Lakers star Luka Doncic breaks silence on hamstring injury

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Luka Dončić playing in a Lakers jersey with number 77 during a game against the Brooklyn Nets, Image 2 shows Luka Doncic in a yellow Lakers jersey dribbles past a Detroit Pistons player, Image 3 shows Luka Doncic, wearing a black shirt and a blue wristband, clenches his fist on the court

OKLAHOMA CITY — The last time the Lakers were in Oklahoma City, Luka Doncic’s regular season ended because of a Grade 2 left hamstring strain he suffered in the April 2 loss to the Thunder

More than a month later, Doncic reaffirmed his desire to return during the playoffs.  

When speaking with media on Wednesday morning, Lakers star Luka Doncic confirmed that he plans to return for the NBA playoffs. Getty Images

Doncic told reporters the update on Wednesday during a media availability in between Tuesday’s Game 1 loss to the Thunder and Thursday’s Game 2 of the best-of-seven second-round playoff series. 

“Obviously, this is a different injury than I ever had,” said Doncic, who was sidelined for four games in February because of a mild left hamstring injury. “It’s been [the] second time I [injured the hamstring this season]. So recovery has been a little longer. But I’m feeling good. Working every day, so I’m trying to come back.” 

Originally, the injury was expected to have a recovery timeline of four to six weeks, but Doncic said he was told eight weeks.

Thursday marks five weeks since the injury happened. Eight weeks from Doncic’s injury is May 28 — which is 10 days after a potential Game 7 of a Lakers-Thunder series.

Doncic started running on the injured hamstring, the next step in his return-to-play protocol.

“It’s very frustrating,” Doncic said. “I don’t think people understand how frustrating it is. All I wanna do is play basketball, especially this time. It’s the best time to play basketball. It’s very frustrating seeing what my team is doing. I’m very proud of them. It’s been very tough, too, just to sit and watch them play.”

Right after the injury happened, Doncic traveled to Spain for advanced treatment aimed at accelerating recovery. He received four PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injections.

“Everybody knows that Spain, they’re just one of the best countries to do that,” Doncic said. “And obviously, I talked with the Lakers’ doctors, so everybody agreed for me to go there. Obviously, I know and trust lots of people from Spain that I used to work before. But why I was in Spain so long is because I needed four days in between every shot. So I did it four times. So that’s why I stayed longer.”

When asked about the PRP injections potentially expediting his recovery, Doncic responded: “I’m just in the process, I’m working every day. I feel better every day. Like I said, in the beginning they say eight weeks. So we just go from there.”

Game 3 and Game 4 of the Lakers-Thunder series are scheduled Saturday and Monday at Crypto.com Arena.

Doncic didn’t have a concrete answer when asked if he’d try to ramp things up when the series shifts to Los Angeles.

“I’m just doing everything I can,” he said. “Every day I’m doing stuff I’m supposed to do. Obviously recovery, now I’m working. But like I said, doctor said eight weeks at the beginning of the first MRI. Just going day by day, and I feel better every day.”

Doncic had an incredible season before suffering the hamstring strain April 2. He became the second player in NBA history to score 600-plus points in March, alongside Michael Jordan. Over that period, he led the Lakers on a 16-2 run.

“We had an amazing month of March,” Doncic said. “The injury came in the worst moment probably for me. But I think other guys just stepped up really good. But it was very frustrating for me.” 

Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.
AP
Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.
AP
Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.
NBAE via Getty Images
Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.
NBAE via Getty Images
Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.
Getty Images
Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.
NBAE via Getty Images
Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.
NBAE via Getty Images
Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.
NBAE via Getty Images
Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.
Getty Images
Despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6), Doncic wasn’t named an MVP finalist.
Getty Images

Yet he wasn’t even an MVP finalist this season despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6).

It’s a tough break for Doncic, who came into training camp in arguably the best shape of his career. Motivated by the shocking trade that sent him to Hollywood from Dallas, he carried the Lakers to fourth place in the West after playing in 64 games and averaging 35.8 minutes per game.

Without Doncic, the Lakers shocked the Rockets in six games to advance to the Western Conference semifinals against the defending champions.

“Everybody had us out; everybody had us [losing in] five, six games, and we proved it,” Doncic said. “We can play. The way everybody stepped up is truly amazing to see. So hopefully they continue that.”

Despite limiting reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to 18 points and getting an incredible game from LeBron James, the Lakers suffered a 108-90 loss in Game 1.

“When you play against the world champions and [miss] having a guy that averages 34 [points] and eight [rebounds] and nine [assists] and is that special, that’s [tough],” James said regarding the Lakers missing Doncic.

With Doncic on his way back, the Lakers could return to full strength with James and Austin Reaves and have a legitimate chance at pulling off one of the biggest postseason upsets of the decade.


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“Obviously, we always want to have Luka out there,” Reaves said Sunday. “He’s one of the best players in the league, if not the best player. It’s definitely a different task. Everyone has to play differently to create and fill the void of the things he does for us.”

Fifa extends Gianluca Prestianni ban, ruling him out for World Cup games

Fifa confirmed a global ban Wednesday for Gianluca Prestianni that will rule the Benfica winger out of two World Cup games in the United States if he is selected in Argentina’s squad.

Uefa imposed a six-game ban – with three games deferred on probation – on Prestianni two weeks ago for his verbal abuse of Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward Vinícius Júnior in the Champions League. Prestianni covered his mouth with his jersey while using the insult.

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Guardians’ Fan Frustration with Bo Naylor is Peaking

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 01: Bo Naylor #23 of the Cleveland Guardians stands on second base after hitting an rbi double against the Athletics in the top of the seventh inning of a major league baseball game at Sutter Health Park on May 01, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Chances are if you are reading this article, you’re close to done with Bo Naylor. If you’re ok waiting longer and seeing if he can figure things out, welcome to the ranks of the few, the proud, the patient to a fault.

Here we are on May 6th and Bo Naylor has a 6 wRC+ and a 23.5/7.1 K/BB%. Among MLB players with 80 or more plate appearances this season, Bo and Ke’Bryan Hayes are the worst hitters so far. Interestingly, both Naylor and Hayes have expected weighted on-base averages of around .300 and actual weighted on-base averages of .180-.190. Hayes has a batting-average on balls in play of .123 and Bo is at .155. A wOBA of around .300 would be around 90 wRC+, which would be more than acceptable for a catcher in MLB (and for Hayes with his excellent defense, but this article isn’t about Ke’Bryan Hayes).

So, is Bo simply unlucky? Well… pretty much. Naylor has the lowest swinging-strike rate of his career, he is not going outside the zone more than his career norms, he has career highs in zone-contact rate and overall contact rate, and he’s running a career high barrel rate. His batted-ball date for groundballs, fly balls and line drives looks solid, also. I really hate to tell you this, guys, but Bo Naylor seems to be simply having one of the most unlucky starts to a season we’ve ever seen.

It’s obviously notable that pitchers on the Guardians do not seem to throw as well with Bo behind the plate. Guardians’ pitchers have an ERA of right around 4 with Bo and a 3.34 ERA with Austin Hedges. How much of that is Bo’s fault is virtually impossible to say. Bo is around average in blocking and pop-time, and in the 72nd percentile for framing. He’s not been good with catching would-be basestealers, but neither has Austin Hedges, so I’d tend to blame this on the pitchers and those coaching them on how to hold runners. Overall, Bo still looks like an average defender by the numbers, and, if the team has issues with his pitch-calling and/or receiving, it’ll be up to them to come to grips with that. They could always call pitches from the dugout as needed.

Of course, as luck would have it, the Guardians do have two catchers absolutely lighting up the statsheets as hitters in Triple-A Columbus. Kody Huff has a 140 wRC+ and an 18.9/11.1 K/BB% with a .333 BABIP. Cooper Ingle has a 246 wRC+ with a 19/33 K/BB% with a .480 BABIP. Recently, Guardians executive James Harris made it clear the team does not believe Ingle is not ready to play catcher at the major league level. When will that change – who can say? As for Huff, of course, there is no way to know that 140 wRC+ would translate at all to the majors. But, in general, Huff has a great defensive reputation. Does there a come a point where the Guardians just acknowledge that Bo is immensely snake-bit as a hitter and admit some frustrations with his pitch-calling and handling?

To be honest, I find that unlikely. I think until the time would come where Bo’s underlying metrics come more in line with his actual production, we are going to see him continue to get the lionshare of plate appearances to try to figure things out. And, while I am not opposed to getting a look at any player who is dominating in Triple-A, I think that patience is probably the right decision here.

Throw your tomatoes, folks. We are going to get more Bo for a while. Let’s all just hope he can start to right the ship – and hope the same for Steven Kwan, Jose Ramirez and Kyle Manzardo while we’re at it.

Astros Recall IF Shay Whitcomb with Carlos Correa Lost for Season

HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 18: Shay Whitcomb #14 of the Houston Astros rounds the bases after hitting a three run home run in the ninth inning during a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Daikin Park on April 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Astros Curse has now taken Carlos Correa for the season, further testing the depth of the organization.

Whitcomb was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land Monday when the team recalled C Cesar Salazar in light of an injury to starting C Yainer Diaz.

The injury to Correa allows the Astros to recall Whitcomb while bypassing the mandatory waiting period.

Whitcomb is batting .269 for the Space Cowboys with an .835 OPS. He has produced 4 HR, 10 RBI and 4 SB in 13 games and 52 AB for Sugar Land.

Whitcomb was sparsely used in his previous stint with the Astros this season. In 10 games, he 1 for 13 with a 3-run HR.

Five Mariners make Baseball America Top 100 prospects list

TULSA, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 19: Kade Anderson #32 of the Arkansas Travelers sits in the dugout during a game against the Tulsa Drillers at ONEOK Field on April 19, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images

With the latest Baseball America Top 100 prospect rankings dropping this morning, the Mariner farmhands were well represented up and down the list. Featuring five of the M’s top prospects, both Colt Emerson and Kade Anderson found themselves inside the top ten of all minor leaguers, with Emerson appearing at #4 and Anderson at #9. In fact, if prospects who have already made their major league debuts are removed from the list, those numbers improve to #3 and #6 respectively, with Konnor Griffin, Trey Yesavage, and Payton Tolle all on the cusp of graduation. It’s clear the industry is bullish on the 1-2 punch atop this system, and with their combination of talent and youth, it’s easy to see why.

Ryan Sloan, the Mariners #3 prospect by most outlets, appears on the list at #20, though his non-debuted rank would push him all the way up #12 overall. Sloan was challenged with an aggressive promotion to Double-A this season and has looked more human than many expected him to after a dominant spring, but still just 20 years old, his package of physicality, command, and stuff makes him one of the best pitching prospects in the game.

The final two M’s to make the list, both Lazaro Montes (#60) and Michael Arroyo (#87) are excelling in Double-A Arkansas and have looked good to begin this 2026 season. Montes, who’s off to an exceptionally hot start, is flaunting his tremendous power seemingly every game, and Arroyo, whose numbers aren’t entirely reflective of how he’s played thus far, is still commanding the strike zone well and is incredibly polished at the plate. Both are in line to compete for a big league promotion some time in the next calendar year.

All five prospects featured in the rankings play at the Double-A level or higher, a fantastic indicator for the overall health of this system. All of these players are well below the average age of their competitors, and they’ve been capable of holding their own despite their youth. There is a promising young core of Mariner talent biding their time in the minor leagues, and fans should be ecstatic about the future prospects of this ballclub. 

BREAKING: Carlos Correa Out for Season with Ankle Injury

Carlos Correa was scratched from last night’s game following an injury to his ankle in batting practice. As it turns out, that will be the last time that Correa is seen on the field this season in an Astros uniform. Correa suffered ligament damage in his ankle and will have surgery. According to reports, he will be out six to eight months following the surgery.

The Astros have called up Shay Whitcomb to take his place on the active roster. Presumably, this means that Isaac Paredes will become the everyday third baseman and Jeremy Pena will slot into the shortstop position when he returns from the injured list. The injury is another crushing blow in a season that has seen a number of things go wrong for the Astros.

In particular, this is a devasting injury for Correa as he had a good road trip and seemed to be settling in as the new leadoff hitter and team leader. Nick Allen took his place at shortstop last night and will continue to play there until Pena returns from the injured list. Reportedly, Pena is ready to begin a minor league rehab assignment this weekend.

As for the Astros, this takes a bit of wind out of their sails even though they are 4-4 in their last eight games. They will finish off with the Dodgers this evening and then begin a seven day road trip against the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers. Those seven games will go a long way in determining whether the Astros will remain in the hunt or fall further behind in the standings.

Avalanche's Brock Nelson Named Finalist For 2025-26 Selke Trophy

The NHL has revealed the finalists for the Frank J. Selke Trophy, and, alongside Anthony Cirelli (Lightning) and Nick Suzuki (Canadiens), Colorado Avalanche center Brock Nelson has been named the third finalist.

The Selke trophy is awarded “to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game." Like many other awards, this trophy is also voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The award has been in a carousel of amazing centers these past couple of seasons, from Aleksander Barkov to Patrice Bergeron and Anze Kopitar.

He helped lead the Avalanche penalty kill and defensive stats to some of the best stats the franchise has ever seen. League-low 197 goals against, penalty kill finishing at a league high 84.6% while only allowing 36 goals in 234 times short. The most penalty minutes played in his career on the penalty kill at 150:18, which is almost double his previous high during the 2019-20 season, which saw him log 107:17 minutes.

MacKinnon, Landeskog Power Avalanche Past Wild For 2-0 Series EdgeMacKinnon, Landeskog Power Avalanche Past Wild For 2-0 Series EdgeNathan MacKinnon led the charge with a goal and two assists as the Avalanche controlled Game 2 from start to finish, defeating the Wild 5–2 to take a commanding 2–0 series lead.

The advanced stats that really stood out the most are: the highest percentage of shifts started in the defensive zone at 16.4%, a career high in blocks with 65, the second-lowest amount of defensive zone giveaways at 15, the highest on-ice goal differential at 39, and the same with expected on-ice goal differential at 42.5.

Nelson has been involved in every aspect of the game this season with the Avalanche. Power play, penalty kill, 6-on-4 situations, you name it. No other player in Avalanche history has won the Selke trophy; the last to be a finalist was Joe Sakic back in 2000-01, when he finished second behind John Madden.

Inside The Trust Shift: How Jared Bednar Unlocked Martin Nečas In DenverInside The Trust Shift: How Jared Bednar Unlocked Martin Nečas In DenverA high-end offensive talent arrives in Denver, where Jared Bednar believes structure, trust, and buy-in have already turned Martin Nečas into a fully complete player.

Game #37 GameThread: Jays @ Rays

Apr 6, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; a general view of the stadium before a game between the Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Last of three in Tampa. If they light a match on the way out, I will not shed a tear.

I hate afternoon weekday games, it messes up the day.

There are some updates:

  • Addison will be addisoned to the roster Friday. They haven’t said who is going to leave the roster. I’m think Sosa but I don’t know.
  • The team got a new MRI on José Berríos and are ‘still thinking things through’.
  • Max Scherzer’s forearm ‘isn’t responding the way he hoped’. That’s age Max, nothing responds the way you hope.
  • Kirk is ‘on schedule’.

Today’s lineup:

Today’s Lineups

BLUE JAYSRAYS
George Springer – DHYandy Diaz – DH
Kazuma Okamoto – 3BRyan Vilade – RF
Vladimir Guerrero – 1BJunior Caminero – 3B
Lenyn Sosa – 2BJonathan Aranda – 1B
Ernie Clement – SSJonny DeLuca – CF
Davis Schneider – LFBen Williamson – 2B
Myles Straw – CFChandler Simpson – LF
Yohendrick Pinango – RFNick Fortes – C
Tyler Heineman – CTaylor Walls – SS
Patrick Corbin – LHPShane McClanahan – LHP

Go Jays Go. I could really use a win today.

Game Discussion for St. Louis Cardinals vs Milwaukee Brewers Wednesday

Mar 31, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Andre Pallante (53) pitches against the New York Mets during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals will try to wrap up their 3-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers Wednesday afternoon at Busch Stadium after game 2 was postponed due to weather. The Cardinals will send Andre Pallante to the mound while the Brewers starter looks to be Brandon Sproat who was scheduled to be the starter Tuesday night before the weather postponement. First pitch is scheduled for 12:15pm at Busch Stadium and the game will be broadcast on Cardinals.tv.

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Game Thread: The long road back

ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - MAY 01: Shane McClanahan #18 of the Tampa Bay Rays looks on during a game against the San Francisco Giants at Tropicana Field on May 01, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Go Rays!

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Canadiens’ Suzuki Finalist For Major Award

The NHL announced this afternoon that Montreal Canadiens’ captain Nick Suzuki was one of the three finalists for the Frank J. Selke Trophy, awarded “to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game”. The other two finalists are also centermen: Tampa Bay Lightning’s Anthony Cirelli and Colorado Avalanche’s Brock Nelson.

The nomination should come as no surprise to Canadiens’ fans, as Martin St-Louis regularly entrusts Suzuki and his line to face the opponent’s most productive forward and for key faceoffs. He was sixth in the NHL for faceoffs taken with 1,449, meaning he took 32.2% of all Canadiens’ draws. Only two players in the league took an equal or bigger percentage of their team’s faceoffs: Dylan Larkin ( 32.2%) and Nico Hischier (39.9%). On top of producing 106 points this past season, the 26-year-old, London, Ontario native, finished the season with a plus-37 rating.

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Averaging 20:49 of ice time, he played very little on the penalty kill this season, but that was due to St-Louis wanting to specialize his players, so to speak. The coach used Suzuki on his first power-play unit and, at times, on the second as well.

Cirelli, who the Canadiens faced in the first round of the playoffs, recorded a career-high in plus-minus rating at +38, took 1,075 faceoffs for the Bolts, and led all Lightning forwards in shorthanded ice time (186:51) on the third-best penalty kill in the league. This is his second consecutive season as a Selke finalist; he finished third last season behind Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart.

As for Nelson, it’s his first nomination, and he helped the Avalanche bring its goals-against total to just 197 goals, a reduction of 34 compared to the previous season. He logged 150:18 of shorthanded ice time, on the league’s best penalty killing unit with a 84.6% success rate. He took a team-leading total of 1,459 faceoffs and also led the Avalanche in faceoff wins with a 50.4% success rate.

All three candidates are deserving of the award, and it will be interesting to see who wins the Professional Hockey Writers Association’s poll. Suzuki is the third Canadiens player to be dominated for a Trophy this season after Cole Caufield for the Lady Bing and Ivan Demidov for the Calder. 


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Red Sox vs. Tigers prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for May 6

With Framber Valdez facing a potential suspension following last night’s beaning of Trevor Story the shorthanded Tigers (18-19) take on the Red Sox (15-21) tonight at Comerica Park. Boston has taken the first two games in this series including last night’s 10-3 pasting of Detroit. Ceddanne Rafaela was the catalyst for the Sox on offense homering and driving in four runs. Brayan Bello allowed one run over seven innings to secure his second win of the season. The story, though, was the poor performance by Valdez (10 runs, 7 earned over 3 innings) and his four-seam fastball (the first he had thrown all season) he put in the upper back of Story. A franchise that lost ace Tarik Skubal earlier in the week may well be without Valdez for a handful of games. Stay tuned.

Boston has outscored Detroit 15–7 in the first two games of this series. The Red Sox lineup seems to be awakening with Willson Contreras (5-10) and Wilyer Abreu (4-8) leading the way in this series. Detroit’s bats have been better overall this season than Boston’s scoring 20 more runs in their first 37 games. Rookie Kevin McGonigle has been consistent for the Tigers hitting .327 in April as a follow-up to a .333 average in March.

The Red Sox expect to activate Sonny Gray before the game and send him to the bump. He will be opposed by Jack Flaherty.

Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game Details and How to Watch: Red Sox vs. Tigers

  • Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2026
  • Time: 6:40PM EST
  • Site: Comerica Park
  • City: Detroit, MI
  • Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, NESN, Tigers.TV

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

The Latest Odds: Red Sox vs. Tigers

The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Boston Red Sox (-108), Detroit Tigers (-112)
  • Spread: Red Sox -1.5 (+144), Tigers +1.5 (-175)
  • Total: 8.5 runs

Probable Starting Pitchers: Red Sox vs. Tigers

Pitching matchup for May 6:

  • Red Sox: Sonny Gray
    Season Totals: 23 IP, 2-1, 4.30 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 13K, 5 BB
  • Tigers: Jack Flaherty
    Season Totals: 29 IP, 0-2, 5.90 ERA, 1.79 WHIP, 32K, 25 BB

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Red Sox vs. Tigers

  • Trevor Story has hit in 6 straight games (7-24)
  • Jarren Duran is 7-23 to open May
  • Kevin McGonigle is slumping for the first time in the major leagues going just 3-17 in May
  • Riley Greene has hit safely in 4 of his last 5 games (6-18)

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top Betting Trends & Insights: Red Sox vs. Tigers

  • The Tigers are 12-5 at home this season
  • The Red Sox are 9-11 on the road this season
  • The Tigers are 19-18 on the Run Line this season
  • The Red Sox are 12-24 on the Run Line this season
  • The OVER has cashed 18 times in Boston games this season (18-17-1)
  • The OVER has cashed 18 times in Tigers’ games this season (18-17-2)

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions: Red Sox vs. Tigers

Rotoworld Bet Best Bet

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Red Sox and the Tigers:

  • Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Red Sox on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Run Line
  • Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total OVER 8.5 runs

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The Lakers all agreed they made too many gameplan mistakes in Game 1 vs. Thunder

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 5: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Round Two Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 5, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Against a team as good as the Thunder, there is no margin for error. LeBron James discussed the attention to detail required for LA to have success against OKC before the series even began.

So, when LA played Game 1 and had 18 turnovers, that didn’t exactly put them in a position for success. The result went as expected: the Thunder beat the Lakers fairly easily.

After the loss, Lakers head coach JJ Redick mentioned how the process was good, but the execution was lacking.

“When we made gameplan mistakes, they hurt us,” Redick said. “I thought the Houston Game 5 was the most gameplan mistakes we made in a playoff game so far. We, obviously, lost that game. You’re playing the world champs. Your margin for error is not very high. You can make mistakes. Basketball is a game full of mistakes. There were just too many tonight. We got to clean that up.”

Despite the final score, the Lakers stayed within reach of the Thunder early on. It was an eight-point game at halftime, and midway through the third quarter they cut the lead to four. However, OKC requires 48 minutes of concentration. LA missed their next three shot attempts, Jaxson Hayes had a turnover and the Thunder went on a 6-0 run, bringing the lead back up to double figures.

“I just think we had some gameplan breakdowns,” LeBron said. “What we’ve been preparing, we had some breakdowns. They’re going to test you, obviously. They’re going to see how many times they can make you have gameplan breakdowns. We had a few, almost too many versus a team like this. We know what they’re capable of doing. They can go on a run where it’s like ‘We got them right here, it’s a two-possession game, three-possession game’ and then boom, it’s a double-digit lead. That’s what some of the great teams do. Can’t have compound mistakes.”

Minus LeBron, every other Laker has room for improvement. Jake LaRavia was struggling and gave the team nothing offensively. Austin Reaves had one of his worst games ever. He shot 3-16 from the field and had a team-high four turnovers.

Reaves is supposed to be the franchise guard, and that performance wasn’t even close to good enough.

“Just made a couple mental mistakes…If you watched [OKC] throughout the year, every time you make a couple mistakes in a row, they capitalize on those,” Reaves said.”

The good news is that this series is still very early. OKC did their job and won their home game. The Lakers want to steal one and that’s still on the table with Game 2 set for Thursday. For them to accomplish this, they’ll have to be better in every statistical category, and the last thing they need is self-inflicted errors.

“Those little mistakes are going to hurt,” Hachimura said. “We talked about it after the game. Those little stuff, they hurt us. This is the first game. Of course, we have more games but I think we have to communicate better on those mistakes. Especially after coming out of timeouts, those are going to be important positions for us so we have to lock in.”

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

Patrick Dumont’s new-found self awareness offers some hope for the future

The Mavericks introduced Masai Ujiri as their new president of basketball operations on Tuesday. He answered questions for about 45 minutes, where he spoke about his background, his time off from basketball, and his hope of turning Cooper Flagg into a king. But it wasn’t Ujiri who inspired the most hope in me on Tuesday. It was team governor Patrick Dumont. The last question he was asked revolved around what he learned about the NBA that would make this job better for Masai and ultimately make the Mavericks a better franchise:

“I think it has to do with communication and collaboration within the organization,” Dumont said. “That having the right leadership is key, but having those leaders work together with a common goal is what sets franchises apart. That, to me, is the big difference.”

His answer here means something. It was just 20 seconds at the end of a long presser, but the emphasis he put on communication and collaboration indicates a level of self-awareness that is important. Not even 15 months ago, he oversaw a deal that exemplified a lack of communication of the highest order. That cannot happen again. He lost a lot of fans the minute Shams tweeted out the trade that sent Luka Doncic to Los Angeles, and for those of us who have stuck it out, the acknowledgement that Dumont is the one who gave the go-ahead remains in the back of our minds. Even with the poster boy, Nico Harrison, long gone.

And this lingering concern will be a worry going forward. Dumont will still be the man who signs off on every trade, signing, hiring, and firing. The Mavericks have an unprecedented opportunity for redemption with Cooper Flagg, but Dumont is still the guy who called the NBA Finals the “championship games”, in addition to calling in the disastrous trade. So while hearing him say he wants better communication throughout the organization doesn’t release all of my stress, it does give me a smidge of reassurance that maybe things will be different this time around.

Rockets Alperen Sengun given undesirable distinction by NBA peers

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 29: Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets reacts after being called for a foul against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first quarter in Game Five of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on April 29, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun is continuing to catch strays during the offseason.

The Turkish All-Star just finished his fifth NBA season and the second in a row where the Rockets could not get out of the first round in the playoffs.

The Athletic conducted a league-wide survey asking players various questions about their peers. When asked who the most overrated player in the league is, Sengun received the most votes with 12.3 percent.

“He’s crying every play. He’s talented, but, dude, just play hard,” an anonymous player said.

Sengun, 23, average 20.4 points per game this season, which was a step up from the previous year, but it was not his career-high, which was set back in the 2023-24 campaign. However, he did make his second straight All-Star team.

Sengun’s season was up and down as he was trying to adapt to playing alongside Kevin Durant and find his way around all of that. All things considered, he did a decent jump weathering the storms throughout the year.

While he wasn’t perfect, he was the leader in many victories this season, including five where he scored 30 or more points.

Sengun still has a long way to go as a lot of his potential is untapped. Perhaps this diagnosis of being the league’s most overrated player will fuel him in his offseason preparations.

TDS community, what do you think of Sengun being named the most overrated player in the league? Let your thoughts be known in the comments section below.