Boston, MA - May 24: Boston Red Sox third baseman Nick Sogard throws to first base in the third inning. The Boston Red Sox played the Minnesota Twins at Fenway Park on May 24, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Well, the Sox are now dealing with an injured injury replacement. Nick Sogard, who has been with the Sox since Trevor Story went down with a hernia, is now experiencing some “side soreness” himself and has been placed on the 10-day IL. Coming east from Worcester to replace him is Anthony Seigler, who was acquired in the now-infamous Kyle Harrison-Caleb Durbin trade and who has been tearing it up in AAA to the tune of a .298/.425/.471 stat line with 3 homers. (Sean McAdam, MassLive)
And how is Trevor Story doing, anyway? He was back at Fenway yesterday, working on his, umm, walking, if the lede to this story is to believed. After undergoing surgery on the aforementioned hernia, he is expected to be out for 8-12 weeks. “It just kept getting worse, kept getting worse, and I couldn’t recover from it, and it was obviously affecting me on both sides of the ball,” he said. “You don’t get a trophy for going out there and just dragging your right leg with you and playing, so it was a situation where I felt like I needed to do it to be the best version of myself, and go out there and play the way I know how to.” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
As for Garrett Crochet, an MRI this week revealed that he has a “very low grade lat strain.” We don’t yet have a timeline for his return, but he will be permitted to begin throwing again as soon as he no longer feels any discomfort. (Christopher Smith, MassLive)
Thankfully, the pitching rotation has more or less held up during Crochet’s absence. There is, however, some concern about the amount of home runs Connelly Early is giving up, as he’s now allowed 11 in his last 9 starts. (Christopher Smith, MassLive)
Early gave up another bomb to Pete Alonso last night, as the Sox once again lost at Fenway. With a 9-20 home record, the Sox are the only big league team with fewer than 10 home wins and are off to their worst home start since 1932. (Khari A. Thompson, Boston.com)
Is there any particular reason for the poor home performance? Isiah Kiner-Falefa made some cryptic comments about unnamed groups of people being around the team too much at home, but others aren’t so sure. “I don’t know. I think baseball happens,” Wilyer Abreu said. “Right now, we can’t win games here, but we’re trying, we’re battling, we’re trying our best and working on trying to win here.” (Ian Browne, MLB.com)
While Connelly Early is starting to give up too many homers, Abreu is starting to hit too few. Abreu, who, along with Willson Contreras, has carried the Sox limp offense for much of the season, hasn’t made a trip around the bases since May 8 and has more strikeouts than hits over his last 16 games. (Tyler Maher, NESN.com)
Jun 2, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Detroit Tigers right fielder Wenceel Perez (46) celebrates with his teammates after hitting a two run home run in the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers (25-38) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (36-22)
Time/Place: 1:10 p.m., Tropicana Field SB Nation Site: DRaysBay Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Troy Melton (1-0, 1.42 ERA) vs. RHP Nick Martinez (5-1, 1.62 ERA)
The New York Knickerbockers are the hottest thing in pro sports and will have even more sizzle if they go all the way and win the NBA title.
No matter what happens, the Knicks are delivering pots of gold to the MSG coffers while making Garden owner Jim Dolan happier than a convention of larks warbling "Who's Sorry Now?"
Believe it or not Dolan's sometimes sunny disposition matters to the fair citizens of Rangerville who crave an ice winner like their MSG cousins on the hardwood floor.
Two things are going to happen as a result of the Knicks' bonanza:
THE GOOD THING: Dolan should figure: "Now that I got my Knicks on track; I should be able to put all of the Garden'$ resources behind the Blueshirts. And if Drury and Sullivan don't get me results, they go and I'll get the best replacements money can buy."
THE BAD THING: The Knicks have been enjoying a ton of positive headlines and should get a ton more going forward and next season as well. Dolan knows that the Rangers will sell out even with 20 skating cockroaches stickhandling in blue uniforms.
With that in his crafty mind, Jimmy might just decide not to waste his emotion and pride on his Blueshirts and allow them to lose their way into the NHL sunset.
However, The Maven is convinced that Dolan will do the Good Thing, knowing that it'll take a couple of seasons before the franchise is rebuilt.
Hey! Look how long it took for his basketeers to get good. Not exactly overnight. More like over-century!
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 10: Lawrence Butler #4 of the Athletics is showered with water by a teammate after Butler hit a walk off RBI single scoring Shea Langeliers #23 in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Sutter Health Park on September 10, 2025 in Sacramento, California. The Athletics won the game 6-5. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today’s grab bag of talking points comes after the A’s squeaked out a 2-1 win over the streaky Cubs. A good and important win, if frustrating because the A’s faced a flammable SP and had to eek out a victory by the seat of their pants. But they did so all is well for a day.
Lawrence Butler
What exactly is the A’s plan for how to deal with their recently extended RFer who just can’t it going in 2026? Carlos Cortes has emerged as the clearly superior choice to start in RF against RHP and so the A’s have taken the proper approach in a performance based industry and handed Cortes the job most every day.
Trouble is that has left Butler as a pinch hitter and defensive replacement languishing on the bench getting precious few at bats with a spotlight on him as a player so bad he can’t crack the lineup and isn’t getting the reps needed to prove otherwise or get in a rhythm.
While optioning Butler to AAA might be a blow to the ego, it’s arguable that so is a daily benching. Lately Butler has only gotten into the lineup as an occasional sub in CF for Henry Bolte, in which his defensive limitations are exposed while the bat produced all of a .135/.262/.154 line in May.
The status quo, where Butler sits on the bench most of the game most days except when he starts and plays a position he’s bad at, is helping who? It seems like the A’s need to go one of two distinct directions with Law: start him in RF at least half the time or option him to AAA for a reset. This “in between” limbo isn’t good for his confidence or development, nor for the team’s success.
9th Inning Drama
The A’s appear to be embracing the “closer by committee” approach, which is fine other than the fact that it almost never works. Last night, with a 1-run lead, Mark Kotsay turned to Scott Barlow who does have the most career saves of any A’s reliever. But those 61 saves were earned when Barlow was throwing 93-95 MPH and the 2026 version tosses sinkers at 89.4 MPH.
Barlow has done mostly a good job for the A’s, but a closer he isn’t. He has a 5.00 BB/9 IP rate and a very middling K rate (7.67/9 IP). His 3.00 ERA belies the underlying metrics that show a 3.63 xERA and a whopping 5.40 xFIP.
Last night Barlow was bailed out by lefty Hogan Harris, also a shaky choice to close out a game with his 22 BB (and 2 HBP) in 28 innings. Meanwhile, Jack Perkins, he of the 33 K and 7 BB in 28 IP, has been relegated to mop up duty lately, while Luis Medina, who has been scored upon in only 4 of 18 appearances, has been used sporadically with no discernible pattern.
Perkins and Medina are flawed in their own ways for sure, but what they bring to the table is “closer stuff”. For the A’s to putz around with guys like Barlow, Harris, and Mark Leiter Jr. trying to secure win in close games, is fraught with danger — as we saw last night when it did work out, barely. Not that Perkins has been above blowing a save, but the stuff plays. Barlow’s…not so much.
“Closer by committee” is better named “try to win with smoke and mirrors”. I don’t recommend it.
Infield Decisions Loom
Max Muncy is 3 games into a rehab assignment at AAA, while Jacob Wilson may go out on his rehab later this week. Those two represent the starting left side of the infield in April, since replaced by Zack Gelof and Darell Hernaiz, with the slick fielding Alika Williams taking over Hernaiz’ UTL infielder spot.
Wilson’s return will be simple: he will start at SS and presumably Hernaiz will return to the utility role at Williams’ expense. But Muncy’s return is more imminent and more complicated. Gelof has done a good job since taking over 3B, though it has also been an up and down ride.
Both offensively and defensively, Gelof started out strong, then had a bad stretch, and has since recovered to be strong again. Overall, here’s where Gelof’s numbers are in 44 big leagues games:
Batting: .261/.305/.430, 25.5% K rate, 102 wRC+ Defense at 3B: +4 DRS, -1 OAA
The question is whether Muncy represents an upgrade, an equivalent, or a downgrade as a 3Bman. Muncy has also had an up-and-down season at the plate prior to the injury — it’s unclear to what extent the injury played a part or to what extent his poor swing decisions caught up to him. His stats in 26 games before hitting the IL:
Batting: .239/.308/.402, 35.6% K rate, 95 wRC+ Defense at 3B: -4 DRS, -4 OAA
If anything is clear it’s that Gelof is the superior fielder, partly because by the metrics Muncy has been pretty awful. (Last season Muncy ran at an identical pace, with -4 DRS and -2 OAA in half the number of innings.) At the plate both are dangerous, inconsistent, and streaky.
Perhaps there is room for some sharing of the position with Muncy highlighted against LHP and Gelof getting plenty of starts against RHP. Another possibility is that Gelof could be the one to spell Bolte in CF sometimes, rather than Butler — a development that makes more sense if Butler is not on the bench, e.g., if Muncy’s activation coincides with optioning Butler.
History shows Muncy being handed the every day gig at 3B twice now despite not proving he can handle the position defensively nor hitting consistently. But this came at times when Gelof was either injured or at AAA. We’ll see what the A’s brass is thinking when Muncy’s rehab is completed — which should be in a matter of days.
Your thoughts on all of the above? Or some of the above? Share your thoughts…below.
Pete Crow-Armstrong is starting to heat up. Over the last week, he owns a 63.2% hard-hit rate and 26.3% barrel rate. While PCA has just one home run during that stretch, the underlying metrics are excellent, evidenced by a .772 expected slugging percentage. The Chicago Cubs outfielder has consistently punished mistakes and should like this matchup against Athletics left-hander Jeffrey Springs.
Springs has allowed 50% of his contact against left-handed hitters to come in the air this season, with 10% of those fly balls leaving the yard. The veteran has also been vulnerable recently, as 36.3% of the fly balls he's allowed across his last two starts have resulted in home runs.
That's a dangerous setup for Crow-Armstrong, who has consistently elevated the baseball lately, posting an average launch angle above 26 degrees over his last 30 plate appearances.
I'll play this pick up to +400.
Time: 8:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Marquee Sports Network, NBC Sports California
Home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (+525)
Kazuma Okamoto has emerged as the Toronto Blue Jays' premier power threat, launching 13 home runs this season. The Blue Jays slugger is locked in at the plate, posting a 27.3% barrel rate and .556 ISO over his last seven games. What's even more encouraging is the way he's generating that power, putting 50% of his contact in the air during that span.
That profile matches up well against Atlanta Braves starter Grant Holmes. Over his last two outings, Holmes has allowed a 52% hard-hit rate and 20% barrel rate, both indicators that opposing hitters are consistently making dangerous contact. He's also surrendered a 37.5% fly-ball rate during that stretch.
That's an appealing combination for a hitter like Okamoto, whose recent surge has been fueled by both elite quality of contact and consistent lift. If Holmes continues allowing elevated hard contact, Okamoto has a strong chance to capitalize.
I'll play this pick up to +450.
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: BravesVision, Sportsnet One
Home run pick: Freddie Freeman (+571)
Freddie Freeman has shown signs of finding his power stroke recently, putting 38.1% of his contact in the air over the last week while posting a37.5% HR/FB rate. While his 9.5% barrel rate is modest compared to some of baseball's elite sluggers, Freeman continues to generate the type of contact capable of leaving the yard.
The matchup is what stands out most. Zac Gallen has allowed a 44.1% hard-hit rate and 14.7% barrel rate across his last two starts, suggesting opposing hitters are consistently making dangerous contact. Freeman has also enjoyed some success against Gallen throughout his career, taking him deep twice in 29 at-bats.
If Gallen's recent contact issues persist, Freeman has a favorable opportunity to capitalize.
I'll play this pick up to +500.
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SportsNet LA, Dbacks.TV
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 8-51, -12.81 units
Today’s HR parlay
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Bet Now +24517
Kazuma Okamoto
Freddie Freeman
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - MAY 31: Jonathan Aranda #8 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates scoring against the Los Angeles Angels during the third inning of the baseball game at Tropicana Field on May 31, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The wait is over. The 2026 NBA Finals tip off tonight as the San Antonio Spurs host the New York Knicks in Game 1.
With tip-off set for 8:30 p.m. ET at Frost Bank Center and the Spurs listed as 5.5-point favorites, our Covers experts break down their favorite NBA picks and predictions for Wednesday, June 3.
The New York Knicks' burly point guard can also clean the glass and unlike the opening three rounds, Brunson faces a smaller San Antonio Spurs squad.
Beyond 7-foot skyscraper Victor Wembanyama and a few backup bigs, the Spurs’ main rotation doesn’t go beyond 6-foot-7, and that gives smaller guards a fighting chance on the boards (take Wemby out and San Antonio drops to an average height of 6-foot-6.1 – fourth shortest).
Brunson was an active rebounder in three meetings with San Antonio this season, snatching four rebounds in each of those outings while averaging more than seven rebounding chances per game.
Jason Logan's expert pick: Jalen Brunson Over 2.5 threes
Price: +135 at bet365
With Victor Wembanyama lurking in the key, the Knicks need to stretch a Spurs defense that doesn’t have much length beyond Wemby. That means smaller defenders and cleaner looks for Brunson.
Projections lean toward a trio of triples from Brunson, with an underdog game script giving Over 2.5 threes a shot in the arm at plus-money.
Douglas Farmer's expert pick: Victor Wembanyama Over 11.5 rebounds
Price: -125 at bet365
Amid relative offensive struggles in that second-round series, Victor Wembanyama still cleared this modest rebounding prop in four of the five games he played genuine minutes in. (Let’s just ignore his stats from Game 4, when Wembanyama was ejected after playing 12 minutes for an egregious elbow to Naz Reid’s throat.)
The only game in which Wembanyama fell short of this prop was the clinching Game 6, when the San Antonio Spurs led by 13 at halftime and 26 by the end of the third quarter. Even Wemby’s 27 minutes did not require full effort. Otherwise, Wembanyama ruled the glass, averaging 15.5 rebounds per game.
Douglas Farmer's expert pick: De'Aaron Fox Over 1.5 steals
Price: +160 at bet365
This is as much a bet on how often Jalen Brunson will handle the ball as it is on De’Aaron Fox’s quick hands. Fox should be Brunson’s primary defender more often than not — allowing Stephon Castle to match up with a bigger wing — and when facing such a ball-dominant point guard, the steal opportunities will be bountiful.
Fox cleared this prop twice in the final three games of the Western Conference Finals, again facing a ball-dominant guard in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Betting on Fox’s steals prop makes most sense early in the series — as is the case with any Spurs — as it may take a game or two for New York to adjust to this unique, Wembanyama-supported defense. San Antonio’s perimeter defenders can be aggressive, knowing the quality of rim protection awaiting behind them.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
RALEIGH, N.C. — Tomas Hertl joined the Vegas Golden Knights in a trade in March 2024 when they were defending champions, fortifying a group that had just won the Stanley Cup and expected to contend perennially with an elite forward in his prime.
He had just one point in the playoffs that spring, a first-round exit, then just five last year in a second-round loss. It was “here we go again” when Hertl languished in the final 20 games of the regular season without a goal, a stretch that reached 29 before he ended it against Anaheim on May 10.
That two-month drought now feels like ancient history, especially after Hertl was the hero in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, scoring the go-ahead goal with under four minutes left to beat Carolina and take the lead in the series. It’s his second winning goal in three games, and the scoring touch is back at just the right time for the Golden Knights.
“I haven’t coached him for long, and a lot of those games weren’t that good,” coach John Tortorella said. “I think he’s grown. He never stopped working. I thought there were some major struggles in his game, but he never stopped working at his game. It’s just great timing, just to try to balance our lineup. He has given us some very important minutes.”
Hertl will be counted on for more of those big minutes in Game 2 at the Hurricanes and beyond in the final. As one of the Vegas players who has not hoisted the Cup, he certainly was feeling the pressure when the puck wasn’t going in the net earlier this postseason and his ice time got reduced as a result.
“Obviously, it’s not easy because everybody’s looking at me,” Hertl said. “I watched YouTube videos of how I score, talk with family and stuff.”
A call from former San Jose teammate Joe Pavelski, who has scored 74 goals in 291 NHL playoff games, set him straight. They talked for a half-hour on May 9, Hertl scored the next night and then had a goal streak with two in a row.
“He’s still texting me, which I really appreciate it and obviously all the teammates always around me,” Hertl said.
Hertl’s goal in the Cup final opener was the fourth of the night scored by a player who hasn’t won the Cup. Carolina’s Nikolaj Ehlers scored the first two, and teammate Shayne Gostisbehere tied it in the third period with what would have sent the game to overtime if not for Hertl finishing a beautiful backhanded feed from Colton Sissons.
“I just tried to get open, and I don’t even say a word and he just make an incredible play,” Hertl said. ”I won’t say it was an easy shot, but I don’t think the goalie have time to move, so it was kind of open.”
The almost pained look of relief on Hertl’s face from the second round this time was pure, unfiltered joy for the 32-year-old from Czechia.
Hertl’s happiness was only matched and perhaps eclipsed by those of his teammates, who watched him go through the worst slump of his professional career. Now in his second final after losing with the Sharks in 2016, the way Hertl is playing makes Vegas look every bit like the winner it expects to be.
“Everyone goes through tough stretches,” original Golden Knights player Shea Theodore said. “His just kind of came at that bad time. He’s scored some really big goals for us here, and it’s great having him feel a little bit more and get that confidence.”
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 01: Jacob Young #30 of the Washington Nationals runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the second inning against the Miami Marlins at Nationals Park on June 01, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The first two games of this series have been a real bummer, but the Nats have a chance to salvage things this afternoon. They will look to avoid a sweep at the hands of a Marlins team that has given them all sorts of trouble. Hopefully the bats can wake up today.
Blake Butera is making a couple changes to the lineup. Dylan Crews will be all the way up in the 2 spot. James Wood will DH and Daylen Lile will be in left field. Luis Garcia Jr. will be in the 8 hole, while Nasim Nunez will be back in the lineup as the second baseman. Andrew Alvarez will get the start, but Brad Lord should be ready when needed.
The Marlins are going righty heavy with their lineup. Christopher Morel, Javier Sanoja, Esteury Ruiz and Connor Norby will be in the lineup after not appearing yesterday. Kyle Stowers and Joe Mack are the only left handed hitters in the lineup, which sets up well for Brad Lord. Max Meyer has been great for the Fish this year and will get the ball today.
A sweep to fall under .500 would be very demoralizing, which makes today a big game. The Nats go on a west coast trip after this, so they will want to have some good vibes heading on to that long flight. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!
After two productive seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL, star forward Matvei Michkov has been nominated to receive permanent recognition from his hometown of Perm back home in Russia.
As first shared on X by our good friend Uggg, Michkov, 21, has been nominated for the 2026 Stroganov Prize by the Perm community, awarded annually to the person who brings honor and glory to the Perm Krai region through their endeavors and achievements.
Michkov has been nominated by the Perm community for, of course, high achievement in sports. Here's what they had to say on Michkov's candidate page:
"Matvey Michkov – the only Perm hockey graduate who was selected in the first round of the NHL draft," the page read.
"The 2024/2025 season was Matvey Michkov’s triumphant debut in the NHL. Twice recognized as the best rookie of the month in the NHL and became the most productive Philadelphia rookie in the 21st century. In the 2025/2026 season, Matvey reached 73 (31+42) points in 100 games in the NHL – the best figure for Flyers rookies since 1995."
Two years into his NHL career, Michkov now sits at 114 points in 161 games for the Flyers, recording 20 goals and 51 points this past season despite its perception as a hugely disappointing campaign for the youngster.
That success, though, has made the 21-year-old a local icon, and it's a matter of when and not if he earns permanent recognition, be it through the Stroganov Prize or something else.
"Matvey Michkov today is the brightest representative of the younger generation of Russian sports on the world stage. He is a model for thousands of young athletes of the Kama region and a worthy successor to the traditions of famous Perm athletes," the Perm community concluded.
It speaks volumes about Michkov to be looked upon in this way, and it only further proves he belongs with the Flyers as a big piece of what the organization is building.
Young standouts like Michkov, Porter Martone, Denver Barkey, Jack Berglund, and Jett Luchanko have all led by example on and off the ice in different ways, and that makes the Flyers' future look that much brighter going forward.
RALEIGH, N.C. — Colton Sissons smiled widely and raved about how much fun it was to play in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.
He and the Vegas Golden Knights traded chances, goals, saves and counterpunches with the Carolina Hurricanes, getting the championship series off to a terrific start. Vegas won a high-scoring, entertaining 5-4 affair that usually would drive an old-school coach like John Tortorella crazy.
“I think he enjoyed it,” Sissons said. “Obviously the result.”
It was a game so good even Torts enjoyed it.
Game 1 had a little bit of everything, from Nikolaj Ehlers scoring 25 seconds in for the Hurricanes and lifting an already riled-up crowd to its feet to each goaltender making big saves to keep the puck out of the net. The only thing missing was the lockdown defense that got these teams to this point, but that only made for a more exciting opener.
“Both teams played good defense for certain minutes, other times not,” Tortorella said. “You just never know what’s going to happen.”
The goals
What happened was a lot of scoring from two of the best defensive teams in the playoffs. It was the first Cup final game in history with a goal in the first 30 seconds of each of the first two periods.
Ehlers scored his first off the rush and second on a breakaway. The two-goal lead lasted all of 80 seconds before Shea Theodore scored, and Ivan Barbashev and William Karlsson put Vegas ahead, rallying from another deficit.
“It was great from our group to kind of battle back,” Theodore said.
Jordan Staal scoring his first goal at this stage of the playoffs since 2009 and breaking older brother Eric’s record for the longest gap between Cup final goals brought the crowd back to life. So did Shayne Gostisbehere tying it with under nine minutes left in regulation.
With time ticking closer to overtime, the Golden Knights made one more highlight-reel play in a night full of them. Sissons’ backhand pass set up Tomas Hertl — who also had a rough go the first couple of rounds — for the go-ahead goal with 3:34 left in regulation.
The saves
Long before Sissons and Hertl teamed up on the winner, each guy was denied on a Grade-A scoring chance by Carolina’s Frederik Andersen. At the other end of the rink, Carter Hart made some 10-bell saves of his own.
Logan Stankoven got in all alone on a breakaway in the first with a chance to break the game open.
“That could’ve been a dagger,” Sissons said.
Instead, Hart made that save and kept Vegas in the game throughout. His best came with under four minutes left and the score tied, flashing his glove to rob Seth Jarvis, Carolina’s top-line right wing whose snakebit struggle of a run continued.
“He gives us so much confidence,” Sissons said. “When we needed him most, he was there.”
The drama
The start of the Cup final quickly got the NHL past a lackluster third round, when Vegas swept Colorado in the West and Carolina bounced back from a rough start against Montreal, winning four in a row to blow through the East final roadblock that had been an issue for so long.
Fans were buzzing from pregame warmups, and the two teams put on a show worth the hefty price of admission.
“I thought it was a great game from both sides,” Theodore said. “That’s a loud building to play in front of.”
After a ton of excitement between two hockey powerhouses, viewers can only hope for six more games just like this one.
It was an apparent taunt toward Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart, who, along with four others, was part of the high-profile Hockey Canada sexual assault trial in London, Ontario. All were found not guilty by a judge.
Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton were charged with one count of sexual assault. McLeod faced a second charge of being party to the offense.
All five were in London, Ontario in June 2018 for a Hockey Canada gala celebrating their gold medal in the world junior championships. Police charged them in February 2024 with sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel room after meeting her in a bar. Hart was the only player who testified at the 2025 trial.
After a mistrial and the dismissal of a second jury, Justice Maria Carroccia said she would render a verdict in the case.
"I cannot rely upon the evidence of (the accuser) and then considering the evidence in this trial as a whole, I conclude that the Crown cannot meet its onus on any of the counts before me," Carroccia said before pronouncing all five not guilty on July 24, 2025.
NHL response and Hart's return to the league
The NHL said it found the allegations "disturbing" and players were ineligible to return while it reviewed the judge's ruling.
In September, the NHL cleared a path for a return, noting each player "expressed regret and remorse for his actions."
The league said players could sign on Oct. 15 and play on Dec. 1. Hart signed with the Golden Knights on Oct. 16.
Carter Hart's time with the Golden Knights
After signing with the Golden Knights, Hart told reporters he had learned a lot during his time away from the game and that he would only take hockey questions afterward.
He played his first game Dec. 2, a shootout win, and was hurt on Jan. 8. He missed nearly two months, but he returned on April 2, which – along with a coaching change to John Tortorella – helped Vegas makes the playoffs.
Hart helped the Golden Knights win three rounds, including a sweep of the No. 1 overall Colorado Avalanche. Vegas is in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since winning the 2023 title.
Carter Hart at the Stanley Cup Final
The Athletic asked Hart at Stanley Cup Final media day to follow up on his October comment about what he learned.
"I’ve learned a lot," Hart said. "I’ve grown a lot since then. And I’ve been able to meet a lot of good people in the community, and I think the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation has done a really good job of making it easy for me to integrate into the community and meet a lot of cool people and just really fortunate to be here in Vegas.
"And it’s a great culture of people, and like I said, I met a lot of cool people, and I’m just very fortunate to be here in Las Vegas and with this group."
General manager Kelly McCrimmon addressed Hart's signing during a news conference the same day.
"We went through a lengthy process of due diligence with Carter," McCrimmon said, per the Athletic. "Carter is a really good person. He’s ingrained himself in our community. He’s a player that I’ve known a long time, long prior to him becoming an NHL player. Playing very well. Obviously a big part of how our team is at this point that we’re at today, and he’s fit in seamlessly with his teammates."
After a difficult month of May, Erick Fedde takes the mound looking to give the White Sox a much-needed quality start in the series finale against Minnesota. | (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The White Sox limp into the finale of this three-game set looking to avoid a sweep before finally getting a much-needed off-day. The timing couldn’t be better, because after Minnesota, the schedule turns downright cruel. Chicago’s next 12 games come against the Phillies, Braves, Dodgers, and Yankees. Every one of those clubs is above .500, and Atlanta currently owns the best record in baseball.
Oddly enough, offense hasn’t been the biggest problem this week. Even without Munetaka Murakami in the lineup, the Sox have shown they can still score enough runs to compete. The pitching staff, however, has been another story. David Sandlin was knocked around in Monday’s opener, and Davis Martin endured his roughest outing of the season in Tuesday night’s loss. That leaves Erick Fedde with the task of stopping the skid.
Which version of Fedde shows up will go a long way toward deciding this game. The veteran righthander enters at 0-5 with a 5.40 ERA, but those numbers hide two very different seasons. In April, Fedde looked like a reliable mid-rotation arm, posting a 2.86 ERA and 0.99 WHIP while consistently giving at least five innings. May, on the other hand, was a disaster. He reached five innings only once, was tagged for a 9.00 ERA, and opponents hit .360 against him. With Noah Schultz expected back at some point, Fedde needs to start showing signs of life, or he may find himself on the waiver wire.
The Twins counter with righthander Taj Bradley, who has rebounded nicely after a rocky finish to last season following his arrival from Tampa Bay in the Griffin Jax trade. Bradley is 5-1 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.21 WHIP, though he is coming off his shortest outing of the year after allowing four runs in four innings against Pittsburgh last week. Bradley attacks hitters with a power four-seamer that sits 96-97 mph, along with a cutter, splitter, and curveball. The White Sox would be wise not to go hunting that fastball. Bradley’s breaking-ball metrics are far less impressive than his fastball numbers, so the recipe is simple: stay disciplined, don’t chase, force deep counts, take the walks when they’re there, and make him throw secondary pitches in the strike zone. When the Sox get a mistake, they need to elevate it.
The lineup reflects that approach. Sam Antonacci gets another shot atop the order after continuing to provide quality at-bats and speed on the bases. Miguel Vargas remains one of the club’s hottest hitters and will bat second, while Andrew Benintendi slides into the DH spot. Colson Montgomery hits cleanup, and Chase Meidroth’s on-base ability will be important against a strikeout pitcher like Bradley, while Jacob Gonzalez, Tristan Peters, Drew Romo, and Rikuu Nishida round out a lineup that will need patience as much as power this afternoon.
For Minnesota, Byron Buxton and Brooks Lee headline a lineup that has already done plenty of damage in this series. The Twins have scored 15 runs over the first two games and will be looking to keep the pressure on Chicago’s pitching staff, searching for answers.
One more game before the off day. The Sox would like nothing more than to head home to face Atlanta with a win and avoid carrying a sweep into what may be the toughest stretch of their season.
First pitch is set for 12:40 p.m. CT on CHSN, with radio coverage on ESPN 1000.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 23: TJ Rumfield #7 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the eighth inning at Chase Field on May 23, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Diamondbacks won 5-4. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Rockies’ rookie first baseman, TJ Rumfield, was honored on Wednesday morning as Major League Baseball named him the National League Rookie of the Month for May. He’s the eighth Colorado player to win the award since its inception in 2001, and the first since Nolan Jones in September 2023.
Rumfield, 26, slashed .310/.400/.483 with an .883 OPS and a 139 wRC+ while swatting four home runs and collecting 12 RBI, leading all qualified NL rookies in nearly every category.
In 25 games last month, Rumfield failed to collect a hit in just six games. He had six multi-hit games, including four three-hit games. His power stroke arrived early in the month, with three home runs through his first 10 games, but tapered off as the month progressed.
His vision at the plate was on full display as he led the Rockies with 10 walks during the month while also striking out just 14 times in 100 plate appearances. Rumfield had only two games in which he struck out more than once.
Rumfield is now batting .286/.361/.456 on the season with eight home runs and 30 RBI over 59 games and is already off to a strong start to protect his title in June.
CHICAGO — Athletics manager Mark Kotsay is looking at his options for his rotation after Luis Severino was sidelined by a strained right shoulder.
The A’s brought up right-handers Kade Morris and Mason Barnett from Triple-A Las Vegas before a 2-1 victory at the Chicago Cubs. Right-hander Michael Kelly and left-hander Jacob Lopez were sent down, and right-hander Brooks Kriske was transferred to the 60-day injured list.
Morris, one of the team’s top pitching prospects, is looking to make his major league debut. Barnett pitched two scoreless innings for the A’s on April 19 against the Chicago White Sox.
“We’ve worn the bullpen down a little bit,” Kotsay said. “But they’ll provide some length right now and we’ll make a decision, you know, which one of them gets an opportunity going forward to fulfill one of the vacancies in our rotation right now.”
Severino, 32, was placed on the 15-day injured list after he pitched one inning in an 8-2 loss to the New York Yankees. Kotsay said Severino will be out for “a minimum four to six weeks at least and if not more.”
The A’s also are playing without right-hander Aaron Civale, who went on the 15-day IL because of shoulder tendinitis. Gage Jump was brought up from Las Vegas, and the left-hander pitched seven solid innings against the Cubs for his first career win in his second major league start.
“Tonight, you know, they just put swings on the ball and missed the barrel,” the 23-year-old Jump said. “The fastball was good, but I got to be able to land the breaking balls when I need them. That’ll bring more swing and miss, and that’s what I need right now. But I’ll take going deep in games.”
Lopez started a 13-8 loss to the Yankees, surrendering seven runs in two-plus innings. The left-hander is 4-3 with a 6.75 ERA in 10 starts and two relief appearances for the A’s this year.
Following their series against the Cubs, the A’s begin a weekend set at Houston. Their next off day is on June 11.
Morris, a third-round pick in the 2023 amateur draft out of the University of Nevada, was acquired in a July 2024 trade with the New York Mets for Paul Blackburn. Morris went 5-3 with a 4.45 ERA in 11 starts for Las Vegas before his promotion.
“I think he’s throwing the ball well,” Kotsay said. “He’s a pitcher that pitches with a lot of emotion. I’m sure when he steps on that mound for the first time, there’s going to be a lot of energy, a lot of excitement. ... The Triple-A season has gone pretty well for him. He has been performing at a pretty good clip.”
While the A’s are dealing with some injuries in their rotation, All-Star shortstop Jacob Wilson is making his way back from a left shoulder injury. He is with the team in Chicago and could begin a minor league rehab assignment this weekend.
“Obviously, Jacob feels good about where he’s at right now,” Kotsay said. “You know, this will be a couple days of pretty good work here, pregame.”
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Kazuma Okamoto
Freddie Freeman
Jalen Brunson Over 2.5 rebounds
Victor Wembanyama Over 11.5 rebounds
