The 2025-26 season did not end as a major success for the New York Islanders, with the team tumbling out of the playoff picture in April.
However, Bo Horvat had another great season for the Islanders, despite missing 14 games to injuries.
Horvat posted 31 goals and 57 points in 68 games, leading the team in goals. His 57 points were good for third on the team, trailing only Mathew Barzal (80) and rookie superstar, Matthew Schaefer (59).
The next closest Islander to those three was Anders Lee, with 19 goals and 42 points in 82 games.
Horvat also represented Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics, playing a key role in Canada's bottom six, penalty kill, and second unit power play.
With all that attention, The Hockey News named Horvat the 87th best player in the NHL this past season, just ahead of fellow Olympians Brock Nelson (89) and Anthony Cirelli (88).
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - MAY 30: Joc Pederson #3 of the Texas Rangers celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Kansas City Royals during the ninth inning at Globe Life Field on May 30, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for May 31, 2026 against the Kansas City Royals: starting pitchers are Jack Leiter for the Rangers and Michael Wacha for the Royals.
The Rangers look to try to sweep the Royals this afternoon. Evan Carter, who got hit in the foot with a pitch on Friday, is sitting for the second day in a row. Alejandro Osuna, who was hit in the finger while bunting yesterday and left the game, is starting.
The lineup:
Pederson — DH
Jung — 1B
Nimmo — RF
Burger — 1B
Duran — SS
Osuna — LF
Higashioka — C
Lopez — 2B
Helman — CF
1:35 p.m. Central start time. The game is a pick ‘em.
The family of late NHL player Claude Lemieux has released a statement, saying they are donating his brain for study and asking for "compassion" in reporting his death.
Lemieux, a four-time Stanley Cup winner, died on Thursday, May 28, at age 60. His body was found in a warehouse of a furniture showroom that the family owned in Florida.
"The family recognizes that there has been public reporting about the circumstances of Claude's death," said the family statement, which was shared by his son, Brendan, a 2014 second-round NHL draft pick. "Suicide is complex, and the family asks media and the public to discuss this loss with care, compassion and respect for those who loved him.
"Anyone in crisis or emotional distress in the United States can call or text 988 for confidential support from the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline."
Here's the latest on the death of Claude Lemieux:
Family donating his brain for CTE study
The statement said the family will donate Lemieux's brain to the UNITE Brain Bank at the Boston University CTE Center for research into the long-term effects of repetitive head impacts and traumatic brain injury.
"The family emphasizes that this decision is a gift to science, to athletes and to future generations of families seeking answers. No conclusion should be drawn at this time regarding any diagnosis," the statement reads.
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive neurodegenerative brain disease caused by repeated head trauma. It has been found in posthumous studies of the brains of football and hockey players, most recently in former NHL tough guy Lyndon Byers, who died in July.
Who was Claude Lemieux?
Lemieux played 21 NHL seasons and won Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens (1986), New Jersey Devils (1995 and 2000) and Colorado Avalanche (1996). He was playoff MVP in 1995 after scoring 13 goals with the Devils.
He also was a gritty player and agitator whose hit on Kris Draper in the 1996 playoffs left the Detroit Red Wings player with severe facial injuries and sparked a yearslong rivalry between the Red Wings and Avalanche.
After his retirement, he became a prominent player agent, representing Carolina Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen, Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider and others.
"Claude was a beloved son, husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend and teammate," the family statement said. "To the hockey world, he was one of the game's most unforgettable competitors: a four-time Stanley Cup champion, a Conn Smythe Trophy winner, and one of the great playoff performers of all time. To his family, he was more than a hero: he was loving, loyal, funny, protective, and generous. He was stubborn, and he was completely devoted to the people he loved. He was adored by his family in turn.
"Claude was a passionate man. He brought that passion to the rink, to his work, to his friendships, and most of all to his family. He was fierce on the ice because he cared so deeply about winning, about his teammates, and about never giving less than everything he had. Away from the game, he was tender, loyal and full of life. He made us laugh, he showed up for us, and he loved his children and grandchildren with his whole heart."
Darren McCarty pays tribute to Claude Lemieux
Darren McCarty had fought Lemieux the season after his hit on Draper. He said he learned of Lemieux's death from Draper.
McCarty, who has done charity appearances with Lemieux, posted a tribute to Lemieux and also spoke about him on Woodward Sports.
"I'm a guy who has asked for redemption in a lot of ways in my life, and trying to prove that some of the things I've done in the past aren't who I am today," McCarty said. "Claude Lemieux is the one person in life who has proven to me that the guy on the ice wasn't the guy off the ice. He was loved very much. ...
"The best way for me to describe my feelings and whatever else, is that it's very sad. I'm very sad."
Frederik Andersen clinches Hurricanes series with heavy heart
Andersen, one of Lemieux's first clients as an agent, won Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals to send the Carolina Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006. He did so with a heavy heart after the death of Lemieux.
"I can't talk enough good things about this team and the way they've supported me," he told TNT. "It's been awesome."
The Philadelphia Flyers have seen a number of their prospects get traded to new teams or commit to colleges recently, and that trend is reportedly likely to extend to the goalie position now, too.
Top Flyers goalie prospect Egor Zavragin had a strange season, playing 12 KHL regular season games for SKA St. Petersburg, 18 VHL regular season games for SKA-VMF St. Petersburg, and one MHL regular season game for SKA-1946 St. Petersburg.
After playing 46 KHL regular season games for SKA and HK Sochi last year and breaking out onto the scene in a major way, Zavragin struggled to earn a consistent spot in the lineup this year and fell out of favor in the eyes of new head coach Igor Larionov.
The Flyers' 2023 third-round pick still posted a respectable 2.63 GAA and .919 save percentage, but those stats paled in comparison to the 2.01 GAA and .939 save percentage of Artemi Pleshkov, and 2.50 GAA and .928 save percentage of Sergei Ivanov.
Pleshkov and Ivanov were first and eighth in the KHL in save percentage, respectively, whereas Zavragin was 15th.
And that isn't a knock on Zavragin. Statistically, he still performed better than established KHL goalies (and some former NHLers) like Timur Bilyalov, Alex Georgiev, Vasili Demchenko, Zach Fucale, Spencer Martin, Louis Domingue, Chris Dreidger, and esteemed Colorado Avalanche prospect Ilya Nabokov, who is about to make the jump to North America.
But, given that Zavragin is clearly also behind Pleshkov and Ivanov, a trade would be beneficial for the Flyers prospect's development, and that is exactly what might happen.
According to KHL insider Hockey News Hub, it would not be a surprise if "Zavragin is traded in the next couple of days," and that Metallurg Magnitogorsk is the "most likely" destination with their need to replace the departing Nabokov.
Zavragin will have to overtake incumbent Alexander Smolin to become the starter with Metallurg, but he at least would have a clear path to rotational minutes on a team just went to the Gagarin Cup Eastern Conference semifinal.
The 20-year-old has only one year remaining on his KHL contract, and from there, he would be free to join the Flyers organization and continue developing here.
May 25, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Kyle Bradish (38) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
Where to watch: NBCSN/Peacock
Probable pitchers: RHP Kyle Bradish (2-6, 3.86 ERA, 61 K) vs. RHP Spencer Miles (2-0, 2.16 ERA, 32 K)
The Orioles have put all of Birdland on an emotional rollercoaster this past week, starting with a Colton Cowser walkoff homer vs. the Tigers and ending with a Pete Alonso walkoff single last night vs. the Blue Jays. In between those two walkoff winners, we saw the Orioles sweep the Rays only to open the Toronto series with two straight frustrating losses. This afternoon’s contest will give the O’s a chance to split the series vs. the Blue Jays and start a new week on a high.
Leading Baltimore into the Sunday finale is the scorching hot Kyle Bradish. The Orioles right-hander has three quality starts in his last four outings and is sporting a 3.49 ERA in May. The 29-year-old’s recent uptick in form has coincided with an increase in curveball usage from the O’s former ace. Through five starts in May, Bradish’s curveball usage has increased from 19.5% to 26.3%. It’s been a much sharper breaking ball that’s been nigh un-hittable for his opposition, with opponents hitting .077 against the curve this month with a 47.3% whiff rate.
Toronto has often caused Bradish problems throughout his career, something he’ll try to reverse this afternoon. The right-handers’ 5.18 ERA vs. the Blue Jays is the seventh-worst against any opponent. Due to his elbow injury and recovery time, Bradish hasn’t faced Toronto since May 15th, 2024, when he went 4 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB and 3 K in a 3-2 Orioles win. The O’s starter will have to be careful against Toronto outfielder Jesús Sánchez, who is slugging .600 vs. curveballs this season.
Opposing Bradish for the Blue Jays is rookie right-hander Spencer Miles. The former 4th-round pick out of the University of Missouri was primarily used as a reliever early in the season, but has either started or followed an opener in his last four appearances. Miles has only allowed one earned run across those four longer outings, striking out 16 across 15.1 IP.
The Missouri native has a very similar repertoire to Bradish, relying on a hard sinker that sits around 96mph and a high spin rate curveball. Unlike Bradish, Miles uses his arsenal to generate more groundballs than swings and misses, boasting a 55.4% ground ball rate (93rd percentile). That could pose a problem for an Orioles team that grounded into four double plays yesterday and six total in the series.
May 19, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy (49) talks with pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) before the game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images
To get that series win, the Brewers will send out ace Jacob Misiorowski, who is looking to put a bow on one of the best months we’ve ever seen for a Brewer pitcher. Across five starts this month, Miz is a perfect 4-0 with a 0.29 ERA (one run) across 31 1/3 innings, allowing just 11 hits and six walks with a whopping 49 strikeouts, pushing him to 100 for the season over just 64 innings.
Opposite Miz will be Tatsuya Imai, who is coming off his best start in the majors. After starting his career with an 8.31 ERA over his first 17 1/3 innings (16 earned runs), he went six no-hit innings on Memorial Day against the Rangers, allowing four walks and striking out two as Steven Okert and Alimber Santa closed things out for Houston’s fifth no-hitter in the last five years (including one in the 2022 World Series).
In roster news, the Brewers have reinstated left-handed reliever Rob Zastryzny from the 60-day injured list. To open up the 40-man spot, left-hander Angel Zerpa was moved to the 60-day IL, as he’s out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Right-hander Carlos Rodriguez was optioned to Triple-A Nashville to make room on the active roster.
Zastryzny, 34, has been a solid option for the Brewers the last two seasons, pitching to a 2.12 ERA with 25 strikeouts across 29 2/3 innings (though his 4.09 FIP indicates some regression is expected). While he’s missed the entire season with a left shoulder strain, he’s appeared in seven games while rehabbing with Nashville, allowing no runs on two hits and a walk over 6 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts. He’ll add another left-handed option to Milwaukee’s bullpen to go with DL Hall, Aaron Ashby, and Shane Drohan.
Christian Yelich leads things off as the DH today, with Garrett Mitchell, Brice Turang, and Andrew Vaughn following. Jake Bauers bats fifth and starts in left, with Gary Sánchez batting sixth as the catcher to give William Contreras a day off. Sal Frelick, David Hamilton, and Joey Ortiz round things out.
First pitch is at 1:10 p.m. on Brewers TV and the Brewers Radio Network.
Mar 31, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles fans get a stadium view from above the bullpens prior to the opening home game against the Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
I’m going to put up the GameThread a bit early today. The game is an early start and there isn’t much for news this morning.
It is Shane Bieber’s birthday. He is 30 today and has exactly 100 decisions in his career, 66-34. Do you think he’ll make it to 100 wins? Often pitchers who don’t throw a lot of innings in their 20s do well in their 30s. Shane’s only thrown 200 innings twice and 100 innings four times, so there should be some left in his arm, when he’s all healed up.
It is a strange balance. The Jays signed Jose Berrios to a long term contract, in part because he was so consistent, throwing a lot of innings every year, but then those innings caught up on him.
Shane is to pitch for Dunedin today, his second rehab start. A couple more starts, and we can start thinking about him joining the Jays again.
Anyway, happy birthday Shane. I hope we see you on the mound soon.
Max Scherzer is making a start for Buffalo today, 1:00 Eastern start. They figure he’ll be throwing 30-40 pitches. So, soon he could be back. Of course, back and effective are two different things.
Today’s lineup. McAdoo plays first, with Vlad getting half a day off, DHing.
And Spencer Miles gets to be a real starter. Nathan Lukes hits in the leadoff spot.
With all the excitement after the NBA Draft Lottery, and leading up to the NBA Draft, it’s very easy to forget that there is a very fine line we must walk when it comes to our roster. After the season the Jazz just had, I know that it’s hard to imagine what a fully healthy, functional, and lethal basketball team looks like but we do have some things to consider.
With the #2 pick in this year’s draft there are HUGE implications for the upcoming season and the franchise’s future. With that incoming rookie, there will be some shifts in the rotation that we must consider. There will be players that logged a lot of minutes for the Jazzmen last year that will not get the same kind of burn this year; it’s unfortunate, but eggs must be broken to make a championship omelet.
Even with us being so close to the NBA Draft, there hasn’t been any confirmation yet as to who the Washington Wizards will take #1 overall. With that in mind I think that, realistically, it will come down to the Jazz selecting BYU forward AJ Dybantsa or Kansas guard Darryn Peterson. While it may seem inconsequential, there are very different outcomes for each selection, and what it means for our role players that we came to know and love during this past season.
Option 1: Darryn Peterson
I think that this would be the best case scenario for everyone involved as it pertains to the rotation. My unconditional and irrational love for Isaiah Collier aside, Keyonte George is the point guard of the future for the Jazz and that means that we need a starting shooting guard. That Darryn Peterson guy? Pretty good, in my opinion.
He had an up-and-down season at Kansas marred with “injuries” or at the very least injury prevention measures, but with the report that Peterson and his team have resolved the cramping issues I don’t have any other option than to believe him. I don’t have any other choice to believe the he’s going to be healthy coming into the year, maintain that health throughout the entire 2026-2027 season, and end up on an All-Rookie team.
The most noticeable shift that would happen in the rotation would be Ace Bailey moving back to the bench, which causes a domino effect of Cody Williams, Brice Sensabaugh, and Elijah Harkless getting less minutes (assuming they all come back or don’t get traded). There were times that Williams, Sensabaugh, and Harkless were remarkable during the past season, but without the offensive upside that Peterson brings, it’s hard for me to argue that they get the same amount of (or more) minutes in good faith. Bailey is a bit of a different story.
Bailey really started to find his footing in the league during the last 20 games of the season. He averaged nearly 19 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 stocks (blocks + steals) a night, while shooting 36% from deep on a high volume of shots. He showed great consistency in that stretch as well; he scored in double figures in 19 of the 20 games, including three 30 point outings. In the final quarter of the season it seemed like Bailey was starting to figure the NBA game out. His defensive blunders still drove me up a wall, but his offensive feel and consistency was something to be admired. I would hate the relegate him to the bench after that kind of turnaround, but I don’t see another avenue. When compared to each other, it seems like Peterson is the more NBA level scorer, which would mean that Bailey would have to head back to the bench. He could be a great 6th man for us, though.
There is a small chance (and I mean microscopic) that we could trade Lauri Markkanen to the highest bidder, which would allow Bailey to play the small forward position, but if that trade were to happen I can’t image that it would be prior to the trade deadline. Without that certainty, I can’t imagine a world where both Bailey and Peterson get 30+ minutes a night. I think a more likely path would be for Peterson to get around 28 minutes a game, Bailey would get roughly 24 minutes a game, and Williams, Sensabaugh, and Harkless get minutes in the teens if not the single digits. As someone who has written a glowing article about Elijah Harkless it’ll be disappointing to see him not get any minutes (again, assuming he’s brought back) but I can’t say that it would be the wrong decision.
Option 2: AJ Dybantsa
I said before that it hasn’t been made clear what the Wizards will do with the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, so in the rare chance the he isn’t selected by Washington, it would make sense for the Jazz to select the BYU product. The story writes itself, and while he isn’t a “home town kid,” it would be nice to see him continue his basketball career in Utah.
His selection by the Jazz is a tad more complicated than a Peterson selection. Dybantsa can play multiple positions, but the positions that he plays the majority of the time are… a bit full at the moment. Markkanen is slated to be our starting small forward, recently acquired Jaren Jackson Jr. is slated to be our starting power forward, and while we didn’t see Dybantsa play a ton of minutes at the center spot, that position is also locked up assuming that we can re-sign Walker Kessler.
Could he play the shooting guard role and have the rest of the rotation work out like we discussed with Peterson? Sure, I guess? He isn’t exactly a natural fit, though. Standing at 6’9”, he isn’t exactly shooting guard shaped. He also, to this point in his career, doesn’t space the floor incredibly well as he shot just 33% from three last year at BYU. If anything he would be like a DeMar DeRozan shooting guard, and unless it’s suddenly the early 2010’s again, I just don’t see that leading to winning basketball.
It also wouldn’t make any sense to have Dybantsa be selected as the No. 2 pick and be put on the bench behind Markkanen or Jackson Jr. I also don’t think that it would make sense to put either of them on the bench in favor of Dybantsa. If we were to select Dybantsa it would more than likely cause a series of trades, namely a Lauri Markkanen trade. He’s been in the rumor mill recently, and he’s been connected to the Detroit Pistons. Although the Pistons have future draft capital to trade, they are in the business of winning which would make their picks mostly useless, and they don’t own the rights to any juicy picks in the future. The trade would most likely consist of a sign-and-trade for Tobias Harris plus salary filler, and multiple first round picks. To be honest, I wouldn’t hate it. It opens up the space for Dybantsa to play immediately, it doesn’t relegate Ace Bailey to the bench, it would keep the bench piece’s minutes at a manageable level, but (respectfully) the drop-off from Lauri Markkanen to Tobias Harris is pretty steep for a team that’s trying to make their way back to the playoffs.
The Jazz have been known to slow-roll their players before; Bailey came off the bench for the first 10 games or so last year, and had the Jazz had anything close to a healthy season, maybe that first start for him would have come in February instead of November. I think that doing that with Dybantsa would be very complicated, but I can’t deny how excited I would be to see a bench unit led by him. If he were to be a bench player this upcoming year, we could very well get a repeat of 2005 when Ben Gordon won the 6th Man of the Year award while being a rookie. Is it likely? No. Is it complicated? Yes. Am I glad that I’m not the one making these decisions? Yes, but I wouldn’t mind the paycheck.
The postseason is wrapping up quickly which means that the offseason fun is upon us. We’ve got a lot of great stuff in the works here at SLC Dunk so be on the lookout for that! Who do you think we should draft? Who do you have winning the NBA Finals and how long do you think it’ll be until we hoist the trophy? Sound off in the comments!
The Seattle Mariners hope to extend a five-game winning streak by picking up a sweep over the Arizona Diamondbacks this afternoon.
Bryce Miller has been impressive since returning from injury, and my Diamondbacks vs. Mariners predictions explain his slider will neutralize the visitors while Merrill Kelly has a rough day.
Who will win Diamondbacks vs Mariners today: Mariners -1.5 (+155)
After a brutal start to the season, Merrill Kelly’s posted four consecutive quality starts with a .237 wOBA — but I’m not convinced.
I’m not buying it when a career ground-ball pitcher allowed fly balls (49.4%) and hard hits (41.4%) at the rate he did in those starts — especially not while posting a 0.60 GB/FB ratio.
The Seattle Mariners rank sixth in HR/FB rate (14.6%) over the past two weeks with a 0.88 GB/FB ratio.
Kelly ranks in the bottom percentile in both barrel rate and xERA. I’m backing the Mariners to punish him and cover up to +130.
Diamondbacks vs Mariners Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-114)
While I’m expecting the Mariners to win easily, I am taking the Under to -120.
Bryce Miller has added 2 to 3 mph onto all of his pitches and has tripled his slider usage from a season ago. That breaking ball is generating a 43.3% whiff rate thanks to an additional 2.6 inches of induced vertical break.
That is a devastating equalizer against the Arizona Diamondbacks, who have a league-leading 48.2% pull rate over the last two weeks.
Seattle’s pen has been outstanding this month, ranking fourth in xFIP (3.56), sixth in K% (24.4%), and sixth in wOBA (.290).
Jason Ence's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 9-12, -3.94 units
Over/Under bets: 13-8, +4.28 units
Diamondbacks vs Mariners odds
Moneyline: Diamondbacks +133 | Mariners -138
Run line: Diamondbacks +1.5 (-156) | Mariners -1.5 (+150)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+100) | Under 7.5 (-104)
Diamondbacks vs Mariners trend
The Seattle Mariners have covered the run line in four of their last five games (+4.80 Units / 96% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Diamondbacks vs. Mariners.
How to watch Diamondbacks vs Mariners and game info
Location
T-Mobile Park, Seattle, WA
Date
Sunday, May 31, 2026
First pitch
4:10 p.m. ET
TV
DBacks.TV, Mariners.TV
Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Merrill Kelly (5-3, 5.25 ERA)
Mariners starting pitcher
Bryce Miller (1-0, 2.25 ERA)
Diamondbacks vs Mariners latest injuries
Diamondbacks vs Mariners weather
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.
The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers both saw their win streaks snapped in dramatic finishes last night, and they’re among the likeliest bounce-back candidates on today’s loaded slate.
That leaves the Seattle Mariners with the longest current winning run in the majors, and my MLB player props target all three ballclubs, including wagers on a lights-out effort from Yoshinobu Yamamoto and more fireworks from Randy Arozarena.
The Los Angeles Dodgers lead the majors in ERA and WHIP through the first third of the season — and the scariest part is that Yoshinobu Yamamoto is still ramping up to his very best stuff. His 0.98 WHIP ranks eighth in the league, and I'm buying into the consistency of his strikeout tallies.
Yamamoto has racked up 7+ Ks in five of his past seven outings, and his five-pitch arsenal (and 29% whiff rate) will keep the Philadelphia Phillies off balance today. He keeps his walks low — just 13 this year — and that's allowed him to pitch past the sixth inning in each of his last three starts.
It's also worth noting that the Phillies have scored three runs or fewer in six of their past eight games.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCS-Philadelphia, SportsNet-Los Angeles
Ben Rice Over 1.5 total bases (-105)
Put simply, Ben Rice is seeing pitches like soccer balls this week — and he's getting full value for his swings at the top of the New York Yankees lineup. Rice enters this afternoon's clash with the Athletics on a 10-for-17 tear across his last four games, including a homer, a triple, and three doubles.
He ranks second in the majors with a 1.047 OPS, and he's a standout hitter in just about every statistical category, from his .566 xSLG to his 17.7% barrel rate.
Equally effective against righties and lefties this year, look for Rice to feast against A's starter Jacob Lopez, who drags in a 5.73 ERA and 1.77 WHIP, and I'll take these plus-money odds for another busy day on the bases.
Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: YES, NBCS-California
Randy Arozarena Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBIs (-105)
After a couple of down years, Randy Arozarena looks back to his best at the plate this season for the Seattle Mariners, and his .292 batting average speaks for itself.
Watch for Arozarena to put an exclamation point on an impressive week here by cashing this Over. He's piled up eight hits across his past six games, cashing this combo prop in three of those outings, and I'm encouraged by his 4-for-8 mark against Arizona Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly.
Arozarena's savvy baserunning and his respectable 9.3% walk rate have contributed to 17 runs this month, and the RBI potential is off the charts with the in-form Mariners scoring a combined 40 runs in their last six contests.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: DBacks.TV, Mariners.TV
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.
SAN ANTONIO, TX -MAY 28: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives against Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs in the second half of Game Six of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center on May 28, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There is a particular kind of silence that settles in when the thing you thought was yours just walks out the door. Oklahoma City Thunder fans heard it Saturday night at the Paycom Center. The Spurs celebrated in their building, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had to stand at a podium and explain to the world why defending a championship is the hardest thing in professional basketball.
Welcome to the lesson, fellas. ICARUS FLEW TO TO CLOSE TOO THE SUN.
VIDEO: Earlier in the season Jalen Williams said OKC would beat the 2017 Warriors and the 1996 Bulls.
Today OKC players are booking their trip to Cancun.
The Thunder spent this entire season trying to look like the next Warriors. Young core, MVP, homecourt terror, regular season dominance, the whole beautiful machine humming on all cylinders. Saturday night, San Antonio reminded them that the Warriors comparison does not start with the champagne. It starts when somebody brilliant spends all summer trying to destroy you. And then actually does it.
The box score tells the story plainly enough. Shai dropped 35 on 12-of-21 shooting. Your MVP doing MVP things when the lights are brightest, and they still lost by eight. I know the majority of NBA fans hate his foul baiting tactics, but Shai was the only OKC player I saw looking trustworthy with the ball in his hands last night. Is that a Shai problem? That is a roster problem, an injury problem, and most honestly, a “this is just hard” problem that no amount of regular season dominance prepares you for.
The Spurs showed up with the answer sheet.
OKC was missing their 2nd best player who dropped 40 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals all series and their best shot creator off the bench. Incredibly important.
But the discourse after 2015 ruined how people talk about this sport forever so that's that.
Now look. I hear the injury argument. Jalen Williams played 33 games this season. Thirty-three. The man was essentially a rumor for most of the year, making cameos like a feature artist who couldn’t clear his schedule. Ajay Mitchell, gone. Injuries are real.
But when the Warriors lost Andrew Bogut in 2016, Steph Curry was on one knee, and Andre Iguodala had no back strength left, nobody cared. When they lost Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins in 2019, the basketball world offered exactly zero sympathy. Injuries are not an asterisk when you’re chasing dynasty status. Injuries are the qualifying exam.
This is the part nobody warns you about when you win your first ring. The league does not reset. It recalibrates. Every front office opens a new document the morning after you hoist that trophy, and at the top it says one thing: how do we beat them. San Antonio built the young law firm of “Fox, Castle, & Harper” into a ballhandler gauntlet specifically because you need guards who won’t flinch when OKC’s defense is trying to suffocate everything you love. The Spurs did their homework all summer. They showed up Saturday with receipts.
As a Thunder fan I'm still heartbroken about last nights loss, but I know they will bounce back. This Spurs / Thunder rivalry outside of social media will have a great impact on this Sport and I can't wait to see the adjustments for next year's series. The Thunder still have the…
And this is where I need the Thunder, and honestly anybody watching, to really hear something. LET ME TELL YA SOMETHIN’ BROTHER!!
Greatness is not an affectation. It is not something you wear as an accessory before you go to the club. You cannot put it in a TikTok and dance it up. Greatness is not even the destination at all; rather it’s the beginning of the work that actually costs you everything. The Warriors learned that over eight years and four championships. The Thunder just got the invoice on year two.
There is something genuinely compelling about watching two young, brilliant franchises carve each other up over seven games. Victor Wembanyama and SGA are going to sharpen each other into legends the same way Curry and LeBron made each other better by simply existing in the same era. That Western Conference rivalry is going to produce basketball that makes people put their phones face down on the table for years, and that is rare.
But right now, in this moment, the Thunder have to sit with a truth that hits different when you are the one holding the empty trophy case. The 24-1 start and the MVP talk does not protect you. Nothing protects you from the moment anothr team catches up to what you built, because they were always coming.
The Spurs are going to the Finals. The Thunder are going to the drawing board. They may have flown close to the sun and found out a wings melting tragedy, but the important thing is that they try to fly again. And I believe they will.
That is the part of dynasty building nobody puts on the parade shirt.
May 23, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman (left) and acting third base coach Ron Wotus (right) talk during the fifth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Matt Chapman is having his worst start to a season ever at the plate. Through 57 games and 239 plate appearances, he’s slashing .234/.314/.322 with a 9.6% walk rate and 22.6% strikeout rate that comes to a wRC+ of 85, or 15% worse than the league average. He turned 33 on April 28th, so that must be it, right? He is on the wrong side of 30 and now we’ve got a front row seat to what appears to be a sudden and steep decline, a situation that befalls every player. But I’m writing this post to tell you he’s not hitting poorly because of his age.
The agonized cries of the ballknowers who flood social media with Giants chatter have been demanding that Buster Posey trade him since, like, April 1st, and while his plate appearances this season have either been disappointing or depressing — thus giving oxygen to the caterwauling — there’s not an analytical case to be made that he’s cooked, washed, or otherwise not a major leaguer. Yes, his Statcast page has more blue in it than a therapist’s waiting room, but the red streaks are really interesting markers pointing towards a vein of success that has yet to be mined in 2026.
That’s still a Gold Glove-caliber defender. He’s still got my favorite skill of his: fantastic sprint speed for a third baseman. Does the fact that his defense hasn’t degraded at all suggest that the career averages for his bat are still in there? Yes, absolutely. How could it mean otherwise? The physical skills are still present, and it’s not a fantasy, it’s being measured by lasers during game action.
To put that in some context, let’s look at Nolan Arenado. From age 22-31, he was probably the best third baseman in the National League on both sides of the ball. He was 21% better than the league average for 10 seasons and amassed 44.8 wins above average (per FanGraphs). His defense alone was +108.8 Defensive Runs Above Average. But he fell off beginning with his age 32 season (107 wRC+) and went down again the following season (103) before bottoming out last season (84). He’s revived himself in his age-35 season with Arizona (130), but let’s just look at that break between his last great season before this year (149 wRC+ at age-31) and the year where he fell off (age-32: 107 wRC+). In that case, he lost value on defense along with the bat.
I know defense isn’t a convincing enough data point when trying to prove that Matt Chapman hasn’t been finished off by the aging curve, but just keep that in mind as you consider the other data point: his bat speed. Look at how his 75.8 mph average compares to the league:
The defense, foot speed, and bat speed don’t indicate a body in the process of betraying the mind. His chase rate has gotten worse and his walk rate has gone down — but that’s the case for most of the Giants. Still not evidence that age has buried his bat for good.
Then there’s this: over his last 13 games (55 PA), he’s 14-for-48 with 6 doubles, 7 walks, and 8 strikeouts, good enough for a line of .292/.382/.417 (.798 OPS). No, the power isn’t back, but that doesn’t mean it’s gone, necessarily. The Giants have lost all their power this season, and it could be for many reasons. But before I speculate on that, I also want to look at Chapman’s season.
Games 1-14 (59 PA): .315/.373/.463 (.863 OPS) Games 15-28 (59 PA): .250/.339/.288 (.627 OPS) Games 29-42 (58 PA): .115/.207/.173 (.380 OPS) Games 43-57 (63 PA): .250/.333/.357 (.690 OPS)
So, I cherrypicked a solid-looking span of games to get a sexier split, but overall, you can see how he’s been micro-streaking all season long. The absence of power is concerning, but this is where I think the non-age factors come into play; and, frankly, I think the implications are less preferable to Chapman simply aging out. Do the Giants have a good hitting plan? Do they scout well? Does the coaching staff have the trust of the players? Are they great support for the players? It would be hard to be worse than Bob Melvin’s staff, but at the end of the day, the Giants’ record speaks for itself, and if Hector Borg and Patrick Bailey can be scapegoated, it stands to reason that everyone is fair game. But from an “under the hood” standpoint, what’s afflicting Chapman has afflicted most Giants for most of the season and maybe confidence in his manager or the front office is an extra 2% that’s making this power slump drag on.
But maybe that’s why so many people out there want Chapman to be traded — let him go back to his career averages with some other team and no longer be the Giants’ problem. The trouble is, once you start liquidating players who can’t be helped by the current staff, you’ll probably run out of players very quickly. Matt Chapman was supposed to be a cornerstone player for the franchise in what was supposed to be a competitive window. Another year or two of Matt Chapman being MATT CHAPMAN wasn’t so outlandish a thought before the season and it isn’t one now and so people shouldn’t be so quick to abandon him.
Unless the Giants can get some really good prospects in return for him.
Kenny Lofton #12 of the New York Yankees is safe at home plate. The New York Yankees defeat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 12-1 at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Back in the days of Backyard Baseball 2001, Kenny Lofton was unstoppable. With his immense speed, pretty much every ball in play turned into a single, every single turned into a triple, and every ball hit vaguely in his general direction was caught. And so, when the Yankees, looking for another option in center field besides the aging Bernie Williams, signed Lofton to a two-year, $6.2 million contract, I had high hopes for the center fielder.
Needless to say, between injuries and underperformance, Lofton didn’t meet those lofty expectations, and his Yankees career wound up being little more than a footnote in what became, by the end, a journeyman-esque career.
Raised in East Chicago, Indiana, by his grandmother, Lofton was a star basketball player in his youth, who also pitched and played center field on his school’s baseball team. He received a basketball scholarship from the University of Arizona, where, as the backup point guard to five-time NBA champion player and four-time NBA champion coach Steve Kerr, he averaged 4.8 points and 2.6 assists per game, and set the school record for steals. In fact, he is just one of two players to play in both the NCAA Final Four (1988) and the World Series (1995, 2002) — alongside, coincidentally, fellow East Chicago Washington High School alumnus Tim Stoddard.
Despite not being recruited to play college baseball, Lofton tried out, and made, the Arizona team in his junior year. More surprisingly, despite hardly playing — he appeared in just five games and had one official plate appearance — he was taken in the 17th round of 1988 draft by the Astros, who recognized the value of his speed and agility. Although his playing time was limited at first, as he remained at Arizona through 1989 in order to finish his degree and play out his final year of eligibility, Lofton shot through the Astros system, making his Major League debut on September 14, 1991.
Lofton was traded for the first time that winter, as Houston already had a center fielder in Steve Finley. He would go on to spend the next five years in Cleveland, where he lit up the league with his speed. His numbers themselves were impressive enough — a 316/.382/.437 slash line with 325 stolen bases (an average of 65 per year!), along with Gold Glove defense. But where Lofton really made his mark was the pressure he put on defenses, with his ability to punish even the slightest mistakes — such as here, where he scored from second on a passed ball during Game 6 of the 1995 ALCS, helping to send Cleveland to the World Series for the first time in 40 years.
Ahead of the 1997 season, Lofton was traded for the second time in his career, this time to the team that beat Cleveland in ’95, the Braves, in exchange for fellow acclaimed center fielder Marquis Grissom. GM John Hart feared to lose Lofton for nothing as a free agent, but after one year in Atlanta, he returned to Cleveland on a three-year, $24 million deal (the defending AL champs subsequently dealt Grissom to Milwaukee). While Lofton’s second stint in Cleveland wasn’t quite as dominant as his early career, he remained an immensely valuable player, earning two more All-Star nods.
Starting in 2002, Lofton entered the journeyman phase of his career. He signed a one-year deal with the White Sox, believing them to be a team on the rise and Cleveland a team on the decline, but was then sent to the Giants at the Trade Deadline. He had a good run in San Francisco and got the walk-off hit in NLCS Game 5 against the Cardinals to send Barry Bonds and company to the 2002 World Series, which they lost in a seven-game heartbreaker to the Angels. Lofton then signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates for the 2003 season, and was traded to the Cubs at the deadline, reuniting with his manager in San Francisco, Dusty Baker, before experiencing more playoff disappointment.
That winter, the Yankees signed Lofton to a two-year deal, pencilling him in as their Opening Day center fielder and potential successor to Bernie Williams in center field. A hamstring injury caused him to miss time early in the season, and he never quite got going after that. Splitting the center-field job with Williams—a timeshare that neither player felt particularly comfortable in—Lofton played just 83 games, posting a .275/.346/.395 slash line while stealing a career-low seven bases. His one highlight that year came, rather poetically, against Cleveland, as he recorded his 2,000th career hit.
He made just four plate appearances in the ALDS, then went 3-for-10 in the ALCS that we don’t like to talk about here at Pinstripe Alley.
After the season, the Yankees traded Lofton to the Phillies for reliever Félix Rodríguez. In theory, that closed the door on his Yankees story. In truth, though, we almost had a coda. When CC Sabathia, who had been teammates with Lofton in Cleveland, was a free agent in the winter of 2008-09, Lofton reportedly tried to dissuade him from coming to New York, saying only bad things about his time in the organization. (For what it’s worth, getting the clubhouse back in harmony was one of the goals that Brian Cashman outlined for CC in his pitch.)
As a member of the Phillies, Lofton had a bit of a bounceback year, posting a .335/.392/.420 slash line. That winter, he signed with the Dodgers, and the following year, he inked a deal with the Rangers to set the record for most teams played for by a position player. At the Trade Deadline, he was dealt one last time, returning him to Cleveland for his third stint, where he helped lead Cleveland past the Yankees in the infamous “midges” series, before blowing a 3-1 lead to the Red Sox in the ALCS — a fitting cap to Lofton’s inability to get a World Series ring throughout his career.
Lofton wanted to play in 2008 and 2009, but went unsigned both seasons, bringing his 17-year career to an end. He was named to Cleveland’s Hall of Fame in 2010, then fell off the National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot after just one season — a result that to this day has people using Lofton as evidence for the flaws in the HOF voting process, as he debuted on a crowded ballot with 10 eventual Cooperstown honorees, plus the controversial-but-elite Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. BBWAA writers were limited to 10 names on each ballot, and Lofton fell by the wayside without earning the minimum five percent to remain under consideration.
Following his baseball career, Lofton started a television production company named FilmPool, Inc., through whom he has found himself in hot water. Four years ago, he was sued by a former employee for sending sexually explicit images to female employees and for firing an employee in retaliation for reporting the aforementioned images. As of now, the results of the case do not appear to be public.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 30: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs is awarded the Earvin "Magic" Johnson Trophy for Western Conference Finals Most Valuable Player after the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 30, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs went on the road to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-103 in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday, upsetting the reigning champions in route to the NBA Finals. It was the 10th anniversary of the Golden State Warriors own Game 7 Western Conference Finals victory over the Thunder. The Dubs had comeback from 3-1 in the series while the Spurs completed a 3-2 comeback of their own. And there was one other connection between those Dubs and this year’s Spurs: Harrison Barnes whose birthday happens to be May 30th. So Barnes’ 24th and 34th birthdays were capped off by some of the most exciting Game 7 victories in recent NBA history.
Harrison Barnes is now 2-0 in Game 7s on his birthday! 🥳
It’s a testament to Barnes’ longevity that he played comparable roles on two Finals teams a decade apart. While Barnes only played three minutes yesterday, he was a mainstay in the Spurs starting lineup for the majority of the regular season, averaging 9.9 points on 45.6%/38.8%/82.9% shooting in 25.8 minutes per game across 77 contests (52 starts).
The Spurs hope to avoid the 2016 Warriors’ fate in the Finals. San Antonio is heavy favorites heading into the series with the New York Knicks, like the Dubs were against the Cavaliers in 2016 before losing in seven games. Barnes notoriously lost his three-point shot in the Finals (after shooting 52.6% from three against the Thunder) and would be replaced by Kevin Durant the following offseason. This go-around, Barnes three-point shot wavered early in the playoffs and Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson took him out of the starting lineup in favor of Julian Champagnie.
However the NBA Finals goes for Harrison Barnes and the Spurs, he can thank his teammates for making sure he had an excellent birthday.
There’s no better way to spend your Sunday than sitting back and watching baseballs fly out of the park.
My MLB player props surrounding the home run market highlight Juan Soto, Matt Olson, and Casey Schmitt on May 31
Keep reading for the full breakdown below.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Juan Soto
+273
Matt Olson
+325
Casey Schmitt
+370
💲Today's HR parlay
+7350
Home run pick: Juan Soto (+273)
There hasn’t been a better all-around hitter in baseball over the past 15 days than Juan Soto. The New York Mets star is batting .372 with six dingers over that span.
Soto has absolutely mashed the baseball this season, sitting in the 99th percentile in xSLG, 97th percentile in Barrel%, and 93rd percentile in average exit velocity.
Soto has beaten up right-handed pitchers, with a .659 SLG and nine of his 12 homers coming vs. righties.
Miami Marlins starter Janson Junk has allowed six homers over his last five starts, while ranking in the 33rd percentile for hard-hit rate.
Time: 1:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SNY, Marlins.TV
Home run pick: Matt Olson (+325)
Matt Olson smacked his 16th home run of the season yesterday, the second most in the NL. The Atlanta Braves slugger will enjoy hitting out of Great American Ball Park this afternoon, which has the third-highest Park Factor in the majors (103).
Cincinnati Reds starter Nick Lodolo also has an arsenal that will play right into Olson’s wheelhouse. Lolodo’s sinker has an xBA of .421 and an xSLG of .764, yet he’s still throwing it 23% of the time.
Olson has hit four of his home runs against the sinker, while batting .310 with a .643 SLG vs. that pitch.
Time: 1:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Reds/TV, BravesVision
Home run pick: Casey Schmitt (+370)
Casey Schmitt has already equaled his 2025 home run total in just 50 games, with six of his 12 dingers coming in the last 13 games.
The San Francisco Giants are playing at Coors Field today, the most hitter-friendly venue in MLB by Park Factor (112).
Colorado Rockies starter Tanner Gordon ranks in the Bottom 5 percentile in Barrel rate and Bottom 17 percentile in hard-hit rate.
Schmitt has gone yard nine times vs. righties, while Colorado’s bullpen has also been weak, allowing 31 homers – the sixth most in the majors.
Time: 3:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCS-Bay Area, Rockies.TV
Chris Faria's 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 6-17, +4.14 units
Today’s HR parlay
Juan Soto
Bet Now +7350
Matt Olson
Casey Schmitt
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.
Top 100 NHL Players In 2026: 81 To 90Evgeni Malkin, Steven Stamkos and players on the Lightning and Kings feature from 81st to 90th place among the NHL's top 100 players right now. 
COVERS INTEL: Kelly’s 
Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Ben Rice
Randy Arozarena
Juan Soto
Matt Olson
Casey Schmitt