The NBA playoffs on NBC continue Saturday afternoon with the Oklahoma City Thunder playing the Phoenix Suns in Game 3 of their first-round series. The game will be on NBC and Peacock.
Defending NBA Finals champion and No. 1 seed Oklahoma City leads the series 2-0 after winning Game 2, 120-107. Eighth-seed Phoenix is 0-15 when they trail 2-0 in a best-of-seven series.
The biggest question for Oklahoma City going into Saturday (and the coming weeks) is who will step in with Jalen Williams out? Williams put up 41 points through the first two games but had to leave Game 2 midway through the third quarter with a left hamstring injury. The Thunder confirmed Thursday that Williams has a Grade 1 strain and will be reevaluated on a weekly basis. He is not expected to play the remainder of this series.
This is the first time these two franchises have met in the playoffs since the Thunder relocated to Oklahoma City from Seattle in 2008.
See below for additional information on the Thunder-Suns game and how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
New York Knicks at Atlanta Hawks (Game 4), 6 p.m. on NBC & Peacock
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns Game 3 preview
Unless the Suns find something special, and quick, the Thunder will finish this series up by Monday. No team has ever come back from down 3-0 to win a best-of-seven series.
The Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has led all scorers through the first two games of the series (25 and 37 points for Games 1 and 2, respectively) and now has 30 career playoff games with 25+ points. He was named the NBA Clutch Player of the Year on Tuesday, leading the league in clutch points (175) during the regular season. (Clutch points are points scored in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime when the score is within 5 points.)
The Suns' Devin Booker has 45 points through the first two games but most notably has made headlines in recent days for his criticism of officiating and calling a referee out by name after Game 2. During the game, he was called for a technical late in the third quarter after diving into the Thunder bench to keep the ball inbounds.
“I know I haven’t won a championship in this league, but I have been in it for 11 years now," Booker said. "To get to this point, to be treated like that, for me to even be saying something out loud, it’s bad. ... Whatever I get fined for, everybody can pull the clips and see where the frustration comes from."
Suns owner Matt Ishbia defended Booker on X Thursday, saying, "I am 100% behind Devin Booker here. Last night was not a good look for our league."
Booker was fined $35,000 for criticizing officials by the NBA the same day, but the league rescinded the technical foul after it was "improperly assessed."
NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the first round and 11 games in the conference semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock.
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There may never be another NHL team assembled like the 2001-02 Detroit Red Wings, who boasted a total of 10 future Hall of Fame players and were led by the legendary Scotty Bowman, the game's greatest coach.
However, that aura seemed to fade a bit during the opening two games of the 2002 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Red Wings, who were the first overall seed by a wide margin, were matched up against the No. 8 Vancouver Canucks, who stunned them with two straight victories to open the series at Joe Louis Arena.
Heading into Vancouver for a pivotal Game 3, the Red Wings took a 1-0 first-period lead thanks to a tally from captain Steve Yzerman, who was essentially playing on one leg.
But Vancouver knotted the score at 1-1 midway through the second frame after future Red Wings forward Todd Bertuzzi roofed a backhander past a sprawling Dominik Hasek.
With time winding down in the second period, both teams appeared as though they would head to their respective dressing rooms to figure out a game plan on how to gain the advantage in the third period.
However, Nicklas Lidstrom singlehandidly changed the series around with what appeared to be an innocent shot from center ice.
Lidstrom's shot from almost 100 feet away skipped under the glove of goaltender Dan Cloutier, giving Detroit a stunning 2-1 lead.
From that point on, the Red Wings won four straight against the Canucks, rallying from what had the makings of a disastrous first-round exit.
Eventually, they'd raise the Stanley Cup for the 10th time in team history later that spring with a five-game series win over the Carolina Hurricanes.
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KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - APRIL 24: Isaac Collins #1 of the Kansas City Royals celebrates with Michael Massey #19 after scoring a run during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Kauffman Stadium on April 24, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It wasn’t the stars, but the supporting cast that stole the show as the Royals knocked off the Angels 6-3 on Friday night. The 5-9 hitters in the lineup went a combined 7-for-18 and drove in all six runs, as the Royals scored six runs for the third consecutive game.
Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi mowed down nine of the first ten Royals hitters he faced, but the boys in blue piled it on in the fourth. Bobby Witt Jr. led off with a double, moving to third on a Salvador Perez flyout. After Lane Thomas walked, Starling Marte lifted a ball into shallow right. Angels right fielder Jo Adell ran in on it and slid, but was unable to corral the ball. Witt scored, but Lane Thomas was caught heading back to first, thinking it had been caught, and the Angels threw to second for the force out.
But the rest of the lineup picked him up. Carter Jensen singled to move Marte to third, setting up an RBI single by Isaac Collins. Elias Diaz doubled to drive home two, and Michael Massey followed with another double to plate a run. When the dust settled, the Royals had a five-run inning.
Meanwhile Noah Cameron cruised through the first six innings. He also retired nine of the first ten hitters, and tossed goose eggs through the sixth. But in the seventh, he gave up a one-out double to Vaughn Grissom, then walked Logan O’Hoppe. Bryce Teodosio hit a hot shot to third that Nick Loftin was unable to handle for an infield single to load the bases. Zach Neto singled to put the Angels on the board and end Noah Cameron’s night.
The Royals’ bullpen has been the worst in baseball so far, and they continued to have their struggles tonight. Nick Mears walked Mike Trout to force in another run. Jo Adell hit a slow chopper that Loftin fielded and elected to try to turn a double play, but was only able to get one out, allowing another run to score to cut the lead to 5-3 Royals. After Mears walked Jorge Soler, Daniel Lynch IV was brought in and wriggled out of the jam by striking out Yoán Moncada.
The Royals added an insurance run in the eighth off Angels reliever Drew Pomeranz. Starling Marte singled with one out, and pinch-runner Kyle Isbel stole second, his fifth of the year already. Isaac Collins singled to drive him home, his second hit of the night, making it 6-3, Royals. Lucas Erceg came on to pick up his sixth save of the year, and the Royals improved to 9-17. Noah Cameron picked up his second win of the year, giving up three runs in 6.1 innings.
The Royals have a chance to take just their second series win tomorrow evening when they face the Angels again. Cole Ragans takes on 22-year-old right-hander Walbert Ureña at 6:10 CT.
Apr 24, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) reacts after hitting a home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
What a way to start a homestand.
For those of us not in the sellout crowd on Star Wars Night, the crisp Apple TV cameras captured the first win of the season in the red uniforms. Atlanta remains a perfect 3-0 in Friday home games.
Grant Holmes threw 89 pitches to go six and earn the win, giving up seven hits, three earned runs on two homers, three walks, and striking out four.
Grant tossed two effective and efficient innings to start the game, setting down the Phillies in order in the first and working around a Bryson Stott single in the second. He would run into trouble in the third as Trea Turner homered to right field, scoring Garrett Stubbs and giving the Phillies a 2-0 lead. The Phillies would threaten for more with a Kyle Schwarber walk and an Adolis García single, but no further damage was done.
The Braves had two singles off Andrew Painter (L, 1-2) in the first, but neither would come home to score. They didn’t have anything going until Eli White set the table with a single to start the bottom of the third. Five pitches later, Ronald Acuña Jr. tied the game with his second home run of the year. Seeing Ronald trot around the bases is already a sight for sore eyes, but doing so in his Hot Wheels-flavored accessories? An icon.
The stalemate would be broken by Harper, who led off the top of the fifth with a homer off Holmes. It would remain 3-2 Phillies until the bottom of the sixth.
Dear people of Battery Power, I cannot emphasize to you enough how routine and uneventful this inning was shaping up to be. Justin Crawford made a great play in center to rob Austin Riley, a Dom Smith single, a walk from Mauricio Dubón. Ben Ingram and crew were really trying to wish a big Yaz moment into existence, but it wasn’t meant to be. Two down for Eli White.
Except no, hold on. Not Eli White. By god… that’s Michael Harris II’s music.
And the crowd went nuts.
As they should! As noted in the lineups article, Michael is ridiculously hot. Five-straight-games-with-at-least-1-RBI hot. It was a stroke of fortune for the Phillies that his left quad was acting up, scratching him from today’s game. But here, Walt Weiss pressed the button to send out his star center fielder to face Painter, who was already on the ropes.
Ball one low and outside. Ball two high and outside.
Painter’s third pitch came in at 96.4 mph at the bottom of the zone, and Money Mike cashed in. He ripped it 105 mph for a two-run double to give the Braves the lead 4-3. They would never relinquish it.
As Truist Park went wild, a smiley Michael made his way back to the dugout, his job done and night over. Pinch runner Jorge Mateo did a great job stealing third and scoring on a wild pitch to make it 5-3. Ronald would follow with a walk. And only then did Rob Thomson make the stroll to take Painter out of the game.
Aaron Bummer and Joel Payamps tossed a scoreless inning in the seventh and eighth respectively.
The Braves tried to tack on some extra insurance in the bottom of the eighth, but Matt Olson would leave the bases loaded with a groundout to end the frame.
Robert Suarez came in to face the top of the Phillies order. He walked Turner to put the leadoff man aboard. He brought Schwarber down to a knee to strike him out and got Harper to pop out on the first pitch to Riley. A single from García brought Brandon Marsh up to the plate representing the go-ahead run. A wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third. But one incredibly casual groundout to Suarez later, that was the ballgame.
The Braves have a new win streak going (3). In contrast, the Phillies’ losing streak has hit double digits (10). Their hopes to end their current nightmare rest on Zack Wheeler’s shoulders – he will make his season debut tomorrow night against National League ERA leader Bryce Elder.
Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton left Friday night's game against the Houston Astros with what the team is calling right lower leg tightness after running the bases in the sixth inning.
After stroking an RBI single to extend New York's lead to 6-2, Stanton advanced to second base after Jazz Chisholm Jr. walked. J.C. Escarra then ripped a single off the wall in short left field at Daikin Park, which caused Stanton to hold up before deciding to go. Once he went, Stanton put it into first gear and jogged to third base.
The trainers looked at Stanton and shortly after, he was walking off the field. Randal Grichuk entered the game to pinch-run for Stanton, who finished the night 1-for-3 with an RBI.
"Some tightness in his calf. Hopefully, we got ahead of anything serious," manager Aaron Boone said after the game. "We’ll see where we’re at tomorrow."
The Yankees skipper said that Stanton had motioned to him when he was on second, and didn't want to push it around the bases, which is why he stopped at third base.
As far as getting tests done, Boone said right now they don't plan on getting imaging done, but the team will see how Stanton feels Saturday morning.
Stanton has dealt with a multitude of injuries in recent history, but played in 24 of the first 25 games for the Yanks this season. He is slashing .256/.302/.422 with three home runs, 14 RBI and a .724 OPS after a monster season in 2025 in just 77 regular season games.
Giancarlo Stanton left the game after gingerly jogging to third base on a single pic.twitter.com/qoP8s64rLZ
SEATTLE, WA - MARCH 04: Guard Courtland Muldrew #30 and forward Hannes Steinbach #6 of the Washington Huskies react during a game between the USC Trojans and Washington Huskies on March 4, 2026 at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Henry Rodenburg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
While jack-of-all-trades prospects are tantalizing, the players who become special at the highest level were very often uniquely gifted at one skill or another as prospects. If you want to be great in the NBA, you need something to hang your hat on, a talent that teams will seek out and incentivize them to work around your weaknesses. Hannes Steinbach has one of those talents, as he is, without hyperbole, one of the best and most projectable rebounders to enter the league in years. And while rebounding dominance is far from the sexiest trademark skill a prospect can have, I believe Steinbach brings enough to the table to firmly be considered a lottery-level player.
Steinbach’s rebounding on film is even more impressive than the Big 10 leading 11.8 rebounds he snagged per game would suggest – his combination of size, fluidity, and generationally soft hands create perhaps the most startlingly impressive rebounding highlights I have ever seen. Hannes is German-born, but if he grew up somewhere with American football we would be talking about him as the best tight end prospect of an era. Once he gets a finger on the basketball, you can guarantee that he’s pulling it down. He isn’t ground-bound either; while no one would call him an electrifying athlete, he moves around the court very fluidly and is quite quick off of the ground. Additionally, for someone who’s only 220 pounds (this is his last listed weight, I would bet that he comes in as heavier at the draft combine), he’s physically firm, and strong enough to reach and keep his spots on the court. This helps his rebound-radius to be remarkably wide – nearly every ball that comes off of the rim is well within Steinbach’s jurisdiction.
As the 18 points per game as a high major Freshman would indicate, Steinbach’s offensive value extends beyond rebounding his teammates misses. Most of his scoring is opportunistic, to be fair, but Steinbach is so good at those looks that it isn’t a slight at him to say that. His two most efficient play-types are immediately after rebounds or in transition – he tends to be in the right place at the right time, and when combined with his fluidity and strength, that creates highly efficient scoring opportunities. the transition scoring is something I expect to translate exceptionally well to the next level. While you wouldn’t want him dribbling too much in the half court, he functions well as rebound-and-run player, using his gazelle-like strides to do his best poor-mans Giannis impression.
The shooting is still a work in progress – he doesn’t play too similar to his German power forward predecessor – but there are lots of positive flashes. The form is solid and compact, lacking unexplained or unnecessary motions. A free throw percentage of 75.9% is promising as well, and when judged in tandem with his really solid touch in the paint (70% at the rim, 44.8% on non-rim twos, many of which were floaters and hook shots), I would be surprised if he wasn’t serviceable as a jump shooter once he hits the prime of his career.
His defense is likely where I am highest on Steinbach compared to consensus. Without a great vertical, commanding strength, or a height about 7’0, expecting him to develop into a paint anchor appears to be unfair. However, he’s surprisingly quick on his feet, be in the form of chasing a guard off of a switch or covering ground to help at the rim. It’s rare for smart, big, and positionally agile defenders to wind up being bad defenders at the NBA level, even if Steinbach is far from perfect at that end.
While this strength is more theoretical than actualized at this point, it would be remiss to not mention the flashes he shows as a passer. He misses a read here and there, and is far from a hub, but his vision and accuracy are generally impressive for a player at his size and age.
Weaknesses
Steinbach’s biggest weakness isn’t any one of his skills, but whether or not they combine to create a cohesive role in the NBA. If you look up “tweener” in the dictionary, it very well may be a picture of Hannes – too small to be a center and lacking the lateral quickness and ball skills that some modern day power forwards possess. These problems are present on offense and defense – if he plays center, he is neither an intimidating paint defender or as overwhelming an offensive rebounder. And, until he’s a more proven shooter or ball handler, can you really afford to play him at the power forward in a motion-based NBA offense? While his rebounding brings intrinsic value whenever he walks on the court, to best take advantage of Hannes as a player a coach must be intentional with how he plays him. However, that isn’t always realistic for a prospect likely to be picked somewhere in the mid teens to early twenties.
Additionally, much of Steinbach’s future appeal is largely theoretical in the present. Am I optimistic about his passing in the long run? Sure, but that passing comes and goes in the present – there’s a legitimate chance that it stagnates. A similar contention arises with his shooting. There are indicators that he can be a better shooter than he currently is, but that is betting on improvement that has not yet happened. He has a lot of the pieces of a really well-rounded offensive player, but don’t mistake me – it will take time and developmental priority for Steinbach to reach his potential, more so than a Cameron Boozer or Yaxel Lendeborg, two other strong prospects at his same position.
While strong post scoring is becoming less important as the years go by, it would be nice for Steinbach to be more impressive with his back to the basket. A simplistic handle and uncreative post moves lead to some bad shots – projecting Hannes to develop into an on ball scorer or becoming anything more than the opportunistic scorer that he is now isn’t the smartest bet.
Conclusion
Steinbach’s success at the NBA level depends a lot on what role he is asked to play. If he is casted as a center, his strengths are mitigated and his weaknesses are magnified. He lacks positional size for the 5 and his dominant rebounding, while still being impressive, is less comparatively impressive against other centers. However, at the power forward? I believe that NBA teams should always be looking to play the most size that they can without sacrificing versatility on either end. If Steinbach can develop as a shooter and passer, a team doesn’t lose the spacing or quick decision making necessary to operate a modern-day NBA offense. Instead, his rebounding is only additive – most forwards would be incapable of dealing with his size, and Steinbach’s team would always win the ever-important possession battle.
On defense, you can tell a similar story. If a coach sees a 6’11 rebounder and assumes he’s most fit to play center, Steinbach becomes very unimpressive. He won’t ever be a strong primary rim protector, and he loses the positional size that makes him so enticing. However, if he can be flying in from the weak-side, impacting pick-and-rolls and gobbling up the rebounds his center misses, Steinbach becomes a unique weapon that perfectly fits in the direction of large+mobile that the NBA is moving in.
Does he fit on the Jazz? That is harder to say. If we didn’t pick up Jaren Jackson Jr. – a player very similar to Steinbach in that his skills are maximized at the 4 instead of the 5 – I would be overjoyed at the possibility to draft Hannes. Guaranteeing strong rebounding over 48 minutes with a front court combo of Steinbach, Nurkic, and Kessler allows us to compete in the positionally-large Western Conference. However, with the roster as is? Steinbach would be beneficial but the cost to obtain him (trading into the second half the first round) might be greater than the benefit he would provide – power forward isn’t exactly our position of weakness. But his imperfect fit on the Jazz doesn’t speak too much on his value as a prospect; expect to see Hannes nearing the top of the rebounds per 36 minutes rankings for years to come.
Current Draft Projections (most recent big board/mock draft)
No Ceilings: 29
Sports Illustrated: 12
ESPN: 15
The Ringer: 14
CBS Sports: 20
Quite a wide range of projected outcomes for the Washington freshman, but what do you think? Discuss in the comments below where you would select Hannes Steinbach!
HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 03: Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the New York Yankees rounds the bases after a solo home run during the second inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on September 03, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Giancarlo Stanton has been ravaged by injuries over the years, many of them to his lower body. During an otherwise-smashing Friday night in Houston for the Yankees, his old injury bug seemingly popped up yet again. With Stanton at second base, J.C. Escarra singled to left field, off the wall at Daikin Park. Stanton advanced to third but it was obvious to anyone watching that he was not moving well.
Stanton immediately left the game, replaced by Randal Grichuk. It’s obviously too soon to speculate. With any luck, it is something minor and the club is just being careful with Stanton who, while he hasn’t been on fire at the plate, is still off to a solid start and poses a dangerous power threat to opposing pitchers.
Update: Meredith Marakovits reported that it’s right lower leg tightness for Stanton.
The YES booth wasted no time considering roster implications in the event Stanton has to go on the IL. Michael Kay quickly suggested that the club’s move will be to greatly increase Paul Goldschmidt’s playing time, with him and Ben Rice covering first base and designated hitter. Anthony Volpe is expected to return from the shelf himself soon, so the roster machinations might discourage the Yankees from calling up a more long-term answer like Jasson Domínguez. Someone else on the 40-man roster like Oswaldo Cabrera might be more likely until Volpe’s rehab assignment ends. We’ll find out soon enough.
Stanton hasn’t played anything close to a full season since 2021, when he appeared in 139 games. Unfortunately, Big G going down with something was almost inevitable. For so many reasons, hopefully he’s back sooner rather than later. Stanton sits 44 home runs short of 500. Every missed game makes that bit of baseball immortality more out of reach.
No one thought the winning would go on forever, right?
After back-to-back victories over Minnesota, the Mets got another dose of reality Friday, dropping their series opener to Colorado, 4-3, at Citi Field.
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For those keeping score, that’s now losses in 13 of their last 15. The Mets seem to be in an unlikely race to the bottom of the NL East with the Phillies.
This one involved some late drama, as the Mets rallied for two runs in the bottom of the eighth to pull within a run, but with two on and one out, Mark Vientos lined into a double play to end the threat.
It was the fourth double play of the night by the Mets — the first three on the ground.
And they failed to take advantage of a game against a Rockies team that entered 10-16.
The issues that have plagued the Mets, who dropped to 9-17, so far this season haven’t gone away and it became obvious Friday that Juan Soto’s return alone won’t fix the lineup.
“We’ve still got a long way to go,” manager Carlos Mendoza said before the game. “We put ourselves in this position, but we understand what’s ahead.”
Sean Manaea reacts after giving up a two-run singles to Troy Johnston during the seventh inning of the Mets’ 4-3 loss to the Rockies on April 24, 2026 at Citi Field. . Robert Sabo for NY Post
After scoring 10 runs Thursday, their bats went silent again versus right-hander Michael Lorenzen, who entered the game with a 7.48 ERA, but limited the Mets to just one run over seven innings.
In the process, Lorenzen outdueled Freddy Peralta, who dropped his third straight start.
Peralta wasn’t bad — two runs in 5 ²/₃ innings — but he wasn’t nearly enough to overcome another disappearing act from the offense.
“He’s an ace,’’ Mendoza said of Peralta. “He’ll get there.’’
The offense nearly came all the way back in the bottom of the eighth — with Lorenzen replaced by right-hander Jaden Hill.
Bret Baty rips a twor-run single in the seventh inning of the Mets’ loss to the Rockies. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Ronny Mauricio and Bo Bichette singled to lead off the inning, but Juan Soto lined out to first.
Francisco Alvarez singled to left to load the bases for Brett Baty, who delivered a two-run single to center to make it 4-3.
Vientos’ line drive double play kept them a run short and the Mets have scored more than three runs just three times in their last 15 games — as they now deal with life without Francisco Lindor, out indefinitely with a left calf strain.
Rockies center fielder Jake McCarthy slides in safely with an RBI go-ahead double during the sixth inning. Robert Sabo for NY Post
“We had a lot of hard-hit balls,” Marcus Semien said. “[Vientos] hit that ball 107 [mph] in the middle of the field. Most of the time, that’s a base hit.”
That’s not the way it’s going right now in Queens.
“Every loss is frustrating,’’ Semien said. “They put together good at-bats when they needed to … [and] we hit into some double plays.’’
The Mets went ahead in the bottom of the second when Baty, heating up offensively, doubled to right to open the inning and moved to third on Vientos’ infield single.
With runners on the corners, Semien hit into a double play, scoring Baty to put the Mets up, 1-0.
Colorado threatened to score in the third, as ex-Yankee prospect TJ Rumfield and Tyler Freeman opened with singles.
Troy Johnston followed with a fly ball down the left field line, where Carson Benge made an outstanding sliding grab for the first out to save at least one run.
It was the rookie’s second excellent diving catch in as many games and Peralta retired the next two batters.
New York Mets pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) reacts to getting out of the fifth inning when the New York Mets played the Colorado Rockies Friday, April 24, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
The Rockies tied it in the fifth, loading the bases on a pair of singles and a walk before Rumfield hit a slow roller in front of the plate to score Brenton Doyle.
The Mets fell behind in the sixth when Peralta walked Kyle Karros and Ezequiel Tovar reached on a slow roller to third.
Jake McCarthy hit a run-scoring double to right-center to put the Mets in a 2-1 hole.
With the infield in, Peralta fanned Doyle and was lifted for Sean Manaea, who struck out Mickey Moniak.
But Manaea faltered in the seventh, giving up a two-run single to Johnston that made it 4-1.
NEW YORK — The New York Mets provided some more information Friday on the status of injured shortstop Francisco Lindor.
There’s still no projected timeline for Lindor’s return, but the five-time All-Star will wear a protective boot on his lower left leg for the next week. He will undergo imaging again in three weeks and then be re-evaluated.
Lindor was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday because of a left calf strain, with manager Carlos Mendoza saying only that the switch-hitter was “going to be down for quite a bit here.”
“We’ve still got a lot of people looking at this,” Mendoza said before Friday night’s game against the Colorado Rockies.
The injury came just hours after star slugger Juan Soto was reinstated from the IL after missing 15 games with a right calf strain that wasn’t as severe as the one sustained by Lindor.
“We’ve got to see where this is in three weeks and see how the healing goes,” president of baseball operations David Stearns said.
Ronny Mauricio was recalled Thursday from Triple-A Syracuse and he started at shortstop Friday for the second consecutive game.
Soto was the designated hitter for the third game in a row since returning, even though he initially had been slated to play left field Thursday night. Mendoza said keeping Soto at DH allowed him to start three straight games.
“Finding ways to keep his bat in the lineup while we’re not putting him at risk,” Mendoza said. “If he needs a day, he needs a day. As much as we need his bat in the lineup, he’s going to get days (off).”
Right-hander Christian Scott was optioned back to Syracuse after a wild outing Thursday against the Twins in his first major league start since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2024. New York selected the contract of veteran right-handed reliever Carl Edwards Jr. from its top farm club.
Scott issued five walks and lasted only 1 1/3 innings. He also hit a batter with a pitch and committed a balk, but the Mets pulled out a 10-8 victory despite a late mix-up with their bullpen.
Left-hander David Peterson is scheduled to pitch Wednesday night against Washington when that turn in the rotation comes up next — although it could be in a bulk-relief role again, rather than a start.
In another update, Stearns described Jorge Polanco’s status as week-to-week, rather than day-to-day. The first baseman and DH is on the 10-day injured list with a bruised right wrist — although he’s also dealing with bursitis in his left heel, which has bothered him since very early in the season.
Mendoza said Polanco is feeling better. He is scheduled to undergo more testing this weekend.
Left-handed reliever A.J. Minter remains on target to return in early May from left lat surgery that cut short his 2025 season.
“Injuries are part of this, and injuries to good players are part of this,” Stearns said. “We’re certainly not the only team in baseball that deals with this, and we just have to get through it.”
The 12-game skid was New York’s longest since August 2002. The Mets won back-to-back games once Soto returned to the lineup, but no team has ever made the playoffs during the same season in which it lost 12 consecutive games.
“I still think we’re a good team. I recognize we had a stretch where we did not play good baseball and it cost us, and cost us repeatedly, but I think we’re a good team and I think we will show that,” Stearns said.
“Yes, it’s a frustrating stretch and we didn’t play well. We’re also not going to wholesale-change our evaluation of our team over a two-week stretch. This is a long season. Going through a 12-game losing streak is difficult and it’s not usual. There’s a reason it doesn’t happen very often. Even with that, I don’t think it should change our overall evaluation of the team — especially this early in the season.”
Apr 24, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher Michael Lorenzen (24) delivers a pitch during the third inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
In a game that featured all the worst aspects of the 2026 team, the Mets dropped the opener of their three game set with the Rockies 4-3. Freddy Peralta was outpitched by Michael Lorenzen, who entered the game with an ERA of nearly 7.5. The offense had just about as poor of luck as you can imagine. It was more of the same.
We can keep the play-by-play portion of the recap brief. Two deep fly balls in the first died on the warning track, and a rally that could’ve been bigger in the second resulted in only a single run. After that, the Mets’ bats went silent while the Rockies scored in three consecutive innings; one run in the fifth, another to take the sixth, and two more for insurance in the seventh. The Mets got two back in the eighth but lined into three outs in the inning, then had some more poor batted luck in the ninth as they went down 1-2-3.
Let’s get more granular on just how bad the batted ball luck was in this one. The Mets ground into three double plays and lined into another, with the latter coming in the eighth with the tying run on second. They hit two other line drive outs on the infield. There were multiple balls die on the warning track that might have left the yard on another night. The struck out only 3 times to the Rockies 15 and had more hits (though they did not work a walk). Yes, the offense needs to do more against literally Michael Lorenzen, but sometimes the baseball gods are just not on your side. Sure seems like that’s been the case more often than not for the 2026 Mets.
That said, chalking this entire loss up to poor sequencing and BABIP isn’t fair – the manager deserves blame too. Yes, the Mets could’ve used some more length out of their starter after Thursday night emptied their bullpen and yes, Freddy Peralta was nominally acquired to lead the rotation (though Nolan McLean is clearly the staff ace). At the same time, Peralta has never been the arm to give his team length. He was clearly gassed at the end of the fifth. And Carlos Mendoza, asleep at the wheel as he so often is, sent Peralta back out for the sixth and pulled him five batters too late after he’d given up another run.
It’s impossible to say for certain that the Mets win the game if that run doesn’t score, or that the reliever who came in would’ve been more effective. That’s irrelevant, however. This is one of the most basic managerial decisions imaginable, and Mendoza got it blatantly wrong. More than that, it’s a mistake he’s made time and again with Peralta and other starters. Clearly, no learning has occurred here.
In short, this was a typical loss for the 2026 Mets; solid pitching undermined by an inert offense, managerial incompetence, and poor luck en route to another irritating loss. The Mets are now 2-6 in 1-run games and 9-17 on the season. They’ll try to get back on the winning side of the ledger on Saturday with former Met Jose Quintana squaring off against Kodai Senga.
Big Mets winner: Brett Baty, +19% WPA Big Mets loser: Marcus Semien, -19% WPA Mets pitchers: -12%% WPA Mets hitters: -38% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Brett Baty singles on a ground ball to center field Brenton Doyle, +16.4% WPA Teh sux0rest play: Jake McCarthy doubles in the sixth to give the Rockies a 2-1 lead, -20.8% WPA
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - APRIL 24: Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays runs the bases after hitting a home run in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Tropicana Field on April 24, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Against an opposing pitcher who’s been one of the best in the AL the last several years, you need your starter to be really sharp — Taj Bradley was doing kinda OK until he wasn’t — and you need your hitters to take advantage of opportunities when they arise. These Twins were terrible at the latter last year, and are running out mostly the same lineup now. What else would you expect to happen?
Inning-by-inning notes:
1: If you missed the intro, Drew Rasmussen is a darn good pitcher. His sinker/4-seam/cutter mix means three pitches in the 90s that can go in or out and they’re all thrown hard. Byron Buxton strikes out and two other guys hit nubbers. The onus is gonna be on Taj Bradley to throw a heckuva game.
Aren’t too many ballparks where a ball hit 450 feet ain’t a home run. Maybe the old Polo Grounds? (Looks it up.) Yep, the centerfield wall was 483 feet from home plate. This ain’t the Polo Grounds, though. Nice swat, Junior Caminero. Rays 1-0
2: Groundout, flyout, groundout. Drew Rasmussen’s career BAbip is .262. Normally, when a pitcher’s BAbip is much lower than around .300, that’s taken as an indicator that they’re getting lucky and are likely to come down to Earth sooner or later. So was Mariano Rivera’s .265 BAbip a fluke? It certainly wasn’t.
Three outs on nine pitches is much better than 450-foot dongs.
3: Well, that’s one way to get on base; Matt Wallner walks. (Rasmussen doesn’t walk a lot of guys, either.) Followed by K, ꓘ, groundout. Sigh.
Unlucky start; Nick Fortes squeezes one right down the left-field line and it gets by 3B Royce Lewis for a double. Then the Rays do something I can’t remember the Twins doing in years; they have the #9 hitter lay down a perfect sac bunt to move the runner to third. A grounder on a contact play gets Fortes in.
Radio actually has an interesting factoid; that RBI grounder was by Chandler Simpson, who has never hit a home run over the fence; he had three inside-the-park home runs in the minors. He hit one off Twins pitcher Dan Altavilla in Spring Training this year, but I guess that doesn’t count. Devil Rays 2-0
4: Hey now — a single by Trevor Larnach and a first pitch double by Austin Martin puts two guys in scoring position. Victor Caratini strikes out and I have a terrible feeling about this. Kody Clemens strikes out and Royce Lewis bloops one into “no-man’s land” that Ben Williamson, who is a human man, catches.
It’s innings like this that make me physically angry with the Twins. Like my tummy hurts. I hope the team hotel has bedbugs. OK, not that. But I’m still angry.
Jonathan Aranda hits another dinger off Bradley, the second long ball Bradley’s given up this year. Notably, both homers were on balls outside of the strike zone.
Also not in the strike zone were the four straight balls Bradley threw to Cedric Mullins (after a single by Jonny DeLuca), so this inning/game are within range of getting out of hand. Smart running by DeLuca; he tags and reaches third on a foul flyout just beyond first base. Fortunately Bradley induces the groundout; still, 3-0 seems like more than these Twins can manage tonight.
5: FINALLY! Brooks Lee has a nice AB and it ends with a bang. He fouled off or took several close pitches after falling behind 0-2. The Pride of Missouri City, TX, Tristan Gray, singles. Nothing comes of it.
A seven-pitch inning for Taj. He really is pitching pretty well (minus that walk last inning); too bad the Twins left their good bats in Minnesota. Tampa Bay 3-1
6: Klobberin’ Kody Klemens has a two-out hit. Do you think it matters? Do you think anything the Twins will try to do matters? Now, tomorrow, or ever again? It doesn’t.
Aranda does it again. Same location; off the plate inside. Then Yandy Díaz singles. With two outs, Ben Williamson walks. Royce Lewis saves a double that probably would have scored both runners BUT NOTHING MATTERS DO NOT BOTHER CARING
7: Kris Atteberry mentions that new RP Cole Sulser went to Dartmouth and this fills my heart with hate. Not for Sulser. Brooks Lee has a one-out single. It doesn’t matter. Byron Buxton hits a long fly. Atteberry is excited. I know not to be.
Huh. With one out and the Rays coming around for the fourth time, pitching coach Pete Maki walks out from the dugout and… is ejected. I dunno why. Doesn’t he know that it doesn’t matter?
Caminero hits another homer. So what. That one wasn’t off the plate, by the way, it was dead center. In comes Anthony Banda, a relief pitcher who currently sucks at relief pitching. He is fine. St. Petersburg Devil Rays 6-1
8: Trevor Martin replaces Cole Sulser. It doesn’t matter.
Eric Orze comes in for the team that will lose. He was traded by Tampa to Minnesota this offseason for a pitcher named Jacob Kisting. He currently has a 1.80 ERA in high-A. Good for him.
9: Royce Lewis improves his OPS from .726 to .771 with a dinger. Good for him. Wallner singles and Lee doubles. It doesn’t matter. Bryan Baker in to pitch for the Rays. The shame of Missouri City, TX, Tristan Gray, can’t hit it far enough for the runners to advance and Buxton strikes out on nine pitches and Larnach grounds out I told you it didn’t matter. Twins lose
Studs of the game: Lee and Lewis both having dingers and nice fielding plays. Duds: hoo boy. That last Bradley homer was bad. Caratini, Clemens, Gray and Wallner for failing to do ANYTHING with RISP and less than two outs.
COTG goes to nagurskiinnortheast for cussing at the Twins’ hitters and Zach for sharing a typically wonderful family photo. Thanks to everybody who participated in a GT for a game that was genuinely pretty boring right from the start.
Tomorrow’s game is at 3:10, featuring Shane (not Rue) McClanahan against our own Bailey Ober. Catch y’all next time!
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 24: Adley Rutschman #35 of the Baltimore Orioles hits a home run against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 24, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Orioles’ offense had been looking for a “get right game” all season; they finally found it Friday night agains the Red Sox, as they launched six long balls and collected 20 hits in a 10-3 win over the Red Sox.
The O’s had struggled all season to get off to hot starts, but you never would’ve known watching Friday’s first-inning firework show. It only took two pitches for Baltimore to get on the scoreboard against Red Sox righty Brayan Bello, as 26-year-old Dominican left an 0-1 cutter over the plate to Gunnar Henderson, who emphatically launched a high fly ball toward Eutaw Street.
The solo shot was Gunnar’s first leadoff home run since September 4th, 2024 and the first of three homers in the inning for the suddenly on fire Orioles’ offense. After Taylor Ward shot a single up the middle, Adley Rutschman decided to get in on the early-inning fun. Bello left a 2-2 sinker up and over the plate, and the Baltimore backstop did his best Ken Griffey Jr. impression, upper-cutting a ball into the right-center bleachers.
After a Pete Alonso groundout, the Red Sox starter made another mistake to Dylan Beavers. The rookie outfield jumped all over a first-pitch fastball from Bello, sending another towering home run onto the flag court to give Baltimore a 4-0 lead and send Birdland into a first-inning frenzy. Samuel Basallo tried to keep the rally going, hustling for a double a ball he grounded down the first base line and off the bag into right field. However, the big DH would get stranded at second after a Leody Taveras flyout and Coby Mayo strikeout.
And yet, while Bello escaped further damage in the first inning, the O’s weren’t done teeing off on the Red Sox’ suffering starter. Baltimore would manufacture a run in the third, thanks again to the resurgent top of their order. With one out, Henderson laced a single into right field, which probably would have gone for a double if not for its 111mph exit velocity. Then, with Gunnar trying to steal second, Taylor Ward bounced another single up the middle to give the Orioles runners at the corner. Rutschman then picked up his third RBI of the night, grounding into a fielder’s choice at third and beating out the double play to allow Gunnar to score.
The fireworks returned in the 3rd thanks to the big bat of Basallo. With one out and the O’s up 5-1, Bello left a cutter over the plate to his compatriot, and Basallo joined in on the home run derby, sending a laser over the right field fence for his fourth long ball of the season.
The O’s would finally chase Bello in the 4th after the second Rutsch-bomb of the night. Ward once again started the rally, collecting his third single of the night on a sharply hit ground ball to right. Then, in a deja vu moment for the right-hander, Bello left another cutter over the plate and Adley hooked a ball over the flag court fence for his second homer of the night, and the Orioles fifth home run off Bello. Boston left him in for two more batters, but after back-to-back singles from Pete Alonso and Dylan Beavers, manager Alex Cora finally pulled the plug on his starter. Bello came into Friday’s start with a strong track record in Camden Yards; he left having given up over 2,000 feet of home runs, while allowing eight runs and 13 hits.
However, just because Bello left the game didn’t mean the ball stopped leaving the Yard. Coby Mayo led off the bottom of the 5th inning with his third long ball in as many games, digging out a low changeup from Boston lefty Jovani Morán and flipping the left field wall for the Orioles’ fourth solo shot of the night.
Rutschman would pick up his 6th RBI of the night in the 7th to push the Orioles to double-digit runs. With two outs, Henderson picked up his third hit of the night, before Ward added his fourth single of the evening to move Gunnar into scoring position. Not wanting to feel left out, Adley joined the three-hit club, slashing a single to left that allowed Gunnar to race home and make the score 10-3.
The barrage of long balls overshadowed a strong outing from Baltimore starter Brandon Young. After pitching five shutout innings against the White Sox in his only other major league start this season, Young once again looked sharp early against the Red Sox. He worked a quick 1-2-3 inning in the top of the 1st, thanks to a lineout to center and a pair of groundouts to short.
Young was especially sharp with his sinker and splitter early on, tunneling the pitches off each other and consistently hitting the outside with both pitches. He also showed a sharp slider to right-handers, using the breaking ball to punch out Willson Contreras to lead off the 2nd. The 27-year-old righty only made one big mistake on the night, leaving a four-seamer over the plate to Wilyer Abreu, who hit the Red Sox’ only homer of the night with a solo blast in the 2nd.
The right-hander worked around a one-out single in the 3rd to post another scoreless frame. Young then started the 4th with back-to-back Ks, punching out Contreras on a high fastball before getting Abreu to swing through a splitter that fell off the plate at the bottom of the zone.
Young started to fade as he got into the 5th and 6th innings. He allowed back-to-back singles to Caleb Durbin and Carlos Narváez to start the 5th. Durbin would come around to score after moving to third on a fly ball and scampering home on an RBI groundout.
Abreu would get Young again in the 6th, slashing a one-out double down the left field line for his second extra-base hit of the evening. Two batters later, Marcelo Mayer lined a double to the right-center gap to score Abreu and end Young’s evening. After Yennier Cano stranded Mayer at second, it closed Young’s final line at 5.2 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 1 BB and 5 K.
The bullpen combined to pitch 3.1 scoreless innings, while not allowing a hit until the 9th. The most notable outing came from the 36-year-old Andrew Kittredge, who pitched a 1-2-3 7th inning in his season debut.
Additional game notes:
The two home runs and 6 RBIs both tie career highs for Adley Rutschman. The other three two-homer games from Adley all came against the Blue Jays
Taylor Ward tied his career high with four hits. All three of his four-hit games have come this month with the Orioles.
Samuel Basallo set a career high with four hits and finished a triple shy of the cycle.
Dylan Beavers tied a career high with three hits.
Friday was the first game in Orioles history where they hit 6+ home runs and collected 20+ hits.
The Orioles are the first team to record 20+ hits in a game in 2026.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 11: Emmet Sheehan #80 of the Los Angeles Dodgers in action against the Texas Rangers at Dodger Stadium on April 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers (17-8) return home to take on the red hot Chicago Cubs (16-9) for a three game series starting Friday night at Dodger Stadium.
Emmet Sheehan (2-0, 5.58 ERA, 1.40 WHIP) makes his fifth start for the Dodgers.
Jameson Taillon (1-1, 3.97 ERA, 1.28 WHIP toes the rubber for the Cubs.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 21: De'Aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles the ball during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers during Round One Game Two of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 21, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much.
Game 2 didn’t go off as planned, in fact it turned into a nightmare for the Silver and Black when Victor Wembanyama tripped when Jrue Holiday pulled the chair on a drive to the basket and hit his head hard on the Frost Bank Center’s hardwood early in the second quarter. Victor suffered a concussion, and it looked like he might have briefly lost consciousness. The Spurs could have folded after watching their best player have to be taken to the locker room with a serious injury, but they continued to play hard and were able to take a double digit lead midway through the fourth quarter. Unfortunately for the home team, they could not hold on as the Spurs offense went cold for the last 5 minutes and the Blazers made clutch shot after clutch shot. Portland is not a good three-point shooting team, but you couldn’t tell that by their late game performance, as Scoot Henderson played out of his mind for the entire fourth quarter. Conventional wisdom is that you only need to worry about Deni Avdija on offense, but they got great performances from Jrue Holiday and Toumani Camara as they took a three point lead with just a few seconds left to play. Devin Vassell had an opportunity to tie the game with time running out, but he was well guarded, and the shot missed, allowing the team from Rip City to walk away from San Antonio with a 1-1 series tie in the first pair of games, securing home court advantage for the rest of the series.
Victor Wembanyama has been making an excellent recovery from his initial concussion diagnosis, and he was allowed to travel with the team to Portland yesterday. He’s listed as questionable on the injury report this morning, and it’s unclear whether he’ll be cleared to play in time for tonight’s late-starting game. My guess is that even if he were officially able to enter tonight’s game, the Spurs may be reluctant to throw him out without having participated in practice since his injury. In my mind, it’s more likely that we’ll see him play on Sunday, and that would be subject to his continued improvement and a positive evaluation from the doctors that are monitoring his condition.
The Spurs should be prepared to play tonight without the super tall French guy, and if they play their normal game, they should be able to win tonight without his services. Luke Kornet will be fine against the Portland bigs, but it gets dicey when he has to sit. Mitch Johnson has shown that he likes to go small with Carter Bryant when Luke is out, and that has had mixed results so far. We might see some Kelly Olynyk in non-garbage time minutes to limit the time for small lineups. Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox will have to step up tonight after being somewhat inefficient in Game 2, especially late in Game 2. Dylan Harper has been effective, and doesn’t get too rattled by the physical play of Portland defenders and inconsistent calls from the refs, including a double dribble call that was totally a figment of the official’s imagination. The team will have to keep their composure as the Blazers will throw everything they have at them to try and take a lead in the series. It’s up to Mitch to have the team mentally prepared and ready to handle adversity. It’s a test, and I think it’s one that they’ll pass. There are at least three games left in this series, and each one of them is an opportunity for the team to learn. LET’S GO SPURS!
Game Prediction:
Scoot Henderson’s Magic Johnson votive candle burns out during shootaround, and he goes back to playing like just a guy for the rest of the series after his atypical game 2 showing.
San Antonio Spurs vs Portland Trail Blazers, First Round, Game 3 April 21, 2026 | 9:30 PM CT Streaming: Prime TV: Prime Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
BALTIMORE, MD - APRIL 24: Adley Rutschman #35 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates with teammate Taylor Ward #3 after hitting a home run in the fourth inning during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Friday, April 24, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Alyssa Piazza/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It is Friday night.
The Orioles have demolished the Red Sox by a 10-3 score, a beatdown so thorough that they literally ran out of in-game pyrotechnics at Oriole Park at Camden Yards because the O’s hit so many home runs. Gunnar Henderson led off the O’s hitting in the game with a homer, Adley Rutschman hit a pair of homers, each of Taylor Ward and Samuel Basallo had four hits, Brandon Young got a second win, and the Orioles picked up 20 hits on the way to an easy against the last-place Boston Red Sox.
