The Montreal Canadiens had an opportunity to tie the Eastern Conference Final when they hosted the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night at the Bell Center, but only one player played like he believed that was a possibility: Jakub Dobes.
From start to finish, the netminder was the Habs’ best player, and he never stopped trying even though the team in front of him looked like it was just going through the motions. On his 25th birthday, the masked man faced another 42 shots and made 39 saves for a .929 save percentage.
Throughout the game, he was the only one who gave the fans in the stands any reason to cheer. Speaking to the media after the game, Lane Hutson said it best when he summarized the game:
The only one that turned up was Dobby […] It was a shitty, shit game.
- Lane Hutson after the 4-0 defeat.
It’s not the first time the Czech netminder is the Canadiens’ best player in a game; it’s been the case in most of the Canadiens’ wins and even in their losses in these playoffs. When the goaltender was asked to comment on the game, he explained:
Yeah, it sucks right now, but tomorrow is a new day. We’re an amazing group full of exciting people. We’ll have a great time on the plane, we’ll go to dinner, we’ll joke around and bring our best hockey for Game 5, we promise. We’ll try our best to bring it home for Game 6.
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Dobes had every reason to be annoyed about the game and the result. He could have been critical of his team, but he wasn’t. Not once on the ice did his body language show that he was blaming a teammate for a goal. The 25-year-old led by example on the ice, and he also acted like a leader once the game was over. In 18 games in these playoffs, he has a 2.53 goal-against-average and a .912 save percentage.
After Game 7 of the second-round series, when he was asked if he was getting a bit tired, Dobes said he wasn’t and could play another 40 games. Watching him play, it looks like he wasn't kidding. But the same cannot be said for the rest of the team, who simply appear to be running on an empty tank. The Canadiens just don’t have the energy needed to fend off the relentless forecheck of the Hurricanes, who are proving without a shadow of a doubt that they are the best team on the ice in this series.
It’s a shame because Dobes deserved better, and the Canadiens had set up a storybook moment by having Jaroslav Halak be the torchbearer. The Slovak netminder appeared on camera not only bearing the torch but also holding a stop sign with Dobes’ name. It was a wonderful wink to the fact that the goaltender is doing exactly what Halak did in 2010 and is being cherished by the fans just like he was. Unfortunately for the team, it seems history will repeat itself, and the Canadiens will bow out of the Eastern Conference Final in five games, just like they did back then.
NEW YORK — Cincinnati Reds starter Rhett Lowder threw 45 pitches to hitters at Citi Field, the next step in his recovery from a right shoulder injury.
“Feels good,” he said. “I think we got a good grasp on it early.”
Lowder simulated three innings of work against a handful of Reds teammates, including outfielder Will Benson. Provided he comes out of the session feeling healthy over the next few days, Lowder likely would be scheduled to throw about 70 pitches for Triple-A Louisville at Memphis, a St. Louis Cardinals affiliate.
Cincinnati manager Terry Francona didn’t rule out the possibility Lowder could return to the Reds’ rotation after that one minor league rehabilitation start.
“I think there’s a lot of possibilities. Don’t know that we need to put the cart ahead of the horse. Getting him healthy is what’s really important,” Francona said before his team’s series finale against the New York Mets.
“The fact that he almost could keep throwing — I think he was out for only two or three days. That was all it was. So, he’s not building back up. They just really have been stressing and working on like, range of motion, activating the right muscles and trying to re-train that shoulder. Probably the best way I could say it. And he’s done a really good job.”
Lowder exited his May 7 outing against the Chicago Cubs in the fourth inning and was placed on the 15-day injured list May 13, retroactive to May 10, with right shoulder pain.
The 24-year-old rookie is 3-3 with a 5.40 ERA in eight starts this season and 5-5 with a 3.52 ERA in 14 career outings. He was selected seventh overall by Cincinnati in the 2023 amateur draft from Wake Forest.
Lowder made his major league debut in August 2024 and compiled a 1.17 ERA in six starts spanning 30 2/3 innings that year. But he didn’t pitch in the majors last season, missing time because of a right forearm strain and making only five minor league appearances.
May 19, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesús Luzardo (44) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Quick: name the most valuable Phillies pitcher by Wins Above Replacement.
Well, that wasn’t very difficult, was it? You said Cristopher Sánchez so quick I barely had time to take a sip of my tea. That’s okay. The first question is the warm-up. Now name the second-most valuable.
Did you say Jesús Luzardo? Good/bad news: you’re right/wrong. He’s the second-most/fourth-most valuable pitcher on the Phillies by WAR. Actually, he’s the second-most/only the seventh-most valuable Phillie overall by WAR. Zack Wheeler has been on fire since he returned, but Luzardo still has produced more value/less than half as much value than him.
Don’t adjust your monitor: nothing is wrong with the above paragraph. All of those statements are true, simultaneously. And this isn’t some sort of Schrödinger’s Phillie, where Luzardo is both extremely valuable and somewhat less so until you open the box.
See, there’s two main types of WAR: FanGraphs WAR, or fWAR, and Baseball Reference WAR, or bWAR (sometimes rWAR). And they disagree on Luzardo. The fine folks at FanGraphs have Luzardo at 1.7 fWAR, trailing only Sánchez’s 2.8, and a bit ahead of Wheeler’s 1.4. Meanwhile, the renowned recorders at Baseball Reference have Luzardo at 1.0 bWAR, far behind Sánchez’s 3.7 and Wheeler’s 2.1. A difference of 0.7 WAR in the evaluation of Luzardo may not sound like a lot, but fWAR has him as more valuable than Wheeler so far, and bWAR has him as just about half as valuable. That’s a pretty sizable difference. So what’s going on here?
First, to level-set: this is not a case where either formulation of WAR is wrong. fWAR and bWAR, as we’ll get into shortly, are both setting out to measure the same thing— how valuable a given player is—, but through decidedly different approaches. Neither one is incorrect on Luzardo; they’re just defining value differently. Despite the title of this piece (lamentably straightforward, I was fresh out of puns), we’re not really going to be determining how valuable Luzardo is here. Rather, by taking a look at how the two main forms of WAR ended up disagreeing on Luzardo’s value, we’re going to get a more holistic sense of how he’s performed so far.
So, why do fWAR and bWAR diverge when it comes to Luzardo? It comes down to what inputs they use for assessing pitchers. fWAR for pitchers is based on Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP). FIP tries to eliminate the impact of defense by taking only the plays that are determined solely by the actions of the pitcher and the batter into account: strikeouts, walks, home runs, and hit by pitches (to be technical, FanGraphs treats infield flies as strikeouts when calculating FIP for fWAR purposes, whereas standard FIP doesn’t). bWAR, on the other hand, is based on runs allowed, and innings pitched. There’s more to the calculations than just that, of course. But that information is all we need to explain the variance on Luzardo.
Luzardo has been good to great at most of the things that go into FIP. His 27.7 K% is in the 84th percentile. His walk rate of 6.5% is in the 81st. His 0.73 HR/9 is tied for 21st among qualified pitchers, and the total number of gopher balls he’s allowed (5) doesn’t pop any eyes. He’s hit four batters so far, which is more than most pitchers, but that doesn’t seem to be dragging his FIP down (or up, rather) much. His FIP of 2.82 is ninth-best in baseball, and so it’s no surprise that he’s doing well in the FIP-based fWAR.
But you can see the caveat coming: FIP, and thus fWAR, doesn’t take into account batted balls other than homers. And you can’t tell the story of Luzardo’s season without discussing those. Luzardo has been solid at avoiding homers, but he’s too often been sent into spirals by balls in play. Of all the pitchers in baseball who’ve pitched enough to be deemed qualified for the leaderboards, only one has suffered a worse BABIP than Luzardo: pity the suffering (and wonderfully alliterative) Cade Cavalli. That alone can’t explain Luzardo’s performance so far; Sánchez has the fifth-highest BABIP against in baseball, and he’s doing things that are giving us cause to bring up Grover Cleveland Alexander and Carl Hubbell (not that it’s ever a bad time to discuss the old greats). But hits aren’t the statistic that goes into bWAR. Runs allowed are. Luzardo has stranded 67.1% of the baserunners who reached against him. That puts him at 66 of 76 qualified pitchers; no Phillies pitcher allows a greater proportion of his baserunners to score.
On the whole, Luzardo has allowed 32 runs across 61.2 innings pitched. Hence the relatively unenthusiastic rating of Luzardo by bWAR. Wheeler’s allowed 7 runs in 37.2 innings pitched, and that’s how he surpasses Luzardo in bWAR, even as he posts a lower K% and an only slightly lower BB%.
So, which WAR variant represents the real Luzardo? They both do. Luzardo is a pitcher who strikes out tons of batters and hands out walks like a dentist hands out Halloween candy. He’s also, at least in this campaign, a pitcher who’s prone to allowing runs, who lets a large proportion of his base runners pass Go, collecting their $200 along the way. That run-proneness may not last—his xERA of 3.15 is far lower than his actual ERA of 4.38, suggesting some bad luck—, but if we’re evaluating how he’s done so far, we have to take what actually happened into account.
To focus only on the runs allowed would be to ignore the excellent peripherals that showcase Luzardo’s obvious talent. To ignore them would be to ignore something that is quite obviously rather important to his job performance. “I’ve looked at life from both sides now”, sang Joni Mitchell. She certainly wasn’t referring to bWAR and fWAR. But you ought to follow her example when evaluating Luzardo.
Apr 30, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; The benches clear after Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jos Alvarado (46) struck out New York Mets left fielder Dominic Smith (2) during the eighth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kam Nedd-Imagn Images
Earlier this month, MLB held its second annual “Rivalry Weekend,” primarily pairing teams with inter-league geographic rivals. The Mets played the Yankees, the Dodgers played the Angels, the Cubs played the White Sox, the Orioles played the Nationals, and so on and so forth. The Mets will likely face the Yankees during every Rivalry Weekend until the end of time, yet one might begin to wonder…are the Yankees actually the Mets’ biggest rivals?
It’s in the spirit of this question that I’ve attempted to rank all 29 other major league clubs according to the intensity of their rivalry with the Mets, beginning with the most friendly relationships and ending with the most heated. The following countdown is entirely subjective and by no means an exact science, with factors like geographic proximity, postseason history, and regular season competition all playing some role.
Without further ado, here is the list…
TIER 1: Rivalry? We might as well be friends!
29. Mariners The Mariners are like the New York Mets of baseball, as A-Rod might say.
28. Angels The historically less successful, lower-payroll, mishap-prone team in a two-franchise city, with some of the best players in recent memory but not much to show for it? The Angels and the Mets are basically cousins from across the country.
TIER 2: A gentleman’s rivalry for a gentleman’s game
27. White Sox Similar situation to that of the Angels, except comparisons between the Mets and White Sox feel more oriented towards geographic circumstance than team identity.
26. Twins The Twins took a jab at the Mets after beating them at Citi Field in April. That’s about as heated as this match-up has gotten over the years.
25. Guardians Did the Francisco Lindor trade start any sort of rivalry? Not really.
24. Tigers The Mets almost played the Tigers in the 2006 World Series…see entry No. 5 for more.
23. Rays There’s no hint of a rivalry here, but the Rays have to be above the rest of the relatively neutral AL Central because at least one person in the Citi Field stands can reliably be overheard complaining about Tampa Bay and their “analytics” during a given game.
TIER 3: I guess there’s something there
22. Blue Jays The Mets and Blue Jays swapped enough players in the 2010s that their match-ups were certainly intriguing (though not necessarily heated) since someone seemed to always be facing their former team, whether José Reyes or Noah Syndergaard or R.A. Dickey or Marcus Stroman.
21. Rockies One of two out-of-divsion National League teams the Mets have never faced in a postseason series. The Rockies lost both their first game and their first home game to the Mets within the span of one week in 1993, but got their revenge by winning the first game at Coors Field in walk-off fashion against the Amazins’ in 1995.
20. Pirates The Pirates are the other out-of-divsion National League team the Mets have never faced in a postseason series, though the two teams did compete for division titles in the old NL East back in 1973 and 1990.
19. Diamondbacks The Mets eliminated the Diamondbacks in their first-ever postseason series in 1999, but Arizona quickly got over that defeat with a World Series title two years later.
18. Padres A rivalry that briefly sizzled when Buck Showalter approached a shiny-eared Joe Musgrove. If the Mets and Padres were to meet in another postseason series sometime soon, especially with Juan Soto facing his ex-teammates, this one could move up the list.
17. Rangers Between Brandon Nimmo and Jacob deGrom (and Kumar Rocker?), the Rangers have a healthy collection of former Mets. That’s sure to make things somewhat intriguing for at least the next several years.
TIER 4: Memories of a Fall Classic
16. Royals Even as they were ripping apart the Mets’ championship hopes with speed, defense, and an unhittable bullpen, it was difficult to root too hard against the scrappy 2015 Royals.
15. Athletics The A’s ended the 82-win 1973 Mets’ incredible run to the World Series, though the Amazins’ put up a valiant seven-game fight.
14. Orioles “They can take our Polar Bear, but they still can’t hit Jerry Koosman” – some nostalgic Mets fan, moments before their mind dissolves into a psychedelic dream-state with indiscernible technicolor images flashing by. Ron Swoboda parallel to the ground in mid-air. Don Buford running out of room at the fence. Gil Hodges holding a shoe-polished baseball in front of the home plate umpire. Cleon Jones kneeling in the outfield. “Those were the days” – that Mets fan, probably.
TIER 5: Things can get tense
13. Astros It seems like these days every team’s fanbase fashions themselves something of a rival to the Astros, but this ranking is more a result of the tense 1986 NLCS, which concluded with two marathon extra-inning games. Speaking of 1986…
12. Red Sox The enemy of my enemy is my 13th-biggest rival — at least according to this placement, anyway. The Fenway Faithful might not be so kind-hearted after the 1986 World Series, but I still believe Mets fans primarily feel a strange kinship with the staunchest anti-Yankee fanbase. Though they’re still a team from Boston, this is about as friendly as a New York-Boston relationship can get.
11. Brewers Until 2024, the Brewers would have been ranked back in Tier 3 with the Rockies, Pirates, D-backs, and Padres. Things began to change when David Stearns made the switch from Milwaukee to New York. On Opening Day 2024 — the first game of Stearns’ tenure — the Brewers were promptly involved in a benches-clearing incident at Citi Field, and on the Crew’s last day of the 2024 season, Pete Alonso hit a backbreaking home run to eliminate them from postseason contention with two outs left to go before sealing the Wild Card Series.
10. Giants The orange in the Mets’ color scheme and the inspiration behind their “NY” cap logo, the Giants are barely hated in their old home of New York. Sure, the Mets eliminated them in 2000 and got eliminated by them in 2016, but there’s been no prolonged period of drama. Still, the New York history makes these franchises natural competitors for the same reason it makes them natural allies.
TIER 6: Bad Blood
9. Reds If a franchise’s all-time WAR leader punches Bud Harrelson, they can’t be listed any lower than this. Punching Bud Harrelson is an automatic trip to Tier 6.
8. Cubs Between the wild Black Cat division chase in 1969 and the NLCS sweep in 2015, the Mets have upended the Cubs in some pretty pivotal moments over the years.
7. Nationals Ah, the 2010s. A decade when the Mets seemed to get their lunch money stolen by the Nationals every year…except for 2015, when they pulled off memorable win after memorable win against Washington to win the NL East. Even in 2019, a year when neither team won the division, each managed to pull off an absurd comeback against the other down the stretch. Whether it was Yoenis Céspedes and Lucas Duda mashing in 2015 or Daniel Murphy and Bryce Harper treating Citi Field like Coors Field in the following years, the Nats and Mets certainly know how to make fools of one another.
6. Marlins Roses are red, violets are blue, the Marlins will win in Game 162. Three legendary Mets collapses — 2007, 2008, and 2025 — each made complete with a devastating loss to the Fish on the final day of the regular season. The Mets may have bigger rivals, but no one has been a bigger crimp in their plans.
5. Cardinals This pair of superteams battled in the NL East during the mid-1980s, with the Cardinals outpacing the Mets by three games in both 1985 and 1987. But the ultimate dagger came two decades later, when the young duo of Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright combined to shock Shea Stadium in Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS. Even 20 years later, I’m not sure Mets fans have come to terms with that night’s events.
TIER 7: All-Out Rivals
4. Dodgers In some ways, the Mets are more of a brother to the Dodgers than the Yankees. So many elements of their identity trace back to the Brooklyn Dodgers, from Citi Field’s Ebbets-esque design to the Mets’ Dodger-blue primary color to the core tenet that fans will stand proud even while enduring disappointment after disappointment. The Flushing Faithful were born from the Flatbush Faithful. But that brotherly cross-country relationship has grown increasingly fraught over the years as the Mets and Dodgers have faced each other in a number of high-octane postseason series, with L.A. keeping a pair of beloved Mets teams away from the World Series in 1988 and 2024 and the Mets eliminating the Dodgers in the 2006 and 2015 NLDS (the latter intensified by Chase Utley’s hard slide into Ruben Tejada). Throw in the newly-cited mantra of becoming the “East Coast Dodgers,” and the big-budget Mets have practically declared open war on the franchise that once called New York City home.
3. Braves It takes a special type of rivalry for an opposing team’s star player to name their kid after your team’s stadium. The Mets and Braves have had a contentious relationship since being re-aligned into the same division in 1995, with the Braves winning the first 11 titles in the new NL East as the Mets fought and failed (at least until 2006) to overcome Atlanta’s dynasty. The ferocity of the rivalry was renewed in 2022, when the Braves broke the Mets’ hearts with a late September sweep, eventually matching New York’s 101-win record and earning the tiebreaker to advance to the Division Series. It’s also been well documented that the Braves’ ballparks, whether the old Turner Field or the new Truist Park, have tended to be a house of horrors in both climate and outcome for the Mets.
2. Yankees There’s just something about New York baseball. Whether it was the Dodgers and Giants battling for pennants or both National League squads attempting to knock off the mighty Yankees in the World Series, the baseball world revolved around New York for the first half of the 20th century (especially in the decade of Willie, Mickey, and the Duke). The Mets and Yankees rivalry is all that remains from that rich history of intra-city competition. It undeniably peaked in 2000 with the first all-New York World Series since 1956, but it proves itself alive and well with every season’s Subway Series games, which manage to produce a playoff atmosphere no matter each team’s respective record. Sure, it’s a one-sided hatred, with more fire and fury coming from the Mets’ side. Sure, it’s interleague play, and most of the games are early-season contests with little larger consequence. Sure, up until the Juan Soto signing the Mets never had a particularly resounding victory over the Bronx Bombers (and even that one played out in a bidding war rather than on the field). But still…there’s just something about New York baseball.
1. Phillies The only rivalry that seems to regularly produce legitimate loathing between players and fans alike. Tension had been bubbling up for decades, with the Phillies barraging the Mets throughout the late 1970s and the Mets handling the Phillies throughout the 1980s. Then, in the mid-2000s, both teams weren’t just competitive at the same time — they were simultaneously elite. Jimmy Rollins called the Phillies the team to beat in the wake of the Mets’ 2006 division title (kicking off a chain reaction of trash talk) and Philadelphia lived up to the title, stunning the Mets after a late-season collapse in 2007 and edging them out in the NL East en route to a World Series championship in 2008. Plus, from Dwight Gooden to Hansel Robles (twice) to Rhys Hoskins to José Alvarado, this match-up has seen its fair share of bad blood over the years. In the words of David Wright: “I love the rivalry. I don’t necessarily love the city or the people. Or the players.”
Franklin Arias of the Portland Sea Dogs is present during a Minor League Baseball game at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, United States, on May 1, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Jake Bennett’s five-inning start proved yet again that he could be a good spot starter, if for no other reason than to gauge future value as this team may find itself firmly in selling territory as 2026 grows older. Wednesday morning’s start against the Rail Riders (Yankees AAA) was another in a long line of reputable outings, as he struck out seven and recovered extremely well after allowing a first inning home run to George Lombard Jr. And yes, that is the son of the George Lombard, the former Red Sox minor league bench coach and former Braves teammate of Andruw Jones, Greg Maddux and the like. Anywho, after Bennett’s five innings, the bullpen was sharp, not allowing a hit the duration of the game. Meanwhile, the top of Worcester’s lineup shone; Braiden Ward, Nate Eaton and Anthony Seigler, in the one-through-three holes, had seven hits between them and the 7-1 lead they had after four was key in allowing Bennett and his associates to coast the rest of the way.
Blake Wehunt had maybe his best outing of the season. The 6’7” righty out of Georgia (that’s not the Bulldogs but instead the Owls of Kennesaw State) had eight strikeouts, allowing just two hits and a walk in six innings of work. Franklin Arias belted his 12th home run of 2026 and Johanfran Garcia got his seventh homer in the fifth. Add in three runs in the sixth and Portland also coasted to an early afternoon W, their eighth win in nine games. A big factor in that has been Arias, who has 25 total bases in the last five games.
And another coast! Despite some really spotty pitching by Marcus Phillips against Asheville (Astros High-A). Enddy Azocar’s new teammates surely like him, as he had his first home run since being promoted to High-A, and it was a grand slam to answer a run to get Greenville to within neccessity of a save situation. The score was 11-5, and there it’d stay. Ronny Hernandez also contributed three hits, coming within a triple of hitting for the cycle.
The lone loser in the organization, the RidgeYaks fell to Hickory (Rangers A). This shouldn’t have even came down to two Hickory runs in the late going, but it did, but this was overall not a well-played game by Salem outside of a good shutout four relief innings from Luis Cohen. They had two defensive errors and just three hits, two from Kleyvar Salazar and one from Skylar King.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 20: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves delivers during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on May 20, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pokemon card king and staff ace Chris Sale will take the mound for the Braves as they seek a second series win (and avoid a second consecutive series loss) over the Boston Red Sox. Sale (7-3, 1.89 ERA) checked off a box with his first win over Miami his last time out, striking out eight Marlins in his seven innings of work. He started the month of May with a 2.14 ERA and has gone at at least six innings in each of his last seven starts. As dominant as he’s been, however, he’s been a victim of not having run support. Sounds familiar…
We’re starting to see a worrying trend with this Drake Baldwin-less offense, and it is runs being at an absolute premium, even when the pitching does its job. With the record we have, it’s greedy to ask for more comfortable wins. But here I am, asking anyway.
You only have to go back to last Saturday for the last time Payton Tolle (2-2, 2.45 ERA) faced the Braves. I was only periodically checking in at a truly beautiful wedding reception celebrating some dear friends. It was a “oh, nice” vibe for most of dinner, “not comfy but a lead’s a lead” during cake cutting, and then “we tried to get Cute about Bryce Elder and the rally fell just short and we lost?” right before dutifully reporting to the dance floor. Upon review of the box score much later, it was truly dismaying to see how Tolle mowed down this Braves lineup, needing 85 pitches to get through eight innings. It is even more haunting when you see that Drake Baldwin was responsible for two of the four hits off Tolle and batted in both earned runs – get better soon, king. (And if you were wondering, José Azócar, who got the start in RF, collected the other two). Yikes! Looking for anyone else who’d like to step up here, especially after being blanked last night.
Tolle also had a quality start versus the Twins since we’ve seen him – he went six, gave up four hits and three earned runs, walked two, and struck out nine. With his run since being called up, it’s wild to think he didn’t make the team out of spring training. Here’s hoping that some familiarity and recency can help the Braves solve him this time to win the series.
Just like that, the waking nightmare that has been consuming the Cubs comes to an end. I don’t know about you, but I have no surprise whatsoever that the streak went away with a thump and not a whimper. The Cubs put 10 runs on the board while running up 14 hits and drawing seven walks. Two batters were hit by pitches and so the Cubs managed to have 23 baserunners. They managed a team hitting line of .341/.460/.561. For one day, the offense played at the level of an MVP candidate.
I said this just a day or two ago. I understand why Ian Happ would get a day off or two given his struggles. Also, any resurgence of this team is almost certainly going to involve Ian so I don’t have a lot of joy seeing him out of the lineup. With his five-RBI outburst that included a homer, Ian continues to lead the Cubs in OPS among qualified hitters. He does so by leading them in slugging percentage and being second in on-base percentage. Until some of his teammates can sustain their production, it is a justifiable choice for Ian to bat in the middle of the lineup where he is typically found. Importantly, he has generally been the Cub who has performed best against right handed pitching through almost his entire Cub career.
The offense was the big story of the night, but there was a subplot. Jameson Taillon in his return to face the team that drafted him had another rough outing. The Cubs are surely approaching a difficult decision with Jameson. I’m not sure that his stuff would play significantly better out of the bullpen, but he doesn’t appear to have the ability to consistently get major league hitters out well enough to justify his spot in the starting the rotation once a few more pitchers get healthy. You hate to see it, but at some point, unless there is something ailing him that can be fixed physically, he may be nearing the end.
The Cub bullpen came through to keep this one on ice. They threw four scoreless innings, striking out five. Jacob Webb led the way with a perfect inning and three strikeouts. Webb appears to have emerged as the Cubs best reliever. Ethan Roberts appears to be a lot of smoke and mirrors, but he did throw another scoreless inning and has an 0.68 ERA that comes almost entirely in low leverage situations. You almost have to consider him for some higher leverage spots.
Speaking of leverage, am I the only one who has noticed how little leverage the Cub bullpen has encountered year to date? I’ve mentioned this in passing a couple of times. But this is the first time I’ve done a deep dive into it. Prior to Wednesday’s games, the Cubs had played 55 games to the Brewers’ 52. So raw stats can be awkward. But check this out. High leverage opponent plate appearances: Cubs 333 and Brewers 353. So 5 or 6 innings difference despite three less games. The Brewers have been really good, so not super wacky I guess. Medium leverage: Cubs 689, Brewers 732. Now you’re at maybe 10 innings difference despite three less games. The Cubs have faced almost 200 more plate appearances in low leverage situations than the Brewers. So it’s not my imagination.
Last thought. Those three games aren’t nothing either. This first half has been a gauntlet. As someone who blogs about every game, the cadence of the games is always front and center. This has felt like an unending line of games. That was a brutal combo with all of the pitching injuries and has surely exacerbated the Cub problems and them running out of gas. The 10-game losing streak is absolutely disconcerting, but I’m not ready to say that the ship has sailed on this Cub team yet.
Nothing like a win to walk me and surely a whole bunch of others back from the ledge a little.
Three Positives:
Michael Conforto came off of the bench and hit a two-run, pinch-hit homer to help put this one on ice. He got to hang around and have a second plate appearance and drew a walk. You have to love a day that measures out to an 838 wRC+.
This was Ian Happ’s night. A two-run single in the first and a three-run homer late to break a tie. He drives in five of the 10 runs on the night.
Six Cubs in all had a night that registered as over 200 wRC+, including Kevin Alcántara, who walked in his only plate appearance. But this spot goes to Dansby Swanson, another beleaguered Cub vet. He had a single, double, walk, stolen base and two runs scored.
Game 56, May 27: Cubs 10, Pirates 4 (30-26)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Ian Happ (.256). 2-6, HR, 5 RBI, R
Hero: Alex Bregman (.119). 2-6, 2B, R
Sidekick: Michael Busch (.085). 1-3, 2 BB, HBP, RBI, R
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Jameson Taillon (-.169). 5 IP, 21 BF, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 ER, 4 K
Goat: Seiya Suzuki (-.113). 1-5, R, DP
Kid: Moisés Ballesteros (-.045). 0-2, K
WPA Play of the Game: Brandon Lowe’s one-out, three-run, game-tying homer in the third inning. (.250)
Cubs Play of the Game: Alex Bregman doubled with a runner on first and no outs in the seventh inning, setting up Ian Happ’s heroics. (.167)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 55 Winner: Alex Bregman received 52 of 84 votes.
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
Michael Busch +21
Nico Hoerner +12
Alex Bregman +9.5
Michael Conforto +9
Shōta Imanaga +7
Jameson Taillon/Phil Maton -9
Matt Shaw -10
Dansby Swanson -13
Seiya Suzuki -27.5
Current Win Pace: 86.79 wins
Up Next: The fourth and final game of the series between these two teams. If you haven’t heard, it’s been a few years since the Pirates actually won a home series versus the Cubs. I’m reminded of a game last May 1. Colin Rea faced Paul Skenes in an afternoon game in Pittsburgh. The Pirates staked Skenes to two early runs. But Dansby Swanson, Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki all took Skenes deep and Skenes ended up a loser as the Cubs won 8-3.
Rea comes in with a 4-3 mark and a 4.83 ERA in 54 innings. This will be his ninth start of the season. He hasn’t won since May 1. In four starts since then, he’s allowed 14 runs (13 earned) in 21.1 innings. Last time he started rough but ended up throwing seven innings and allowing just three runs. That was his second quality start (though he technically also had a quality relief behind an opener). Skenes is 6-4 with a 3.00 ERA in 60 innings. This is his 12th start of the year. He’s lost two straight, allowing nine earned runs in 10 innings against the Blue Jays and Phillies.
It’s a tough matchup, but you never know. Maybe the bats are sufficiently awakened to steal one against Skenes and the Pirates.
DENVER — Captain Gabriel Landeskog explained the collapse as an “empty feeling.”
Defenseman Cale Makar described it as “tough,” while Logan O’Connor was even more direct about the season’s end.
“Feels like a waste, to be honest,” the Colorado Avalanche forward said.
The emotions were bitter and raw in the aftermath of the Presidents’ Trophy winners being swept by Vegas. The speed of the Avalanche — their trademark — was neutralized by the Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final. Their power play — shaky all season — was a nonfactor.
Changes appear on the horizon, whether it’s to the coaching staff, roster or playing style. The Avalanche became the seventh No. 1 seed in league history to be swept in a best-of-seven series, according to NHL Stats.
Ask goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood, though, and there’s no question the Avalanche should run it back with their core.
“Yeah,” Blackwood said, “because they are freaking amazing players.”
Coach Jared Bednar and his future were a hot topic on social media following the 2-1 loss in Game 4 in which the Avalanche struggled at times to get the puck into the Vegas zone. He has one year left on his contact.
“It takes a little bit of time,” Bednar said of processing the series loss. “I can’t really answer that right now. I think that takes a little bit of time with reflection.”
Going into the postseason, Colorado was a favorite to win the Stanley Cup — with good reason.
This team was No. 1 in the league from Nov. 1 until the end of the regular season. They had a club-record 121 points with Nathan MacKinnon (a career-best 53 goals) and Makar leading the way. The team ranked first in both goals per game (3.63) and goals-against (2.40).
The Avalanche cruised through the first two rounds against Los Angeles and Minnesota with an 8-1 record. Then, Vegas and its swarming defense brought the season to a close. Colorado had seven goals all series against the Golden Knights.
“We said it in training camp, it’s Cup or bust for us,” O’Connor said. “We let down coaches, each other, fans, management. It’s on us as players to be far better than we were. The results speak for itself. Lot of disappointment right now.”
The power play was 1 for 10 in the Vegas series. Not a big surprise, given team struggled with it in the regular season, too. They were 45 of 263 (17.1%) after assistant coach Dave Hakstol was brought in to fix it. The team was at 24.8% on the power play in 2024-25.
Back to the drawing board.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the last handful of years, get knocked down, you just get right back up,” Landeskog said. “That’s the only way to do it.”
What the roster looks like going forward
For the most part, Colorado will return a similar roster. One of the big decisions will be Brent Burns, the 41-year-old defenseman who’s trying to win his first Stanley Cup. Burns has appeared in 1,007 consecutive regular-season games, trailing only Phil Kessel (1,064).
Other pending free agents include defensemen Brett Kulak, Nick Blankenburg and Jack Ahcan, along with forward Joel Kiviranta. Jack Drury is a restricted free agent.
“We have a lot of good players that are staying around still,” defenseman Josh Manson said. “As long as we keep building around those guys I think we can be competitive.”
Bumps & bruises
Makar didn’t want to delve into the injuries that caused him to miss the opening two games of the Vegas series. The Norris Trophy finalist was held without a point against the Golden Knights.
“I’m not the type of guy to talk with that,” said Makar, who had 20 goals and 59 assists in the regular season. “Did everything I can to feel good and come back and feel confident in my play, and felt 100% out there.”
MacKinnon also was dinged up after blocking a shot with his right knee in Game 3, but played in Game 4. Valeri Nichushkin, though, was sidelined for the season-ending loss.
“There’s a lot of guys dealing with stuff,” Bednar said. “I’m sure it’s the same on every team.”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 24: Zach Ehrhard #99 of the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Dodger Stadium on March 24, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
No wins for the Dodgers’ minor league affiliates; outscored 21-10. The Drillers saw their matchup with the Naturals postponed and will instead play a doubleheader today.
Player of the day
The job of a leadoff hitter is to set the table, and Zach Ehrhard did that as well as anyone could’ve hoped for in a 5-3 Comets loss. While the four hitters right behind him all went hitless, Ehrhard reached base safely four times and had one of the Comets’ three RBI.
It’s been an outstanding month of May for Ehrhard, who has reached base safely in every single one of his games, including recording a hit in nine of the last 10.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
Colton Gordon came into last night’s game having allowed 16 runs in just three starts this month, but for six innings against the Comets, he was phenomenal. The left-handed starter for the Space Cowboys completely shut down an offense that had just gotten into the double digits the day prior.
Trailing 2-0 at the top of the seventh, the Comets looked to Chuckie Robison to even the score with a two-run bomb against the first reliever out of the Space Cowboys’ bullpen. But Chayce McDermott ran into plenty of issues in the eighth, allowing three runs, making OKC’s comeback effort an unsuccessful one.
Although Robinson had the big hit, one ought to look at leadoff hitter Ehrhard as the Comets’ most productive batter. The center fielder finished the game with nearly half of the Comets’ nine hits, continuously stranded by the heart of the order, unable to score a single run.
Double-A Tulsa
The game was postponed
High-A Great Lakes
Although they led from the top of the second inning all the way through the start of the bottom of the ninth, the Loons came out on the losing end of a 3-2 score despite outhitting their opponent 8-3. One day after a slugfest, this offense let down a terrific effort from its pitching staff, one that saw them induce 18 strikeouts, nine of them by starter Zach Root.
Neither team managed more than a single hit with runners in scoring position, but the Dragons did enough for a rally against Nicolas Cruz in the ninth, an inning that saw the Comets commit an error and a balk and allow multiple hitters to reach base without a hit, including a walk and a hit-by-pitch.
Outfielder Kole Myers had the best performance among Loons hitters, reaching base in all four of his plate appearances with a pair of knocks and a couple of walks as well.
Single-A Ontario
There isn’t a whole lot a manager or even an offense can do when every pitcher that this team keeps sending out there simply fails to record outs consistently. This was the challenge faced by the Tower Buzzers in what ended up a 13-5 defeat at home, allowing nine of those 13 runs unanswered through the game’s first three innings. Starter Hyuk-Seok Jang couldn’t get out of the first, and the first three relievers who came in for him all allowed multiple earned runs.
Offensively, the Tower Buzzers didn’t make it close, as that’d be unreasonable to ask, but they put up enough of a fight by scoring all five of those runs in the back half of this game. Center fielder Jaron Elkins had a four-hit day, just a home run short of the cycle. Speaking of homers, Ontario’s only one came from third baseman Chase Harlan in the eighth, his sixth of the season.
Transactions
The Great Lakes Loons placed catcher Gio Cueta on the injured list and activated righty Josellyn Gonzalez. The Comets activated catcher Zeby Savala and left-handed pitcher Jackson Ferris as Alex Freeland was recalled to the big league club. Meanwhile, the Tower Buzzers activated outfielder Jaron Elkins.
Feb 7, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Baylor Bears guard Tounde Yessoufou (24) shoots over Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic (22) during the second half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images
Wednesday, May 27th was the deadline for college players to withdraw from the NBA Draft and return to school. Several big names who had been floated as potential options for the Dallas Mavericks, especially with picks 30 and 48. With everyone’s decisions now made, let’s run through the list of important guys who are staying and going.
Back to school
Amari Allen (F, Alabama)
This is not a surprise, although Allen would’ve very likely been a first-round player. Back to Alabama he goes, where he’ll have an elevated role and a chance to work on improving even further.
Tounde Yessoufou (G/F, Baylor)
Yessoufou was one of those who declared for the draft while also entering the transfer portal. Last year a Baylor Bear, after withdrawing from the draft he will be playing at Madison Square Garden… for the Johnnies. This is a player I would’ve taken at 30 for Dallas.
Milan Momcilovic (F, Iowa State)
After entering the draft, Momcilovic is also returning to school, where he will apparently be making upwards of $5 million next year. Can’t say I blame him, but losing a 49% three point shooter from this class is a bit disappointing.
Billy Richmond (F, Arkansas)
UPDATE: Billy Richmond has just switched course and will return to Arkansas next season, per his agent Bill Duffy of WME. https://t.co/nLhxOxGIuv
After initially staying in the class, Richmond’s reversal of course sends him back to Fayetteville.
Tyler Tanner (G, Vanderbilt)
One of my absolute favorites, Tanner will return to Vanderbilt as a preseason All-American and one of the five best players in the SEC. While it is a bummer he is no longer in the class, he will be a joy to watch in college one more time.
To the league
Allen Graves (F, Santa Clara)
Graves was an interesting case, as his draft range could be awfully wide. However, instead of taking a large NIL bag from LSU or Duke, the Santa Clara product will head to the NBA as a likely top 25 pick.
There were rumblings that Anderson might enter the portal earlier this offseason, but once that didn’t happen it was pretty clear that he was headed for the NBA. He will likely be a top 25 selection as well.
Koa Peat (F, Arizona)
I talked to 10 NBA executives and got their takes on what these guys should do:
Christian Anderson: 10 (go to NBA), 0 (back to college) Meleek Thomas: 9 (NBA), 1 (college) Allen Graves: 8 (NBA), 2 (college) Tounde Yessoufou: 5 (NBA), 5 (college) Koa Peat: 7 (college), 3 (NBA)…
This was an interesting case, as most NBA executives polled by the Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman said Peat should return to school. Alas, he stays in the class.
Meleek Thomas (G, Arkansas)
While no official announcement was made, ESPN’s Johnathon Givonny reported on Thursday that Thomas is indeed keeping his name in the draft. He is a likely first round pick, and depending on where Dallas goes at pick nine, he’s very much in play for them in the late first.
What’s next
It’s officially workout season for these prospects. As reports surface on who the Mavericks are bringing in, we’ll keep you posted right here at Mavs Moneyball.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - MAY 26: Evan Carter #32 of the Texas Rangers is congratulated by Ezequiel Duran #20 after hitting a solo home run during the third inning against the Houston Astros at Globe Life Field on May 26, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Morning, all!
Evan Grant remembers Bob Horner, who was the first overall pick by the Atlanta Braves in 1978, slipped the minor leagues entirely, posted over an .800 OPS in 8 of his 10 pro seasons, and had his career cut short due to a bad shoulder.
With the Rangers now on their third year of offensive futility, could the answer be pivoting to contact and small ball?
Last night was a poor showing all around, so the offense doesn’t have to shoulder all the blame.
The Rangers have designated Andrew McCutcheon for assignment and signed utility infielder Nicky Lopez after infield injuries depeleted their infield depth and McCutcheon appeared to not have much left in the tank.
Deemed the most hated team in the NHL, the Vegas Golden Knights have become a league-wide punching bag for a long list of reasons. But beyond the villain narrative, they were simply my team.
From 2003 to 2014 the only hockey Sin City had was the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL, and fifteen years ago that was my first taste of the sport. Then on June 22, 2016, hockey was back. Las Vegas became home to the NHL’s 31st franchise, and the city’s first major professional sports team. For me and many others at that time it gave us a hometown team that we could not only root for, but grow up with.
The Golden Knights didn’t just reshape the NHL, they reshaped the city itself. Youth hockey in Southern Nevada has skyrocketed, surging roughly 268% to over 400% since 2017. Statewide USA Hockey registrations have jumped from 500 players to nearly 3,000 today.
The largest spike is at the 8U level, where girls' hockey alone has grown by 681%. With ice time maxed out, rinks overbooked, and not enough sheets to meet demand, local groups have stepped up. The Jake Kielb Hockey Foundation launched a $15 million campaign to build the Las Vegas Community Sports Complex, complete with two NHL-sized rinks and an indoor turf field.
The results speak for themselves. The Vegas Junior Golden Knights became a national powerhouse earning multiple USA Hockey titles – including the 2026 Girls Tier II 16U 1A championship, their second in three years, along with national titles in 2019 and 2023 across several age groups.
UNLV Hockey, which has been steadily growing since 2005, captured its first‑ever ACHA Division I National Championship in 2025 with a decisive 7–3 win over Adrian College. In less than a decade, Las Vegas has transformed from a non‑traditional market into a legitimate hockey pipeline.
And as someone who most definitely can’t bodycheck or shoot a puck whatsoever, I stand with the team that encouraged me to pursue journalism.
I stand by the early morning practices I woke up for.
I stand with celebrating my 13th birthday at a game.
I stand with the moment Marc-Andre Fleury stopped his car mid-drive to sign my stick.
I stand with Deryk Engelland signing the back of my jersey.
I stand with the person I was a year ago who walked into a development camp not as a fan, but as a journalist. I stand by the fact that at 19 years old I got to write a piece about the Mitch Marner trade. I stand by the experience that I got to be in the same room as journalists I grew up reading and watching, people who I’m lucky enough to have in my corner as I still work my way up in this world.
And to be absolutely clear: standing with the Knights does not mean standing with every player who has ever worn the jersey, nor every decision the organization has made. My loyalty isn’t about excusing anyone’s behavior.
This is about the team that made me love hockey in the first place, and the next chapter we get to watch unfold. From welcoming PWHL Las Vegas to watching the Golden Knights skate into their third Stanley Cup Final.
If you told Nikolaj Ehlers 10 years ago that he'd be one win away from making it to his first Stanley Cup Final, the then 20-year-old sophomore Winnipeg Jets forward likely wouldn't believe that it took that long.
What he also wouldn't believe is that he'd be doing so with the Carolina Hurricanes.
A long-time member of the Jets, Ehlers was drafted and developed through Kevin Cheveldayoff and Mark Chipman's system.
He put up 25 or more goals and 50 or more points in five of his 10 seasons in Manitoba and quickly became a fan favourite in and around Winnipeg.
He loved the team, the city and its fans.
Photo by James Guillory/USA Today
Ehlers, who moved around a fair bit as a child and teenager, has actually called Winnipeg home longer than any other city he's lived in over the course of his 30 years.
'Fly,' as he's called by teammates who marvel at his breathtaking speed and acceleration, quickly developed a friendship with fellow Scandinavian, Patrik Laine. The two seemed inseparable during their early years with the Jets.
The only place they were separated was on the ice.
For reasons unknown to the average fan, head coaches in Winnipeg have always liked Ehlers, but have never rewarded him quite the way he'd have hoped. None of Claude Noel, Paul Maurice, Dave Lowry, Rick Bowness or Scott Arniel gave Ehlers the opportunity for top-line minutes or considerable time on the first power play unit.
And that ultimately led to his departure last summer.
Nikolaj Ehlers: "I Really Did Love Living and Playing in Winnipeg."
As his long-term contract neared its conclusion, Ehlers' frustration with his usage and on-ice deployment continued to grow. It boiled over to the point of opting to use his unrestricted free agent right to sign with the Carolina Hurricanes - to the tune of six years and $51 million.
Ehlers, who often mentions the importance of his family when making decisions, said he received input from his father, Heinz - a longtime coach in his native Denmark - when talking about his playing future.
Opting for a change of scenery, Ehlers chose Raleigh, North Carolina as his new stomping grounds. That decision has already given him more points, power play minutes and more Stanley Cup Playoff wins than any singular season in Winnipeg garnered over his first 10 years in the league.
So, to say he made the 'right' decision.
Last week, after seeing his Canes fall to Montreal in the Eastern Conference Final series opener, Ehlers scored two goals - including the overtime winner - in Carolina's Game 2 victory. The Hurricanes have since gone on to pick up two more victories in the series, moving to within one win of the Stanley Cup Final.
He did so with his father in attendance at the game.
For Ehlers, making it to the Final will provide another difficult speed bump: the Vegas Golden Knights.
The full welcome back tribute video for #Canes’ forward Nikolaj Ehlers.
A team that stood in Winnipeg's way more than once in the postseason - most notably in 2018, winning the Western Conference Championship in Manitoba, en route to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in just their first year of existence.
Sure, there are a number of Manitobans on the Golden Knights, but they've all been there before. This time, it's Ehlers' time to shine. With one more victory over the suddenly powerless Canadiens, he will have that chance to skate as one of the final two teams remaining in the playoffs.
Oh, and he'll be doing it alongside Winnipeg's top current hockey player, Seth Jarvis, who is also coincidentally signed through the 2030-31 season in Carolina.
No, he's no longer with Winnipeg, but according to most in the Manitoba prairies, he will always be an easy choice to cheer for - even while dressed in Carolina's unfamiliar red and black.
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 20: Juan Soto #22 of the New York Mets talks with James Wood #29 of the Washington Nationals before the game at Nationals Park on August 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres are coming to town, which means one thing, it is time to re-examine the Juan Soto trade. Back in 2022, Mike Rizzo and AJ Preller swung arguably the biggest trade of the 21st century. With the Nats in full rebuild mode, and in need of help on the farm, they traded their crown jewel Juan Soto to the Padres for an historic prospect return.
Updated trade summary:
Padres get – Juan Soto, Josh Bell Nationals get – Luke Voit, Mackenzie Gore, CJ Abrams, Robert Hassell III, James Wood, Jarlin Susana
As we all know, this trade will define the next decade of Nats baseball. Usually, when you are trading a top 5 player in the sport at 23 years old, it is tough to win that deal. However, to Mike Rizzo’s credit, he hit this out of the park. The foundation of the Nationals is built around the pieces from this Juan Soto deal.
At the time, people debated who the true headliner of the deal was. That was not because there was a lack of blue chip talent coming back. It was quite the opposite, with the Nats getting 4 high end young players in the swap. CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore, Robert Hassell III, and James Wood all had arguments at the time to be the best piece.
Abrams and Gore were former top 10 picks who had already reached the big leagues. Tough MLB debuts had dropped their stock ever so slightly, but they were still ultra-valuable pieces. Robert Hassell was yet another top 10 pick who was doing great things in High-A at the time. He seemed like such a safe profile due to his great hit tool. However, James Wood was seen as having the most upside. He was still years away, but his freakish size, power and athleticism immediately stood out in pro ball.
As someone who values upside, I was probably most excited about Wood. I had never seen him play, but I heard tales of his freak athleticism. He was not a top 25 prospect in baseball yet, but it only felt like a matter of time before he got there.
As it turns out, Wood became the prize of the deal. He raced through the minor leagues in 2023 and 2024, making his debut in July on ‘24. His stock kept exploding, even becoming Baseball America’s number one prospect and getting compared to Dave Winfield.
There have been some swing and miss issues, but Wood has turned into one of the best young hitters in the sport. So far in 2026, he has taken his game to another level. His 175 OPS+ is historic for a player his age. Last season, he tailed off in the second half, but if he avoids doing that again, he is well on his way to being an MVP candidate one day.
James Wood has a 175 OPS+ in his age-23 season.
Here are the only AL/NL batters to produce an equal or better OPS+ in their age-23 season in the Live Ball Era: pic.twitter.com/Y9tuolmUkk
Usually when you trade a generational talent, you don’t get another guy with nearly as much upside in return. The Nats did just that when they got Wood. While Wood is not the pure hitter that Soto is, he has even more raw power and is a better athlete. He is such a special player and is only 23 years old.
However, Wood is not the only player from the Soto trade performing at a star level this season. CJ Abrams is playing the best baseball of his career, with a 162 OPS+ and a .937 OPS. While Abrams has gotten off to hot starts in the past, he has never been this good for this long. Wood and Abrams lead all of baseball in offensive WAR this season.
The Mike Rizzo trade of Juan Soto was an organizational game changer. Not talked about enough. pic.twitter.com/pba6Ld3Rf0
The Nats have shockingly been the best offense in baseball through two months, with Wood and Abrams being the catalysts. Meanwhile, the Padres are bottom five in runs scored and Soto has been off the team for years now. The Padres still have a solid record, but it is because of their pitching staff. If they had Wood and Abrams, the Padres would arguably be the World Series favorites.
It has not been totally smooth sailing for the Soto return though. The previously mentioned Robert Hassell has seen his development stall out. He had some time in the big leagues last year, but he has been passed by a lot of outfielders in the organization. Hassell’s hit tool simply was not as good as advertised. That sunk the profile, but this did not really hurt the Nats that much.
The other big piece in the Soto deal was MacKenzie Gore. At the time, Gore was injured, so he did not pitch in 2022. However, he became a fixture at the top of the Nats rotation from 2023 to 2025. Gore showed flashes of ace level upside, but never was able to put it together. Like a lot of these guys, Gore had a tendency to fade down the stretch.
In Paul Toboni’s first offseason, he traded the enigmatic lefty to the Texas Rangers for a prospect haul that looks really good so far. Devin Fitz-Gerald, Yeremy Cabrera and Abimelec Ortiz have all looked great. Headliner Gavin Fien has spent a lot of time injured, but he still has a lot of promise. These youngsters just add to the Soto trade legacy and make the tree even larger.
Juan Soto trade tree:
James Wood CJ Abrams Jarlin Susana Gavin Fien Alejandro Rosario Devin Fitz Gerald Abimelec Ortiz Yeremy Cabrera
Speaking of the Soto trade tree, the Padres eventually realized they would not be able to re-sign Soto. The wheeling and dealing AJ Preller decided to trade Soto to the Yankees, in a deal that worked out well for them. Michael King and Randy Vasquez are both in the Padres rotation. They also sent Drew Thorpe, who they got in that deal to the White Sox in the Dylan Cease deal. While Cease is gone now, he had two solid years with the Padres.
That trade and its after-effects are still so big for both teams. I have not even mentioned Jarlin Susana yet either. He was the last piece of the deal, but he has turned into a flame throwing pitching prospect with electric stuff. Susana is hurt right now, but he will be pitching for the Nats at some point.
The Juan Soto trade will forever connect these two franchises. It is one of the biggest trades in baseball history. As you guys know, I get on Mike Rizzo a lot, but he absolutely hit this deal out of the park. It takes guts to trade a player the caliber of Soto, who was still only 23 years old. Rizzo knew it was the best move for the team, and I think he took the best package he could have possibly gotten.
With the Nats on the upswing now, hopefully Wood and Abrams will be making impacts in playoff games before too long. A lot has gone wrong for the Nats in the 2020’s, but the Juan Soto trade was not one of those things. It is a shame Soto was not a National for life, but this trade set up the Nats very well for the future. Hopefully James Wood can be the Nat for life that Soto could not be.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 27: Leody Taveras #30 of the Baltimore Orioles runs the bases against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 27, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Heading into last week’s series against Detroit, our fearless leader Mark Brown proclaimed that the Orioles were “at another crisis point.” Believe it or not, this team actually responded. Baltimore secured back-to-back series victories over the Tigers and Rays to inch closer to .500. The team exploded for five runs in the first inning and completed the sweep last night at Camden Yards. Don’t let the O’s get hot!
The Orioles will have an opportunity to make up more ground against another AL East opponent that has struggled to start the season. The Blue Jays entered 2026 as the reining American League champs, but they will enter this series at a disappointing 27-29. Similar to Baltimore, the Jays hold consecutive series victories over Pittsburgh and Miami. Toronto squeaked out a 2-1 win over the Marlins yesterday afternoon.
The Jays have been trying to overcome early injuries to several key players. The team lost Dylan Cease, José Berríos, Shane Bieber, and Max Scherzer from its rotation. Alejandro Kirk is out with a left thumb fracture, and our old pal Anthony Santander has yet to make an impact for his new team after undergoing left shoulder labral surgery.
Former international free agent Kazuma Okamoto leads the team with 11 home runs. Vlad Guerrero Jr., George Springer, Daulton Varsho, and Jesús Sánchez remain offensive threats. Louis Varland (2-1, 0.31 ERA) has taken over the closer job from near Orioles Jeff Hoffman (3-3, 4.81 ERA). I can’t imagine Hoffman will find much pity in the comment section.
The Orioles have a long way to go, but the team appears to be clicking at the right time. Another series win would go a long way toward getting this season back on track.
Game 1: Thursday, May 28, 6:35 PM
RHP Chris Bassitt (4-3, 5.51 ERA) vs. LHP Patrick Corbin (2-1, 3.86 ERA)
The Orioles provided Chris Bassitt an extra day of rest by sending out rookie Trey Gibson last night. Bassitt allowed three earned over 4.1 innings his last time out against Detroit. The veteran has fallen short of expectations so far this season, but the 37-year-old still has a chance to get things right. He displayed glimpses of past success with six innings of one-run ball against the Athletics and 6.1 innings of one-run ball against the Astros.
Patrick Corbin joined Toronto after spending 2025 with the Rangers. The former National routinely earned “credit” on the Tony Kornheiser Show for going out there and pitching every five days despite struggling at the end of his tenure in Washington. Corbin led the league in earned runs allowed in 2021, 2022 and 2024, but he eclipsed 150 innings over each of the last five seasons. He’s off to a decent start up north with a 2-1 record and 3.86 ERA.
It will be interesting to see if the Orioles send out Samuel Basallo and Jackson Holliday against Corbin. Both sat against a left-handed starter on Wednesday.
Game 2: Friday, May 29, 7:05 PM
LHP Trevor Rogers (2-6, 6.96 ERA) vs. TBD
Speaking of players that have fallen short of expectations, Trevor Rogers has entered the chat. Rogers has struggled to put away hitters over the last month and has allowed a crazy amount of damage with two strikes and two outs. Rogers failed to complete five innings and allowed four earned runs last week. He’s provided some candid and emotional post game remarks but does not believe he’s tipping his pitches.
Can the Orioles accomplish any of their goals without getting Rogers back to form? The lefty earned a long leash after an absolutely dominant 2025. The Orioles gave Rogers a 15-day breather when he went down with the flu, but he obviously still needs a reset. The team will continue to give the free-agent-to-be opportunities, but the leash will only grow shorter with time.
The Blue Jays had yet to list starters for Game 2 or Game 4 as of Wednesday evening.
Game 3: Saturday, May 30, 4:05 PM
RHP Brandon Young (3-1, 3.47 ERA) vs. RHP Trey Yesavage (2-1, 2.25 ERA)
I spent some time giving Brandon Young his flowers earlier this week. Nobody expected Young to play this big of a role this early in the season. The 27-year-old was reassigned to minor league camp on March 7 with 67 players still on the roster. The Orioles turned to Young after losing several starting pitchers to injury, and the Big Texan has outperformed projections up to this point.
Trey Yesavage made quite the impact down the stretch last season. Yesavage capped an impressive debut with 5.1 scoreless innings against the Yankees in the ALDS. Yesavage still has his rookie status intact, and he’s right in the mix for AL Rookie of the Year with Munetaka Murakami, Kevin McGonigle and Samuel Basallo.
Game 4: Sunday, May 31, 12: 15 PM
RHP Kyle Bradish (2-6, 3.86 ERA) vs. TBD
Kyle Bradish appears to be back on track after hitting a few speed bumps. Bradish shutdown the Rays in his last two appearances and has his ERA back in the threes. The Orioles could not afford to have Bradish and Rogers struggling at the same time. The righty has looked the part of a rotation leader over his last five outings. Maybe he can provide Rogers a template to follow.
It’s tough to win a four-game series against another talented team, but the Orioles can do it if they play liked they did against Tampa. How many games do you expect Baltimore to win in this four-game set against Toronto? Let us know in the comments below!
