The Knicks and MSG Sports announced Wednesday they will donate at least 500 tickets to underprivileged youth in New York City for their home Finals games through the Garden of Dreams Foundation, a nonprofit that serves children facing illness, homelessness, extreme poverty and other obstacles across the tri-state area.
The foundation will receive 205 tickets per home game for Games 3 and 4 on June 8 and 10. If the series extends to a Game 6 on June 16, the total will reach 750 tickets. They will be distributed to underserved New York families affiliated with the foundation.
The Knicks are in the Finals for the first time since 1999, chasing their first championship since 1973. Tickets for the home games have reached Super Bowl-level prices on the secondary market. It makes getting inside the Garden out of reach for most average New Yorkers, let alone those who are dealing with extreme poverty and homelessness.
For kids who could never afford the ticket prices to get through the doors at MSG normally, the Knicks just gave them a chance to see history.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Casey Mize (12) talks to catcher Dillon Dingler (13) as they walk off the field after top of fourth inning against Los Angeles Angels at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Game two for the Tigers against the Angels as Detroit celebrates Fourth Wing night at the park. I will withhold my opinion on the book, but I will say I hope it does not match the quality of play for tonight. The Tigers were leaning on Casey Mize to get the job done, who has been good since his return from the IL, and the Angels had one of their best pitchers on the mound in Jose Soriano.
Mize initially had some trouble with some full counts. He got an assist from Dillon Dingler with a called ball four that was reversed to a third strike, but then Mike Trout walked. A double play off the bat of Vaughn Grissom ended the inning with no harm done. The Tigers came out swinging with back-to-back singles by Colt Keith and Kevin McGonigle. A Dingler single brought Keith home and put McGonigle on third. Dingler was tagged out at second trying to push his single into a double. Two more outs followed, but the Tigers had scored first.
Jorge Soler started the second inning with a single, but was eliminated in a force out off the bat of Wade Meckler. Meckler then stole second, but two outs followed, leaving him stranded. In the home half, Spencer Torkelson got things underway with a leadoff home run (perhaps to make up for the contested foul he hit that missed being a grand slam last night). Three outs followed in a row, but the Tigers were extending their lead, and doing it against a strong pitcher, which all bodes well.
Donovan Walton started a weird third inning with a single. Two outs followed, and then in Mike Troutâs at bat we saw a series of misadventures. First, Trout seemed to believe the home plate umpire miscalled a strike, but he requested the review too late, this led to some high tension. Then it came down to another ABS review call, this one from Dingler, that resulted in Trout being out, and there being additional words between the umpire, Trout, and manager Kurt Suzuki. No one got thrown out though. Keith started the home half with another single, but he was eliminated in a double play off the bat of McGonigle. A third out promptly ended the inning.
By the fourth, Mize was in his groove, getting the side out in order. In between innings, Mize came off the field and spoke to the assistant athletic trainer, both heading immediately into the clubhouse. Not ideal. With two outs in the home half, Spencer Torkelson hit a ground-rule double. Wenceel Perez walked.
Mizeâs day was, indeed done. He went 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K on 58 pitches. Really not good. Hopefully itâs just discomfort and not anything more serious, because the Tigers really canât afford to lose another starter, especially not so soon after he came back. Drew Anderson came on to pitch. He did manage to get the side out in order, which was a positive. In the bottom of the inning McGonigle got a two-out walk. A ball took a big hop in front of OâHoppe, allowing McGonigle to advance to second. The ball was ruled a wild pitch, but really it just had a mind of its own. Riley Greene singled, bringing McGonigle home. Zach McKinstry walked, but he wouldnât get a chance to score as the final out of the inning wrapped things up and the Tigers pushed their lead to 3-0. That was likely also the end of the day for Soriano who had gone to 105 pitches after a 35-pitch inning.
With one out in the inning, Drew Anderson had a rare pitcher W with ABS as he challenged a called ball and got it overturned for a third strike. The Angels went down in order. Brent Suter was the new pitcher for LA. Meanwhile, we got word that the official call on Mize was right groin tightness, the same issue that previously put him on the IL. No bueno. The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.
The Tigers went three-up, three-down in the top of the seventh, though Drew Anderson briefly forgot how many batters heâd faced. In the home half, McGonigle continues to be one of the most reliable guys on the team with a one-out single. Dingler doubled to push him to third. A passed ball by OâHoppe was all the Tigers needed to get McGongile home and tack one on to their score. Two outs followed, but the Tigers were now up 4-0.
Kyle Finnegan was the new Tigers pitcher for the eighth. Finnegan got the side out in order. Torkelson got a leadoff double in the home half. The Tigers went three in a row after that, though.
Kenley Jansen was in for the ninth. With two outs, Jansen was looking uncomfortable and had been looking a little off in his last pitches. He was done for the game after walking Mike Trout. Losing two pitchers in one game feels very on point for this season. Did someone make a genie wish for a winning game but not think about the caveats? Brenan Hanifee came out of the bullpen after roughly one warmup pitch to hopefully get the final out of the game. Soler walked to put two on, but they did clinch the win and the shutout with a final out. But at what cost⊠at what cost?
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 25: Manager Don Mattingly #8 of the Philadelphia Phillies speaks to the media in the dugout before the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on May 25, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers take on the red-hot Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium, the start of a weekend series against old friend Don Mattingly.
Philadelphia was expected to contend this year but got off to an atrocious 9-19 start. That got manager Rob Thomson fired, with Mattingly sliding over from bench coach to take the helm of his third team, after the Dodgers and Miami Marlins.
The shake-up thus far has worked, with the Phillies 20-8 since the managerial change, winning seven of nine series. Philadelphia is 11-2 on the road under Mattingly, and come to Los Angeles having just swept the Padres at Petco Park in San Diego, allowing only three total runs.
Justin Wrobleski starts Friday for the Dodgers.
Fridayâs series opener is exclusively on Apple TV, with Wayne Randazzo on play-by-play alongside analyst Dontrelle Willis and reporter Heidi Watney.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 22: Alex Freeland #76 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws to first base prior to the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
HernĂĄndez missed the first 53 games of the season after left elbow surgery before returning Monday, and had four hits in four at-bats in his two games back. But he felt something in his oblique on Monday, tried to play through it, and things got worse on Tuesday, when he was pulled from the game after only four innings.
âItâs a bummer. Heâs missed a lot of time and worked hard to get back, and added that spark that we had hoped,â manager Dave Roberts said of HernĂĄndez Tuesday night. âI just feel bad for him because he wanted to be back with this, and he worked hard.
âItâs not a season-ending thing, so thatâs something to be hopeful with, but yeah itâs just a bummer.â
The switch-hitting Freeland with Oklahoma City hit .333/.415/.815 with both triples and three of his four home runs from the left side, his more prolific side offensively. In his parts of two seasons so far in the majors, totaling 62 games and 209 plate appearances, Freeland hit .224/.311/.346 with an 88 wRC+ as a left-handed hitter, compared to just .154/.241/.192 with a 28 wRC+ in all of 29 plate appearances batting right-handed.
On the whole, Freeland is hitting .235/.309/.337 with an 86 wRC+ with the Dodgers, and he leads the team with 33 games, 31 starts, and 262 defensive innings at second base, where he accumulated four defensive runs saved and three outs above average at the position. He starts at second base on Wednesday night.
After appearing in four games for the San Jose Barracuda at the end of the 2025-26 season following the completion of his collegiate career at Clarkson University, Tristan Sarsland will be returning to the Bay Area for the 2026-27 season.
On Tuesday afternoon, the San Jose Sharks' American Hockey League affiliate announced that they had come to terms with Sarsland on a one-year contract for the 2026-27 season. The Wayzata, MN native is a right-handed defenseman, which will help fill a major organizational need for the coming season.Â
Sarsland was initially eligible for the 2022 NHL Draft, but ended up going undrafted. There was some hype around him potentially getting selected in the 2024 NHL Draft, but he again went undrafted.Â
"Projecting Sarsland to the NHL as an everyday contributor, but not outside the realm of possibility," Elite Prospects wrote in their 2024 Draft Guide. "The lack of any standout, truly elite dimension paired with good-not-great tools doesnât usually work. Heâs a late-bloomer, though, and he may be able to establish himself as a do-everything depth defenceman in time."
During his four seasons at Clarkson University, Sarsland scored 20 goals, 56 points, and registered 76 penalty minutes in 138 games.Â
May 27, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez reacts to being tagged out after picked off the base against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the eighth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
There are two types of comedy (note: there are probably more, but work with me here). Thereâs comedy that is about setting up expectations for an audience before subverting them with the unexpected. Then thereâs comedy that plays with the audienceâs expectations, that pokes and prods it, teasing it just long enough for a tickle of doubt to form before the inevitable happens. This is the kind of humor behind cartoons like Tom and Jerry, or classic Looney Tunesâ rivalries. There is a hunter and hunted, and try as the hunter might, the hunted is never caught. The comedy doesnât lie in the fact of their failure, but how they fail.
Watching the San Francisco Giants right now is like watching Tom trying to catch Jerry, Sylvester eat Tweety Bird, Daffy outwit Bugs, Wil E. Coyote rundown the Roadrunner. Itâs cartoonish how close, and yet impossibly far, this team is from playing winning/compelling baseball. That fact has never been more evident then what happened in Wednesdayâs 3-2 loss to the Diamondbacks.
After 56 games, after going 9 for their last 18 and falling more than 10 games below .500, after losing the first two games of the series against Arizona, staring down the barrel of a second series sweep to them in a single week, the expectations were low. We all turned on the tube this afternoon wondering how Tom was going to get a frying pan in his face this time.
Then Luis Arraez punched a 2-RBI single in the 3rd for an early lead.
Then Trevor McDonald beat his previous gameâs 4th inning demons by working around a lead-off hit batter, his sinker breaking through the front and back doors of the strike zone for called strike after called strike.
Despite our better judgement, the strong foundations are reasonable and low expectations were built on started to wobble.
Perhaps this was some weird meta-episode where Sylvester actually grabs Tweety, that the canary stays helpless and trapped in his grasp, that he doesnât chomp down on his thumb, but maybe, finallyâŠand nope. Of course, yeah. The grandma. We forgot about the umbrella-wielding grandma. An infield single to lead-off the 6th was all it took for Arizona to wiggle free. Corbin Carroll beat out what wouldâve been a double play ball to any other runner in the league, finding himself at third on a subsequent Geraldo Perdomo single before touching home on Adrian del Castilloâs flip single into left.
Half-a-lead lost, San Francisco initiated their patented self- sabotage like Wil E. Coyote waddling out crate after crate of cheap ACME TNT.
Desperate for an unproductive out or groundball, McDonald over-cooked a slider that missed the plate by five feet. The wild pitch allowed both runners to advance, setting up Ildemaro Vargasâs game-tying sacrifice fly.
An inning later, McDonald and reliever Matt Gage, laughably found themselves in the exact position as the 6th. One out, two groundball singles â but this time Tony Vitello decided to intervene. Handsome and self-assured, he strolled to the mound and gestured to the bullpen for the lefty Matt Gage. This was the move that would solve all of their problems, that would keep the Giants in the game, he thought to himselfâŠbefore walking into a glass door.
Gage threw one pitch to Corbin Carroll, and then tasked with fielding the grounder rolling up the line, the big southpaw got his limbs confused. He bent down and just straight-up whiffed on the 5 MPH dribbler.
Gage did the hard part. He coaxed a legless swing from a hot hitter on a well-placed slider. Jerry was sold. The mouse was sniffing the cheese in the trap, and then Tom, rubbing his paws together nearby, got spooked by his shadow. He jumped in fright and somehow his tail landed in the trap instead. The error again gifted Arizona a runner on third with less than two outs, and Perdomo capitalized on the mistake with another sac fly to take the lead.
And even after all that â the groundball singles finding holes, McDonaldâs wild pitch, the ineffectual pitching change, the glove biff â there was more embarrassment to reap. Because a team so flummoxed and hapless as the Giants are right now, there will always be one more toe to stub. There will always be a lower bottom, and that bottom came in the 8th, set-up, rather cruelly, when the offense was given an unexpected gift.
As if dropped from the heavens, Willy Adamesâs pop fly to left dropped safely to outfield grass after Ryan Waldeschmidt lost the baseball in the sun.
San Franciscoâs line-up had only reached base once since Arraezâs two run single in the 3rd inning. Starter Mike Soroka had retired 11 batters in a row before exiting after the 6th. 16 hitters went hitless before Adamesâs sun double. Far from deserved, but a lucky break that suddenly put the tying run in scoring position. For all the baseball Iâve seen, and Iâve seen a lifetimeâs worth these past 50 games, I admit there was a moment when the doubt lifted. The tease again! That tickle! Something good, something different, might possibly could be maybe who knows happen here! The whole team felt it too. They licked their lips. The bird was just sitting there, just past the window within reach, they just had to pounce, to reach in and snatch it â
SLAM! Window frame shut, right on the fingers. Not even close. Adames was out by a mile, cut down by a janky relay, and a problematic send.
Third base coach Hector Borg has drawn too much attention to himself this year. One could put together a lowlight reel of the decisions heâs made in the first third of this season. He held Drew Gilbert when he shouldâve scored against Philly in the 10th. He got Jung Hoo Lee thrown out, and banged up, at home trying to score from first against the Dodgers. Perhaps he was maybe riding high off his aggressive send of Adames that paid off in the 3rd, but this decision proved disastrous because it reeked of desperation. Waldschmidt was clearly there to back-up Arraezâs single. Adames wasnât able to make a definitive move to advance until he confirmed the ball touched grass. He had no jump, no momentum â but he still got the wave because of how dire things had become. Arraezâs hit was just the lineupâs fifth in the game â and he had three of them. A MLB-leading fifth sweep loomed. That recklessness is exactly the problem. You start to fear the worst. You question whether another opportunity will arise, you remember the flak you got for holding Gilbert in extras. You even doubt with Casey Schmitt, one of the hottest hitters in the league, next to the plate, because there is no future, no guarantees. The Giantsâ mindset has become now-or-never, do-or-die.
So the tying run is cut down at the plate. Thatâs bad â but itâs not the worst.
But on Wednesday, an MRI exam showed a âsignificant tearâ in his left oblique, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. HernĂĄndez is expected to be out six to eight weeks, but recovery timelines for oblique strains vary, depending on how long it takes the player to become symptom-free.
âYou donât really know what the timeline is, but itâs certainly warranting an IL stint,â Roberts said.
In a corresponding move, infielder Alex Freeland was called up from triple-A Oklahoma City.
After returning from a offseason surgery on his left elbow, the 34-year-old HernĂĄndez went four for four, including a home run and two RBIs.
However, HernĂĄndez said he tweaked his oblique during batting practice Monday, though he felt fine enough to play. The pain returned after his third-inning home run swing, and he was pulled in the top of the fifth Tuesday.
In his absence, the Dodgers will be splitting time between Freeland and Hyeseong Kim, with Freeland getting the majority of the reps. The Dodgers are also navigating third baseman Max Muncyâs return.
âRight now, heâs earned the opportunity to get some looks consistently, and itâs a credit to him to go back down and play well,â Roberts said of Freeland.
In 33 games with the Dodgers, Freeland collected 23 hits and 2 home runs, walking 11 times.
But his time in the minor leagues was productive, as he hit .265 with four home runs and 16 RBIs in 11 games with the Comets.
âIt was great, thatâs what we talked about doing is going down there and knocking the door down and taking that frustration out on those pitchers,â Roberts said. âAnd thatâs what he did.â
Freelandâs next step is to show he can make those improvements against Major League pitching. His first chance will be against the Colorado Rockiesâ Tomoyuki Sugano as Freeland was inserted into the starting lineup at second base.
âYou know youâre in a big room, and youâre trying to find your way, not make mistakes,â Roberts said of Freeland. â[He has to] give himself some grace and go out there and play hard and be a tough out. Go out there and play defense, and then good things happen.
With Freeland playing, Kim will take a backseat. In the 27-year-oldâs 42 games with the Dodgers, Kim hasnât reached his previous successes from last season. Currently, he is batting .254 with 29 hits and 11 RBIs.
When asked about how the Dodgers plan to balance also getting Kim some at-bats, Roberts replied: âHyeseongâs gotten a lot of runway, certainly versus right-handed pitching, and I think that right now itâs skewing towards Alex getting more of the opportunities.â
Ohtani took bat against Rockiesâ left-handed pitcher Kyle Freeland during the bottom of the fourth inning when a change-up pitch coming at him at 85.2 mph ricocheted off the padding of his right hand.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and team trainer Thomas Albert came out to check on Ohtani but he waived them off. Shortly thereafter, he was eventually removed from the game with the Dodgers holding a healthy lead over the Rockies.
Shohei Ohtani got hit in the padding of his right hand. Dave Roberts and Dodgers team trainer Thomas Albert came out to check on him and Shohei waived them off. Dave said before the game that he would be in the lineup for his start tomorrow.
Roberts plans to have him pitch Wednesday, but double-duties weren't determined until an hour before game time. Ohtani will hit leadoff in addition to pitching against the Rockies.
"I just want to make sure how he comes in and, physically, how he feels," Roberts said. "Because I want to make sure he feels really good on the pitching side of things."
The pitch just grazed Ohtaniâs pinky finger and he did not receive an MRI for the injury scare.
LA has seen Ohtani take form and looking like an early candidate for both NL MVP and Cy Young. Heâs been warming up at the plate, but heâs pulled off an impressive 0.73 ERA, the best mark among major leaguers who have pitched at least 30 innings this season.
It appears all things are fine with Ohtani but it will still be something to monitor as he suits in the Dodgers series finale with the Rockies on Wednesday, May 27.
The game begins at 7:10 p.m. PT at Dodger Stadium. Dodgers lead the NL West division with a 35-20 record. The Rockies are the divisionâs worst team at 20-36.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 26: Julian Champagnie #30 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts during the first quarter of a game during the first quarter of a game against Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Five of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 26, 2026 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. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The playoffs are all about toughness, getting great performances from your stars, and standout games from your role players. In Game Five of the Western Conference Finals, the Spurs only got one of those things. The result was a 127-114 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Julian Champagnie had the best game of his playoff career, but it was wasted thanks to dud performances from the majority of the team, especially Victor Wembanyama and DeâAaron Fox. Now, down 3-2, the Spurs will head back home with their backs against the wall. San Antonio is a -158 favorite on FanDuel to win Game Six and force a Game Seven.
Weâll break down how each player performed in todayâs player grades. As a quick reminder, player grades are based on each playerâs on-court performance, going beyond just the stat sheet. A âBâ grade represents the average performance for an individual. If a player logs fewer than 5 minutes or plays only in garbage time, their grade will be incomplete.
This was Wembanyamaâs moment. Coming off a stellar Game Four performance and facing a beat-up Thunder squad, this was his chance to cement himself as the best player in the league and take a 3-2 advantage back to San Antonio. That did not happen.
Wembanyama looked tired, floating around the perimeter, getting out of position defensively, and not rising to block shots heâd usually contest. The result was by far his worst offensive night of the postseason and his least impactful defensive game.
To make matters worse, Wembanyama ducked the press after the game. Spurs fans should hope that this is the low point before Wembanyamaâs rise in Games Six and Seven. If not, this will be a game that haunts Wembanyama and the Spurs for a while.
Fox settled for bad shots for most of the night. He hit a couple of nice shots in the paint over the top of the defense, but was an inefficient 4-of-15 from the field. He picked up 3 steals, but didnât feel all that impactful defensively. Fox deserves a lot of credit for playing through his ankle injury. San Antonio needs him to find his shot if they are going to win two straight games against the Thunder.
Castle was one of the few players who understood the moment and rose to it. He was a force all game on both ends, playing fast in the pick-and-roll and in transition, and playing tough defense on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He still committed some silly fouls on defense, but that can mostly be forgiven when heâs getting bullied on screens nearly every possession.
This was the Champagnie game. After struggling to hit threes for most of the series, he finally found his stroke. Champagnie came out of the gates on fire and finished the game with four three-pointers. He got to the basket and scored with touch around the rim. On defense, he played with active hands. Hopefully, this was a sign of things to come, rather than a single-game flash.
Vassell played a strong defensive game but missed a lot of shots. The Thunder seemed to key in on him a bit on the perimeter, as he didnât get as many open looks.
For the first time in these playoffs, Harper looks like a rookie. Since suffering an adductor injury, he hasnât been able to get to the rim. Thatâs forced him to take some tough mid-range jumpers and threes. He had some silly turnovers, including one where he crossed over right in front of the defender, leading to an easy bucket on the other end.
Johnson led the team with his effort. He made some awesome plays around the basket on offense and competed defensively. There has been a lot of talk about his ability to play in this series. He answered with his best game in the WCF.
Kornet got screwed out of his only shooting attempt, a clear goaltend that the officials missed. Even without that, his minutes have been rough. OKC is pushing him around inside and getting to the basket any time he is in the game.
Grade: D
Harrison Barnes
4 minutes, -6
Mitch Johnson went away from Barnes in Game Five after he played so well in Game Four. They probably could have used his hustle and offensive playmaking ability.
Bryant made bad rookie mistakes on defense, like helping off SGA and allowing an open three. He did make a nice three-pointer and a powerful dunk in meaningful minutes. Bryant has moments of impact, but Barnes may be the safer option for Game Six.
Grade:C
Jordan McLaughlin
2 minutes, 4 points, 1-for-1 shooting, +1
McLaughlin got to the basket and knocked down a pair of free throws to get 4 points in garbage time.
Grade:Incomplete
Kelly Olynyk
2 minutes, 2 points, +1
Olynyk to the free-throw line in a somewhat chippy garbage-time run.
Grade:Incomplete
Bismack Biyombo
2 minutes, 1 rebound, 1 turnover, 1 foul +1
Biyonbo got into it with the Thunder bench in the final minutes of the game. Had a hard foul on Jared McCain, hitting him in the face.
Grade:Incomplete
Mason Plumlee
2 minutes, 1 rebound, 2 fouls +1
Plumlee will get a lot of flak for his hard foul on McCain. Itâs hard to imagine that it was intentional.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 11: Dillon Brooks attends Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns have numerous decisions ahead of them this upcoming offseason, including multiple restricted free agents, unrestricted free agents, and players with trade value. The following series will examine those decisions as our writing team presents both a point and a counterpoint for each.
Dillon Brooks was a revelation for the Suns this season. After years of watching basketball teams that had no fight in them, we got to see the NBAâs second biggest villain join the Suns. I wonât put him above Draymond, but he is top two.
Brooks not only brought attitude and leadership to this team, but he also brought volume scoring as well. This, however, is not the Dillon Brooks season in review. Brandon Duenas did a great job breaking down Brooksâ season in this article and I highly recommend you read it.
No, today we arenât discussing Dillon Brooksâ past, but his future. Brooks has one season left on his contract. This upcoming season, he will make $20.9 million dollars, then he will be a free agent. Should the Suns pay him at 31 years old?
If you take Mat Ishbia at his word, then you can expect the Suns to extend him at some point this year.
Suns owner Mat Ishbia sees Dillon Brooks as an important cog as he enters the final season of a four-year contract.
"I do see expect to figure out a way to keep Dillon long term," Ishbia told @BurnsAndGambo, adding he'll be part of a championship in the "next 3-4 years." pic.twitter.com/VjIXmytihQ
But once again, should they? Letâs examine the best arguments against extending The Villain.
Championship teams are built on youth
Take a look around the conference finals right now and tell me what you see. OKC, San Antonio, and Cleveland all built out their core through the draft. It is true that all teams are then augmented via trade and free agency. Obviously, neither Donovan Mitchell nor James Harden was drafted by Cleveland, and neither was Alex Caruso drafted by the Thunder. But the fact remains that if you want to reach the mountaintop, you need to flesh out your core through the draft.
Dillon Brooks is at the age where he is exiting his prime, not entering it. He isnât going to get better from here, but probably worse. By the time the Suns have their own draft pick again, in 2033, he is likely to be retired or close to it. Unless the Suns see themselves as contenders in the next year or two, he is not the long-term fit in the Valley. Of course, given Ishbiaâs quote, I would not be surprised if the Suns see themselves as contenders in the short term.
As of now, though, Dillon Brooks is coming off a career year. This could be the perfect time to sell high on Dillon Brooks to bring in a draft pick that could end up being another core piece. Keep in mind that the Suns are expected to attempt to trade into the first round of this yearâs draft. Heâll be 31 years old at the end of his current contract; it may be time to move on.
Positional redundancy
The Suns have too many wings. Booker, Green, Royce, Allen, Dunn, and Fleming are all solid wing options. Meanwhile, as it seems I say in every article I write, the Suns still have no power forward on the roster that they can start. Letting Brooks walk frees up roster space to bring in a new player to fill that role. It is worth noting that letting him go does not free up cap space, as the Suns are too far over the cap for his contract to mean anything in that regard.
The Villain gimmick gets old
Dillon Brooks led the NBA in technical fouls this season and was tied with Russell Westbrook for third in flagrant fouls. Did that bother you at all during the season? It didnât bother me. But, how will you feel about it when it is year two of a four-year extension, Brooks is 33, and his production has dropped? High performance covers a multitude of sins. But what happens when that high performance is gone?
I think Draymond Green is a good blueprint for this. When the Warriors were winning championships, Draymond Green was the glue guy. A leader in the locker room and on the court. In the past few seasons? He is now a headache that has been in trade rumors.
The Villain character canât last forever. You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself becomeâŠa nuisance.
Is it time to move on?
Still not convinced that the Suns should move on from Dillon Brooks? Me either.
Are there drawbacks to having Dillon Brooks on your favorite basketball team? Yes, there are. But is Dillon Brooks a breath of fresh air on a team that spent multiple years acting like basketball was their side hustle? Yes, he is. I think at this point we know enough about Devin Booker to know that he isnât the type of leader anyone would describe as an âenforcer.â But, he doesnât need to be. That is why the Suns have Dillon Brooks.
I could see an argument for trading Dillon Brooks, but I see no reason why the Suns should just let him walk after next season. The arguments I managed to come up with are flimsy at best.
Brooks has become the beating heart of this team, and the Suns should absolutely extend him.
The Larry OâBrien trophy is unlikely to make its way down East Jefferson Street anytime soon. We probably are going to have to wait until Phoenix has some of its own draft picks again before that happens. In the meantime, it is nice to watch a basketball team that cares. And that starts with Dillon Brooks.
SAN DIEGO (AP) â Left-hander Cristopher SĂĄnchez pitched seven brilliant innings, extending his scoreless streak to 44 2/3 innings and passing Hall of Famer Grover Cleveland Alexander for the Phillies franchise record, in a 3-0 win Wednesday against the San Diego Padres for a three-game sweep.
SĂĄnchez (6-2) reached the milestone by getting through the four full innings he needed to pass Alexander, who had a 41-innng scoreless streak in 1911. He kept going through three more scoreless innings before leaving after throwing 100 pitches. He allowed six hits, struck out nine and walked none.
He pumped his fists as he walked off the mound after striking out pinch-hitter Ty France to end the seventh.
He set another franchise record by going at least seven scoreless innings for the fifth straight start, becoming the sixth to so in MLB history.
Trea Turner homered leading off the ninth, his seventh, and Kyle Schwarber hit an RBI single during the two-run sixth.
With SĂĄnchez an inning away from the record, there was a heart-stopping moment as Manny Machado lifted a fly ball to left that Edmundo Sosa caught just in front of the wall leading off the fourth. SĂĄnchez struck out Xander Bogaerts, Ramon Laureano doubled to left and then the lefty then got Jackson Merrill to ground out to second base to set the record.
The Padres stranded runners in scoring position in the first and second innings, and Gavin Sheets lifted a fly ball just in front of the warning track in right to end the third.
May 27, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder Rob Refsnyder (30) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a three-run home run against the Athletics in the first inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Heading into a pivotal divisional series in Sacramento, the vibes were off in Mariners Land. They had just dropped another series to the middling Royals in which they couldnât put all the facets together in one game. And even though the Mâs took the series opener on Monday night, their work was cut out for them with the Athletics queuing up a couple of lefties to face a lineup that has struggled against southpaws.
The Mariners rose to the occasion in emphatic fashion. They routed the Aâs 9-1 Wednesday afternoon to complete a clean series sweep and take sole possession of the AL West lead for the first time in 2026.
Right off the bat in the first, the Mariners were thrown a bone in the form of a throwing error by Jeff McNeil that extended the inning and, in somewhat fitting fashion, brought to the plate the same Rob Refsnyder that the Aâs so desperately clamored to face with two aboard and two out. Careful what you wish for, I suppose.
After falling into a two-strike count due to a couple of calls on pitches off the plate, Refsnyder fought back and launched a three-run homer to left to give the Mariners an early lead over lefty Jeffrey Springs. In the end, it was all they needed.
Logan Gilbert, who never pitched without the lead this afternoon, was up to the task of shutting down the Aâs lineup. He went six scoreless innings, striking out six and giving up five hits and two walks. His velocity was a tick up almost across the board today, with his four-seamer averaging out to 96.4 mph for the afternoon. In total, he only generated nine whiffs, but the balls in play werenât falling for hits.
The Aâs were able to get a decent amount of hard contact off of Gilbert, but a real threat to the Marinersâ lead never materializedâsome of this could be attributed to a number of quality plays from a defense that has ranked dead-last in baseball in fielding runs above average when accounting for positional adjustments, according to FanGraphs. J.P. Crawford, whose 2026 campaign has been marked by some defensive hardships so far, flashed the leather a couple of times at short and was able to complete his throws to first. VĂctor Robles also had a pair of diving catches in right fieldâone in both of the opening two inningsâand the first helped extinguish what wouldâve been a opportunity to cut into the Marinersâ early lead.
The Mariners were able to keep the Aâs at bay in the early going, and it allowed them to tack on with a two-out rally in the fourth. Cole Young, whose troubles facing lefties this year have amounted to a 64 wRC+ against them, was able to sneak a single into right off of McNeilâs glove. Jhonny Pereda then got on with his first of two walks for the afternoon. This passed the torch to Colt Emerson, who lined his first-career triple into the right field corner to give the Mariners a 5-0 lead.
Gilbert did have to work through some traffic in both the fourth and fifth innings. A couple of Aâs hitters reached to begin the fourth but, after getting Jonah Heim to fly out, Gilbert was able to induce an inning-ending double play by Henry Bolte to end the threat. In the fifth, a two-out walk to Carlos Cortes allowed Nick Kurtz to come to the plate with a couple of baserunners on, but he flew out to center and failed to cash in on the opportunity.
The Mariners tacked on another run on a throwing error in the sixth, and Gilbert was able to turn a six-run lead over to the bullpen for the final nine outs of the afternoon. Eduard Bazardo worked a scoreless seventh and Cooper Criswell allowed a run over the remaining two innings of work.
As a cherry on top of what may be the Marinersâ most complete series of the season thus far, Julio RodrĂguez added some additional insurance in the eighth, punishing a high fastball from Luis Medina for a three-run homer. It was Julioâs 10th of the season and eighth in the month of May, continuing an unprecedented start to the season for him.
Prior to Mondayâs game, it wouldnât have been unreasonable to worry about the Mariners potentially digging themselves a hole in the standings and falling further below .500, especially on their way to face the then-division-leader. That said, the series also represented a test of their resilience and an opportunity to get right back into the thick of things in the American League. They passed the test with flying colors, even with their opponent going out of their way to exploit whatâs been their biggest weakness. Perhaps Wednesday could be a turning point in the 2026 season.
New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) hits a double during the first inning on April 22, 2026.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. â Giancarlo Stanton has finally been cleared to take the next step in his rehab â involving continuous steps in motion, otherwise known as running.
The Yankeesâ veteran designated hitter underwent another round of imaging on Tuesday that âshowed a lot of improvementâ in his right calf, manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday, allowing him to start a running progression outside this week.
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It still remains to be seen how long that process will take before Stanton is in a position to rejoin the Yankees from his calf strain â it typically builds up to running the bases â but the 36-year-old has been hitting all along, which should expedite his comeback.
Stanton had said last week that he was feeling better than the imaging had indicated â his last MRI on May 11 showed the strain still lingering â but Tuesdayâs tests finally seemed to match up.
âI think he wants it fully clear, but I think we got enough news today that allows us to take that next step to where hopefully the running goes in line with how heâs feeling and we can start to ramp up,â Boone said before the series finale against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.
New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) hits a double during the first inning on April 22, 2026. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
âHopefully not too much longer.â
The Yankees have missed Stanton during the month he has been out, not just the production but his presence as a right-handed bat in the middle of the lineup to better break up their left-handed heavy lineup.
Stanton and Jasson DomĂnguez could be on similar tracks for a return, as DomĂnguez is ramping up baseball activities this week from a mild AC joint sprain in his left shoulder. Boone said by next week, both DomĂnguez and Stanton could be in a position to take live batting practice, with a rehab assignment potentially to follow for DomĂnguez.
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That also meant a day off for Jazz Chisholm Jr., who was batting .400 with a 1.138 OPS over his last 12 games.
âWith the stretch weâve been in and getting some different personnel back now, opportunity to get a couple guys in there that I want to keep active,â Boone said.
The Yankeesâ 24 hits on Tuesday were their most since July 30, 2011, a lineup that had Derek Jeter leading off against Orioles starter â and future Yankees reliever â Zack Britton.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MAY 23: Christian Walker #8 of the Houston Astros hits a two-run home run in the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 23, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Sage Zipeto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TONIGHTâS GAME: Tonight, the Houston Astros (24-32) and Texas Rangers (25-29) will play the 3rd game of a 4-game series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX.
RHP Mike Burrows (2-6, 5.75 ERA) will make his club-leading 11th start of the season as he takes on Rangers RHP Jacob deGrom (3-4, 3.86 ERA)
Rematch: Burrows faced off against deGrom in his only other career start/app. vs. TEX on June 20, 2025 at PNC Park (6-2 L, 4.2 IP, 4 ER).
ABOUT BURROWS: RHP Mike Burrows is making his club-leading 11th start of the season tonight.
This will be his 1st career app. at Globe Life Field and his 2nd career app. vs. the Rangers overall. His other was on June 20, 2025 at PNC Park while with the Pirates, also vs. RHP Jacob deGrom (6-2 L, 4.2 IP, 4 ER).
Burrows took the loss in his last start on May 20 at MIN (6 IP, 4 ER)
THE LAST TIME: In their matchup vs. RHP Jacob deGrom on May 16 at Daikin Park, the Astros tallied 4 solo HR off the Rangers ace en route to a 4-1 win. Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, Christian Walker and Zach Cole all went deep. The 4 HR matched the most that deGrom has given up in a ML outing, the other time was July 7, 2017 vs. STL.
AIR YORDAN: Last night was the 23rd multi-HR game in Yordan Alvarezâs career. He has 3 HR in his last 2 games and is 2nd in the AL in HR overall with 18 (Murakami-19).
Alvarez enters tonightâs game leading the AL in OPS (1.046), SLG (.631) and TB (125).
ROSTER MOVE: Following last nightâs game, the Astros optioned RHP Jason Alexander to Triple A Sugar Land.
To take his place on the active roster, the Astros recalled RHP Logan VanWey from Triple A Sugar Land today.
ON THE MEND: LHP Josh Hader and OF Joey Loperfido had their rehab assignments transferred to Triple A Sugar Land today.
ROADIES: Tonight is the 9th game (5-3 thus far) of a 10-game, 3-city road trip for HOU. HOU went 1-2 at MIN on the 1st stop of the trip, 3-0 over the weekend vs. the Cubs at Wrigley Field and are 1-1 vs. TEX thus far with 2 games left to play.
THE SILVER BOOT SERIES: The Astros are 3-2 vs. the Rangers thus far in the 2026 Silver Boot Series. They took 2 out of 3 from Rangers, May 1517 at Daikin Park in the 1st series.
Dating back to last season, HOU has won 6 of their last 8 games vs. TEX.
Even Series: The two clubs have played each other 297 times in the regular season in their franchise histories, with the Astros holding a slight advantage, 149-148.
Recently, the Astros have had the upper hand, winning or splitting nine straight season series, going 96-53 against the Rangers since the start of the 2017 season.
200 CLUB: The Astros next win will be #200 for manager Joe Espada. Espadaâs very first managerial win came via a no-hitter by RHP Ronel Blanco on April 1, 2024.
FOR STARTERS: Astros starters have a combined ERA of 3.43 (24ER/63IP) over the last 11 games (since May 15) with a 1.06 WHIP. In that span, they have allowed just 36 hits in 63.0 for an AL-best .167 opp. avg.
During that time, HOU ranks 1st in the AL in opp. avg., 4th in WHIP and 7th in ERA. Additionally, Astros starters have allowed no runs 5 times in the last 11 games.
RECENT STROS: The Astros have won 4 of 5, 5 of 7 and 7 of their last 11 games.
WALKER, TEXAS HAMMER: 1B Christian Walker is on a sizzling run as of late with 4 HR and 9 RBI in hits last 4 games.
For the season, he has been one of the top hitters in the AL and is currently 2nd in the league lead in RBI with 40. Walker also ranks 6th in HR (15) and TB (108), 7th in SLG (.529) and 12th in OPS (.863).
Walker also has not committed an error in his 56 games played.
ROAD WARRIORS: The Astros have been one of the ALâs top hitting teams on the road in 2026.
Entering todayâs game, HOU leads the AL in road runs scored (141) and batting avg. (.264) and ranks 2nd in OBP (.335), SLG (.423) and OPS (.759).
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 1969 â In the Dome, Doug Raderâs walkoff grand slam in the bottom of the 9th lifts the Astros to a 6-2 win over the Phillies. RHP Don Wilson punches out 13 batters en route to the complete game victory.
2008 â Hunter Pence tallies a career-high 5 hits, helping to lead the Astros to an 8-2 win over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Pence ends up going 5-for-5 with 2 RBI in the win. He would add add one more 5-hit game to his career resume on July 25, 2013 while with SF.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Tuesday, May 26, 7:05 p.m. CT
Location: Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
TV: Space City Home Network
Streaming: SCHN+
Radio: KTRH 740 AM, KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
