Quiet architect of Saracens’ modern dynasty prepares for emotional farewell as his side battle for a playoff spot in penultimate match of the season
The quietest man in the stadium will be the most brilliantly lit when the spotlight falls on him come the end of the match. Mark McCall will hope that his last home fixture in charge of Saracens will have ended with his team back in the top four, just when it matters most, with one round to play.
A win against Harlequins on Saturday in front of a sellout crowd would move Saracens above Exeter into fourth, with the Chiefs due to visit Leicester on Sunday. Saracens are 20-point favourites to beat Quins; Leicester 11-point favourites to beat Exeter. Unless both underdogs rear up to bite their hosts (an outcome the bookies rate as a one-in-50 chance), we are due a straight shootout for that fourth playoff spot on the final weekend of the regular season at Sandy Park, where Exeter will host Saracens.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - MAY 28: Nicky Lopez #33 of the Texas Rangers reacts after striking out against the Houston Astros during the seventh inning at Globe Life Field on May 28, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Astros 5, Rangers 1
Guys, I’m getting worried about the Rangers’ chances of winning the Silver Boot this year.
Also, it appears that the addition of Nicky Lopez to the lineup hasn’t catalyzed the offense.
The last seven days have been demoralizing, as a Rangers fan. An opportunity to make a push and take control of the American League West has turned instead into a downward spiral.
This game, for example?
Very unpleasant.
Nathan Eovaldi giving up three runs in the first inning, part of the team’s ongoing inability to keep teams off the board in the first inning.
Rangers’ opponents have now scored 45 runs in the first inning this season. 31 runs have been allowed in the fifth inning. They haven’t allowed more than 23 runs in any other inning.
The entire rotation has been stricken with Dane Dunning disease.
Maybe Texas just needs to start using an opener in every game.
It wouldn’t solve the problem with the offense, however.
The Rangers recorded a whopping four hits in the game. Two by Josh Jung and two by Ezequiel Duran.
Incidentally, as part of the “the Shed has been de-nerfed” monitoring, Jung’s homer went 424 feet, as did Jeremy Pena’s. Those both are among the 10 balls in play that have traveled the farthest at the Shed this season. Eight of the top 10 on the list have come in the past three games.
The evidence continues to mount.
As do the losses.
Nathan Eovaldi hit 95.7 mph with his fastball, averaging 94.1 mph. Cal Quantrill’s sinker topped out at 94.4 mph.
Jake Burger had a 106.1 mph ground out. Josh Jung’s homer was 103.6 mph off the bat. Ezequiel Duran had a 103.6 mph single.
The Royals now come to town. Maybe the Rangers can avoid being swept by Kansas City.
May 28, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Astros right fielder Cam Smith (11) reacts at second base after hitting an RBI double during the third inning against the Texas Rangers during the third inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
Good morning, LSB.
The Rangers lost to the Astros last night, 5-1.
Shawn McFarland’s game story discusses the hole that Texas’ starting pitching has been digging in the early going of games.
Kennedi Landry evaluates what’s gone wrong with the Rangers’ season one-third of the way into it.
Skip Schumaker missed the game while attending his son’s high school graduation.
One of the NHL’s best bargain contracts this past season belonged to the Detroit Red Wings and veteran forward Patrick Kane.
After signing a one-year contract worth $3 million to remain in Detroit, the future Hall of Famer once again proved he can still produce at a high level despite nearing the end of his career. Although injuries limited Kane to 67 games, the 37-year-old still recorded 57 points, production that would typically cost teams significantly more on the open market.
Now, with Kane once again set to become an unrestricted free agent, the Red Wings face an important offseason decision regarding one of their most recognizable veterans.
Detroit appears poised to undergo a roster transition this summer as the organization looks to create opportunities for younger players to secure full-time NHL roles. Several pending unrestricted free agents are not expected to return next season, including David Perron, James van Riemsdyk, Travis Hamonic, and Cam Talbot with Kane expected to be the lone exception.
The veteran winger made it clear in his end-of-season media availability, that he would like to get Detroit over the hump and into the playoffs while expressing interest in returning to the Red Wings and continuing to build on the organization’s system. Still, there are legitimate questions surrounding what his role should look like moving forward.
Some Red Wings fans and analysts believe Detroit needs to find better, more dynamic solutions for its top-six forward group. Former Red Wings forward Darren McCarty recently discussed Kane’s future during a podcast appearance, suggesting the veteran could be more effective in a middle-six role while continuing to serve as a power-play specialist.
That raises another important question for Detroit’s front office of how much should the team commit financially to an aging player whose role may gradually decrease?
Even if Kane slides lower in the lineup next season, his offensive instincts and experience still provide significant value. Injuries are inevitable over the course of an NHL season, and having a player capable of moving up the lineup and contributing offensively remains an important luxury for playoff hopeful teams.
But at the same time, durability has become a growing concern with Kane having missed 96 games over the past six seasons and will turn 38 years old next November. While his production remains impressive, the physical demands of the NHL continue to become more challenging with age.
For that reason, the most logical path forward may involve a contract structure similar to the one recently signed by longtime former Chicago Blackhawks teammate Jonathan Toews with the Winnipeg Jets.
That deal carries a $2 million cap hit while incorporating performance bonuses tied to games played and offensive production. A similar arrangement could provide Detroit with valuable cap flexibility while also rewarding Kane if he continues producing at a high level.
The Red Wings would retain an experienced veteran capable of helping mentor younger players while still contributing offensively, and Kane would remain with an organization he appears comfortable with as he chases another playoff appearance late in his career.
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The hope is that he will be ready for Game 1 on Wednesday, though there is still no concrete timeline.
Mitchell Robinson (23) dunks during the first half of Game 4 in the Eastern Conference finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland on May 25, 2026. AP Photo/Tim Phillis
And still, it is uncertain how effective Robinson can be if he does play.
Beyond Robinson, the Knicks lack depth at center behind Karl-Anthony Towns.
Ariel Hukporti would be the likely next option, but he played sparingly in the regular season and so far in the playoffs.
When Robinson missed Game 2 of the second round against the 76ers due to an illness, Hukporti played seven minutes and recorded two points and three rebounds while also picking up four fouls.
The potential play Mitchell Robinson broke his right pinky.
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) May 29, 2026
Jeremy Sochan is theoretically another option, though he has been relegated to strictly garbage time minutes since the end of the regular season.
The Knicks could utilize small-ball lineups with OG Anunoby at the five, though that will be difficult against either the Thunder or Spurs, both of whom feature star bigs.
New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson was grabbing at his right hand after going for. rebound during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Cavaliers on Monday, May 25, 2026. X
He was excellent when guarding Victor Wembanyama in the Knicks’ NBA Cup final triumph over the Spurs last December. Robinson spent more time matched up with Wembanyama than any other Knicks defender, per the league’s official tracking stats.
Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31), guard Keon Ellis (14), and New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) reach for a rebound during the first half of Game 4 in the Eastern Conference finals playoffs series in Cleveland on May 25, 2026. AP Photo/Tim Phillis
Wembanyama went 3-for-7 from the field and 0-for-2 from 3-point range when Robinson was his primary defender in that game.
It’s been a bit of a roller-coaster postseason for Robinson.
His brutal free throw shooting – he is 13-for-43 (30.2 percent) from the line in the playoffs – has allowed opponents to utilize Hack-a-Mitch and force the Knicks to take him off the court.
He is only averaging 14.2 minutes per game in the postseason, down from 19.6 minutes per game in the regular season.
Regardless, the Knicks don’t have any replacement for his rebounding prowess and his versatile defense.
Max Meyer gets the ball for the visitors, and he's collected a 2.52 ERA this season. The right-hander has a 9-2 NRFI/YRFI record as well, and he's held the Mets to a .094 average across 32 at-bats.
They failed to score off him in the first last Sunday.
Freddy Peralta counters for New York, and he hasn't allowed a run in the first inning in 10 straight appearances, and he's up against a Marlins lineup that doesn't often score in the first.
They're also batting just .239 in the opening frame, and he held them scoreless in the first last week.
I'd play this up to -160.
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Marlins.TV, WPIX-11
Cubs at Cardinals: NRFI (-120)
Shota Imanaga takes the hill for the Chicago Cubs tonight, and while he's struggled at times this season, the left-hander rarely gets in trouble in the first.
He owns a 8-3 NRFI/YRFI record, and he hasn't given up a run in the first in five straight. The St. Louis Cardinals haven't scored in the opening frame in nine games and counting.
The hosts will hand Kyle Leahy the ball, and he's also been lights out in the first, with a 9-1 NRFI/YRFI record.
The Cubbies are hitting only .222 in the first inning, and they've scored just 10 times in the opening frame in 2026.
This is a play I'd take up to -150.
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MARQ, Cardinals.TV
Royals at Rangers: NRFI (-130)
The Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers are both struggling to score runs right now, and the pitching matchup here will make it difficult to get things going early on.
Stephen Kolek has a 2.77 ERA, and he hasn't allowed a run in the first once this year across four starts.
MacKenzie Gore has an ERA over 4.00, but he's usually came out unscathed in the opening frame, posting a 8-3 NRFI/YRFI record in '26.
The Royals' offense hasn't came across the dish in the first in four straight, while Texas has been held scoreless in the first in four of their previous six games.
I'll confidently ride this pick up to -140.
Time: 8:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Royals.TV, KDAF-CW33
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
NRFI/YRFI picks: 14-24, -0.35 units
What is a NRFI prediction?
NRFI (No Run First Inning) and YRFI (Yes Run First Inning) predictions add a thrilling twist to the start of an MLB game. A NRFI pick is a prediction that no runs will be scored in the first inning. You're predicting that the starting pitchers for both teams will get through the first inning without allowing any runs, whether by striking out batters, inducing ground balls, or through solid defensive play.
A YRFI pick is the exact opposite. You're predicting that at least one run will be scored in the first inning. In this case, you’re hoping for an early offensive burst such as a leadoff walk, a timely hit, or even a home run.
NRFI and YRFI picks add excitement to the early part of a game and offer immediate gratification for those looking for a quick resolution.
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.
The New York Islanders announced on X that they have hired Jay McKee as head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Hammers ahead of their inaugural season.
#Isles announced today that Jay McKee has been named Head Coach of the Hamilton Hammers, the Islanders new American Hockey League affiliate.
McKee, 48, was a former 14th overall pick by the Buffalo Sabres in 1995. The left-shot defenseman went on to record 125 points (21 goals, 104 assists) in 802 career regular season games over the course of a 14-year NHL career.
The first 10 seasons of his career were played in Buffalo before a three-year stint with the St. Louis Blues (2006-09), concluding his NHL career with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009-10.
After just a year remove from the NHL, McKee began his coaching career, first serving as a volunteer assistant coach at Niagra University in 2010-11.
Despie being on the younger side for head caoches, McKee's got the experience, which includes two seasons as the head coach of the Hamilton Bullodogs (2021-2023), when they were still an OHL team:
The Hockey News learned that McKee was also a finalist for the Bellville Senators, the Ottawa Senators' AHL affiliate's head coaching gig.
The Islanders, who leave Bridgeport after 25 years, elevated Rocky Thompson to Pete DeBoer's staff, which created the Hamilton head coaching vacancy.
The expectaion, at this time, is that Thompson's two assistants, David Cunniff and Chad Kolarik, will serve on McKee's staff.
The start of the MLB season hasn't been kind to the San Francisco Giants and their first baseman, Rafael Devers.
The Giants have a 22-34 record through one-third of the season. Devers, their 2025 splash acquisition from the Boston Red Sox, has had a rather forgetful start to the 2026 season. He's on pace for one of his worst seasons in MLB, since his professional debut in 2017.
Devers is batting .242 with just seven homers in 215 at-bats through 56 games. This season he has struck out 69 times, which is ranked within the top 15 in baseball. His grand slam Sunday in the Giants' 8-5 win against the Chicago White Sox brought a sigh of relief after a sluggish start.
He followed it with a 1-for-3 performance, adding two RBIs in the first game of a three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks, a 6-2 loss on Monday, May 25. He remained in rhythm the following games batting 1-for-4 and adding an RBI despite the Giants losing, 7-5.
He cooled off in the final game of the series against Arizona. Devers was 0-of-4 as San Francisco was swept in the series after a 3-2 loss on May 27.
One of the more pressing issues for the Giants is what's going on with Devers and what to do with him at this point in his tenure. As talented as Devers is, the Giants' record indicates that something has got to change, and you start with Devers. The Giants need to determine whether they will continue to believe in Devers and allow him to shake the funk, or if they will bench him, or let him go altogether.
What should San Francisco Giants do about Rafael Devers' slump?
The Giants and Devers have got to figure this thing out if there's any hope of salvaging an otherwise lost season. It's not the end of the world, yet. San Francisco is 22-34, not the best record by far, almost the worst ... but not quite. All in all, improvement on all fronts needs to be made. The Giants are in a position where they can turn it around now or watch their 2026 season continue to crumble.
There needs to be answers for what to do with Devers. Here are a few options, whether popular opinion, or not.
Continue to play Devers
Everybody goes through a slump, right? Devers is no different. He's going to go through a lull, break out with a couple slugs out of the park and get back into form. Before we know it, this will be something we look back on and say "boy did we overreact."
That's best-case scenario. Sometimes that's how baseball goes — you need more and more games to shake out of a slump. Keeping confidence in Devers will allow him to remain confident in himself, which in turn will eventually translate to the diamond.
Bench Devers
Sit 'em down. Not for good, but with a 22-34 record, why not shake things up for a week to see how things go? USA TODAY baseball columnist Bob Nightengale posed a question that Giants faithful have wondered themselves: Why are the Giants not utilizing top prospect Bryce Eldridge?
Nightengale said it best when he wrote: "It’s like having a Porsche 911 Carrera and being instructed not to exceed 50 miles per hour. It’s getting a custom Armani suit but told it can only be worn at family barbeques. It’s like winning an all-inclusive Tahiti beach vacation for two, but your plus-one is your grandmother."
Eldridge is a 6-foot-7, 251-pound, first-round pick that’s one of the prized young hitters in baseball. Not to mention he's just the tender age of 21. Maybe a first-year skipper like Tony Vitello doesn't want to bring in the young gun in place of Devers, the 10-year MLB veteran. Both also play first base.
If Devers continues to have offensive woes, San Francisco has to look elsewhere and Eldridge could be the answer. At least playing youth will give fans some optimism after an abysmal start to the season.
Trade Devers
This might be the last straw. If the first two options are exercised and there's promise with Eldridge, then the next considerable move would be to see what the demand for Devers is and place him on the trade market. Devers is one of the high-priced players the team would "love to unload," according to previous USA TODAY reports. Devers is the highest-paid player on the team and still has $226.5 million remaining on his contract that runs through 2033.
San Francisco could look for an exit route, especially given his play since he first joined the Giants in a 2025 trade with the Red Sox.
Referring back to the previous options, if Devers is benched and someone such as Eldridge shows potential, or the Giants start clicking, then the move might be to find a new home for Devers. Bleacher Report's Zachary Rymer detailed a list of teams that could be potential suitors for Devers that included the Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners and Atlanta Braves.
With the NHL's summer free agent pool shaping up to be one of the thinnest in recent memory, contending teams searching for meaningful offensive upgrades are pivoting their attention toward the trade and restricted free agent markets and one name is beginning to generate serious buzz league-wide.
Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev is emerging as one of the most coveted restricted free agents available this offseason, and the Winnipeg Jets are among the clubs paying closest attention.
Dorofeyev's ascent has been nothing short of remarkable as the 25-year-old compiled a career-high 35 goals in his first full NHL season in 2024–25, establishing himself as one of the league's most dangerous finishers.
Over the past two seasons, he has 72 goals and placing him tied for the 15th-most goals in the NHL alongside some of the league’s top offensive talents, including Boston Bruins forwards David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie. Dorofeyev has been a particular menace on the power play, earning 20 of his 37 goals and 10 of his 27 assists with the man advantage this year.
His postseason performance has only accelerated the intrigue with ten goals and four assists for 14 points through 16 playoff games. Dorofeyev's current contract carries a cap hit of just $1,835,000 and will expired at the end of the season, leaving him as a restricted free agent. His breakout production will command a significant raise and could create an opening for Winnipeg.
The Jets spent last offseason overhauling their forward group following the departure of Nikolaj Ehlers and remained competitive, but offensive consistency proved elusive at times. General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff and his staff have identified adding a proven scoring winger as a top priority for a team still anchored by veterans Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, and Josh Morrissey.
Dorofeyev can work as a legitimate 35-goal threat capable of contributing at even strength and on the power play and would give Winnipeg exactly that kind of impact player.
The financial mechanics of a potential offer sheet are straightforward, if not without cost. A contract in the $4,680,077 to $7,020,113 range would require a first and third-round pick as compensation. A more aggressive offer, in the $7,020,114 to $9,360,153 bracket, would demand a first, second, and third-round selection.
Winnipeg currently holds its own first and third-round picks in each of the next two drafts, giving it the assets needed for a lower-tier offer. The second-round pick situation, however, is worth monitoring as they sent the pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins as part of last year's Luke Schenn deal. That said, NHL teams have reacquired draft picks specifically to position themselves for offer sheet opportunities before, and the Jets could explore a similar avenue if they view Dorofeyev as a legitimate option.
If Cheveldayoff believes Dorofeyev is the offensive catalyst to push the Jets back into legitimate Stanley Cup contention, the price of admission in both dollars and draft capital may well be worth it.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - APRIL 04: Brayden Burries #5 of the Arizona Wildcats dribbles up the court against the Michigan Wolverines in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 04, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Talent or fit? It’s the age-old question, at least as far as the NBA Draft is concerned. And with Brayden Burries, a 6’4”, 215 lb combo guard out of Arizona, it raises itself again. Burries is talented, no doubt, but is he talented enough in a draft as deep as this for the Bucks to take him over players who better fit positional needs?
Burries quickly became Arizona’s go-to offensive option as a freshman this season, putting up 16.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.4 APG, and 1.5 SPG with impressive .491/.391/.805 shooting splits and just 1.5 TOPG, leading the Wildcats all the way to the Final Four. While he did struggle shooting in their loss to the Michigan Wolverines (4/16), the rest of his tournament run was impressive overall:
18 points and five boards against Long Island.
16 and nine against Utah State.
23 and five against Arkansas.
14 and six against Purdue.
Oh, and he did all that shooting a combined 22/38 (58%) from the field.
As an NBA player, Burries will make an excellent backcourt running mate next to just about anyone. He’s a physical defender with enough size and strength to guard both backcourt positions, is disruptive on the ball and in the passing lanes, and demonstrates genuine commitment to the defensive end, drawing comparisons to All-World defenders Jrue Holiday and Derrick White. While he still has a ways to go to reach those lofty heights, the potential is there.
Offensively, Burries’ versatility similarly holds him in good stead, as he possesses the tools to play both on and off the ball. Off-ball, Burries has value as a floor-spacer for others, using his shooting range to open up driving lanes. This same gravity also helps him attack close-outs to get inside the arc, where he’s adept at finishing in the midrange or with either hand at the rim. On ball, Burries is also a capable shot creator, able to get downhill through a quick first step and decisive dribble moves, and uses a variety of gathers—his low “sweep” gather stands out—to create space to finish at or around the rim.
Overall, while Burries has positional and skillset versatility, he’s not a “true” lead guard and lacks the explosive athleticism (aka flashy play) of some of the other top-end talent. His ceiling isn’t projected as high as some of his peers either, likely due to his lack of a singularly elite skill—though if these playoffs are a reminder of anything, it’s that there’s always a spot for players who are multidimensional, able to help a team win in a number of ways.
Burries touched on this himself in an NBA Draft Combine interview, stating that what separates him from the other guards in this class is his “competitiveness… [his] will to win, [his ability] to just guard one through four, [and his] impact on winning outside of scoring.” He also sees himself as “somebody that you want to play with” and cited Jamal Murray and Devin Booker as current NBA players he studies, seeing them as “big guards that can get to their spots… who can guard, impact winning… and can play on the ball, off the ball.”
All things considered, Burries would make a fitting partner next to Ryan Rollins in the Bucks’ backcourt, sharing ball-handling responsibilities while providing valuable shooting and defence. Their skillsets, though similar, would be complementary rather than duplicative—you can never have enough guards who can do multiple things. And should the Bucks bring back Kevin Porter Jr. too—which they must; Milwaukee can’t afford to let talent walk—they would make quite a talented backcourt triumvirate. So, in Burries’ case, it’s not a matter of talent or fit. It’s both.
What do you make of Burries as a potential fit in Milwaukee? Does he form the backcourt of the future alongside Rollins, or is the thought of yet another ~6’4” guard enough to put you off? Add your thoughts in the comments and vote for who you’d take next in our draft.
The Cubs broke their long losing streak with a 10-4 win over the Pirates Wednesday, though that game was close until the late innings after the Cubs had taken an early lead.
They followed the same script Thursday, though it took them a while to break through against Paul Skenes. Even so, a 3-0 lead became 3-2 and it felt a bit too close for a while until Ian Happ’s eighth-inning homer keyed a three-run inning, leading to a 7-2 Cubs win over the Pirates. Hey, a baby winning streak, two in a row!
Paul Skenes had no trouble to start things off, retiring 10 of the first 11 Cubs, seven of those by strikeout. The first Cub to reach base until the fourth was Dansby Swanson, who walked in the third.
Pete Crow-Armstrong then singled and tried to stretch that into two bases when Swanson drew a throw to third.
I understand wanting to be aggressive on the bases and the play was, indeed, close. But against a pitcher like Skenes who’s dealing? Why not just have runners on first and third with two out?
Colin Rea was matching zeroes with Skenes, though he did give up a double in the first and walked and hit a batter in the third.
Then Michael Busch walked with one out in the fourth and one out later, Ian Happ singled.
This was the third time in their eight games facing Skenes that the Cubs scored first. They won both of the previous two, also at Pittsburgh, 14-10 on Aug. 28, 2024, and 4-1 on Sept. 16 of last year. Skenes got the loss in the first game and no decision in the second.
1-0 Cubs was how the game stayed until the top of the sixth. Busch walked for the second time and Alex Bregman reached on a throwing error.
Bregman took third on the play and that was it for Skenes, who threw 103 pitches in 5.1 innings. That’s always a good game plan against Skenes — try to run up his pitch count and get him out of the game as early as possible. He did strike out 10 Cubs. Mason Montgomery relieved Skenes and got Suzuki to hit a ground ball, but Suzuki beat a possible double-play relay and Bregman crossed the plate with the third Cubs run [VIDEO].
The Pirates, though, made it close in the bottom of the sixth. Bryan Reynolds, always tough on Cubs pitching, homered, his 14th all-time against the Cubs. Two more hits, including an RBI double from rookie Tyler Callihan off reliever Hoby Milner, made it 3-2. The second run was charged to Rea, who overall I thought threw pretty well. Here’s a summary of Rea’s outing [VIDEO].
Caleb Thielbar threw a scoreless seventh, striking out two, and then the Cubs blew the game open in the top of the eighth — all with two out and nobody on base. Bregman singled and Happ followed with his 12th home run of the year [VIDEO].
The Cubs were not done in that inning. Suzuki singled and pinch-hitter Michael Conforto walked. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch, and as ball four was thrown to Miguel Amaya, the pitch got by Pirates catcher Henry Davis and Suzuki scored to make it 6-2 [VIDEO].
Trent Thornton threw a 1-2-3 eighth, all on ground outs, and the Cubs then extended their lead in the top of the ninth. PCA walked and Nico Hoerner singled. PCA drew a throw again when he tried for third, and this time he was safe, with Nico taking second.
Bregman hit a grounder to second and the Pirates threw home to try to get PCA. He was called out, but the call was overturned on review to make it 7-2. You can see PCA’s right hand touch the plate just before he was tagged
Nice work by Thornton, who got six outs on only 22 pitches. He’s become a real asset in the bullpen.
More on this win from John:
With their win Thursday night, the Cubs are 164-156 since 2000 in games immediately after ones in which they had scored at least 10 runs. They are 4-2 this season.
The Cubs averaged 12.02 runs in the double-digit games, then 4.83 in the next games, including 6.66 in the wins.
Happ appears to be starting one of his hot streaks. He went 5-for-11 in the last two games in Pittsburgh with two home runs and seven RBI. Also, this fun fact about Happ:
Ian Happ's 41-game on-base streak at PNC Park is the longest active on-base streak for ANY player at ANY park 😤 pic.twitter.com/92SrPlcW97
The win put the Cubs in second place in the NL Central, half a game ahead of the Cardinals (despite having one more loss) and four games behind the Brewers. And they’ll have a chance to put more distance between themselves and the Cardinals beginning tonight, as they open their first 2026 series against their division rivals in St. Louis. Shōta Imanaga will start for the Cubs and Andre Pallante goes for the Cardinals. Game time is 6:15 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
May 23, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jhoan Duran (59) reacts after a strike out to end the game for a win against the Cleveland Guardians at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Jhoan Duran has been every bit the elite closer he was advertised as since arriving in Philadelphia last year. In 40 appearances since joining the Phillies at the trade deadline last season, Duran is 27 for 30 in save opportunities with a 1.93 ERA and 0.96 WHIP. He’s off to a great start so far in 2026, as Duran is a perfect 11 for 11 in save opportunities and sports a 1.62 ERA through 17 appearances. He’s been especially dominant since returning from the injured list on May 5th, as he has allowed two runs across 10 appearances on 7 hits with 18 strikeouts to 5 walks.
Naturally, whenever a trade acquisition has been this good with a new team, the idea of a contract extension will inevitably be brought up. Duran is currently under team control via arbitration through the 2027 season and will be eligible for free agency at age 30. He is making $7.5M this season, a nice increase from the $4M he made in 2025. An extension is at least partially on Duran’s mind, as he declined an invitation to pitch in the World Baseball Classic due to his lack of long-term security.
So what would a Duran extension look like? A few recent reliever deals may help paint a picture. Edwin Diaz signed a five year, $103M deal with the Mets prior to 2023 and opted out of the final two years of the deal to hit free agency last offseason. That’s when he agreed to a new three-year deal with the Dodgers worth $69M. That Dodgers deal effectively added an extra year to his original Mets deal and an additional $31M, bringing the total value to $134M over six years for an estimated average annual value of $22M. Josh Hader signed a five year, $95M contract with the Astros prior to 2024 that will pay him an estimated $19M a season. Diaz was 29 when he signed his original deal with the Mets and was 32 when he signed his new deal with the Dodgers while Hader was 30 when he signed with the Astros.
Using those two as a barometer, and assuming Duran continues on his current pace, we can expect that a Jhoan Duran contract extension would cost at least $20M a season and be around five years in length. A five year, $100M+ deal for a reliever may seem terrifying, but that is now the going rate for closers of Duran’s caliber. If the Phillies want to lock up Duran and officially make him a part of their future pitching core with Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo, it will behoove them to move sooner rather than later before the closer market balloons again. That is before even factoring in the unknown status of MLB’s financial system in the next CBA.
So, should the Phillies begin negotiations with Jhoan Duran over a contract extension? If so, what contract would you offer? Or should they let him play out his current team control and address it later?
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal watches a play during the seventh inning between Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Angels at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Happy Friday, everyone. It’s been a rough week to be a Tigers fan, and with the two upcoming series against the White Sox and Rays the Tigers are going to need to fight for every potential win. I never thought I’d say that about the White Sox, but they’ve just had their first winning month in almost three years and don’t seem like they plan to slow down any time soon.
In the meantime, Detroit’s downward trajectory coupled with Tarik Skubal’s speedier-than-hoped recovery timeline means it’s time to start heating up the hot stove, because rumors are swirling. Should the Tigers sell in the hope of being competitive in the future, or should they hold on and try to hope for a comeback this season? Only time will tell. Skubal has to get healthy first.
And healthy is something the Tigers don’t know much about this season. They have yet to go a single week this year without having a player on the IL, and this week is no different. Fingers crossed things start turning around.
Detroit Tigers News
While Tarik Skubal is still getting back into the swing of things, he’s on track to return as soon as everything looks good. Of course, with the Tigers flagging miserably since he’s been gone, the trade rumors are still swirling at an all-time high. Mark Feinsand at MLB dot com looked at what insiders were saying about the likelihood of Skubal being moved this season. The consensus among the unnamed AL executives quoted in the article is that a lot will depend on whether the Tigers feel they are truly out of contention. If they believe they have a shot at the postseason, don’t expect Skubal to go anywhere. One exec said about a trade:
“I always think there is a chance, but they would have to feel confident that they aren’t going to be able to go on a run… And that the return would be significant enough to wave the proverbial white flag.”
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 17: Coby Mayo #16 of the Baltimore Orioles hits a two-run home run against the Washington Nationals during the second inning at Nationals Park on May 17, 2026, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Back in February, Jordan Westburg got a double-whammy of bad news: after suffering an oblique strain, he started feeling elbow discomfort, only to learn he’d partly torn his UCL—a bad injury, under any circumstances. Most people figured that Jordan Westburg was gone for this calendar year (this even before it was announced in May that he’d have season-ending elbow surgery), and someone had to step into the void at third base.
The obvious candidate to replace him: 24-year-old Coby Mayo, a power hitter who rose through the farm system as an infielder, though he’d lately switched to first base. A career .905 OPS hitter in the Minors, Mayo had the bat to fill the gap left by Westburg, a point his Grapefruit League performance made emphatically: Mayo hit .389 with a 1.039 OPS in spring, striking out just four times in the process. Now, with Westburg sidelined indefinitely, this looked like his chance.
Well, just because you need a hero doesn’t always mean you get one.
This, at least, is what we were saying for the first two months of the season.
From late March to most of May, Mayo was hitting .174/.242/.321, striking out in over 30% of his plate appearances, with a 41% whiff rate on curveballs. The line was bad enough that when Westburg’s injury was upgraded to season-ending the first week of May, the news was greeted with something like dread, because at this point, the conversation around Mayo (and Colton Cowser, for that matter) suggested less that they’d be rotation saviors or stalwarts, and more that is was plausible they should be optioned. At one point in early May, Mayo had gone 4-for-35 over a 13-game stretch. The prospect bloom, it seemed, had finally and definitively come off the rose.
Yet it’s now late May, and, I’m pleased to report, something seems to have shifted in Mayo’s offensive approach.
Over the last 14 days, Mayo has hit .292/.393/.458, with an .851 OPS. He homered last night, the only Orioles run plated in a 2-1 loss to Toronto, and of six home runs he’s hit on the year, three have come since May 11. Over the last seven days, the numbers are even more eye-catching: .429/.500/.571 (in two games, owing to time missed with a back injury). Yes, it’s a fragile, fledgling little Oriole of a sample set. But the recent results aren’t coming out of nowhere, either.
Statcast data shows that the gap between Mayo’s surface stats and his quality of contact has been wide all year. His average exit velocity of 91.1 mph is in the 85th percentile of hitters, and his hard-hit rate of 45.3% 80th: such contact usually produces sluggers, not .195 hitters. In other words, Mayo has been hitting the ball hard into outs at an unusual rate, and the recent results may simply reflect some of that contact luck normalizing.
There’s also reason to think the improvement is at least partly behavioral, not purely luck. Mayo spent the offseason at TBT Training in Boca Raton doing something he’d never done before: grinding specifically on off-speed pitches. He and his trainers cranked a pitching machine to extreme movement profiles, using foam balls to simulate the nastiest sliders and curveballs major league pitchers could throw. “That was the first time I really went into the offseason and grinded like that with off-speed,” Mayo said in spring training.
For a while, the payoff of such work was pretty hard to see. A 41% whiff rate on curveballs told us as much. But Mayo seems to be trending in the right direction: in the month of May, his BA on breaking balls has leapt 80 points, despite seeing even more of the pitch. What’s more, nearly half of his hits this month have come on breaking or offspeed pitches. Perhaps he’s adjusting, and pitchers will conclude they can’t just feed him junk anymore.
Anyway, irresponsible article headline aside, we’ll need a lot more evidence before we proclaim a total rehabilitation of Coby Mayo. But at least things are looking better. The whole team, it appears, was cold at the plate in April, but they’ve hiked their batting average as a unit nearly thirty points in the last two weeks. For Mayo, the underlying tools visible in his Statcast data all year are starting to flash.
At any rate, a 6’5” right-handed hitter with plus-plus raw power, a 45% hard-hit rate, and a demonstrated willingness to do the work on his weaknesses is not a player the O’s should give up on in late May of his age-24 season, not with Westburg gone for the season and no one really knocking on the door.
The Orioles, to their credit, haven’t. Mayo’s manager Craig Albernaz has been explicit about the philosophy: “You sucked today, you’re gonna play tomorrow.” That kind of patience from a coaching staff is exactly what the young Mayo needs to break through the wall.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MAY 23: Mike Yastrzemski #18 of the Atlanta Braves runs to first against the Washington Nationals in the third inning at Truist Park on May 23, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Brett Davis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
More of a silly one today than anything else.
Mike Yastrzemski started off… poorly… with his new team. He had a 71 wRC+ through April 15; it dipped to 60 by the time April ended. On May 9, he was down to 46. And then, some stuff happened. He hit two homers, amid six total hits, over his next six games, only four of which were starts. Then, a few days later, he had a huge, 3-for-3 with a homer and a double game against the Marlins. His wRC+ wasn’t fully recovered, but it was up to 91 for the season.
That was about a week ago. Since then, the Braves have faced a bunch of lefties. Since then, Yastrzemski has had all of six PAs. Two series, six games, only four games in which he even appeared, one (bases-loaded, go-ahead) walk, one hit. He’s up to a 93 wRC+.
But, what has he been doing with his free time, since the universe has conspired to make sure the Braves face seemingly every lefty pitcher in existence?
Note: yes, this post has mentioned Yastrzemski’s outputs and their upswing, but his inputs have been sadder. On the season, he is outhitting his xwOBA by over .020, which is not inspiring given that his xwOBA is so low. His xwOBA was .259 through the May 9 nadir mentioned above. He then posted a great .377 xwOBA in his charged-up ten game stretch.
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