending the summer with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Lee has committed to Gonzaga, according to On3’s Joe Tipton, giving Mark Few another experienced playmaker for the upcoming season. 

The veteran guard participated in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas but will instead return to the college ranks after entering the transfer portal. His decision gives Gonzaga one of the most accomplished guards available, while providing Lee another opportunity to boost his NBA stock.

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Earlier this summer, Lee signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Cleveland shortly after going undrafted in June, earning an opportunity to compete during Summer League. Across five appearances with the Cavaliers, the 6-foot-3 guard averaged 6.4 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 16 minutes per game while shooting 40% from the field.

However, his outside shooting never quite found a rhythm. Lee connected on just 21.4% of his 3-point attempts during Summer League while posting a minus-1 plus-minus across his five contests. Although he showed flashes as a facilitator and playmaker, the performance ultimately wasn’t enough to keep him on the NBA track for now.

Instead, Lee will return to the college game after one season at Florida. He transferred to Gainesville last offseason following three standout years at Princeton, where he established himself as one of the Ivy League’s premier players. 

Lee earned back-to-back First Team All-Ivy League honors and became the first player in Princeton history to record a triple-double before making the jump to the defending national champions. That’s what Gonzaga will be expecting with his addition. 

While sharing the ball with a veteran Florida roster, Lee averaged 11.6 points, 4.2 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game. His 147 assists led the Gators, while his 2.4 assist-to-turnover ratio ranked among the SEC’s best as Florida captured the SEC regular-season championship and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Prior to arriving at Florida, Lee showcased his ability as a primary offensive option at Princeton. During his junior season with the Tigers, he averaged 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists while emerging as one of the nation’s most versatile guards.

NBA evaluators have praised Lee’s offensive creativity, court vision and ability to create shots off the dribble. However, questions surrounding his size, defensive consistency and outside shooting contributed to him going undrafted this summer. Now, Lee will look to answer those questions at Gonzaga.

The Bulldogs have developed a reputation for preparing experienced guards for the professional ranks. With this decision, Lee will have another opportunity to showcase his offensive skill set in one of college basketball’s premier programs. 

After taking his shot at the NBA, he’ll return to Spokane with hopes of leading Gonzaga on another deep postseason run while improving his draft stock for 2027. Time will tell if he’s successful in his quest. 

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and X (formerly Twitter) account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

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Brewers take down Mets 8-1, but Dustin May exits with injury early

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 26: Robert Gasser #54 of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches against the New York Mets at Citi Field on August 26, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Box Score

The Milwaukee Brewers beat the New York Mets 8-1 in the second game of their three-game set on Wednesday evening, but the story of the night was Dustin May’s injury just one pitch into the game.

Things started nicely for Sal Frelick in his return from injury, as he drilled a 103.6-mph single off the glove of Jared Young at first. He’d advance to third on a walk and a groundout, but Milwaukee couldn’t cash it in as William Contreras popped out to end the inning.

That’s when things got rough.

On the first pitch of the game from May, Mets outfielder A.J. Ewing lined it right back at him at 106 mph off the bat. It deflected off May to third baseman David Hamilton, who recorded the out at first, but May exited after a visit from the trainer with what was later diagnosed as a “right scapula contusion,” AKA a bruised shoulder blade, after X-rays came back negative.

With May gone after just one pitch, it was Robert Gasser, originally slated to pitch on Sunday, who entered the game. Gasser finished the inning on just four pitches, but the Brewers were in a bullpen hole early in their second game of a 16-game, 16-day stretch.

Looking for some offense, Milwaukee immediately strung together some hits against Robert Stock in the second.

Luis Lara, Andrew Vaughn, David Hamilton, Cooper Pratt, Frelick, and Garrett Mitchell hit six consecutive singles, putting runners at the corners with no outs and a 4-0 lead.

The rally was put to a halt there, though, as Mitchell was caught stealing second on what looked like it may have been an effort to induce a throw for Frelick to run home from third (which he didn’t), which was shortly followed by a fielder’s choice groundout at home and another groundout to end the frame.

Gasser, back for his first full inning in the second, worked around a pair of two-out singles for a scoreless frame. He then worked around more traffic in the third, allowing a single and a walk as well as a pair of stolen bases, but the Mets were unable to get anything across.

I interrupt your regularly scheduled recap to offer you a bonus clip of the squirrel that was seen running around Citi Field in the middle of the game, even causing a brief delay on the field.

Back to the recap: In the fourth, Milwaukee added to the lead against Stock, as Pratt singled and Mitchell singled to put runners at the corners with one out and Brice Turang at the plate. Turang fell behind 1-2, but after fouling off a few pitches, he handled a sweeper on the inner third of the zone and promptly put it into the bullpen in right-center for his 17th homer of the year, extending Milwaukee’s lead to 7-0.

Gasser had yet another traffic-heavy inning in the fourth, as, after recording two groundouts, he walked Brett Baty and allowed a pair of singles to Marcus Semien and Francisco Alvarez, giving New York their first run of the game to make it 7-1.

Milwaukee tacked on another in the sixth against reliever Chayce McDermott, who allowed a double to Frelick, walked Turang, and gave up a run-scoring single to Yelich, extending the lead to 8-1.

Gasser, who provided the length that was needed in the moment, exited with two outs in the bottom of the sixth after allowing another two-out single. It wasn’t the best game for Milwaukee’s lefty, but he did his job, working 5 1/3 innings with one run allowed on six hits and a pair of walks, striking out six.

Grant Anderson took over from Gasser and, after allowing a single, retired the next four hitters in order to get Milwaukee to the eighth inning with an 8-1 lead.

Bryse Wilson then worked around a pair of singles to get out of a jam in the eighth, Lara just missed what would have been his second career homer (first in the non-position player pitching category), and Wilson set the Mets down in order in the ninth, and this one was over.

The Brewers snapped a two-game skid with their 82nd victory tonight, and May’s diagnosis seems like the best-case scenario given the scary scene in the first — we’ll keep you posted as we learn more.

Offensively, every starter with the exception of Contreras had at least one hit, with Frelick (three hits, two RBIs) and Turang (three-run homer, two walks) leading the way.

Gasser picked up a well-deserved win in relief, and Anderson and Wilson preserved the seven-run lead over the final 3 1/3 innings.

Milwaukee will go for the win in Thursday’s rubber match, as Jacob Misiorowski is slated to pitch opposite Sean Manaea for New York. For the third straight night, first pitch is set for 6:10 p.m.

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Yankees' offense erupts late in 9-3 win over Astros

Elmer Rodriguez had his best start as a big leaguer and the Yankees offense erupted late in their 9-3 win over the Astros on Wednesday night. 

The Yankees outhit Houston 13-4 and were 5-for-15 with RISP. 

The Rays won earlier in the evening, so the Yankees remain 3.5 games behind for the AL East while the Red Sox's loss puts them 2.5 games back for the top wild card spot. 

Here are the takeaways...

-Rodriguez made his return to the Yankees on Wednesday and his defense betrayed him in the first. Trent Grisham misplayed a ball from Jose Altuve that would have been the third out; instead, Isaac Paredes scored from first base on the double.

Rodriguez settled in until the fourth when Daulton Varsho launched a solo shot to tie the game at 2-2. Despite that, Rodriguez pitched into the seventh before being pulled after walking Altuve to lead off the inning.

Paul Blackburn came in and allowed a hit and a walk, with Altuve coming around to score, but limited the damage by striking out the final two batters with the bases loaded. 

Rodriguez tossed 88 pitches (57 strikes) across six-plus innings, allowing three runs on three hits and two walks while striking out six. 

-A day after the bullpen stumbled, Wednesday was back to normal for the Yankees relievers. The combination of Blackburn, the newly recalled Michael Fulmer, and Tim Hill got the final nine outs without allowing a run.

-The Yankees offense would get that run back, snapping their streak of scoreless first innings when Ben Rice smashed a solo shot off of Peter Lambert to knot things at 1-1. After a throwing error by Christian Walker put runners on second and third with one out, George Lombard Jr. had a productive out, pushing Luis Garcia Jr. across with a ground out to first base. 

Grisham pushed across the team's third run on a double play ball, but the offense finally broke out in the seventh. They scored four runs, with Cody Bellinger coming through with a two-run double to give New York the lead. Spencer Jones drove in a run with a single and Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s double rounded out the scoring.

Garcia put an exclamation point on the scoring with a two-run shot in the eighth. The first baseman went 3-for-5 with two RBI and three runs scored. 

Game MVP: Cody Bellinger

Bellinger's two-run double gave the Yankees the lead they wouldn't relinquish.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees and Astros complete their three-game series on Thursday evening. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

Gerrit Cole (7-6, 3.11 ERA) will take the mound against Hayden Wesneski (3-1, 4.23 ERA). 

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San Jose Sharks Earn Considerable Attention in NHL's National Broadcast Schedule

The NHL's national broadcasting schedule was released on Wednesday, and the San Jose Sharks were amongst the teams featured quite heavily. 

The Sharks will have a total of 11 nationally broadcasted games. Four will be exclusive to ESPN+, while they'll have three games on ESPN's flagship station and four games on TNT. Four of the games will be against Pacific Division rivals, namely the Vegas Golden Knights and Los Angeles Kings. The Sharks will also have a two games each against the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks available nationally as well. The remainder of the games will be against Eastern Conference opposition. 

ESPN+

October 8 @ St. Louis Blues

December 1 @ New Jersey Devils

March 9 @ Vegas Golden Knights

March 16 @ Chicago Blackhawks

ESPN

October 13 vs Boston Bruins

October 27 vs Buffalo Sabres

April 4 vs St. Louis Blues

TNT

November 4 @ Los Angeles Kings

December 9 @ Los Angeles Kings

December 16 @ Vegas Golden Knights

February 10 vs Chicago Blackhawks

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Lukes Plays Hero, Jays Win

Aug 26, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Nathan Lukes (38) gets doused with a sport drink after a win over the Kansas City Royals at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Royals 0 Blue Jays 3

I don’t like bullpen days, but teams are very successful on bullpen days. And the Jays have been especially successful on bullpen days.

I don’t like them because we go through so many pitchers. It messes up the pen for the next few days. Today we used seven pitchers. Seven:

  • Spencer Miles pitched the first two innings, giving up two hits with one strikeout. He had a bit of a tough start to it, I was worried he wouldn’t get out of the first for a bit there, but he was just terrific.
  • Brendon Little got the first two outs of the third inning, giving out two walks, one intentional (I was ok with it, considering it was Bobby Witt and a single and a strikeout.
  • Chad Dallas came in with 2 out and bases loaded and got Sal Perez to strikeout. He would pitch 2.1 more innings, without giving up a base runner, and getting 4 strikeouts. Amazing job.
  • Mason Fluharty came in with one out in the sixth. He got out of that inning, and got the first out of the seventh.
  • Paul Sewald came in with one out and got a fly out and a line out.
  • Tyler Rogers started the eighth. He got the first two outs, but gave up a single and a second singled that went right thru Vlad’s legs. 102 mph, so there wasn’t much time for reaction. I remember doing a physics problem in high school about Bobby Hull (yes I’m old) shooting at 100 mph, if the goalie had a reaction time of .5 of a second how far out would Hull have to be for the goalie to move before the puck went by him. It was slightly beyond the blue line. But athletes have better reaction times than that.
  • Louis Varland came in with the tying run at the plate and got Jac Caglianone to ground out. In the ninth, he got two outs, then gave up a double and a single, before striking out Isaac Collins to end the game. No stress.

On offense, well, all the offense was a fourth inning home run by Nathan Lukes, with George Springer (single) and Jesús Sánchez (single) on base. Nathan wanted out forgiveness for yesterday and he got it. 390 feet to right center.

We only had 6 hits and 1 walk, but it was enough. Sánchez had two hits. Kirk, Okamoto (with a walk), Clement and Giménez had 0 fors.

Jays of the Day: Lukes (0.21 WPA), Dallas (0.21) and Sánchez (0.12). Let’s give honourable mention to Varland.

Other Award: Okamoto (-0.10).

Lukes didn’t seem to want the water poured on him after the game.

Tomorrow we have game three with the Royals. It is another 7:00 Eastern game. Noah Cameron (8-8, 4.02) takes time away from building the Ark. Spencer Arrighetti (7-6, 4.73) starts for the Jays. I think we should call him Pirate Spaghetti.

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Arizona State hockey player, Blues draft pick still hospitalized after collapsing at workout

2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft - Rounds 2-7

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 29: Matthew Mayich celebrates after being selected 170th overall pick by the St. Louis Blues during the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena on June 29, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Getty Images

TEMPE, Ariz. — An Arizona State hockey player and St. Louis Blues draft pick remained hospitalized Wednesday after collapsing during an offseason workout.

Defenseman Matthew Mayich collapsed during an outdoor workout last Thursday with what paramedics called a “heat-related illness.”

Arizona State is investigating the incident.

“The entire Blues organization is keeping Matthew Mayich close to our hearts as we pray for his comfort and recovery while he continues to undergo medical treatment in Arizona,” Doug Armstrong, Blues president of hockey operations, said in a statement. “His agent has kept us informed about Matthew’s medical status over the last week and we extend our deepest support to his family, friends and teammates during this difficult time.”

The Blues drafted Mayich in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL draft but he never signed an entry-level contract. The Stoney Creek, Ontario, native played four seasons with the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League before playing at Clarkson University last season.

Mayich transferred to Arizona State for the upcoming season.

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36 Days to Opening Night: Kaapo Kahkonen

The number 36 has seen a lot of players come and go over the course of the San Jose Sharks' relatively short history. There have been eight different people to wear it during their time in the Bay Area, but today we'll take a look at one of the most recent: Kaapo Kahkonen.

Kahkonen's professional hockey journey began overseas, as he spent a few seasons in his native Finland's Liiga after being selected in the fourth round of the 2014 NHL Draft by the Minnesota Wild. He made the move to North America during the 2018-19 season and joined the Wild's American Hockey League affiliate, the Iowa Wild. The following season, he established himself as a reliable backup behind Cam Talbot, but when the Wild brought in another veteran netminder, Marc-Andre Fleury, toward the end of the 2021-22 season, they traded Kahkonen to San Jose.

Kahkonen had a strong start in the Bay Area, registering a .916 save percentage and 2.86 goals-against average despite a 2-6-1 record in his 11-game stint to close out the 2021-22 season. 

The following season, his numbers took a nosedive as he had a career-worst .883 save percentage and a 3.85 goals-against average. That trend continued the following season, which would become his last in San Jose. Ahead of the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline, the Sharks sent Kahkonen to the New Jersey Devils, where he finished the season. 

Since departing the Sharks organization, Kahkonen has spent time with the Devils, Colorado Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets, Florida Panthers, and Montreal Canadiens organizations, although most of it has been spent in the AHL. He's set to return to the Canadiens' affiliate, the Laval Rocket, this coming season.

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Warriors to discuss contract extension with Steph Curry this weekend

The Golden State Warriors won't leave any shadow of a doubt that they want their franchise leader Stephen Curry to finish his career in the Bay Area.

Curry officially becomes extension-eligible on Saturday, Aug. 29 and sign a deal that takes him into the twilight of his career. That's been the dialogue.

General manager Mike Dunleavy publicly expressed that Curry playing with the Warriors until he hangs up the jersey has always been the message in their conversations.

"That's always been sort of what we discussed, and I think that's you know tracking quite well," Dunleavy told reporters earlier this month. "Obviously, he's eligible for an extension coming up at the end of this month, and you know we'll talk through all that stuff and can't speak on it much right now."

Both sides are expected to "engage with a mutual desire to keep Curry with the Warriors for the entirety of his career," according to ESPN's Anthony Slater.

Curry, 38, is on a one-year veteran extension contract that he signed last August that pays him $62.5 million in the 2026-27 season, according to Spotrac.

The Warriors have rounded out their roster with their two remaining spots after signing veteran forward Georges Niang and fifth-year backup guard Brandon Williams to a Golden State nucleus that returned many of its players from the previous season.

With five weeks to go until training camp and a roster now completely filled, the next thing is securing Curry's legacy remains with the Warriors. A task, which has been reassured by the team, will indeed happen.

"I'm pretty confident Steph will finish his career here," Dunleavy said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Warriors to discuss contract extension with Steph Curry this weekend

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Blue Jays bullpen blanks Royals to end the winning streak

Aug 26, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) puts the home run jacket onto right fielder Nathan Lukes (38) after his three run home run against the Kansas City Royals during the fourth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kansas City had only a few opportunities to score and did not manage to cash in on any of them while the Blue Jays got one ball over the wall. It was enough to get a 3-0 victory and tie the series. The Royals 9-game win streak is at an end.

The Toronto bullpen took over tonight due to Shane Bieber’s move to the IL. They seemed to have the Royals’ number no matter which arm ran out there. The only real threat Kansas City could muster in the early part of the game was in the third when Tyler Tobert led off with a single followed by a Carter Jensen walk to get some runners set up for Bobby Witt. A double steal moved the runners to 2nd and 3rd, which allowed the Blue Jays an open base to intentionally walk Witt and load the bases. Was it a mistake to steal and take the bat out of Bobby’s hands? Possibly. Jac Caglianone and Salvador Perez both struck out to strand all three.

Toronto was not putting tons of pressure on Randy Dobnak either. He had one base runner per inning until the fourth when the Jays managed to land the first blow of the game. George Springer leadoff with a single up the middle, which was followed by a broken bat bloop from Jesus Sanchez. Dobnak got an out and looked like he might get out of the situation, but Nathan Lukes got ahold of one and drove a 3-run homer to right. It was the second and final time they had runners in scoring position for the night, so it was a solid night of Royals pitching. A little bad luck plus a misplaced changeup did them in.

Dobnak managed to stay in there for the quality start finishing with a line of 6IP, 6H, BB, 5K, 3ER. He continues to give the Royals solid outings and has been a fantastic pickup on the cheap.

In the 8th inning, Carter Jensen finally got KC a hit after 16 consecutive batters failed to reach base after the bases loaded situation in the 3rd. If you are mad at me for a relatively light word count on this writeup, that is why. Bobby kept the two-out rally going and moved Jensen to third with a hard shot that took a weird hop right past Vlad Gurrero Jr. That brought in Louis Varland for a four out save. He has been one of the best relievers in baseball this season racking up almost 70 innings already with a sparkling ERA and peripherals to match. He retired Cags on one pitch to end the threat and then would return to try and finish the job in the 9th.

Meanwhile, Mason Black had a clean 7th after taking over for Dobnak and stayed in there for the 8th, which was another perfect inning. It was the first time Black entered the game and did not give up a run since June 7th!

Varland took care of Sal and Vinnie to start the ninth and bring the game down to the last out. Nick Loftin had other ideas. He hit a ball to the right center gap to get the Royals another scoring opportunity. John Rave almost scored him by singling up the middle, but Andres Giminez cut it off before it could get into center setting up first and third and bringing the tying run to the plate in the form of Isaac Collins. That is where it ended with Collins striking out to bring an end to the game and the win streak.

The Royals and Blue Jays will decide the series in Canada tomorrow when Noah Cameron takes on Spencer Arrighetti.

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Red Sox drop series finale to Marlins before massive set in New York

MIAMI, FLORIDA - AUGUST 26: Sonny Gray #54 of the Boston Red Sox delivers during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on August 26, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Red Sox took care of business by securing the series win in Miami Tuesday night. As a result, Boston kept Adley Rutschman and Willson Contreras off their feet Wednesday night as the Marlins, still in the NL Wild Card race, salvaged the finale with a 4-0 final. While the four errors on the night are mildly concerning after a few straight games of them, that should get cleaned up. The focus shifts to big weekend plans in New York. 

Here’s three takeaways from Wednesday night’s loss. 

CEDDANNE ALMOST MADE THIS HAPPEN

While the defensive chaos of this play should not be celebrated, how on earth did Rafaela almost make this a remarkable play at the plate? 

Watch here. 

SONNY STILL SOLID
Sonny Gray took the mound in search of his 17th win of the season. He pitched well, he just didn’t have the (or any) necessary run support required to get there. 

Gray surrendered just two earned runs on seven hits while striking out five Marlins in five innings. That’s more than good enough to win, but ultimately (and no harm in doing so) the Red Sox punted to get revved up for the weekend in The Bronx. 

BE READY FOR THE BRONX

The Red Sox will trot out Patrick Sandoval, Jake Bennett and Ranger Suarez against the Yankees, who pushed Cam Schiltler back to throw against Boston. The Red Sox are still TBD for the nightcap of Saturday’s doubleheader. 

Starting Wednesday, the Red Sox trailed the Yankees by just 1 1/2 games for the top Wild Card spot. This weekend’s four-game set should go a long way in determining who could eventually host a potential first-round rematch entering October.

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Mike Breen reveals his 1986 Keith Hernandez faux pas during ‘kid in a candy store’ Mets booth moment

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows A New York Mets player in a white pinstriped uniform with
Mike Breen Keith Hernandez

Mike Breen might have been a little too starstruck when he was in the Mets locker room during the halcyon days of 1986.

Breen, the avid Mets fan and Knicks play-by-play announcer on MSG Network, joined the SNY booth in the middle innings of Wednesday’s game against the Brewers and told the tale of how Keith Hernandez made him nervous.

Breen explained on the broadcast that he was working with WNBC radio during the ’86 playoff run. And even though Hernandez was known as a great quote and a favorite of the media, Breen was still, as an early career journalist, intimidated.

Mike Breen (r) is interviewed by former Major League Baseball player Todd Zeile before the game between the Brewers and the Mets at Citi Field on Aug. 26, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I called you Mr. Hernandez, which I realize was a mistake at the time,” Breen told Hernandez and Gary Cohen, who shared a few laughs over the retelling.

“I tried to ask a question, and you wouldn’t answer the question, but the writers were glad because they didn’t want the radio reporters there,” Breen continued. “I couldn’t tell you how intimidated I was, first off, because I was standing in front of Keith Hernandez. … You were a great quote back then, writers loved you. But I was 25, probably looked 17, and I was scared.”

Breen also revealed during the Mets’ World Series Game 6 against the Red Sox, he was also in the Red Sox radio booth as most of the Shea Stadium press areas were swarmed with members of the media.

As Mookie Wilson’s grounder went through Bill Buckner’s legs in the bottom of the 10th inning, Breen said he “lost any professional conduct” and the Sox announcers were “not happy” as he jumped up and down.

Keith Hernandez (17) celebrates after the Mets’ win over the Red Sox in Game 7 of the World Series at Shea Stadium on Oct. 27, 1986. Sports Illustrated via Getty Ima

Breen, who called the Knicks’ 2026 NBA Finals run for ESPN, said that Wednesday, when he got to sit on the SNY pregame show before sitting in the TV booth for a few innings.

“I can’t believe I’m sitting here. I’m like a kid in a candy store,” Breen said. “You guys have no idea how fun this has been for me tonight. I got to meet Sean Manaea, who I’m such a big fan of. I got to meet Zac Thornton, who I’m so impressed with. This is a big deal — I was on the field!”

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Bo Bichette left Wednesday's Mets-Brewers game in fifth inning with left foot contusion

Mets third baseman Bo Bichette exited Wednesday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers in the top of the fifth inning with a left foot contusion, the team announced.

Bichette, New York's No. 3 hitter, was 0-for-1 with a walk at the plate before getting replaced by Christopher Morel in the lineup. Morel entered the game playing left field while Brett Baty moved from LF to 3B.

After the game, interim manager Andy Green spoke about Bichette's health:

"I think [he’s] fine. He’s got a contusion on his ankle from the foul ball. X-rays were negative," he said. "We’ll see where he’s at when he wakes up in the morning, you never really know how it is until the next day but we’re hoping he’s fine."

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Spurs Villain Tournament, Round 1: Spurs Killers

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - JUNE 02: Serge Ibaka #9 of the Oklahoma City Thunder reacts in the third quarter while taking on the San Antonio Spurs in Game Four of the Western Conference Finals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena on June 2, 2012 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Brett Deering/Getty Images) | Getty Images

We are deep into the doldrums of the NBA off season with over a month to go until training camp. To fill in the gap, we have enjoyed doing bracket-style tournaments over the years, and this year, we will be determining who the biggest Spurs villain of all time is. With the help of you and our staff, we have created four categories of eight for a total of 32 participants. Readers will vote for the biggest villain in a poll, and the winner of each match-up will advance to the next round, with the eventual winner crowned as the Biggest Spurs Villain of all time. Here are the four categories:

  • Spurs Killers — players who have ruined playoff series and/or made devastating shots or plays that will haunt our minds for all eternity. (Note: this is not necessarily superstars who gave everyone trouble all the time, but a few are included for specific events.)
  • Former Spurs — players who once played for the Spurs but became villains either because of betrayal, trash talk, they hate on the Spurs, etc.
  • Dirty Players — players who committed dirty plays against the Spurs, injured (or attempted to injure) a Spur or altered a playoff match-up, and we will never forgive them.
  • Spurs Haters — a more open category that can include players as well as coaches, owners, etc. from outside the organization who openly and publicly trashed the Spurs for various reasons.

Today, we are starting with Round 1 of Spurs Killers. Without further ado, let’s get voting!

1. Derek Fisher vs. 8. Chris Paul

These two need no introduction. First we have Derek Fisher, who across multiple teams and playoff series gave the Spurs plenty of trouble. Most infamously was the still-controversial 0.4 shot in ‘04, which came right after a huge shot by Tim Duncan to take the lead with 0.4 second left, and won the crucial Game 5 of the Western Conference Semi-finals for the Lakers and eventually the series, ending the Spurs’ chance of a repeat and giving them a series loss to the Lakers in three out of the last four years. To this day, questions linger if the clock started on time, and there was even a 0.4 rule created that stated it is physically impossible to get a jump shot off in less than 0.4 sec, and anything less means a player can only tip the ball.

But that isn’t all Fisher has done. There was also the Spurs’ 2008 loss to the Lakers in the Conference Finals, which again ended their chance at the elusive repeat. A big argument can be made that he fouled Brent Barry on the game-winning attempt of Game 4, which sent the series back to LA with the Spurs down 3-1. And of course, he was a pest in their 2012 Conference Finals loss to the Thunder, although the biggest pest of that series is also on this list.

Then there’s Chris Paul, who was always a thorn in the Spurs’ side and constantly battled with Tony Parker for the title of top PG in the West, if not the league. His lower seed is aided by the fact that the Spurs usually still had his number (despite a grueling seven-game series victory over the Hornets in 2008) and being a Spur himself just a season ago, but he still had his moment in Game 7 of the first round of 2015, hitting a prayer over Duncan to win the series and again spoil the Spurs’ chance at a repeat. (I see a theme developing here…)

4. Serge Ibaka vs. 5. Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby

These two could probably be seeded either way, but that’s what voting is for. (Personally, I’m still a bit more bothered by 2012 than 2026; perhaps it’s a case of “running out of time” vs. “we’re just getting started”.) In the fourth seed, we have the aforementioned Spurs killer of 2012. They had been on a historic 20-game winning streak, including the last 10 games of the regular season and first 10 of the playoffs before hitting a brick wall against the Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals.

A big part of that was the play of prime Serge Ibaka, whose athleticism proved to be their kryptonite. (The Thunder even chose him over James Harden in free agency after this series, in case anyone forgot.) The Spurs just couldn’t do anything right the rest of the series, flaming out in spectacular fashion. They would later run into the same Thunder team in the 2014 WCF and face a similar scenario of going 2-2 in the first four games. This time they pulled it out in Games 5 and 6, but Ibaka missed the first two games and was then limited by a calf strain.

As for the fifth seed, I struggled whether to go with one player or the 2026 Knicks in general (they were just a bad matchup), but it was these two in particular who sank the Spurs (beyond their own mistakes). Brunson didn’t have a great shooting series overall but always came up clutch in their fourth-quarter comebacks, and Anunoby handed the Spurs the devastating blow in Game 4 by tipping in Brunson’s missed three just before the buzzer, capping off a 33-point night and handing the Spurs the biggest blown lead in Finals history of 29 points.

2. Ray Allen vs. 7. Dirk Nowitzki

Again, no introduction needed. “The Shot” by Ray Allen in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals remains one of the most iconic plays in Finals history and the one that haunts my mind the most. The Spurs had that championship all but clinched, Heat fans were leaving the arena, and staff was setting up for the trophy ceremony before a couple of Spurs blunders (players and coaching) combined with this devastating shot off an offensive rebound sent the game to overtime and the Spurs too stunned to recover. At least it led to The Redemption of 2014.

As for Nowitzki, he wasn’t a Spurs killer all the time since they had Tim Duncan to counter him, but there certainly were some epic playoff match-ups between the rival Spurs and Mavs. 2003 could have gone differently if Dirk was healthy, and both teams traded blows in 2009 and 2010, with the lower seed upsetting the upper in each case. The Mavs also gave the Spurs a good wakeup call in 2014, but his real killer moment came in 2006. Maybe it was more the Spurs’ fault (hence the lower seed), but in Game 7 of the second round, with the Spurs up by three late, Manu Ginobili made the mistake of fouling Nowitzki on a two-point attempt. He converted the three-point play, and the Mavs went on to win the series in overtime, AGAIN costing the Spurs a chance to repeat.

3. Hakeem Olajuwon vs. 6. Zach Randolph

We’re looking back a little further to 1995 for the first one, when the 6th-seeded (but defending champion) Houston Rockets, led by Hakeem Olajuwon, spoiled the Spurs’ only real shot at a title pre-Tim Duncan. Feeling snubbed by David Robinson winning MVP, The Dream dominated and out-performed The Admiral in a WCF upset, averaging 35.3 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game compared to Robinson’s 23.8 points and 11.3 rebounds. Even though he won two championships with Duncan a few years later, it remains a stain on David’s legacy that he never won one on his own.

Finally, we have the Spurs’ biggest playoff upset of all time, when they lost as the top seed to the 8th-seeded Memphis Grizzlies in Round 1 in 2011. It’s another case of we could just say “2011 Grizzlies”, but Randolph was the real killer, with his physical play in the low post exposing a size mismatch that the already-injured Spurs struggled to contain. (Reminder: Manu was their best player that year but was playing through a broken elbow.) On the upside, it forced a few changes: Duncan realized he needed to transform his body to keep up, and the Spurs realized they needed more size and defense, leading Gregg Popovich to move away from DeJuan Blair to Tiago Splitter (albeit too late for this series) and the draft-night trade for Kawhi Leonard.

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Don Nelson, late NBA coach, to be honored by Warriors during 2026-27 season

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Basketball coach Bobby Knight in a plaid jacket, shirt, and tie, with hands on his hips, Image 2 shows Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors being defended by New York Knicks players Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes at Madison Square Garden
The Golden State Warriors are set to honor the late Don Nelson with a ribbon across the chest.

The Warriors are set to honor late NBA coach Don Nelson this season by wearing a band across the shoulder of their uniforms that reads “NELLIE.”

Golden State announced the new patch Wednesday for Nelson, who died Aug. 9.

Nelson had two coaching stints with the Warriors (1988-1995 and 2006-2010) and had 422 regular-season victories with the franchise.

During his Golden State tenure, the Warriors reached the playoffs six times and made it to the Western Conference finals three times.

Prior to coaching Golden State, Nelson had a successful tenure with the Bucks, leading Milwaukee to a 540-344 record from November 1976 to May 1987.

In 2010, Nelson became the NBA’s all-time winningest coach and eventually fell to second on that list in 2022, when Gregg Popovich surpassed him. Nelson had 1,335 regular-season victories, and Popovich had 1,390.

Former Golden State Warriors head coach Don Nelson to be honored by the team in 2026 NBA season. Getty Images

Although Nelson never won an NBA Finals, one of his most iconic moments as a coach came in 2007 when he sparked his Golden State team with “We believe.” The Warriors eliminated a 67-win Mavericks team from the playoffs and became the first eighth-seeded team to eliminate a top-seeded team in a seven-game playoff series.

The game differential of the Warriors over the Mavericks went on to become the largest by a team to do so in a playoff series.

Nelson’s final major contribution to the Warriors came in 2009, when he laid the foundation for the franchise’s dynasty.

Golden State Warriors, Steph Curry during an NBA game against the New York Knicks. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

At the time, it was viewed as a “long shot,” but the Warriors selected Steph Curry with the seventh overall pick of the 2009 NBA Draft based on Nelson’s recommendation. The franchise went on to win four NBA titles in 2015, 2018, 2018 and 2022 behind the game’s greatest shooter.