Australian coach Andrew McDonald says a decision on playing an all-rounder in the World Test Championship final will determine if one of Sam Konstas or Marnus Labuschagne misses out as selectors weigh up doing something “we’ve never done before” at Lord’s and promote Labuschagne to opener.
Three takeaways: Panthers stymied in own zone, power play struggles continue
The Florida Panthers are heading back on the road again.
Florida had an opportunity to knock out the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final on Monday night, but the Cats couldn’t get the job done.
Credit to the Hurricanes, who played their best game of the series while holding the potent Panthers scoreless, winning 3-0 after a couple empty-net goals.
It’s a step in the right direction for Carolina, who still have quite a bit of work to do if they’re going to climb back into this series.
The last time Florida held a 3-0 series lead, they were playing in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final a couple weeks later. We’ll see how much they learned from that experience in the coming days.
Let’s get to the Game 4 takeaways:
PANTHERS TRIED TO BE PERFECT
During many of Florida’s offensive zone opportunities, the Panthers were unable to complete some pretty tough cross-zone passes and came up with nothing to show for them.
That was a recurring theme throughout the game, with Carolina doing an excellent job of clogging up the passing lanes while also blocking 15 shots.
When the Panthers try to do too much and come out of their usual fluid game, things can look a little deliberate and disjointed, and that’s what happened at times on Monday.
“We were looking for something, or looking for something better, and you will always play a slow game when you do that,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice.
MUCH TO TAKE FROM LOSS
One thing Maurice has said often during his tenure behind Florida’s bench is that you learn far more from a loss than you do from a win.
Well, based off the Panthers performance in Game 4, the team’s collective IQ should be going up by a couple of points.
The night absolutely belonged to Carolina.
They imposed their will, their pace and their style of play on the Panthers during much of the night, and it showed in how ineffective Florida was compared to the rest of the series.
“I am exceptionally happy with the learning opportunity,” said Maurice. “I'm not screwing around with you. I believe there's consistent things in games that we don't love, and you cannot eradicate those. Give Carolina credit, they were quick, they closed the gap, blocked some shots, hustled real hard. They played a great game for them in terms of style, and when I say for them, I mean in terms of the style that they play, I thought they were very consistent with their game plan.”
POWER PLAY STRUGGLES
During the first two games of the series, Florida was lights out when on the man advantage.
The Panthers went 4-for-5 on the power play to start the series, and that’s saying something.
Carolina had the league’s best penalty kill during the regular season, and they kept for the first two rounds of the playoffs, killing off 28 of the 30 power plays they faced.
Well, it appears that the Canes have snapped back into form.
During the two games in Florida, the Panthers were a paltry 0-for-8 on the power play, generating a total of seven shots on goal during those opportunities.
“Our power play right now is slightly disjointed,” said Maurice. “When you lose Sam Reinhart, he’s a really big piece to that, but it has still found a way to get some action and score some goals. We still put good players out there. I also don't think against their kill, that formula of a power play is as important, because their kill is like ours. There's so much pressure there, it's broken play, you might as well just play like it's five on five and see what you come up with.”
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Photo caption: May 26, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) reaches for the puck during the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes in game four of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
English club side bowled out for 2, lost by 424 runs and it was Gilly’s old mob!
In one of the most lopsided scorecards in cricket history, a London club side lost a 45-over per side match by 424 runs after being bowled out for just two runs on Saturday.
Jack Kochanowicz shows potential, but gets little support in Angels' loss to Yankees
Jack Kochanowicz mowed through his first three innings against the Yankees on Monday night.
The 6-foot-7 sinkerballer was doing all of what manager Ron Washington asked of him before the game: pitch to contact and let his defense do the work.
"Just be Jack,” Washington said. ‘Throw his sinker, change, eye-level, put the ball in play early — which is when he's at his best. That's what he does. So that's all. I'm not looking for him to be nothing more than that, and if he's that, it'll be good enough."
Nine up, and nine down on 28 pitches — Kochanowicz looked “good enough.” He was hurling just as efficiently as he did against the Dodgers on May 16 when he limited the Angels’ crosstown foes to just one run across 6 ⅔ innings. As he jaunted to the mound for the fourth, the crowd woke up, rising in volume; but not for Kochanowicz.
Read more:Chris Taylor is staying in SoCal. Angels sign former Dodgers utilityman
“Let’s go, Yankees,” the fans in the right-field seats of Angel Stadium bellowed, much like the “Bleacher Creatures” would back in the Bronx. First baseman Ben Rice singled, and then center fielder Trent Grisham did too. Following a rousing ovation, designated hitter Aaron Judge — who upped his batting average to a league-high .398 — loaded the bases on an infield single.
As Yankees fans roared louder, Kochanowicz hiccuped. The sophomore starting pitcher walked Cody Bellinger on four pitches to bring in a run, and two batters later, Anthony Volpe hit a bases-clearing double off the center-field wall to power the Yankees (33-20) to a three-run lead. It was more than enough to take down the Angels (25-28), who struggled to string together hits for the third consecutive game in a 5-1 loss to open the series.
“Always just comes down to pitch calling,” Kochanowicz said. “It's very easy to ask yourself a million questions about every pitch you throw, but I think I just — I came at them hard that inning. I didn't start anyone off with the breaking ball. So that was probably it.”
Shortstop Zach Neto led off the bottom of the first with a 440-foot solo home run to center field — the longest of his career — but it was all the Angels had to offer at the plate. Before the game, Washington called his offense young and inconsistent.
The Angels offered more of those characteristics against the Yankees and left-hander Ryan Yarbrough.
Outside of a fluke infield single from Jo Adell, Neto's home run was all the Angels mustered against the funky, sidearm delivery of the New York southpaw through six innings.
“The way we were swinging the bat, I did think that we would have at least three or four guys in that line of constantly clicking,” Washington said after the Angels were limited to five hits. “Miami come up in here and put us away, and then now we fight to try to find it back again.”
Yarbrough easily dispatched Chris Taylor — who started in center field and went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts in his Angels debut — for a flyout and second baseman Kevin Newman for a strikeout to end the fifth.
“Yarbrough did a good job,” Taylor said. “Shut us down for the most part.”
The sixth inning was no better as the top of the Angels' lineup went down 1-2-3 and Yarbrough exited with his longest and arguably best start of the season, striking out seven. The Angels struck out 11 times in the game.
“Sustaining that offense that we had,” Washington said when asked before the game about matching the offensive rhythm of the Angels’ eight-game winning streak, “it’s impossible.”
Read more:Angels upbeat about their future despite dropping back-to-back games
Outside of his four-run, fourth inning, Kochanowicz was in the “midseason form” he described himself in on Sunday. The right-hander pumped his fastball as high as 97.3 mph and averaged 95 on his sinker, both a tick below his season averages. Four of his 6 ⅔ innings concluded in 1-2-3 fashion.
“I thought he was good, really,” Washington said. “Those first three innings, he was dominating. … If we could just take [the fourth inning] back it’d be a different ballgame.”
Kochanowicz struck out five and walked two, giving up just five hits. But the Angels' offense didn’t back up their pitchers, sending them to a three-game losing streak.
Note: Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe was removed from the game in the eighth inning after being hit in the head on a backswing from Yankees second baseman Jorbit Vivas. O’Hoppe was removed as a precaution, Washington said, and was unavailable for comment after the game. “[O’Hoppe is] telling me he can play [tomorrow], but we’re going to wait and see,” Washington said.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Ryan Yarbrough's best start as a Yankee highlights Monday's series-opening win at Angels
Left-handerRyan Yarbrough's impressive May as a starting pitcher in the Yankees' injury-bitten rotation featured his best outing yet Monday at the Los Angeles Angels. He shoved for a season-high six innings, allowing one run on two hits while striking out seven and walking two in New York's 5-1 win to open a series with the Angels.
Takeaways
- The Yankees made a late offseason move by signing Yarbrough to a reported one-year contract worth $2 million and an additional $500,000 in incentives, and the move is aging well. Yarbrough, 33, is 2-0 with a 3.06 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 35.1 IP over 12 games (four starts). He entered the rotation in May and has been more than what New York could have hoped for, following his season-high eight strikeouts in last Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Texas Rangers with Monday's gem. Yarbrough allowed a leadoff home run against Zach Neto on a 2-2 changeup at 78 mph in the bottom of the first inning, giving the Angels a 1-0 lead, but shoved from there. In a season where the Yankees are without ace Gerrit Cole for the year and started with 2024 American League Rookie of the Year Luis Gil on the 60-day injured list, production such as this one from Yarbrough is invaluable.
- Anthony Volpe's bases-clearing double over center fielder Chris Taylor's head in the fourth inning gave the Yankees the lead at 4-1 and Yarbrough and New York's bullpen enough room to work with. Volpe, who picked up Jasson Domínguez's strikeout swinging in the previous at-bat, now has five RBI in his past three games after he scratched two across during this past Saturday's 13-1 win at the Colorado Rockies. Through 52 games, Volpe is slashing .244/.323/.440 with six home runs and 31 RBI.
- Cody Bellinger bounced back from an 0-for-4 game in Sunday's 5-4 win at the Rockies and was the only Yankee with two hits Monday. Bellinger's four-pitch walk with the bases loaded and none out in the fourth inning set the table for Volpe's game-changing knock. On the season, Bellinger has a .268/.337/.475 slash line with eight home runs and 32 RBI through 48 games.
- The Yankees (33-20) are winners in seven of their past eight games. They have three straight victories and lead the American League East Division by 5.5 games.
Who's the MVP?
Yarbrough, who needed little run support and passed the baton to the bullpen's 7-8-9 shutdown.
Highlights
Cody Bellinger works a bases-loaded, four-pitch walk! pic.twitter.com/HMkp4D6mGi
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 27, 2025
ANTHONY VOLPE CLEARS THE BASES!
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 27, 2025
(via @Yankees) pic.twitter.com/HmiseQhvdP
A sacrifice fly for Austin Wells! pic.twitter.com/oSD9LZvc0C
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 27, 2025
What's next
The Yankees and Angels (25-28) continue their three-game set at Angel Park in Anaheim, Calif., with Tuesday's 9:38 p.m. start. New York is set to go for the series win with left-hander Carlos Rodón (6-3, 2.88 ERA) on the mound while Los Angeles starts fellow southpaw Tyler Anderson (2-1, 3.60 ERA).
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 40, Thunder defense forcing 23 turnovers has OKC one win from NBA Finals
It was the two words in all caps and red ink at the top of the scouting report for Minnesota going into the Western Conference Finals:
Limit turnovers.
The Timberwolves had to break even in the possession game to upset the Thunder in this series. They failed at that in the biggest moment of their season Monday night — Minnesota turned the ball over 23 times and allowed 19 Oklahoma City offensive rebounds in Game 4. The result was the Thunder getting up 11 more shots in the game.
That was the difference in what an epic, high-level playoff game, one of the best of the postseason. Well, turnovers and a career playoff high 40 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
SGA DROPS A NEAR 40-POINT TRIPLE DOUBLE
— NBA (@NBA) May 27, 2025
⚡️ 40 PTS
⚡️ 10 AST
⚡️ 9 REB
The @okcthunder take a 3-1 Western Conference Finals lead! pic.twitter.com/Lu44iHcoLs
Oklahoma City hung on at the end for a 128-126 Game 4 win that puts them up 3-1 in the series. The Thunder can close the series out Wednesday night at home.
This is a gut-punch loss for the Timberwolves because they played well enough to win:
• Minnesota created better looks most of the night.
• Minnesota shot better, including 18-of-41 (43.9%) from 3.
• Minnesota grabbed 19 offensive rebounds themselves.
• Minnesota got 64 points from their bench behind Nickeil Alexander-Walker scoring 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting, Donte DiVincenzo scoring 21, including five 3-pointers, and 11 points from Naz Reid.
“Definitely sucks being that close…” Alexander-Walker said postgame. “Everything is out there, there are no secrets — they know how to beat us and we know how to beat them.”
What hurt the Thunder was a slow start and rough night from Anthony Edwards, who scored 16 points on 5-of-13 shooting. Which was better than Julius Randle, who struggled again with five points on 1-of-7 shooting (but nine rebounds).
Not only did SGA step up for the Thunder, but so did their next stars: Jalen Williams had 34 points, including six 3-pointers, while Chet Holmgren had 21 points, seven rebounds and three blocks, including a critical one late.
J-Dub (34p, 6 3pm, 5a) and Chet (21p, 7r, 3b) came up HUGE in OKC's Game 4 road W
— NBA (@NBA) May 27, 2025
The Thunder (up 3-1) are just a win away from advancing to the Finals! pic.twitter.com/zPfX8mnwnu
After coming out flat and getting blown out in Game 3, the Thunder came out Monday with increased defensive ball pressure and activity — looking like themselves again — except it didn’t work. For example, the Thunder defense forced the ball to Jaden McDaniels, but he responded with 10 early points. Minnesota shot 63.2% in the first quarter but trailed 37-30 after one because of their seven turnovers in the frame. That was the theme of the night.
So was Oklahoma City taking a small lead (never more than 11) and then Minnesota walking them down. It was a physical, intense, high-level game of basketball played well by both teams.
The last time the Thunder got one of those small leads they held on, and now they have a commanding lead in the series.
Opinion: Mitch Love Is The Right Choice To Lead The Penguins
With the IIHF Men's World Championship wrapped up - and Canada, shockingly, having lost Thursday to Team Denmark - Pittsburgh Penguins GM and POHO Kyle Dubas can shift his focus from managing Team Canada fully to the coaching search for his NHL club.
With a round of interviews already in the rearview, it's about time for a choice to be made. Dubas said upon Mike Sullivan's departure that a new coach would likely be named in early June.
And, on May 26, a clear frontrunner is seemingly emerging.
Mitch Love - assistant coach for the Washington Capitals - has already spoken with the Penguins and the Seattle Kraken about their head coaching vacancies. Dubas and company seemed to be impressed by Love in his first interview, which means he is likely headed for the next phase.
If the Penguins have the option to hire Love as their head coach - and he's willing to take the job - he's absolutely the right choice.
Love began his coaching career in 2011, when he helmed the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He was with the Silvertips until 2018, when he became the head coach of the Saskatoon Blades and led the team to a playoff berth in his first season there.
Two Names Emerge In Penguins' Head Coaching SearchThe NHL head coaching carousel is beginning to pick up some steam across the league, as the Vancouver Canucks hired Adam Foote, the Anaheim Ducks brought on Joel Quenneville, and the Philadelphia Flyers landed on Rick Tocchet.
He was in Saskatoon for three seasons - compiling a .667 win percentage - before he moved on to the Stockton Heat, who are now the Calgary Wranglers. Leading the Flames' AHL affiliate, this is when Love's coaching resume really solidified itself, as he won Coach of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons in 2023 and 2024 and led the team to the ninth-best finish in AHL history in that first season.
His success in Calgary led to him landing a gig with the Capitals as their defensive coach in 2024-25, where he helped maximize the potential of blueliners like Jakob Chychrun, who had a career year with 20 goals and 47 points in 74 games.
Love seems to check all the boxes. He has experience working with defensemen, and the Penguins' blue line is in dire need of some TLC. His resume spans more than a decade. He's a younger, fresh face at just 40 years old.
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And, perhaps, most importantly, he has a track record of success in developmental leagues, which is something Dubas has specified they would be looking for in a head coach.
“We'll have deep questions as we go through the process on what their experience has been developmentally,” Dubas said after Sullivan's departure. "Sully had that. Sully was in player development with Chicago, he coached in the American League, an [NHL] assistant coach...that's something I think, especially now in the salary cap era, you have to be developing your own guys."
There is a pretty good chance that Pittsburgh will hire the 23rd head coach in franchise history sometime within the next week. If that happens, don't be surprised if Love's name is the one announced.
'I Started To Think That It May Just Be Time': Takeaways From Kyle Dubas's Press Conference Regarding Departure Of Mike SullivanOn Monday, Pittsburgh Penguins’ president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas shook the hockey world when he announced that head coach Mike Sullivan would not be returning to coach the Penguins in 2025-26.
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Oilers Might Actually Have A Chance At 2006 Rematch
EDMONTON – Put the brooms back in the closet, we have a series.
The Edmonton Oilers nearly discovered who they were (potentially) playing in the Stanley Cup Final – should they arrive there themselves.
Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more.
On Monday night, the Carolina Hurricanes kept their postseason alive with a 3-0 victory over the Florida Panthers. They were propelled to victory with goals from Logan Stankoven, Sebastian Aho, and Jordan Staal.
Goaltender Frederik Andersen is in the middle of a Stuart Skinner-esque comeback, earning a shutout on Monday night.
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The Hurricanes have earned themselves another opportunity to keep their season alive, now that the series is at 3-1 in favor of the Panthers.
The Oilers are nowhere near being done with their series. However, with a 2-1 series lead and with the Alberta-based squad controlling every aspect of the game for the majority of the series, playing out the games seems like a formality at this point.
No matter which way the Hurricanes-Panthers series swings, the Oilers will get a rematch. If it’s the Panthers, they will play them for the second straight year for all of the marbles.
NHL Game 3 Highlights | Hurricanes vs. Panthers - May 21, 2025Logan Stankoven’s fifth of the playoffs turned out to be the game-winning goal before the Carolina Hurricanes added two empty net goals to win 3-0 over the F...On the flip side, facing the Hurricanes presents another retribution opportunity – and a longer gestating one.
The Hurricanes and Oilers met in the 2006 Finals, with the Oilers coming up short and the Hurricanes taking Lord Stanley’s Cup home. It would be a series with a longer history, but perhaps less intensity.
Either way, Oilers fans will need to wait at least one more game of the Eastern Conference Final to play out to see a clearer picture of the final round.
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The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live: Join The Chat As Hurricanes Save Season With Win Over Panthers
Welcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming nightly during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.
After the big game of the night, our experts go live to react to the match that was, break down the key moments and storylines and read your opinions.
On tonight's show, Michael Augello and Katie Gaus react to the Carolina Hurricanes saving their season with a 3-0 win over the Florida Panthers in Game 4 Monday night. The Panthers now lead the series 3-1.
Panthers vs Hurricanes Game 4 - Playoff Frenzy | The Hockey NewsTune in to Playoff Frenzy Live presented by The Hockey News, where we recap all of the biggest news and game action from every night of the 2025 Stanley Cup ...Share your thoughts in the comments, and the hosts may discuss your message during the stream.
Promo image credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Hurricanes blank Panthers in Game 4 to stay alive in Eastern Conference Final
We’re not done quite yet.
The Florida Panthers couldn’t close out the Eastern Conference Final on Monday night, falling in Game 4 to the Carolina Hurricanes by a 1-0 final score.
Carolina played perhaps their strongest opening period of the series, outshooting Florida 11-7 and holding a 9-3 edge in scoring chances, but neither team was able to solve the opposing goaltender.
A quick transition play midway through the game brought us the night’s first goal.
Catching Florida in a line change, Alexander Nikishin found a cutting Logan Stankoven, who skated into the Panthers zone and beat Sergei Bobrovsky over the blocker to give the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead with 9:15 left in the middle frame.
It was the first time in the series that Carolina held a lead.
Moments after a Panthers power play expired during the third period, the Hurricanes thought they took a 2-0 lead on a goal from Mark Jankowski.
Florida challenged the play for it being offside, and replay showed that the play was in fact not legal, so it remained a one-goal lead for Carolina.
Sebastian Aho and Jordan Staal added empty-net goals in the final minutes, and that would end up being more than enough for Frederik Andersen, who kept the Panthers off the scoreboard and forced the series back to Raleigh.
On to Game 5.
QUICK THOUGHTS
Florida went 0-for-4 on the power play, while their penalty kill went 3-for-3.
Stankoven became the fifth rookie in Hurricanes/Whalers franchise history to score a goal in an elimination game.
Alexander Nikishin became the sixth defenseman in the expansion era to record his first career point in an elimination game.
The Panthers are now 1-4 under Paul Maurice when holding a 3-0 series lead.
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Photo caption: May 24, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Logan Stankoven (22) and Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Scott Morrow (56) celebrate after scoring a goal during the second period in game three of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Mets' Tyrone Taylor continues to shine on both sides of ball: 'He gives everything he's got'
Tyrone Taylor is a winning player.
The veteran outfielder finds a way to make his mark for the Mets night in and night out.
Sunday it was with his arm -- he ranged over into right-center in the top of the first and made a terrific throw to the plate, gunning down the speedy Mookie Betts trying to score on a potential Will Smith sacrifice fly.
Then on Monday, he came through with his bat.
With the game tied at one apiece, Taylor dug in, leading off the top of the ninth against White Sox reliever Steven Wilson. And with the count evened at 2-2, he crushed a high fly ball into the left-center gap.
Speedy CF Luis Robert Jr. ranged back and attempted to make a terrific sliding grab on the warning track, but the ball dropped in off of his glove and Taylor ended up at second base with a leadoff double.
“It was a good pitch,” Taylor said. “I was just trying to be on time for a fastball up close to me and I was able to put a good swing on the sweeper -- I was probably staring at it in the air too long, but I’m glad it dropped in.”
The Mets certainly had to be glad, too, as Jeff McNeil was intentionally walked and Luis Torrens laced a single to load the bases before Francisco Lindor lifted a first pitch walk-off sacrifice fly to deep right.
Lindor’s third walk-off of the season will be what’s remembered the most from the thrilling come-from-behind victory, but that wouldn’t have been possible without Taylor’s hustle and big knock to get things started.
The 31-year-old has been more known for his glove to this point in his career, but he’s been excellent for the Mets on both sides of the ball of late.
With the offense struggling to get back into a groove, he’s provided a much-needed spark at the bottom of the order -- hitting .286 with a .366 OBP in May and recording hits in eight of his last nine appearances.
“I see a guy that has a lot of confidence [right now],” Lindor said. “I see a guy that feels like he can hit every pitch, a guy that gives good at-bats every single day -- he’s been doing this for a long time, but this year the first couple days of the year it seemed things weren’t going his way.
“All of a sudden now he’s picking it up. He lengthens the lineup. He’s making the bottom of the lineup look really good, so I’m proud of him with the work he puts in day in and day out. He goes out there and gives everything he’s got.”
Angels sign Chris Taylor to a 1-year contract, keeping the utilityman in Southern California
May 26, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Chris Taylor (33) takes batting practice prior to the game against the New York Yankees at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Los Angeles Angels signed Chris Taylor to a one-year contract on Monday, keeping the veteran utilityman in Southern California after he was cut by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Taylor was in the Halos' lineup Monday night against the New York Yankees, batting eighth and playing center field.
“I’m excited to stay home,” Taylor said. “I get to play at home, and I know the Angels have been playing really good baseball, so I’m excited to join the team and hopefully get on the field. That was one thing with the Dodgers this year. With my role, I wasn’t getting on the field much. I’m really just looking forward to getting consistent at-bats and playing.”
Taylor hit .200 (7 for 35) in 28 games for the Dodgers before he was released by the World Series champions on May 18, ending his nine-year tenure in Chavez Ravine. He had no clear role for the Dodgers this season before his release, with the defending champions using rookie second baseman Hyeseong Kim and versatile Tommy Edman in the jobs long occupied by Taylor.
“It was emotional,” Taylor said of his release. “I’d been with the Dodgers for nine years, but I do believe it was time for me. It was my time to kind of start fresh and hopefully turn the page, start a new chapter.”
Manager Ron Washington said Taylor will play in both the outfield and the infield for the up-and-down Angels, who had won eight of 10 heading into Memorial Day. Taylor has been reunited with former Dodgers teammates Kenley Jansen and Tyler Anderson in Anaheim.
“He brings experience, which is something we need in there,” Washington said. “He's a good piece for those young guys to talk to about how to handle the grind. He's been in the grind with LA, and we want that. We're going to give him an opportunity to see what he's got left.”
The Angels can use all of the veteran help they can get in the infield and the outfield, Washington said. Taylor has played every defensive position except catcher and first base.
Taylor, who turns 35 in August, takes the roster spot of Kyren Paris, who was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake after Sunday's 3-0 loss to Miami. The 23-year-old Paris got off to a spectacular start to the season with five homers and eight RBIs in his first 10 games, but was in a 9-for-85 (.106) slump over the past six weeks.
“We didn't option Paris because of results, because if that was the case, that would have been happening,” Washington said. “He needs to play. He's young. He needs to go get at-bats. He needs to learn to make the adjustments he has to make. I was very impressed with the way he handled himself when things weren't going the way he wanted them to go.”
Taylor's contract with the Angels is worth $518,925, a prorated share of the $760,000 major league minimum. The Dodgers are on the hook for the rest of his $13 million salary, plus the $4 million buyout of the 2026 club option in his $60 million, four-year contract.
The two-time World Series champion believes he can return to the consistent level of play that he hasn't reached since 2023. His OPS since then is .580, precipitously down from his career mark of .749.
“I always attribute it to swing mechanics, and I’ve really been struggling with that,” Taylor said. “I think there’s a lot that goes into it, but I really haven’t had a consistent swing that’s allowed me to put the ball in play and move it forward, so that’s what I’ve been working toward. ... I feel good (now). I haven’t got on the field much, so that’s given me a lot of time to rest and stay fresh.”
Taylor made his major league debut with Seattle in 2014. He became a key player for the Dodgers after he was acquired in a trade for right-hander Zach Lee in 2016 as a dependable contributor all over the diamond with a knack for big hits in tough situations.
Taylor had several memorable postseason moments for the Dodgers, including a walk-off homer that beat St. Louis in the 2021 NL Wild Card Game, three homers in Game 5 of the NL Championship Series against Atlanta and a leadoff homer in the 2017 World Series opener against Houston.
Taylor is a .250 hitter with 108 homers and 433 RBIs in 1,093 games over 12 seasons in the majors.
Clay Holmes, bullpen kept Mets in game before walking off White Sox in series opener
The Mets’ pitching continues getting the job done.
Clay Holmes put together another strong effort on Monday afternoon -- working around traffic to help keep the team in the ballgame as they struggled to get anything going against their former teammate, Adrian Houser.
The White Sox scratched across a run in the top of the fourth when the first two batters of the inning reached on a walk and a double and then Andrew Benintendi lined a sacrifice fly to shallow left field.
But Holmes limited them there with some help from his defense.
Pete Alonso made a beautiful diving play with two outs and a man on third in the top of the first and a few innings later Jeff McNeil layed out to rob Mike Tauchman on a leadoff single in the sixth.
Chicago did get a rally going against Holmes later that inning -- loading the bases with two singles and a walk, but José Butto entered and got young catcher Edgar Quero to ground out to McNeil to end the inning.
“I felt good today,” Holmes said after stretching out to 100 pitches for the first time. “I had a chance to work a little deeper, but that sixth inning I started getting some traffic and the pitch count got up. Overall, I was able to get some groundballs early and settled in a little bit.”
Huascar Brazoban then found himself thrown into some trouble in the seventh, as Josh Rojas drew a walk and then advanced to second on a stolen base, but the right-hander escaped the threat with some help from another diving play by Alonso.
Brandon Nimmo made a running snag to help Brazoban keep the leadoff man off the bases in the eighth.
Later that inning, with a man on and two outs, Carlos Mendoza turned to lefty José Castillo to put on the finishing touches and after walking Austin Slater on 11 pitches he struck out the next batters with just three.
Edwin Diaz then kept his recent dominance going -- working around a walk in a easy top of the ninth before the Mets rallied to walk it off.
“Big day for the bullpen,” Holmes said on their dominance behind him. “We had a few guys come in at different points with runners on and shutting the door there was huge -- that really kept us in it and gave us a chance to win the game.”
As a group, they combined to put together 3.1 more hitless innings.
“They were throwing strikes and making pitches when they needed,” Mendoza said. “Butto came in with the bases loaded, gets to a 3-2 count and was able to execute a pitch to get out of the inning then goes back out.
“Brazoban comes in and is able to give us a couple ups on a day I was trying to keep it at 20 pitches. Castillo comes in and gets a huge out and then Sugar attacking. Overall, those guys coming out the bullpen just making big pitches and attacking hitters.”
Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani spur Dodgers to stress-free win over Guardians
It had been a while since the Dodgers’ last stress-free win.
Over their previous nine games entering Monday, the team had won just three times — and needed extra innings after blown ninth-inning saves in two of them, and a late-game go-ahead home run from Teoscar Hernández in the other.
Such theatrics underscored the club’s underwhelming play in recent weeks, with manager Dave Roberts bemoaning everything from poor fundamentals, to continued pitching injuries, to a lineup that had most of all gotten back out of sync.
Read more:Chris Taylor is staying in SoCal. Angels sign former Dodgers utilityman
“We’ve got to kind of lock in our hitting zone,” Roberts said Monday afternoon, “and continue to take good swings.”
In a 7-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Memorial Day, the Dodgers finally did.
While Yoshinobu Yamamoto cruised through a six-inning, two-run start, the club’s lineup was waking from a recent lull that had seen them fail to top five runs (excluding extra innings) in each of their last seven games.
Shohei Ohtani provided an early spark, hitting a leadoff home run for the second straight game to take the MLB lead with 19 long balls. Andy Pages added an RBI single in the second inning, before the Dodgers mounted two extended rallies in the fifth and sixth, scoring two runs in each inning.
The bullpen was shakier, with Alex Vesia stranding two runners in the seventh before Tanner Scott — coming off two blown saves in his previous three outings — worked around José Ramírez’s second double of the game in the eighth for Cleveland (29-24).
But in the top of the ninth, Will Smith punctuated the night with a home run over the tall left-field wall at Progressive Field to ensure the Dodgers (33-21) got back in the win column.
Read more:The simple adjustment the Dodgers hope will get closer Tanner Scott back on track
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
On This Day In Penguins Playoff History: May 26
The Pittsburgh Penguins just wrapped up their 57th season, missing the Stanley Cup playoffs for the third consecutive season. Despite their recent lack of success, the franchise has appeared in the playoffs 37 times and won five championships.
Our newest series will reflect on how the Penguins performed on specific days leading up to the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.
Today, May 26, Pittsburgh has compiled a 4-3 record in seven games on this date.
- 1992 - Game 1 Win vs. Chicago Blackhawks (5-4)
- 1995 - Game 4 Loss vs. New Jersey Devils (2-1 OT)
- 1996 - Game 4 Win vs. Florida Panthers (2-1)
- 2008 - Game 2 Loss vs. Detroit Red Wings (3-0)
- 2009 - Game 4 Win vs. Carolina Hurricanes (4-1)
- 2016 - Game 7 Win vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (2-1)
- 2021 - Game 6 Loss vs. New York Islanders (5-3)
Notable Penguins Performances On This Day
May 26, 1992 - The Penguins rally from a 3-0 first-period deficit to take Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final thanks to four unanswered goals in the second and third periods, led by Mario Lemieux's two, including the game winner with 13 seconds left. Meanwhile, Ron Francis had two assists, and Rick Tocchet had a goal and an assist.
May 26, 2008 - As the Red Wings shut out the Penguins for the second consecutive game to begin the 2008 Stanley Cup Final, Maxime Talbot establishes a new career-high with 14 penalty minutes, all in the third period, during the 3-0 loss. Eight players took penalties, with Gary Roberts also contributing 14 towards the team total of 46.
Should The Penguins Target Dallas Stars' RFA Forward?Ahead of the NHL Draft and free agency, the Pittsburgh Penguins - in addition to hiring a new head coach - figure to be busy.
May 26, 2009 - Talbot helps the Penguins sweep the Hurricanes with three points in a 4-1 victory in Game 4. It was the only time he'd record three points in a playoff game. Moreover, Sidney Crosby had two helpers in the win.
May 26, 2016 - Bryan Rust (two goals) and Evgeni Malkin (two assists) help Pittsburgh eliminate Tampa Bay in Game 7 at CONSOL Energy Center.