OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Jalen Williams was downgraded to out by Oklahoma City Thunder for Game 5 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday night, after being listed as questionable throughout the day because of his ongoing issues with a strained left hamstring.
Ajay Mitchell, who typically starts in Williams' place, was ruled out earlier by the Thunder with a strained right soleus.
The Thunder opted to put Jared McCain in the starting lineup, alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Lugentz Dort.
McCain was making the first playoff start of his career. He averaged 8.8 points in 12 playoff games off the bench for the Thunder entering Tuesday.
Williams returned for Game 1 of the Spurs’ series, scoring 26 points in 37 minutes a week ago Monday night in Oklahoma City’s 122-115 double-overtime loss. He had four points in seven first-quarter minutes in Game 2, including an alley-oop dunk with 2:12 left in the period, and hasn't played since.
Williams has now missed 58 of the Thunder’s 95 games this season, including playoffs. Of those absences, 19 were for a right wrist issue and the other 39 were related to his hamstrings — the right one costing him 30 games during the regular season, the left one now costing him nine during the playoffs.
SAN DIEGO — You could probably hear the ball off the Phillies’ bats if you were anywhere near Southern California on Tuesday.
Philadelphia played its version of a home run derby against Padres starter Randy Vásquez at Petco Park. The long ball has carried the Phillies in San Diego, and it was again the biggest difference in their 4-3 win over the Padres.
The Phillies also received another strong performance from their starting pitcher, their fifth in a row. This one was arguably the most important.
Aaron Nola, who entered with a 6.01 ERA, delivered one of his best outings of the season.
Six innings. Three hits. Two runs. No walks. Five strikeouts.
Homers and strong starting pitching will win you plenty of games. Just ask the Phillies since they made it out west.
BACK ON TRACKNOLS
Nola showed he still has the stuff. Sure, the Padres have been one of the worst offenses in baseball despite their strong start. But Nola’s sequencing needed refinement, and it was.
The way he will be successful going forward starts with favoring his knuckle curve in any count. For the second consecutive start, Nola threw that pitch more often on the first pitch than any other in his mix, and he was efficient with it at a 63 percent strike rate.
He generated a 39 percent whiff rate with the pitch and got hitters to expand the zone against it more than a third of the time.
Against a predominantly right-handed lineup, Nola was able to mix and match his four-seamer and sinker. He threw the sinker more than usual, using it 24 percent of the time, five percentage points above his season average. His four-seam usage dropped 10 percentage points, due in part to there being just two lefties in the Padres’ order.
Of the heaters put in play, six resulted in contact, and only two were hard-hit. The average exit velocity sat around 76 mph.
That mattered. Opponents were hitting .417 against Nola’s four-seamer entering the night. Right-handed batters were also hitting north of .400 against his sinker.
The lone blemish on his night was Manny Machado’s fourth-inning two-run shot. It probably should not have happened.
A pitch earlier, Gavin Sheets hit a ball 84 mph that skipped off Trea Turner’s mitt. There were two outs. It was scored a hit, but it was certainly a play Turner is capable of making.
On the very next pitch, Machado, who has had a down season to this point, was sitting on something in. He got a sinker on the inner black and left the yard with it.
But Nola remained unfazed the rest of the way.
In the sixth, he allowed another two-out hit, which brought the left-handed Sheets to the plate. That has been a matchup Nola has struggled with this season.
This time, he handled it. He started Sheets with two knuckle curves, both whiffs, then finished him with a 93.7 mph four-seamer off the plate.
A huge punchout and an exclamation point on an encouraging night for the Phillies right-hander.
LOUD CONTACT
Since Don Mattingly took over for Rob Thomson on April 28, the Phillies have been much better against fastballs.
Before the managerial change, the club slashed .247/.332/.395 against all heaters. Since then, they are at .270/.349/.470.
That turnaround has directly tied into their overall improvement at the plate. The Phillies actually averaged a higher exit velocity against fastballs before Thomson was let go, but their batting average on balls in play against those pitches has jumped nearly 30 points.
Tuesday’s exit velocities made that improvement look loud.
Three of their eight hits left the yard, all against Vásquez. And they were scorched.
In the first inning, Bryce Harper got ahead 2-1 and got a low-and-in cutter from the Padres right-hander. Harper golfed a line shot into the right-field seats.
It left the bat at 113.5 mph, his hardest-hit ball of the season. That came a night after he drove a ball to the center-field wall, just missing a homer.
Harper made this one count.
The next homer came the following inning. In the second, J.T. Realmuto got ahead 1-0, then mashed a low-and-in cutter, just like Harper, into the first few rows in left field.
That one left the bat at 109.3 mph, Realmuto’s hardest-hit ball of the year and his first homer since April 1.
Good things came in threes.
In the third, Turner, batting second behind Kyle Schwarber, got a much-needed get-right swing.
This one was not a mistake over the middle. It was a sinking fastball that missed about two to three ball widths above the zone, up and in. Turner tomahawked it into the Western Metal Supply Co. building.
434 feet. 109.1 mph off the bat.
All three were solo shots, and they paired perfectly with Nola’s outing.
MARSH LEAVES
In the top of the first, after Harper’s solo shot, Brandon Marsh lined a single from the cleanup spot.
He was later back-picked by Padres catcher Freddy Fermin to end the frame.
Marsh looked like he was in pain after the play, stretching out his fingers near first base. He jammed his right hand on the bag, the hand not protected by the sliding mitt.
The Phillies later announced that Marsh sprained his right middle finger and would undergo further testing.
That is a situation worth watching.
Marsh has been the Phillies’ best pure hitter to this point, batting .326, third best in baseball.
If Marsh misses extended time, Edmundo Sosa would likely see more opportunities in left field. Otto Kemp could factor in, too. It could also make the Phillies more urgent in their search for outfield help ahead of the Trade Deadline.
Not great news for a player who has been one of the most consistent bats in their lineup.
SUCCESS AGAINST RIGHTIES
It is remarkable how different the Phillies have been against right-handed starters compared to lefties.
They are now 21-14 against right-handed starters. Against left-handed non-openers, they are 4-12.
Tuesday’s win put an exclamation point on that disparity. The Phillies hit three homers off a right-handed starter, got a strong outing from Nola and secured another important series win.
That gap against righties and lefties could also help shape the front office’s thinking as the Trade Deadline gets closer.
Either way, after back-to-back series losses following six straight series wins, the Phillies picked up a big series victory in San Diego. They remain in the thick of the National League Wild Card race and are again nine games back of the top spot in the division.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 01: Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns reacts against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on December 01, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns have numerous decisions ahead of them this upcoming offseason, including multiple restricted free agents, unrestricted free agents, and players with trade value. The following series will examine those decisions as our writing team presents both a point and a counterpoint for each.
Dillon “The Villain” Brooks arrived in the Valley this year with a mix of emotions from fans. Some saw him as a solid role player who could help out; others thought he was just a bad throw-in from the Kevin Durant trade. One thing is for sure, though, is that no one saw him rising to the man he did just in his first year here in Phoenix. Brooks showed not only that he can be that defensive guy everyone buys into, but also a viable offensive option when injuries come into play.
This was seen from day one, even though no one knew what role he would truly hold; they saw he had gotten along well with the team in training camp. There was some hype around the team, even if they were not the best, that they would be a fun product to watch. Luckily for us, it was the best of both worlds, and Brooks was a huge part of that.
Brooks embodied the “Villain” persona he has stuck by in the league, really bringing out the best in these guys in the locker room and on the court. His aggressiveness and determination to leave it all on the court inspired teammates to give that same effort. This was the mold that a coach in Jordan Ott wants in his first year: guys who will buy in and leave it out there every single night.
This season, Brooks not only showed he could be better than anticipated, but even had fans clamoring for him to make the All-Star game.
He then suffered a broken wrist, which kept him out of 18 games for the Suns.
Phoenix Suns guard Dillon Brooks has sustained a broken left hand and will be sidelined, sources tell ESPN. Doctors will meet to determine a timetable. Brooks is a key part to the playoff-contending Suns, averaging 21+ points and 3+ rebounds this season. Difficult injury blow. pic.twitter.com/x00of8NR7H
This definitely put a wrench in his great year, but when he returned, he bounced back to his average: 20.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.2 blocks, while shooting 44/34/84 from the field in 30.2 minutes per game. This led him to a career-high in points and rebounds, which was another positive for Brooks.
In a season where he saw his role fluctuate a bunch with injuries to others and himself, he proved that he was one of the top options on both ends for Phoenix. In Houston, he had taken a bit of a backseat role, but when tasked with a larger workload, he rose to the occasion.
Brooks on the defensive end was also a positive, where he truly brought it together. His aggressiveness and mental toughness to always be hunting, not be the hunted, led him to make multiple big plays for Phoenix throughout the year. He did have a bit of a technical foul issue, but, as we saw, he was being targeted throughout the year, with many of those rescinded.
That is a good sign, as not only is Brooks getting older, but the Suns have over $20 million in dead cap each year for the foreseeable future. They cannot keep extending the team and tightening the window, so locking him up at a respectable number is a good deal. Since Brooks is everything the Suns wanted in a player who represents this hard work and hustle culture, they should bring him back on a 2-3-year deal worth at least $20-25 million per season. With him making $21 million this year, it would be either at his pay rate or a bit higher, which he has deserved.
Ultimately, they should not prolong this. Brooks has won the hearts of fans and many in the locker room with his great play and character. Even if he is “the villain” we all know off the court, he is a great guy, and Phoenix cannot lose this. Especially with how their identity has looked in the past, if you get someone who fits it to a tee, you cannot lose them.
What do you think, though? Is this the right move for the Suns to extend Dillon Brooks and keep him in the Valley, or should they wait and potentially move off him?
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 24: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder passes over Devin Vassell #24 and Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs in the first half of Game Four of the Western Conference Finals NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center on May 24, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | 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. The rule against trolling also applies to members of this site that visit other fan sites.
This series has been an epic journey so far, as each team has made adjustments and the other team counters, changing the shape of the game every time these two teams meet. It has been a coaching master class, and the players have stepped up in every game to make things difficult on the opponent. Injuries have been a factor, with De’Aaron Fox missing the first two games with an ankle injury suffered against the Timberwolves, and re-injuring it in game three, but somehow playing through it in game four. Dylan Harper injured his adductor (groin) in the third quarter of game two and hasn’t been full speed since then. The Thunder have been dealing the absence of Jalen Williams (JDub) with a recurring hamstring issue, and Ajay Mitchell, who has a soleus (calf) injury suffered late in game three, when he landed awkwardly after shoving Castle in the back while committing a flagrant foul. Mitchell is out tonight, while JDub is listed as questionable.
The Thunder re-took home court advantage for the series by taking one of the two games in the Frost Bank Center, and the Spurs will need to win at least one more game in the Paycom Center if they are to win the series. Why not tonight? The team that wins tonight will have a chance to close out the series on Thursday night in San Antonio, which will be a loud and hostile arena for the defending champs. While it would be great to close out the series at home, it would also be acceptable for the Spurs to make it a seven game series and maximize the drama with a road game win to end the series. However this series plays out, it’s been a treat for the fans of both teams. LET’S GO SPURS!
Game Prediction:
Mark Daigneault blows a huge bubble gum bubble just before the an errant pass hits him in the face. The ball has to be replaced because of the gum stuck to the ball. After a conference from the officials, they decline to call a delay of game penalty on Daigneault, since it wasn’t an intentional act like Jason Kidd spilling a drink on the court.
San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma Thunder, Conference Championship Round, Game 5 May 26, 2026 | 7:30 PM CT Streaming: Peacock TV: NBC Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
The Los Angeles Kings are still enduring the long process of searching for their 29th Head Coach in franchise history. As time goes on we hear more rumors and speculation about who they may end up hiring.
There are certainly plenty of solid options in this year's coaching carousel, including Bruce Cassidy, Manny Malhotra, Craig Berube, among others.
Now, according to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun, the Kings are one of a handful of teams to have had talks with a coach who has seen a large amount of success, including a Stanley Cup Championship.
Now entering the mix is Peter Laviolette, a longtime NHL Head Coach who has been behind the bench for over 1,700 combined regular season and Stanley Cup playoff games.
Per Pierre, the Kings have spoken with Peter Laviolette in their interview process.
Also notes that LAK remains interested in talking with Bruce Cassidy should that opportunity arise. https://t.co/EhAj6JvgdN
In his regular season career, Laviolette has won 846 of his 1,594 games, giving him a respectable .589 winning percentage. The now 61-year-old has also had success when it matters, in the postseason.
Laviolette has coached three different franchise to a Stanley Cup Finals appearance, and won one with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. He fell just short with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010 and with the Nashville Predators in 2017, running into dynasties in both instances.
Laviolette is more than qualified to be the next head coach of the Kings, however both he and the LA front office will have to do their due diligence to see if he is the correct fit moving forward.
The Kings aren't just focused on Laviolette. They have also reportedly expressed interest in Manny Malhotra, and while unlikely, interim coach DJ Smith has also been included in the process. Bruce Cassidy is perhaps the biggest name and the Kings have interest in talking with him, but have not yet had the opportunity to do so.
Finding a coach to begin the era of no Anze Kopitar in a Kings sweater is an important process and must be correctly, but it's also a task that shouldn't take up the entire offseason as the NHL Draft and free agency are quickly approaching.
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OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Even before the New York Knicks won the Eastern Conference title, some of their fans took to the streets of Manhattan with a message.
The chants: “We want Wemby! We want Wemby!”
The Knicks have done their part, getting to the NBA Finals. And now, they'll have to wait until at least Thursday to see which team comes out of the Western Conference — either Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, or the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
Before Game 5 of the Spurs-Thunder series on Tuesday night, San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson was asked if he has heard about the chants from those Knicks fans.
He hasn't — but didn't seem surprised that they're happening.
“I know New York's on fire. They won so that city is obviously enjoying it and they've had a heck of a playoff run,” Johnson said. “But unfortunately, I've been pretty locked-into what we've got going right here in front of us.”
The Knicks have won 11 consecutive games, rallying from a 2-1 deficit to beat Atlanta in Round 1 and then sweeping Philadelphia and Cleveland in the next two rounds.
And in fairness, some Knicks fans were captured on videos that got posted to social media chanting “We want Wemby!” after Game 1 of the East finals against the Cavaliers.
“Tip your cap to New York, for sure,” Johnson said. "They're having a heck of a run."
ANAHEIM, CA - SEPTEMBER 26: Jason Alexander #54 of the Houston Astros pitches during the game between the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Friday, September 26, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Tom Wilson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
TONIGHT’S GAME: Tonight, the Houston Astros (24-31) and Texas Rangers (24-29) will play the 2nd game of a 4-game series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX.
RHP Jason Alexander (1-0, 7.30 ERA) will make his 2nd start and 4th app. of the season for the Astros as he takes on Rangers RHP Jack Leiter (1-4, 4.61 ERA). Tonight will be Alexander’s 1st career appearance at Globe Life Field.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT: In his last start, RHP Jason Alexander hurled 6.0 scoreless innings on May 19 at MIN in what was an emergency start.
Alexander, who has spent most of the season at Triple A Sugar Land, will make his 2nd start and 4th appearance of the season tonight. It is also his 2nd career start/appearance vs. TEX.
Remarkable Run: In 2025, Alexander had a remarkable run while in the Astros rotation. In a span of 9 starts, the Astros went 9-0, with Alexander posting a 2.32 ERA in that span (July 29-Sept. 15).
THE SILVER BOOT SERIES: In the first installment of the Silver Boot series in 2026, the Astros took 2 out of 3 from Rangers, May 15-17 at Daikin Park.
With last night’s win, HOU has now won 6 of their last 7 games vs. TEX.
Even Series: The two clubs have played each other 296 times in the regular season in their franchise histories, with the Astros holding a slight advantage, 149-147.
Recently, the Astros have had the upper hand, winning or splitting nine straight season series, going 96-52 against the Rangers since the start of the 2017 season.
The Silver Boot Trophy, which the Astros have held onto since 2017, is on display in the Centerfield Team Store at Daikin Park.
200 CLUB: The Astros next win will be #200 for manager Joe Espada. Espada’s very first managerial win came via a no-hitter by RHP Ronel Blanco on April 1, 2024.
ROSTER MOVE: The Astros optioned OF Zach Cole to Triple A Sugar Land following last night’s game.
To take his place on the active roster, the Astros reinstated OF Taylor Trammell from the 10-day IL today. Trammell is in the lineup today, batting 5th and playing LF.
RECENT STROS: The Astros have won 4 straight, 5 of their last 6 and are 7-3 in their last 10 games.
BLANKINGS: Last night’s 9-0, no-hit win at TEX was the Astros 6th shutout of the season, which is T-2nd most in the AL.
FOR STARTERS: Astros starters have a combined ERA of 2.14 (13ER/54.2IP) over the last 10 games.
Last night was the 4th time in the last 6 games that an Astros starter did not allow a run in his start. Additionally, Astros starters have allowed no runs 5 times in the last 10 games.
WALKER, TEXAS HAMMER: 1B Christian Walker is on a sizzling run as of late with 3 HR and 9 RBI in hits last 3 games (5×11, .455).
For the season, he has been one of the top hitters in the AL and is currently tied for the league lead in RBI with 40.
He also ranks 6th in HR (15), 5th in TB (108), T6th in SLG (.540) and 11th in OPS (.879).
Walker also has not committed an error in his 55 games played.
THROWING SOME LEATHER: The Astros 19 errors as a club are tied for the fewest in the AL, along with KC and ATH. The Astros have a .990 team fielding pct.
PEN PALS: As a group, the Astros bullpen has had a decent run of success recently.
Since May 8, they have a combined ERA of 3.25 (20ER/55.1IP).
Individually, several relievers are currently pitching well:
–RHP Bryan Abreu: 0.00 ERA in last 8 outings (7.2 IP, 0 R).
–AJ Blubaugh: 3.14 ERA in last 9 outings (14.1 IP, 5 ER).
–LHP Bryan King: 1.42 ERA in last 10 outings (12.2 IP, 2 ER)
–LHP Steven Okert: 9 K’s in his last 5.2 IP (6 apps.) and a 2.89 ERA in his last 10 outings (9.1 IP, 3 ER).
ROAD WARRIORS: The Astros have been one of the AL’s top hitting teams on the road in 2026.
Entering today’s game, HOU leads the AL in road batting avg. (.265) and OBP (.335) while ranking 2nd in runs (134), SLG (.417) and OPS (.757).
YESTERDAY’S NO-NO:RHP Tatsuya Imai (6 IP), LHP Steven Okert (1.0 IP) and RHP Alimber Santa (2.0 IP) combined to no-hit the Rangers last night, 9-0.
It was the 18th no-hitter in franchise history (incl. postseason) and the 5th combined no-hitter in franchise history.
Christian Walker (3-run HR), Yordan Alvarez (solo HR) and Nick Allen (2 H, 2 RBI) led the way on offense.
ABOUT THE NO-NO: *In franchise history, it was the 17th regular season no-hitter and the 18th overall. The last was thrown by RHP Ronel Blanco on April 1, 2024 vs. TOR.
*It was the 5th combined no-hitter in Astros history and the 1st since Nov. 2, 2022 at PHI, which was Game 4 of the World Series.
*Per Elias, RHP Alimber Santa became the 1st pitcher since 1900 to pitch in a no-hitter in his ML debut. According to their records, it happened one other time, which was on Oct. 15 of 1892, when RHP Bumpus Jones of CIN hurled a 9.0 inning CG no-hitter in his ML debut.
*Last night’s no-hitter was the Astros’ 7th since 2019, which is the most in the Majors in that span. Additionally, the Astros 18 no-hitters overall are the most in the Majors since the franchise was born in 1962.
*The Astros are the 3rd team ever to have 2 rookies as part of a combined no-hitter. The other teams were the Cubs, 9/4/24 vs. PIT (Porter Hodge, Shota Imanaga) and Mariners, 6/8/12 vs. LA (Lucas Luetge, Stephen Pryor). source: Elias.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Tuesday, May 26, 7:05 p.m. CT
Location: Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
TV: Space City Home Network
Streaming: SCHN+
Radio: KTRH 740 AM, KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
Rikuu Nishida will be making his second major league start in RF after a great performance Monday. | (Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)
The White Sox brought themselves back to a game above .500 after a rough road trip, and will aim to defeat the Minnesota Twins for the eighth time in a row tonight. Sean Burke had himself an excellent April — 2.73 ERA in 29 2/3 innings — but has fallen flat this month, holding a 5.59 ERA in May across 19 1/3 frames. The righty still has plenty of positives: a walk rate in the 84th percentile (6.3%), a solid 33.1% whiff rate, and limiting barrels to 6.3% of the time, 22% less than the MLB average (8.1%).
It would be most ideal if the offense could back Burke up with some insurance runs, but the South Siders will have to face a tough opponent with righthander Joe Ryan on the mound for Minnesota. Ryan might be able to exploit his strong 27.1% strikeout rate since the Good Guys hold the second-highest K% in all of baseball (24.5%). I, however, would prefer if they could take advantage of Ryan’s 10.2% average barrel rate, which ranks in the 23rd percentile in MLB, as the White Sox have posted the fifth-best barrel rate at 9.8% and are tied with the Braves for second in team home runs (72).
Speaking of homers, three of the first four guys in the lineup account for 60% (43) of the team’s 72 bombs: Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas, and Colson Montgomery. Players like Sam Antonacci and Chase Meidroth help balance out the lineup at the top and middle of the order with their ability to get on base, and both hold the highest batting averages on the team (minimum 60 plate appearances). And I’d be remiss not to mention newly arrived prospect Rikuu Nishida, who so far only has three at-bats but was a significant part of Monday’s win with his excellent defense and positive energy.
Ryan is 3-3 on the season in 11 starts (56 2/3 innings) with a 3.02 ERA, though his FIP is closer to a 2.50, potentially due to very mediocre defense from the Twins, who are tied with the White Sox and Tigers for eighth-most errors in baseball (28).
The Twins might have traded everyone away last year, but they still have some decent power in their lineup, especially at the top of the order with Byron Buxton and Brooks Lee. Buxton is slugging .579 with a .901 OPS this season, and has previously hit a home run off of Burke. Lee was the one who struck yesterday with a homer in the first off of Anthony Kay, but hopefully, Burke can shut him down today.
First pitch on the South Side at the Rate will take place at 6:40 p.m. CT on a beautiful evening, with temperatures around 77º at game time. Tune in to the usual broadcast locations: either CHSN (TV) or ESPN Chicago AM 1000 (radio). Time for back-to-back Ws!
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 28: Gabe Speier #55 of the Seattle Mariners pitches against the Minnesota Twins on April 28, 2026 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Seattle Mariners announced Tuesday that they have activated LHP Gabe Speier off the 15-day injured list for pitchers, optioning RHP Nick Davila in a corresponding move. Speier had joined the ballclub in Sacramento following rehab stints in Everett and Tacoma. The southpaw has been a core part of the back end of Seattle’s bullpen once again, with a 2.92/3.64 ERA/FIP in 12.1 frames across 15 appearances. To some degree, Speier has perhaps shown the symptoms of a career-high workload in 2025, where he made 83 appearances across the regular season and playoffs, a total of 69.1 innings. His peripherals, namely strikeouts and walks, haven’t yet matched his usual pace as a Mariner, however the shoulder troubles that took him to the injured list may have played a role there.
It’s a tough beat for Davila, who may rightly be miffed to take the train back to T-Town. The 27 year old rookie did not yield a run in 7.1 frames across seven outings, albeit almost exclusively low-leverage. Davila’s 0.00 ERA is belied somewhat by a 4.43 FIP and just four punchouts to six walks. Still, he not only dutifully covered several innings in his first big league cup of coffee, but worked his way out of trouble each time. He’ll be near the top of the list the next time the bullpen needs reinforcements.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 08: Michael McGreevy #36 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Petco Park on May 08, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After losing to the Milwaukee Brewers on Memorial Day Monday, the St. Louis Cardinals will try again on Tuesday night as Michael McGreevy will start for the good guys while Kyle Harrison takes the mound for the villains. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40pm at American Family Field in Milwaukee and will be watchable on Cardinals.tv.
If you somehow haven’t heard about how good this kid is, maybe this will catch you up to speed.
There is very little to dislike about the BYU product’s game: he’s strong, he’s physical, he has all of the measurables to do well at the NBA level, he can play multiple positions, he’s comfortable being a play initiator, he’s efficient, he LED THE NCAA IN SCORING AS A FRESHMAN WITH 25 POINTS A GAME, and the list could honestly go on forever. The argument could be made, and has been made by myself before, that this entire year for Dybantsa was just a cardio session as he prepared for the NBA. The one and only knock on his game is his defensive prowess, and while I think there is certainly room to improve, he carried so much of the BYU Cougar’s offense (especially after Richie Saunders went down with injury) that I think his effort could be excused to some extent, but more importantly he wasn’t a bad defender; by every metric he was slightly below league average.
If the Utah Jazz had the #1 pick in this year’s draft I believe that Dybantsa would be the clear target for us. That being said, by every indication, the #1 selection for the Washington Wizards has not been set in stone and there is an opportunity that we could get our guy at #2 after all. I like to think positively so let’s dive into the AJ Dybantsa the prospect, and how he could change this franchise for the better.
Team Fit
I’ve had Dybantsa as the #1 prospect in this draft for quite some time, but I would be lying if I said that I didn’t think that Darryn Peterson would be the more natural fit for this team. After a stellar (albeit brief) run of play by Keyonte George where be displayed his playmaking ability with a career high 6.1 assists per game, it seems like Will Hardy believes in him to be the starting point guard of the future for this team. I think that he’s more than proven that he’s ready for the responsibility, and while I do think that Isaiah Collier is the more natural facilitator of the two, George’s offensive upside and Collier’s offensive downside are too evident to be ignored.
With George set to have a healthy season running point, a natural need makes its presence known in the form of a starting shooting guard. Respectfully to John Konchar, I don’t think that he’s exactly what we’re looking for. I’m also not a believer that you should draft for fit in the early stages of the draft, but when we’re talking about as talented of a draft class as the 2026 class is, nearly any of the top 4-5 prospects could be a winner. Early in the draft you must draft the best talent, and figure out the rest later.
There are a few scenarios that I can see play out if we do decide to draft Dybantsa.
Option 1: We have a starting lineup of Keyonte George, AJ Dybantsa, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler (assuming we’re able to bring him back which I hope and pray to the basketball gods that we do).
Option 2: We start George, Ace Bailey, Dybantsa, Jackson Jr., and Kessler – we reward Bailey for his stellar play over the last 25 games of the season and trade Lauri Markkanen to the highest bidder (Detroit, perhaps) for even more draft capital.
Option 3: We start George, Bailey, Dybantsa, Markkanen, and Jackson Jr. at the 5 if we’re unable to retain Kessler. I personally think that this would be the worst option of the three given Jackson Jr.‘s struggles to rebound the ball, but with all of the size that we do have with the rest of the lineup I think it could work.
As mentioned before, Dybantsa can play multiple positions so with whatever lineup we choose he could play anywhere from the lead ballhandler, to the slashing wing, to the traditional power forward, and I even think with time we could play him as a small-ball center given his strength as a player.
Options are always a good thing, and luckily Dybantsa fits into any plan that we may have.
Comparisons
Comparison is the thief of joy, but what is a draft prospect without a NBA comparison? I’ve always done a low, medium, and high end comparison for any player that I talk about and this won’t be any different here. With as talented of a player as Dybantsa is, even his low won’t even be that low, so by all measures this is a win-win scenario.
Low End: RJ Barrett
The similarities are certainly there, especially when you compare Dybantsa’s one year at BYU to Barrett’s one year at Duke. They were both great scorers (over 20 points per game), they were both less than league average three point shooters, but they were able able to make up for that fact with their ability to get to the rim, and their midrange games. We’re 7 years into Barrett’s career now and it doesn’t seem like he’ll ever be an above league average shooter from deep. This obviously wouldn’t be the most desired outcome, but Barrett has hovered around 20 points per game ever since the 2021-2022 season with decent efficiency.
If Dybantsa ended up like Barrett would that feel like a let down? Sure, but Barrett is still a very solid player and can fit into any system. It isn’t ideal, but having Dybantsa be the next RJ Barrett wouldn’t be the end of the world.
Medium End: DeMar DeRozan
If this were a Pokemon evolution, DeMar DeRozan would be the Charmeleon stage of player. We want Charizard, of course, but Charmeleon is still pretty good. In this scenario Dybantsa still doesn’t reach his “full potential” but he becomes a master at slashing to the rim and becomes lethal in the midrange. DeRozan has had an incredible career, and while I’m sure that he would have liked a championship to go with all his personal accolades and stats, what he’s been able to do over the last 17 years has been outstanding.
DeRozan is in a very elite club of basketball players with over 26,000 points (and counting) in the league. This past season was actually a down year for him as he “only” scored 18.4 points per game, which is the first time that he’s scored less than 20 points per game since President Obama was in his first term. He’s maintained this level of excellence for most of his career, and if Dybantsa can follow in his footsteps, I think that scoring over 25,000 points is pretty great.
High End: Paul George
In this (hopeful) scenario, Dybantsa figures the game out. He’s a great at rim finisher, he has a great post game, he has stretched his game out to the three point line and shoots a respectable clip (George has shot 38% for his career from deep), AND he becomes an elite defender. As a legitimate two-way threat he’s able to put himself into MVP contention and propel this team to heights that they haven’t seen in quite some time.
This is asking for a lot, at least for right now, but I believe that in time he’ll be able to make the necessary adjustments to thrive in this game. It’s been a while since we’ve seen a truly remarkable season from George, but the streets won’t forget his run in Indiana, or what he was able to do alongside Russell Westbrook in OKC. That is what we’re striving for, and I think that Dybantsa has the ability to make it happen.
Ceiling
There is a secret fourth senecio where Dybantsa is so good that he goes beyond every single comparison I just made and becomes truly one of the elite; not just for a particular season, but potentially of all-time. That is a ridiculous amount of pressure to put on a 20 year old kid, but when you’re a top prospect in the NBA, it comes with the territory.
This may be a controversial statement (for multiple reasons) but in a world where Dybantsa becomes an all-time great player, I think that he could be as good as Jayson Tatum was prior to his Achilles injury. Some of why I say that is the Boston connection – Dybantsa grew up in Brockton, Massachusetts and grew up as a Boston Celtics fan, but when you look at what Dybantsa was able to do for BYU after Richie Saunders went down with an injury, dare I say it was very Tatum-esque.
Most NBA fans could tell you that Jayson Tatum scores with the best of them, is very efficient given his offensive responsibilities, and that he’s been one of the best 15 players in the league for quite some time. What Boston Celtics fans will tell you is that not only is he a great scorer, but he’s also a great facilitator, defender, and rebounder.
Tatum has averaged more than 7 rebounds per game since the 2019-2020 season, he’s averaged more than 4 assists per game since the 2020-2021 season, and while he won’t show up in any All-Defensive teams, you could make the argument that if the Celtics didn’t have Marcus Smart, Derrick White, and Jrue Holiday at various points, that his defense would be more widely known across the league’s fans. Even when you look at his (limited) games this year after coming back from injury, they show how great of a player he still is: nearly 22 points per game, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and almost 1.5 steals. Not to mention the fact that Tatum, at only 27 years old mind you (although some people still say he’s 19) he has finished Top-6 in MVP voting 4 times, he’s a 6x All-Star, and a 5x All-NBA selection with four of them being 1st team.
I believe that Dybantsa has the ability to round out his game like Tatum has. Dybantsa has all the tools to be an All-World kind of player, and if he ends up like Tatum, we may be talking about multiple championships in Utah.
We here at SLC Dunk are AMPED for the draft and have a lot of great articles on the way, so be on the lookout for that! What do you think of Dybantsa as a prospect? Do you think we should draft someone else if we have the chance? Sound off in the comments!
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MAY 19: Bailey Falter #36 of the Kansas City Royals throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning at Kauffman Stadium on May 19, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Things are really bleak right now. The Kansas City Royals have five wins since May 6. The New York Yankees, and their many fans, are in town looking for their fifth consecutive win against the Royals this year. That’s underselling it, actually; the Yankees have defeated the Royals in the last 11 consecutive regular season games dating back to 2024. And, oh yeah, the Yankees are sending Cam Schlittler to the mound. The 25-year-old righty leads the American League in pitching Wins Above Replacement with a 1.50 ERA. He’s nasty nasty.
You know what that means, right? The Royals are probably gonna score, like, eight runs out of nowhere. It’s either that or zero runs. No in between.
Of course, it may not matter. The Royals are sending Bailey Falter out there, who has been…less than stellar this season. Less than stellar as a Royal, really. Afterwards, it’ll be a bullpen game. The chances for an Aaron Judge home run seem greater than 100%.
But you don’t play baseball in a spreadsheet. You play it on a field. And the Royals can’t lose against the Yankees forever. Right? Right????
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 17: Jake Burger #21 of the Texas Rangers reacts after hitting a two-RBI double in the seventh inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on May 17, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The idea of the Montreal Canadiens signing forward Evgeni Malkin this summer can officially be forgotten.
This is because the Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that they have signed Malkin to a one-year, $5.5 million contract extension.
Malkin was the best pending unrestricted free agent center who could have hit the market on July 1. Due to this, some wondered if the Canadiens could consider making a push for him if he tested the market this summer. Yet, with this news, Malkin will be staying put with the Penguins and playing his 21st season in Pittsburgh.
Malkin would have had the potential to be a nice addition to the Canadiens' forward group. The veteran forward showed this season that he can still produce like a star, as he posted 19 goals and 61 points in 56 games with the Penguins. With numbers like these, he could have been a good pickup for Montreal's top six.
Yet, at the same time, the Canadiens bringing in Malkin would have come with some real risk. Malkin will be turning 40 in July and has a long history of injury trouble. Due to this, if the Canadiens should have far better options to consider on the trade market if they want to add a top-six center during the off-season.
