There's not much to critique the 2026 Yankees so far this season.
Even with their 3-2 loss to the Athletics, the Yankees (8-3) have the best record in the American League and lead their division by 2.5 games. But what Wednesday night's defeat showcased was that the offense will have its off days, but for Ryan McMahon, those days seem more common, especially early on this year.
McMahon has never been a consistent hitter in his career. His two best seasons came in 2019 and 2021 with the Rockies when he batted around .250 and slugged 23-24 home runs. But across his first 10 games this season, the veteran infielder is 2-for-26 after going 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts -- the second punchout being the final out of Wednesday's loss with him as the tying run.
"If I knew, I don’t think I’ll be in the slow start," McMahon said after the game. "Hey, I’m grinding. I’m not happy about it, I’m sure other people aren’t. At the end of the day, it’s about the team winning. I’ll keep working and try to turn it around."
McMahon, who is best known for and still is a plus-defender, has struggled ever since being acquired by the Yankees at last year's deadline. In 54 games with the Yanks in 2025, McMahon slashed .208/.308/.333 with an OPS of .641 to go along with four home runs, eight doubles and 18 RBI.
The third baseman took questions from the media following the loss on Wednesday and when asked about the whys and hows of his slow start, McMahon answered with every variation of "I don't know" you could think of.
It's an early-season issue that manager Aaron Boone and the organization hope resolves itself. In the meantime, Boone has changed up the lineup, benched McMahon for Amed Rosario against certain pitching matchups and even started McMahon at shortstop to get both him and Rosario in the lineup.
Wednesday was McMahon's first start at short, and the Yankees skipper said he looked "great" and made tough plays "look routine." But defense has never been the problem with McMahon wherever he plays on the diamond. And with Jose Caballero struggling at the plate while the team awaits the return of Anthony Volpe, the left side of the Yankees infield needs a jolt.
Boone believes McMahon can provide that and defended his third baseman by pointing out how early it is in the season and that he will continue to use him in the lineup as he sees fit.
"Mac's a good major league hitter. It's 10 games in, okay?" Boone said. "He's scuffling right now, but the reality is, the last three games, he's been on base four times too, with walks and hits and big at-bats.
"We want him to improve even who he's been obviously in his career, and he's off to a slow start right now, but a number of our guys are, as well. He'll get it rolling and trust that he will, especially against some of these good right-handed matchups."
Boone is correct that it's very early in the season, and that others on the team have not hit to the back of their baseball cards. But it's also hard to ignore that after 65 games as a Yankee, McMahon hasn't shown that consistent offensive presence the team needs.
Aaron Boone was asked what he's seen from Ryan McMahon at the plate:
"Mac's a good major league hitter. It's 10 games in, okay? He's scuffling right now, but the reality is, the last three games, he's been on base four times too, with walks and hits and big at-bats.
J.D. Martinez vowed as a young player that if he were fortunate enough to have a successful career, he would become a mentor to others.
That stemmed from his early days with the Astros, when he sought advice from veterans and discovered a hard truth.
“I was an up-and-down guy that barely played and I would reach out to the veteran guys, and at that time it was a little different,” Martinez said Wednesday at Citi Field before the Mets’ 7-2 loss to the Diamondbacks. “The veteran guys weren’t very nice. I remember seeing them and asking questions and them kind of never answering it and blowing me off and making my life a nightmare.”
Martinez became a mentor to many, including in his lone season with the Mets in 2024. That impact with teammates led to the organization last week hiring the 38-year-old Martinez as a special assistant.
He began his new role on this homestand, serving as a “resource” within the clubhouse.
J.D. Martinez talks with reporters on April 8, 2026 at Citi Field. Corey Sipkin for New York Post
“I had quite a roller coaster throughout my career from being released to being a top prospect, just my rise and then going in and retiring,” said Martinez, a six-time All-Star who played 14 seasons. “There’s a lot of things I have experienced where I feel I can relate to a lot of those guys in that clubhouse … whether it’s the offense, the strategy, the mentorship. I am just here to help out any way I can.”
During his Mets tenure, Martinez took a special interest in Mark Vientos, who had a breakout season before regressing last year.
“He was an unbelievable player — he still is, he still is a great player,” Martinez said. “I know he struggled last year, but he’s got the ability. It’s in there. And for him, I think it’s just one of those things, a little bit of guidance could go a long way with him. He’s off to a good start this year.”
Martinez’s role is similar to the one Carlos Beltrán has within the organization. Beltrán has become a visible presence around the team in recent seasons.
It’s a new-look Mets team following an offseason overhaul to the roster.
“I would argue this team is more talented than the 2024 team by far,” Martinez said of the group that reached the NLCS. “This is a really good group. I played with and against a lot of these guys.”
Martinez was asked what advice he would give players about playing in New York.
“Ignore all you guys,” Martinez said, referring to the media. “The fans are great, it’s just the Northeast and they are tough. You have got to kind of take it with a grain of salt. When I was here, the famous quote, ‘We suck, we all suck together.’ That is kind of the mindset you have got to have.”
If he didn’t have bad luck, he wouldn’t have any luck at all.
Pitcher Packy Naughton, in the midst of an MLB comeback attempt following multiple arm injuries, left his 2026 debut on Wednesday with the Cardinals’ Triple-A affiliate after just three pitches with another apparent injury.
Redbirds’ pitcher Packy Naughton immediately grabbed at his left elbow and bent over in pain after delivering his third pitch of the game during Wednesday’s minor league contest against the Knights. X/kyler416
Facing White Sox farmhand Korey Lee in the bottom of the sixth inning, the left-hander’s 1-1 pitch missed well outside the zone, and left Naughton in obvious discomfort.
The 29-year-old Naughton immediately grabbed at his left elbow and bent over in pain as Redbirds catcher Leo Bernal and the training staff tended to him.
Naughton then walked off the field with a trainer while clutching his left elbow.
“That’s never a good sign,” Charlotte Knights announcer Matt Swierad said during the broadcast. “Hopefully nothing too serious there, just something he was trying to be cautious about.”
Naughton was shaping up as a feel-good story in 2026 after missing most of the past three seasons.
— Kyle Reis, 58% Neanderthal (@kyler416) April 9, 2026
He logged a 1.29 ERA over seven appearances in a “resurgent” spring training with the Cardinals, ramping up to potentially making his first MLB appearance since 2023.
“Even after the first pitch, it was kind of a sigh of relief,” Naughton told St. Louis’ NBC affiliate KDSK during spring training about his return. “Elbow was intact, everything was good to go. All the work I’ve done; it paid off.”
The Boston native tore his flexor tendon after just four scoreless outings with St. Louis to begin the 2023 season, which sidelined him for the remainder of the year.
In parts of three MLB seasons with the Angels and Cardinals, Packy Naughton sports a 4.98 ERA in 37 games. Getty Images
As he rehabbed in the Cardinals’ minor league system in July 2024, Naughton re-tore the flexor tendon while also tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow, requiring season-ending Tommy John surgery.
The injury and subsequent surgery also caused him to miss the entire 2025 season.
The Cardinals re-signed Naughton to a two-year deal in the offseason with the understanding he would miss all of 2025, but would hopefully be a factor in 2026.
During his time away from the field, Naughton got his real estate license, which he told STLSportsPage.com felt like “competing again.”
“I knew I was missing all of 2025 and I knew I needed to do something that wasn’t going to drive me crazy being in South Florida during the summer,” Naughton told the outlet about juggling baseball and his second job as a realtor.
Naughton was drafted by the Reds in the ninth round of the 2017 MLB Draft before being traded to the Angels in August 2020.
He made his MLB debut with the Angels the following season, but was designated for assignment after making seven appearances.
The Cardinals scooped Naughton off the waiver wire, and he made a career-high 27 appearances during the 2022 campaign.
In parts of three MLB seasons, the swingman sports a 4.98 ERA across 37 games.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 07: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors looks on against the Sacramento Kings in the second half of an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on April 07, 2026 in San Francisco, 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 Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After the Golden State Warriors defeated the Sacramento Kings, 110-105, Draymond Green offered his thoughts on the NBA’s tanking issues and the league’s propensity for fining players, instead of tanking teams. He singled out a baffling intentional foul on Seth Curry late in the game. Wednesday, the league opened an investigation.
The NBA is looking into what multiple sources say was a strategy mistake by Kings coach Doug Christie on an intentional foul of Seth Curry while leading the Warriors with over 3 minutes left in Tuesday's game: pic.twitter.com/t83vvfljAA
Green wasn’t the only observer who took issue with Kings coach Doug Christie’s decision to foul Seth Curry in the backcourt with 3:15 to go in the game. Doug McDermott reached in to force a stoppage and let Christie use his fifth timeout — one which would have otherwise expired, since teams can only use two in the final three minutes.
Only the Kings didn’t have a foul to give, so the move sent Curry to the foul line, where he split two free throws following the timeout. And the internet went crazy.
Could someone wake up Adam Silver and tell him the bottom half of the league is in shambles? pic.twitter.com/5Z8caYjPzN
Was it Green’s comments that prompted the NBA to investigate? It’s very possible. Commissioner Adam Silver’s league office generally operates on the principle that embarrassing the NBA is the worst thing a player or team can go. Green complained that one third of the league is tanking, yet only two have been fined, and he’s right. But the ones who did get hit with fines were being blatant. The Utah Jazz benched their starters in every 4th quarter, and the Indiana Pacers sat multiple starters, albeit on a back-to-back.
Did Silver take offense to the Jazz’s strategy, or was it that Stephen A. Smith complained about it on his podcast? Probably both!
The irony is that Christie and the Kings aren’t even tanking! DeMar DeRozan missed only his third game of the season Tuesday. Sacramento went 7-8 in the 15 games before Tuesday’s loss. Christie is trying to save his job for next season. The Kings may be terrible, but after three of their starters suffered season-ending injuries, they’re an ethically terrible team.
After all, immediately after the controversial foul, Christie drew up a play to get McDermott a three-pointer and re-take the lead. He didn’t bench anyone in the final minutes and Sacramento didn’t call up multiple G Leaguers and play them heavy minutes, like the Jazz and Memphis Grizzlies have done in the last month, or sign a marginal player simply because he’s Angel Reese’s brother, like the Washington Wizards.
Of course, for Christie, the argument that he wasn’t tanking, just incompetent isn’t a flattering one. Given Kings owner Vivek Ranadive’s propensity for firing his head coaches, dismissing eight of them in his 13 years as team governor. Don’t be surprised if he looks at a Warriors assistant coach to replace Christie.
Still, it’s weird that Christie would be the scapegoat during a season where so many teams have tanked more egregiously than Sacramento, who has dropped (risen?) out of the bottom four in the past two weeks. Draymond is right that the NBA should fine tanking teams, but we suspect that might have more to do with all the fine money he has surrendered over his career than a strictly moral position.
In news that’s completely unrelated to the NBA’s lack of competitiveness as the season winds down, the Warriors may have eight players out for Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers. NBA action is fan-tastic!
Kristaps Porzingis (illness) is out tomorrow vs. the Lakers. His second straight missed game.
Al Horford and Quinten Post also remain out. Steph Curry and Gui Santos are questionable. Will Richard doubtful.
Front end of a back-to-back with GSW @ Sac Friday. 3 games left.
NEW YORK (AP) — Jason Zucker scored the tiebreaking goal early in the third period, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 17 saves, and the Buffalo Sabres rallied to beat the New York Rangers 5-3 on Wednesday night.
Zucker slid his 24th goal past Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin at 7:14 after teammate Alex Tuch had tied the contest with his 31st at 5:50 of the third.
Zach Benson scored twice and Ryan McLeod added a goal for the Sabres, who will participate in the postseason for the first time since 2010-11.
The Sabres won their 48th game in a dramatic turnaround from last year when they had 79 points and missed the playoffs for a 14th straight season. Buffalo is 22-6-3 in its last 31 games, including a league-best 16 wins and 34 points since the Olympic break.
Alexis Lafreniere scored twice and Adam Fox also scored for the Rangers in their home finale. Shesterkin had 22 saves.
CAPITALS 4, MAPLE LEAFS 0
TORONTO (AP) — Logan Thompson made 21 saves to register his third shutout of the season as Washington breathed life into their fading playoff hopes with a victory over the Toronto.
Dylan Strome and Martin Fehervary, with a goal and an assist each, Ryan Leonard and Cole Hutson scored for Washington, which sits three points back of the Eastern Conference’s final wild-card spot with three games left on the schedule.
Anthony Stolarz suffered a lower-body injury early in the first period after stopping the second of two shots he faced for Toronto.
Joseph Woll finished with 14 saves in just over 57 minutes of work for the Maple Leafs, who are set to miss the postseason for the first time since 2016.
OILERS 5, SHARKS 2
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Connor McDavid scored his 15th career hat trick and finished with five points Wednesday night, leading Edmonton to a victory over San Jose that moved them into sole possession of first place in the Pacific Division.
McDavid controlled the game almost from the start, scoring on a power play in the first period and then twice in the second to make it 5-2. He also assisted on power-play goals by Vasily Podkolzin and Jack Roslovic to extend his NHL-leading point total to 133. The star center needs three goals in the final three games for his second career 50-goal season.
Connor Ingram made eight saves on 10 shots in two periods for Edmonton. Tristan Jarry stopped all four shots he faced in the third.
The win gave the Oilers 90 points, two more than Vegas in the division race. The Golden Knights have one game in hand.
Macklin Celebrini scored his 42nd goal for San Jose to give him 108 points this season, the third-most for a teenager behind Wayne Gretzky’s 137 and Sidney Crosby’s 120.
Reynaldo Lopez might not miss his next scheduled start after all.
The Braves starting pitcher, after working things out with MLB, got his suspension for his role in Tuesday night’s benches-clearing brawl reduced from seven games to five, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Here’s an angle of the brawl where you can see Reynaldo Lopez land a blow on Jorge Soler with the baseball in his hand pic.twitter.com/dSucXM4T9c
That should keep him in line to pitch Tuesday against the Marlins, USA Today noted.
Lopez was in the middle of the fray in Anaheim last night when he threw a pitch high and inside that Angels designated hitter Jorge Soler — a former Braves teammate — took exception to.
A fight breaks out between Atlanta pitcher Reynaldo López and Los Angeles right fielder Jorge Soler (12) during the fifth inning of the Angels’ 7-2 win over the Braves on April 7, 2026 at Angel Stadium. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Soler then charged the mound, throwing punches at Lopez, who threw punches in kind, but with a ball in his right hand, connecting on a blow to Soler’s helmet and face.
“It’s just a shame, the situation and how things unfolded,” López said through a translator, per MLB.com. “On my part, there was never any intent to hit him at any point. So, again, it’s just a shame.”
As things continued to escalate and Soler charged Lopez from the pitcher’s mound to the first base line, several Braves tackled the Angels DH, with Atlanta skipper Walt Weiss among those in the fray.
A fight breaks out between Atlanta pitcher Reynaldo López (40) and Los Angeles right fielder Jorge Soler (12) during the fifth inning of the Angels’ win over the Braves on April 7, 2026 at Angel Stadium. William Navarro-Imagn Images
“I love Soler. We were teammates here,” Weiss told reporters. “But that’s a big man, and so I just felt I’ve gotta get him off his feet because he’s gonna hurt somebody. And so that was my instinct, just to get in there and get Jorge off his feet, yeah, because he was on a warpath.”
Soler was suspended for seven games, though he is appealing. On Wednesday against Atlanta, he homered for the second straight day in an 8-2 Angels loss.
Both players also received undisclosed fines for their roles in the brawl.
Lopez is off to a strong start in 2026 with a 1.15 ERA in three starts.
Apr 8, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton (25) steals home plate beating the tag by Detroit Tigers pitcher Framber Valdez (59) during the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images | Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images
Another chilly day for a game in Minnesota (honestly, scheduling games before May in the midwest is really a fool’s errand, but that’s baseball for you). The Tigers, currently on a three-game losing streak, were looking to break up the bad luck with Framber Valdez on the mound. They’d be facing off against Bailey Ober for the Twins, whose only aim was to continue the Twins’ winning run against their division rivals.
The Tigers quickly went 1-2-3 to start the game. As things headed into the bottom of the first, Byron Buxton got a base hit immediately. Austin Martin was then hit by a pitch to put two baserunners on. Then, what should have either been a force-out or even a double play turned into a bases loaded scenario as Luke Keaschall reached on a fielder’s choice. A wild pitch from Valdez allowed Buxton to score. Ryan Jeffers then hit a ground out to score Martin. The inning continued to be a bummer, as Victor Caratini walked. Josh Bell then singled to get Keaschall in. A Matt Wallner double brought Caratini home. The cold weather must super power the Twins. Oh but this inning still isn’t over. Royce Lewis singled, scoring two more Twins runs. He then stole second.
In the second, the Tigers got an early baserunner in Kerry Carpenter, who took a leadoff walk. Dillon Dingler got lucky as Royce Lewis made a great infield grab but couldn’t turn around to get it to first, and Dingler arrived safe on base with a single. Despite the efforts, however, the Tigers couldn’t convert the baserunners to actual runs. Valdez started the home half og the second a lot stronger, with two outs back-to-back. Ryan Jeffers then singled. The Twins didn’t manage to add to their early lead, though.
The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the top of the third. Much to the relief of Valdez, though, the Twins did the same in the bottom of the inning.
The top of the fourth was another three-up, three-down for the Tigers, which isn’t the ideal result if they hope to come back from a six-run deficit. Things got worse in the home half. Buxton got a one-out single. Then, with two outs, Keaschall singled into center, there was no easy play, and Buxton scored. Keaschall then stole second, followed by a Ryan Jeffers walk. The Twins didn’t manage to convert any additional baserunners, but the score was now 7-0.
Heading to the fifth, Dingler reached on a throwing error by Brooks Lee. A Matt Vierling ground out then pushed Dingler into scoring position. Two more outs followed, however, leaving Dillon on base and the Tigers still scoreless. While Valdez continued to look more confident and dialled in as the innings progressed, in the bottom of the second, once again with two outs, the Twins got the better of him. Lewis hit a single, but thankfully they weren’t able to score any additional runs. Given how the first inning had gone, with 29 pitches, it was somewhat surprising to see Valdez get through five, but it was good to see his quality improve over the course of the game. While it’s certainly not the kind of start fans would want from someone who was touted to be such a good offseason score, it was still just one bad inning, when you really look at it, much of which was also on the fielders to shoulder blame for. So certainly not time to pull out any pitchforks just yet.
Colt Keith proved that the Tigers still had some motivation left to play this game as he hit a leadoff double. With one out, Gleyber Torres then singled. A Kerry Carpenter single finally got the Tigers on the board, bringing Keith home. With two outs, Dingler singled to score Torres, and that was it for Bailey Ober for the day. Justin Topa came out of the overworked Twins bullpen. Parker Meadows, pinch-hitting for Matt Vierling, came in and singled, loading the bases. Unfortunately a flyout ended the inning, but at least they were finally on the board. Valdez’s day wasn’t done after five, which was a bold choice despite all the nice things I said earlier. Byron Buxton hit a leadoff double. Austin Martin followed that with a single. That was it for Valdez, whose final line was 5.0 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 2 K on 87 pitches. Rough. Would have liked to see those strikeous a lot higher to feel really good about this one, but so it goes. Better luck next time. Emmanuel De Jesus came out of the Tigers pen to try getting out of the jam. With one out, Martin got picked off trying to steal second and was caught in a rundown for an out. Naturally, though, Buxton scored another run. Ryan Jeffers walked, and Caratini singled. Josh Bell then challenged a strike call and was rewarded when it was overturned but getting a walk to load the bases again. A strikeout finally ended the inning, though, with only the one run of damage.
Anthony Banda was the next reliever in for the Twins in the top of the seventh. Javier Baez got a leadoff single. Spencer Torkelson came in to pinch-hit for Keith and did little more than take a walk to the plate and then back to the dugout. Kevin McGonigle then singled. A Gleyber Torres double then scored Baez and McGonigle. Rally time? Sure! There was a brief delay onfield as the umpires assessed whether the Torres double was lodged, but since no one made a call on the field about it, the ball was considered live and both runs counted. Jahmai Jones came in for Carpenter, and a wild pitch from Banda allowed Torres to advance to third. Riley Greene then singled to score Torres.
The Twins had to dip into their bullpen again, a nightmare for them at this point given how overworked the pen has been this series. Cole Sands came out, and gave up a single to Dingler. With two outs the Tigers managed to have the tying run at the plate. A wild pitch scored Greene. While Meadows struck out to end the inning, the Tigers had come way, way back, and the score was now 8-6. Baseball is a wacky game.
In the bottom of the seventh the Tigers turned to Kyle Finnegan. Lewis got a leadoff walk. One out later, Buxton walked. A pinch-hitting Trevor Larnach hit into a double play, eliminating Buxton, thank goodness. That ended the inning and put the Tigers back in a position to turn things around even more.
Cody Laweryson was the next Twins reliever out. Baez got a one-out double, followed by Torkelson getting hit by a pitch for a free base. The effort was good, but a pop out and strike out ended the inning (though Torres did attempt to challenge one of the strike calls, it was upheld), another ABS call, this time from Jeffers, ended the inning as it was ruled to be a strike and not a ball. Brutal. Will Vest came in for the Tigers in the bottom of the inning. Vest had a much-needed clean inning getting the Twins out 1-2-3.
With one out in the top of the ninth there was a Cody for Kody swap, as Kody Funderburk came in to finish off the game. Riley Greene then walked. Dingler was then hit by a pitch to put two runners on. Parker Meadows grounded into a force out, eliminating Dingler but advancing Greene to third. While the Tigers made a valiant late effort at a comeback, it wasn’t enough to turn it around.
Over the next 153 pitches from Severino and four relievers, the Yankees recorded 27 outs and added just one hit — a fourth-inning single from Amed Rosario erased by a double play.
In the early weeks of the season, the Yankees have so often found a way, typically producing a timely hit that would swing a game in their direction.
On this night, that hit never arrived.
The Yankees bats made like the weather and froze, applying too much pressure to a bullpen that eventually cracked when David Bednar allowed the go-ahead run in the ninth in what became a 3-2 loss to the A’s in front of 38,147 shivering fans in The Bronx on Wednesday.
“That’s just baseball,” J.C. Escarra said. “We’ve had a lot of good games offensively. Today wasn’t one of them.”
The Yankees (8-3), who have fallen by one run in each of their losses, would have to take the rubber game Thursday afternoon to win a fourth series in as many tries this season.
The losing pitcher was Bednar, who had thrown 14 pitches to record a save Tuesday and could not pitch his way out of danger as he has so often.
After excellent, shutdown work from Tim Hill, Camilo Doval and Brent Headrick, the closer allowed hard contact to Nick Kurtz for a single and Shea Langeliers for a double before Brent Rooker lofted a sacrifice fly to score the go-ahead run.
Cody Bellinger reacts after he strikes out swinging to end the seventh inning of the Yankees’ 3-2 loss to the A’s on April 8, 2026 at the Stadium. Jason Szenes / New York Post
In the bitter cold and after plenty of work in the World Baseball Classic, Bednar’s velocity has dipped a bit.
“I think once we get rolling into this, he’ll be fine,” manager Aaron Boone said of a closer who was not the problem.
The problem was an offense that went silent. Nos. 4-9 in the order went 1-for-20.
Of particular note were Ben Rice (0-for-4 with four strikeouts) and Ryan McMahon (0-for-3 with a walk, two strikeouts and a double play that drew boos).
“Mac’s a good major league hitter,” Boone said of McMahon. “We’re 10 games in. … He’ll get it rolling.”
The Yankees got to old friend Severino immediately but never again.
In a long bottom of the first, the Yankees strung three hits together and scored quickly, the seventh pitch a looper down the left field line from Cody Bellinger. Later in the frame, Jazz Chisholm Jr. walked to load the bases before Escarra drew his own walk to push a second run across.
Rosario struck out with the bases loaded on Severino’s 32nd pitch, and Yankees hitters were not heard from again.
Closer David Bednar reacts in frustration after giving up the go-ahead run in the ninth inning of the Yankees’ loss to the A’s at the Stadium., Robert Sabo for NY Post
“The story was we just didn’t score when we had a chance to throw a knockout punch early,” Boone said after the Yankees went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position against Severino and wasted their few chances, including inning-ending double plays in the second (off Aaron Judge’s bat) and fourth (McMahon).
Severino walked Trent Grisham to begin his fifth and final inning, but bounced back and struck out Judge and later Rice, roaring off the Yankee Stadium mound like it was 2017.
“He’s got great stuff and he didn’t flinch,” Boone said of Severino.
Luis Severino reacts after giving up a run to the Yankees during the first inning. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
Will Warren (4 ²/₃ innings, two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out five) was not sharp but kept the Yankees around.
Both runs the righty allowed came in the fourth, when the team that used to be from Oakland put together a two-out rally. Consecutive singles from Lawrence Butler, Max Muncy and Jeff McNeil — the last a shot through the left side of the infield that resulted in Butler diving home just ahead of a throw from Bellinger — scored one run. After Warren walked No. 9 hitter Carlos Cortes to load the bases, he dirted a curveball that bounced off Escarra, the wild pitch tying the game.
The best potential Yankees rally late arrived in the seventh, when a pair of walks brought Bellinger to the plate with two outs. He swung through a curveball and spiked his bat into the dirt.
“Couldn’t break through,” Boone said, “and then they held us down.”
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 7: Rui Hachimura #28 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks to pass as he's defended by Draymond Green #23 and Brandin Podziemski #2 of the Golden State Warriors during the second half of an NBA game at Crypto.com Arena on February 7, 2026 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 Kevin Terrell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Lakers (50-29) will play their final road game of the regular season on Thursday against the Golden State Warriors (37-42).
The tail end of the regular season has been a miserable time for the Lakers. Since the calendar turned to April, it feels as if it’s just been one unfortunate thing after another. With the playoffs around the corner, the overall mood regarding this team has been trending down.
While Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves focus on getting right, the team will have to rely on LeBron James and the rest of the Lakers to try to stack wins while they are out.
The Warriors have less to fight for this late into the season since they’re pretty much locked into the 10th seed. Still, since Steph Curry just returned from injury, there’s a high chance that they’re going to want to play hard in this one to sharpen themselves and build enough reps just in time for the play-in tournament.
Note that the Warriors are coming off a victory against the Sacramento Kings, led by Curry and Brandin Podziemski. These two will likely lead the charge against the Lakers. Expect Golden State to want to put this game to bed early since they’re on the first night of a back-to-back.
As for the Lakers, well, what matters is that they at least try to make this one a competitive affair, just as they did in the first 20 minutes of their last game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Lakers head coach JJ Redick was quite critical of Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura, and Jarred Vanderbilt, whom he called out postgame. Hopefully, this one is a more pleasing watch no matter the result.
Let’s see if the Lakers can find a way to win their final matchup against the Warriors on Thursday.
Notes and Updates
For the Lakers’ injury report, Luka Dončić (left hamstring strain), Austin Reaves (left oblique muscle strain) and Jaxson Hayes (left foot soreness) are out. Marcus Smart (right ankle contusion) is questionable.
As for the Warriors, Jimmy Butler III (right ACL surgery) is out. Steph Curry (right knee injury management) and Charles Bassey (left ankle sprain) are questionable. LJ Cryer (general illness) is probable.
TORONTO (AP) — Logan Thompson made 21 saves to register his third shutout of the season as the Washington Capitals breathed life into their fading playoff hopes with a 4-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night.
Dylan Strome and Martin Fehervary, with a goal and an assist each, Ryan Leonard and Cole Hutson scored for Washington, which sits three points back of the Eastern Conference’s final wild-card spot with three games left on the schedule.
Anthony Stolarz suffered a lower-body injury early in the first period after stopping the second of two shots he faced for Toronto.
Joseph Woll finished with 14 saves in just over 57 minutes of work for the Maple Leafs, who are set to miss the postseason for the first time since 2016.
Alex Ovechkin — Washington’s leader with 31 goals and 61 points — announced Wednesday he won’t make a decision on his playing future until after the season.
Ovechkin has 45 goals and 35 assists for 80 points across 64 regular-season games against Toronto.
Capitals forward Ilya Protas made his NHL debut on a line with older brother Aliaksei Protas and Tom Wilson. The bruising trio — Wilson is the smallest at 6-foot-4, while the siblings each stand 6-foot-6— tips the scales at a combined 700 pounds.
Up next
Capitals: Visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.
Maple Leafs: Visit the New York Islanders on Thursday.
Cade Cunningham, after missing 11 games due to a collapsed left lung, returned for the Pistons in their 137-111 win over the Bucks on Wednesday night in Detroit.
He played 26 minutes and finished with 13 points, 10 assists and five rebounds.
Returning star guard Cade Cunningham drives on Milwaukee’s Gary Trent Jr. during the Piston-Bucks game on April 8, 2026 in Detroit. AP
“Everything felt good,” Cunningham told reporters. “I feel like all the training and stuff I’ve been doing had me in a great place where I was comfortable for all of my minutes, so it was good.”
Given the unique nature of the injury, there was a chance it could have had a major impact on the Knicks — both in their chances to catch the Pistons for the No. 1 seed in the East, and if he was out longer, a potentially weakened Pistons team in the postseason.
But Detroit went 8-3 without him, refusing to open the door to the Knicks in the standings and clinching the No. 1 seed in the process. And Cunningham will have three games to get himself back into rhythm ahead of the postseason. If the Knicks finish as the No. 3 seed, he’d have two playoff rounds, too, before the possibility of an Eastern Conference finals showdown between the two teams.
The Pistons bludgeoned the Knicks in all three regular-season matchups this year and Cunningham was in the middle of it. He averaged 29.8 points, 11.0 assists and 5.3 rebounds across the three games on 51.6 percent shooting from the field and 50 percent shooting from 3-point range.
“It was different than any injury I’ve ever had,” Cunningham said. “As far as how it progressed initially from whenever I got hit, to how I felt immediately and then to how I started to feel as time went on.”
The Knicks need just one win across their final three regular-season games to surpass last year’s tally of 51.
“On my grandson, I didn’t know how many wins the Knicks had last year,” Brown said after practice Wednesday. “I might’ve seen it or whatever, I know they finished in second or third last year, one of the two. But I don’t know how many wins they had, so it didn’t matter to me, I just wanted to try to get the best seeding we could going into the playoffs. But even more important than that, I wanted to feel like we’re playing a certain way going into the playoffs and that we had a really good feel and direction while having true belief in what we’re doing.”
Jaylen Brown (left Achilles tendinitis), Derrick White (right knee contusion), Sam Hauser (lower back spasm) and Neemias Queta (right toe sprain) are all questionable for the Celtics.
It is the first leg of a back-to-back for them.
Just Tyler Kolek (right oblique strain) is listed on the Knicks injury report. He is questionable.
Mar 17, 2026; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Dylan Carlson against the Los Angeles Angels during a spring training game at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
It’s Wednesday night here at BCB After Dark: the coolest spot for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Thank you for stopping in tonight. We’ve been waiting for you. There’s no cover charge. We still have a couple of good tables available. Bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
Last night I asked if you think, in response to the injuries in the Cubs starting rotation, that the Cubs should sign free agent Lucas Giolito. The question is complicated because we don’t know how much money that Giolito wants to sign, But with that in mind, 65 percent of you think it would be a good idea, considering the health issues of the team to start the season.
Here’s the part where we listen to music and talk movies. You’re free to skip ahead if you want.
Tonight we’re featuring Chicago and Rockford’s own Kurt Elling singing the Joe Jackson tune “Steppin’ Out” with the Bundesjazzorchester in 2o12.
I don’t have a movie essay for tonight, I thought I’d throw the floor open to you.
As a way of stimulating the conversation, tell us your favorite actor from the Golden Age of Hollywood. The American Film Institute put out their top 25 actors and actresses as part of an end-of-the-millenium TV special back in 1999. We’ll save the actresses for another day, so let’s concentrate on the actors tonight.
AFI’s cutoff point was that an actor had to have made their screen debut by 1950. That’s a good cutoff point for a “Golden Age” list, although it does exclude Jack Lemmon, who didn’t make his credited movie debut until 1954. (He had some uncredited roles before that.) Rock Hudson only had one bit part before 1950 and they didn’t spell his name right. I’m not sure whether they counted that.
You can see the complete top 25 at the link, but their top ten were:
Humphrey Bogart
Cary Grant
James Stewart
Marlon Brando
Fred Astaire
Henry Fonda
Clark Gable
James Cagney
Spencer Tracy
Charlie Chaplin
That’s a pretty good list to start. So tell us who is your favorite and which movies he did make you love him?
For me, the answer is easy. It’s Grant. There’s no one on this list whom I don’t think is terrific, but Cary Grant stands out to me. I’m not sure any actor of the era was as equally at home in drama and comedy, often in the same film. North by Northwest is a masterpiece. His comedies like The Awful Truth, Bringing Up Baby, The Philadelphia Story, His Girl Friday and Monkey Business are great. But he also made a lot of great dramatic pictures such as Gunga Din, Only Angels Have Wings and Notorious are excellent too. Charade is fantastic spy drama in the same vein as North by Northwest. Yes, Grant appeared in some turkeys, as did every actor in the studio system. But I don’t think he was ever in a bad movie that wasn’t made a little better because he was in it.
Welcome back to everyone who skipped ahead.
The Cubs have made it clear that they expect that Seiya Suzuki will be activated for Friday’s game against the Pirates. Suzuki has been playing in Knoxville all week and every indication is that he’s ready to return to the majors.
That means someone has to go, assuming no one gets hurt between now and Friday. (The Cubs don’t think that Ian Happ will need a trip to the injured list.) Since teams must have 13 position players these days, the Cubs will have to remove one to activate Suzuki.
There are basically three choices of players who can be removed. I think at the beginning of the season there was a possibility that Matt Shaw, who has options, could go down to Iowa to make room for Suzuki, but I think Shaw is proving himself too valuable so far to go down. If you disagree (or you have some other candidate), you can vote other.
The three players, in reverse order of how likely I think they are to get removed, are:
Michael Conforto: Manager Craig Counsell certainly seems to like Conforto and he’s certainly had the most opportunity to play of the three choices. Conforto has played in seven games (and is in the starting lineup tonight as I write this) and is hitting .250 with a .438 on-base percentage. Sure, he’s yet to have an extra base hit yet and he was pretty awful for the Dodgers last year, but he’s definitely had the best career of our three choices. He was a pretty good outfielder for the Mets from 2o15 to 2021. He wasn’t terrible for the Giants for two years after that. But maybe you think that he’s about to turn back into what he was with the Dodgers last year.
Scott Kingery: You’d be forgiven if you forgot that Kingery was even on the Cubs. So far, all he’s done is pinch-run twice. His only stat is one stolen base. I don’t know the particulars of the minor league deal that Kingery signed with the Cubs over the winter, but he still has minor league options according to Fangraphs. Assuming that’s correct, the Cubs could send him down to Iowa and still have him in reserve
The only issue is that removing Kingery leaves the Cubs with five outfielders plus Matt Shaw, who has been playing outfield most of the year, and five infielders, with Shaw as the only backup. I suppose that Ian Happ could fill in at second or first in an emergency, but that’s not something the Cubs want to rely on. Sending down Kingery leaves the Cubs thin in the infield. On the other hand, it’s not like he’s playing at all right now.
Dylan Carlson: Carlson has barely played more than Kingery, despite Suzuki (and now Happ) being injured. He’s gotten one start and that was in game two of the doubleheader in Cleveland. He went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts in that game. He pinch-ran in game one and scored a run, which was his Cubs debut. He pinch-hit for Conforto in Monday’s game versus the Rays and flew out.
So basically, Counsell has barely used Carlson despite having ample opportunity to do so. Perhaps he would accept an assignment to Iowa, which would make the decision to take him off the roster easy. But he’d probably prefer to go somewhere where he might actually get an opportunity, since it doesn’t look like Counsell wants to give him one on the North Side.
But tonight’s question isn’t who will be removed from the roster, but rather who you would remove if you were in charge. So who’s your choice?
Thanks for stopping by tonight. Thank you to everyone who who has voted and commented over the past week. Or even listened to the music. Please get home safely. Recycle any cans or bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And joiin us again next week for more BCB After Dark.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 08: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks for a pass during the third quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Rocket Arena on April 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Hawks 122-116. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Donovan Mitchell
31 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block
This was a team effort, but Mitchell truly stole the show. His isolation scoring is on par with just about anyone in the NBA. I have to imagine it’s a hopeless feeling for the defense whenever Mitchell windmills the ball over their head. He had Corey Kispert begging for mercy — and none of the other Hawks had any better luck.
Grade: A+
James Harden
21 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
Harden struggled to score early despite generating some clean looks. He also had a grating turnover in closing time, where he handed the ball straight to NAW. Harden finished the game shooting 6-23.
Other than that, Harden provided a huge surge of scoring in the third quarter and was the orchestrator of Cleveland’s late-game offense. He helped them earn multiple trips to the free-throw line, closing the deal with his surgical decision-making.
Grade: B–
Jarrett Allen
16 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals
Allen looks like he’s in pain. That hasn’t stopped him from burrowing into the paint and leaving defenders with no choice other than to bear hug him. The Cavs are showing they can work around Allen’s tendinitis — but I hope that other options emerge as the playoffs approach.
Ideally, we want February Allen back in the building.
Grade: B
Evan Mobley
22 points, 19 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks
Talk about dominant.
Mobley showed fans what they’ve been dreaming about. He eviscerated any defender the Hawks put in front of him. And, made it a non-contest any time the ball was up for grabs. This monster double-double is the type of stuff that will get Mobley, and his team, to the next level.
Grade: A+
Keon Ellis
5 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound, 1 block
I can see Ellis being a great option to slow down players like CJ McCollum, Nickeil Alexandar-Walker, and Gabe Vincent. He has the physical tools to match any of them.
The goal, however, is actually getting him into those matchups. Ellis wasn’t properly utilized in any lineup that featured him alongside Dennis Schroder, Max Strus, and Sam Merrill. The Cavs simply aren’t big enough to get away with stuff like that.
Hopefully, Kenny Atkinson adjusts the rotation and better uses Ellis for his point-of-attack defense.
Grade: C–
Max Strus
8 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Strus came off the bench as Cleveland opted for Dean Wade in the starting lineup. That worked great for Wade, and not as well for Strus.
I actually thought Strus played a fine game. But similar to Ellis, I’m not sure if the logjam of backcourt players makes for the most ideal second units. Strus is being stretched thin in some of these lineups.
Grade: C+
Sam Merrill
6 points, 3 assists, 1 steal
You can copy and paste most of what I said for Ellis and Strus here. Merrill isn’t benefiting from being in lineups that only feature one player above 6’5”.
Merrill shot 2-3 from downtown tonight.
Grade: C+
Dean Wade
8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
Wade returned to the floor and joined the starters tonight. That dynamic worked to perfection. His size and athleticism made him a versatile defensive weapon to pair with the bigs. He also nailed consecutive three-pointers to start the game and spaced the floor well throughout the night.
Grade: A-
Dennis Schroder
5 points, 3 assists, 1 rebound
Not the best. Schroder is most impacted by some of these small-ball lineups. But, he also isn’t a great fit next to either Mitchell or Harden. He was a staggering minus-22 in 15 minutes. As a reminder, the Cavs won this game by six.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 07: Jeff McNeil #22 of the Athletics scores on a double from teammate Nick Kurtz in the third inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on April 07, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The A’s and Yankees had a duel on Wednesday evening in the Bronx. One day after dropping a close game in the late innings, it was the Athletics’ turn as they beat the Yankees thanks to a top of the ninth RBI to win 3-2. Close but we’ll take it.
Right-hander Luis Severino was on the mound for the A’s facing his longtime former team. He entered tonight’s game with two horrible starts against the pinstripes in his career (both last season) so he was looking for a bit of revenge tonight.
Well it looked like early on that things wouldn’t go his way. New York put up two quick runs against the expensive righty, opening up with three straight hits. Sevy buckled down and got two much-needed strikeouts but then a bases-loaded walk brought in New York’s second run. He’d get another punchout to get out of the jam, doing a good job of limiting the damage against him.
The Yankees meanwhile sent fellow righty Will Warren to the bump to take on the A’s lineup. The bats haven’t quite gotten started yet as the A’s currently rank just 22nd in the entire league with a .654 OPS. Not the start A’s fans were hoping for but there’s signs things are heading in the right direction on offense.
The bats were quiet the first time through the order, with only a couple singles and a walk against the New York right-hander. That changed in the fourth though. After the first two batters of the inning went down outfielder Lawrence Butler, manning center tonight, began the rally with a single. Max Muncy followed him with his own hit, followed by the third in a row from Jeff McNeil, this one bringing in the Athletics’ first run of the evening:
He finished the day 2-for-4 with that RBI knock being his second in an Athletics uniform. Would be nice to get him going.
That wasn’t the end of the rally. Carlos Cortes, in the starting lineup in place of Denzel Clarke, worked a two-out walk to load the bases. Then the A’s got a little help from Warren as he uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Muncy to cross home plate and tie this game up at 2 apiece:
Sadly Nick Kurtz struck out to end the rally but at least the A’s had knotted things up.
Back to Severino, after that first inning the righty settled in. Over the next four innings Sevy only allowed one more hit with a couple walks sprinkled in there. He also racked up four more strikeouts as well, getting up to 7 on the evening. He was able to finish the fifth off the hook for a loss, but also without a chance for his first win of the season.
Luis Severino: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 7 K, 100 pitches
Not a bad start from the 32-year-old. Considering his horrible appearances against his former team last year there was some apprehension of him going into New York but he held his own against a tough lineup. Next up for him will likely be the Texas Rangers at home next week.
Warren couldn’t finish the fifth as the A’s chased him with another scoring opportunity, one they wouldn’t be able to cash in on. It was now a bullpen game and whoever blinked first would likely lose.
Neither team bent during the later innings. Scott Barlow, Hogan Harris, and Elvis Alvarado all made appearances after Severino’s departure and did their jobs with scoreless outings, getting us to the ninth inning still tied up at 2.
Not looking to go into extra innings the A’s bats got to work. Going up against New York’s closer in David Bednar, Nick Kurtz started things off with a single, his second hit of the night. Catcher Shea Langeliers followed him up with a double to left field that put two runners in scoring position for the Athletics. After Tyler Soderstrom struck out there was fear that the A’s would waste this golden scoring opportunity but Brent Rooker stepped to the plate and came through with a productive out, a sac fly that brought Kurtz home and gave the A’s the late lead:
Now with a save situation to preserve, manager Mark Kotsay turned to the newest member of his bullpen in Joel Kuhnel. A strong start to his season in Triple-A earned him the first promotion of the year and he was thrown right into the fire tonight. Facing the bottom third of the lineup Kuhnel sat down every Yankee he faced, ending the game by getting Ryan McMahon to strike out swinging for his first save of the year and second of his career.
That was a bit stressful. The A’s turned the tables on the Yankees though and they were the team that had the late-game rally to steal the win. Sevy started a bit shaky but settled in and pitched well for the most part. The bats came through in big spots and the bullpen did it’s job with four scoreless innings of work. A well-rounded win if there ever was one.
The club is now 4-7 with the finale set for tomorrow morning. It’ll be a lefty-on-lefty starting matchup as Jeffrey Springs gets the ball for his third start of the year. He’s been the team’s best starter in this early going so the club will be hoping for that to continue. New York counters Springs with Ryan Weathers, their offseason acquisition who is off to a so-so start to his campaign. Will the A’s win their second series of the year and first on the road? Only one way to find out and that’s to tune in tomorrow bright and early for more A’s baseball!
