PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 30: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics dribbles the ball during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Update, 6:45 p.m.: Paul George (illness) is officially available.
Update, 5:45 p.m.: Jayson Tatum is now listed OUT for the Celtics vs. the Sixers for Game 7 in Boston.
Paul George, who celebrates his 36th birthday today, was added to the injury report, but he’s considered probable with an illness. Joel Embiid is also listed as probable.
Nick Nurse: Paul George woke up this morning “not feeling well.”
Game 7 between Philadelphia and Boston is currently hours away and as everyone waits with bated breath for what could be a historic contest, a new wrinkle has emerged in the buildup to the game.
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum has been downgraded to questionable for Game 7 tonight as he deals with knee stiffness.
For once, it isn’t the Sixers with a surprise change to the injury report, as Boston Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum has been downgraded to questionable with knee stiffness. Tatum had left the second half of Game 6 with a calf issue, but then was not listed on the original Game 7 injury report. This late change involving the six-time NBA All-Star is certainly a concerning development if you’re a Boston supporter.
Notably, Tatum tore his Achilles in his right foot in the Eastern Conference semifinals last May. He returned to the court for Boston in early March, a ten-month absence that ranked among the fastest returns from that injury in history. He averaged 37.8 minutes per across the first five games of this series, before leaving early and logging 29 minutes in Game 6. We can’t make a direct connection between this current issue and the prior Achilles injury (guys can pick up knocks at any time obviously), but given the reinjury risk associated with that injury, you’d expect the Celtics to operate with an abundance of caution.
You hate to see injuries for anyone, but obviously Tatum’s absence would hugely benefit the Sixers from a competitive standpoint with the season on the line. We’ll await further updates in these final remaining hours to tipoff.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 26: Carmen Mlodzinski #50 of the Pittsburgh Pirates before the pitch in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on April 26, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pitching Matchup: Rhett Lowder (3-1, 3.18 ERA) vs. Carmen Mlodzinski (1-2, 4.13 ERA)
The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home hosting the Cincinnati Reds this afternoon at beautiful PNC Park looking for a win.
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May 1, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; The Philadelphia Phillies celebrate their win against the Miami Marlins following the game at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
In the few weeks that have passed since the Vancouver Canucks fired General Manager Patrik Allvin, a sea of names have popped up in various reports on who could be next in line for the role. From Jim Rutherford’s initial ringing endorsement of Assistant General Manager Ryan Johnson, to newer names like Brett Peterson and Evan Gold, here is a list of 10 names mentioned in reports surrounding the Canucks’ GM search.
Ryan Johnson, Canucks AGM & Abbotsford Canucks GM
Johnson has been with the Canucks organization since the 2013–14 season, first acting as a Development Coach before stepping into management in 2017–18 with then AHL-affiliate Utica Comets. In 2022–23, his role with Vancouver shifted from Director of Player Development to Special Assistant to the GM, before evolving to Assistant GM in 2024–25.
Kevyn Adams, Buffalo Sabres GM (Former)
Adams was fired by the Sabres in December of 2025, ending a tenure with the organization that had lasted since the 2009–10 season. During his time with Buffalo, Adams served as a:
Development Coach (2009–10 to 2010–11),
Assistant Coach (2011–12 to 2012–13),
Director (2013–14 to 2018–19),
Youth Hockey Supervisor (2013–14 to 2018–19),
Vice President (2019–20),
And General Manager (2020–21 to 2025–26).
Vancouver required permission to interview Adams due to the fact that the former GM is still under contract with the Sabres.
Ryan Bowness, New York Islanders AGM
Son of former Canucks Assistant Coach Rick Bowness, Ryan, currently the Islanders’ Assistant General Manager and Director of Player Personnel, has been in scouting and management roles at the NHL level since 2009–10. From 2009–10 to 2012–13, he acted as the Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets’ Team Manager, before transitioning into a pro scout. His tenure with the Jets organization ended when he joined the Pittsburgh Penguins in a pro-scouting role in 2016–17, where he was ultimately elevated to Director of Pro Scouting in 2019–20. Bowness then joined the Ottawa Senators organization as an Assistant General Manager and General Manager of the Belleville Senators of the AHL (2022–23 to 2024–25) before joining the Islanders.
Shane Doan, Toronto Maple Leafs’ Special Assistant To The GM
While not necessarily confirmed to be considered for the GM role, reports circulated that Vancouver had requested permission to interview Doan, a former NHL veteran with 20+ years of experience. After 13 years of captaining the Arizona Coyotes, Doan began his management career as an owner of the Kamloops Blazers before adding on team consultant and general manager work for Team Canada (2018–19 to 2022–23). He joined the Maple Leafs as Special Assistant to the GM in 2023–24 and has occupied this role since.
Bill Scott, Edmonton Oilers AGM
Scott, who has been with the Oilers organization since the 2010–11 season, was reported to be having a Zoom interview with the Canucks sometime this week. Throughout this span of time, he has served as:
The Oilers’ former AHL-affiliate, the Oklahoma City Barons, General Manager (2010–11 to 2013–14),
Edmonton’s Assistant General Manager (2014–15 to 2015–16, 2022–23 to current),
The Bakersfield Condors’ General Manager (2015–16 to 2017–18),
And Director of Hockey Operations with an emphasis on salary cap management as Director (2016–17 to 2021–22).
Brett Peterson, Florida Panthers AGM
Peterson is one of the newer names added to the list of potential Canucks General Manager candidates, with his name being floated through reports on Wednesday. The Panthers Assistant General Manager has held his current role since the 2020–21 season, also taking on roles with Team USA at the IIHF World Championships since 2023–24. He’ll serve as Team USA’s General Manager for the 2025–26 World Championship for the second time in his career after acting as Assistant GM in 2024–25.
Evan Gold, Boston Bruins AGM & Providence Bruins GM
While also mentioned in the Canucks’ GM search, reports have also indicated that Gold could be a finalist for the open General Manager role for the Maple Leafs. Gold has spent his entire NHL management career with the Bruins, acting as Director of Hockey Operations (2015–16 to 2018–19) before transitioning to Assistant General Manager in 2019–20. He also added General Manager of the Providence Bruins to his résumé in 2023–24.
Pascall has been a member of the Flames’ management team since the 2014–15 season, working as an Assistant General Manager for all 11 seasons. He has also served as the Flames AHL-affiliate’s General Manager — with the Stockton Heat from 2015–16 to 2016–17 and in 2021–22, as well as the Wranglers from 2022–23 to now. Pascall has also taken on various General Manager and Assistant General Manager roles with Team Canada at the Spengler Cup (2012–13, 2013–14, 2023–24, 2024–25), World Championships (1998–99, 2013–14), and U20 (2007–08) and U18 (2008–09, 2009–10) World Junior Championships.
Jeff Tambellini, Tampa Bay Lightning AGM & Syracuse Crunch GM
The 2025–26 season was Tambellini’s first time acting as an Assistant General Manager for an NHL team, though he has previous experience in the role at different levels. The former Canuck served as the Trail Smoke Eaters’ GM and Head Coach in 2018–19 and 2019–20, before ultimately joining the Lightning as a college scout. He was the Seattle Kraken’s Director of Player Development from 2022–23 to 2024–25, as he went back to Tampa Bay for the 2025–26 season.
Jamie Langenbrunner, Boston Bruins AGM
Like fellow candidate Gold, Langenbrunner has spent the entirety of his NHL management career with the Bruins. He joined the organization as a Development Coach in 2015–16 before being elevated to Director of Player Development in 2019–20. In 2022–23, Langenbrunner once again saw his role change, as he became an Assistant General Manager for the Bruins and has stayed in this role since.
Other names involved in speculation include former Canucks Vice President of Hockey Operations and AGM Laurence Gilman, former Montréal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin, and Buffalo Sabres Director of Analytics Sam Ventura. Former Canucks such as Markus Näslund and Roberto Luongo have also had their names circulate through rumours. As per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, former candidates Patrick Burke, Ray Whitney, and Ryan Martin have been dismissed in the hiring process.
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BOSTON, MA - APRIL 21: Connelly Early #71 of the Boston Red Sox pitches against the New York Yankees during the game at Fenway Park on April 21, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In his four career starts at Fenway Park, Connelly Early has gotten a grand total four runs of support from his teammates. The Red Sox have lost those games by scores of 2-1, 2-1, 3-2, and 4-0.
As bad as that is though, I regret to inform you that the Red Sox have been shut out each of the last three times I’ve been on game wrap duty (they haven’t scored a run on a Tuesday since April 7th).
In other words, for all our sakes, it sure would be nice if the bats would wake up from their slumber today.
In order to do that, they’ll have to get to Spencer Arrighetti, who is on the mound for the Astros. Arrighetti has been strong this year with a 2.00 ERA in three starts, but his career ERA paints a much less intimidating picture at 4.45. If the offense can get to him and help power the team to a win, the first Sox sweep of the year is a real possibility as the Astros still have not announced a starter for tomorrow and Boston has Ranger Suarez ready to go.
Lineup wise, Jarren Duran is back at leadoff after his three-run homer last night, and Masataka Yoshida starts on the bench for the fifth time in Chad Tracy’s first six games as manager.
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum is listed as questionable for Game 7 Saturday, May 2, against the Philadelphia 76ers. The team announced the forward’s downgraded status Saturday afternoon after he developed what the team said is "left knee stiffness" which forced him to leave Game 6 with about four minutes left in the third quarter.
Tatum, 28, is a game-time decision for the winner-take-all game at the TD Garden, per the team.
Tatum had been seen with an ice pack on his left calf, and reporters on the scene described it as a calf issue.
He was in the hallway working on the stationary bike during Thursday night’s game, but eventually just headed into the locker room and did not return as the Celtic s fell 106-93. That loss allowed Philadelphia to erase a 3-1 series deficit and force the win-or-go-home game on Saturday.
Tatum downplayed the injury after Thursday night’s loss.
"My leg was just a little stiff when I came out," he said after the game. "It was my other leg. Not the one I injured last year. I wasn’t overly concerned."
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla was direct on Friday, telling reporters: "He’ll play."
There are some reasons to be concerned about it.
Tatum missed the first 62 games of this season, recovering from a torn right Achilles suffered in the 2025 playoffs. While Saturday’s issue involves the left knee, the opposite leg, there is speculation that it may have been caused by Tatum trying to physically compensate for the Achilles injury.
Before leaving Game 6, Tatum was averaging 23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 6.8 assists in the series while shooting 47.5 percent from the field. Boston is a plus-28 in his minutes this series.
If Tatum cannot play, Baylor Scheierman or Jordan Walsh would likely start in his place with Payton Pritchard, Boston’s third-leading scorer this season, also a candidate to move into the starting lineup.
The Celtics led the series 3-1 before Philadelphia won back-to-back games to force Game 7, which tips off at 7:30 p.m. on NBC and Peacock
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 30: Shea Langeliers #23 of the Athletics hits a double that scored a run against the Kansas City Royals in the second inning at Sutter Health Park on April 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last night wasn’t fun, but the Athletics have a chance to flip the script this afternoon in Game 2 of this weekend series against the Cleveland Guardians. The A’s are still in first place even after last night’s loss but we got the Mariners hot on our heels so let’s keep them at bay with a win today.
Before we get to the game info, the A’s made a minor roster move this morning, recalling right-hander Luis Morales from Triple-A while optioning lefty Brady Basso back to Las Vegas:
Adding Morales at this juncture is a bit of an interesting move. The former top pitching prospect has struggled all year long, first in two starts for the big league team and then in three for the Aviators. Walks have been a major problem for the young arm and it doesn’t seem like he’s figured it out while in the minors. The team doesn’t have an official starter listed for Tuesday’s game in Philadelphia so it’s possible the team wants to give him another chance against big league hitters. Meanwhile Basso will return to Triple-A after a tough outing last night that essentially lost the game for the A’s. He’ll be back whenever the A’s need a fresh, left-handed arm for their bullpen.
Anyway, back to the contest at hand. Going for the A’s on the pitching side of things will be lefty Jacob Lopez. He’s in serious need of a quality outing this afternoon as he’s currently one of the weak links in the starting five. His 5.84 ERA isn’t pretty to look at and the team just recalled Morales from Triple-A. It’s now May and the A’s are in first place so the team can’t afford to keep going this route if he can’t straighten things out.
The A’s starting lineup this afternoon looks like this:
The A’s are going back to their usual top of the starting lineup. Nick Kurtz is back in the leadoff spot followed by Langeliers, Soderstrom, and Rooker. Outfielder Carlos Cortes is back in there behind Rook after getting the day off yesterday against a southpaw. Jacob Wilson and Jeff McNeil form the tag team up the middle and in the lineup while Lawrence Butler is in center field and Darell Hernaiz rounds things out manning the hot corner.
Those hitters are set to go up against Cleveland right-hander Slade Cecconi. Now in his fourth season and second in Cleveland, Cecconi has been very up and down so far this year. He’s been hit harder more often than not and carries a bloated 6.23 ERA into today’s contest. We may be in store for a high-scoring affair in today’s game.
Barça will be champions if Real fail to win on Sunday
Bayern draw with Heidenheim; PSG denied by Lorient
Barcelona could secure the La Liga title on Sunday after Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres struck late in a 2-1 victory at Osasuna. With four games remaining, Barça top the table on 88 points, 14 clear of second-placed Real Madrid, who have a game in hand and visit Espanyol on Sunday. Should Madrid fail to win, Barcelona will be confirmed champions for the second successive season.
Barça broke through in the 81st minute when Marcus Rashford crossed from the right and Lewandowski rose to head in. Five minutes later Fermín López slipped Torres clear and he finished low past Sergio Herrera. Raúl García pulled back a goal from close range two minutes later, but it was too little to late for Osasuna, who remain 10th on 42 points.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 30: Bryce Elder #55 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the first inning during the game against the Detroit Tigers at Truist Park on April 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Baseball is often referred to as a game of failure. Perhaps nowhere is that statement more on display than in the life of a major league pitcher, whose fate hangs on every pitch.
Pitch by pitch, batter by batter, inning by inning, game by game — a pitcher benefits from preparation, execution and the ability to wipe the slate clean when results stray from intended or expected outcomes.
It requires perseverance. That is something Bryce Elder personifies.
From All-Star to also-ran and seemingly back again, Elder’s time with the Atlanta Braves has been a roller coaster. But the right-hander’s unflappable demeanor helped him weather the storm and make adjustments that are paying off at the best possible time for his team.
Over the first five weeks of the season, all Elder is doing is running with the opportunity to start every fifth day, compiling a 1.88 ERA that ranks second in the National League heading into the weekend.
After two seasons of bouncing between Atlanta and Triple-A Gwinnett, Elder emerged from his prolonged struggles as a better version of himself. This is the kind of thing that can only be found by going directly into and through the storm.
“Something that I’ve always understood is being healthy, you’re going to get the chance,” Elder said. “If you’re good enough and healthy, you’re going to get the chance. I try to handle my business correctly to keep me out there. It’s a weird game, the more time you spend out there. It’s not always going to go well, but the more things you learn as long as you’re paying attention.”
Elder entered his fifth major league season with a somewhat tenuous hold on a spot in the rotation, once again underscoring that the best ability may very well be availability. Last year, he led the Atlanta staff with 28 starts and 156 1/3 innings, but 2026 marked the first time Elder cracked the Braves’ opening day roster.
Strong pitching is a major factor in Atlanta’s early season success. Considering the injury news that filtered out of Spring Training almost immediately, it may qualify as the most surprising aspect of the Braves’ incredible 23-10 start.
Elder is a key performer on a surprisingly productive Atlanta pitching staff that owns a 3.17 ERA, the second best mark in Major League Baseball behind the New York Yankees’ 3.05 ERA.
While you might expect to see Chris Sale fronting the rotation and posting his requisite numbers, Elder’s inclusion in the starting five came only after Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep all began the season on the injured list.
Despite those circumstances, Elder and the Braves both believed the righty tapped into something down the stretch last year. After pitching to a 6.11 ERA in his first 21 starts and 111 2/3 innings, Elder finished with a 2.82 ERA over his final seven starts and 44 2/3 innings.
Rather than trying to avoid bats and live almost exclusively in the margins of the strike zone, Elder started approaching his opponents much more directly. As a result, he cut down his walk rate while seeing his strikeout rate rise across those seven outings.
Attacking hitters helped Elder find the kind of consistency he’s been searching for since the first half of his career-best 2023 season.
“That’s something I learned last year,” Elder said. “The good run I went on last year literally started with me saying, ‘If I give up five or six runs, that’s fine, but I’m going to progress the game. The game is going to move forward. I’m not going to get in bad counts and situations.’ And, obviously, it’s still going to happen, but progressing the game forward and keeping it moving, it’s turned out that I realize maybe my stuff is a little better than I thought it was. So, I’m kind of staying in the zone and making hitters swing.”
Something else Elder is benefiting from is the fact that not all swings are created equal.
He has been proficient at avoiding barrels. According to MLB Statcast data, Elder is in the 86th percentile with just a 3.3 percent opponent’s barrel rate. That elite level of barrel suppression correlates directly to Elder’s career-best home run rate of 0.4 per nine innings. Keeping the ball in the park always bodes well for a pitcher’s chances on any given day.
Elder’s overall success owes largely to an improved arsenal that includes a mix of three fastball types in addition to his slider and changeup. Having more weapons and a purpose for each pitch has Elder feeling like a new man on the mound compared to the one who was searching for answers over the past three seasons.
Perhaps his best weapon is the slider, a pitch he throws roughly a third of the time and has limited opposing hitters to just a .183 average and only one home run thus far this year. That’s a marked improvement over the .259 average and 8 home runs allowed on the pitch in 28 starts a year ago.
Braves manager Walt Weiss believes that is a weapon that looks better than ever this year.
“I think it’s all of his pitches and the secondary stuff is better,” Weiss said. “His slider is an underrated pitch. If you go back to 2023, when he made the All-Star team, you would see a lot of hitters swing at bounced sliders. I think he’s got that slider back again. He’s getting a lot of swing and miss on it. He’s getting some takes on it (because) they just don’t see it very well.”
Along with refining the slider, Elder reintroduced a cutter to go along with his sinker and four-seamer. That trio of fastball offerings can be utilized to do different things to different hitters in different counts, to say nothing of the occasional changeup Elder can keep in his back pocket.
It all adds up to the most complete version of Elder that the Braves have ever seen.
“He’s got the cutter to add to the arsenal,” Weiss said. “He had it once upon a time and he brought it back. It’s a good pitch for him (and) complements the changeup really well. His changeup has gotten better. All of his stuff has ticked up – the two-seam, the four-seam. So, he’s got three different fastballs – the two-seam, the four-seam and the cutter – and it makes it difficult on a hitter when you’ve got three different fastballs and the other stuff is working, too. He’s throwing the ball really well.
Elder’s stuff has definitely ticked up on the radar gun. The four-seam fastball that average 90-91 mph over his first three seasons is clocked up to 94 mph this year and average 92.5 mph.
In addition to tapping into a little more velocity, Elder added the cut-fastball to his repertoire, primarily as a weapon against left-handed hitters.
“Last year, the four-seam had a lot of good action to it and I was getting good results with it,” Elder said. “I still plan on using that, but I think the cutter just kind of creates another plane. Everything is usually up and down for me, being a higher arm-slot guy. So, (it’s) a little different plane moving into the lefties… I’ve been working on it.”
While he may eventually show it to right-handed hitters, Elder is using the pitch with great results against lefties. They are batting just .176 and slugging just .294 against the changeup in 76 offerings.
Braves catcher Drake Baldwin has been behind the plate for Elder over the past two seasons and sees the improved arsenal and extra velocity as the keys to success.
“I think his velocity is ticking up,” Baldwin said. “He has a little bit different pitch mix, a little more north-south and using that four-seam and cutter more. I think that pitch mix has helped him keep hitters a little bit more off balance.”
In a game that requires constant adjustments, Elder was able to bring what he learned down the stretch last year and add to it this season. While the results may have changed for the better, his teammates still see the pitcher they’ve always known, a tireless worker.
“He’s the same guy,” Baldwin said. “He’s always come in, worked his tail off and done everything he can scouting report-wise to know (hitters). This pitch mix is working more for him, and he’s been doing really well.”
When Elder went to the All-Star game in 2023, he was coming off a great first half. He went 7-2 with a 2.97 ERA in 18 starts before stumbling in the second half and falling out of favor and subsequently in and out of rotation over the two years that followed.
A litany of injuries to other starters afforded Elder an opportunity to keep pitching in the big leagues despite posting a 5.47 ERA combined between 2024 and 2025. Those extended struggles represented a chance to refine his mental and physical approach to the game.
With an improved pitch arsenal and grounded perspective, Elder appears to be on the right path to find success for both himself and the team.
“I’ve had a lot of good runs, and I’ve had a lot of bad runs,” Elder said.” I think more than anything just trying to – it sounds cliché, but it’s the truth – go one at a time and just keep my stuff crisp and keep my work right. Whatever happens every fifth day, that’s what happens.”
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 01: Germán Márquez #33 of the San Diego Padres pitches during the first inning of a game against the Chicago White Sox at Petco Park on May 01, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last night, the San Diego Padres took a shellacking from the Chicago White Sox, eventually losing 8-2.
The trouble started early, with Germán Márquez giving up six runs in the second inning. That inning was the difference maker in San Diego’s eventual loss to the Sox.
It was a tough loss to take, but this is the first time this season that the Padres have lost three straight. If that’s how the Friars keep playing, they’ll do great this season.
Tonight will be quite the pitcher’s duel with Sean Burke and Michael King each dealing for their respective teams. That might turn it into a battle of the bullpens. In that case, San Diego feels pretty good about their chances of winning.
Taking the mound
Sean Burke (CWS) v. Michael King (SD)
Burke has been a quite solid frontline starter for the Sox so far in 2026. He’s pitched to a 3.21 ERA across 33 2/3 innings. He’ll look to keep that up against San Diego after rookie Noah Schultz pitched a scoreless outing last night.
Burke’s biggest struggle in the past has been limiting baserunners. In his first full season of work, he allowed a 1.44 WHIP and .251 opponent batting average (2025). He’s been much better to start this year, but Burke is looking to prove himself tonight against the Friars.
San Diego will have their ace on the bump in King. The righty has returned to peak form, pitching to a 2.41 ERA in his first six starts. He’s also struck out 34 batters in 33 2/3 innings pitched.
But the best metric has been King’s .177 opponent batting average. It’s the lowest mark of his career by far, and he’s shown no signs of slowing down. If King can limit Chicago, the Padres won’t need to do much to force the rubber match.
Batter up!
One of the only good offensive moments for San Diego from last night was Fernando Tatis Jr. The Friars’ star went 3-for-3 with a walk. The only miscue of the night was a bad throw home that ended up allowing that dreadful second innings to continue.
Yesterday’s lineup was a little unorthodox. Whether or not that remains the case will be seen tonight, though it will likely go back to normal after Jake Cronenworth, Gavin Sheets and Jackson Merrill got off days last night.
Ramón Laureano, LF
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
Jackson Merrill, CF
Manny Machado, 3B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Gavin Sheets, 1B
Miguel Andujar, DH
Luis Campusano, C
Jake Cronenworth, 2B
With righties on the mound, the Padres’ lineup has been relatively set. That spells a typical day against Burke. San Diego doesn’t have much history with the right-hander, but they’re betting on another strong start from King alongside being able to scratch a few runs across the board.
Relief corps
The only good thing about last night’s pitching was that the Friars only used three guys to finish the game. Márquez, Wandy Peralta and Ron Marinaccio combined to hurl all nine innings. That leaves almost the entire Padres’ bullpen intact for tonight.
Jason Adam, Jeremiah Estrada, Kyle Hart, Adrian Morejon, Bradgley Rodriguez and closer Mason Miller will all be available for Game 2 tonight. Aside from Hart, the five represent high-leverage options for San Diego to turn to in important situations.
Aug 16, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Justin Wrobleski (70) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals finish things off on Sunday afternoon at Busch Stadium.
BOSTON — The hours before Game 7 of the Sixers’ first-round playoff series against the Celtics contained multiple significant pieces of health news.
Boston ruled superstar forward Jayson Tatum out with “left knee stiffness” about two hours before the 7:30 p.m. ET tip-off. On the Sixers’ side, both Paul George (illness) and Joel Embiid (appendectomy recovery) were upgraded to available after initially being listed as probable.
Following a late-season return from a ruptured right Achilles tendon, Tatum had played in the first six games of the Sixers-Celtics series. He averaged 23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 6.8 assists.
However, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said Tatum came in Saturday with stiffness at the back of his left knee and the Celtics decided he’d sit Game 7.
George’s illness apparently arrived out of the blue.
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said that George woke up “not feeling well” and missed the team’s Saturday morning shootaround. Embiid was present at shootaround and ultimately good for go for his fourth game post-appendectomy.
While Nurse didn’t say much about George, his tone suggested the illness is not minor.
“We’re expecting him to give it a shot,” Nurse said.
George was indeed in the Sixers’ starting lineup with Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Embiid.
Without Tatum, Mazzulla radically changed his starters. Boston’s first five was Derrick White, Ron Harper Jr., Baylor Scheierman and Luka Garza.
Good to the the King: In the early going, Colby Shelton has supplanted red-hot Caleb Bonemer as the most potent infield bat in the White Sox organization. | (Thomas Summers/Instagram)
Charlotte Knights March/April record 14-16; Overall record 14-16
Knights Player of the Month Jacob Gonzalez .291/.403/.573, 8 HR, 26 RBI, 103 at-bats
Oliver Dunn .277/.372/.438, 4 HR, 18 RBI, 7-for-8 stolen bases, 112 at-bats Jarred Kelenic .202/.346/.464, 6 HR, 18 RBI, 7-for-7 stolen bases, 84 at-bats (promoted to Chicago on April 29) Rikuu Nishida .347/.407/.408, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 5-for-6 stolen bases, 49 at-bats (promoted from Birmingham on April 17) Drew Romo .298/.385/.561, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 3-for-3 stolen bases, 57 at-bats (promoted to Chicago on April 25) Korey Lee .176/.279/.365, 2 HR, 12 RBI, 74 at-bats
Tanner McDougal 3.00 ERA, 24 IP, 13 BB, 27 K (placed on injured list on April 30 due to a flexor strain, will be shut down from throwing for a few weeks) Hagen Smith 2.33 ERA, 19 1.3 IP, 13 BB, 29 K Tyler Schweitzer 3.78 ERA, 16 2/3 IP, 4 BB, 15 K Ben Peoples 0.59 ERA, 15 1/3 IP, 7 BB, 17 K Shane Smith 5.27 ERA, 13 2/3 IP, 8 BB, 18 K Noah Schultz 1.29 ERA, 14 IP, 2 BB, 19 K (promoted to Chicago on April 14) Jonathan Cannon 12.66 ERA, 10 2/3 IP, 4 BB, 11 K
The Knights had an OK start to the season, and as of the end of April, they are 14-16 with a +13 run differential. Out of the 20 teams in the International League, the Knights are third in OPS (.800) and 13th in ERA (5.05).
Shortstop Jacob Gonzalez, 23, is off to a terrific start. In addition to providing valuable defense at a premium position, Gonzalez posted a .976 OPS during the first month of the season. Gonzalez launched eight homers, which matches his home run total throughout all of 2025. In 2024, his season OPS was .650, and in 2025, it was .652. For someone whose OPS did not escape the mid-.600s, Gonzalez was one of the organization’s most pleasant surprises in April. The White Sox drafted Gonzalez in the first round in 2023, and his stock had fallen quite a bit since then. Entering this season, MLB Pipeline had him as the No. 24 White Sox prospect, and we had him at No. 23. However, given his performance in Triple-A, Gonzalez might get an opportunity in the majors sooner than many predicted.
2026 Charlotte Knights Players of the Month Jacob Gonzalez (March-April)
Birmingham Barons April record10-14; Overall record 10-14
Barons Player of the Month Braden Montgomery .310/.423/.575, 4 HR, 19 RBI, 87 at-bats
Samuel Zavala .267/.406/.488, 5 HR, 14 RBI, 3-for-3 stolen bases, 86 at-bats Adam Fogel .281/.359/.579, 4 HR, 14 RBI, 57 at-bats Alec Makarewicz .304/.385/.609, 5-for-5 stolen bases, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 46 at-bats (promoted from Winston-Salem on April 17) Rikuu Nishida .250/.434/.350, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 6-for-6 stolen bases, 40 at-bats (promoted to Charlotte on April 17)
Shane Murphy 3.99 ERA, 29 1/3 IP, 6 BB, 21 K Jackson Kelley 1.65 ERA, 16 1/3 IP, 5 BB, 14 K Connor McCullough 2.81 ERA, 16 IP, 6 BB, 16 K Jairo Iriarte 2.84 ERA, 12 2/3 IP, 8 BB, 16 K Christian Oppor 9.26 ERA, 11 2/3 IP, 14 BB, 10 K
Coming off back-to-back Southern League championships, the 2026 Barons are not as strong as they were during the past couple of seasons. However, there were some positives during a 10-14 month. Out of eight Southern League teams, the Barons are second in OPS (.757), but they are sixth in ERA (5.50).
Outfielder Braden Montgomery, 23, gave Birmingham’s offense a large boost. Montgomery, who is universally regarded as one of the South Siders’ top prospects, posted a sky-high .998 OPS. Montgomery has a 60 power tool and a 70 arm tool, per MLB Pipeline, and he made plenty of use of those abilities during an excellent month. At this rate, Montgomery is positioning himself for a promotion quite soon.
2026 Birmingham Barons Players of the Month Braden Montgomery (April)
Winston-Salem Dash April record15-9; Overall record 15-9
Dash Player of the Month Colby Shelton .378/.485/.720, 6 HR, 23 RBI, 5-for-6 stolen bases, 82 at-bats
Dylan Cumming 5.73 ERA, 22 IP, 4 BB, 28 K Grant Umberger 5.40 ERA, 21 2/3 IP, 7 BB, 22 K Justin Sinibaldi 8.57 ERA, 21 IP, 11 BB, 20 K Jake Curtis 1.50 ERA, 12 IP, 2 BB, 17 K Gabe Davis 1.50 ERA, 12 IP, 5 BB, 9 K
The Dash posted the organization’s only winning record in April. There were plenty of positive developments in Winston-Salem, and it was difficult to decide on one Player of the Month. The Dash lapped the field in terms of OPS, leading the 12-team South Atlantic League; Winston-Salem’s OPS is .857, while Greensboro at No. 2 is quite a bit lower, at .788. By contrast, Winston-Salem’s ERA (5.17) was only 10th, but the offense largely carried the Dash to a comfortably winning record.
How did the Dash lead the league in OPS by such a wide margin? There are two people who deserve a special shout-out. Of course, we are familiar with Caleb Bonemer, 20, who plays third base and shortstop. Bonemer launched 11 homers en route to a 1.146 OPS, and he has shown no signs of slowing down since his breakout pro debut in 2025. Incredibly, however, he was not even the top Dash player in April. While Bonemer posted a 187 wRC+, Colby Shelton sits at 211! Shelton, 23, who plays second base and third base, simply could not be stopped. The White Sox selected Shelton last year in the sixth round, and he got off to a slow start with the Cannon Ballers. However, the infielder is already showing that he can handle a higher level than the one he struggled with in his first taste of professional baseball.
2026 Winston-Salem Dash Players of the Month Colby Shelton (April)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers April record 8-16; Overall record 8-16
Cannon Ballers Player of the Month Max Banks 2.25 ERA, 20 IP, 4 BB, 23 K
Riley Eikhoff 5.82 ERA, 21 2/3 IP, 8 BB, 20 K Caedmon Parker 4.12 ERA, 19 2/3 IP, 10 BB, 21 K Jackson Nove 2.51 ERA, 14 1/3 IP, 8 BB, 27 K Pierce George 1.54 ERA, 11 2/3 IP, 3 BB, 15 K
The Cannon Ballers had the coldest start out of any team in the organization, winning only one-third of their games. Out of 12 teams in the Carolina League, Kannapolis was 10th in OPS (.704), but was better on the other side, posting the fifth-best ERA (4.44).
Kannapolis starter Max Banks, 22, played a sizable role in the pitching staff’s strong performance. Banks was second on the pitching staff with 20 innings pitched, and he was very effective. Banks tallied 23 strikeouts while only issuing four walks. Incredibly, opposing hitters had a .360 BABIP against Banks, so he was not exactly lucking his way into those impressive numbers. Overall, he provided reliable innings in the rotation, and April was a big step in the right direction for Banks, who the White Sox drafted in the 14th round last year.
2026 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Players of the Month Max Banks (April)
Misiorowski, 24, was overpowering most of the night, striking out eight, retiring the last 11 batters he faced, averaging 101 mph on his fastball in the first inning and throwing 43 pitches between 100 and 103 mph. He did not know he had a no-hitter when he struck out the first batter of the sixth, and then, after throwing one pitch to leadoff hitter James Wood, motioned for a trainer to come out.
That sent a chill through the Brewers dugout – and the industry at large – given Misiorowski's high-velocity repertoire and the inherent risk involved. But the injury did not involve his golden arm.
Instead, he exited due to a barking hamstring, at least for the moment keeping the Brewers' extensive injury list a little lighter. Veteran right-hander Brandon Woodruff was placed on the IL with shoulder inflammation Friday, and the club is also awaiting the return of Quinn Priester, who is on a rehab assignment.
Despite the injuries – including the potential loss of key reliever Angel Zerpa to season-ending arm surgery – the Brewers entered Saturday 17-14.
Misiorowski, a 6-7, 200-pounder, leads the major leagues in strikeouts (59 in 38 innings), strikeout percentage (37.2%) and whiff percentage (39.5%). His lone IL stint came in August 2025 due to a left tibia contusion, though he returned shortly thereafter.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 08: Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate sculpture, also known as The Bean, is seen at Millennium Park on November 08, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today’s Lineups
DIAMONDBACKS
CUBS
Ketel Marte – 2B
Michael Busch – 1B
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Moises Ballesteros – DH
Corbin Carroll – RF
Alex Bregman – 3B
Ildemaro Vargas – 1B
Ian Happ – LF
Lourdes Gurriel – LF
Seiya Suzuki – RF
Nolan Arenado – DH
Pete Crow-Armstrong – CF
Jose Fernandez – 3B
Dansby Swanson – SS
James McCann – C
Matt Shaw – 2B
Jorge Barrosa – CF
Miguel Amaya – C
Ryne Nelson – RHP
Shota Imanaga – LHP
Yesterday could have been another disaster for the bullpen, with Zac Gallen only lasting 3.2 innings. But at least the Arizona relief corps were efficient. Particular credit to Brandyn Garcia, who made his season debut, and needed only twenty pitches to record six valuable outs. He, Ryan Thompson and Kevin Ginkel required a total of 53 pitches while getting through 4.1 innings. That came after Gallen had labored to 95 pitches for 3.2 innings of work. That continued a nightmare run for the Arizona pitching staff. Here’s their line over the past ten games, since April 19: D-backs starters: 39 IP, 67 H, 48 R, 48 ER, 9 HR, 24 BB, 33 K, 11.08 ERA
Across the same time-frame, no other team has a starter’s ERA worse than 5.79 (the Padres). Over the past two turns through the rotation, the D-backs have been more than five runs worse than anyone else. Over the same time, the bullpen hasn’t been great, with a 5.25 ERA. But there are actually half a dozen teams (including the Padres, actually) who have a higher ERA there. All told this year, the Arizona rotation is now more than half a run worse than the bullpen, with an ERA of 5.36 against 4.85. Right now, that’s the worst starter ERA in franchise history, surpassing the 5.20 figure posted during the terrible 2021 season. The bullpen figure is almost unchanged from last year’s 4.82.
Given this, it’s kinda remarkable the D-backs are still above .500 – albeit only just. The two other teams with an overall ERA above five are the Nationals (15-18) and the Astros (12-21). Both of them are actually scoring significantly more than Arizona as well: we are at 4.71 runs per game, while Washington is at 5.33 and Houston is at 5.12. Based on runs scored and allowed, the Diamondbacks “should” be at 13-18, the fourth-worst record in the majors. If things don’t turn around in the rotation, it won’t be long until that’s going to be closer to the team’s record than the current one.
