Yankees right-hander Luis Gil was placed on the injured list Saturday with shoulder inflammation and isn’t expected to throw for three weeks.
Gil had been with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after he was optioned by New York following four major league starts this season where he struggled and pitched to a 6.05 ERA.
After his demotion in late April, Gil did not appear in a game for the RailRiders. He did make one start for them at the beginning of the season after not making the Opening Day roster and allowed three runs in 4.2 innings, while walking four and striking out six.
The AL Rookie of the Year in 2024, Gil hasn’t been able to sustain the success he had a few years ago and has been injured a few times. The 27-year-old began last season on the 60-day IL with a right lat strain before returning in August.
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 1: Ernie Clement #22, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 and Addison Barger #47 of the Toronto Blue Jays miss a ball in foul territory in the seventh inning of their MLB game against Colorado Rockies at Rogers Centre on April 1, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You know……
Baseball isn’t always a good thing. It didn’t even twig on me that Addison Barger’s 100+ mph throw from right field may not have been the smartest move from a fellow just off the IL. And it should have. There should have been a big flashing warning sign. There should have been an alert on my phone, with that scary noise that Rogers uses when they are ‘testing the system’.
We were in South Korea for a day on our holiday and the warning alert went off a few times. Our guide said ‘oh that happens all the time, they use the alert for anything’. Meanwhile, I was thinking that North Korea had decided to attack at that moment. There is nothing like sitting on a bus in a faraway land and hearing everyone’s cell phone start screeching.
Sending Yohendrick Piñango is starting to look like a dumber idea.
Anyway, the revised lineup has Ernie Clement leading off (because what you want from a lead off man is an allergy to taking a base on balls).
May 4, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano (11) delivers a pitch in the sixth inning against the New York Mets at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
The Colorado Rockies had a rough week last week. Heck, it’s been a rough month of May so far. The Rockies have won just two games. However, now is a good a time as any to turn things around, right?
After an extra-innings brawl on Friday, the Rockies dropped game two against the Philadelphia Phillies last night in a game that ended up not being particularly close. However, they still have the chance to walk away with a series win and potentially some momentum before heading across Pennsylvania to Pittsburgh.
Tomoyuki Sugano 菅野 智之 will make the start for the Rockies as he looks to continue a string of solid starts. Sugano has an ERA of 3.41 through his first seven starts in a Rockies uniform. He has allowed more than one earned run just three times, and more than two just twice.
His line against the New York Mets his last time out is deceptive. Sugano allowed four earned runs, but all four of those came in his sixth inning of work—and after he left the game. Sugano had actually been pitching a no-hitter after the first five innings and his only baserunner came via a walk in the top of the third.
Dominant lefty Cristopher Sánchez will toe the rubber for the Phillies. Sánchez has an ERA of just 2.42 coming into today’s contest and is off to a solid start following a truly excellent 2025 campaign. Last season he finished second in Cy Young voting with a 2.50 ERA and 212 strikeouts in 32 starts.
Sánchez’s last time out against the Sacramento Athletics was his best start of the season so far. He pitched eight shutout innings with ten strikeouts and had just five combined baserunners.
In five career starts against the Rockies over 27 innings, Sánchez has a 3.00 ERA with 31 strikeouts. This season he is using a three-pitch mix consisting of a mid-90s sinker, a slider, and his excellent changeup.
To top it all off, today is Mother’s Day, and here is a message to the moms from your Colorado Rockies:
STACKING WINS: The Cubs have won eight and lost four of their previous series. They are 3-3 in rubber games of three-game series, including 2-2 on the road.
HOLIDAY WINS: The Cubs are 54-72-2 on Mother’s Day since it became an official holiday in 1914. Their .430 winning percentage in those games is exactly one percentage point above their .429 (24-32) on Easter, which is their lowest on any holiday or special day since 1876 or when a holiday became official: .564: Fourth of July (126-97-3). .540: Opening Day (80-69-2). .520: Closing Day (77-71-2). .511: Memorial Day (113-108). .505: Friday the 13th (52-51). .462: Father’s Day (61-71-1). .445: Labor Day (95-119-4). .430: Mother’s Day (54-72-2). .429: Easter (24-32). On all of those days combined, their percentage is .508 (712-690-14). The 1,416 games are 6.3 percent of games the Cubs have played since 1876, about one of every 16. In all other games since 1876, their percentage is .514.
STREAKING: Despite Saturday’s loss, the Cubs are 20-4 since April 14. That’s still the best record in MLB since that date (Braves and Rays, 17-6, are next).
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Hector Cruz hit a two-out, game-tying home run in the ninth inning in Atlanta. The teams played five more innings before rain came and ended play after the 14th with the score tied 5-5. The tie was supposed to be made up as part of a doubleheader July 21, but because of the players’ strike that year, the makeup game was cancelled. The Cubs/Braves tie game happened 45 years ago today, Sunday, May 10, 1981.
Jameson Taillon’s numbers are decent enough, not too far out of line from his career norms — 4.24 ERA, 1.192 WHIP.
The problem is home runs — 11 of them in 40.1 innings. Believe it or not, that’s not leading the league. Zack Littell of the Nationals has allowed 13 homers in 32.1 innings this year, yikes.
So, basically, if Jamo can keep the ball in the yard, he should do well enough. Last year against the Rangers, April 8, 2025 at Wrigley Field, he allowed three runs in six innings, with only one HR. That would work.
At age 38, Jacob deGrom is still pitching well, striking out lots of hitters and not issuing walks. He’s not the dominant force he was several years ago with the Mets, but still a perfectly good MLB starter.
deGrom has not faced the Cubs since 2022 and thus most current Cubs have not seen him much. One who has is Dansby Swanson (7-for-34, but with three doubles and two home runs). Ian Happ has also homered off deGrom.
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The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
May 3, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Logan Henderson (43) pitches against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there! The Brewers, of course, have some history on this holiday, and they’ll look to keep that rolling today.
By winning on Friday and Saturday, the Brewers have already clinched a big series victory against the New York Yankees. But they might as well get greedy, right? This afternoon, Milwaukee will go for the sweep, and to do so they’ll send Logan Henderson to the mound to face New York’s Carlos Rodón.
Milwaukee pitchers have been able to keep the mighty Yankee bats quiet so far during this series, quite a feat given that the Yankees lead the American League in runs scored. But behind a stellar outing from Jacob Misiorowski on Friday and effective (if not perfect) outings from Kyle Harrison, Chad Patrick, DL Hall, and Aaron Ashby on Saturday, the Brewers have outscored the Yankees 10-3 in two games.
Henderson will look to keep that going with his third big-league start of the season, and second since being recalled from Triple-A Nashville last week. Henderson was fantastic against the Nationals last Sunday: in six innings, he allowed only three hits, didn’t walk anyone, and struck out eight. Washington, though, managed two runs against Henderson, and the Brewers offense couldn’t muster much, and Henderson took a hard-luck loss in a 3-2 Nationals victory.
Rodón, who was an All-Star in 2025 and finished sixth in American League Cy Young voting, will be making his season debut after surgery in October to remove a bone spur from his pitching elbow. Rodón, who is 33, has been recovering deliberately; he made three rehab starts in the Yankees’ system, culminating with 6 1/3 innings on 85 pitches for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday. Last year, Rodón set career highs with 33 starts and 195 1/3 innings, and allowed just 6.1 hits per nine, which led the American League. He pitched to a 3.09 ERA and earned 4.6 bWAR, which was by far his best season since joining the Yankees in 2023. Rodón’s All-Star selection last year was the third of his career, after he made the game in back-to-back years in 2021 (with the White Sox) and 2022 (with the Giants). The Brewers, who of course struggle with lefties, will hope he’s still got some rust to shake off.
To counter the left-handed Rodón, the Brewers will start Gary Sánchez (at catcher, with William Contreras as the DH), and they’ve also got Blake Perkins starting in right field, giving Sal Frelick (and not Garrett Mitchell) the afternoon off. I know lefties have been a problem for the Brewers this season, but boy does it sure look nice to see Jackson Chourio and Andrew Vaughn back in there.
No “getaway day” lineup as far as the Yankees are concerned: their big hitters are all in the lineup, with just a couple of positional shuffles (Aaron Judge will serve as the designated hitter, Ben Rice is back at first base), the re-insertion of Ryan McMahon into the starting lineup, and a start for backup catcher J.C. Escarra.
First pitch this afternoon is at 1:10 p.m. on Brewers TV and the Brewers Radio Network.
The Philadelphia Flyers were forced to deal with some substantial injuries throughout their Stanley Cup playoff run, and they were never particularly close to getting back some reinforcements, either.
On Saturday night, after the Flyers' 3-2 Game 4 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, we learned that players like Owen Tippett and Christian Dvorak were playing through debilitating injuries: a separated shoulder and sports hernia, respectively.
Defenseman Cam York purportedly played through a broken rib, and Noah Cates went down for the count early in Round 2 with a foot injury.
In the wake of injuries to Tippett and Cates, the Flyers could have used another winger and center, but reinforcements never arrived.
Bottom-six duo Nikita Grebenkin and Rodrigo Abols, who have been out since March 21 and Jan. 17, respectively, weren't able to get close to a return in time for the Flyers.
On the topic of injuries, I’ve heard that forwards Nikita Grebenkin and Rodrigo Abols will only become considerations to return for the Flyers if they make a long run, such as late in a long ECF or early in the SCF#IgniteTheOrange
Abols, 30, had resumed skating just prior to the Flyers' Game 4 loss to the Hurricanes, albeit in a non-contact jersey.
Grebenkin, 23, has been sidelined with an upper-body injury that originally came with a seven-to-10 day evaluation timeline.
A source familiar with their situations told The Hockey News that the Flyers would have needed to play a long Eastern Conference Final, or even reach the Stanley Cup Final outright, for Grebenkin and Abols to become considerations to return to the team and play.
Since the Hurricanes won't begin the Eastern Conference Final until Thursday, at the earliest, this would have meant another two or three weeks of rehab, recovery, and conditioning for the two injured forwards.
Grebenkin finished his first full season in the NHL with four goals, 10 assists, and 14 points in 55 games, primarily featuring on the fourth line with an occasional opportunity to play higher in the lineup here and there.
The eclectic Russian forward is a pending restricted free agent, and the Flyers will have a decision to make on his future with their glut of wingers.
As for Abols, he'll be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and it remains to be seen as to whether or not the Flyers want to bring the Latvian back for a third season for depth or set their sights higher elsewhere.
NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 23: (L-R) Lewis Katz and Rod Thorn attend the New Jersey Nets end of season game at the Prudential Center on April 23, 2012 in Newark City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
Finn Wentworth isn’t a well-known Nets executive. He was franchise president back in 2000 and was chosen by the team to witness the draft that year in a back room at the NBA TV headquarters in Secaucus, N.J. where the ping pong balls were drawn. The New Jersey Nets had a 4.4% chance in the Lottery that May 20 after finishing seventh. Moreover, the Draft was not very good. In fact, it may well have been the worst draft in NBA history (until maybe 2004.)
There was only one obvious top pick, Kenyon Martin of Cincinnati and he had broken his leg at the end of the season! When the careers of the picks were tallied up, Martin was one of three players eventually selected to an All-Star team and he was only selected once. Mike Miller of Florida, taken at No. 5, was Rookie of the Year and the player with overall best career, an All-Star and All-NBA selection, Michael Redd of Ohio State who was taken all the way down at No. 43. A lesson to be learned there!
So hopes were not high. “Ours was the worst draft,” Wentworth told Brian Lewis recently. But the oddsmakers were wrong and the Nets secured a building block. The franchise-changer would come the next off-season when Rod Thorn traded Stephan Marbury for Jason Kidd.
When the winning combination for the Nets came up — 6-8-9-14 — Wentworth was the first to know things had finally changed in the Meadowlands.
“I had the sheets in front of me, and when he pulled out those balls, I checked them off, and I just yelled ‘bingo,’ because I thought it was kind of a fun exercise just to show how it works,” Wentworth said. “Then he goes, ‘Finn Wentworth and the New Jersey Nets have the No. 1 pick in the 2000 draft.’”
Immediately, the told Lewis, representatives from other teams approached him about possible trades … before he had left the room!
“I was like, ‘No, we’re good, we’re good,’” Wentworth recalled. “We’re just going to keep this thing.”
The fun had only begun. The results were brought to the TV studio and deputy commissioner Russ Granik read them out, much to the never-ending delight of co-owner Lewis Katz…
“That was the worst draft in NBA history, arguably. And we got the only guy who became a star. We got the only guy who really should’ve been [a top pick],” he said, ticking off the names of prospects once revered but now footnotes. “It was [Martin] and Stromile Swift and Darius Miles, guys that most people unless you’re a basketball-aholic wouldn’t recognize.” Another lesson learned, perhaps?
The ramifications were instant. On June 7, three weeks before the Draft, Thorn was hired away from the NBA head office where he was Commissioner David Stern’s No. 2.
“If we don’t have the No. 1 pick, I’m not sure if Rod’s coming,” said Wentworth who recruited Thorn in the back of co-owner Ray Chambers corporate jet. “Rod comes [in], and they were saying Stromile Swift and Darius Miles. As hard as it is for a lot of people to think, but they thought Darius Miles was going to be the next Penny Hardaway, and Stromile Swift was going to be the next [Karl] Malone from Utah.
“But, of course, Rod looked right through it, and said Kenyon’s the guy. And then on the Kidd deal, some people were nervous trading Stephon Marbury away at a young age. And inside the organization, they didn’t want it to be the next Dr. J … [but] Rod saw it clearly for what it could be. And he was right.”
What’s Wentworth’s take on the situation today? He likes their chances, he told Lewis. He even offered some advice, based on his experience in the Draft Room when he was surrounded by the lottery losers.
“Ours was the worst draft,” Wentworth said. “This is arguably the best draft in the modern era…
“Depending on who you believe is the No. 1 player — the kid from BYU or Duke or Peterson from Kansas — if you’re saying that’s my guy and you believe the [top team] might want someone else, but you’re not sure about the guy in between, if you’re No. 3, I’d offer draft picks, move up and take my guy,” Wentworth said. “This is one of those drafts where it’s very, very deep. You have three or four guys that are A-pluses, and you have a bunch of As.
“… If [the Wizards] are looking at finally rebuilding and getting up to the next level, it’s going to take more than one player in this draft. So keep an eye out for that. … If [Brooklyn] gets the No. 1 pick, it’s not an issue. But if you get the No. 3 pick for example, or if they ended up No. 4. They have something we did not have, which is the amount of capital, equity that they could use to buy up.”
Indeed, an NBA insider told ND that he thinks that with all their assets, all those picks — 13 firsts, 22 seconds and two first round swaps — the Nets could move up two spots.
“The only reason you bank firsts like that is to be able to strike opportunistically,” he said. “Now [moving up] in this Draft and they will have to find a dance partner but say they land in the dreaded fifth spot. They have enough draft capital to get them to the third.”
All of that, of course, can wait till Joe Tsai starts shaking hands. A lot, hopefully.
The Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens meet in Game 3 of their second-round playoff series. The series is tied 1-1 after the Canadiens won 5-1 in Game 2. The Canadiens are favored by 1.5 goals in Game 3.
How to watch Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens
The Anaheim Ducks are looking to even their second-round playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 4. Vegas took a 2-1 lead in the series with a 6-2 victory in Game 3. Vegas is favored by 1.5 goals. The over/under is set at 6.5.
How to Watch Vegas Golden Knights vs Anaheim Ducks
May 5, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez (61) in action against the Athletics during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The Phillies will attempt to celebrate Mother’s Day by earning a series victory over the Colorado Rockies.
Happy Mother’s Day! 💕
Hug your mom today, or call your mom today, whatever you do, don’t throw a baseball at your mom today pic.twitter.com/mpFCzxbnXA
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 23: Payton Tolle #70 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates during the game against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on April 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sometimes the universe — and especially the baseball universe — just lines things up in beautiful, unexpected ways. Today, Payton Tolle is starting on Mother’s Day because the most powerful mother of all — Mother Nature — decided the Red Sox and Rays weren’t going to play their game yesterday when Tolle was originally schedule to pitch.
As far as the baseball goes, this is a chance to back up his seven shutout innings last time out against the Tigers on Monday. If he does something spectacular again, it will also be on top of Connelly Early’s seven shutout innings on Friday, and given the Red Sox still haven’t seen the Garrett Crochet, Sonny Gray and Ranger Suarez part of the rotation click together yet, we actually may be on the verge of unlocking an incredibly special rotation over the summer months if those guys get healthy and Early and Tolle keep growing into rotation regulars.
On the flip side of the “is it real?” starting pitching questions, the Rays are sending 35-year-old Nick Martinez to the mound. For most of his career, Martinez has been the very definition of mediocrity, bouncing back and forth between bullpen and starting rolls as well as MLB roles and time in the Japanese League. However, even since putting on a Rays uniform this year he’s been borderline unhittable, allowing two runs or fewer in all seven of his starts this season. He now leads the team with the best record in the American League in WAR.
Lineup wise, it’s mostly what we’ve been seeing since Roman Anthony went on the IL, but with one key change. Mickey Gasper, the guy who replaced Anthony on the roster gets the start at catcher.
I actually really like using Gasper here. With the rainout yesterday and the off day tomorrow, it’s the rare opportunity to give both Narvaez and Wong three straight days off by sitting them for just one game. (And it can really be four days off if you start Wong on Tuesday since Narvaez started on Friday.) That stuff matters in the marathon.
One of the Chicago Blackhawks' top objectives this off-season should be to improve their forward group. It isn't a secret that they need to improve their top six. Due to this, the Blackhawks have now been labeled as a potential fit for one of the NHL's most fascinating young forwards.
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Lucky Ngamwajasat named the Blackhawks among the top potential trade destinations for Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov.
"It's been hard sledding for Bedard in Chicago, as the 'Hawks have yet to make the playoffs in his short tenure in the Windy City. A lack of talent has been one of the biggest culprits for this and a trade for Michkov would instantly give Chicago's franchise player a dazzling linemate," Ngamwajasat wrote.
The idea of the Blackhawks bringing in Michkov is an intriguing one. While the 21-year-old forward had a tough 2025-26 season with the Flyers, there is no question that he has a ton of skill and potential. He also recorded 26 goals and 63 points in 80 games with the Flyers as a rookie, so he has already shown that he can be an impactful offensive contributor early in his career.
Michkov did see his numbers drop a bit this season, though, as he finished the 2025-26 season with 20 goals and 51 points in 81 games. He also had zero goals and one assist during the Flyers' playoff run and was scratched in Philadelphia's Game 4 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Yet, when noting that Michkov is still so young and has already put up strong offensive numbers in the NHL, it is hard to bet against him bouncing back. With this, he would have the potential to be a strong pickup for the Blackhawks if acquired.
However, at the same time, the Blackhawks also have several promising forward prospects in their system who have the potential to be special. Thus, there is certainly an argument to be had that the Blackhawks should focus on their current youngsters rather than bring in a player who took a step back in his second season, like Michkov.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - MAY 06: Julian Champagnie #30 and Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs react during the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game Two of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Frost Bank Center on May 06, 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 the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here’s the fourth installment of the second round’s Fraterniz With The Enemy, my ongoing, series-long conversation with Thilo of PtR’s sister site covering the Minnesota Timberwolves, Canis Hoopus.
J.R. Wilco
In the middle of a series that feels like a movie from a director intent on subverting expectations above all else, Game 3 was a weird game. (We’ll get to it in a moment, but it was weird.) First, San Antonio was favored heavily, and it’s a true-ism that a series doesn’t begin until the road team wins. So we got a tight game that the visitors won, and so the series began right away. Expectations subverted.
After Minnesota’s victory Coach Finch gripes about a lack of goaltending calls, setting up Game 2 to focus on how the refs treat Wemby’s defensive game, only for it to be a practical non-issue as Minnesota largely stopped driving. After a close opener, Game 2 was a blowout. Expectations subverted.
To start Game 3, the Spurs dominated the opening half of the first quarter and Minnesota couldn’t score at all. Wembanyama was playing out of his mind and dominating on both ends, which looked like the game they played two prior; let’s saddle up for another blowout. But San Antonio couldn’t build much of a lead because the Spurs couldn’t hit a three and all of their shots in the paint were rimming out. So, instead of getting a repeat of Game 2, we got a repeat of Game 1. Expectations subverted!
After going 0-fer, and 2-fer from deep, Victor goes off and combines his excellent defense with an offensive master class. Now San Antonio is up 2-1, and Minnesota is known for being an incredible team when their backs are against the wall. So what are the next expectations that we will see subverted? And what do you expect from Minnesota looking at potentially their last home game of the season?
Thilo
To start with, I would certainly be shocked if Jaden McDaniels started hitting his shots again. That would subvert the cratered expectations I have for him now.
On an individual level, the bar has recently gone through the floor for Julius Randle and McDaniels, while Ayo gets the most marginal amount of slack due to his injury status.
But God, I don’t know. On a surface level, the Wolves seem to have lost their identity entirely. They aren’t getting to the rim the way they had initially promised in Game 1. They’re talking a lot less trash (unless Tony Brothers is the target) and they’re backing up even less.
A subversion could be anything from shooting better to rebounding again. Any of that would be shocking.
If I sound pessimistic, it’s because I am. Friday night’s game was not one to inspire confidence. Naz Reid was the only role player on the Wolves that played up to standards. Anthony Edwards did what he could.
I am quite simply shocked that the Wolves were able to stay in Game 3 the way they played. It seems like shooting variance decides whether these games will be close or an abject demolition in favor of San Antonio.
Unfortunately, what I’m getting at is that I’m not really sure what I expect to change that’s remotely realistic.
Julius Randle could become the optimized version of himself from last year’s playoffs, but that would require him not facing the style of defense that has caused him the most trouble in the past few playoff runs. So that looks unlikely.
The Wolves roster could have a hot game from deep, but their shooting specialist and the only guy outside of Ant that can’t be dared to shoot is out for the year and more. That looks unlikely, albeit more possible.
That leaves the possibility of Ant going supernova, but that’s a LOT to ask of a guy playing on a lower body that reminds friends older than myself of Orlando Magic Grant Hill.
No, I think the winning formula was stealing a game and then pressing the pedal all the way down. The Wolves accomplished step one, but don’t look poised to reclaim that needed head start.
That being said, anything but a decisive win in Game 4 would be a huge red flag.
I guess I’ll flip the question on you. It feels like the Spurs have turned a corner after a shaky Game 1. What scares you the most in terms of ways the Wolves can muscle their way back into this bout? How possible/probably do you think those things are?
J.R.
While it makes sense given being down 2-1, I think you’re being overly harsh on your team’s prospects. Try thinking about it from this perspective: Minnesota has played San Antonio close for 8 quarters out of 12, including a decisive fourth quarter on the road. The Spurs played their best game in their second homer, so perhaps the Wolves will do the same. We talked before Game 3 about how some regression to the mean would be in favor of Wemby and Fox, and now that’s the case for McDaniels and Randle.
I’d also like to draw your attention to something that you might be taking for granted. Your home crowd is amazing; in fact, I credit them for keeping the Timberwolves from cratering in the first. With San Antonio in the middle of throwing basketball’s version of a shutout (how better to describe yielding a single point over the first 6 minutes of a game) the Mill City audience was primed for something to cheer for. When Gobert got that first basket with a tip-in, there was this sustained response from the crowd that was way out of proportion. I noted it, but didn’t think it would go far as the Spurs scored a quick four points on a Vassell bucket and a pair of Castle freebies. But then Naz hit a three and there was that strange cheer again. It was longer that normal and had the feel of a crowd that had been rooting for a team that had been working their way back from a big deficit and was about to tie it up. But the Wolves were just starting to claw their way back into it.
I’ve got to say, though, that the team really responded. The home team’s activity picked up, their urgency ratcheted up a couple of notches, and thought that if the Spurs could score, it would take the air out of the arena and both the team and the crowd might cave. What happened on the next possession? Timberwolves forced a shot clock violation and the crowd came unhinged. The rest of the quarter was a 17-4 run from the home team on the back of the energy that the fans decided to give before there was really much to cheer for.
But none of that is really what scares me the most. It’s scary, but the truly terrifying bit is what all of that might enable – a tight game down the stretch with enough scoring and defense to put the ball in Edwards’s hands with just enough time on the clock to rip the hearts out of the Spurs. He’s done it three times already this year: twice in the regular season, and once in Game 1. Plus, he did it at the end of the 1st on Friday, and McDaniels closed out the 2nd in the same way.
So that’s what I’m most afraid of. Your team sticks around, and Ant pulls a rabbit out of his hat again. It wouldn’t subvert expectations much, but it sure would even up the series.
Which of those options do you think is more likely? A wire to wire dogfight like Games 1 and 3 or a blowout like Game 2? Or maybe it’s something else entirely…
Thilo
It’s funny isn’t it? That you’re the one convincing me to have hope in my team, while I wallow in the self-pity of refusing to have my heart broken again.
What you’re describing, ultimately, is a Wild-Westian gamble where the Wolves maneuver themselves, bet by bet, flop by flop, to an even game before letting Ant go all in on the final hand of the game. How fitting it is to be facing the Spurs in that regard.
To that end, what I am truly hoping for is a Game 4 victory that shatters the record for largest playoff win in NBA history in favor of the Timberwolves. I do unironically think Minnesota evens up the series tonight, as the second game at home is always the easier one to hold on to and dominate (vis a vis Game 2).
I think I will stand by some of my pessimism however. There is no escaping that the Spurs are an excellent team, and while the Wolves are quite good as well, they are neither at full strength nor particularly locked in right now.
I think that one of those things can change on a dime. I’d say that would enable pulling away in a close game. I think that’s what we’ll see in Game 4.
Still, if I think back to the first frat we did, I remember the focus we put on “well, the Spurs can’t just ‘play better,’ there’s always give and take.” It feels like the Spurs have had to give up very little to gain a ton. Minnesota probably needs to flip that script.
Give up nothing, and take back momentum.
Winning two on the road is going to be a lot harder than just winning one. Losing two at home should be a lot harder than just losing one.
We’ll see tonight, and I hope we get a good one, because despite the loss, Game 3 was a lot more fun than Game 2.
The Toledo Mud Hens put up a baker’s dozen to beat the Memphis Redbirds on Saturday and take control of the series.
Toledo led from start to finish, scoring in the first inning and pulling away by the second. Max Clark scored the first run of the game, coming home on a Gage Workman sacrifice fly. Workman drove in Clark again in the second, but it shouldn’t have gone that way. Clark nearly had a grand slam, but a fan interfered and kept the ball in play. The umpires convened and ruled it a ground-rule double.
Clark’s double drove in two of the Mud Hens’ five second-inning runs. Jace Jung homered on the first pitch, and the broadcast almost missed it. Workman’s two-run single made it 6-0.
Troy Watson got the start for Toledo. He was great for three innings, working around a pair of leadoff walks, but things got hairy in the fourth. Memphis opened the frame with a double, single and triple, plating a pair of runs. Watson got two outs, but that was the end of the day for him — at 69 pitches; nice. He was responsible for the third run in the inning, but it went unearned thanks to a throwing error from Andrew Navigato at third.
The Redbirds pulled within a run in the fifth on a Jimmy Crooks homer. Konnor Pilkington hit a batter later in the inning, but he got out of it with his third and final strikeout of the day.
Toledo answered immediately to reestablish its lead. Tyler Gentry (bloop) singled in Eduardo Valencia, Navigato drove in Jung on a groundout, and Cal Stevenseon drove in Gentry on a liner to left. Just like that, the Mud Hens are back on top, 9-5.
Scott Effross took over for Pilkington after that, working around four hits over two innings for a hold. Memphis scored on him in the sixth, but it was another unearned run thanks to catcher’s interference, allowing the runner to reach.
Workman doubled in Clark for a third time in the bottom of the sixth, with a double, but Paul DeJong got thrown out at home.
Gage Workman doubles to right center to score Max Clark, but Paul DeJong gets thrown out at home. pic.twitter.com/Kg1meorasM
The Erie SeaWolves pushed for their 10th-straight win on Saturday, but the Harrisburg Senators walked them off, 6-5, in the bottom of the ninth to end the streak.
Erie took an early lead, scoring two runs in the first off an Andrew Jenkins single. Jenkins drove in Brett Callahan and Peyton Graham. Callahan and Jenkins each had three-hit days, accounting for the bulk of Erie’s 11 hits on the day. Graham also reached base three times. He walked twice and then was hit by a pitch in the head, forcing him to leave the game.
Andrew Jenkins gives Erie the early lead with 2-out, 2-run single to left center. pic.twitter.com/zXQ0amZhtf
Kenny Serwa got the start for the SeaWolves. He struck out three of the first four batters he faced, but things deteriorated after that. An error extended the second inning for him, leading to a single but no runs. The third is when things really went wrong. He got the first two outs of the inning and then went double, RBI single, walk, walk, two-run single.
It’s just one bad inning, but teams seem to figure out Serwa after a couple of innings these days. His 8.51 ERA on the year is pretty ugly. Fortunately, Erie scored a third run in the top of the inning. E.J. Exposito walked with the bases loaded.
The SeaWolves loaded the bases with one out in the fourth but couldn’t make anything happen. Serwa returned for the bottom of the fourth, but he was pulled after recording two outs around a single. Dariel Fregio took over and pitched through the fifth. A pair of singles in that frame put Harrisburg on top, 4-3.
Erie responded by tying the game up in the sixth. John Peck drove in Callahan, who reached on a base hit with two outs. The see-saw continued back and forth in the bottom half of the inning, as Johan Simon took over for Fregio and gave up an RBI triple.
John Peck smokes a grounder to right field that scores Brett Callahan (1B, SB) and ties the game for Erie. pic.twitter.com/5y25aQ5OkP
Things kind of settled down from there. Simon got through the seventh and Tanner Kohlhepp did the same in the eighth, despite both dealing with a pair of baserunners.
The lone extra-base hit of the day for Erie came in the ninth, when Justice Bigbie doubled and set up a game-tying RBI single from Jenkins. Kohlhepp couldn’t force extra innings, though. Cortland Lawson took him deep with one out to end the game.
Andrew Jenkins shoots a single to right and Justice Bigbie scores from 2nd to tied the game for Erie in the 9th. pic.twitter.com/W3KSDAogsY
West Michigan extended its losing streak to 13 games with a 5-3 loss to the Dayton Dragons on Saturday.
The Whitecaps have gotten close to snapping this streak, but something always seems to go wrong. This time it was a two-run ninth inning from the Dragons to break a 3-3 tie that held since the sixth.
West Michigan did all of its scoring early. Samuel Gil drove in Cristian Santana on a sacrifice fly in the second, and Bryce Rainer and Santana each had RBI doubles in the third. Dayton scored twice in the first off starter Max Alba, both runs coming on RBI singles. Alba only went three innings and struck out five with just one hit allowed after the first.
The Whitecaps held that 3-2 lead until the sixth. Luke Stofel pitched the fourth and fifth, giving up just one hit and a walk. Inohan Paniagua wasn’t as good in the sixth, blowing the save on the third pitch he threw. Yerlin Confidan took him deep to tie the game. Paniagua was fine after that, working around two walks and lasting through the seventh.
The only West Michigan hit after the third came in the seventh when Ricardo Hurtado singled with two outs. Dayton walked six batters, including three free passes in the eighth to load the bases, but the Whitecaps never took advantage.
Logan Berrier faced the minimum in the eighth to hold the 3-3 tie, but Thomas Bruss couldn’t do the same in the ninth. He gave up a one-out double after walking a batter, and a wild pitch on ball four scored the runner. Another single made it a two-run game, and all three Whitecaps hitters struck out in the bottom of the ninth.
Things are bad, bad, bad for this club right now.
Rainer: 1-3, 2B (3), R, RBI, BB, K
Santana: 1-1, 2B (2), R, RBI, 2 BB
Alba: 3.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, 5 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 2 p.m. ET start on Sunday; West Michigan is looking to avoid a second straight sweep.
Beau Brieske got another opener start and looked good against the four batters he faced. There was plenty of contact but no hits. He lost an eight-pitch at-bat with Edward Lantigua, which ended in a walk. Everything else was hit in the air or to an infielder.
Caleb Leys took over in the second and retired six batters in a row after giving up a leadoff single. He wasn’t as lucky in the fourth, when a leadoff double came back to bite him. Chase Meggers broke the scoreless tie with a two-out RBI single.
Leys saw another run cross in the fifth, but it was unearned thanks to a throwing error from Jack Goodman at short. Still, back-to-back base hits made it feel like an earned run.
Luke Hoskins took over for the sixth. He worked around a baserunner in each inning he threw, lasting through the seventh. Anibal Salas helped cut into the lead with a leadoff triple in the bottom of the sixth. Jordan Yost drove him in with a sac fly to make it 2-1.
Anibal Salas kicks off the bottom of the 6th with a triple into the right corner. pic.twitter.com/W2UBckWSiK
Lakeland had a chance to tie it in the seventh, with Edian Espinal on third base, but Salas grounded into a double play. Espinal got his chance in the eighth with the bases loaded, but a balk brought the run in. Espinal ended up striking out on a foul tip to leave the score tied at two.
Yendy Gomez took the loss. He gave up a leadoff single in the ninth and saw the run score on a double right after. Lakeland went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth.
Yost: 1-3, RBI
Brieske: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 0 K
Leys: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a noon ET start on Sunday; Lakeland leads the series, 3-2.
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.
