ARLINGTON, Texas — Yordan Alvarez was expecting to take a strike with a 3-0 count and the score tied in the eighth inning for the Houston Astros against the Texas Rangers.
Then came a slider, and the Houston slugger just liked the look of it.
Next thing Alvarez knew, he had homered twice in consecutive games for the first time in his eight big league seasons, and put the Astros in front for good in a 4-3 victory.
“Like, who swings on a 3-0 slider and hits it 110 (mph) to the batter’s eye?” Jeremy Peña asked as part of an answer to what he thought was Alvarez’s most impressive at-bat in a 3-for-4 night. “That goes to show that he’s two steps ahead. He knew that they weren’t going to challenge him with something hard.”
The Rangers weren’t trying to challenge him at all. And they didn’t in the ninth inning, when they walked Alvarez intentionally right after Peña’s single. That led Houston’s leadoff hitter and shortstop to playfully tell the powerful man following him in the lineup, “You’ve got to thank me for that walk. You owe me that walk.”
The question for Texas manager Skip Schumaker was why he didn’t walk Alvarez intentionally an inning earlier when Rangers reliever Tyler Alexander already had thrown him three balls.
“It’s tough to walk the leadoff hitter, no doubt, with a tie game in the eighth inning,” Schumaker said while also mentioning he would have been fine with a walk to Alvarez in that spot. “I don’t know if I’ve ever done that before. But the way he’s hitting, hindsight is always maybe we should have just put him on at that point.”
Alvarez has 17 home runs in 33 games at Globe Life Field, including five in the first three games of this four-game series.
“Apparently, I love playing here,” Alvarez said through an interpreter.
He reached 20 for the season in his 56th game — the fastest Houston slugger to reach that mark while doing it on the same night as Munetaka Murakami of Chicago White Sox. Philadelphia’s Kyle Schwarber leads the majors with 21 homers.
Alvarez’s first solo homer pulled Houston even at 2-2 against Texas ace Jacob deGrom, who struck out Alvarez in the first inning.
“I was joking with the guys in the dugout that it was kind of like he was throwing me, like, Playstation style, just dotting the corners,” Alvarez said. “But in the second at-bat, I was able to adjust.”
The homer off Alexander went 448 feet to deep right-center field, landing not far from his 449-foot drive a night earlier — a three-run shot that was the first of two when Houston lost 10-7 after falling behind 8-0 in the first inning.
Alvarez leads the American League with a .306 average and is fourth in the AL with 39 RBIs, one behind teammate Christian Walker.
“It is a combination of skills and intelligence,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “You guys see the skills. I see the intelligence. In between at-bats, how he talks through an at-bat, ‘This is what I’m looking for, I’m going to stay within myself and I’m going to try to do something.’ There is a level of intelligence and calm through his at-bats that I have never, ever seen in my career.”
It may be a super small slate, but with games rolling all day long, there are still plenty of ways to keep the vibes high from your lunch break all the way through dinner.
My favorite MLB props target a pair of player props from the White Sox vs. Twins matchup, along with another play from the Blue Jays vs. Orioles game that stands out on tonight’s board.
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jesus Sanchez has been on a tear lately, posting a .433 wOBA and 44.44% barrel rate over his last 30 plate appearances against right-handed pitchers.
This evening, he draws Baltimore Orioles veteran right-hander Chris Bassitt, who has a poorly rated average-hitter matchup wOBA and strikeout percentage, per Batters-Box.
Left-handed hitters have given the veteran some trouble recently, as they are producing a 42.9% hard contact rate, 26.2% line drive rate, and 38.1% fly ball rate over the last 60 batters faced.
These lefties are making a ton of hard contact and consistently elevating the baseball. They also own a .352 xBA, .533 xSLG, and .334 xwOBA during that span.
With Sanchez carrying nearly 75% arsenal coverage against Bassitt’s offerings, combined with how well he has been seeing the ball and how often the veteran right-hander has been allowing lefties to mash, this feels like a great spot for him to have a ton of success.
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Sportsnet 1, MASN
Davis Martin Over 5.5 strikeouts (+100)
One of the most exciting pitchers to watch through the early part of the season has easily been Davis Martin, the pride and joy of the Chicago White Sox starting rotation.
The 29-year-old has been wheeling and dealing all season long, averaging 6.6 strikeouts per game, while averaging 7.25 at home. Over his last five starts, he owns a 32.5% strikeout rate, along with a 32.7% whiff rate and a 17% swinging strike rate.
He draws a Minnesota Twins offense that has been a bit swing-happy on the road, owning a 24.9% strikeout rate, the fifth-highest mark in baseball.
Their lineup features five hitters with at least a 23.3% strikeout rate over their last 30 road plate appearances. Zoom in a little more, and three of them own at least a 30% strikeout rate during that stretch.
The power of friendship is extremely strong in that White Sox clubhouse, and I expect Martin to help lead this team to another series win while cashing this prop. I would take this down to -110. Anything lower than that, try to find plus money if possible.
Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CHSN, MNMT
Munetaka Murakami Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (+100)
We are going back to the well, as Chicago White Sox sensation Munetaka Murakami is in yet another great spot against Twins right-hander Taj Bradley.
The young righty leans heavily on his fastball, with nearly 50% of his arsenal made up of the pitch. Against fastballs this season, Murakami owns a .374 expected batting average, along with a 1.152 OPS and .476 wOBA.
He is also generating over 50% hard contact against fastballs this season, along with every other offering in Bradley’s arsenal.
The No. 1-rated hitter on Batters-Box has posted incredible trends while carrying an elite rating. Through 28 elite ratings this season, the slugger records:
1+ hit: 71.43%
2+ bases: 53.57%
2+ HRR: 57.14%
HR: 42.86%
He has also surpassed this prop in six of his last 10 elite ratings.
Bradley has been allowing a ton of hard contact to opposing left-handers, as they are producing 42.9% hard contact along with a 14.3% barrel rate.
They are also consistently elevating the baseball, posting a 54.3% fly ball rate and just a 28.6% ground ball rate. With how hot Murakami has been, getting a price like this feels like a steal.
Also, do not be afraid to sprinkle on the home run.
Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CHSN, MNMT
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 166-285-26, +6.40 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
CANADA - MAY 12: The Blue Jays have relied heavily (too heavily?) on the strong right arm of reliever Duane Ward. (Photo by Jeff Goode/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
Today marks Duane Ward’s 62nd birthday.
Duane ranks second on the Blue Jays’ all-time saves list with 121. Jordan Romano is third with 105 saves. The way pitching is changing, I don’t see anyone getting into that top three for a long time, unless the tide changes again and we go back to one reliever getting all the save opportunities.
Ward was born on May 18, 1964, in Park View, New Mexico. Drafted out of high school, he was selected ninth overall in the first round of the 1982 amateur draft by the Atlanta Braves. The tall (6’4”) right-hander initially struggled as a starting prospect in Atlanta’s system, battling control issues—walking five batters per nine innings and not yet racking up strikeouts as he would later. On July 6, 1986, the Jays traded Doyle Alexander to the Braves for Ward. Alexander was a solid starter, but the Jays ultimately got the better end of the deal.
After brief stints in the majors in 1986 and 1987, Duane began the 1988 season in the Jays’ bullpen and quickly emerged as Tom Henke’s setup man. He excelled, posting a 9-3 record with 15 saves and a 3.30 ERA over 111.2 innings in 64 games. With 60 walks and 91 strikeouts, his wildness contributed to his effectiveness. Times have certainly changed—no setup man would be expected to pitch 111 innings today. Now, if a reliever throws 70 innings, it’s considered a heavy workload.
Ward continued as Henke’s setup man for the next four seasons, and together they formed an outstanding bullpen duo. Duane improved each year, with ERAs of 3.77, 3.45, 2.77, and 1.95. He was no longer used strictly as a setup man—often pitching multiple innings—and reached double digits in saves each season, peaking at 23 in 1991. His strikeout rate soared to 11 per nine innings that year, while his walk rate decreased. He finished ninth in Cy Young Award voting in 1991.
After Tom Henke left via free agency following the 1992 season, Duane took over as the Jays’ closer. He thrived in the role, leading the league with 45 saves, striking out 97 in 71.2 innings, and posting a 2.13 ERA. Those 45 saves remain the highest single-season total in Blue Jays history. Ward’s dominance showed in his 12.2 strikeouts per nine innings and a .182 opponents’ batting average. He earned an All-Star selection, finished fifth in Cy Young voting, and even received MVP votes.
Ward played a crucial role in the Blue Jays’ two World Series championships. In 1992, he appeared in three ALCS games against Oakland, earning a win, and pitched in four World Series games against Atlanta, collecting two wins, allowing no runs, and striking out six in 3.1 innings. In 1993, Ward made four appearances with two saves in the ALCS victory over the White Sox, then added four more outings—including a win and a save—in the World Series win over the Phillies.
Duane missed all of 1994 due to a torn rotator cuff. He attempted a comeback in 1995, but after just four appearances, his career ended at age 31—a testament to the toll that heavy reliever workloads can take. Ward was an outstanding pitcher for six seasons, frequently throwing 95 mph fastballs and sharp sliders. In his era, relievers were expected to pitch more than one inning per outing, and Ward often appeared in 80 games a season.
Rob Neyer ranked him as the Blue Jays’ second-best reliever in franchise history. Ward now runs the “Duane Ward Baseball Clinic” and delivers motivational speeches, also traveling with the Jays’ baseball clinics. My youngest son attended those clinics a couple of times, and Duane was great with the kids.
Happy Birthday, Duane! Wishing you a fantastic day.
Also, having birthdays:
Tilson Brito turns 54. Before being traded to the A’s, he was a utility infielder in 1996 and 1996. He played in 75 games for the Jays. Hitting .228/.306/.291.
Mike Maksudian turns 60. He had three at-bats with the team in 1992. He’d go on to have a few at-bats with the Twins and White Sox.
Ryota Igarashi turns 47. He pitched one inning for the Jays in 2012, spent two seasons with the Mets, and played several games with the Yankees.
Ryan Burr turns 32. He pitched in 36 games with the Jays over the past two seasons. In 34.2 innings, he had a 3.89 ERA. In his one outing last year, he injured his shoulder and ended up having right capsule surgery and is currently recovering from that, and is a free agent.
On non-Jays birthdays, Kirk Gibson turns 69 today. He had a very good 17-year MLB career, finishing with a .268/.352/.463 batting line, 255 home runs, 284 steals and a 38.4 bWAR. The one moment that everyone remembers is the pinch-hit walk-off home run against Dennis Eckersley in Game One of the 1988 World Series.
The Hockey News is currently in the process of revealing its Top 100 NHL players of the 2025-26 season rankings. So far, The Hockey News has revealed players 100 to 71.
Two Pittsburgh Penguins have made the rankings so far, as Erik Karlsson and Evgeni Malkin both made the cut.
Karlsson was given the No. 98 ranking by The Hockey News. It is not surprising to see Karlsson make these rankings, as he turned back the clock in a big way this season. In 75 games this season with the Penguins, he recorded 15 goals, 51 assists, 66 points, and a plus-8 rating. He was a significant reason for Pittsburgh's turnaround this season due to his strong all-around play.
As for Malkin, he was given the No. 84 spot in The Hockey News' rankings. The 39-year-old forward was excellent this season for Pittsburgh, posting 19 goals and 61 points in 56 games. With numbers like these, Malkin demonstrated that he can still be a star in the NHL. It also helped him land a one-year contract extension to stay in Pittsburgh.
Overall, the Penguins got some excellent value from both Karlsson and Malkin this season. It will be intriguing to see what kind of years they put together in 2026-27 from here.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Yankees’ Gerrit Cole was quick to point out that his second straight dominant start in his long-awaited return from Tommy John surgery was just that: his second start.
“Small sample size,” the former Cy Young winner said.
What a sample, though.
After allowing two hits over six scoreless innings against Tampa Bay in his first major league start since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series against the Dodgers, the 35-year-old Cole did even better against struggling Kansas City. He allowed four hits while striking out 10 without a single walk, sending the Yankees to a 7-0 victory — their 14th straight win over the Royals.
“I feel like maybe the first game was the appetizer,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, “and that was the main course right there. That was surgical. You saw everything, like, good fastball, both breaking balls going, mixed in the cutter a little bit, made some really good change-ups along the way. There was good defensive plays behind him early and then he kind of cruised.”
Cole (1-0) needed only 79 pitches to get through 6 2/3 innings, and he probably could have gone deeper into the game against Kansas City. But at this point in what the Yankees hope is a long season, there was no reason to push Cole’s once-ailing right elbow.
The closest the Royals came to scoring off him came in the third, when Michael Massey hit a one-out double. Cole bounced back to strike out Isaac Collins, bringing Maikel Garcia to the plate. He ripped a single to right field, Aaron Judge fielded a tough hop cleanly, and then made a perfect throw to catch Massey at the plate for the final out of the inning.
Cole also stranded Garcia at second base after a two-out double in the sixth. Salvador Perez singled off him in the seventh.
And that was it. All the runners Kansas City managed against him.
“I think it just reminds you of who he is, and how great a consistent pitcher he is,” Boone said. “And to see him go through the process the last several months to get back to this, and go out there and execute like he is here to start, it’s fun to watch.”
Cole brutally was efficient, especially with his 96 mph fastball. He threw first-pitch strikes to 16 of the 23 batters he faced, and only a couple of batters even managed to drive the count to three balls against him the entire night.
“I expect to execute pitches. I don’t necessarily expect to not give up any runs, especially on 75% strikes. You’re putting a lot of pressure on guys,” Cole said. “So you have to play good defense, which is what we did tonight.”
There was pressure on Cole to execute, too, because the Yankees never really gave him a cushion. They managed a pair of runs on a single by Paul Goldschmidt, a triple by Ben Rice and Judge’s sacrifice fly, but the rest of their offense came after Cole departed.
It wasn’t nearly as prolific as the Yankees’ memorable 15-1 win in which they belted six homers and had 24 hits — and, in a first for one of the game’s historic franchises, every player in the New York starting lineup had at least two hits.
But with Cole back on the mound, they only needed a fraction of that offense in the series finale.
“It’s two games. Small sample size,” Cole said. “We still have stuff to improve, and just have to keep the same mindset that we have right now, and that’s to take it one outing at a time.”
(Original Caption) Three of the New york Yankees who had a lot to do in the 4-2 win over the Dodgers in the final game of the Series, whoop it up in GALA style after the classic triumph, October 7. Left to right are: out fielder Mickey Mantle, who homered; pitcher Bob Kuzava, whose mound performance saved the game; and outfielder Gene Woodling, who also homered.
Bob “Sarge” Kuzava was a left-handed pitcher who found success with the New York Yankees during a career in the majors that lasted a decade and saw him suit up for eight different teams. Kuzava, pronounced koo-ZAH-vuh, was born and raised in Wyandotte, Michigan, a town about 15 miles outside Detroit that now features a baseball field named in his honor.
Kuzava’s biggest claim to fame was being a valued swingman for Hall of Fame manager Casey Stengel during the Yankees’ early-1950s dynasty. In fact, the southpaw became the first pitcher to earn a save in back-to-back World Series clinching games, turning the trick to close out Subway Series showdowns with the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers in 1951 and 1952, respectively.
Robert Leroy Kuzava Born: May 28, 1923 (Wyandotte, MI) Died: May 15, 2017 (Wyandotte, MI) Yankees Tenure: 1951-54
Signed by Cleveland before the 1941 season out of St. Patrick High School in Wyandotte, Kuzava reported to Class-D Mansfield in Ohio. He performed modestly enough at age-18 to get the bump in 1942 to Class-C Charleston, where he posted a terrific campaign. Impressing both his organization and the fans in West Virginia’s capital, Kuzava went 21-6 with a 1.72 ERA and 1.145 WHIP in 235 innings.
However, Kuzava’s baseball career would not fully begin until after military service. Able men throughout the sport joined the fight in World War II, and Kuzava entered the U.S. Army in 1943. He served through 1945, focusing on military policy and spending two years overseas in Burma (now Myanmar), India, and China. When speaking about his time in the service, Kuzava said he was fortunate to see little, and no heavy, action but was nonetheless simply happy to survive and make it home.
After returning from the service, the left-hander had a solid season in Class-A for the Wilkes-Barre Barons, one of the predecessors of the Yankees’ current Triple-A club. Playing alongside future big leaguers like Ray Boone (Aaron’s grandfather), Kuzava went 14-6 with a 2.36 ERA in 217 innings, earning his first taste of the big leagues in a couple innings as a September call-up for Cleveland in 1946. While Kuzava did not make the club out of spring training the following year, he again got a few more cups of coffee in 1947, appearing in four games. Instead, most of his time was spent in Baltimore, as the O’s were a Triple-A affiliate for Cleveland in their final years as a minor-league club before the St. Louis Browns came to town and became the modern Orioles.
Cleveland eventually dealt Kuzava to the White Sox following the 1948 season as part of a trade including Ernest Groth for Frank Papish. This provided Kuzava with his first full season in the majors. In 1949, Kuzava appeared in 29 games for the Pale Hose, posting a 10-6 record with a 4.02 ERA while making 18 starts, good enough to earn him a single AL Rookie of the Year vote (the Browns’ Roy Sievers took home the honors with 10).
Kuzava started the 1950 campaign with Chicago but was traded in May when the White Sox packaged him alongside Cass Michaels and Johnny Ostrowski in a trade to Washington for Eddie Robinson, Ray Scarborough, and Al Kozar. The parts of two seasons that Kuzava spent with the Senators got interrupted by a torn Achilles. The injury occurred when Kuzava attempted to cover first on double play and got stepped on by former White Sox teammate Nellie Fox.
The extent of the injury was not known to the Yankees and general manager George Weiss, who acquired Kuzava at the then-Trade Deadline on June 15, 1951.
In exchange for Tom Ferrick, Bob Porterfield, Fred Sanford, and some cash, the Yankees got a still-on-crutches Kuzava. However, the Yankees needed a lefty reliever and once recovered, Kuzava quickly became an important arm for Stengel’s club as a bullpen arm and spot starter. With New York in 1951, Kuzava went 8-4 with a 2.40 ERA appearing in 23 games and making 8 starts.
Kuzava’s earn-your-pinstripes moment arrived during the 1951 World Series against the crosstown rival Giants. With a chance to clinch the Yankees’ third consecutive championship in Game 6 at Yankee Stadium, Kuzava made his playoff debut in a helluva spot: the ninth inning with the bases loaded after three-straight singles off Johnny Sain, none out, and the Yanks holding a 4-1 lead. Stengel opted for the lefty despite a pair of right-handed batters due up next in future Hall of Famer Monte Irvin and recent “Shot Heard ’Round the World” playoff hero Bobby Thomson due up. The move was called “perhaps as deep and mystifying a piece of managerial strategy as any world series has seen,” by the New York Times. He hadn’t pitched in a week and a half.
Per SABR, Stengel told an admittedly nervous Kuzava to get the ball over and make the Giants hit it in the air. That is exactly what Kuzava would do. Irvin flew out to left, as did Thomson. Two runs scored to trim the lead to 4-3, but both Kuzava and his skipper were happy to trade them for outs. Then Kuzava preserved the Yankees championship by recording the final out against another righty, pinch-hitter Sal Yvars, who almost found the outfield grass until Hank Bauer who made a game-saving, diving catch.
That moment gave Kuzava the save and secured the Yankees’ three-peat, a feat only matched by the 1936-39 Yankees, the the 1972-74 Oakland A’s, and of course the more recent 1998-2000 Yanks. This particular dynasty wasn’t done yet, however, as they had their sights set on breaking the record held by those Lou Gehrig/Joe DiMaggio-led late-’30s teams.
The left-hander continued serving as an important bullpen arm and occasional starter over the next few seasons. In 1952, Kuzava won eight games and posted a 3.45 ERA across 28 appearances and 12 starts. The Yankees won another championship that season this time taking down the Dodgers in seven games.
For the second year in a row, Kuzava didn’t pitch in the Fall Classic until the very end. And wouldn’t you know it? The bases were loaded again. He was last on the mound on September 27th during a meaningless game against the Philadelphia A’s. Stengel had stuck with his top starters in Game 7, deploying each of Eddie Lopat, Allie Reynolds, and Vic Raschi before having to to turn to someone else when it was evident that Raschi didn’t have it.
So in came Kuzava with a 4-2 lead in the seventh, nowhere to put Hall of Famer Duke Snider, and the fans at Ebbets Field imploring “the Duke of Flatbush” and their Dodgers to finally drop the hammer on the hated Yankees. Remarkably, Kuzava stayed cool and induced a pair of popups from Snider and no less a luminary than Jackie Robinson himself. He needed a last-second bailout by Billy Martin to actually snare the second pop fly, but the inning was over with the Yankees still up by two.
A high throw by Gil McDougald on an error with one out in the eighth gave Brooklyn two more cracks at tying the game off Kuzava. The unflappable southpaw instead struck out pinch-hitter Andy Pafko and got a fly ball from Carl Furillo to Gene Woodling just shy of the warning track in left. The final inning was the least dramatic, Kuzava retiring the side in order and ending it on a fly ball from Pee Wee Reese to Woodling in left. A euphoric Yogi Berra hopped aboard hit batterymate’s back in the celebration.
That Game 7 cemented Kuzava’s place in history. Although the save statistic was not yet established, he became the first person in baseball history to earn a save in back-to-back World Series clinching games. Oakland’s Rollie Fingers almost accomplished the feat, but Darold Knowles got the save for the A’s in 1973, sandwiched between Fingers’ saves in 1972 and 1974. Will McEnaney of the Cincinnati Reds become the second pitcher to accomplish this after closing the doors in 1975 and 1976.
There has only been one pitcher to top Kuzava and McEnaney and, of course, it was another Yankees legend: Mariano Rivera. Mo earned the save in the clinching games of the 1998, 1999, and 2000 World Series, extending the Yankees’ dynasty nearly 50 years after Kuzava inked his name in the record books.
Kuzava stayed with the Yankees for the 1953 season, another solid year in the Bronx resulted in a 6-5 record with a 3.31 ERA. The team continued rolling as well winning the World Series in six games over the Dodgers; Kuzava again pitched just once, but this time it was just a third of an inning in the Game 5 victory. Reynolds relieved Kuzava for the save in that game, and then collected the win in relief of Whitey Ford for the clincher in Game 6. Martin’s walk-off single secured the club’s fifth consecutive title, a streak that remains unmatched to this day.
In 1954, Kuzava’s role in New York began shrinking as age and mileage started catching up to him. Fresh off the franchise move from St. Louis, the Orioles claimed him off waivers in August of that season, ending his Yankees tenure after four seasons and three World Series championships in the Bronx. In parts of four seasons with the Yankees, Kuzava went 23-20 with a 3.39 ERA and 13 saves.
Kuzava’s career then turned into the familiar late-career baseball shuffle many veteran pitchers experienced during that era. He spent time with the O’s, Phillies, A’s, Pirates, and Cardinals organizations while continuing to bounce between the majors and high minors. His best seasons were behind him, but Kuzava’s ability to provide innings and mentorship kept him around until 1960 when he finished up his career as a player-manager for the Charleston White Sox in the South Atlantic League.
As a manager, and after, Kuzava spoke out about the difficulties black athletes were experiencing at the time. Recalling the experience, Kuzava said, “I’d get phone calls from people threatening that if those guys played, they were going to do this or that. It was terrible. I’m talking 1960! We had Cubans whose skin was darker than the Blacks and they could live with us in the hotels. The Blacks couldn’t and those were the guys who went to war for us along with me and the other guys.”
Across 10 MLB seasons, Kuzava compiled a 49-47 record with a 4.05 ERA and 13 saves across 213 appearances. Often shifting between starting and relieving, Kuzava regularly did whatever managers needed him to do.
Following his time as a big leaguer and manager Kuzava spent another decade travelling the country scouting ballplayers. As his family grew and the strain of travel picked up, he decided to return to Wyandotte and started a career in the beer industry. In 2003, Kuzava was elected to the Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame. The three-time champion only passed away a few years ago, at age-93 in May 2017, one of the last living links to the heart of that particular Yankees dynasty.
Happy birthday, Sarge!
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
DETROIT — Detroit Tigers pitchers Casey Mize and Kenley Jansen both left against the Los Angeles Angels because of right groin issues, potentially adding to a crowded injured list.
Mize started the game and threw four scoreless innings, striking out six, before leaving the game. The 29-year-old was making his third start after returning from the injured list because of a similar injury against the Atlanta Braves.
When healthy, the right hander has pitched well this year with a 2-3 record and 2.27 ERA over nine starts.
“Same area — just the sensation of it was less than last time,” Mize said. “Obviously, we’ll know more in the next couple days. But I don’t think it was as bad as what I felt in Atlanta. We’ll see how I wake up and feel.”
Jansen earned the first two outs of the ninth inning before leaving the game with a trainer. He was replaced by Brenan Hanifee, who recorded the final out to secure the Tigers’ 4-0 victory and snap a season-long, seven-game home losing streak.
Jansen has a 1-3 record, a 4.80 ERA and seven saves this season.
The Tigers have a disappointing 22-34 record this season, partly due to injuries. Other players currently on the injured list include ace left-hander Tarik Skubal and veteran right-hander Justin Verlander, along with hitters Parker Meadows, Kerry Carpenter, Javier Baez and Gleyber Torres.
The Hockey News revealed players 71 to 80 on their Top 100 NHL Players In 2026 rankings. A Philadelphia Flyers defenseman was among the players listed, as Travis Sanheim made the cut.
Sanheim was given the No. 72 spot in the Hockey News' rankings, and it is understandable when looking at the year he had. In 81 games this season with the Flyers, the 30-year-old blueliner recorded 11 goals, 26 assists, 37 points, 152 blocks, and a plus-12 rating. With numbers like these, Sanheim had a strong all-around season for the Flyers and was a notable reason for them taking a big step in the right direction this campaign.
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Sanheim also moved up in The Hockey News' rankings compared to last season. This is because The Hockey News ranked him as the 86th best player in the NHL during the 2024-25 season.
Sanheim will now be looking to build off his strong 2025-26 campaign by having another good year next season. He is one of the Flyers' most important defensemen, and it will be interesting to see what he can do next season for the Metropolitan Division club from here.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Former NL MVP outfielder Andrew McCutchen was designated for assignment by the Texas Rangers after he hit .192 in his 37 games.
The 39-year-old McCutchen was replaced by free agent infielder Nicky Cruz in a move spurred by the lingering absences of shortstop Corey Seager and second baseman Josh Smith. Seager is out with lower back inflammation, and Smith still hasn’t rejoined the team since a stint in the hospital with viral meningitis.
“Certainly respect to Andrew, what he’s accomplished, not only in this game, but more importantly, who he is as a person,” president of baseball operations Chris Young said. “It’s been wonderful having him around, but we’re at a point where given the injuries on the left side of the infield, middle infield specifically, that we’re thin and so Nicky gives us another option and provides some versatility.”
The Rangers had another setback with their middle infield when shortstop Ezequiel Duran exited a game against Houston after four innings due to an illness.
Lopez, who started at second base in the No. 9 spot against the Astros, moved to shortstop to replace Duran. Justin Foscue took over at second.
The 31-year-old Lopez, who signed a major league contract, has played in 693 big league games over parts of eight seasons with five teams. The left-handed hitter was designated for assignment by the Chicago Cubs.
McCutchen had two doubles, one home run and five RBIs with Texas, with 21 of his plate appearances coming as a pinch hitter. Those were the most at-bats as a pinch hitter for any MLB player this season.
The Rangers have seven days to trade, release or outright McCutchen to the minor leagues.
McCutchen played the past three seasons for Pittsburgh, the club that drafted him in the first round in 2005 and promoted him in 2009 for his major league debut. McCutchen played his first nine years in MLB with the Pirates, making five straight All-Star teams and winning the 2013 National League MVP award while becoming one of the most popular players in that franchise’s history.
He then bounced around with four other teams between 2018 and 2022 before reuniting with the Pirates. He played in 135 games last year, hitting .239 with 13 homers and 57 RBIs before becoming a free agent.
He is a career .271 hitter with 333 homers, 1,157 RBIs and 220 stolen bases in 2,299 games.
“I played against him during his MVP season,” Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “I know who this guy is and I got to know him even better this year. Those are not easy, but part of the game. He was a pro and understood.”
Seager is doing moderate baseball activity, but there is no timeline for his return. The two-time World Series MVP, including with the Rangers in 2023, has been eligible to come off the 10-day disabled list.
Smith had been on the IL since May 5 with a right glute strain when the Rangers announced May 15 that the 28-year-old would be hospitalized at least a week after feeling ill and getting the diagnosis of meningitis. Young said Smith could rejoin the club soon.
“We’ll be able to evaluate where he is from a strength standpoint,” Young said. “The physical toll that it’s taking on him and what the buildup is going to be, I can’t answer yet. But he’s healthy. We’re very grateful to the doctors and the medical staff that treated him and took great care of him.”
With a short slate of games to choose from, I've still found enough tantalizing value for today's MLB same-game parlay predictions.
I'm sticking with a trio of evening affairs, starting with the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles in what looks to be a high-scoring clash, before shifting over to Paul Skenes holding court for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Chicago Cubs.
Patrick Corbin vs. Chris Bassitt in 2026 is a recipe for an Over.
Corbin's surface-level results haven't been too bad, boasting a 3.86 ERA over 44 1/3 innings since debuting with the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this year. But a quick look under the hood tells us he's heading toward a significant statistical correction.
He's got an expected ERA of 5.40 thanks to one of the slowest and least deceptive fastballs in the game. The Baltimore Orioles will exploit his 25th-percentile hard-hit rate, and I'm targeting outfielder Taylor Ward, who projects as having one of the best matchups on the slate, per Batters-Box.
On the other end, Jesus Sanchez has been swinging a hot bat and has owned right-handed pitching this year (.194 ISO). Bassitt doesn't give up a ton of hard contact, but he also misses zero bats. Whether it's a two-hit game or an extra-base hit, Sanchez rounds out this SGP nicely.
If you're hesitant about backing a specific Blue Jays hitter, you can triple-up on Baltimore bats by adding Ward, Tyler O'Neill, and Pete Alonso to the Over instead, bumping the line to +1200.
Time: 6:35 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SN1, MASN
Cubs vs Pirates SGP: Skenes straightens out
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes has hit maybe the roughest patch of his career, allowing nine earned runs over his last 10 innings across two starts.
That won't last. He had allowed one run or less in eight of nine starts before that, including back-to-back scoreless outings where he completed eight innings of work immediately prior to that stumbling block.
His expected ERA for the season remains 2.41 (95th percentile). While the Chicago Cubs exploded for 10 runs and their first victory after 10 straight losses, this is a notable step up in competition. I don't love the price on either individual prop, but sandwiching them together helps get this SGP started on the right foot.
With Colin Rea on the mound, Brandon Lowe is a prime candidate to continue swinging a hot bat. He homered yesterday and is batting .287 with a .346 ISO vs. right-handers.
It's one of the best hitter matchups on the board, according to Batters-Box, along with teammate Oneil Cruz. And if you want to give it a little extra juice, adding Cruz and the Pirates' moneyline pumps the line to +1000.
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Marquee, SportsNet Pittsburgh
Astros vs Rangers SGP: Not everything's bigger in Texas
This is a simple handicap, and almost a polar opposite of the angle I took above in Toronto vs. Baltimore.
I like Nathan Eovaldi and Spencer Arrighetti to keep this score low. The veteran Texas Rangers right-hander keeps the ball on the ground and is still inducing chase and whiff at elite rates (97th and 90th percentiles, respectively). Even if his strikeout rate hasn't followed suit, he's pitching deep enough into games (seven innings or more in four straight) that he can clear this number.
If you're more comfortable going on his outs prop, fair warning that it's at 18.5.
Arrighetti has excelled at limiting hard contact, with a hard-hit rate in the 90th percentile. He's also surrendered just one home run this season, and the Texas offense doesn't worry me with its below-average wRC+ (96). He'll pitch into the sixth, and maybe even finish the frame.
Time: 9:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SCHN, RSN
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
NHL insider Chris Johnston released his first 2026 NHL off-season trade board for The Athletic. While no current Chicago Blackhawks players were listed on Johnston's trade board, the Original Six club's fourth-overall pick was.
"Similar to the scenario with the Sharks at No. 2, the prospect-rich Blackhawks are open to the possibility of moving off a valuable pick if they can get something back that improves them in the present," Johnston wrote.
If the Blackhawks were to trade the fourth-overall pick, it would undoubtedly be a major deal. The only way it would make sense for Chicago is if they were bringing in a proven star who would upgrade their group in a significant way.
The fourth-overall pick could a great trading asset for the Blackhawks to use a first-line winger or a high-impact left-shot defenseman. Yet, with the Blackhawks rebuilding, it would also make sense if they decided to keep their fourth-overall pick and bring in another exciting prospect to their system.
It is going to be very interesting to see what the Blackhawks decide to do with the fourth-overall pick. It is likely that there would be a lot of interest in it, but time will tell what the Blackhawks decide to do.
The late-season move by the Vegas Golden Knights to fire coach Bruce Cassidy and bring in John Tortorella might have seemed to be out of desperation on the surface. It comes with a history of some success.
Tortorella has guided the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final after completing a sweep against Presidents’ Trophy winning Colorado. He now has a chance to become the eighth coach to win the Cup after taking over in the middle of a season.
Five of those previous times have come since 2000 with Larry Robinson’s run with New Jersey Devils that year the most similar to Tortorella’s as he also took over with just eight games remaining in the 1999-00 season. The others all had much more time to put their imprints on the team.
Tortorella took over after the Golden Knights lost six of seven games in March. Vegas went 7-0-1 down the stretch and has rolled through the Western Conference playoffs with a 12-4 record.
The last team to win it all after firing its coach during the season was St. Louis in 2018-19 when Craig Berube took over from Mike Yeo early in the season. Kris Knoblauch came one win short of doing it in 2023-24 with Edmonton, losing Game 7 of the Final to Florida that season.
A rare accomplishment
If Tortorella can finish the job and lead the Golden Knights to their second title, the six times that has happened in the NHL since 2000 would equal the total times that has happened in the NFL (0), NBA (4) and Major League Baseball (2) combined in their long histories.
It happened just twice in the NHL in the 20th century with Toronto’s Dick Irwin (1932) and Montreal’s Al MacNeil (1971) doing it before becoming more frequent of late.
The NBA coaches to win a title after taking over during the season are Paul Westhead in 1980 for the Lakers, Pat Riley two years later for Los Angeles and again in 2006 with Miami, and Tyronn Lue in 2016 with Cleveland. The two managers to win a World Series after being hired during the season are Jack McKeon with the Florida Marlins in 2003 and Bob Lemon with the Yankees in 1978.
Here’s a closer look at the five most recent coaches who have led their teams to Stanley Cup titles after taking over during a season:
Craig Berube, 2019 St. Louis Blues
Yeo was fired 19 games into the 2018-19 season and replaced by Berube. St. Louis dropped to last in the standings in early January before putting together an impressive run.
The Blues finished second in the Central Division and rallied from a 3-2 series deficit in the second round to beat Dallas in double overtime in Game 7. They then overcame a 2-1 series deficit in the conference final to beat San Jose in six games to make their first Stanley Cup Final since 1970.
There, Berube led St. Louis to a seven-game series win over Boston for the franchise’s first championship.
Mike Sullivan, 2016 Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins were sputtering early in the 2015-16 season and looked poised to waste another year of Sidney Crosby’s prime when they fired Mike Johnston and promoted Sullivan from the AHL.
Fueled by some key midseason additions and brilliant play from Crosby, Pittsburgh surged into the playoffs and didn’t slow down from there. The Penguins lost three games combined in the first two rounds and then rallied from 3-2 down in the conference final to beat Tampa Bay.
They overwhelmed San Jose in a six-game series and hoisted the Stanley Cup for the second time in Crosby’s career.
Darryl Sutter, 2012 Los Angeles Kings
The Kings were mired in 11th place in the West in December and struggling to score when they fired Terry Murray and eventually brought Sutter off his farm in Alberta for his first coaching job in more than five years.
Sutter’s blunt style and attention to detail proved to be just what the Kings needed and helped them reach the playoffs as the eighth seed. They raced through the playoffs, upsetting top-seeded Vancouver in five games in the first round and winning 15 of their first 17 playoff contests.
Los Angeles eventually finished off New Jersey in six games for its first championship and the Kings’ four losses were tied for the second fewest in a Cup-winning run since the first round went to best-of-seven in 1987.
Dan Bylsma, 2009 Pittsburgh Penguins
After making it to the final in 2008, the Penguins barely were over .500 in February the next season, leading GM Ray Shero to fire Michel Therrien and promote Bylsma from the AHL.
Pittsburgh went 18-3-4 down the stretch to earn the fourth seed in the East. From there, the Penguins survived tough series against Philadelphia and Washington before sweeping Carolina in the conference final.
That set the stage for a rematch against Detroit and Pittsburgh came out on top this time, winning Game 7 on the road for the franchise’s first title since 1992.
Larry Robinson, 2000 New Jersey Devils
The Devils were in first place in the East and had the third-best record in the NHL with eight games left in the regular season when GM Lou Lamoriello made the shocking decision to fire Robbie Ftorek and promote Robinson from his role as an assistant.
New Jersey had won only one playoff series the previous four seasons and were stumbling late in 2000 when Lamoriello decided a change was needed.
Boy, was he right.
Robinson increased practice time and stressed a commitment to defense that paid off in a playoff run that featured a comeback from 3-1 down in the conference final against Philadelphia and a 2-1 double-overtime clincher on the road in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final against defending champion Dallas.
One could say that the Toronto Maple Leafs have a surplus of goaltenders. With the NHL tandem of Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz for the past two years, and an AHL tandem of Dennis Hildeby and Artur Akhtyamov, GM John Chayka may consider moving off one of them.
Hildeby and Akhtyamov, who have been great in the American League with the Toronto Marlies, and Hildeby was exceptional for the Maple Leafs in his 20 appearances last season, could very well draw interest in the trade market this summer.
But in terms of the NHL netminders, what are the pros and cons of trading either Woll or Stolarz?
The Pros
There are a couple of pros that come with the idea of trading away one of Woll and Stolarz.
What can't be ignored across the NHL is the desire for good goaltending, and when healthy, Woll and Stolarz can typically provide that. Meaning, they both have value on the trade market, especially for teams that have struggled in the goaltending department for some time.
This season wasn't so pretty for any member of the Maple Leafs, but Toronto's goalies showed out in the campaign before that.
In 2024-25, Woll put up a .909 save percentage and a 2.73 goals-against average in 42 games, while Stolarz posted a .926 SP and a 2.14 GAA.
Neither Woll nor Stolarz reached a .900 SP this past year, but there's a little more to the equation with the team's defense collapsing and an overall underperformance from the whole roster.
The point is, they've proven to be solid netminders that can put up big performances with an adequate team in front of them.
Another pro for the Maple Leafs if they trade one of Woll or Stolarz is that a hypothetical move will make room for either Hildeby or Akhtyamov. Both those young goaltenders deserve a regular chance in the NHL to this point.
For example, if Hildeby hadn't been given the opportunity he had with the Maple Leafs last season, filling in for the absent Woll and Stolarz, it would be challenging to label what he could be in the NHL. But with 20 appearances last year as a rookie, he put up an impressive .914 SP, a 2.80 GAA and his first career shutout, showing the league and his team just how good he can be between the pipes.
Akhtyamov hasn't had the same opportunity that Hildeby had last year. Still, with how he's performed in the minors in the regular season and stepped up his game for the Calder Cup playoffs, the 24-year-old probably deserves some more NHL action in the near future.
So as long as Woll and Stolarz both remain with the Leafs, there's no true path for Hildeby or Akhtyamov to the NHL, and that could handicap the ability to unlock their full potential. And they are two goaltenders who may have a higher ceiling than the current Maple Leafs' tandem.
While Woll and Stolarz are a respectable tandem, moving off one of them could hurt Toronto's goaltending.
Never in either of their NHL careers have they been true No. 1 netminders, and with their health issues and injury history, who knows if they'll ever reach that status.
Therefore, there would be a great risk in moving off Woll or Stolarz if that means the responsibility on one of them would grow significantly.
Woll's career-high of games played in an NHL season was set in 2024-25 when he featured in 42 contests. That number dropped to 39 this past campaign. Stolarz's personal best is even lower at 34 games, also in 2024-25. Missing multiple stretches of the season last year, his total of appearances decreased as well, finishing the year with just 26 games played.
It's true that if Woll or Stolarz gets dealt before next season, there will still be another goaltender to support them at the NHL level. But that upcoming puckstopper, whether it's Hildeby or Akhtyamov, would be unseasoned.
Ultimately, there is likely a market for Woll and Stolarz, and probably a suitable trade return for one of them. But it will be a massive risk for Chayka to go through with that, especially if the Leafs are looking to be competitive next season.
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Yankees ace Gerrit Cole showed no signs of it as he made his second start back Wednesday night following a 569-day recovery from Tommy John surgery.
The dominant right-hander was in complete control all night, mowing his way through the Royals’ lineup to help New York lock up its fourth consecutive win.
“If the first start was the appetizer, this was the main course,” Aaron Boone said. “He had everything going.”
Cole certainly did, as he struck out five of the first seven Kansas City hitters he faced before allowing his first base runner of the night on a one out double in the bottom of the third.
He then received some help from his defense, as Aaron Judge unleashed a perfect throw on a liner to shallow right, gunning down Michael Massey trying to score the opening run of the game.
“All I was thinking was I don’t want this run to score,” Judge said. “Especially with Gerrit in his second game, it was a tight game at the time -- I knew if I was able to stop them there, they probably aren’t scoring the rest of the game.”
And that's exactly how things played out, as Cole threw things in cruise control the rest of the way, completing six-plus scoreless innings of work.
He allowed just four hits, didn't issue a walk, and struck out 10 batters for a franchise-best 28th time as a Yankee.
"We are watching excellence," Boone said. "I don't want to understate or overstate it, it was just an excellent, efficient, surgical outing where he had everything going."
"It's a good night when everything comes together like that," Cole added.
The Yankees' ace has now put together 12.2 scoreless frames over his first two outings back atop the rotation.
Cole himself isn't satisfied yet.
"It's coming along, there's still some stuff to work on," he said. "We moved the ball well around the zone, sometimes maybe didn't quite get through the fastballs as well as we could've, so there's absolutely still stuff to work on."
Cole is lined up to take the ball back home against the Guardians next week.
Jesus Sanchez 
Davis Martin
BAL
CHC vs 
PIT
HOU vs 
TEX