Jesus loves the mothers

May 10, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants Willy Adames (2) pours the contents of a beverage cooler over catcher Jesus Rodriguez (79) after Rodriguez hit the game-winning single in the twelfth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

Jesus Rodriguez had a chance to end Sunday’s game against Pittsburgh in the 10th inning. 

The bases were loaded, Willy Adames had just come through with a 2-out, 2-RBI single to knot the Giants back up with the Pirates at six. All the Bay Area mothers, crowned under their inside-out rally caps and feted with a tote bag stadium giveaway on their special day, crossed their fingers in hope. Rodriguez, who is learning to catch on the fly while trying to fill a defensive hole left by one of the elite defenders in the league, was chosen over Bailey for exactly these types of moments when a disciplined at-bat could make the difference.

The irony is that while Bailey was a liability with a bat, he’ll  be remembered forever in San Francisco, not for how he framed a Logan Webb sinker, but for his walk-off inside the park homer, or his walk-off grand slam against the Dodgers. The sub .600 OPS won’t be missed, nor the day-in and day-out lifeless at-bats — but once in a blue moon, Bailey did something truly magical. He just possessed that clutch gene.

Did his replacement? Perhaps an unfair question so early on his career — but a question that was quickly answered all the same when Rodriguez flailed at two sweepers nowhere near the zone. A four pitch see-ya, a couples of swings that looked like a white flag surrendering to an 11th inning. Based on that at-bat, the new catcher looked pretty dang similar to the old. Rodriguez wasn’t Blue Moon Bailey, just normal, really bad at hitting Bailey. 

But this wasn’t the end of the story. A man can not be judged on one at-bat. Rodriguez would be given a second chance after reliever Ryan Borucki and the Giants defense held the Pirates scoreless in the 11th and 12th innings. Right fielder Ryan O’Hearn clanked a Matt Chapman flare near the foul line that went for a double and pushed Heliot Ramos as the winning run to third. The Pirates coaches and right-handed reliever Justin Lawrence elected to walk lefty Drew Gilbert to set up the double play with the bases loaded as well as gain platoon edge against the right-handed Rodriguez. 

Made plenty of sense on paper, but Rodriguez, a contact-oriented, bat-first player, wasn’t going to be foiled twice in the same game. Bases loaded, game still tied at 6 runs a piece, with an opportunity to win the game and claim the series — second chances like this don’t come around like that very often. 

First pitch, Rodriguez got a 97 MPH sinker right in on the hands. Many hitters wouldn’t have been able to do much with that kind of offering. Pure speculation, maybe hearsay, but I could see Patrick Bailey rolling that pitch right into the defense for an inning-ending double play. Rodriguez was thinking the opposite field the whole way. He kept his hands back and flipped the ball to shallow right where it found grass in front of O’Hearn, allowing Ramos to scamper home (after initially freezing on the fly) and claim the win. 

The Giants played their worst game of the season yesterday. They burnt the pizza. Burnt real bad — but apparently they didn’t dwell on it too much, pivoted and ordered Chinese, then came back to the ballpark on Mother’s Day full of love and appreciation for their mothers and played one of their best.

Sunday’s win was one of their best because it wasn’t a walk in the park. The offense erased a trio of two-run deficits. How did they do it? Not singles. Or not just singles. 7 of their 13 hits went for extra bases. The line-up logged 22 at-bats with runners in scoring position with 7 hits. They walked 5 times and got plunked by pitches twice. 

Adames came up with the massive game-tying single in the 10th, but the tying run wouldn’t have been on base if not for a walk by Rafael Devers and a softly hit grounder from Ramos that advanced that runner into scoring position. 

Devers, Ramos, and Chapman all ripped two-strike doubles off reliever Isaac Mattson in the 6th to erase the Pirates second lead of the day. Devers (who settled for another double after just missing the tin roof above Levi’s Landing in the 8th) is hitting .333 in May with a .667 slugging percentage (10-for-30). Matt Chapman’s RBI double was his first extra base hit since April 30th, and his first run batted in since April 18th. 

Luis Arraez’s two out single in the 3rd punched Jung Hoo Lee home and cut into Pittsburgh early lead off Tyler Mahle. Ramos evened the score an inning later by crushing a hanging slider from starter Bubba Chandler into the left field bleachers. The 437 foot blast was his fourth on the year and first since April 25th.

All in all, key members of the line-up seemed to finally sync up and hit like they’ve been expected to all along. Lee, Devers, Ramos, Adames, and Chapman all had multi-hit games and each of them collected an extra-base knock. 

Seeing the heart of the line-up find a pulse was a relief. But the miracle underlying this win was the bullpen performance.

Six different arms maneuvered through the final 6.1 innings after Tyler Mahle (4 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 5.2 IP) left in the 6th. They surrendered just two hits while handing out 7 walks, and somehow managed to avoid complete catastrophe. Every inning felt improvised, teetering on the point of collapse. Every button Tony Vitello pressed seemed to work until it quickly didn’t. The 2-run double by Spencer Horwitz off Joel Peguero felt like a knockout blow at the time. So did Dylan Smith’s wild pitch and the walk to number-9 hitter Henry Davis.

Lefty specialist Ryan Borucki proved to be the closer for the other closers.  He locked it down in the 11th after being tasked to manage a runners-at-the-corners, nobody-out mess given to him by recent call-up Dylan Smith. A medley of sinkers and sliders fanned the incredibly intimidating Oneil Cruz (who had homered earlier in the 3rd) before a 3-2 slider got Brandon Lowe to softly line into a double play to end the Pirates’ threat. 

Borucki held strong again through some unfavorable match-ups in the 12th thanks to some clutch glove work from Chapman at third.

And after bases loaded chances in the 10th and 11th, Jesus Rodriguez finally delivered in the 12th.

Happy mom’s day moms!

Purple Row After Dark: East Coast schedule bias?

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 08: A general view inside the stadium during the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Friday, May 8, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Derik Hamilton/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

After 41 games, the Rockies are 16-25 (.390). That includes a much-improved road record of 8-14 on the road, but a 4-13 record against teams above .500, which might be expected. What might not be is the Rockies battling the Giants (16-24) last place in the NL West instead of claiming by a mile.

With a quarter of the season in the books, it’s bonkers to think the Rockies have played 18 of their 41 games against the NL East. They have concluded season series against the Mets, Phillies and Astros, while having yet to face their NL West foes, the Diamondbacks or Giants. Just facing the Dodgers and Padres, the Rockies have only played 11 of their games in their own division, posting a 3-8 record.

With three games against the Braves and Marlins, and the complete series season of six against the Phillies and Mets, the Rockies have gone 6-12 against the NL East. That includes being swept by the Miami and Atlanta, and a sweep of the Mets in New York. When it comes to home-and-away splits, the Rockies are 2-7 at Coors Field and 4-5 on the road against NL East opponents, which is pretty surprising.

With so many games against the NL East and much fewer against their own division, what do you think about the geography of the first 41 games of the schedule?

Would you rather delay playing more NL West games until later in the season or spread them out more throughout the season by playing all NL West opponents sooner? Is there a benefit for the Rockies either way?

Let us know what you think.

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Will Victor Wembanyama be suspended after Flagrant Foul 2?

The San Antonio Spurs were without Victor Wembanyama for more than half of Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, May 10. The star center was ejected in the second quarter for a Flagrant Foul 2 after he threw an elbow in Naz Reid's face while battling for possession of the ball after a rebound.

After the play was reviewed and the penalty was called, the Defensive Player of the Year was visibly upset. He could be seen on the bench asking, "What does it mean?" It was the first time in Wembanyama's three-year career that he was been ejected.

The difference between the first and second tier of a flagrant foul is that the offense is considered "unnecessary AND excessive" (emphasis added). The penalty for the second tier of a flagrant foul is two free throws by the player who the offense was committed against and the player is ejected, which is what happened to Wembanyama. The infraction also triggers a fine of $2,000, at a minimum.

Wembanyama made a statement in the series with a record 12 blocks in Game 1, all of which may or may not have been recorded correctly.

Now the question is if the Spurs will be without Wembanyama for longer.

The Timberwolves are up 2-1 in the series and, whether Minnesota or San Antonio wins on Sunday, Game 5 will be played in San Antonio on Tuesday, May 12. The series will continue from there if needed.

There is no set protocol for player suspensions after receiving a Flagrant Foul 2. The league will review the play and deliver a decision if further punishment is necessary.

League rules call for a minimum one-game suspension for a punching foul, but there is no clear outline for an offense leading with an elbow.

Previously, there have been a handful of suspensions for a player throwing an elbow in an NBA game. In 2013, J.R. Smith was given a one-game punishment in the playoffs for throwing an elbow at Jason Terry. In 2016, Hassan Whiteside was handed the same penalty for elbowing Boban Marjanović.

In 2005, Kobe Bryant was given a two-game suspension for hitting Mike Miller in the throat with his elbow. According to ESPN, the longer penalty could have been a result of the Los Angeles Lakers legend's postgame comments during which he denied any wrongdoing.

"Somebody comes down the lane, you've got to hit him," Bryant said upon receiving the suspension. "You can't let them come down the lane and just finger roll and get easy baskets. Nothing to hurt anybody like that. That's just basic NBA basketball."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Victor Wembanyama be suspended after Flagrant 2 foul?

Miles McBride bucks slump with sizzling shooting to set tone for Knicks in place of injured star

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Miles McBride #2 of the New York Knicks signing autographs for fans at the Xfinity Mobile Arena, Image 2 shows New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) puts up a three-point shot over Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes (5) during the second quarter

PHILADELPHIA — Miles McBride was, in his words, “extremely comfortable” with an expanded role as long as OG Anunoby was out.

He proved it on Mother’s Day.

Starting in place of Anunoby, McBride enjoyed a career-best playoff performance as the Knicks drubbed the 76ers 144-114 to return to the Eastern Conference finals for the second time in as many years.

Knicks guard Miles McBride reacts as he walks off the court at the end of the 4th quarter after the Knicks defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 144-114.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

McBride scored 25 points and hit seven 3-pointers in nine attempts, four coming in an early onslaught that made it clear this series was going to end without a return trip to New York City.

In his 29 minutes, the Knicks outscored the 76ers by a team-high 33 points.

“I always feel like I’m going to make shots,” McBride said. “I trust my work, trust my preparation. They left me open.”

McBride had been in a shaky shooting stretch, entering the game 5-for-19 from 3-point range over the previous five games.

He didn’t let it affect his confidence, though.

Knicks guard Miles McBride puts up a 3-point shot over Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes (5) during the second quarter of Game 4. Jason Szenes for the New York Post

“He’s just tough-minded,” coach Mike Brown said. “In order to have success in anything you do in life you need to have a short memory, and he definitely has a short memory.”

With a chance to sweep the 76ers out of the playoffs, McBride shined. He bombed away early, scoring 12 points in the game’s first 5:01.

McBride was also terrific, as usual, on the defensive end, and was a big part of the Knicks’ blistering shooting display.

They hit 25 3-pointers in 44 attempts, setting a franchise playoff record and equaling the NBA mark previously set by the Bucks in 2021 and Cavaliers in 2016.

There were loud “Deuce” chants after almost every one of his made triples from the pro-Knicks crowd.

“Deuce — he was unbelievable,” Brown said. “His ability to stretch the floor and create space for others is second to none. He’s got a confidence about him and in himself that just makes us take another level on both ends of the floor.”

Sean Murphy status for Cubs series uncertain, Eli White in concussion protocol

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 10: Sean Murphy #12 of the Atlanta Braves wears pink Mother's Day protective gear prior to the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, May 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jessie Alcheh/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Catcher Sean Murphy has had rotten injury luck since joining the Atlanta Braves via trade prior to the 2023 season. He’s only once played in more than 100 games since becoming a Braves and in 2026 he made his season debut on this past road trip after missing the end of the 2025 season and the start this year due to hip surgery.

In today’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers – at 7-2 victory for the second consecutive day – Murphy was called for a catcher’s interference when Hyeseong Kim’s bat nicked Murphy and he was replaced behind the plate by Drake Baldwin, who’d been the designated hitter.

The impact may have injured Murphy’s hand more than originally believed. Although initial reports were positive, late Sunday evening Mark Bowman posted that the Braves won’t have an update on Murphy’s injury until Tuesday.

With former Braves catcher Jonah Heim designated for assignment, and then traded to the West Sacramento Athletics when Murphy returned from the IL, if Murphy misses time, the Braves could bring up Chadwick Tromp or Jair Camargo as both veteran backstops have been stashed at Triple-A since the end of Spring Training. If Murphy’s injury causes him to miss significant time, the Braves may be back in the market for a high-end back-up catcher.

Outfielder Eli White, who’s wall-crashing catch in right field with two outs and the bases loaded in the sixth inning prevented the Dodgers from scoring, is in the concussion protocol after exiting the game in the eighth inning, according to multiple reports, including from Bowman.

If White missed a few games, the Braves could opt to activate Ha-Seong Kim ahead of the Chicago Cubs series on Tuesday, since multiple players on Atlanta’s bench can cover the outfield. Kim himself is looking to make his season debut as soon as he is deemed ready after being on a rehab assignment.

Outfielder Ronald Acuńa, Jr., who has been on the IL with a hamstring strain, is eligible to be activated next week, but he may not be ready by the time his 10-day stint is up.

Andy Ibáñez’s throwing errors cost Mets in loss to Diamondbacks: ‘Those are routine plays’

Andy Ibáñez’s time with the Mets hasn’t quite gone as planned. 

Ibáñez was picked up off waivers from the Athletics just over a week ago to help provide a boost for New York’s shorthanded offense against left-handed pitching. 

The 33-year-old went hitless over his first two appearances, and on Sunday afternoon he hurt them with his defense as he received just his third start of the season at the hot corner. 

The infielder committed not one, but two throwing errors in what ended as a 5-1 loss

“I stood a little bit wide and it got away from me,” he explained via a translator postgame. “It’s one of those things where you don’t want it to happen, but it’s baseball.”

The first ended up prolonging the fourth inning by just one batter, but the second provided to be much more costly. 

He allowed Ildemaro Vargas to reach leading off the sixth, then the Diamondbacks made him pay a few batters later, as back-to-back two-out run-scoring knocks put this one away for good.

The Mets' offense didn't do themselves any favors either, managing just four walks and four hits, but miscues like that cant not continue to happen. 

“Those are routine plays,” Carlos Mendoza said. “You expect those plays to be made, it’s as simple as that.”

Unfortunately for the Mets, too often this season those plays have not been made. 

They'll need to sharpen things up moving forward as they look to shake off their early-season skid.

Hours after VJ Edgecombe’s rookie season ended, Sixers share excitement over his future

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 6: VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game against the New York Knicks during Round Two Game Two on May 6, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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

It’s hard to hear after a division rival took over their building and swept them out of the playoffs, but the 2025-26 season was a pretty high-end outcome for the Sixers. They beat the Boston Celtics in a playoff series, Joel Embiid has felt as good as he has about his left knee since January 2024, but most importantly, they had a 20-year old rookie sensation.

VJ Edgecombe officially ends his rookie season having averaged 16 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game shooting 43% from the field and 35% from the field. He averaged 14 points per game in his first 11 playoff games.

For all these reasons, the Sixers themselves felt pretty good about their season after their Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks. During his exit interview, Embiid was talking about the example he tries to set for the younger players, and went on a long tangent about Edgecombe’s potential while doing so.

“VJ is up next. Philly got a good one in him,” Embiid said. “He’s the guy. I’m telling you guys, that guy is something different and this was only year one. Year two is gonna be better, year three even better.”

Embiid would go on to call him a “monster” later in his presser.

Every Sixer asked about Edgecombe is confident in his improvement year-over-year. It’s all the intangibles he flashed all season that impressed his teammates so much — and why they so often say he is not the average rookie.

“Usually, guys improve quite a bit from year one to year two,” head coach Nick Nurse said. “I would imagine with his work ethic and stuff, he’ll have a good summer.”

Edgecombe responded to Embiid’s comments the exact way anyone who’s been around him so far would expect him to.

“It’s great, but the work has to be put in, I have to continue putting in the work,” he said. “I really love my teammates and I really love all the good things they say about me, but yes, I gotta keep putting in the work, keep getting better.”

A young guard with a crazy work ethic drafted after a disastrous season is a familiar story with this team. Tyrese Maxey recognized those similarities as he sat next Edgecombe at the podium.

“Probably like two, three years ago I sat up here with Joel and I sat up here with James [Harden] and they saw something in me,” Maxey said, “and I guess I’m getting old now, because I’m sitting up here with VJ and I’m just happy to be a part of his journey.”

All three of the Sixers’ max contract stars have had their impact on Edgecombe in one way or another. Paul George did a lot of mentoring Edgecombe as a defender, but he feels the experience Edgecombe was able to get with a full playoff run as a rookie was invaluable.

“I’m kind of here to help improve the process,” George said, “but the parts that you want out of it, he’s experienced it, so that’s the positive. And I think he’ll know where he needs to take it and what we need from him going down for years to come.”

Edgecombe already has a list of things he wants to work on to improve for next year. He wants to get better on the ball. He mentioned his handle, but shooting is something he definitely wants to improve on.

“Go in the gym and just get better,” he said. “Coming into next year a team won’t ever leave me open, you know?”

All of his teammates are confident he will get there because of how hard he works, but it takes a real grinder for someone like Maxey to praise his work ethic.

“He works too hard and he wants it too much,” Maxey said. “You can’t ask for anything better than that, and the city should really just rally behind it and just be excited.”

It’s very unusual for a team to convey this much excitement after getting swept out of the second round of the play0ffs.

But as Edgecombe showed time and time again throughout his rookie season, he is not a usual player.

Thoughts on a 3-0 Rangers win

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - MAY 10: Brandon Nimmo #24 of the Texas Rangers is congratulated by teammates following a victory over the Chicago Cubs at Globe Life Field on May 10, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Rangers 3, Cubs 0

  • What if we made the whole team out of Jacobs?
  • When I did a write-up for Bleed Cubbie Blue before this series, I said that Jacob deGrom was no longer “best pitcher in baseball” good, but he is still “legitimate #1 starter” good.
  • They would be forgiven for assuming I lied to them.
  • While it is cool to have a pitcher with a deep repertoire who throws six pitches and mixes things up and keeps batters guessing, it is also cool to have a pitcher who just pumps in a couple of elite pitches, MC Hammer-style.
  • (U Can’t Touch This).
  • Of Jacob deGrom’s 94 pitches on Sunday, 44 of them were fastballs. The Cubs swung 26 times at them, whiffed 12 times, fouled it off 8 times, and put the ball into play 6 times. None of the 6 fastballs in play went for hits.
  • Per Statcast, here are the xBAs of the six deGrom fastballs that the Cubs put into play: .010, .030, .010, .010, .140, .180.
  • Also per Statcast, three of the six balls in play off of deGrom fastballs qualified as “hard hit.” The launch angles on those three balls were 69 degrees, 43 degrees, and 64 degrees. So yeah, if the hitter is hitting the ball straight up in the air, as a pitcher, you’re fine with it being hit hard.
  • Jacob deGrom threw 39 sliders on Sunday. 22 times the Cubs swung at a slider. 10 times they whiffed, 6 times they fouled it off, 6 times they put the ball into play. They got one hit off of deGrom’s slider, a Nico Hoerner sixth inning single.
  • Just to keep things fair, deGrom did threw something other than the fastball/slider combo occasionally. deGrom threw eight change ups. The only changeup the Cubs put into play went for a hit. He also threw two curveballs, both for called strikes. He threw one sinker, which Hoerner hit for a double, then decided there was no need to throw that pitch again.
  • The final line for deGrom was 7 innings, 3 hits, 0 walks, 10 Ks. Unlike Saturday, when the Cubs had baserunners all over the basepaths but couldn’t get them home, Sunday’s game saw the Cubs with just three baserunners all game. Chicago was 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position, though three of those were in the fourth, when Hoerner led off the inning with the double.
  • 23 swings and misses on 94 pitches for deGrom. The man did some things today.
  • After that, Jacob Latz came in and retired all six batters he faced for a two inning save. Jacob Latz, fireman extraordinaire.
  • Despite the pitching dominance from the Rangers I was still more antsy than I would have liked due to the lack of offense.
  • For most of the game the only run was one the Rangers scored in the fourth, when Josh Jung led off with a single, went to third on a Joc Pederson double, then scored on a fielder’s choice where the Cubs tried to get Jung at home on an Alejandro Osuna grounder. It was close, Jung may have been out, but when the Cubs challenged the play the call stood, giving Texas a 1-0 lead.
  • The next play, Danny Jansen hit into a GIDP that the Rangers challenged. Jansen might have been safe, but once again the call stood. Had it been overturned Joc Pederson would have scored.
  • It looked like Corey Seager had given the Rangers an insurance run in the eighth, when he smoked a ball deep to center, but it was caught in front of the fence. Seager was 0 for 3 with a walk and a K, and there will no doubt be more fretting about Seager’s bat, but along with the blast to center he had another hard hit line drive that was caught. I am not going to worry about Corey Seager.
  • Evan Carter did provide insurance later in the inning, when, after another Jung single, Carter lofted one high in the air to right that found the seats and made it 3-0. Not as well hit as Seager, but better located.
  • Josh Jung had a three hit game, as he continues to amaze.
  • Brandon Nimmo, on the other hand, has kind of stopped hitting. He took a collar, making him 0 for 10 in the series, though with two walks. His last extra base hit was on April 23.
  • Texas is now 2 back of the A’s in the A.L. West, and a half-game ahead of the hated Mariners.
  • Jacob deGrom topped out at 98.3 mph with his fastball, averaging 97.2 mph. Jacob Latz touched 94.3 mph with his fastball.
  • Joc Pederson had a 110.6 mph double and a 101.8 mph ground out. Corey Seager had a 103.6 mph fly out. Brandon Nimmo had a 101.8 mph line out and a 101.3 mph ground out. Ezequiel Duran had a 101.5 mph ground out. Josh Jung had a 100.4 mph single. Evan Carter’s homer was 98.6 mph.
  • That was a nice couple of games of baseball. It would be even nicer if they could play the next few games like that as well.

Who Do the Kings Miss Most? Revisiting Recent Departures

The core of the Kings over the last 2 years has included Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, Kevin Fiala, Adrian Kempe, and Mikey Andersen. Over the last 2 years, the Kings have made trades that saw players traded away or sign elsewhere in free agency, and now, looking back, understanding whether the Kings are better with or without those players.

2025-26 Departures 

While the biggest trade of the 2025-26 season for the Kings was the Artemi Panarin deal, there were a couple of players traded away this season. The first being Phillip Danault, who was traded to the Montreal Canadiens in December, and the Kings received a 2026 Second-round pick. Danault played for the Canadiens from 2015-16 to 2020-21.

This season, Danault played 30 games for the Kings before being traded, during which he recorded 5 assists and 5 points. While he is a defensive-minded player, Danault requested a trade, which the Kings granted. Phillip Danault played 45 games for the Canadiens in the regular season, recording 6 goals and 6 assists for 12 points. The Canadiens are also currently in the 2nd round of the playoffs, and Danault has played 9 games and has 2 assists. 

While the Danault trade was the first departure for the Kings, they would wait until the night of the trade deadline to make their next move. That move was trading away Warren Foegele to the Ottawa Senators, in return for a 2026 2nd-round pick and a conditional 2026 3rd-round pick. 

Warren Foegele played in 47 games for the Kings this past season, registering 7 goals and 2 assists for 9 points. After being traded to the Senators, Foegele played in 21 regular-season games, recording 6 goals and 2 assists for 8 points, and in all 4 playoff games with the Senators, but did not register any points. 

The last departure from the 2025-26 season occurred at the NHL Trade Deadline, when the Kings traded Corey Perry to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for a 2028 2nd-round pick. While on the Kings, Perry played in 50 games, scoring 11 goals and having 17 assists for 28 points. Then, after being traded to Tampa, Perry would play in 22 regular-season games, scoring 6 goals and recording 3 assists for 9 points. Perry would play in all 7 games between the Canadiens and the Lightning but would not register any points. 

While the Kings traded away 3 roster players in the 2025-26 season, it is too early to tell whether those trades will benefit the Kings or come back to haunt them later. 

2024-25 Departures 

Now, going back to the 2024-25 season, which was one of the most successful recent seasons for the Kings. With that season now complete, we can see whether the trades/transactions the Kings made either did or did not pan out in the 2025-26 season. 

The first player to depart from the Kings was Jordan Spence. The 24-year-old defenseman was traded to the Ottawa Senators on June 28th, 2025, and in return, the Kings received the 67th overall pick in the 2025 NHL draft and a 2026 6th-round pick. In the 2024-25 season, Spence played in 79 games with the Kings, recording 4 goals, 24 assists for 28 points, and 1 goal in 5 playoff games. 

Since being traded, Jordan Spence played in 73 games with Ottawa, scoring 7 goals and tallying 24 assists for 31 points. Spence, now 25, took a major step forward for the Senators and has become a reliable starting defenseman. In Game 2 between Ottawa and Carolina, Spence clocked 39:01 total minutes on ice, showing that his game is only going to get better. 

The other 2 players who left the Kings did so during free agency. Vladislav Gavrikov signed a 7 Year $7 Million AAV Dollar deal with the Rangers, and Tanner Jeannot signed a 5-year $3.4 Million AAV deal with the Bruins

Gavrikov registered 5 goals, 25 assists, for 30 points in 82 games, and he added 2 assists in the postseason for the Kings. In his first season with the Rangers, he played 82 games, scoring 14 goals and tallying 21 assists for 35 points. While the Rangers missed the postseason, Gavrikov showed his true value, scoring a career-high 12 goals in his first season. 

Tanner Jeannot, in his one season with the Kings, played in 67 games, scoring 7 goals and registering 6 assists for 13 points. He would not play for the Kings in the postseason. During the 2025-26 season with the Bruins, Jeannot played 77 games, scoring 6 goals, recording 16 assists for 22 points, and adding a postseason goal. 

While the Kings had their best season in 2024-25, the loss of Jordan Spence may prove critical, as he is only 25 and playing serious minutes for the Senators. While Gavrikov had a career-high in goals, the Kings during the 2025 free agency period were not able to afford him. The Kings during the 2025-26 season would replace Spence and Gavrikov with Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin. 

2023-24 Departures 

The 2023-24 season saw quite a few Kings players traded or sign with another team in the offseason, and with 2 seasons played since then, the stats can show whether the Kings are better with or without them. 

The first player is Viktor Arvidsson, who left the Kings and signed a 2-year, $4 million AAV deal with the Edmonton Oilers. Arvidsson's last season with the Kings was cut short by injuries, as he played only 18 games and recorded 6 goals and 9 assists for 15 points.

Viktor Arvidsson has played for the Oilers over the last 2 seasons and is now with the Bruins. During his time with the Oilers, he played 67 games, scoring 15 goals and 12 assists for 27 points. He would also have 7 points in 15 postseason games with the Oilers. Arvidsson was then traded from the Oilers to the Bruins, and in his first season with the Bruins, he registered 25 goals, 29 assists for 54 points in 69 games, and 2 goals in the playoffs. 

The next player to leave the Kings in 2023-24 is Pierre-Luc Dubois, who, in the 2023-24 season with the Kings, scored 16 goals, tallied 24 assists for 40 points, and added 1 goal in the playoffs. Dubois was then traded to the Washington Capitals in exchange for current goaltender Darcy Kuemper. Since the trade, Dubois has played in 111 games, scoring 25 goals, 60 assists, and 85 points in the last 2 seasons with the Capitals. 

A player who left the Kings during the offseason of the 2023-24 season and joined Dubois in Washington. That player is Matt Roy. Roy was a Kings draft pick and was there from 2018 to 2023. In his final season with the Kings, Roy had 5 goals, 20 assists for 25 points. Roy would sign a 6-year, $5.7 Million AAV deal with the Capitals, and in the last 2 seasons, Roy has played 148 games, scoring 5 goals and tallying 28 assists for 43 points. 

Another player who left the Kings in the 2024 offseason was Blake Lizotte, who played on the Kings' bottom 6. Lizotte left the Kings and signed a 2-year contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and earlier in the 2025-26 season, he signed a 3-year extension with the Penguins. While Lizotte was not a goalscorer for the Kings, he played a meaningful role on the penalty kill and in other defensive situations. 

The remaining players are Cam Talbot, who left the Kings in free agency to join the Detroit Red Wings; Arthur Kaliyev, who was claimed off waivers by the New York Rangers; and Carl Grundstrom, who was in the deal that saw the Kings receive Kyle Burroughs from the San Jose Sharks

Who Do The Kings Miss The Most?

While all of these former players made an impact on the Kings during their time, some of the moves that were made benefited the Kings and their future. The Dubois trade was crucial for the team today, as Kuemper is still with the Kings. But there are a couple of players the Kings may already regret trading or losing in free agency. 

The first is Jordan Spence, a young defenseman who is slowly gaining more minutes and who the Kings would benefit from having on the team today. The Kings may also regret losing Vladislav Gavrikov. While he put up career-best numbers for the Rangers, if the Kings had kept and signed both defensemen, they would be in the lineup instead of Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci. 

Another player the Kings may regret losing is Blake Lizotte, and his penalty-killing ability, especially after the 2025-26 season, when the Kings' penalty kill ranked 30th and the Penguins' penalty kill, on which Lizotte started, ranked 6th. 

Overall, none of these moves or trades could have been predicted, and in the future, more of these free agency losses and trades will likely result in some regret for the Kings, but they also prompt the question of what the Kings would look like today had they not lost these players. 

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Snakepit Roundtable: An anemic week

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 07: Alek Thomas #5 of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts in the dugout during the six inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on May 07, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Another disappointing week, what are your first thoughts?

Spencer: Average teams play like this. The offense is anemic. The pitching had an apocalyptic week last week. This version of the team is what I expected and why my win total projection was so low.

James Attwood: This is the sort of thing that happens when there is little depth. There simply hasn’t been anyone to step up when anyone on the normal roster has had a drop-off in play. The disappointing extra-inning loss to the Mets does not help things. I feel like this current run of poor form has the front office making some early season panic moves.

Justin27: Well, we ran into a hot Cubs team about to go on a win streak, and then Skenes, I don’t want to make excuses but I hope the “true” team starts to show up

Makakilo: The series against the Rangers (a team that lost most games in May, similar to the Diamondbacks) will provide insights. It will show whether the Diamondbacks are on the path to compete this season, or on a different undesirable path. That series is Monday through Wednesday (May 11-13).

Dano_In_Tucson: Well, the Saturday game turned out all right. And given that I’m intensely literate regarding the 2026 Pirates, I maybe didn’t find this week as disappointing than others–their starters are too good, their offense is good enough, I genuinely think they’re going to be a force this year. Their rotation is better than ours, and most other teams’. Ours is not. Their offense rarely gets entirely shut down. Ours does, especially right now. I’m not surprised that we only won one of those games….Pittsburgh is no longer the soft spot in the schedule that they have been in recent years.

Beyond that, though….what the hell has happened to the bats??!?

C. Wesley Baier: See my most recent article, but TLDR: This roster needs some major changes.

One bright spot has been the overall good reception to Lovullo’s closed door meeting with the starting pitchers. Have you seen anything in the recent run of good/decent pitching that suggests its sustainable?

Spencer: I was blacked out of most games this last week. So I have not seen much of anything recently. I certainly hope it’s sustainable. But man I don’t know. Sustainable and pitching aren’t words I think of together with Arizona.

James Atwood: Nothing specific one way or the other. The rotation has responded nicely, though Gallen still is giving up hard contact. If the defense continues to make some sparkling plays, then the odd hard contact can be survived. If the pitch sequencing continues to improve, then the likes of Ryne Nelson should do better as well. But the rotation has got to start trusting the defense more and throw more strikes. I’m not sure that the arms have enough swing and miss in them for them to get aggressive enough in the strike zone to clean up the problem of too many free passes.

Makakilo: In May, the Diamondbacks are on a path for 50% quality starts (sustaining 50% would have a positive impact). In the preseason, I wrote that despite the possibility that the rotation will be average, if they could reach 50% quality starts, the Diamondbacks offense could drive the team to a wild card berth.

Dano_In_Tucson: I remain deeply skeptical of Soroka, though he had a good outing against Skenes. But ERod bounced back, which suggests to me that maybe the ERod we saw in the WBC may actually be the pitcher he can be consistently, rather than the aberration I was starting to think it was. And Kelly tonight (I”m writing this after posting my Saturday recap) looked a whole lot more like his legit self than he’s seemed all season. So yeah, I think those two might actually be sustainable. Also, Ryne Nelson might be coming back around as well. We shall see.

C. Wesley Baier: The starting pitching has looked so much better, as far as that goes, it worked.

At the time of writing, the Diamondbacks are three games below .500. Are Hazen and Lovullo on the hot seat yet? If not, what will be the tipping point?

Spencer: Yes they are. I expect both are gone by the next Opening Day. And I think that’s fair. But it’s also true that Hazen/Lovullo are the best GM and Manager this franchise has had so far. They’ve spent half their tenure (and more) getting zero monetary support from ownership yet putting generally average or better product on the field (with some very large and notable below average ones). This franchise finally uses analytics thanks to Hazen. Their drafting has been far more sustainable than previous options as a result of this. But they need to crack the pitching development question.

I still believe Hazen and Lovullo will win a World Series together as the head pieces. I no longer believe it will be in Arizona. If nothing else, the Hazen/Lovullo Era will be known as the point where MLB stopped looking at Arizona as another Rockies franchise and being the geniuses who nabbed and finished developing Ketel Marte who may end up holding quite a few franchise records. Seems like a good but disappointing legacy to me.

James Attwood: They are not yet on my hot seat, though I understand those that want them there. Frankly, as long as they continue to play right around .500 ball while weathering the slew of injuries they started the season with, I’m content to let them continue to develop their project. If they fall entirely out of contention, then it is time to start talking about changes. I am far more interested in seeing how the team performs in August and September, than how they are performing with Puk, Martinez, Burns, and Lawlar all on the 60-day IL.

Justin27: I think so. I have a heard time believing their replacement would do much better. Sometimes mid season managerial changes work, sometimes they are rearranging chairs on the Titanic

Makakilo: No and none. Hazen and Lovullo have above-average years of experience, and they are well above-average in making an impact on the field. It is unlikely that the Diamondbacks could hire better replacements.

Dano_In_Tucson: Hazen, maybe, at least in my mind, because of his persistent failure/refusal to spend any money to try to build a respectable bullpen. That said, he somehow actually has a reasonably respectable bullpen right now, so I dunno. Go figure. As for Torey, I don’t think so. As has been noted, all he can do is arrange on the daily chessboard the pieces he has available to him, and frankly, given what he’s had to work with coming into this season with the deeply questionable rotation and the deeply strange lack of outfielders, I think he’s doing pretty well. I know a lot of people got very excited when we were however many games over .500 for a brief span of time there, and I was too, but I don’t think there’s any way that anyone with any sense could believe that we would still be on the rise like that but for poor lineup or game management decisions on his part. This roster, as it is currently comprised, is what it is. And in a lot of respects, it ain’t great. I feel like it’s a credit to our manager that we’re still as close to Mount .500 as we are.

C. Wesley Baier: Hazen and Lovullo aren’t on the hot seat unless this team goes on a serious losing streak.

The Ryan Waldschmidt Era has begun. What are your expectations for early results?

Spencer: I have no expectations. I would’ve called upon Kristian Robinson first. He’s less pivotal to the future and seems more prepared for big league pitching. Plus Lawlar returns in 4-6 weeks if reporting is to be believed. But Robinson doesn’t put butts in seats. So Waldy it is. I wish the kid nothing but luck.

Part of me can’t shake the feeling we may be showcasing Waldy for a big July trade…not sure how I’d feel about that honestly.

James Attwood: That he will get mis-used, like so many others. I would have likely brought up Kristian Robinson first, as the team still needs to get a good idea of what he brings as a 4th outfielder. I also am not convinced that Waldschmidt will get the necessary everyday at-bats right now. We shall see.

Justin27: I am happy for him. Maybe the DFA of AT and the call up of Waldschmidt lights a fired underneath the team. I am excited to see what he can do

Makakilo: His batting has a high ceiling (both homers and OPS). In February, I wrote (see AZ Snake Pit article Which Outfielder Will Most Exceed Expectations?) that if his defense in center field is at least average (and he continues to hit well), he will exceed expectations. Also, I wrote that I would be thrilled if he was promoted this season. I am.

Dano_In_Tucson: Expectations? None, really. Hopes? That he’ll suck less at the plate than Alek Thomas, and that fewer of his ABs will end by rolling over to second, often to start a double play. And small sample size, but he hasn’t done that yet. To be fair, he struck out three times tonight, twice looking, but there were no GIDPs, at least. Also, he looked smooth and supremely competent on the seven fly balls he had to contend with on Saturday….he chased them all down for outs, and he made them look easy, even though some of them certainly weren’t.

C. Wesley Baier: He’s probably going to be frustratingly passive at times, but I think he’ll be an improvement over Thomas.

On the flip side, the Alek Thomas Era has (probably) ended. What went wrong?

Spencer: Wrong? Not much. He never learned to hit good MLB pitching. Yet he was good enough to make and stick in the majors for a good while. He’s a reminder that there’s often a floor for “Top Prospects” but they aren’t sure things. For every Corbin Carroll there’s an unknown litany of Alek Thomases.

James Attwood: The expectations were sky-high. He has loads of talent, but is a prime example of how hitting the small round ball with a round bat is the hardest skill in sports. This is not the end of his MLB career, but it is almost certainly the end of his time as an Arizona Diamondback.

Justin27: He just couldn’t get it together offensively. A team with a better offense will scoop him up. Too bad he couldn’t hit .250 or something coupled with SF12 defense

Makakilo: Alek Thomas had injuries that slowed his development (hamstring and oblique injuries in 2024, and sore knee in July of 2025). This season his batting went downhill (OPS .578 in April, OPS .422 in May). This season, Alek Thomas had an OPS+ of 56 (impressively bad but better than Tim Tawa). That makes what Jim McLennan wrote in January prophetic. “If Alek Thomas doesn’t improve on his career 76 OPS+, and if Waldschmidt’s bat represents a clear upturn, then the team could decide to use Ryan in center. That would depend on his defense there being serviceable, and not outweighing the offensive positives.” — Jim McLennan

Dano_In_Tucson: Obviously, the failure of his bat to ever arrive and stick around consistently. Beyond that, he rarely looked consistently competent to me in center field (all those web gems aside), and for a guy with his speed, he never seemed to be able to learn to work competently on the basepaths. He should have been stealing bases at a level comparable to Perdomo at least, if not Carroll. I kinda felt, by the end, like it was a work ethic issue, though I have nothing but gut feeling to back that up.

In any event, I still think he can be a good ballplayer for someone, and I’m convinced that wasn’t going to happen for him in Arizona anymore, so I hope he goes someplace where he can succeed. The need for a change of scenery is a very real thing for some players, and I hope I gets it and I wish him well wherever he winds up. I never hated the guy, and I wanted to like him….it just got really old watching him continue to suck.

C. Wesley Baier: I have no idea. Maybe he just needs a change of scenery?

Spurs' Victor Wembanyama ejected in Game 4 for elbowing Naz Reid in the face

The San Antonio Spurs suffered a huge blow in Game 4 of the conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves after superstar Victor Wembanyama was ejected from the contest.

Wembanyama was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 after coming down with a rebound and swinging an elbow that connected with Timberwolves forward Naz Reid, striking him in the jaw with 8:40 in the 2nd quarter.

After a review, it was determined that the contact was deemed an unnecessary, non-basketball play with wind up, contact and follow through, resulting in the Spurs center's first-career ejection – regular season or postseason.

Minnesota held a slim lead, 36-34, at the time of stoppage. Following the elbow, Timberwolves fans at the Target Center were in unison chanting to the officials "kick him out" referring to Wembanyama.

Wembanyama gets ejected early in Spurs-Wolves Game 4 for elbowing Reid and drawing a Flagrant 2 foul

MINNEAPOLIS — San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was ejected for throwing an elbow out of frustration at the throat of Minnesota Timberwolves forward Naz Reid early in the second quarter of Game 4 of their rugged second-round NBA playoff series on Sunday night.

Wembanyama was whistled for an offensive foul as soon as he struck Reid, who had swarmed the NBA Defensive Player of the Year outside the paint along with teammate Jaden McDaniels after the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama rebounded a missed 3-pointer by the Spurs.

After a video review of the play, with the fans at Target Center chanting, “Kick him out! Kick him out!,” the foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 2 for excessive contact above the neck. That penalty triggers an automatic ejection, immediately swinging the balance of a pivotal game in the series toward the Timberwolves. The Spurs took a 2-1 lead with their 115-108 win in Game 3 on Friday.

After Wembanyama slapped hands with each of his Spurs teammates on his way off the floor, with the arena sound system blaring Michael Jackson’s “Beat it!,” Reid sank both free throws to give the Timberwolves a 38-34 lead. Wembanyama finished with four points, four rebounds and three fouls in 13 minutes.

With Reid, Julius Randle and McDaniels in their frontcourt, the Timberwolves have had plenty of muscle and tenacity to send at Wembanyama, even if he’s been good enough offensively to overcome it. He had 39 points on 13-for-18 shooting from the floor in Game 3.

Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama ejected for elbowing Timberwolves player in shocking Game 4 scene

Victor Wembanyama committing a flagrant foul on Naz Reid during a basketball game.
Victor Wembanyama elbows Naz Reid during the Spurs' May 10 game.

If the Spurs are able to take a 3-1 lead on the Timberwolves, they’ll need to do so without Victor Wembanyama for the rest of Game 4.

Wembanyama, the San Antonio superstar, was ejected with 8:39 left in the second quarter after elbowing Naz Reid while fighting for possession and being assessed a Flagrant 2 in Minnesota on Sunday.

When Wembanyama initially made contact, Reid fell to the ground, and after the referees reviewed the play, the 7-foot-4 center was sent down the tunnel and to the locker room.

It marked a seismic shift in a critical juncture of the series, with the Spurs staring down a chance to take a commanding series lead over the No. 6-seed Timberwolves before play shifts back to San Antonio but now needing to adapt on the fly without their best player for the final 32-plus minutes.

Victor Wembanyama elbows Naz Reid during the Spurs’ May 10 game. Imagn Images
Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts after he was ejected for a flagrant foul during the first half of Game 4 of a NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. AP

Reid made both of his free throws, and Luke Kornet replaced Wembanyama — who finished with just four points on 2-for-5 shooting across 12 minutes — on the court.

Victor Wembanyama was ejected May 10. Screengrab via X
Victor Wembanyama threw an elbow at Naz Reid during the Spurs’ May 10 game. Screengrab via X
Victor Wembanyama was called for a Flagrant 2 during the Spurs’ May 10 game against the Timberwolves. Screengrab via X

The Timberwolves led the Spurs by two points at the time of the ejection, and midway through the second quarter, they’d built a 44-38 advantage — led by 11 points from Anthony Edwards and 10 points from Julius Randle.

‘Really scary’: horror crash leaves Australia’s Jay Vine with broken elbow and concussion

  • UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider forced to abandon Giro d’Italia

  • Vine to fly home after extent of 30-year-old’s injuries confirmed

Ill-starred Australian cycling star Jay Vine has suffered a broken elbow and concussion in his Giro d’Italia-ending crash – but his decimated UAE Team Emirates-XRG team have been left relieved his injuries weren’t even more serious.

The 30-year-old Vine, who suffered a third serious crash in just 13 days of racing in 2026 and has now endured a reported 23 spills in his brilliant but accident-filled five-year career, will not need surgery, the team revealed on Sunday.

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Lucas Herbert banks $5.5m and secures US Open spot after winning first LIV Golf title

  • Australian holds nerve in dramatic climax to event in Virginia

  • ‘I didn’t help myself,’ says Herbert after seeing final-round lead slashed

Australian golf star Lucas Herbert has held his nerve to claim his maiden LIV Golf League title and secure a priceless ticket to next month’s US Open in New York.

Herbert had a five-shot final-round lead slashed to one before regaining his composure to see off the challenge of Spanish great Sergio Garcia in a dramatic climax to LIV Golf Virginia.

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